One Star Away

Chapter 3

Prism had discovered that she hated waiting. Her fingers constantly drummed against the side of her chair, fiddled with the edge of her skirt or blouse, or messed with her cap. She just couldn't sit still, not with what was ahead or what she had no idea was ahead.

Right then her fingers were occupied with tearing apart the brown sandwich paper into tiny strips. Prism had hardly tasted the meal when she gulped it down, and she probably wouldn't have eaten it at all if Jade hadn't urged her to. Taking a sip of the lemon-flavored water, she sighed.

Prism bit her lip, glancing at Jade. His unwavering gaze was locked ahead on the control panel as he sat stiffer than the metal walls around them.

"When we get there..." she hesitated, "what... what do we do then...?" She had been holding in this question for a while, too afraid she'd earn The Look. She didn't like The Look in which Jade studied her like she was a malfunctioning piece of machinery, and he was trying to figure out what broke.

Jade's gaze flickered to her, and Prism looked down at her hands still fiddling with the strips of paper.

"We wait for further orders," came his cool, crisp voice. He seemed so calm, but Prism could hardly contain her anxiety. Her knee bounced, scattering strips of brown paper.

Jade leaned over, and pressed a finger on her knee, stopping its motion and making Prism stiffen. "We're almost there."

That did not calm Prism in the slightest, and she twisted her hands through the fabric of her skirt to hide their shaking. She wished there were windows, some way she could see their destination, know what lay ahead besides metal walls, besides dead ends.

She sighed softly, earning another glance from Jade. Thankfully, before he could say anything, the machine, a tram Prism now realized it was called, came to a shuddering stop. Her heart pounded, and her fingers clenched the strap of her back-pack in a death grip. Was it just her or did the walls seem to be closing in?

"Prism."

Prism jerked a bit, turning toward Jade who stood in the doorway, a stream of sunlight cascading across the floor. "Are you ready?"

No, she wasn't. That was the answer that was on the tip of her tongue, begging to be said. But she forced it down. What else could she do? Go back to that dark chamber? No, this was her only choice. She nodded and stepped into the light beside him.

Prism's eyes could not have gotten any wider. Their surroundings had completely changed. The barren landscape had taken on tightly-knit, huge metal buildings that stretched up into the clouds, windows glinting on their surface like stars in a night sky. And then, there was the noise. Loud buzzing and screeching from other metallic trams like theirs zooming up and down rails, the soft hum of conversation from humans walking up and down streets, and a distant beeping pounded on Prism's eardrums like an uncoordinated orchestra. Thousands of smells from fresh cement, to the sharp smell of metal, to raw earth, and even intermingling smells of food from stalls- all assaulted her olfactory nerves.

Prism felt like all her senses were competing and it made her already-throbbing head want to explode. She rubbed her temples, focusing in on the humans. They were... beautiful, like a... painting. So many colors all mixed together, but like everything else, they were a bit overwhelming at first glance. However, before she could collect her bearings, Jade had twined his fingers through hers and was pulling her forward away from the safety of the tram across the smooth cement path.

Every thought in her screamed to run, run back to safety, but she pulled her cap farther over her eyes, making sure each thick strand was tucked into place. Sweat leaked down the back of her neck. She didn't belong here, not amidst this sweltering mass of motion and sensory overload.

The path Jade led her across meandered around some scraggly bushes and trees struggling to keep hold of their orange leaves. It took a moment for Prism to realize that this was the only plant life she had seen since their arrival. Her gaze drifted past the bit of flora to a large building looming up before them. It stood out from the metal buildings around them with its sand-colored paint and pointed towers like it was from another time.

Jade paused, bringing them both to a halt. "Prism, listen to me." She looked up at him, curiously.

He stared down at her, his brows furrowed. "You need to just be quiet, keep your head down, and you'll do fine, okay?"

Prism frowned. "But-"

"We're going to be late." He squeezed her hand gently. "Let's go."

Impossible! How could she ask questions and be quiet at the same time?! Because she needed to ask, she needed to know. Jade may not be curious, but Prism was dying to know what the humans were talking about, why many of them had their gazes locked to strange devices called phones, what were their desires, their fears, their hopes, their dreams.

Her voice was soft, as she spoke. "You don't have to worry about me, Jade."

His eyes widened a bit, his grip loosening on her hand.

The world suddenly began to blur, and Prism blinked, trying to bring into focus the scraggly trees and distant school.

"Prism."

Jade's voice seemed distant, and Prism winced, a sharp pain searing through her skull. A familiar, gritty sound filled her head.

Find him

Find the secrets

Be prepared

Be ready

A scream ripped from Prism's throat as the pain intensified, like someone was holding her head over an open flame.

"Prism! Prism!"

Prism vaguely felt someone shaking her, but it was nothing compared to the furnace engulfing her.

"Hey, are you guys all right? Do you need any help?"

Suddenly, like a bucket of water extinguishing a fire, the pain was gone, and Prism's eyes fluttered open. Two forms leaned over her. One was Jade, whose eyes were wide, and the other... was a boy Prism had never seen before.

"Prism? Prism, are you all right?" Jade's mouth was pressed in a firm line, and she felt the pressure of his fingers on her wrist, probably checking her pulse.

"I'm... fine..." Prism choked out through her dry throat as she pushed herself to sitting position. She hadn't remembered collapsing to the ground. All she remembered was the pain and... the voice... Those words still throbbed against her skull. Find him... find who?

The boy brushed strands of spiky black hair from his eyes. He was wearing the exact same uniform as Jade. The only difference was a blue hoodie slung over the collared shirt.

The boy's voice was cool like Jade's, only less calm, more concerned. "Even if you feel better, it wouldn't hurt to check into the nurse's office for a bit."

Prism didn't realize she was staring till the boy winked at her. "If you mention my name, she'll treat you right."

Prism looked away quickly, heat filling her cheeks as she slowly stood, her legs wobbling a bit. Collapsing onto the ground in front of the first human they met, what a perfect way to blend in.

Jade scowled, standing as well. "This is none of your concern, hu- stranger. Just move along."

The boy backed up a step, holding up his hands. "Only trying to help. I got to get to class anyway. See ya." He threw a quick wave and another wink their way before darting off toward the building.

Jade snorted. "Meddling humans."

Prism winced. As she watched the boy's fading form, the relief she had felt faded as well, and the pain slowly returned. Though it wasn't as bad as before, it still made her grit her teeth. She watched the boy sprint toward the school, their destination, their objective.