Star Chasers Page 7

  She’d expected to wake up in the dark cargo bay, but instead, bright sunlight shone down on her. It was so brilliant, she had to shield her eyes for a bit. When she took her hand away, she saw a blue sky and two suns. Grasping the sides of the unit, she pulled herself up and slithered upward, then climbed out of the crate onto a mossy ground. A wave of dizziness attacked her, and her stomach churned, so she plopped down and leaned against the crate.

  After her stomach settled and her eyes cleared, she gazed at her surroundings. White lacy leaves resembling a bride’s veil poured to the ground from huge trees. Light and dark green bark covered the trunks, some of them almost blue. At the base of the trunks, thick foliage spread out in an array of colors with strange, feathery leaves resembling a peacock’s tail but with more colors. Flowers carpeted the ground in a myriad of hues. Several birds stepped among the flowers—they were graceful like ballet dancers, sort of like flamingos. These birds were white with a marble effect of pale blue and pink and they had four graceful legs. The scene was surreal, almost ethereal in beauty. It didn’t look like the images Hannah and Travis had shown her of Thauro, pictures sent back by the space probe NASA had launched quite a few years ago.

  Isabella tried standing again. This time she was steady on her feet. She took a step, then another, startling the birds that soared up, squawking at the intruder. She was wobbly at first, but she soon found her footing. “Okay, this is fucking weird. Not a sign of the ship or anyone. And why is my crate sitting by itself in a forest? Shouldn’t I still be in the cargo bay?” Had the ship crashed? If it had, why wasn’t her crate damaged? Am I dead? Surely not. She didn’t feel like she had died. And if she was alive, where were the others?

  She decided to investigate. She screwed the top off the flashlight and used the edge to mark tree trunks, so if she needed to, she could find her way back to the crate.

  She trudged through the forest, paying close attention to her surroundings. There had to be something. Debris from the ship, other crates that may have dropped from the cargo bay, other luggage—anything. People? Please, let me find someone? Her stomach growled. Damn, she would have to find food and water soon. All the water she had was the nearly empty bottle she had left in her crate.

  “Oh, Hannah. What am I supposed to do now? Where the hell are you?” Fear for her sister wrenched at her heart. God, she hoped nothing had happened to her. The fact that her crate was sitting forlorn in a forest was not a good sign.

  Frustrated, she walked a little further. The forest seemed endless. Shielding her eyes from the bright rays of the suns, she gazed at the sky to see if she could determine what time it could be. Judging by the position of the suns, it had to be getting late, but it was hard to tell. Unlike Earth, there was no smog covering their light. Images of alien monsters filled her mind. Her body shuddered. She had no weapon. There was no way in hell she wanted to be out in the open after dark. She turned around and followed the markings she had made on the trees back to her crate.

  Once she reached it, she climbed in, stepped into the unit, and bending low, rummaged for the bottle of water. She would have to find a stream soon, or she would die from dehydration. Her foot tangled, causing her to stumble forward into the stasis unit. Steadying herself using her hands, she felt a bag. She thought it was one of hers. She reached down and grabbed what felt like a smaller duffel bag.

  Feeling claustrophobic, she heaved herself back out, dropped to the ground, and sat in front of the crate, leaning her back against the metal side. She pulled the bag back into her lap. It wasn’t one of hers. Travis or Hannah must have put it in the unit for her. She unzipped it and looked inside. Wrapped in a small blanket were six bottles of water and ten protein bars.

  She grabbed a bar, ripped the package open, and took a bite. It was nasty, but she was starving. She chewed, swallowed, then took a drink from her half-empty bottle. She poked around in the bag to see if there was anything else inside. Beneath the blanket, she spied a folded piece of paper. She took it out and unfolded it, gazing at Hannah’s familiar writing.

  Izzy, I imagine we will be hungry enough to chew off our fingers when we wake from stasis. Travis and I saved some of the protein bars and water from our rations. This should tide you over until we can get to you. See you when we land.

