Keeping Time

Chapter 13

Nicole's phone began to buzz.

"Nicole freaking Panera! Where are you?"

It was Taylor.

"Oh. Hi, Taylor. We are just heading out."

"We?"

"Me and my friend Godfrey are heading to his apartment to enter a portal that will lead us to the Space Queen's ship, and it is there that we will save the world."

A pause on the phone.

"Nicole? Are you high?" asked Taylor.

"No. Not at all."

"The North Koreans bombed South Korea and there is a cloud of radiation heading our way. Someone could attack Shanghai at any moment. The Chinese also heard that giant monsters are walking around the planet, picking up civilians and eating them. You are around with your friend in the streets, heading to his apartment and planning on doing god-knows-what!"

Godfrey took the phone.

"Taylor? Are you Nicole's sister? You need to come with us. We are going somewhere where it is safe."

"You are probably high too," said Taylor.

"Face it, Taylor. Your sister is walking through the streets with a person she obviously trusts. Neither he or she can believe it is the end of the world. An alien is talking to them, from a spaceship where thousands of people live, and they have weapons to stop the monsters. Now you can either think we are crazy and never see us again, or you could come with us."

They waited for her under the Nampu Bridge. She brought Professor Liu, Mrs. Liu, Diana, Alexis, Nicholas, and Avery. Then they headed to the historic Huangpu District and entered Godfrey's apartment. They entered to find six tall and intimidating women standing in the apartment, armored for combative battle with machine guns and knives. They had opened a crystal-blue portal, and they stood guard as Nicole, Godfrey, and Taylor entered into another world - The Republic of Zaffaria. A city with skyscrapers, livestock, a solar green lamp, an artificial moon and thousands of people in colorful clothing.