5 Million Years

Chapter 11: Sitting Ducks

"So," Trey asks casually a few hours later... At least I think it's been that mug time. There're no clocks. "What do you think he's up to?"

I have to think a little before I understand who he's talking about. James.

I shrug. "Dunno. Maybe it's nothing."

"No it's not nothing. Not if he made you feel that uncomfortable."

I look at him skeptically. "Whatever. Let's just find something to eat."

It seems like we have just settled down to eat, and the food isn't great, it's 5 million years old, when there's rustling in the jungle just outside the cave.

All talking stops and several people, including myself, stand to see what's going on.

The trees move for several agonizing seconds before the source of the noise emerges.

Everyone collectively breathes a sigh of relief when James comes out, eating an exotic fruit.

"Where have you BEEN!?" Someone roars.

Heads turn to see Lyle striding angrily up to James. He knocks the fruit out of his hands.

James doesn't react, he just calmly reaches down to pick up the fallen fruit.

He casually brushes it off and takes another bite, seemingly oblivious to the fuming man beside him.

He chews and swallows slowly before answering, "I was exploring. I found a grove of fruit trees and saw some animals that look easy to catch."

People start murmuring excitedly.

"I think we should go there. We shouldn't limit ourselves to this cave," he says, speaking louder now. "We aren't cavemen.
We have knowledge and technology. Hell, we have fire! This isn't the Stone Age so we need to stop acting like it. The longer we stay here, the more likely it is that some alien will find us and then who knows what will happen. On this planet, we aren't the predators, we're the prey."

People cheer, and despite my encounter with him earlier, I'm temped to cheer too.

He's right. We need to get out of the cave.

People don't hesitate to pack up our supplies and their personal items.

Within a few minutes people begin to file out of the cave.

Trey and I stick to the back of the crowd, while James and Lyle stay up front.

I can hear them arguing from back here. Lyle is trying to lead the way but he doesn't even know where we are going.

I roll my eyes as James shouts the same point at him.

"They really don't get it do they," Trey says.

"Get what?" I ask, turning to face him.

"That they have the same ideas, they just have different methods of leading. They should just work together and it'd work so much better."

I nod. "Yeah, they spend more time fighting than leading."

A man a few steps ahead of us laughs and turns around. "Yeah I still think that girl should be the leader.... wait. You're her!"

I blush and nod.

"You'd be a great leader," he says.

"Nah, I don't really think so. Besides, I'm only sixteen."

"So? There aren't any laws here. Anyone can be anyone."

He turns back around.
I look at Trey.

He does have a point. There aren't any laws.

Trey seems to be thinking the same thing.

"Evie, if you wanted to," he says, wrapping his arm around me. "You could be the leader. Besides: sometimes the best leader is the person who doesn't even want to lead."

He smiles at me.

Well being a leader would have its pros and cons.

Pro: I get to decide.
Con: I have to decide.

Yeah. It's a toss up.

James', immediately followed by Lyle's, voice breaks my thoughts. "We're here!"

People jog up to see the fruit trees.

It is beautiful. The trees carry large yellow spheres that look a lot like peaches.
But there's something strange about this place. It's weird that in the middle of the jungle, fruit trees grow in rows.

"Come on! Let's try some!" Trey says, grabbing my hand and pulling me to a tree.

I grab one that feels right and smell it.

It doesn't smell like anything from Earth, but this is a different planet.

I cautiously take a bite and as soon as my teeth pierce the skin, sweet juice floods my mouth.

Trey laughs and wipes a drop off my chin before taking his own.

I look at the fruit and to my surprise the inside is bright blue.

It's the color of the sky, well, Earth's sky anyway.

We sit and eat the blue fruit for what must be hours. People seem to be totally relaxed. They start talking and laughing.

"So what do you think of the new planet?" A familiar voice says to me.

I give Atika a hug. "I miss Earth, but I think we can make a home here."

She grins. "Me too."

A high pitched screech breaks the atmosphere as a shadow crosses over the land.

People look up and panic, so of course I look up too.

A huge group of the flying monster things, for simplicity I'm going to call them dragons, soars overhead.

They shriek and mock dive, making people cower.

"Everybody stay calm!" I hear James shout.

"What are you talking about!? How could they stay calm!?" Lyle shouts back. "Hide!"

People scatter as the creatures five toward the trees.

"We stayed to long," I say to Trey and Atika as we run for the cover of the jungle.

Then I realize what's strange about the trees. They're in perfectly straight lines. Trees don't grow like that unless...

"Aliens," I whisper, understanding sinking in.

"Well yeah, aliens. They're sort of attacking us!" Trey says.

"No! The trees. Trees don't grow like that unless they were planted that way. Like an apple orchard!" I say, trying to get him to understand.

Thankfully Atika does. "It's a farm," she explains.

I can see in Trey's eyes the moment he gets it. "We were trespassing on their farm," He says. "And they came to defend it. We were all just there, like sitting ducks."

"The dragon things must be like the guard dogs, because there's no way they planted the fruit," Trey continues.

I nod. So now the only thing to worry about isn't the dragon things. Now I'm not worried about the dragon-things.

I'm worried about what sent them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey everyone sorry for the wait!

I hope you like the book so far!

As always,
tell me what you think and don't forget to vote!

Love,
Emma