  I love you, baby girl. Hannah.

  Tears streamed down her cheeks as she folded the note back up and stuck it in the bag. She wiped her face on her sleeve and leaned her head back against the crate, memories of her sister flowing through her mind. She reached for the locket around her neck and opened it, then touched the small likeness of her parents on one side and her sister on the other.

  Isabella sighed. “God, Hannah. I miss you. I don’t know what the hell I am going to do. I need to find you and the others.”

  Chapter Three

  Isabella rubbed her eyes and opened them. It was night. She must have fallen asleep. The effects of being in stasis for God knew how many years was still playing havoc with her body. She gazed up at the sky. It amazed her how clear it was. She could see the stars, and there were four moons and the largest star she’d ever seen. Well, it wasn’t that often that on Earth one could even see the stars, but the few times it had been possible, they’d been very faint. Was this the same as the North Star her parents had told her about when she was young? The light of the moons shining on the lacy leaves of the trees caused them to glow softly. A brilliant beam from the big star seemed to light up something far away.

  The glint in the distance caught her attention. She grabbed her flashlight, but she didn’t really need it. The moons and the reflected light from the trees illuminated the forest. She stood and hastily made her way to the shining object. To her surprise, it was a small storage crate from the Initiation Two, although it was bent and broken, the lid ripped in half. The contents had spilled to the ground.

  She giggled. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. The ground was littered with rations and bags of juice. The food was freeze-dried and normally sent with astronauts on space missions. She ran back to her crate and dumped the contents of the duffel bag, then grabbed the blanket. She could tie it closed and carry more of the food back with her to the crate.

  Once back at the busted crate, she crammed as much of the food and fruit juice into the duffel bag as she could and zipped it shut. She spread the blanket onto the ground and loaded it up as well, then grabbed two corners and tied them into a knot, repeating the same with the other two. She heaved the duffel bag onto her shoulder and grasped the blanket by the center knots. Gazing up at the night sky, she thanked the powers that be for the supplies she’d found.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw a bright flare. Turning around, she looked at the sky. That star was sure huge. It was radiant in its beauty and outshone the other stars in the darkened sky. An omen? Good, she hoped, because she was trapped on an alien planet, seemingly alone, and it scared the crap out of her.

  She returned to her crate and dropped the duffel bag and loaded blanket to the ground. She unzipped the bag and grabbed a packet of the freeze-dried food and a bottle of water. She quickly ate and drank, then put her findings inside the crate. Who knew if there were animals here. She’d hate to wake up to find it all gone. After picking up the crate’s lid and placing it halfway across, she heaved herself back into the crate and crawled into the stasis unit. She had to get some sleep. She would explore more in the morning. Maybe she would find other cargo and locate the ship. It had to have crashed. Had everyone survived? For now, she shoved the unsettling thought from her mind. Carefully, she drew the lid of the crate to cover her. She couldn’t take any chances of some animal finding her. Leaving just a crack open for oxygen, she settled down to try to sleep.

  As soon as she closed her eyes, she couldn’t help thinking about her nightmares. Alien creatures had plagued her dreams for months while she had prepared to go into stasis. She opened her eyes, pushed the lid back a bit, and gazed at the sky. There it was. That star. The wa
rmth of its bright yellowish rays soothed her like a mother’s caress. Her eyes drifted shut, sleep starting to overtake her. A faraway whisper. Was she dreaming? Do not worry, child. You are safe until he finds you.

  After she woke up the next morning, she ate something first and drank a bottle of water, then decided to explore and try to find the ship. She’d walked for a long time when she heard the gurgling sound of a river or stream. Isabella stopped walking and wiped the perspiration off her face. She gazed around the forest. She had been following the sound of the babbling water. Somewhere close was a creek or something. There had to be. She couldn’t be hearing things.

