Amazing!” Alli exclaimed, looking on to the precious island as Journey and her
awaited the arrival of the morning ferry.
“It’s hard to think something like this…just…disappeared,” Journey said in awe.
“What happened to it?” Alli asked.
“Not sure,” Journey responded with her usual smile, “Best we not stay too long then,”
Alli laughed as she was signaled by a ferry worker to board from “Mantra Island” and fly to the vessels next destination, the Lost City of Atlantis.
“Welcome aboard,” the ferry captain greeted, “My name is Gwen, and where might I ask are you from, travelers?”
“Just passing by,” Journey responded.
“Ah, very well,” Gwen smiled, “Come along,”
Journey and Alli boarded the vessel and took a seat on the bow looking out across the sunlit waters surrounding the great city of Atlantis. The water shone gold as it reflected the magnificent color of Earth’s sun in its wake.
“How long you staying?” Gwen asked, “ARC will need to know,”
“ARC?” Alli blurted out.
“Atlantis Reconnaissance Commission,” Gwen politely replied, “Non-Atlantian’s need temporary visiting visa’s to stay,”
“Just a couple days,” Journey interjected, “ARC should have me listed as an honorary guest,”
Alli looked impressed.
Journey look towards her companion to explain, “Atlantis was the premiere empire, even before the Egyptians. It was the first time Time Lords ‘colonized,”
“You colonized Earth?” Alli seemed offended.
“Not that you’d ever know it,” Journey exclaimed, “It was a different time back then. We were experimenting with our own power .It was because of Earth we actually decided to be observers of time and space rather than conquerors. We like you guys! Human’s, the universe’s curious cat,”
“Right…” Alli dribbled, “Pet’s for time lords,”
Journey looked taken aback, “I had nothing to do with the Purge. It was only a few renegade time lords with a little free time. Most of Gallifrey was in arms,”
“So, what happened with Atlantis?” Alli changed delicate topics
“Their technology, weaponry, advances; all were based on time lords,”
“Really?” Alli’s eyes were wide.
“But then it perished just like everything else from Gallifrey,” Journey reminded, “I’m not sure I really even want to find out how,”
Gwen appeared from behind the wheel and came over to greet her guests. She had a cute, relaxing quality about her. She seemed peppy and fun-loving, someone who would fit in perfectly running with the Doctor’s Daughter.
“It’ll be about another five minutes,” she announced happily.
Alli was astonished, “But that island was tens of miles in the distance, how could be already almost be there?”
“Look aft,”
Alli look to see, giant, blue flames kicking off the heal of the boat sputtering out over the golden water. The boat was cruising along so smoothly, she hadn’t even realized they were traveling on alien technology.
“You had these on Gallifrey?” Alli asked excitedly.
“My dad use to take me out driving across the deep gold-colored oceans, the waves coming to a silver crest before splashing on the brilliant silver grass beneath the burnt orange sky above. It was beautiful,” Journey remembered.
“I wish we could go there,” Alli muttered longingly.
Journey sighed, “Me too,”
“Welcome to Atlantis!” Gwen announced, smiling from behind her station as she waved the two travelers over, “I’ll check you in with ARC,”
Journey and Alli stood up, following the pretty young girl as she headed towards the bridge leading to Atlantis’s Harbor. There was a loud cawing noise, and suddenly, a large bird smashed against the ship’s deck from above.
“What the hell was that?” Alli jeered.
Journey bent down, examining the creature with her infamous sonic screwdriver and then turned and with a peculiar face informed, “Albatross,”
“Isn’t there something about dead albatrosses and ships,” Alli slowly spoke.
“Bad luck,” Journey replied, her mouth slightly ajar, looking at the poor bird, “But! No need to spoil a trip, I’m sure everything will go…swimmingly,” Journey concluded.
Alli rolled her eyes and followed the time lord off the ship and into the wondrous welcoming station of Atlantis.
“Namaste!” a woman exclaimed, walking over to them, “My name is Natalie, Agent for ARC, I’ll check you in,”
Natalie turned and led Journey and Alli away from Gwen and into a large, shimmering purple hut with the words “Travelers Outpost” printed in black letters.
