Page 79 of Uprooted
“What are you going to do? Hide in the bathroom when it’s time to leave?” I ask.
“Something like that,” she says.
“Evacuating doesn’t mean you have to return to Earth. Just hang out on some random planet for a while. Then you can come back,” I suggest, hinting at what I’ve been mulling over.
“They will never let us back if we leave. Humans are public enemy number one now. If we leave, it’s forever,” she says plainly.
My stomach drops. She’s right. Why would they let us come back? We will be shipped off to Earth, regardless of what we want. I’ve been waiting to tell Aro my plan. I’ve changed my mind about wanting to go to Earth. I go back to another tiny little seed of an idea, the one that I’ve been brushing off and refusing to consider.
Aro walks in the room with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. Something is up, and I don’t think I’m going to like it.
Bri excuses herself. She can also tell that something is happening, and she doesn’t want to stick around for it. I wish I could hide as well. I sense bad news coming, and I don’t think I can take any more.
“I’m finally ready to face reality. This entire time, with you and me—you’ve been telling me that you’ll be returning to Earth. I’m finally ready to accept it,” he says gravely.
“Aro, I want to stay.” I force the words past the lump in my throat.
“Elowen, you’re needed back on Earth. Your research is too important,” he continues, hardly looking at me.
“They don’t need me. They cut me off from my research. They’ve tossed me aside.”
“They do need you. And I need you to be safe. So, I want you to leave tomorrow,” he says. He finally drags his eyes over to mine. It feels like my chest has been ripped open. He’s been unwavering in wanting me to stay. Until now.
“If I stay, you can shift into battleform. You can end this,” I say.
“No,” he says.
“If I leave you won’t be able to shift. The Atorum will leave if there aren’t any humans here. You’ll never find out who was behind all this,” I say, trying to get through to him.
“Then that’s the risk I take. Because I refuse to put you in danger. I want you to leave,” he says, unaffected by my begging.
“Aro, no. I love you. I’m not going to leave,” I say, resolute in my decision.
“You don’t have a choice. You will be on that shuttle tomorrow morning.”
Tears pool in my eyes. “Aro, please don’t make me go. I can help. This is my place, here with you.” A single giant tear escapes my eyes and drips down my face.
“This isn’t your world. You belong on Earth,” he says, his voice cold and hard.
“That’s bullshit and you know it,” I say, not wanting to believe him.
“The shuttle leaves tomorrow at 0600, and if you aren’t on it, I will personally load you onto a transport and send you back to Earth.” He stands up and walks out of the room without a backward look in my direction.
I lie on our bed all night, numb and waiting for Aro to return. He doesn’t. By morning I’m desperate and grab my yuriOS.
Outgoing message from Elowen Carson
Elowen: I need your help.
59
Aro
The ground vibrates as the engines roar to life. I look up from the central command systems and watch the lander slowly rise up from the ground and hover for a minute while the landing gear retracts.
I hate myself right now. I am a coward and avoided Elowen all night. If I saw her again, I would have given into any demand she made. I wouldn’t have been capable of saying no to anything she asked of me.
The lander rises higher and higher. The suns burn my eyes as I watch it ascend.
