Pretty and Blink<\/a> looked back at the mirror and waited to see if anyone else was coming through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cWhere are they?\u201d Blink said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty tucked the gun into his pants again and let his backpack slide off his shoulder. He removed the walkie as Blink picked himself up. \u201cShit,\u201d Pretty said, \u201cwalkie\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They walked cautiously to the window and moved the transparent curtains aside. Outside was a grassy area, not a forest. And it was daytime. And not too far off, there was a cliff with some other kid in a rain poncho standing on a platform on the edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou think that\u2019s one of the Astronomers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without a word, Pretty and Blink began trying to leave the house. \u201cHow do we get out of here?\u201d Blink asked. \u201cGolly, there is so much happening right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Astronomers continued bumbling around the hallways and finally found a balcony that led to a staircase which emptied into the front lobby. They exited the mansion and stepped out into the crisp air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFuck.\u201d Pretty put his hands on his knees. \u201cI am super lightheaded after walking down those stairs. Where the hell did Myles send us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go ask him, unless that\u2019s Marshall or something.\u201d Blink pointed to the kid on the cliff about a football field away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The boys were quiet for about five minutes, trying to catch their elusive breath. Those five minutes were simply confusing. Then they began walking toward the boy. When they were about fifty feet from him, Pretty\u2019s heart sank because he didn\u2019t recognize any of this boy\u2019s features. \u201cHey,\u201d Pretty called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The boy\u2019s head turned in surprise, the poncho on his shoulders crinkled with the movement, and Pretty realized it was a girl. \u201cOh, I thought you were a boy.\u201d Her haircut was short and ugly, her shoulders were slumped, and her face was thin like she didn\u2019t eat much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are you doing here now? Why aren\u2019t you helping push?\u201d She asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHelp us push. Who are you, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Pretty\u2026 and this is Blink.\u201d Pretty pointed to himself and Blink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour name is Pretty? Does the Shepherd know? I feel like he wouldn\u2019t have named you that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho the fuck is the Shepherd? Named me? Where are we?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re on the Stone Compass. When did you get here? How did you get here and why aren\u2019t you working? We\u2019re supposed to be moving back and we haven\u2019t changed direction yet. We\u2019re trying to port at Stablefield soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat in the heavenly and hellish fucking fuck are you talking about? Seriously, are we dreaming?\u201d Pretty looked and Blink and then slapped Blink on the arm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOw, what was that for?\u201d Blink swung at him, but Pretty mostly dodged the slap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOkay, so we\u2019re awake. What is this place? We just crashed through a mirror in that mansion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou went into one of the mansions?\u201d The girl said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe wound up in there, yes. Are we really high up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not too high since it\u2019s the summer,\u201d The girl said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re confused still,\u201d Blink interrupted. \u201cThat made no sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m Sandy and I don\u2019t meet new people much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are you doing next to this cliff? Pretend we don\u2019t know a thing about wherever this is,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m moving this boat. I\u2019m a minder working for the Shepherd. If I wasn\u2019t a minder, I would be fed to the novis or sold in a market,\u201d Sandy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are novis here?! Myles said we would be safe!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandy nodded. \u201cYou really don\u2019t know anything about this place? Almost every mansion has at least one novis in it. The Shepherd usually puts two in each so they can breed. One male and one female. And he lets them travel as they please. His novis are very sought-after.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSought-after by who? Who the fuck wants a novis around?\u201d Pretty asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shepherd has lots of buyers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAgain, who is this Shepherd guy?\u201d Pretty asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shepherd owns this boat. Do you know anything?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo!\u201d Blink said, frustrated. \u201cWe really don\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo you know what a \u2018boat\u2019 is?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaybe?\u201d Blink said. \u201cI feel like I might not, now that you ask me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA boat is a rock that is small enough to be controlled,\u201d Sandy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOkay\u2026 now I\u2019m questioning my knowledge\u2026 what\u2019s a rock? To you?\u201d Pretty said slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s land floating above the earth\u2019s core,\u201d Sandy said with concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty thought about that and then looked over the Ledge. \u201cOkay\u2026 so down there\u2026 you\u2019re saying this piece of land isn\u2019t attached to the rest of the world? It\u2019s floating around?