  A sparkling light on the ground caught her eye. It was a flower, the color of gold and shaped like a star. Another, then another after that. There was a whole path of them. Something, a gut feeling, urged her to follow them. The path didn’t lead far. She came to an opening in the trees, and she saw the stream, the bank littered with the star-shaped flowers.

  She couldn’t believe her luck! She rushed to the water. It was crystal clear. She didn’t care if it would make her sick—it had to taste a hell of a lot better than the bottled water she had with her. She kneeled and cupped her hands, then took a long drink. It was sweet and crisp and tasted so clean. She had never had anything like it. She pulled an empty bottle out of her bag and filled it with the fresh-tasting liquid.

  She stood up and followed the flowers up the stream a way. The stream widened. It looked more like a narrow river now. The flowers grew away from the water and back to the tree line. The trees were huge, like the sequoia trees in California of which she had seen pictures. One looked as though it had been hollowed out, or maybe it just grew that way. She rushed to it and cautiously peered inside to make sure there wasn’t some animal hibernating in it, then stepped inside. She couldn’t believe her eyes. The space within was bigger than her bedroom and would keep her safe from the elements much better than the open crate.

  She made her way back to the crate and gathered up her supplies. She had found both of her bags of clothes after she had woken up. She couldn’t wait to wash herself and change out of the spacesuit. She slung the three bags onto her shoulders, grabbed the filled tablecloth, and took everything to the tree. By the time she had dropped the bags in front of it, she was starved.

  She plopped down on the ground, grabbed a protein bar, and demolished it. It tasted like cardboard. This freeze-dried food wasn’t much of a step up. She had to find fresh food. Soon. She dared not try any of the berries she’d seen or roots. Hell, they could be poisonous. This forest was like a fairytale. Surely there’d be fruit trees somewhere?

  She had nothing for survival. A knife would come in handy... and string. If she had some twine or something to tie to a stick or a way to make a spear, she might be able to fish. She grimaced. She didn’t know how to start a fire without matches or a lighter, and no way was she going to eat raw fish. Did they even have fish on this planet? The stream had been very clear, and she’d not seen any movement in the water.

  A light breeze blew, and the aroma of roasting meat filled the air. Her mouth watered. She stood up and gazed at the sky. The suns were still high. She should have plenty of time to explore. She had to find the source of the delicious smell. It could be the others from the Initiation Two. They’d made camp somewhere and were roasting something over a camp fire.

  She started forward, back to the stream. The star-shaped flowers bloomed a trail down the bank. Then both the stream and the flowers disappeared beyond the tree line.

  She followed the flowers. Now and then small furry animals darted from her path. They sort of resembled rabbits. Flocks of strange colorful birds scattered as she disturbed their peace. At least if she kept to the flowers and the stream, she wouldn’t get lost. The forest had to be huge. She hadn’t come across any more crates or debris from the Initiation Two in her explorations. Her heart clenched with pain. Hannah... I miss you. She shook off the thought of her missing sister. She had to keep strong if she had a hope in hell of surviving this place.

  The smell of roasting meat grew stronger, and she could hear a bustle of noise like people were milling around. The sound of voices drifted to her ears. Could it be the people from her ship? She rushed forward and broke through the trees. A wide dirt road, splitting the forest and a small village, was on the other side of a clearing across from her. The stream meandered along the forest line and disappeared back into the trees.

  She quickly hid behind a massive trunk and peered at the village. It looked like it was from the Middle Ages. Have I just found the movie set of The Lord of the Rings? If it weren’t for the two suns and the four moons, I’d swear I’ve traveled back in time. No, this is an alien planet, but it sure as hell isn’t Thauro. Hannah told me Thauro was unpopulated. She saw thatched roofs and stone buildings... Old clunky wagons being pulled by horses... And the clothing... The women were in long dresses and sandals, and the men wore tunics, tights, and tall boots. It all looked so medieval.

