Ben climbed up on the seat to my left and looked in awe at the road ahead of us. He gently ran his hands across the dash of the transporter.
"Don't press any buttons or touch any levers, okay Ben." I said with a stern tone to my voice.
I couldn't have him activating any weapons or giving the transporter an energy boost draining the battery faster than with normal use.
"Okay, Andy." He paused and looked at me confused.
"Why are we leaving the bunker? When will we go back? I liked it there." He said his voice about to break with emotion.
I sighed, I couldn't bring myself to tell him that it was because of me that we couldn't go back and that I was the reason we were leaving too. So I lied.
"We've been given a secret mission by Commander Lee. We have to leave the bunker for a little while to do the mission, okay. But shhh! Dont tell big Sis, I'm the only one who can tell her, okay. Can I trust you, Ben?" I whispered.
Ben's eyes lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically. I chuckled, reached over, and messed up his hair.
"Ben, do you want to see something cool?" I asked, forcing an excited tone to my voice. Ben answered my question with yet another enthusiastic nod.
I put the transporter in autopilot mode. A computerised voice echoed around the cockpit. "Autopilot activated."
I stood from my chair and led Ben through the door to the back of the transporter. I saw that Kelsie was trying to find room for our things.
"Kelsie, come here, I've got something super cool to show both you." I motioned for her to join us excitedly. Kelsie joined us, I pointed to a button that was beside the bathroom and asked Kelsie if she would press it. She did, and with a whir, two beds came out of the gap in the nook, and a ladder unfolded from the roof of the transporter. Ben let out an excited giggle.
"Ohhh! Can I have the top bunk?" He asked. I smiled,
"Of course, and big sis can have the bottom bunk."
"Where are you going to sleep?" Kelsie asked. She seemed unimpressed.
"I have a Japanese futon, and there's just enough room to fit it in the left- hand side of the cockpit. I'll sleep in there. It's best I do that anyway.
While the transporter has autopilot, it has sensors that go off if they detect movement within a 2 km radius of the transporter. So I need to be close by in case that movement is someone or something that is dangerous and then make a decision on what to do."
Kelsie nodded slowly. She seemed disappointed. She then proceeded to make the bunk beds up for herself and Ben. I returned to the cockpit and put the transporter in manual mode, and started to drive it along the pitted road.
About fifteen minutes later, Ben entered the cockpit, carrying one of his dinosaurs and in a voice barely legible. He said,
"Night, Night Andy."
"Night, Ben." I answered and quickly turned around to wave good night to him. I expected him to leave after I said goodnight, but he stood there.
"Are you okay, Ben?" I questioned, feeling a little but confused.
He paused and stared at me. I could tell he wanted to ask me something.
"Go ahead, Ben, you can ask me anything you want to, okay?" I said, trying to get him to open up to me.
He thought about it but decided not to ask and left the cockpit without another word.
Not long after Ben left to go to bed, Kelsie entered the cockpit, carrying a blanket in her arms.
YOU ARE READING
Tent City
FantasíaKelsie and her little brother Ben are surface dwellers who live in a world ruined by war and greed. Disease has taken their parents, and violence has erupted in their home, the Tent City. To make sure her brother is safe, the malnourished Kelsie mus...
