Stargazer (Write Awards 2013)

Chapter 10 (Write Awards 2013)

"What was that about?" Stephen asked a few minutes after the phone connection was cancelled. I had dropped to the floor, staring at the phone in my lap. More than a million thoughts were flying through my head but all of them seemed to be in a different language. The only thought that was English was 'The world is going to die' and even then I wished it was in a different language.

"June!"

"Huh?" I blinked, snapping out of the shock I must have been under. Stephen was kneeling down in front of me, waving his hand in front of my face and up close I could see his brown colored eyes which seemed to contrast his orange hair and eyebrows.

"What was all that about? You turned white like you just saw a ghost." I have I thought. Yours.

My mouth opened and closed but my throat constricted, forming a lump in the back of my throat. I tried to swallow it, but my mouth had turned dry. Stephen could see that I was struggling so he gently lifted me back up to my feet and led me to a chair. Everyone was staring at me and an eerie silence filled the room. Once I was seated, Stephen gently pried my fingers open which was tightly wrapped around the phone, knuckles white from pressure, and placed it on a table in the centre of the room.

"What happened?" he repeated softly.

"Th-theres a device," I whispered and Stephen had to lean in to hear me. "It's going to release some sort of gas an-" I choked off; covering my mouth with my hand finally realizing what was going to happen.

"And?" Stephen pressed.

"Is this gas poisonous?" Aaron asked from his spot in the chair. Stephen was the only person who had moved since I had walked in. He was the only one who seemed even remotely friendly. Aaron was now all uptight and I was scared to even talk to him, fearing that he would yell or attack me.

"Yes, to you it is," I said looking up at him. A dark shadow past over his face, darkening his eyes.

"And what about this gas?" I looked back towards Stephen who seemed more serious then when I had first met him.

"It burns your lungs and you die." Stephen looked taken back; his face white and eyes wide.

"And how do we know you're not lying?" Aaron asked in mock seriousness.

"Is hydrogen chloride poisoning anything to lie about?" I snapped, glaring at him. Aaron scoffed, but Stephen seemed to believe me.

"Shit dude! That explains the toxic gas they were talking about on the news!"

"I thought that was because of a nuclear explosion in America. The power plant overloaded or something," A blonde haired boy said from the right of me.

"And what? You think the news is one-hundred percent true do you?" Stephen asked and a round of murmur went through the house.

His face seemed to say 'I told you so' before he turned back to me. "And do you know where this bomb is?"

"Bomb?" I asked in confusion.

"Yeah, isn't that what it is?"

"No, a bomb is a highly sensitive device that uses bruit force to destroy its surrounding environment in the form of a shock wave. From what I've gathered this device will release the gas in high amounts." This was basic science and I was slightly puzzled to why they didn't know.

"Alright, enough questions. June, how about you go and clean up?" I looked down to my ratty, dirt stained dress. The seams seemed to be torn although I haven't done much to wear it out. Stephen helped me up in the shocked state I was in.

"Where exactly?" Aaron asked from his spot.

"How about my place?" Stephen asked with a smile.

Stephen's place was small. I mean, my family wasn't rich therefore we had a lounge room, a small kitchen and two bedrooms but it was much roomier then his place. The kitchen held a few countertops and a small fridge, and the only thing separating the small kitchen and lounge room was a waist high wall. The air had a thin musty smell to it, but it was a nice used smell.