The Space Speculation: Book 1

Chapter 16: The Perfect Plan

Paisley's Point of View

The time stretched into what seemed like forever. I learned to follow commands. Although I knew I could bear this, I didn't know if Leonard could. He might not know what could happen to Dad. 

It was night; well, I thought it was. I was locked in my room, which had no windows, so I couldn't see outside. Suddenly my door opened and a servant strolled in. 

"Dinner," she stated like a robot.

 I sighed, rolled off my bed, stood, straightened my back, and walked through the hallways to the dining room.

 The dining room was long and contained a huge golden table. I sat at the end. I glanced over painfully at Leo. He was tied to a post, treated like a dog. 

Seconds after I had sat down, Chad barged in, his familiar, disgusting grin spreading across his familiar, disgusting face. 

I didn't speak; all I could think of were all the insults I could call Chad. I dare not say them out loud, or who knows what he would do to me. 

We were served eyeball soup and purple salad. Chad encouraged me to enjoy the meal, but I merely sat silently, my eyes glazed over in thought.

 In the middle of the meal, Chad cleared his throat and dabbed his mouth with a used napkin. "You'll be glad to know," he began, "that your father is no longer with us." 

My heart almost exploded. I jumped from my chair. "What do you mean?!" I bellowed, fearing the worst. 

He beckoned me to sit. "It's not what you think, dear. I have sold him. To the Martians. He didn't make me much, but I'm glad his putrid face is out of my kingdom."

 Unstoppable tears tumbled to the ground. His new fate may be worse than death. 

Chad said nothing more; he just stood and left, leaving his rotting stench behind him. I made up my mind to start working on my plan, which I had put off until now. My plan consisted of the idea that I would try to trick Chad into thinking I was happy with him being my "father". 

That way, he might not watch me so closely; that way, I could get to the prison keys; that way, I could get Leonard; that way, we could take a ship; that way, we could fly to Bill; that way, we could get Dad and that way, we could find Mom together.

 It was the perfect plan! I would just have to do it before Chad sold me and Leo to the Martians. I thought it through over and over again. Nothing could possibly go wrong!

The next morning I awoke to a maid telling me to wake up. 

"Wake. Up. Miss. Paisley. Get. Up. Now." 

I got up, taking a deep breath and getting into character. Once I was ready, I put on a fake smile and looked at the maid. 

"Where is Father Chad?" 

She pointed down the hall and I raced down and hugged him.  I tried my best not to breath in his stench as I embraced him. 

My sudden poignant act startled him and he pushed my head away with one of his large fingers. It left an imprint on my forehead. 

"Um, I have to go somewhere to discuss something," he said, still slightly confused.

 Dragging me by my jumpsuit, he brought me to his ship. It was his own personal ship, so it was extra big and fancy. Locking me down in a chair (thank goodness it was comfortable), he left and shut the door. I tried to wiggle out, but the restraints were too tight. 

Shortly, he came back and sat in the king's chair, which was more like a travel-throne. The pilot was in the front. I smiled sweetly, trying to look innocent. Chad glanced at me through the corner of his eye. I felt my insides lurch as we started to rise up off Neptune. I didn't know where we were going because my chair was facing away from the window. 

An hour of awkward silence later, we jolted to a stop and my head was jerked forward. Chad arose from his seat on the bench. He had a slight smile on his face--not the usual evil grin; this had a hint of sweetness and genuine-ness. 

He pressed a small gray button on the wall next to my chair. When he had held it for a few moments, a clear screen rose from the ground and made a dome around my seat. I was still facing the ship, so I couldn't see outside.

"Stay. Don't make a noise," he commanded.

 He and the pilot changed into Plutonian form and stepped off the ship. As soon as the door shut behind them, I started shaking around and wiggling, trying to move or release the restraints. 

I stuck out my leg and, after numerous tries, finally hit a button on the wall. Slowly my chair swiveled around and the open ship disappeared from my vision as I rotated. I caught sight of the planet we were on.

My mouth dropped open and I started to scream.

This section was written by Amity