Off Planet (Asterism Chronicles Volume One)

Chapter 11

Jack and I awoke to Kyle running in the room. As I jolted a pain hit my side. Jack stood up already fully awake.

"You have to leave." Kyle said handing us our packs. His eyes were frantic as he threw gauze and tape into one of them.

"What's wrong?" I asked as Jack helped me put on my shoes.

"I was told your dad's stash was found, which would lead the cops here. I don't want you to get mixed up in any of this."

"What are you talking about? Stash?" I asked as Jack helped me to stand as he had the past few days, my side still throbbing.

"You don't know?" He asked.

"Know what?" Jack asked stepping towards Kyle.

Kyle shook his head, "I thought he told you. Him and I work together. We transport drugs to other planets, I'm sorry."

My eyes widened. "No, he couldn't do that."

"He's been doing this since before you were born. Trust me."

I stood there as Kyle looked at me defeated. He had truly thought I knew. Jack walked up to him almost in his face, he was about six inches taller that Kyle, he looked down on him.

"If you are lying, you'll regret it." He said menacingly, "You saved her life, so we'll just go."

Jack helped support me as we walked out. I looked at Kyle as we walked past, an ashamed expression on his face. Kyle sat on the bed I had laid for the past few days. He hid his face in his hands as we left his house through the back.

I looked around and didn't recognize the area. We weren't in the Jewel District anymore. It was a poorer place.

"Where are we?" I asked as we made our way through the alleys.

"We are in the Rail District," He said looking around.

"How did we get here?" I asked shocked,

"I carried you."

"That far? Why?"

He looked down as we slowly made our way down the street towards Eskran. "I couldn't leave you. I was trying to get you to Martha, she's not a doctor either but I trust her."

"I can't imagine carrying someone that far."

"It was nothing. Your really light actually, you need to get some meat on your bones." Jack laughed, trying to play it off as something simple.

"It wasn't nothing. Without you I would have been thrown in jail again."

"Yeah, but with me you almost died."

"No matter what you say, I'm still thankful for you."

Jack's face lit up as he smiled. We walked the rest of the way to Eskran in silence. As we neared Martha's house she came running out to greet us.

"What happened?" She asked frantic. "I saw you leave the house running!"

"I'm sorry, Martha. It's my fault. I thought I could help Erin." I said lifting my side to reveal the red rag taped to my side.

"Oh my! Are you okay?! Do you need help?"

"She's fine Marth. She should be alright as long as she rests."

"That's a relief." She said wiping her brow. "Now, who's Erin?"

Jack looked down to avoid my eye contact. He didn't tell her?

"My sister." Jack said looking at Martha's confused face.

"You have a sister?" She asked ushering us into the house.

"Yeah, she got adopted right before I left the orphanage."

As we sat on the couch Alex ran up to us and jumped on my lap. I groaned as he leaned against my side.

"Alex, come here." Martha said as I shook my head to let her know it's fine. "Jack, what happened? I thought You said you ran away?"

"I did. I ran from my parents so me and Erin was taken to the orphanage. We ran away from there to get here, before you came. But we were always found. She ended up being adopted a little while before I turned eighteen. I haven't seen her since."

"Jack, I had no idea." Martha wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

Jack explained the situation to Martha, who sat with a sadness in her eyes. "I carried her for a while until her dads friend saw us. He helped, but..."

"What?" Martha looked from me to Jack.

"The cops were coming for him." I said "I learned that he and my dad were transporting drugs. I- I didn't know. He told me he was an explorer. I don't understand... I just...."

"Rae, Jack, you've had such hard lives."

I looked at Martha and messed up Alex's hair. He looked up at me and made a face, so I mimicked. Martha smiled.

"Speaking of which," Jack said opening his bag. "We have a present for you." He pulled out the cash we set aside for them.

"No," she said counting it. "This is yours. You raised it."

"For you." I said.

"I don't know what to say." She said crying tears of joy.

"Say you'll come with us." Jack said as we all stood up to hug her. She squeezed us tightly and we stood there until Alex tugged on Jack's shirt.

"Yeah?" Jack picked Alex up and hugged him.

"Are we leaving?"

"Yes, you will get to have friends."

His smile shone and spread to all of us. We all sat and talked about leaving this planet until it started to get dark. It turns out Jun came while we were gone so we had to wait another week to get the tickets.

When we got home, Jack and I went to the bedroom. I laid down, exhausted from the excitement. I lifted my shirt to remove the rag and replace it. As soon as I started Jack came up to help. He lifted away the tape and placed a new gauze pad down. He retaped it for me and layed in his own bed.

We looked out the hole in the roof. "It still hasn't rained." Jack said.

We fell asleep in the silence. My side still in pain, but slowly dying down.