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandy pointed to their right. \u201cLook past the Big House to the horizon. You see that other dark cloud over there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the Great Hook. At least, we think; we won\u2019t know for sure until we can read the flags. It\u2019s like we\u2019re chasing actual seafaring boats around hoping on our best guesses. All of the floating landmasses don\u2019t have a set movement point especially since many of them have minders like me to move them around. You said you arrived here by\u2026 mirror?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll of the land on this planet is floating?\u201d Blink clarified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you really did come from another planet or time, does your world not have its land suspended above the ocean below?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFuck no! It\u2019s still 2000, right?\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe last I heard, it was the year 2037 here. Which would make you time travelers? I\u2019ve only heard about them from the other minders. The Shepherd also keeps a prophet around just to help out and make sure we aren\u2019t going to be caught by surprise and to keep the novis in check.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFloating planet, Blink. We\u2019re on a fucking floating planet,\u201d Prety laughed. \u201cMyles said it would be a cold place\u2026 so I guess this makes sense. Oh, shit\u2026 do you think the others landed here in a different house?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShouldn\u2019t we check?\u201d Blink said. Both boys turned around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey!\u201d Sandy started following them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They didn\u2019t make it far before both boys started heaving breaths. \u201cBeing up high is fucking ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandy stopped alongside them. Pretty and Blink put their hands on their knees and caught their breath as she spoke: \u201cWhat fraises are you? Evidently, neither of you are hangers\u2026 well, do you even know what a fraiser is?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKinda. Pretend like we don\u2019t,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m guessing neither of you know what your fraises are?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNope,\u201d Blink said. \u201cThere\u2019s more than one?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are four different kinds,\u201d Sandy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMyles and Mariah are prophets,\u201d Pretty mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho are they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA couple of our friends that we traveled with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three started walking around checking each of the houses, not daring to go inside now that they knew there were novis inside. All of the mansions were different, but all were from roughly the same time-period: old. Antique. They checked twenty-three of the houses by yelling at them and receiving no answer. On occasion, a novis would appear at a doorway and lose interest after a few seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, if they did show up at one of these houses, they would have left it by now and probably looked for us. How many houses are here?\u201d Pretty asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shepherd has thirty-one mansions he has collected over the years,\u201d Sandy said. \u201cThree are empty right now and a few have left and never returned. That\u2019s the risk of letting them run free; sometimes they settle somewhere or they get killed by either other monsters or sometimes humans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere is the Shepherd now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know; somewhere on the boat, but once he finds you, he\u2019ll probably imprison you if you\u2019re a minder or feed you to a novis if you aren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet\u2019s hope we\u2019re both minders, whatever the flying fuck those are,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey can move rocks with their minds. Practiced minders like me can shape metal too,\u201d Sandy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can move rocks with your mind?\u201d Blink said, stopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Sandy said, grinning with a mouthful of crooked but white teeth. \u201cYou want to see it?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Blink said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandy looked at the ground. \u201cOkay, let me find a rock.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty and Blink instinctively started looking for pebbles as well. After a full minute of fruitless searching, Sandy stood back up and said: \u201cWhatever, watch this.\u201d And pointed to a part of the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It rippled, the grass under it shifting like a wave, and it launched up, a rolling cylinder of dirt that crumbled on its way up and fell back down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHOLY SHIT<\/em>!\u201d Pretty fell backward in shock and Blink stood agape, arms dangling in front of him like pendulums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s too loose. Rocks are so much easier. Moving dirt is like trying to throw water,\u201d Sandy said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMinders can do that<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why they\u2019re used for steering boats around. We\u2019re docking in Stablefield so we can pick up an extremely powerful one named Coh. I don\u2019t know anything else about him, but that\u2019s what the Shepherd told us. He found out that when you tell your workers what you\u2019re doing, the plan falls into place quicker. He might also sell some of us, but not me or either of my friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSell<\/em> some of you? You ever think about just\u2026 breaking off a piece of your own rock and floating away?