Bright Beyond, Episode 2: A Novella Serial by Theresa Kay

Author:Theresa Kay [Kay, Theresa]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2014-12-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

If I’d known where Liz was leading me, I would have protested. I’d managed to avoid the public mess hall or cafeteria or whatever the hell the civvies call it my entire time on this ship. Until now.

Liz flits between tables, offering people smiles and waves and I follow along behind her with my head down. Somewhere ahead Kyle yells out something that sounds like ‘over here’ and I glance up. He’s standing by a table at the far corner next to Stasia, who’s sitting there yanking on his sleeve. Not that her efforts are doing much good. I send out a silent thanks to her for trying.

Kyle begins waving his non-restrained arm over his head and half the faces in the room turn toward Liz and me. Just great. The walk to the table feels miles long when, in reality, it’s probably only a couple hundred feet.

“Sit. Down,” I hiss as soon as we’re close enough for Kyle to hear.

The enthusiasm falls from his face and he gives me what can only be called puppy dog eyes. “I just wanted to be sure you were going to come sit with us. My dad showed me the specs on the new XG540 and I wanted to talk to you about it.”

“Where else would I have sat?” The question is sharper than I intend and my nephew’s shoulders sink even lower. I take a deep breath. It’s not the kid’s fault I don’t like all the attention he called to me. I plop down on the bench across from him and Liz moves around the table to sit beside him. Of course, Kyle turns to me and starts in with the babbling about the new fighter ship without acknowledging Liz.

I eat quickly with my head down, occasionally nodding at what my nephew says, but otherwise not saying anything. It isn’t long before the food in front of me is gone and I start tapping my foot against the floor. They’re still looking at me. I can feel it and I hate it.

“So…” I say. “I came. I ate. Can we get out of here now?” I direct the question at Liz, but it’s Stasia who answers.

“No one here is going to bite you, Eva,” she says with a sigh. “You’ve been holed up in maintenance for days now. Are you really that anxious to get back there?”

I look up at her from under my brow and raise one eyebrow. “Yes.”

Stasia’s attention moves over my shoulder and a grin comes over her face. “Hey. Come sit.”

Ian moves around the table, scooting in next to Stasia and brushing his shoulder against hers. The movement’s subtle, but the look they share is not.

Kyle shares a look with me, then rolls his eyes. A laugh bursts past my lips and my mouth settles into a smile. Stasia’s cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink while my brother’s face gets blotchy. That makes me laugh harder.

Liz is looking back and forth between Kyle and me with a crease between her eyes.

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