Earth to Dad by Krista Van Dolzer

Author:Krista Van Dolzer [Van Dolzer, Krista]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Capstone edititions; fiction; social themes/friendship; science fiction; family/parents; 9781684460090; 9781684460120; 9781684460113
Publisher: Capstone
Published: 2018-06-25T00:00:00+00:00

16

THE AUTOBATONS don’t waste any time, just pick us up by our collars and drag us out into the hall. I don’t resist, but Astra doesn’t seem to know how not to. When her flailing fist connects with one of the autobatons’ joints, it finally sets her down. She makes a mad dash for the door, but she only makes it a few steps before one of the others grabs her and tucks her under its arm.

Bathed in artificial light, the corridor looks ordinary. The walls are a plain gray, and what I thought was an autobaton lurking at the end of the hall turns out to be a potted plant. While the autobatons ferry us back up the hall, I stare down at my feet to avoid their blank expressions. I almost wish that they would yell.

When we reach the door, an autobaton pushes it open, and the ones behind it shove us out into the store. The lights out here are bright, way brighter than they were before, and I blink instinctively. They must have been desperate to find us.

I expect the autobatons to stick us in an unmarked Light-Year that will take us to the brig, but when they veer off toward the staircase bolted to the nearest wall, I fear that it will be much worse. Visions of interrogation rooms start parading through my brain, but when the lead autobaton knocks abruptly on the door, it’s not opened by an executioner but by a pinch-faced Mr. Primm.

“Jameson!” he says. It sounds like he’s surprised to see me. He pulls out his commie and presses it against his ear. “Mina? I found Jameson, and he looks fine, just fine.”

I wince despite myself. “She’s here?”

Mr. Primm covers the mouthpiece. “She’s at your place watching Janus.” Then he uncovers the mouthpiece. “Yes, Mina, I’m still here. And yes, he’s OK.”

Mom’s sob carries through his commie, and I wince despite myself. I never thought that Mom would worry. I never thought she’d even know.

Mr. Primm looks over my shoulder. Suddenly his face un-pinches. “Astra,” he half says, half breathes.

Astra doesn’t meet his eyes, though I can’t say I blame her. He looks slightly nauseous now, but just a few seconds ago, he looked mad enough to spit.

“Put her down,” Mr. Primm says, practically shaking with rage. I can’t tell who he’s more upset at, Astra or the autobaton that’s treating her like a fence post.

The autobaton puts Astra down, but not before clipping her heels on one of the metal railing’s crossbars. Mr. Primm pushes the autobatons up against the wall as he forces his way past them. The staircase isn’t wide enough, but he’s determined to reach Astra. Probably to make sure she’s OK.

“Astra,” he says again, once he’s finally standing above her. He takes her by the shoulders and peers into her nut-brown eyes. “You need to know how much I love you.”

Whatever I thought he would say, that definitely wasn’t it. I expect her to pull away, but she burrows in instead, snaking her arms around his waist and smashing her face into his chest.

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