Journey

Elijah: Cambaar

I feel like it's been forever since I've been allowed outside. My parents grounded me because of the snooping in places I shouldn't have. My dad says he would always tell me the things like this if he was allowed to. The thing is I don't see why this would be such a problem for me to know. More people are coming! We should be shouting from the rooftops, but instead I am stuck in this room watching the sun slowly set in the horizon. The temperature has shifted majorly. It has dropped a good 50 degrees. The sky has turned several different colors. It looks beautiful. So beautiful. I have always been interested in art but most of the time I don't know what to paint. For my whole life (up till a week ago) all I have known is a desert that is filled with the blandest of colors. The browns and tans and dirty greens. I would often paint what I imagined Sol Earth to be like. I would paint endless oceans and poring waterfalls. The most misty mountains. I gave up painting a long time ago because I wanted to paint something real that didn't just live in my mind. That's why I started painting again. I found my oasis. I've been back there a few times. I travel for what seems like miles and the dense jungle still hasn't lessened. I paint the exotic flowers I see on these hikes. My mother has seen a few of these paintings and she constantly asks me what my inspiration was. I told her these were just from my imagination. I'm starting to worry that she thinks they are to vivid or realistic to just be part of my imagination. She doesn't say anything though. At least to me she doesn't. There is not doubt in my mind that she has told my father about my paintings. Which means the Princeps knows and that means Alaina knows. It's probably why she hasn't spoken to me in the last few days. I can tell my parents are worried for me but it doesn't matter right now. There is a ship coming and from what I can tell it is only a few days 

away from landing. I sit quietly on my bed. That's when my com goes off for the first time in days.

Com link: Princeps

I scramble to grab it and answer.

"Hello," I say in a shaky voice.

"Hello Elijah." He says.

"Do you need something glorious Princeps?"

"I would like you to meet me at the castle in 30 minutes," He replies.

I am about to ask what for when my com goes dead. I scramble to look presentable. I run down my stairs and into the living room. My mom is reading on a USD.

"Elijah you are supposed to be in your room," She says.

"Sorry mom. I got comed by the Princeps," I respond.

She gives me a look but sighs and lets me pass.

I walk out into the brisk air. The colors in the sky dance in the corners of my vision. I gasp allowed as I see what I hadn't seen before. The faint small circles sprinkled through the sky. Stars. They look beautiful and I haven't really seen them yet. It makes me wonder just how magnificent they really are when they are fully visible in the dark night sky. I quickly hurry to the place not wanting to be late. I enter the castle gates and throw open the doors. I see the Princeps patiently waiting inside the doors.

"Elijah so good to see you," He says with a big smile that doesn't seem to meet his eyes.

I study him. He has gotten so frail. His eyes and cheeks look sunken. Still he looks like a leader.

"You are probably wondering why I comed you," he says.

I nod slightly.

"You are here regarding the navigational charts you saw a few weeks ago."

I nod once more.

"I understand that you saw something very alarming. I want you to know that it is not nearly as dangerous as it seems. I have

attempted to make contact with them but they don't seem to pose much of a threat," He says.

Much of a threat? What does he think the ship is here for?

"However the people will not be normal. They have lived on a ship their whole lives and they will not be normal. Which is why we won't make any contact with them when they touch the ground," He says.

"That's stupid," I mutter.

"What did you say?"

"You are telling me that these people aren't people and shouldn't be treated as such. You're telling me that we shouldn't go look for these people who might need our help starting a colony because they have lived on a ship their whole life," I spit like poison.

"These people are not like us," He says.

"Have you ever talked to them?" I asked.

"I have indeed."

"What made you think they are not to be trusted?" I ask.

"Their leader. She sounded young. So young. She's probably around Alaina's and your age. That was the first flag. The second flag was her knowledge. She talked with a sense of knowing. She talked about some events on her ship like she was there. Then the third one was the reason why she was leader. Her parents died in a bombing on board the ship very very recently. They got blown up on purpose. They have an arsonist on board and they haven't caught him/her." He explained.

"That's even more of a reason why we should help," I protest.

"No we leave the fifteen year old alone to play leader until they kick her out and establish a real government."