The Yarian Chronicles: Second Life

Chapter 17

I stared at him blankly as my vision became sharper, and everything came into focus. The car was parked at the visitor's center where I had been only a short while before. It was late at night and the stars shone bright in the dark sky. Than passed his hand over my seat belt and pressed its button, sending it flying back over my shoulder towards the door. I blinked, my whole body feeling heavy and tired, as if just waking up from long deep sleep.

"Get up!" he shoved me towards the door. I blinked again, my mind not quite processing what was going on. "I said get up!" His hand rose in front of me, the door flew open behind me, and my hair blew back as if a breeze had passed. "Do you really want to test me?" He screamed once more.

I stumbled up out of my seat, and looked around dazed. Not quite sure if this was reality or a dream. My thoughts were broken as Than grasped my arm in a strong grip, and dragged me into the desert. As we walked into the darkness, the cool night air nipped at my cheeks. I felt a chill crawl up my arms and down my back, and wished I'd taken a jacket or a sweater. I couldn't see much around though the stars shone brightly over head, as if someone had spilt a jar of glitter on the large navy sky. All that was visible was the dry dirt ground slightly ahead of us that was dimly lit by what at first I thought was a flashlight. Though I hadn't remembered seeing Than take one out of the car. But, to no surprise to me, when I looked for the source, all I saw was his glowing outstretched hand.

I glanced around me looking for places that I could possibly run off to and hide; wait for help, or at least for morning when I could see the ground in front of me. But it was hopeless. I could see only but a step ahead of my feet, and the rest of my surroundings blurred together in a blanket of blackness.

We walked for what seemed like hours in silence and darkness. I dragged my feet along, trying to move as slowly as I could, trying to put off the inevitable. But it was a useless exercise. Eventually Than stopped, and shone the light around us. We were stopped right in front of the large rock formation where I had been with Xan only days before. Than climbed on top of the rocks, and analyzed them closely.

"Get up here!" He ordered.

"Why? What do you need me for? Can't the all powerful alien open the easy lock?" I teased. He flicked his wrist and I felt a flush of pain shoot through my body as I instantly fell to the ground. A twisted smile crept across his face.

"Let's try this again. Get up here, now." Another flick of his wrist and I came sliding towards the bottom of the rock formation.

I climbed up slowly and carefully. While Than shed light on the face of the formation, it was still so dim that I could hardly see. When I finally reached the top, Than violently snatched my wrist and thrust my palm into the top of the formation. A bright white light shot up into my face, blinding me momentarily. By the time I could see again I was standing on top of the large silver disc. I barely blinked, and Than had grabbed me, wisped me into his arms and slid down the ship. I could feel his breathing start to speed up anxiously.

"One more lock and we're heading home," he declared.

He led me up to the side of the ship, and touched its cool metal. The purple characters began to glow brightly in the darkness. He took my hand yet again and typed out a long code with my pointer finger. He stood there, and stared at me expectantly.

"Ok Zathar, open the ship, and let's go!" He put my wrist to the ship as a bright green light emitting from the ship and scanned my tattoo. The light flickered off, and nothing happened. "What's going on?" He yelled impatiently. He grasped my hand re-typing in the code, and put my tattooed wrist up to the green glowing light. It scanned, and yet again the light flickered off uneventfully. He tried yet another time growing more aggravated. "Why won't this stupid door open?!"