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve thought about it. I don\u2019t have anywhere to go. A group of minders did that a while ago and the Shepherd learned either to have them love the place here, or give them copper jewelry so they wouldn\u2019t try. He also wrapped a good portion of the bottom of this boat with metal so it\u2019s pretty difficult to break this rock apart. And lastly, the Shepherd is a Staffbearer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat sounds really suspicious, calling yourself a \u2018Staffbearer\u2019\u2026 he\u2019s probably going to wonder how we got here. We gotta hide,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nowhere to hide on this rock from him,\u201d Sandy said. There is only one place of refuge where we all stay, including the Shepherd, though you could always stay in one of the empty mansions.\u201d She grinned at that last part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s funny about that last idea? It\u2019s a good one.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnly an idiot would stay in an empty<\/em> mansion. It\u2019s almost safer to try your luck in a mansion with a novis already inside. At least you\u2019d know what you were up against.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s in an empty mansion?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNobody really knows. It\u2019s just that whoever tries staying in one for a night or even a few hours either disappears or is found dead in a million different ways,\u201d Sandy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat? You\u2019re kidding! Fuck,\u201d Pretty said, feeling dismally unprepared. \u201cWhat do we do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow should I know?\u201d Sandy shrugged. \u201cIt really doesn\u2019t matter since he has Auric and probably knows you\u2019re here already anyway. I need to get back and push this rock along.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow long until we get to Stablefield?\u201d Blink said. \u201cAnd what\u2019s \u2018Auric\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA day or two depending on the weather and how hard we push,\u201d Sandy answered. \u201cAuric is the staff\u2019s name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOkay, we can stick it out for that long, right?\u201d Pretty said to Blink. \u201cThe Shepherd won\u2019t kill us or whatever in that time, right? What can we do for two days?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandy shrugged as she walked back to the Ledge near the mansion they had crashed through. She sat down and wrapped her blanket poncho around her again and sat as if fixed to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty said, \u201cWe\u2019re just a little lost and weirded out by this whole situation. We thought we could adapt maybe, but this whole thing is just freaking us the fuck out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you really are from where you say you are, yeah, if I were you, I\u2019d be freaked out too,\u201d Sandy said from the ground. \u201cWhat do you want from me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur fraise things haven\u2019t appeared if they\u2019re supposed to appear at all. And once we get to Stablefield, how are we going to get into Stablefield?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really not my problem, kid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSandy, c\u2019mon, this is from one kid to another. Hey,\u201d Pretty had an idea, \u201chow about a chance at getting into our club? We\u2019re the Astronomers and we could let you in?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think you understand. I don\u2019t have a reason to care about any of what you have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMotherfucker\u2026\u201d Blink muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019d you call me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI said \u2018motherfucker\u2019,\u201d Blink said louder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want her to like us, dipshit.\u201d Pretty batted him over the head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blink\u2019s glasses fell off of his face. \u201cOh, shit, don\u2019t do that. Don\u2019t let those fall off of the cliff. Edge,\u201d Blink said as Sandy picked them up and handed them back to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks,\u201d Blink said. \u201cWe really need help. Can you help us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know why I would,\u201d Sandy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSandy, don\u2019t you want to not be imprisoned on this tub?\u201d Pretty asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not imprisoned here. This is my home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou said you have friends?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat about family?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know who my family is. I was kidnapped as a baby and sold. It\u2019s interesting\u2026 they protect a lot of kids from rape now because mentally damaged fraisers don\u2019t operate as well as ones who are treated well. And they don\u2019t have as strong a fraise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blink and Pretty shut up at that comment. Was rape that common out here?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cFuck, man.\u201d Pretty scratched his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow does the Shepherd already know we\u2019re here?\u201d Blink said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandy started, \u201cHe\u2019s an old man, but he took some weird drug and suddenly knew all about the universe and novis and stuff and started collecting them. Then he started selling them and getting even stronger with his sixth-sense. He talks a lot about his third eye and the \u2018hidden realm\u2019 or \u2018hidden world\u2019 that we don\u2019t see that is all around us. I think he\u2019s weird, but he takes care of us aside from when he trades us or feeds the useless ones to the novis. Oh, and watch out for Pet; he\u2019ll grab you. I think it\u2019s asleep, but usually you\u2019re able to see it from wherever you are on this rock.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo he\u2019s like an old prophet. Myles is a prophet and he can like\u2026 predict the future or something. He\u2019s not good at it, but he saved our lives with it. And Mariah too,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not a prophet in that way, but he\u2019s smart and can sense things quite well. He says he sees sound and emotion and all of the things you aren\u2019t able to see. He also remembers things perfectly; he doesn\u2019t forget anything. So he knows a lot of people in Stablefield and visits the strong, smart ones and avoid the stupid, weak ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe still need to find our friends,\u201d Pretty said. \u201cThe Shepherd doesn\u2019t sound too bad, so do you think he\u2019d help us find our friends?