R.O.N.A.

Chapter 13

When I woke up I realized that someone must have carried me to our room. I looked around, but no one was there. Slowly I sat up. Instantly my head felt heavy and dizzy. I sat still for several seconds until the feeling passed and then I swung my legs out of bed and stood up. My balance felt a bit off, so I stood still to gain my bearings. My entire body felt heavy and stiff.

I realized I was still in my suit, so without thinking, I left the room and headed down to the meeting rooms to see if I could find anyone. When I knocked on the door I felt reassured when a voice shouted, “Come in.”

            When I entered, Tyzon and Talon were the only ones there. Their eyes looked concerned and when I saw my reflection in the glass windows, I understood why.

            My eyes were puffy and darkened with large circles. My hair was completely disheveled and I looked like I had been run over. Great… I’m such an idiot, I thought. Self-consciously, I raised my hand to smooth out a loose hair.

            “How are you feeling?” Tyzon asked inquisitively; I had been expecting some pity.

            “Fine… what’s going on? I don’t really remember anything since I got in the hover-car.”

            “You collapsed from exhaustion…” Talon answered, “You’ve been out for over 28 nonachrons.”

            “Really? I was asleep that long?” I thought skeptically. I had never slept that long before in my entire life.

            “Yeah. We were kind of worried at first, but you look fine now,” Tyzon teased.

            I rolled my eyes; I looked anything but fine. “So what about the cure? Did Aris and Malina find anything?”

            “The four of us searched the information you gathered on your scanner, but…”

            “We didn’t find much,” Talon finished, “The only thing of value was that the foreign substance is actually a kind of parasite. Apparently it hurts a person’s air supply, eventually shutting down all the organs.”       

            “But,” Tyzon added, “Malina seems to think that this information will narrow down her search for a cure.”

            “Thank goodness!” I said. I was relieved to know that we had some sort of lead. “Where is Aris by the way?”

            “She’s been working with Malina on a cure ever since we got back… she hasn’t even slept,” Talon answered.

            “I’ve gotta go find her…” I said, “She can be like me sometimes. We get so focused on work that we overdo it.” I faked a guilty grin and then smiled.

            “Don’t overdo it either,” Tyzon warned, “If Aris and Malina are able to find a cure we may need you for another little trip.”

            “Okay…?” I replied but I wasn’t sure what he was talking about.

I turned to leave and just as I walked through the door, Tyzon blurted out, “You didn’t fail now did you?”

I was surprised by his sudden comment. “No, guess not,” I said.

I turned my head to see him smiling. His smile knocked me off my feet as well as completely bewildered me. He smiled with his white teeth shinning, but his eyes seemed almost a bit sad as his smile disappeared. I turned to leave again, faster this time, and my eyes widened in a fear that I didn’t understand.