The Day Trippers

Chapter 4

I took the pillow and blanket and curled up on the couch. I reached for the locket tucked in my t-shirt.
"We're coming, Aris," I whispered quietly as I shut my eyes. Before no time, I had drifted off into a rough sleep.
Aris' stare plagued my dreams. How terrified she looked. Her warm brown eyes replaced by cold. Her scream echoed in my ears.
"Olivia!"
My eyes shot open and I was breathing in short, heavy breaths. Beads of sweat lined my forehead and palms as I glanced around the room wide-eyed. I saw the occasional headlights from the streets flashing across the walls and heard the honking of traffic.
Trying to steady my pulse, I walked to the window, wrapping the knit blanket around my shoulders.
My breath fogged up the cool glass, as I looked over the city. I was breath taken by the lights of Paris. I had to admit, Sam had a great view.
I inspected the patio door handle and heard the click of the unlock button.
Stepping out into the darkness of the night, the cool breeze blew at my long hair. I took a breath as I leaned my arms against the metal railing.
"Can't sleep?" I jumped at Sam's voice. I hadn't even noticed him standing on the other side of the balcony.
"I can't stop seeing Aris' eyes when she was taken."
"What did happen?" He asked gently.
"It's all my fault," I looked to the ground, "It was my fault she was taken. She switched our hoods so they would take her instead." Tears started to form in the corners of my eyes, "She...she knew that they would get her instead but she still told me to find you."
"It isn't your fault. She wouldn't have switched the jackets unless she thought it was for a good reason." I was silent.
"I don't understand why she would do that, for me."
"She must have known you were pretty special."
"Trust me, I'm not special," I scoffed, "I'm just a boring girl, from a boring town, living a boring life."
"I'd say your life is pretty not boring." He replied, turning his head towards mine. A slight smile lifted the corners of my mouth, but it disappeared as fast as it came.
"You should get some sleep." Sam lifted the corners of the blanket and returned it to my shivering shoulders.
"Thank you, again," I acknowledged as I stepped through the door, "Goodnight Sam."
"Goodnight, Grey," he replied with a slight smile that made my heart speed up.
I laid my head back down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling until my eyes grew heavy and eventually I fell asleep again.
"Grey," A voice called, "Grey wake up."
I adjusted my eyes to the faint glow of dawn as a hazy figure stood above me. I perched myself up on my elbow as I pushed my fingers through my hair. Sam walked over to the counter, loading stuff into his bag.
I had forgotten I was at Sam's place, I had just hoped I had dreamt yesterday and I would wake up in my warm bed.
I took my backpack and walked to the bathroom, careful not to trip on anything in the dim lit apartment. 
I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the brightness of the fluorescent lights. As I glanced in the mirror I saw what I wreck I was.
My brown eyes and hair resembled the dirt streaks that trailed my jaw. Dark blue circles hung under my eyes and my hair was a tangled mess of knots. Splashing my face with ice cold water, I tried to get rid of the dirt and dark circles. I attempted to comb through my hair with my fingers which didn't really help, so I just tied it in a messy ponytail.
I slipped on a clean t-shirt, and jeans, and zipped up the red sweatshirt. When I looked into the mirror again, I looked a little more presentable. At least the dirt was off my face and my hair was somewhat under control.
As I stepped outside the bathroom, Sam was just barely pulling on a blue shirt. I saw the outline of his muscular back as he pulled on a brown leather jacket. He ran his fingers through his dark hair, only making it messier.
He turned around before I realized I was staring.
"Enjoying the view, Grey?" My cheeks flamed but he only smirked a little.
"Let's just find Aris," I replied shortly.
I crouched down to tie my shoes as he busied himself with pulling shut the curtains and blinds.
All I could think about was where Aris was. Who were the ATTA, and what were they capable of? What were they doing to her? I could only think the worst as thoughts swam around in my mind. For all I knew she could already be dead and this would be suicide. But what else would I do?
Go home knowing that she could be alive and that I didn't even try. But I would still be in danger of being kidnapped, and if I left, Sam wouldn't come with me. He didn't even know my real name.
"Ready Grey?" He asked as he grabbed a notepad and a pen.
"Wait we're day-tripping?"
"Berlin, 136 T.E.."
"136 T.E.?"
"Third Era, after the fourth world war,"
An unknown reality just came crashing into me, and everything I thought I knew of time just crumbled and it made me feel a sense of helplessness.
"It's okay," he said gently, turning my face to look into his bright green eyes. The fear slowly melted away until it wasn't even there. Nodding in assurance, he slid his hand into mine, making my skin tingle and my breath catch in my lungs.
"Okay," I whispered.
He picked up the pen and scratched,
Meanwhile...
The familiar wave of dizziness hit me, making my head pound. I watched as the purple and white rays of light streaked across my vision. I squeezed Sam's hand to remind myself he was still there, and he squeezed back harder; almost hurting my hand, but not quite.
Heat danced across my body, sending sharp spikes of pain with it.
The purple light disappeared, replaced by the blinding glare of the afternoon. Sam gracefully caught my arm as I clumsily collapsed onto the hard pavement.
I gawked at the immense, bustling city surrounding me as Sam helped me to my feet. Golden afternoon light gleamed off the towering skyscrapers. Above me, hovering cars raced past in different directions. People jammed the streets, surrounding food carts and merchandise stands. Giant colorful screens scattered the buildings advertising various miracle hair growth and weight loss products that never actually work.
"Keep your hood up and move quickly," he murmured as we winded through the crowded streets of Berlin.
"How are we getting there now?"
"We need a cab," he waved his arm at the curb as a hovering taxi car quickly swerved towards us.
I nervously climbed into the cab after Sam.
"What do you call these?" I asked as I inspected the futuristic car.
"Ships," he replied shortly as he handed an address to the driver,
He spoke quickly in German as the driver nodded and Sam sat back against the seat. The driver nodded and the ship lurched forwards, making my stomach drop.
"You speak German too?" I asked, trying to take my mind off of the fact that we were now several feet off the ground in a flying car.
"You have a lot of spare time when you're a day tripper."
Glancing out the window, I watched as the ground kept getting farther and the clouds getting closer. Other ships sped around the sky, making my head spin.
"Where are we going again?" I whispered to Sam.
"We have to stop to get some things."
I only gave him a confused look as I slouched against the cool, leather seats.
"Why am I, you know, not like 300 years old?"
"You can only age in the time period you were born in," he replied with a sigh.
"And when were you born?" I asked curiously.
"The American Republic, 116 T.E.."
"American Republic?"
"North America, South America, and Central America, all joint after the fourth world war."
The ship fell silent except the occasional honking of traffic and the slight hum of the engine.
"Why didn't we just day-trip into the headquarters?" I asked the more I thought about this plan.
"If we day-trip into their headquarters they would see us and we'd be killed or worse."
"What's worse than being killed?"
"There's a lot worse things than getting killed, you'd be amazed at how much a person can handle." His tone darkened as he glanced out the window.
Doing the same, I sat in silence as I watched ships pass and the sun slowly start to fall down over the city. I wanted to say more, but what could I say to that?