Cantral The Entra

Epilogue

Blinding rays of sunlight make me turn from the sky and focus on the ground once more. It will be dark soon and the floating lights will rise from the grass, illuminating the area in a soft colourful glow. I stand back and look upon the line of animal figures, protruding from the playhouse, with pride. A diverse herd of miniature animals marching through the grass like beasts across the prairie.

"Zafira!" my mum shouts.

My stomach grumbles in response, teatime, and I only just realise how hungry I am. I run from my animals and through the open door. My feet plant themselves to the floor like the roots of an ancient tree and I stare at the bags on the table, eyes widened.

My mum approaches slow, like I'm as flighty as a wild jaava. "We have to leave, now."

I shake my head and tears fill my eyes.

"I can't risk Fendan returning. There's a refugee colony a few systems from here—"

"What!"

"We need to go somewhere Fendan will never think of looking."

"I'd rather Fendan take me than live there!" I say. "It will be full of people ... I can't live that close to people."

My mum places a hand on my shoulder. "You can. I never should have isolated you from the rest of the world."

I stare at the bags. We used them to hike up to the camping grounds. Big backpacks that distribute the weight evenly across the back. Mine's smaller, but it's stuffed full, just like mum's.

"We could contact Cantral—" I start.

"Cantral is a child wearing the shoes of an adult, she is as in as much need of being saved from Fendan as we are, she can't help us." My mum turns to the bags and heaves hers onto her back. "We're leaving, it won't be forever."

I bite my lip, frowning hard as mum helps load my back. It won't be for forever, I'll make sure of it.

The End