The Telepath's Adventures

Chapter 7

Cassie and Yaz shared worried looks as they saw Angstrom looking across the water on the boat. They both were on agreement that their new alien friend really didn't look happy. Cassie sat beside her, whilst Yaz looked around and the Doctor checked on Graham and Ryan.

"I've never seen so much water, " Angstrom said softly.

"There's lots where I come from," Cassie commented dryly. "Constantly raining, can't get it to stop. Anyway, You're Albarian? Right?"

"Yes. The planet of Albar. It's tiny. Crammed full of rusting high-rises, " Angstrom said. "Everyone wants to leave any way they can. Even more so since..."

"Since?" Cassie said.

Angstrom gave her a look. "I don't know you"

"No but you can trust me," Cassie said quietly, making Angstrom look at her again. She was about to say something when the boat started and the Doctor ran up.

"Up and running. All aboard," The Doctor rambled excitedly.

Ryan and Graham popped out of the engine room. Ryan approached Yaz with a grin.

"Hey, Yaz, can you believe it? Alien planet, man," Ryan said.

Yaz smiled back. "I know"

"This planet doesn't make any sense. No other life forms except us and the microbes in the water. No people, no animals, no insects, no nothing," The Doctor said to Cassie with a frown.

"But he talked about the old settlements. What happened here?" Cassie asked worriedly.

Epzo grunted. "No-one cares"

Angstrom saw the hurt and anger on Cassie's expression and patted the Telepath on the shoulder. "Don't take him personally. He treats everyone like this"

"I don't need other people," Epzo argued.

"We all need other people, mate," Graham disagreed.

"We're all alone. That's how we start and end, and it's the natural state of all points in between," Epzo said.

"Were you born that miserable, or did you have to work at it?" Graham asked.

"Probably both," Cassie said bitterly.

"You know, when I was four, my mum told me to climb a tree. She made me climb until I was too scared to climb any higher," Epzo said. "Then she told me to jump into her arms. Don't worry, she said, I'm your mum, I'm here for you, I'll catch you. So I jumped. And she moved out of the way"

Cassie swallowed, anger rushing through her. "What?"

"Sorry, did you say your mum did this to you?" Yaz questioned, appalled.

"I smashed into the ground. Broke this arm, shattered that ankle, " Epzo explained, gesturing to his arm and foot. "And she stood over me and she said, Now you've learned. You can never trust anyone in this life"

"That is messed up," Ryan said.

"Best thing she ever did for me. I loved my mum, " Epzo said with a sigh.

"Yeah, she sounds terrific," Graham said sarcastically.

"Your mum was wrong, " Cassie disagreed sadly. "Mums aren't supposed to be the cause of your pain. They're supposed to make it go away, hold you and tell you everything's going to be alright. That it's okay to be scared of the dark and be afraid of the monsters in your closet. And that it's okay to climb into bed with them because it's scary to be in your room..." Cassie took a deep breath in, blushing at the wide-eyed looks sent her way. "They are supposed to say it's okay to be afraid, not be the thing you're afraid of and hurt you. But most importantly, they're supposed to love you no matter what"