“Identification,” Natalie politely requested.
Journey smiled, reaching inside her jacket and withdrawing the psychic paper, “I’m the Doctor’s Daughter,”
Natalie took hold of the psychic paper like it was gold, staring at it in disbelief, confirming that Journey was indeed the daughter of the great Doctor.
“Psychic paper,” she smiled sarcastically, “He loved it too,”
Journey beamed, taking her pad back and tucking it inside her elaborate coat.
“What good fortune brings us a visit from a time lord?” Natalie asked, “It’s been decades since a child of Gallifrey has blessed us,”
“Yeah,” Journey was slow to respond, “Everyone back home wishes you well,” she lied.
“And how is your dad?” Natalie prodded, “The mighty Doctor,”
Journey looked up, holding back emotion and put on a half-smile, “Fine as well,”
“Good to hear,” Natalie replied, “And who is your lovely companion and we will need to know her home era for cataloging,”
Natalie turned to Alli who looked entirely taken aback. Alli looked dumbfounded as the woman patiently awaited her response.
“Can she talk?” Natalie whispered out of the corner of her mouth to Journey.
“Sometimes too often,” Journey snapped, “Go on Alli, give her your background. I’ll be back in a jiff,”
Natalie laughed and then turned again to Alli, “Don’t be nervous. Past or future?”
“Future…21st century,” Alli managed, “My name is Allison McCormick,”
“21st century!” Natalie responded joyously, “Impressive! Well, nice to meet you Allison, I’m sure your stay here will be wonderful,”
Natalie watched as Alli left the room in her pursuit of her time lord companion. As soon as the door closed over, Natalie began plugging away the girls’ information into the high-tech computer that the time lords had developed for the citizens of Atlantis. Suddenly, the screen began to blink red, and a tiny message appeared before Natalie’s wide-eyes.
Alarmed she grabbed hold of the phone and dialed a number, waiting impatiently for the voice on the other end, “Hello! We have a problem…she’s here,”
“4-8-15-16-23…” the woman was reading off the numbers as they appeared on the computer screen in the dimly lit laboratory,”…and 42,”
“Got it,” a man said and left the room, leaving her in the quietness once more.
She took a deep breath, staring blankly at the computer monitor, drifting off into a daydream as the computer waited her next command. She typed in her name, Iris, and then her password before the computer ran its third dimensional reader of the day.
“These numbers don’t make sense,” she commented to herself, “Yesterday the Valenzetti Equation was stable, today…unbelievable,”
The phone began ringing loudly, but Iris took her time answering, instead trying to make sense of the numbers that spit back onto the screen. 4-8-15-16-23-42.
“Hello?”
“Hello! We have a problem…she’s here,” Natalie’s voice sounded on the other end.
“Who’s here?” Iris demanded, closing the analyzing program and instead pulling up a different document, “The Empress?”
“No,” Natalie replied coldly, “The Albatross,”
Iris let the phone fall limp from her hand, crashing down against the metal table as she mulled over those words in her mind. She could hear Natalie calling out for her on the other end, but there was nothing she could say to her now. Things were going to get awfully ugly in Atlantis pretty soon.
The newly opened document flickered on the screen, Iris read the title out loud, “Species One Mutated. Selachimorpha DNA still proving dominate,”
Iris titled her head back and sighed loudly with her hands placed firmly on her hips, “Fuck that,”
Journey was talking to Gwen when Alli came sprinting out of the Visitors Outpost and over to her.
“Ready?” Journey asked with a smile.
“I’m in awe,” Alli playfully responded.
“As well you should be,” Gwen interjected, “Atlantis is a marvelous place. I can only imagine what she’ll be like in your time,”
Alli nodded, unsure of how to respond.
“Well, like I said,” Gwen continued, “Sheri’s Palace is just about twenty miles that way. Firefox can get out there in three minutes,”
“Splendid,” Journey mused, “Haven’t been on one of those in ages!”
