Diana and the Journey to the Unknown by Aisha Saeed

Author:Aisha Saeed [Saeed, Aisha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2022-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

The girls raced as fast as they could.

“Imani! Diana! Wait!” the god squad cried out. They were fast, but not as fast as Zumius’s guards.

“The MARTA should be that way!” Imani pointed straight ahead. “Once we hop on the train, we’ll be safe.”

“Girls! Come back! Please!”

Diana and Imani picked up their pace. The forest thinned now; the backs of homes were visible on either side of them. In the distance, Diana saw a metal bridge with vehicles snaking along a singular route. At last they stumbled onto a pavement filled with parked vehicles.

“Up—up there.” Imani pointed to a platform, wheezing. “Once we’re inside, it’ll take us to a stop a half block from the Exodus building.”

The girls hurried toward the concrete pathway and the glass entrance doors ahead. Pushing against one, Diana frowned. The doors didn’t budge.

“Shoot, I definitely did not think this through.” Imani winced. “I don’t have my pass. Doors won’t open without a ticket.”

Diana pressed her hands against the door again. The barrier bent the slightest bit against her gentle nudging. As she looked around, she saw that they were the only ones here. For now. She hated breaking rules, but the god squad had made it to the parking lot now. They’d be at the girls’ heels within seconds.

Diana squared her shoulders. With all her strength, she pressed the doors apart as an enormous yellow vehicle pulled into the parking lot. Kids—dozens and dozens of them—burst out of the door. They wore matching clothing. Frazzled adults spoke over one another, attempting to corral them. The god squad stumbled, caught up in their chaos, tangled up with them. She had only a matter of seconds. Pressing harder, Diana squeezed her eyes shut and grunted. The gate inched open a crack. Then a bit more. It was a slim opening, barely room to slip sideways through. But it was enough.

“Hey!” A security guard hurried toward them. “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry!” Diana shouted. They squeezed through the door and up the stairs. A train pulled in as they raced onto the platform. The doors beeped. People hurried out.

“Diana! Imani! Don’t do it!” cried Phillip. He hurried up the steps. Sweat poured down his forehead. “This isn’t safe!”

They hopped in as the doors began to shut. The train beeped before zooming off. Diana felt a wave of relief. But all solace vanished when she saw Imani’s crestfallen face.

“Bad news,” Imani said. “Looks like he made it on.”

Diana squinted. In the distance, through a series of windows, she saw Phillip. He panted and glanced about. Then he looked directly at them.

“But he’s in a different compartment,” Diana said.

“I wish it were so simple.”

Before she could elaborate, Diana saw for herself what the problem was. Phillip hurried toward a distant door, opened it, and slipped into the next car. He was going to hop through each one, Diana realized. He was making his way toward them on a moving train.

“We have to get out of here!” Diana said.

“We can’t!” Imani gestured outside.

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