Page 16 of The Space Traveller's Lover
“We are already there. The ARA is setting up closed-circuit cameras. They’ve found nothing so far,” Sheppard replies after checking his phone for any missed messages.
“He’ll come back,” Sam snaps. “He will!”
“Answer me this question, Sam. Why did you go as far as the second lake?” Bill scolds him.
“It was very strange,” Sam mumbles and then pauses while staring into the distance as if in deep thought.
“What?” Bill urges him.
“There was this power beyond my control … pushing me. I can’t fully explain it.” Sam reclines onto the pillows in a helpless gesture, realising that, yet again, he’s saying something nobody else will believe.
His dispirited demeanour soon disappears as the nurse enters the room.I must show them I have fully recovered. I must find Erin soon, he firmly tells himself.
After a clean bill of health from the clinic, the Sheppards take their son back home, deciding to avoid any contact with anyone else outside their family, at least until the day of the court hearing.
PARTII
CHAPTER9
AWAKENING
Welcome to your ancestors’ world, Shaillah.
As Erin wakes up and slowly opens her eyes, an intense glow hurts her pupils. She covers her face with her hands and tries to peer through the narrow slit between her fingers, but she cannot focus on anything.
She takes a deep breath, but the rushing cold air numbs her throat. Next, she tries to get up, but as she does, her body flips backwards, and she realises she’s floating in mid-air. Aimlessly spinning, she cries out for help, but no matter how hard she tries, she cannot hear her screams.
Erin tries to work out how she ended up trapped inside this icy bubble. She remembers standing by Sam’s side, utterly mystified by a mysterious figure flying towards them.
Is he keeping me captive? Am I alive … or dead? And where is Sam?This last thought makes her open her eyelids as much as she can stand it, desperately looking and reaching out for her best friend through the thick haze, to no avail.
As she starts to fear that she’s alone, her despair changes into full expectation when the all-pervading haze starts to dissipate, and the blinding white light progressively fades. Her body stops spinning but then starts shaking, her heartbeat pounding hard in her aching chest. Still, she tries to control herself to confront whatever she will encounter when the foggy shroud finally clears.
At last, she welcomes the fresh air warming her body as the unfamiliar surroundings gradually start to take shape in front of her.
Erin marvels at the striking view of a startled, bleary-eyed girl floating off the floor and looking directly at her from the back of the room.I’m looking at my own reflection. She watches herself blink several times while her mouth stays wide open. The girl on the life-size three-dimensional image looks as stunned as she feels.
To the right of her gleaming body, a bright red heart pounds at the same rhythm as her pulse, and a translucent brain flashes with random blue sparks. Rows of intricate symbols fill the rest of the space, rotating while glowing in different colours and brightness.
Three tall men are staring closely at the ethereal projection while talking among themselves. She immediately recognises one of them as the one who appeared on the waterfall. His sturdy body, distinctive white hair, and black glossy uniform stand out against the brightly coloured picture.Oh, he looks just like the mysterious soldier. I guess I’ll be waking up soon.
She next tries to extend her feet to touch the floor, and as she does, she’s thrilled she can stand up at last. She straightens her back and bends her knees and elbows, crouching and standing up; her newly found self-control brings her some comfort, and she momentarily forgets about the strangers, concentrating on her body instead.
She keeps all her attention on the life-size image of herself. She twists and turns, inspecting her tight white bodysuit and the high velvet boots wrapping comfortably around her feet. Her eyes are shining with a deep purple glow, and her long blonde hair has now turned a glossy silver-white.
Suddenly, the men’s tall bodies block her view, making her shudder. Erin can feel the pressure of their stare as they stand a short distance in front of her. She tries to move away and as she desperately screams, this time, she can hear her shrieks echoing through the high vaulted chamber.
But the men are hardly perturbed by her frightened reaction, keeping a patient guard as if knowing it’s a matter of time before she calms down.
As she instinctively searches for an exit, she notices her vital signs chaotically changing on the holographic projection, her rapidly pulsating heart, her constantly flashing brain. But then she starts feeling inexplicably calmed; her pulse suddenly steadies, and her sparkling brain signals fizzleout. Soon, she finds herself quietly staring at the waiting men as if expecting their next order.
One of the men steps forwards while warmly smiling at her. As she slowly makes out his welcoming face, she feels even more sedated.
He goes down on one knee, maintaining his hypnotic gaze as if inviting her to get closer. She feels an irresistible urge to run to him. As she looks straight into his piercing emerald-green eyes, her fascination overpowers her caution.
She feels her heartbeat racing once again. Even if she tries she cannot breathe, as she realises that, in front of her, is the man of her dreams. She desperately wants to touch him, to feel him; she needs to know that he is real.
As she runs towards him, she feels her body breaking through the invisible sheath that has been keeping her captive. In a fleeting moment, she finds herself leaning against his chest, looking down on him, while he is wrapping his arms around her waist. She breathes in deeply, filling her lungs with his alluring scent; she can taste it.