Journey led Alli away from Gwen and over to where two, large, red-orange animals were tied up to a metal pole.
“What’s Sheri’s Palace?” Alli asked.
“Our destination,” Journey replied, “I’m visiting an old friend,”
“Fantastic,” Alli joked.
A man in golden armor helped the two travelers aboard the immaculate Firefox’s. They were giant fox with soft, plush coats of orange and red streaked fur. But it wasn’t until they began moving that Alli realized how they got their names. Flames kicked up from their heels as they sprinted at impossible speed and immaculate smoothness travelling down the imperial streets of the Atlantis Empire.
The Firefox’s blazed through the large, iron gates surrounding an enormous, crystal palace with huge flowing water ducts streaming into waterfalls across immaculate rose gardens teething from every inch of the vast front yard. The Fox galloped up to the porcelain stairway leading to two enormous double doors.
“We’re here!” Journey announced gleefully, hopping off the Fox and whispering something into its ear before waving for Alli to follow her.
“You talk to animals now?” Alli asked curiously.
“Those of higher learning,” Journey wittily replied.
“I suppose the Fire Fox went down with Atlantis?” Alli knowingly questioned.
“Indeed,” Journey replied, “In legend, I believe you know them as…unicorns and Pegasus and all other sorts of crazy stories,”
Alli took one last look as the Firefox’s ran off down the beautiful street paths of Atlantis. When she turned, Alli was knocking on the giant, golden doorknob to the amazing decorum house.
The door swung open easily, and standing on the other side, wearing nothing but a bathing suit with a white robe draped over, was a beaming, blonde haired woman.
“Journey!” she squeaked, “Oh, come in, come in!”
Journey obliged, Alli towing behind her as they were lead into the even more spectacularly furnished living quarters of the palace like structure.
“It’s been too long!” the woman toyed.
“Yes it has, Sheri,” Journey smiled.
“How are the time lords?” Sheri asked.
“Splendid,” Journey lied once more.
“Good to hear, and who might this beautiful young thing be?” Sheri pointed towards Alli, who was currently observing the precious sculptures along the wall of the Palace.
“Allison,” Alli snapped to attention, “Nice to meet you,”
Sheri held out her hand, “Empress Sheri, Protector and Leader of Atlantis,”
“Oh my…” Alli was in awe, “Pleasure’s all mine,”
Alli awkwardly bowed before Atlantian royalty before taking a seat on a soft, comfy white couch beside her time lord companion.
“What brings you two to Atlantis, loves?” Sheri asked, her eyes twinkling in the sunlight seeping in through the gigantic skylight overlooking the hardwood floored, bountiful sitting room.
“Passing by,” Journey answered, “TARDIS sort of brought us here on its own,”
“Ah…the TARDIS,” Sheri sighed, “The greatest asset of the time lords. Tell me, Journey, what lies in the future of Atlantis?”
Journey hesitated, rubbing her arm as she mulled over a possible answer. She forced a smile onto her face and blurted, “Great things,”
Sheri contently nodded, waving off in the distance, signaling for someone to bring them drinks as they continued to chat amongst the Empress’s Palace. They talked for hours, going back and forth recounting stories of Journey’s travels, as well as the Empresses own personal hilarities. She had quite a knack for storytelling, Journey explained, saying that when the Doctor came for a visit, he and Sheri would talk for days back and forth about their misadventures.
“And how is…” Sheri paused, blushing, “The Doctor,”
Journey almost froze up, her smiling expression suddenly fading as she stood directly into the timeless eyes of Atlantis’s Empress.
“Oh dear,” Sheri answered for her, “…I see,”
All three of them bowed their heads, holding an unofficial moment of silence for the Doctor.
“How?” Sheri broke the silence, “Saving the universe I’m sure,”
Journey didn’t reply, she just sat in silence; taking a long swig from her drink and placing the glass back down with at thud.
“Of course,” Sheri stumbled over herself, “My apologies,”
There was a long awkward silence in the room before a man in a full, white, official looking uniform came tromping in heading directly for the Empress.
