Carrier (23 page)

Forcing myself to meet his eyes, I was struck by the tears that streamed down his smooth, pale face. Another wave of anger rose inside of me. Aticon did not deserve to mourn Luke and Jonny when he was the one who had destroyed them.

Enough, Lena. Have you not learnt your lesson?

I swallowed down my rage and took several deep breaths before nodding my head.

Mum ran to my side and wrapped her arms around me and I clung to her like I used to when I was little, all the while watching with a sick fascination as Aticon closed his eyes and groaned softly.

This is what I crave, Lena. This feeling of warmth that is so foreign to my kind. Humans call it love. Feed me more of this emotion and together we shall all live in peace.

His thoughts made me feel dirty and protective of my mother's love. It was not his to experience. I drew away from her and stared back at him, awaiting his thoughts.

I want more,
he ordered.

I started counting, one…two…three…to numb my brain to any emotion so that Aticon could not feel, and he surprised me inclining his head in a nod.

Very good, Lena. You are learning to harness your emotions already. Perhaps you are stronger than I first thought.

Mum and I knelt beside Petra and Sammy, who had each burrowed into tight balls against Mattie and Streak's chests.

‘Daddy's dead,' said Petra, stifling a sob between great, shuddering breaths. She squeezed Sammy's hand. ‘But he's gone to be with Mummy, so everything's okay.'

‘He's building a house for us,' said Sammy in a whisper, clutching at his teddy, Peter. ‘Mummy and Daddy will come and get us when it's ready.'

‘It's a fairy house. Dad told us that fairies build their houses out of their fallen eyelashes, so it takes a long time,' added Petra.

I shuffled in closer and opened my arms and they both rested their heads against my shoulders, Streak, Mattie and I forming a triangle around the kids.

‘You know what? While they are building the house, I promised your Daddy that I'd look after you two,' I whispered into their soft, curly hair.

‘Take us away from the scary men, now. We want to go home before they kill us too,' said Petra.

‘We're going to take you back home right now. We'll go back to the house and go to sleep and wake up feeling better in the morning,' I said.

Aticon watched us with blank eyes before nodding his head slightly.

Two of the guards flanking him, he returned to the ship.

What's happening?
I asked Aticon with my mind, so the children could not overhear our conversation.

You will soon see that there is no home for you and the young to return to and that you must all come with us back to Aticona.

The great ship hissed and another hatch opened. A small aircraft shot out of the ship and zoomed overhead, leaving an electric trail of blue light as it flew south. The kids' eyes nearly popped out of their tiny sockets.

Within seconds, an ear-splitting boom rattled the night and a small ball of orange light flashed in the distance before gradually dimming.

I turned back to Aticon, who was now staring intently at the children. They watched him, with wide eyes before they screamed and wailed, ‘No!' in unison.

‘What did you tell them?'

Aticon's face betrayed no emotion, except a slight irritation in the crease of his brows.

I merely informed them that their home was no more and that they were to come with us back to our planet.

I threw my hands to my head and tugged at my hair.

And you expect them to be happy about that? Why do want them? Why do you want any of us? You said that you've got your antidote. Why can't you just go home and leave us alone!

‘Lena, what is he doing to you?' Mum asked, coming to stand between us.

Aticon moved in closer, until his lithe body loomed over Mum. After a few seconds of staring into her eyes, she moved away and sat down beside the children. It made me shudder to see Mum so passive and docile.

Aticon bore his eyes into mine.

It is you I want. I plan on taking you back with me and I assume the children will follow. The other humans are required to generate the emotions from you, the emotions that I particularly enjoy. I promise to do no harm. They will live well and be provided for, as will you.

He glanced at my mother and the others, and they rose to their feet.

No. You've got to stop controlling them,
I said.
It's not fair.

‘Lena,' said Mum, touching my arm. ‘It's best not to fight. We want peace, and so do the Aticonans. We don't want any more violence or deaths.' Her dark, wet eyes flickered over the bodies of Jonny and Luke.

