Chapter VI - Loona.
1475 Words
Spending all those years in space — no life, no potential ‘next’ earth anywhere in sight. People adjusted to the new living arrangement still lived the same — but it wasn’t the same.
Squinting her eyes as the bright flash of light invaded her sight, she immediately closed her eyes until they passed the shop. Who made shop signs as bright as a star.
Feeling a tug on her right arm she turned to her friend with furrowed eyebrows.
“Hey look.” she half whispered with the busy area, a finger held out pointing heading to a boy about their age — his silver long hair tied in a low pony tail, his arms occupied with a cardboard box as he racing down the path quickly disappearing around the corner.
That confused Deni even more, pursuing her lips she questionably stared at Skylar.
“What?”
“At that cute boy, ain’t he handsome.”
Shrugging she mumbled a ‘Sure’ before her a near by shop’s content caught her sight. Freeing herself from Skylar’s company she stood in front of the shop, her fingers caressing the dreamcatcher.
“Oh come on — at least be a bit enthusiastic.”
The girl whined as she dragged Deni away from the blue features she was fascinated by, on the dreamcatcher.
“I’m actually good.” she mumbled freeing her imprisoned arm. Turning her head to face Skylar she inquired, “So what are we doing at this side of the ship.”
It wasn’t like she was complaining, it was rather the opposite. A few items got her attention — that was good.
Turning at a 360 degree angle her arms spread out wide she inhaled, then exhaled. A grin on her face she stopped and face Deni.
“Ain’t it obviously? We are exploring the stores!”
Enthusiastic, this girl was always so enthusiastic — smiling, happy. She hoped it wasn’t contagious, her being happy all the time — her facial muscles would be sore.
“How about this school of yours?”
“We’ll get there.” she murmured. Hooking her arm around Deni’s she pulled her deeper into the ‘market’ space.
“This is a clean market — I didn’t know we had this.” she remarked her eyes studying the floor and each surrounding item.
“You’d be surprised.” stopping in front of a cart she handed the man two silver coins. Turning with two red apples she handed one to Deni.
“Did you know we grow our crops on this ship?” the girl questioned taking a huge bite out of the fruit — refreshing.
“But we live in a ship, this is metal.”
She pursed her lips studying the red fruit in her palms. An encouraging smile and push later she took a bite out of the fruit — not so bad.
Skylar nodded, “Of course it is but we do have artificial soil and a lab around this big place — that is where our cafeteria food comes from.”
“That is pretty cool.” she mumbled her mouth watery from the three big bites she took from the apple. Her taste buds couldn’t even tell the difference from the actual grown crop with this lab experiment.
“I know right. What line of defence do you want to be?”
“Any actually.” she shrugged, her teeth already sinked into the fresh of the apple.
“Your mum is the first line right, do you want to be like her.”
Swallowing the chunck she wiped the fruit juice from the corner of her lips, with the tip of her tongue.
“Protecting the civilians inside the space ship or out there is the same thing, same point — let no one die, so any.”
“You’ll make a great commander or general — what ever it is!”
Disapproving she shook her head. “No I won’t, I’ll just be a soldier.”
Tossing the remains of the apple in the trash near the transportation area, she gave Deni a small nod. “Sure girl!” tugging her arm she rushed to the closing doors of the elevator. “Come on before it’s too full.”
A slow journey to the upper floors they finally arrived. Stepping out the metal door’s she smiled yet again.
“So this floor is our school. Everyone but you from all ages.”
Navy blue clinging onto the walls, an actual in school — she stood in one, their hallway. Numerous doors and a refined architectural structure.
“Goes on untill college?” she questioned following behind Skylar.
“Of course, not all of us can fight in war, we need stable jobs. Maybe even be in the council as a one of the five leaders.”
Five human beings controlling a space ship full of humans — so far so good. Defence, education, finance, maintenance, human well being.
“Okay so what do you learn here?”
Throwing her arm over her shoulder she pulled her closer, too close.
“A lot of things actually, apart from the basic mathematics, self defense, languages, ship architecture. We also have art, music, dance—” cutting herself she smiled then began pulling her towards on of the class rooms — her to be exact. “Oh come here and see my class.”
Once the door opened she held out her finger pointing towards a desk right in front of the board.
“I seat way over there with an annoying cute boy, focus on the annoying part. He is always poking me, making fun of me — I would punch him you know but I wouldn’t want to deform that cute face — those dimples.”
She wasn’t at all paying attention her eyes caught sigh of someone’s — a girl’s — raven black hair. It was very dark, long and alluring, her slightly tanned skin compared to hers — light brown eyes.
Her face buried in the sheets of papers — a pen held out in her left hand jotting down something.
Tugging Skylar’s clothing the girl stopped blabbering and faced her friend.
“Okay, so who is that?” she asked pointing towards the busy girl — she couldn’t even hear them or was she ignoring them.
“Why don’t you ask her yourself!” she spoke. Pulling Deni by the hand towards the girl.
“Wait! what?” she hissed but they already stood in front of the girl — no going back.
Clearing her throat she got the girl to look up from her papers, a friendly smile on both of them.
“Hello, my friend here would like to ask you a couple of questions. You caught her eye if you know what I’m saying.” Skylar winked earning a giggling from the girl.
Her brown eyes drifted from Skylar to Deni then back to the girl. “Hey Skylar. I’m thrilled to know you are good since you called in sick today, all better?”
“You know I lied but yeah.” the girl smiled.
Taking her gaze away from Skylar she held out her hand — a wide smile on her face.
“Hello I’m Loona.”
Shaking her hand Deni smiled back — her name was pretty, and she liked it.
“Deni.”
“I haven’t seen you around school before, are you a class above us?”
Shrugging she faintly smiled. “I don’t go to school.”
“I see but why?”
Re entering the conversation Skylar spoke. “She does go to school, fight school.” gripping her bicep she flexed the girl’s arm. “Look at these muscles sister — yummy!”
Jerking her arm away she from her friends arms she glared at Skylar. Turning towards Loona she softly smiled.
“Sorry to disturb you, we’ll be going now.”
“See you around?” she asked looking at Deni with a hopeful smile.
“Yeah?” she mumbled before shoving her laughing friend out the door. Once in safe distance she hissed at Skylar, “What was that? ‘Look at these muscles sister, yummy?’ — what were you thinking, wait were you thinking!”
“I ship!” the girl laughed walking away.
“You’re nuts — crazy I tell you.”
- Writer
