The Boy in my Locker SERIAL STORY

CHAPTER 9: TRAPPED

My eyes followed the line of Truent’s finger, poin ng up at a dark shadow along the edge of a steep rock wall.

“We must be quiet,” he whispered.

“Is it one of them?” I asked.

“Yes,” Truent replied. “If those things get you, you’re done for.”

“How?”

“They’ll take you to ground level— they’ll keep you close—they’ll drain you of your energy un l you’re — you’re—”

“Dead?” Megan sat beside me. Her body trembled. “Are they vam‐ pires?”

Megan’s voice boiled my blood. I couldn’t stand the sight of her. Just hearing her talk made me want to vomit.

“Do you want to die?” I asked her.

“No,” she replied.

“Then be quiet.” I couldn’t believe I just said that to her.

The DM Seeker slipped out of site for the moment as the ground shook at our feet. Distant explo‐ sions rippled around the narrow cave we had taken refuge in. Every now and then, the jagged ceiling shook causing random bits of rock and giant bugs to fall to the ground. The world—this strange world was falling apart. The air was so thin—I could barely get a full breath.

I wonder if Earth will ever be like this in the future?

The three of us sat in silence looking out blankly at flashes of light bouncing between the thick clouds. Our cave was perched high on what must be one of the many cliffs sca7ered over the reddish land. Beyond the haze, remains of a fallen city appeared along the horizon, devastated with massive crater‐like holes, perhaps a kilo‐ metre wide.

We waited—waited for some sort

of sign—a sign that the monster was finally gone.

I stared blankly at the trumpet case Truent had held in my locker, half covered in ash about ten feet away, inches from a steep ledge. We needed that trumpet to get back. But where were Truent’s friends? How were we supposed to find them?

I thought about grabbing the in‐ strument when movement caught the corner of my eye.

Is it them?

A throaty growl crept outside the cave growing louder and deeper as each second passed. A menacing shadow spread over the clearing

as the creature returned.

Megan shuffled back deeper into the cave, pressing her gangly body against the cold rock. “We’re going to die, we’re going to die.”

The creature’s muscular, goril‐ la‐like arms reached out for the case, sniffing it like a giant piece of candy.

I held my breath, closed my eyes and counted.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

“It’s gone,” Truent whispered.

“The Seeker?” I replied.

“Yes. And the instrument, too.”

“What? How will we get back?” I crawled out of the cave and peeked over the ledge. “Where did it go? We have to get that trumpet. How will we get back?”

***

The dim light faded into darkness

as the air cooled. The erup ons along the horizon simmered into minor tremors. The planet ap‐ peared to be shu=ng down for the night.

“We have to get my trumpet back,” I said to Truent.

“We can’t,” he replied. “It’s too dan‐ gerous.”

“Then how will we get back?”

“You mean we’re stuck here?” Me‐ gan li>ed her head up from her arms. She had spent the last hour curled up in a ball, sobbing.

Who would have thought?

“I have to harness energy. It may take some me,” Truent said. “I

have to find my friends, they can help get you two back to your planet.” “But what about you?” I asked. “And your friends? You can’t survive here. You said it yourself.”

“Who cares about his stupid, friends, Dropzone!” Megan an‐ nounced. “I have to get back. I have a hair appointment tomorrow and my phone needs charging.”

“She’s right, Ms. Aubrey.” Truent stepped out of the cave and felt his way up the side of the rock. “I must get you both home. We must get to the window.”

“What window?” Megan wiped the tears away from her face as she twirled her phone around between her fingers.

“The window to your planet,” Tru‐ ent replied. “The DM Energy has opened a door to your world.”

“My locker,” I added.

“Whatever,” replied Megan. “Just get me ou7a here.”

Truent stepped back into the en‐ trance way. “Come on. Follow me.”

We navigated up the side of the stone ridge to an even higher peak. The only light came from a small panel—the same panel I saw when we landed here before. Next to it, a lever je7ed out from a leveled area of ground.

“That’s where we harness the en‐ ergy,” Truent said. He then pointed up to a small hole, about the size of a basketball. “And that’s the window.”

At the p of a triangular boulder, a dim glow spilled out over the dark‐ ness.

“Crazy how we can fit through that,” I said.

“It will take several earth days to get enough energy. For two of you, it may take a week.” Truent walked over to the panel and slouched down against it. “I’m so weak. I can get started on this tomorrow. We’ll be safe here. The Seekers won’t get us.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“The air is too thin up here. They like the DM Energy, which comes from the explosions at ground lev‐ el. I hope you’re not thirsty or hun‐ gry. This is going to be a long, and cold night.”

This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all.

Doesn’t this planet have a sun?

We each found a comfortable place to se7le, hoping the hun‐ ger pains wouldn’t keep us awake. Personally, I was more concerned about freezing to death.

“Hello?”

I opened my eyes and sat up, pull‐ ing myself out of the ght crevice I had nuzzled myself into.

“Hello?” I replied. “Who’s there?”

To be continued May 8

We must get to the window.