I wished I could have used mental telepathy on my mother, like the Aticonan people did, to explain everything to her, about me being ‘linked' and how everyone's minds were being manipulated.

The orange glow that was once the Terra's Army barracks had now dimmed to only a speck of light. It made me think of the aeroplanes that had exploded in the sky.

‘You blew up the aeroplanes,' I said aloud.

You
blew them up, Lena. Remember. Think back to yesterday afternoon, when your Patrick was driven away. You became very angry. You threw yourself at the ground and pounded at it with your fists like when you were a child. Your surge of anger surprised me, and at the time I was searching for you in one of our scope crafts. The human crafts flew by me at that moment and I expressed your rage by shooting them down
.

One…two….three…four…
I counted, to control my rising anger.

Well done, Lena.

I ignored his praise.

‘Who were they?'

Do you really want to know, Lena? It might stoke that uncontrollable rage of yours and I do not wish to harm another human being. Come.

He paused and made a gesture with open arms, addressing us collectively.

Your minds and bodies need rest. Our ship has many beds.
He turned to me.
Lena, they will willingly board the ship even if you don't. But if you do not, then I will have to manipulate you by using force on your loved ones. The ship is geared to leave tonight. In half an hour we must all board lest it leaves without us.

‘We have to board their ship now,' I said quickly, facing the others.

They each seemed to be fighting some kind of inner battle, their faces contorted in confusion, as though their own will was fighting against Aticon's mind control.

I looked at each of Patrick's brothers and forced a shaky smile.

‘Patrick and Markus are on the ship.' I swallowed down the painful lump in my throat. ‘They are alive.'

Aticon addressed us all again.

Your brothers and the remainder of the country's population — mostly males — have agreed to join the Aticonans. They are enjoying food, water and a place to rest. Aticona is lacking in the male species and we need human men to help operate the ship and tend to our harvests. There is nothing left for you here, only a desolate barren land. Join with us on our ship and live in eternal peace. We do not destroy each other as humans do.

Patrick's brothers were already running towards the ship.

Mattie whistled between his teeth. ‘We should at least board to check on the others, to see if…it is telling the truth.'

Streak hesitated.

‘It's safer if we board the ship quietly,' I said, hating myself inside.

Streak sighed. ‘If the others are on board, then I suppose I want to be with them.' But his eyes darkened and he added, ‘Even though I hate them for killing Luke.'

Petra sobbed quietly into Mattie's neck and mumbled, ‘I want Daddy,' before groaning softly.

Your friends are wise, Lena.

The grey guards led them to the ship, the kids squirming and shrieking in Mattie and Streak's arms. I remained rooted to the ground and watched them, unable to bring myself to follow. Mum stood beside me, waiting.

Your mother is waiting for you. I admire her protectiveness. Why do you hesitate, Lena?

I'll come. But I need to see Patrick first. There something I wish to say to him privately — and I want to do it out here, while we're still home.

Aticon watched me, a flicker of curiosity reflecting in his pale eyes.

Your wish is granted.
I have sent for him.

‘No!' screamed Petra, just as they began treading the ship's ramp. ‘I'm not going!' She kicked at Mattie's shins and ran off into the nearby bushes. Sammy screamed hysterically and let go of Streak's hand before he charged after his sister. Mattie tried to go after them, but the grey guards stared into their eyes until the men both stilled and calmly boarded the ship.

Find them, and bring them to the ship, Lena. If you don't, we leave them behind.

I resisted glaring at him and ran after Petra and Sammy who had both disappeared in the dark.

‘Petra! Sammy!' I called out into the darkness. ‘It's okay. We are going on an adventure.' But after walking around in circles and calling their names until my throat was hoarse, I ran back to Aticon empty handed, a growing panic in my heart.

‘They're gone!'

Then we shall leave without them
.