“My lady,” he barked, saluting as he did.
“I hate salutes,” Journey muttered under her breath.
“What is Colonel?” Sheri spoke with a more professional, monotone voice.
“Message from ARC,” he reported, “The Albatross has landed,”
Sheri looked shocked, her eyes stretched wide at the news being given to her. She immediately jumped out of her seat and took steps towards the Colonel.
“Are you sure?” she snapped.
“Natalie double checked herself,” he retorted, “Iris from the Lab has also confirmed that the Valenzetti Equation has changed,”
Sheri’s eyes grew wider, “What!?! Impossible,”
Journey and Alli sat quietly, listening to the debacle as it unfolded. Alli gave Journey a stern look, trying to get some semblance of what was going on and what was the Valenzetti Equation or the Albatross. Eventually, the Colonel left the room after having told Sheri numerous times the apparently awful news. Sheri, wide eyed and still in disbelief, turned to face the time lord.
“Did you know this?” she asked accusingly, “Is that why you’re here?”
Journey shook her head, “What’s happening?”
“4-8-15-16-23-42,” Sheri rattled off, “It’s over,”
Sheri bowed her head, staring at her hard wood floor, a gentle tear rolling off her cheek and splashing down.
“What are those numbers?” Alli questioned.
There was a long pause as Sheri slowly collected herself. She rubbed her eyes, again looking disappointingly at Journey before wavering a stern finger at her companion, “Don’t you ask me that,”
Alli was taken aback, narrowing her gaze as her and Sheri held a long, tense eye contact. Seconds turned to minutes as the three sat in a tense situation, no one entirely sure what was going on. The only thing that broke the silence was a crash against the window pane in the far corner of the room.
They all swung around, Journey leaping to her feet and hustling over to investigate. When she reached the window, she stopped dead, turning her head slowly around over her shoulder, her eyes wide with fear.
“It’s dead,” she whispered, “It’s another dead albatross,”
The candle was flickering madly as Gwen sat in the Captain’s Quarters of her ship. The engine was refueling, and she wasn’t due to make another run for an hour.
“Interesting,” she said aloud as she lifted her reading glasses from her desk and examined the document closer.
In her free time, she had been secretly investigating a series of mysterious happenings occurring all over the island of Atlantis. It had started out simple, ghostly images and mysterious writings but had grown all the way to someone reporting having seen a ghost ship off the coast in the fog just two weeks ago.
She scratched something onto a sheet of paper and the continued to the next article titled “The End of Days”
“…the Valenzetti Equation "predicts the exact number of years and months until humanity extinguishes itself. What the hell does that mean?”
She continued onward.
“Scientists have worked to change the Valenzetti Equation from its current numbers, but have to this point, failed,”
Gwen folded the article, tucking away her secret life once more and standing up to go clean up the deck before departing to Mantra Island for another cargo pick up. She pushed her chair in and spun around she realized she was not alone.
“Hello, Gwen,” the voice of Natalie echoed throughout the ship’s hull.
“Hey,” Gwen replied, her eyes narrowing, “What are you doing down here?”
Natalie didn’t say anything. She stood closed her eyes, and seemed to be praying under her breath as she reached into her jacket pocket.
“Natalie…is everything alright?” Gwen asked, further.
Natalie continued to mutter under her breath. She took two steps towards the woman.
“STOP RIGHT THERE!” Natalie shouted, pulling out a gun from her jacket and pointing it at Gwen’s chest.
“Holy shit, Nat,” Gwen stammered, “What the hell are you doing?”
Tears were rolling from her eyes, streaming down her face like crystal and then crashing down onto the wooden interior of Gwen’s office.
“Sorry for what?” but Gwen was drowned out by the residual echo of the gunshot.
Her body hit the ground within seconds, her stomach bleeding out as she lay, pooled in her own crimson lifeline as Natalie stood terrified above her. The ARC Agent dropped the gun, and it smashed against the floor with a loud thud.
