Cosmic

Monster Fight

Selene, Estella and Jack stared at the glion monster, pure fear coursing through them. They were trapped. The only way out of the gazebo was back through the front doors they had just come through. And with the glion monster right outside, the three teens had no delusions about being able to simply run out the door and find another hiding spot. They were hopelessly and helplessly trapped. Cornered like terrified gazelles on the African savanna. The glion monster began to circle around the gazebo, staring in at the trapped teens as they hid behind the counter.

"Selene Liara, Estella Rosneath, give up. You have nowhere else to run. Surrender and Empress Adira may show your leniency." The glion monster said. Selene glared over the counter at the monster, trying to gather up as much courage as she could.

"We are never going anywhere with you." Selene said, voice steely. The glion monster glared right back.

"Very well. As I am reasonable, I will give you forty Starmins to make your decision." The glion monster said. It stalked away into the shadows, leaving the three teenagers alone in the gazebo. Selene, Jack and Estella all sunk behind the counter to the floor.

"What do we do?" Selene hissed. Estella's fingers tugged on the pinkish-white skirt of her dress.

"I don't know! We can't run. It's right outside!" Estella whispered back.

"I know." Selene said, looking over the counter, trying to spot the monster. She couldn't see it, but something in her told her that it wasn't far. Estella looked over the counter with her, fingers nervously wringing her skirt. Both girls were scanning the area outside the gazebo for the glion monster with no success.

"Is it gone?" Selene and Estella both startled and whipped their heads to see Jack peeking over the counter as well. Suddenly, the direness if their situation dawned on them. Jack. He was just as stuck in here as they were. And what was worse was that he had never even asked for this, none of his friends had. They had just been trying to be nice, show the new kids that no one had bothered to get to know around and now they were paying for it. The two girls ducked back down and Jack followed them.

"What? What's wrong?" Jack asked, when he saw Selene and Estella's faces. Estella sniffled, eyes welling up with silver, glittery tears.

"Woah! Hey! There's no need to cry." Jack attempted to soothe. Estella sniffled again.

"We're so sorry, Jack!" Estella sniffled. Jack's blue eyes grew wide.

"What for?" Selene flung out her arm.

"For all of this! You and your friends were just trying to be nice to us and show us around and we repay you by getting you chased by negative energy monsters hellbent on bringing us back home to an evil dictator." Selene said.

"Well, you guys didn't ask for this either." Jack said. Selene wiped at her eyes.

"No, we didn't." Jack nodded.

"Right. So, let's find a way out of this. I'm guessing forty Starmins are equivalent to forty Earth minutes?" Jack said. Selene and Estella both nodded.

"Right. So, we have forty minutes to come up with a plan." Jack said. Selene, Estella and Jack all looked thoughtful as they tried to come up with something.

"Okay, so what do we know about those things?" Jack asked. Selene huffed.

"They're super persistent for one thing." Selene said.

"And they can split themselves." Estella adder. Selene nodded.

"That too." Jack looked up and tapped his chin as he thought.

"They also seem to be able to control if they're solid or smoke." Jack said. Jack's eyes widened as an idea occurred to him.

"They can control if they're solid or smoke." Jack said. Selene and Estella looked at each other, eyebrows raised.