Cosmic Collisions (Novel)

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven:

Later that evening, the three celebrated young adults went in opposite directions, each preoccupied with thoughts of the next day. The first thing that Charlotte did was take off her cast and get into her pajamas. She watched the dragons and jellyfish floating through the abyss. Before she started packing she got her book and laid down on her bed. Exhausted by the day's events, Charlotte thought back to that emotional trial where she'd chosen herself over her own twin brother and her friends of almost 23 years and she desperately wished she could go back and change that. Throwing her book on the floor of the space pod causing a loud bang, Charlotte just laid there for a while, her tears soaking through her pillow. She picked up the book and tried again and this time it transported her into a parallel universe where humans could roam one of The Forbidden Planets called Earth.

***

Cosmo, who had taken himself off to Isla's bedroom, now lay at the foot of her bed watching silently as she ran around trying to cram anything and everything into her travelling case. Sobbing, Isla had the sudden overwhelming urge to hit something and that wasn't helped by twinges of pain shooting up her back and into her skull, causing a pounding headache.

"Isla, why don't you try to get some sleep now and do the packing in the morning?" suggested Cosmo, meekly. She knew that he was right, but the sense of dread crept up on her and she couldn't even think straight. Cosmo flew over to her and gently pried the piece of clothing from her grasp with his mouth and dropped it on the floor. Then wrapped his wings around her waist like he had so many times before when she was in a panic and Isla just stayed there for some time.

"Breathe," Cosmo reminded her and so she did. Sitting down on her bed, Isla took great shuddering breaths just as he had instructed and they stayed like that for a while. Cosmo leaned into her some more and Isla stroked his scales, watching the dragons outside gliding past watching her curiously. Isla's thoughts wandered back to the injured dragon who had helped her when she was being lashed by the jellyfish tentacles. Was the whale-dragon okay and where exactly were they? After a few more minutes even Isla had to admit that packing tonight when it was already 10:30 pm was not going to work.

"You're right. I'm going to get ready for bed," she whispered. Cosmo was secretly both surprised and glad because he could see the toll the Trials had taken on her and the others, especially Elliot.

***

Meanwhile, Elliot had been packing for the move for the last hour and, keeping busy, he found, kept his thoughts at bay until he heard someone knocking on his bedroom door.

"Elliot, can I come in, please?" It was Finley and as Elliot opened the door to let him in he was met with another hug.

Still hugging, Elliot then asked laughing to lighten the mood, "Hi. What's the occasion?"

Finley pulled away with fresh tears dancing in his beautiful blue eyes as he replied, "Well, I'm just..., I'm going to miss you. A lot," He looked away, a blush creeping up on his cheeks showing off his freckles. FFinley found it odd that they'd been friends the moment he was born basically and yet for three years he could hardly speak to Elliot without being highly self-conscious and nervous.

Elliot's expression softened as he said, "I'm going to miss you too. Maybe when I'm on the ship I'll finally be able to make the GalacticPhones work so we can text and talk to each other,"

"I'd love that," he replied. Without either of them realising it they had sat down on the floor next to each other leaning on the bed. Finley clutched his sketchbook so tightly that Elliot saw his knuckles turning white and wondered what he'd drawn that would make him seem so nervous all of a sudden.