The world around her was blurring and she could barely make out the fading Natalie leaving her office and disappearing into the far darkness. Her ears were ringing, and her heart was racing as it continued to pump blood out and onto the red-soaked floor of the ships’ hull.
With everything starting to fade, Gwen’s eyes shut.
“What are we doing here?” Iris said aloud, closing her eyes and taking a deep, long breath.
The creature was smashing against the glass wildly as it tried to escape, its tail thrashed about, splashing the green habitat water onto the bullet-proof glass Iris was observing it from. It’s lower half, the body of a shark, was slender and grey. It lead up to a dorsal fin on the back of the creature, the pale, skinned back of its human half. It had boobs like a woman, a flat stomach like a woman, and long, brunette hair of a woman. But when the creature opened it’ mouth, lines of sharp, dangerous, murderous teeth were waiting inside.
Iris slowly walked away from the tank, moving past the several dozen other tanks filled with relentless, angry captives. The mermaids, as Iris had called them, were genetically created by splicing the DNA of a human and a shark. It had taken her nearly twelve years to prefect it, but the Empress had long awaited them…as a weapon.
“The rest of the world is weak,” Iris rattled off, “We have to purge them…we’re not gods,”
Iris entered into her main lab and back to her computer screen where she had a message waiting for her on the screen. The sender box was filled with the words “Empress Sheri”
There was only one world written in the message and Iris nearly fainted when she read it. She immediately slammed her fist down into the metal table, her eyes starting to swell with a mixture of several emotions.
“No,” Iris barked aloud, “I won’t. I’m not going to be the one,”
“Then step…aside,” a slow, monotone voice echoed from behind her.
Iris heard a gun cock and she closed her eyes, praying. She raised her hands, surrendering.
“We can’t do this,” she said, fighting back tears.
“It’s the Empress’s orders,” Natalie’s voice shouted back, “You do not disobey her order is that clear? She is your protector and she knows what is best for you, and this island,”
“How are you so sure,” Iris sobbed back, “Has she even thought of the consequences,”
Iris face went red-hot as the metal handle of the gun smashed across her face and tossed her onto the floor. Natalie refocused and held the gun just inches above the scientists head.
“Do as I say,” Natalie whispered in a harsh tone, “I don’t want to have to kill you too,”
“Too?” Iris murmured back, “What have you done?”
“Stand up!” Natalie barked, ushering her with the gun.
Iris slowly climbed to her feet, holding her hands out by her side and took a long breath once again as she waited Natalie’s command.
“Do as the message says,” she flicked her head in the direction of the blinking television screen, “Unleash,”
Iris’s eyes were streaming with wet tears, “We can’t…it’s too dangerous. They could kill our own,”
“You have programmed them not too,”
“They aren’t a computer program!” Iris shouted, “They are living free-thinking creatures,”
“Our DNA is in them,” Natalie sneered, “They are born to obey us. You said this yourself,”
“I said a lot of things I wish I could take back,” Iris exclaimed, “I won’t do this,”
Natalie fired, the bullet piercing Iris’s leg and the woman collapsed the ground in resounding pain. The gun shot set off the mermaids. They screamed and banged louder than ever, as Natalie tucked the gun around her belt and walked over to the injured girl. She took hold of Iris, helping her up and placing her onto the computer chair.
“What’s the pass code?” Natalie asked coldly.
Iris said nothing, wincing in pain from her gunshot wound.
“Tell me,” Natalie cocked the gun against her head once more, “Or I’ll kill you,”
“Please,” Iris sobbed, “Don’t,”
Natalie pressed the gun firmly against Iris’s head, desperately trying to intimidate the four number code out of the Atlantian scientist.
Iris was choking on every word, eyeing the long corridor with all the tanks holding the mermaid creatures. With a bloody, squeak, she blurted out the pass code.
“4-3-5-5,” Iris was dribbling blood from her mouth and also from her wounded leg as Natalie held her at gun point.
“Thanks,” Natalie half-smiled, “Now come with me. Time to help you,”
Natalie helped Iris onto her feet and helped her hobble across the dimly lit lab and down the corridor passed all the thrashing mermaids splashing inside their tanks.
