Esperança 》B. Blake

1.01

[C H A P T E R  O N E]
The Marvelous Marvels of Planet Earth

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IT WAS LOUD, TOO LOUD. When Roseline finally regained consciousness, all she could hear was voices. They were all obnoxious and whiny, some even desperate. Mixing in with her forming headache and an odd sensation in her right wrist, she groaned and brought her hand up to her forehead. Roseline couldn't quite place why there were so many voices in her small room.

Opening her eyes, she was met with another pair sitting across from her. Roseline sat up quickly in the chair she somehow ended up in, the headache disappearing instantly and the throbbing in her wrist fading. Surveying her surroundings, she came to a fast conclusion that she was no longer in her cozy home. All around her were guys and girls being strapped into seats with bright red belts. She had also came to the conclusion that these people were the ones making all the noise.

"You should probably keep those bad boys on, it's gonna be a bumpy ride," The boy next to her commented, watching her wide eyes as Roseline frantically struggled against the confinements. She looked at the vaguely familiar boy with fearful eyes.

"Wait, what do you mean, 'bumpy ride'?" she asked, studying the guy she swore she had seen before. The boy chuckled.

"Well, the road to Earth isn't exactly smooth sailing," he said as he watched her eyes grow bigger than before.

"What do you mean, 'road to Earth'?" she squeaked, freezing her actions of escaping. This time, the boy let out an actual laugh.

"They're sending us to Earth, didn't you hear?" he informed the girl, glancing at the wristband on her hand. She took a look at the hunk of metal and her demeanor fell pale.

"'Us'?"

"Yeah, us. You know, the hundred criminals who had original plans of getting floated. Where have you been?"

The last line was more rhetorical, but either way, Roseline shook her head in response, clueless as ever.

"Well anyways, now you're caught up. I'm Nathan Miller," he held out his hand and Roseline raised her own shaking one, realization crossing her features.

"Oh! You're David Miller's son! I'm Roseline Taylor, but most people just call me ---"

"Rose? As in the Taylor scientists' daughter?" he butted in with raised eyebrows. She hummed in confirmation, yet unsure what he was getting at.

"Damn Rose, what'd you do to get locked up with the rest of us?" Nathan inquired, the smirk coming back into play. Roseline furrowed her eyebrows at the question and studied the grate roof of the ship. How did she end up in here?

"I'm not sure," she eventually confessed, turning her head back to Nathan.

"Wonder what they gave you," he pondered, making himself more relaxed in the uncomfortable ebony seat. Roseline pursed her lips, confusion lining her coffee eyes. He noticed and gave her a plain face.

"I mean, you must be pretty out of it if you don't even remember what you did to get arrested," he explained, leaning his head back on the wall behind them. Roseline sat dumbfounded, not entirely convinced she actually did something illegal.

Before she could give more thought to the possibilities, a large door somewhere beneath the sea of criminals sealed itself shut. She whipped her around the level and realized that while her and Nathan were talking, the rest of the delinquents had been successfully strapped in, ready for the new world.