The Journey The Only Survivors

Chapter XXV: Believing is Seeing

"Do you want to go somewhere while they talk?" I said to Liam and Bryan. We sat around on the couches in our cabin. Dad began to talk with Nancy and Henry more about their life.

"Yeah, we should," Bryan said. "Dad can handle it without us."

"What should we do?" Bella asked.

"Should we show Anna the bottom of the ship and the tunnel?" I asked. I felt bad that Anna never got to hang out with us. But her parents wouldn't allow her to, and, given that she was thirteen, I understood why.

"The collision doesn't happen for, at least, another hour, so we'll be fine," Liam said.

I looked at the clock in the bedroom. It was nine thirty in the evening. After Dad got Nancy and Henry more settled in and more in a good mood, he planned on going up to the deck to watch for the iceberg.

I invited Anna to come with us, and she was thrilled to go on an adventure. We chatted on our way down the stairs as the others went on ahead of us. "What do you like to do?"

"I ride horses," she said. "I compete in jumping contests. I love horses a lot. My horse, Princess, is my best friend. She understands me and listens to me. She's really talented."

"Do you have other horses too?"

"We have three others. And we have four cows, three pigs, six dogs, five chickens"—my jaw dropped as she continued— "two roosters, seven sheep, three cats, and three goats."

"How do you care for so many animals?"

"We have caretakers that live in the guesthouse." She spoke in a tone that said I should have known they have servants for such things.

"Boo!" Liam jumped out in front of us as we reached the bottom stair.

Anna screamed, but it was drowned out by a horn that came from below, in the orlop deck. She glared at Liam.

"Ha-ha, got you," he said to Anna. "But why didn't you jump?" he said to me.

"Bryan used to scare me all the time when we were little. He finally stopped when he learned I didn't scare easily."

"Hmpf." Liam frowned.

"Where're Bryan and Bella?"

"They are in the room we usually hang out in."

"Are we going to tell Anna we're from the future?" I whispered.

"Dunno?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Let's play it by ear."

Bryan greeted us when we entered the room.

"Are we going to tell Anna about us?" I asked.

"I figured we would," Bryan said. "She needs to know."

"Yeah, and we can prove it in a couple hours," Liam said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Anna asked. She put her hands on her hips.

"Who wants to spill it?" Bryan asked.

"I know her better than you guys," Liam said.

"What is it, Liam?" Anna asked with wide eyes.

"Remember when you found me in that meadow?" Liam asked.

"Did you lie to us?" She took a step backward.

"The truth is, I ended up there magically. I came from the future—"

"Yeah, right." She laughed and stepped forward.

"He's serious, Anna," I said.

"How is it possible?"

"We have proof." Liam said.