“Th-thank you,” Iris whispered, half-conscious as Natalie dragged her wounded body forward.
“I’m sorry,” Natalie retorted back, “I’m so sorry,”
Natalie typed the pass code into the nearest locking mechanism and opened the door that the scientists used to feed the mermaids. She pulled a semi-conscious confused Iris inside with her, dragging her across the small deck and towards the pool where the mermaid was being held captive. With all her might she turned and lifted Iris off the ground and slung her over her shoulder.
“Please,” Iris’s voice was a dying whisper, “You can’t,”
Natalie said nothing, just closed her eyes and threw Iris’s weight forward and listened as she splashed into the pool and began to sink down into the mermaid’s territory. She opened her eyes suddenly, a tear streaming down as she hurried out of the tank and closed the door behind her, locking it. She briefly swung around and looked into the tank through the bullet proof glass to see Iris’s bloody torso, half-way down the gullet of the half-human, half-shark.
Iris was flailing wildly, but was handicapped by her leg wound and being entirely out of her element. The mermaid was devouring her quickly, her slender body passing over its thin lips and massive jaws without a scratch on her as she made her way down the flesh tube of its esophagus and towards its hellish stomach.
“Help!” she called out, but her voice was drowned out by the watery grave surrounding her.
Her stomach, hips and buttocks were quickly slurped up by the mermaid as it continued to make quick work of her. She was madly squirming, trying to reach one of the dock posts with her arms, but they were just too far out of reach. She felt her feet and legs hit the hot acid of the creatures’ stomach as it mercilessly devoured her.
The mermaid titled its head back, taking a firm gulp full of girl and water as Iris slid down like a waterslide to the hot depths of the creature. Her human stomach bulged outwards with the heavy mass of Iris’s weight. It jiggled about wildly as the human girl tried desperately to escape, all while severely wounded and drowning. There was little hope for her.
Iris was maneuvering in a shallow mess of stomach acids and glistening Atlantian tank water as she felt her skin beginning to burn on the relentless attack of the creatures’ bile. Her skin was a light pink and softening. She pounded crazily on the tight, iron stomach walls of the mermaids’ torso, all of which seemed to amount to a tickle for the predator.
The mermaid was massaging its swollen gut with both its arms as Iris’s tiny hand prints smashed against it from inside. The girl was sloshing about as the mermaid lazily swam around its tiny tank digesting its first live and tasteful meal.
*GURGLE* *BLORP*
Iris was melting, her skin turning a hotter red and starting to deteriorate inside the mermaid. The world around her was blackening as the lack of oxygen was starting to overwhelm the poor scientist, trapped inside the gut of the mermaid. She kicked around, being held firmly in place by the powerful belly as she started to drift into unconsciousness, an easy meal for the mermaid.
The mermaids’ human stomach was still girthed with Iris’s bubbling body as she continually liquefied inside. It was reducing in size as Iris was absorbed into the creature for nutrients and her remains were being sucked into and passed into the intestines. The mermaid patted its satisfied mid-section as it slowly tightened back up with Iris being reduced to mush.
*SQUIRP* *SLOSH*
It was then; the mermaid noticed what was happening. A huge latch was opening at the bottom corner of her tank, starting to drain the water out of her tank and down a pipe. The mermaid whirled around in curiosity, her thinning belly bouncing around a bit as she did, as she observed the strange phenomenon.
The water was being sucked down into the tube, and she swam down and entered. She darted through the tube, the water pressure helping her fishy body glide easily as she traveled beneath the city’s streets in the underground piping system. Her engorged stomach just fit enough to make it through. Iris had long since been transformed into sloppy brown remains that were now tracking through the long intestines of the mermaid as they made their way to the finale.
