Crystal Guardian

23

It was getting light and Aldric still couldn't sleep. He sat on the windowsill, waiting for the others to return from the caves, half expecting them not to return at all that night. He pressed his nose to the cool glass and the dreaded light of the Jagophite carrier flashed through his memory like a nightmare.

When he opened his eyes again, three figures were walking down the front path. The gate clacked and clunked as they went through.

Evie and K hurried into the living room, happier than they had been in ages. Evie was even more cheerful than he had ever seen before. Floyd trailed in after them and slouched into his chair.

'What's up with you?' asked Raiden who had been trying to take a nap on the sofa. Floyd's shadowed eyes drifted lazily over to him. 'It's terrible,' he said. 'What the Jagophites have done...what Incursio has caused. You've no idea how many people have been killed. A whole planet's population fitted into one camp. It's terrible.'

K and Evie's faces dropped. Evie sighed as she took a seat next to Aldric.

'I never thought we'd see this day,' she said.

'Floyd sir,' said K. 'Atarikka has a very small population. I'd have to estimate that we have lost roughly sixty percent of the population."

'That's still bloody bad though,' said Raiden exasperatedly. 'Are you really that emotionless?' Aldric was surprised to see how distraught he looked.

'You think I don't have feelings?' said K.

'No,' said Raiden. 'I think you're too afraid to admit that you do. Don't you have any friends back on Atarikka? Are you even scared for them? What about your father? You can't shut Aldric up about his dad and you haven't even mentioned yours.'

'He's dead,' shouted K, tears pouring. 'They got him. The Jagophites got him. Are you happy now? You've got an emotional response from me. Well done.'

Evie hugged her. Floyd was looking everywhere but at them whilst Aldric felt like he should be the one to comfort K. Raiden leant forward in his seat, his hands clasped at his hair as if the demon inside him had awoken, just as he had feared it would. Floyd shook his head furiously.

'Personally, I could just murder the one responsible for all this,' he said.

Silence followed on painfully. Aldric had to escape it by hunting for food in the kitchen. He wondered whether Floyd had any of his cake left. It was when he started to raid the cupboards when he heard the talking arise. Aldric lingered in the kitchen a little longer that was necessary so that he didn't have to hear any of it. He wanted to forget it all. It felt distant, like it hadn't happened, even though he knew deep down in his heart that it had. Aldric opened the kitchen door reluctantly. He couldn't stay in the kitchen forever.

'This is my fault,' Raiden lifted his head. 'Look, I can't stand this anymore.' Aldric became rooted to the spot, a large slice of cake loosely held in his hand.

'What are you talking about?' Evie whispered. Aldric could hardly hear her.

'I let the Jagophites escape,' he explained. 'I didn't mean for any of this to happen.'

'Everyone always says that.' Her voice sounded restrained. 'They say they didn't mean it but that never stops them from doing it in the first place.'

Raiden looked away.

'What did you do?' she asked him.

Floyd was grinding his teeth. K was still crying. Evie stood up and strode to where Raiden sat. He looked up at her imploringly.