Cruel Deception (On Hold)

Ch. 3

The inside of the hovercraft was fancy, with the leather black seats and a large screen hologram screen for entertainment purposes. The car was long enough that my father sat 10 feet away from me talking to a hologram projection of Meg Weston. She was young, just a year older than I. What did she see in my father? I looked at the old man talking to her. His face wrinkled when he smiled while talking to her but was she smiling too? I couldn’t tell from here. Was she maybe in the same situation as me? How old was the Sorcerer? I didn’t want to think anymore, I took headphones from my side compartment and plugged it into the car, when the headphones connected it searched my brain and started playing music I would like. The only music that we had was music created from before the 23rd century; music had died after that much like the planet. Listening to this music my eyes grew tired. I hadn’t slept well last night. I had never slept deeply unless my mother had slept with me. I let my head shut down and I fell asleep.

                Hours later I woke when the car jerked to a stop. With my sweaty palm I pushed myself up into a sitting position. It was still dark in the car, which meant that we weren’t out of the tunnels yet. My father was not in his seat. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. What was happening? A sudden sense of dread filled me. If he left me in the tunnel in the hover car, I would die. You could hardly see your hand in front of your face. I picked myself up and hurried to the front of the hovercraft, and banged on the driver’s window. To my thankful surprise a guardsmen slid the window open.

“Yes miss Dahlia?” he asked politely but confused.

“Where’s my father?” I asked him. He smiled thinking he understood my anxiousness.

“We have stopped at a guards station in the middle of the Atlantic tunnel, he needed to use the loo.” His voice thick with a Sorcerer’s accent. I felt myself relax. “Don’t worry he’ll have three other guardsmen with him, he’ll be safe in this tunnel I assure you.” He said trying to reassure me of my father’s safety. I almost laughed, I wasn’t in the least worried about him.

“Thank you, sorry I was a little tired when I woke up, I wasn’t thinking correctly.” I told him with a fake sweet smile. He nodded and smiled. He was kind of cute if he wasn’t a guardsmen. I made my way to my seat and sank slowly down in it. My father still needed me, he wouldn’t dispatch me yet. I was still useful. A sick feeling sank into my bones. I thought about the promise he had made last night, I knew he wouldn’t keep it. I knew he would kill me before giving me what I wanted. I needed to escape.

                Ten minutes later my father returned and we continued on. We spoke little. Saying a couple silly things about how nice the guard had been to explain where we were and about the toilets in the guardsmen station. I stayed awake this time watching every move my father made, if I were to stay alive I needed to be aware of the situation around me.

                We arrived an hour later. I felt the hovercraft pull into the loading dock. It sent a shock through the car. Then the guard that had confirmed I wasn’t doomed ran around and opened the hovercraft for me. I stepped out and immediately froze. It was so beautiful. I was greeted by the grounds of the famous palace of Trenton. It had great importance centuries ago but now it was just where guest of the Sorcerer stayed.

                We arrived at the big brownish-orange door with black hinges. The steps that had led to the hovercraft were solid. It was green everywhere, not the fake green I knew well, but grass everywhere. Beautiful stone walls blocked some of it into little grass squares as far at eyes could see. I couldn’t even see the dome out there, just what looked like huge hills, what was the word? Mountains. I’d never seen a mountain. I looked over heads and saw the marble pillars that kept the ceiling so high above. It was made of a blackish white marble. It looked some smooth. I caught the guard looking at my awe and amazement with a smile. I blushed, I didn’t like to be caught off guard. My father pushed his fat body out of the car. He grumbled something under his breath.