The pipe was opening up, and the mermaid found herself empty out into sunlight for the first time. She broke the water level, leaping out into the air and then crashing back down into the ocean with a splash. Her shark tail waved enthusiastically as she paddle on, her stomach now just a bump waiting to be emptied out into the gigantic sea. With a quick push, the human-shark shit out the remains of Iris into the deep blue, leaving her adrift as a pile of brown waste from the mermaid. Her stomach was now thing and ready to be filled again. She charged onward, toward the city duct of Atlantis.
Meanwhile, Natalie sat in the computer chair that belonged to the late Iris as she sat in awe of what she had done. The red lights were blinking in the laboratory and the computer screen was filled with the words that she had made happen.
“Release Confirmed,”
“With me Time Lord,” Sheri barked as she signaled for Journey to follow her, “Your friend will stay with Natalie in ARC,”
Journey reluctantly nodded and signaled for Alli to go into the “Visitors Outpost” and wait for her to come back. With an annoyed look, Alli sauntered off towards the visitors’ center where the Firefox had dropped the three of them off just moments ago.
“Journey,” Sheri barked, “We need to head to the labs,”
“Very well,” Journey agreed and then hopped back onto a Firefox and sprinted off across the great city once more.
Alli turned and watched, pissed that she couldn’t go along. She was Journey’s companion after all and was suppose to be with her on every mission.
“Some friend,” Alli spat, sitting down on a wooden bench outside the visitors’ outpost and looking out on the wavy, calming sea.
The Firefox she had ridden over was walking in circled with its enormous, bushy tail flickering behind it. Alli watched it, in wonder of this amazing creature that would bless the Earth’s presence no more during her time of the 21st century. The creature had fiery eyes, gold in color and they seemed so timeless and all-knowing. The Firefox made its way slowly over to Alli, sitting at her behest and looking into her own blue eyes that had seen so much.
Then she could hear it.
“Traveler,” she heard echo throughout her head.
Alli was shocked; her mouth fell ajar as she looked at the Firefox with amazement and excitement, “You can talk to me!”
“You must come with me,” the Firefox’s voice was melodic and gentle in Alli’s head.
“Come with you where?” Alli questioned, “This is just like Lassie!”
The Firefox titled its head to the side slightly and the smartly remarked, “This is nothing like Lassie,”
“Well,” Alli jeered, “Seeing as Lassie isn’t around for a few thousand more years it’s a bit of a continuity error if you know what Lassie is…so…shut up…fox,”
“Your mom,” the Firefox retorted and then continued with conversation relevant to the story, “Someone is in grave danger,”
Alli nodded her head, briefly glanced up to make sure Journey and Sheri were long gone and then hopped onto the mighty back of the powerful creature. The Firefox leapt into action, accelerating at great speeds and then jumped, bountifully into the air, and landed on the wooden deck of the ship that had brought Alli to the island. The Firefox swung down the ship, jetting below deck with grace as its sprinted full tilt around corners until it galloped into the Captain’s Quarters of the vessel.
“Oh my god,” Alli rang, jumping off the Firefox’s shoulders and onto the deck.
She was staring at the bloody and barely breathing body of Gwen lying about on the cold floor. Alli rushed to her side, the Firefox’s gently trotting behind her.
“We must save her,” the Firefox telepathically communicated.
“How?” Alli pleaded in desperation.
“She must ride with us,” the Firefox calmly replied, “I know where to take her,”
“Right,” Alli was breathing heavily.
She lifted the battered body of Gwen off the ground and carried her towards the Firefox. The creature bent down, allowing Alli to hop on placing Gwen in a sitting position in front of her as Alli held onto her tightly.
“Where am I?” Gwen squeaked, her voice distant and dying.
“With friend,” Alli remarked.
The Firefox turned on the after burners, back tracking off the ship and galloping off around the beach of Atlantis. It was moving at even greater speeds in the wide open than Alli could have imagined. It must have been going over 100 MPH, but Alli and the wounded Gwen were coasting along without so much as a bump.
Alli was sighing heavily as she held onto Gwen as best she could, “I can’t wait to get off this bloody doomed island,”
“You won’t be leaving the island,” she heard the voice in her head utter, “I’m sorry Allison McCormick…but you are going to die here,”