Stellar

Chapter 8

Petra, Three, Kai and Ruby slowly made their way back to Hendry's cabin with their heads hung low. All of them slumped down on a grassy patch near the cabins.

Petra led on the ground, staring at the moon peeping through the canopy of leaves above. The damp ground seeping onto her back. Kai fiddled with his splints before laying on his back next to Petra. He started to screw his face up, opening and closing his mouth, trying to get used to the feeling of being able to move it again. While Three and Ruby both sat cross-legged, backs lent against a tree and staring into the distance. None of them said anything, all busy trying to get their heads around what the Elder's had said.

"What are you all doing back here? I was just about to go and see the Elder's for you." Hendry bellowed from his cabin.

"You're too late, the Elders have already seen us." Kai answered, putting a dramatic arm over his eyes.

"What? What did they say?" Hendry stood at the doorway, rubbing his chin. He eyes flitted over the group, checking for any signs of injury.

"That if we go near it again then we're going to the dungeon," said Three. Hendry breathed a slight sigh of relief, shook his head and went inside to make a pot of tea.

"Something's going on. There's got to be a reason why they aren't trying to stop it." Kai muttered, one side of his top lip rising.

It suddenly dawned on Petra that this could be the last time she was here. Her restless fingers started to play with each other while her lips were forming a pout at the thought. This could be the last time she would feel so at home, feel this powerful.

Back on Earth, she always felt as if she was limited. Someone was always telling her she couldn't do something or what she was doing wasn't right. If it wasn't at school, it was her mum, especially her mum. Ever since their dad went away for work, 2 years ago, there's been a shift. Petra loved her mum but sometimes she could be a bit overbearing. She was always telling them what to do and treating them like they were five. Ruby always tells her that their mum is just looking out for them but sometimes she doesn't feel it. Always being told that you will never be able to do something gets to you in the end. Her mum always said she was just being realistic. Petra never was particularly good at anything, fairly average grades. She tried to join a football club once but just spent the majority of games sat on the bench and when she was allowed to play, she always gave the ball to the other team.

But here, she felt stronger, more empowered. She couldn't get enough of the feeling. It was like she could do anything, and she didn't want to let it go. Maybe her mum was right and she'll just have an average life but she was desperate to prove her wrong. And this was her chance.

"What are we going to do?" Petra asked, biting, her lip.

"It's simple really, I'm going to stop the gateway destroying your world," Kai sat up with a determined look in his eye. Hendry's head once again appeared out of his doorway, abandoning the tea.

"You're going to do what?" Petra could sense the slight panic in Hendry's voice, even through his always-present calm exterior.