‘No! I promised their father, who you
killed,
that I would look after them and I
will
.' I spun around in circles. ‘Mum? Where's my mother?'

She boarded while you searched for the young.

‘Yeah, because
you
forced her to.'

Aticon stared at me, unblinking, before stepping aside to reveal Patrick walking towards me, two grey guards flanking him.

Our eyes locked and I ran to him, relief spluttering from my lips in a loud sigh.

‘I want us to speak alone, without you inside our heads,' I shouted back at Aticon.

As you wish, Lena. I shall summon the children myself.

‘Don't scare them. I'll never come if you do that. They've been traumatised enough as it is.'

Speak with your friend, Lena. Your privacy has a time limit.

The grey guards and Aticon left us, before moving through the bushes, most likely scaring the crap out of poor Petra and Sammy.

‘Lena,' said Patrick, rushing towards me.

I took a step forward, tripped, and fell against him. He caught me in his arms and crushed me to his body, his hands stroking my back and my cropped hair. Burying my face into his chest, I could feel the heat of his skin and smell his earthy scent.

We held each other like this for a long time, me with my cheek against Patrick's heart, he with his chin resting on my head. He was breathing hard and I could hear his heart hammering against me.

‘You're okay, thank God,' I said, raising my head to meet his eyes.

‘You too,' he whispered, before swallowing thickly. ‘I was worried I'd never see you again.'

‘Have they hurt you? Any of you?' I asked.

He shook his head and stroked my cheek, his eyes soft. ‘Have they hurt you?'

I explained how they killed Luke and Jonny and his eyes darkened.

‘They're treating Markus. They said they'll treat everyone and give us a new life as long as we agree to board this ship.' He shook his head. ‘The inside of this ship is unlike anything you have even seen, Lena. There are all these levels and they even have crops in there.' He found my hand and squeezed it. ‘It's not home, Lena, but I'm not sure what home is anymore. Maybe home is not a place, maybe it's wherever your loved ones are.' His eyes turned glassy and he held me tighter. ‘My home is wherever you are, Lena.'

Tears stung my eyes and thickened my throat.

‘I can't board without Petra and Sammy. I promised Luke I'd take care of them.'

Patrick chewed his bottom lip and shook his head.

‘You'll die out here if you stay, Lena, and I can't leave my brothers again. You have to come with us, it's the only way.' He shook his head. ‘I know it can't compare to the coast and swimming and ice-cream…but maybe that can never be. My brothers might die out here if we all stay. And if one day I go missing like my dad, then there's no hope. This is the only way we can all be together and start a new life.'

A tear slid down my cheek. ‘If I find the kids, then I'll come.'

Patrick gasped with relief and held my head in his hands, as his thumbs caressed my jaw. ‘I'll help you. We're never going to be apart again, Lena, ever. I'll never leave your side.' He bent down and brushed his lips over mine and a small whimper of surprise left my throat.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and threaded my fingers through his hair, tears running down my face as I kissed him back. Patrick moaned softly and kissed me harder, and drew his arms around my waist tight, as though he never wanted to let me go. Perhaps it didn't matter where I lived, as long as I was with Patrick, and Mum and all the others. We could make it because we had so much love between us all.

Patrick and I drew apart and two guards appeared at our sides. They stared at Patrick who nodded.

‘They said I need to board the ship with them and that you will follow with Aticon and the kids.' He stared at me and sighed, before reaching for my hand. ‘I want to stay and look with you but for some reason I just…' a frown wrinkled his brow, ‘I just have to go board the ship.' He shook his head but his eyes softened. ‘I love you, Lena.'

His words took my breath away and at the same time, sent a stab of guilt to my heart.

‘Wait,' I said, my stomach swirling sickly. ‘There's something I have to tell you and it might change the way you feel about me.'

Patrick stared at me, his brows knotting again, but this time for another reason.

‘Your dad is dead, Patrick. I'm so sorry.'

Patrick opened his mouth to speak but I shook my head to stop him.