บท 15: Chapter 15: Bronwyn
Bronwyn felt at a total loss, staggering behind Sun down the shuddering passageway, terrified and confused. She vaguely remembered the night starting out fun and exciting then devolving to something involving green eyes and fear. Bronwyn stumbled again, one shoe long gone, Sun trying to support her, still groggy from the chemicals in her system, but more alert from the shot the other girl gave her.
Sun was unwilling to talk no matter how many times Bronwyn asked her what was going on.
"I don't know," was all she would say. That was unsatisfactory. Bronwyn needed to find her father, maybe the captain, too. They could tell her why her world was suddenly turned upside down.
When they staggered past a giant, melted rent in the hull, shimmering blue from the protective force field, Bronwyn froze, unable to tear her eyes from it. Sun let her pause, staring herself.
"There's more," Sun whispered.
"What?" Bronwyn jumped on the sliver of information.
"I saw another one like this before," Sun said, the fear in her voice making Bronwyn's lift to panicked hysteria.
"We're going to die!" Bronwyn shrieked. "We're going to die!" She repeated it over and over, making it her mantra, falling down into it and letting it take her away.
Her cheek was suddenly on fire and Sun shook her. Bronwyn felt her face where the girl struck her, head bobbing back and forth.
"You hit me," she whispered, awed. No one had ever hit her. At least not unless she asked them to.
"Get yourself together!" Sun snapped. "We need to go!"
Before Bronwyn could react, they were pitched sideways, impacting the wall. This time Sun managed to keep Bronwyn from falling on her. The shuddering of the hull grew worse again.
"We're moving, I think," Sun said. "It feels different this time. I think we just changed course. It must be Archer." She refocused on Bronwyn who wanted her to make everything all right. She was a socialite, one of the elite. She wasn't built for this kind of stress.
"Are you going to behave?" Sun asked. "Now we really need to go." Bronwyn nodded meekly and went.
"We have to find the bridge," Sun told her. "Archer is there, and maybe others." Bronwyn clung to her arm. Hope, then. There was hope.
"Where are we?"
"Near the dining hall, I think," Sun said, pointing at the familiar big double doors she left only a few hours before.
Bronwyn's survival instinct kicked in immediately, especially when she felt the impact of the ship against the atmosphere, staggering them both again.
"The pod!" She pulled Sun toward the mess. "We will be safe in the pod!"
"What pod, what are you talking about?" Sun tried to resist, but Bronwyn needed the girl to come with her, refused to be alone.
"The secure pod for dignitaries." She tugged on the other girl, getting her through the door. Bronwyn gasped for breath as she fought fear for air, sliding down the inner panels of the room before finding what she was looking for.
She pressed the small console in the center of the wall. It popped open, revealing a row of buttons. Bronwyn typed in the code and felt a rush of relief as the panel slid back revealing the door to the pod.
She hauled on the pressurized handle, hearing it hiss and release. "We'll be safe, I promise, please just get in!"
Sun looked at the pod with doubt and her own fear warring on her face. Bronwyn climbed in, stumbling over the lip in her haste, tugging at her new friend, begging her with her eyes to come with her. She couldn't be alone, she just couldn't. The girl had to come with her!
"Please," Bronwyn begged, the most sincere plea she ever used in her entire life. "Please, I can't be alone."
She saw Sun cave, her expression softening as she did, and gave another tug. The moment she pulled on the other girl, the ship bucked, sending Sun headfirst into the pod. With both of them clear of the door, Bronwyn grappled with the control panel, hitting the button closing the hatch. The seal hissed shut again, the pod flooding with air and light. Bronwyn collapsed next to Sun in the narrow seat, built to accommodate only one person. Her mind noticed and filed away this fact, despite her father's assurances it was definitely big enough for the two of them.
Bronwyn clung to her new friend, her best friend ever, sobbing away her gratitude into Sun's shoulder. She spent the next several moments praying to the Universe and every God she could think of to save her. She had so much left to live for, so much to contribute, so many poor and sorry souls to help. Yes, that was it. She would dedicate herself to easing the suffering of the weak and downtrodden for the rest of her life if only she was allowed to live.
Gratitude flooded Bronwyn when Sun hugged her back. The two terrified girls clung to each other as the Day Wanderer shook itself apart.
***
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