Time Return by Micah Caida

Author:Micah Caida
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction, time travel, teen fiction, survival stories, dystopian, action & adventure, young adult, young adult fantasy, clean wholesome
Publisher: Silver Hawk Press LLC
Published: 2014-02-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-one

~ Rayen ~

I finished my meal and found the young boy all alone sitting under a shimmering silver tree that I hadn’t seen before, far from where the rest of the village shared food. Why wasn’t he eating with the others?

“Hi V’ru. Can we talk?”

“Why?” He lifted his chin.

I expected to see the same eleven year old I’d met last time who had been surprisingly confident when uttering obscure details about history. This child looked lost, his skinny arms wrapped around knees that were tucked up to his chest. He wore the same toga-like cloth wrapped around him that had held up fairly well, but only because he was shielded from everything, including the other MystiK kids.

Callan once told me that V’ru had to be protected at all costs.

I made a swift change in plans and decided to put my need for answers aside for now and sat down in front of V’ru, crossing my legs as I did. “How are you?”

“I am well.”

That was a statement of his physical being, but nothing that addressed the sad inward curve of his shoulders. What had made him so unhappy? Could it be a physiological change? “You seem bothered by something. Were you influenced by the orange mist?”

“No. My kamara prevents anything from touching me. I stayed inside until it was safe to come out.”

“Do you stay inside a lot?”

“Yes. It is important that I not be exposed to the others any more than necessary. I am a natural resource for our people.”

He lived most of his time in a dome, secluded from others. He didn’t see himself as a child or a person, but a resource. Oddly, that attitude was parallel to Callan’s view of his own life, which was not about what he wanted but what everyone expected of him.

I smiled at V’ru who cocked his head to the side, studying me. He asked, “Why are you smiling?”

If I were honest with him I’d say I had no idea since everything in my world was in turmoil, but sharing my problems would not solve his. He needed encouragement. “I’m just happy to visit with you.”

“Interesting.”

Strange answer, but I let it go. “Did you get something to eat? Whatever Jaxxson is cooking was good.”

“Yes. It was acceptable.”

Could this boy be any more depressed? I had no recollection of any experience with sad children to draw on that I could use to help him. I decided being direct was my only option. “Who has upset you, V’ru?”

“No one. I am not upset. I am ... contemplative.”

“That’s not true.”

His eyes bulged. “Do you accuse me of lying?”

“Maybe.” I held a serious face to hide that fact that I was teasing him.

“I ... I ... you can’t say that.”

“Sure I can. I just did. Now, why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

He looked away. “Nothing.”

And that meant something had definitely happened. I mentally ran through all the people who might have caused V’ru distress and hit on the obvious one. “Has Etoi

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