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandy shrugged. \u201cProbably not. He\u2019d just get Pet to capture you and then he would sell you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOkay\u2026 what is Pet? Or who?\u201d Blink said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll see him eventually. He\u2019s like a really tall man with these black, beady eyes like a bird, which makes sense because he also has a beak. And he\u2019s got long arms and fingers, but short legs. He uses his arms to run and grab, but when he just wants to walk, he lets his legs do the work and reaches around with his hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat sounds so fucked up, damn,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shepherd bought it before he bought me,\u201d Sandy said. \u201cPet has been on the Stone Compass longer than any fraiser on here now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou were bought? Were you raped before you were bought?\u201d Blink asked quite honestly and innocently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDude, what the fuck?\u201d Pretty slapped Blink on the arm again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, I wasn\u2019t, thank you,\u201d Sandy answered anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSorry, he\u2019s an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI noticed,\u201d Sandy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFuck off,\u201d Blink said to nobody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, look, there\u2019s Pet. The Shepherd probably sensed you and asked Pet to pick you up since Pet is heading directly for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHoly mother of FUCKER<\/em>,\u201d Pretty said as he and Blink turned around and saw what \u2018Pet\u2019 really was.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was a spindly creature swinging along the ground on its hands in an estranged gallop. It threw its body forward with its arms, landed on its stubby legs and put its arms forward for the next step. There was a beak attached to a bald head with beady black eyes that didn\u2019t look in a particular direction, so it had a full field of vision. The whole complicated creature appeared as some accursed beast with long, clawed fingers. At its tallest, its head was nearly twenty feet in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty wrestled his pistol from his pants and remembered he had emptied all 15 bullets on the novis. He looked up at the towering and approaching sticklike creature and said, \u201cWell, shit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty and Blink broke into a run, screaming again as the thing bore down on them in its hopping movement. Secretly, the Leader felt like an absolute badass running with a gun in one hand, similar to what he was doing in the dark Winton woods less than fifteen minutes ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHoly shit, holy shit holyshit<\/em> holyshitholsyshitsholyshit!\u201d Blink said as he followed Pretty, throwing a glance over his shoulder every few steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPretty didn\u2019t look behind him as he heard Blink\u2019s voice yell nearby and then grow slightly distant and scream in terror: \u201cFUUUUUuuuuck!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty felt strange, meaty sticks wrap around his waist as he was noiselessly lifted off of his feet and kicked in small grunts, trying to break free from Pet\u2019s grip. \u201cLet me go, you fucker- oh,\u201d Pretty said as Pet brought the Leader to its beaked face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHi, fuckface; put me down.\u201d Pretty struggled on that last word since the grip seemed to force all of the air from his lungs. Pet seemed to consider Pretty for a few seconds before calmly walking off with the boys, like an antique dealer with a vase in each hand, watching his steps carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPretty! Help me!\u201d Blink gasped to the Leader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust\u2014 hang on!\u201d Pretty winced as he tried to pry the shockingly strong spidery fingers that gripped his waist horribly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The walk seemed to last forever since Pet\u2019s legs were short. Pet\u2019s arms were longer than the entire length of its body which stood about twelve feet tall. His hands alone were over two feet long, almost completely around the boys\u2019 waists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, they reached a building which they assumed was what Sandy was talking about when she mentioned the Big House. It was an old ski-lodge. Neither Pretty nor Blink had visited a ski-lodge before, but as natives of Pennsylvania they knew what one looked like. There was even a pole where the old lift had risen and most of the concrete front was still there. On that pole flew two large flags. One had the upper half colored white and the bottom half colored red.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pet put them down on the front deck of the lodge and then put his hands on the ground. Using his arms, he leaped to the roof of the lodge and peered down at them with soulless eyes, like a plucked vulture from a lab studying human hybrids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty and Blink, already winded from the dramatic elevation change, nearly blacked out from the trip and slowly rose to their feet. They failed to notice the man on the deck until they were standing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty caught his breath and looked up at the man. His skin was dark, he wore a long coat that the wind toyed with, and on his feet were thick boots. His dressing reminded Blink of a monk. The man\u2019s head was bald, but he had a white beard to contrast his skin. His eyes looked sad from experience, as if he\u2019d lived three lifetimes. In his hand was a staff with an amber chunk on the tip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWh\u2026 wh-\u201d Pretty said as he rose, hands on his hips where Pet had grabbed him. \u201cNice little henchman you got.