Off Planet (Asterism Chronicles Volume One)

Truth

"What do you mean?" I asked as we left behind the house once more we looked to Martha's. Her empty window made me miss her. "She's probably worried sick about us." I said as I helped Jack walk steadily.

"Yeah." Was his winded responce.

"Seriously, what do you mean?"

"You've never caused me any pain." He said looking forward.

Stopping I looked up into his blue eyes. The were full of sincerity. "Your hurt right now because of me. I've caused so much trouble for you. I'm the reason he beat you. I'm the reason you were in jail. I'm the reason you are still on this planet. I'm the reason you have so little money. I-."

"You're the reason I'm alive." He said cutting my rant short. "Without you, I'd be dead."

Speechless I thought of what he was saying. "But, you wouldn't have been hurt if I wasn't with you."

"You don't understand. When the cops picked me up, they made a deal with me." He said as we stood out in the open. Looking around he led me below a tree.

"Get me and you go free." I responded confused by his words.

"No, that's not what it really was. I never told you because I never thought we'd get this close."

"What do you mean?" I asked him. "Were they going to kill you?"

"Yes." Was his simple response.

Shocked by this I couldn't speak. I knew the cops were corrupt, but to kill someone for a misunderstanding?

"Why? All you did was try to get your money back, right?"

"Thats not why I was arrested." He said. "I was trying to sneak aboard the ship and they caught me. They looked me up and saw all the times I got in trouble for hacking. And the times I ran away from the orphanage. They decided it was best to get rid of someone who won't conform to their laws."

"How did I come up? Did they ask if you saw me?"

"No. I gave you away without them even asking. I'm sorry. So sorry." He said in a pained voice.

"Why? Why are you telling me this now?"

"I thought you should know. Before we went any further. It's been killing me since I found out what an amazing person you are. I'm sorry." He averted his gaze from me and put his head down. His breathing was normalizing as we stayed there.

I stood there thinking of what happened. He didn't know me. He was protecting his life. He didnt mean to hurt me personally.

"It's okay." I said as his head looked up at me. "You didn't know me. You were trying to protect yourself and Erin. If they had killed you what would happen if she came looking for you?"

He smiled and gave me a big hug he squeezed and placed his head on top of mine as he spoke. "Thank you." He whispered.

"For what?" I said returning the hug.

"Everything." He softly kissed the top of my head and released me. He started to walk away, his shoulders stronger now that a weight was removed.

I stood there for a moment, shocked by the events. My face bright with a smile, I caught up to him. We made our way to Caps again, disguised, hoping for the joy to last.