  Blend in, Isabella. You need to blend in. Yes, she would need to blend in, but how? She would have to steal what she needed. No way in hell was she going to saunter up to that village dressed in a spacesuit or even her jeans and a t-shirt. The people looked medieval, so their way of life and their laws could be the same as the medieval history she’d read. She shuddered. On Earth, in the Middle Ages, they would stick people in stocks and chains, torture them. Cut off a thief’s hand... Would they burn her as a witch? The thought chilled her.

  Scanning the village, she peered to see if she could spot some type of market. Villages had them, didn’t they? She caught sight of some women carrying baskets filled with goods, vegetables, and bread. First, she had to get her hands on their type of clothing. How was she going to do that? Steal. Okay, so now I’m contemplating becoming a thief and risk getting a hand chopped off...

  She decided to wait until the suns went down. If she ran across the clearing now, someone, especially the children playing here and there and sometimes running across the road, would surely spot her as some kind of alien. The people looked normal, much like people on Earth. As hard as she looked, except for their clothing, she saw no difference. All the women had long hair, and so did the men. Fingering her own long, blonde locks, she decided if she could get a hold of their type of clothing, she wouldn’t look out of place.

  Nightfall took forever. Probably not, but just sitting there spying on the village, it seemed like a very long time. After the suns had set, she ran as fast as she could across the road and the clearing. A dog barked. At least... it sounded like a dog. Hiding in the shadows, she crept from one house to the next. How was she going to find clothing? Sniffing, she inhaled the smell of bread baking. Lord, I’m going to die of hunger just exploring this village. When she came to the last house, she spotted the small market.

  Farmers and their wives were busy packing their goods. She saw a stall with clothing, another with bread. Neither of them had people anywhere near. Maybe the traders had gone to the local pub? Listening to the chatter, she shook her head at their language. None of it sounded familiar. Several of the farmers formed a little group. They chatted for a bit, then strolled out of the market and went to a small building with a sign hanging in front. Maybe it was their pub? The wives followed them. Well, she thought they were wives. Could be daughters or whatever.

  Holding on to her bag tight, she scooted to the stalls and made straight for the clothing. Crouching low, she pulled clothes off the table and looked at them quickly. A skirt, some kind of overdress, a blouse. Damn, I need a pair of sandals. Daring to straighten a bit, she peered over the table. At the far end were several pairs of sandals. One pair looked like her size. She stuffed her loot into her bag.

  Crawling to the next table, she reached up and grabbed a loaf of bread. Into the bag. Dare she explore further? A few people were still packing up their wares. One more table. It was far enough away from the people still there. She was in luck. The table held cheeses and some sort
of meat. Groping beneath the netting that covered the food, she grabbed a chunk of cut cheese and several pieces of the meat, then hastily put them into her bag. She looked for an opportunity to sneak away and head back to the forest.

  Running as she never had, she almost dove into the forest and sank down behind a tree. Her heart thudded as if it would jump out of her chest. I’m a thief. Damn, what would Mom and Dad think of this little escapade? She clasped the cross that hung from her neck, her eyes burning with tears, but she quelled the urge to cry. Hannah would probably be proud of my intuition and bravery.

  After her heart had settled down and she had her breath back, she slunk into the forest and looked for the path of flowers. The blooms shone brightly in the rays of the moon and the brilliant star, leading her back to the gurgling stream. She followed it, warily watching for animals or unknown creatures until she arrived at her shelter.

  The only things she unpacked were the cheese and bread. Oh, but that bread tasted heavenly. She couldn’t remember any bread on Earth ever tasting so good. And the cheese... It was only for the rich back home. Her parents couldn’t afford this delicacy. She felt almost guilty as she bit chunks off the huge piece. She followed her meal with a drink from one of the juice bags. Well, supposedly juice. She’d never tasted real juice. This was colored water with some added sugar. They called it juice.

  Feeling quite full and tired from her adventure, she curled up, using the small blanket as a pillow. The weather was at least mild. Vaguely she thought about winter. Were there winters on this planet? But maybe she would have found Hannah by that time. Be patient. We will watch over you. He will come.