\u201d He pointed at the eerie figure on the roof with his handgun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am the Shepherd and welcome to my boat. I almost never have to ask this, but: Who are you?\u201d The man\u2019s voice rolled out of his voice with an assertive annoyance that made you fearfully want to listen and obey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPretty Lewis, and this is Blink Mayer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re fraisers that somehow landed on my boat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe jumped through a mirror,\u201d Pretty explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat explains nothing to me even if it is the truth,\u201d The man said. \u201cElaborate on this mirror.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, our other friends that aren\u2019t with us, Myles and the others\u2026 they were with us\u2026\u201d Pretty was still catching his breath and impressed that the guy didn\u2019t seem intimidated by the gun at all. \u201cSheesh\u2026 we\u2019re high up. We came from the past I assume and crashed out of this mirror. We\u2026 shattered through a mirror in Winton, Pennsylvania… and wound up here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat is the truth,\u201d The man said as if he had to assure himself. \u201cIncredible. Mirrors\u2026you broke one of my mirrors?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was in one of the mansions,\u201d Pretty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre either of you minders?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou mean to say you aren\u2019t fraisers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot yet I don\u2019t think. Myles said we were all fraisers, but not yet? Maybe we gotta wait until we\u2019re accumulated\u2026 what\u2019s the word? Fuck it, I don\u2019t know. Used to the air.\u201d Pretty gestured all around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll likely be traded at Stablefield,\u201d The man said and held out his hand. \u201cThe gun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty pointed it at the Shepherd. \u201cNo way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Shepherd\u2019s face remained calm. \u201cIt isn\u2019t loaded and you don\u2019t seem to have any way to reload it. And when holding a gun, you keep your finger off of the trigger until you\u2019re ready to shoot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat if I am<\/em> ready to shoot?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve been tapping the trigger since we began talking. You\u2019re a novice gunman, now give it to me, who knows what to do with it, or I will take it with force.\u201d There was almost a parental edge to his voice, feigning that he was offering a choice at all. Pretty slapped the empty gun into the man\u2019s hand with a defiant glare. The Shepherd started to walk away and as he did, he pointed at the boys with the amber chunk and said: \u201cPet! Cage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pet rose from the rooftop and grabbed the boys again. This time it hurt even worse as Pet swung them around its body and brought them along to the \u2018cages\u2019 the Shepherd had spoken about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They were made of wood and were just large spindles sticking straight up out of the ground. The tops of the cages were covered with spindles as well, but Pet put down Blink and opened them. He placed Pretty in one and Blink in an adjoining one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neither boy said a word as they were left in these and watched Pet locked the cages up, stuck its hands to the floor, and swung away. Pretty put his hands around the wooden bars. At least it wasn\u2019t freezing metal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a long pause, Blink said, \u201cPretty, what just happened?\u201d He sat down against the bars with a hand on his forehead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty didn\u2019t answer as he slumped against the bars to the floor. What the hell?<\/em> His wide eyes found Blink who was looking at his own surroundings. There was only dead or dying grass around and underneath them. To their backs was a structure on the edge of the landmass. If they considered the direction they were headed, it would have been the front of the boat. Behind them was the Great House. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know what just happened, man.\u201d Pretty heaved several more breaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blink made himself comfortable. He didn\u2019t know what he was going to do or when they would get out. \u201cThey can\u2019t keep us in here forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty took off his backpack and removed the walkie. He tried powering it on, but it didn\u2019t work. \u201cFucking walkies<\/em> aren\u2019t working either. FUCK<\/em>!\u201d He slammed it back into his bag and rifled through the rest of the contents. \u201cAnd he took my gun too?! Nothing in here that will help us contact the others<\/em>. How the hell<\/em> are we gonna find them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cIf they even survived,\u201d Blink pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey did. Myles said we would all be okay and Myles Willis will be called a liar over my dead body,\u201d Pretty said, clutching his backpack to his chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The boys sat in their opposite cells, waiting, watching clouds and other small landmasses roll by like traffic. Both Astronomers were terribly thirsty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pretty and Blink Chapter Eighteen (Spring, 2037) (4.5k words, ~15 min read) Blink had held fast to Pretty out of terror as they sank with a crash through the mirror. Pretty\u2019s grip on Marshall slipped as he and Blink exited instantaneously out of another mirror. The gun, emptied of its ammunition, jostled loose from Pretty\u2019s … <\/p>\n
Read more “Chapter Eighteen”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-759","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-astronomy-club"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/759","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=759"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/759\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1175,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/759\/revisions\/1175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}