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15
Heather
Iwas jittery with nerves as I waited for the ramp to open and I wrung my hands together in an attempt to avoid chewing my lip.
Next to me, Abby caught my eye and offered a smile. "Nervous?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. I’d seen the date on the controlband when we landed. Iit had been over a year since Tamsia landed on our farm and willingly abducted us, and I was worried, curious, and excited to find out what had changed so far.
Maybe nothing. Maybe everything.
A lot could happen in a year.
The door hissed open and fresh air rushed into the spaceship, carrying the smell of dirt, grass, and rain. It wasn't quite the same as a farm but it was a proper British smell. I hadn't realised how much I missed it until it filled my lungs.
I stepped off the metal ramp and onto the swampy grass of the Dales. It squelched. "I wish I brought my wellies."
Abby chuckled. "We really are in the middle of nowhere."
"Atina said we landed in the Yorkshire Dales." I took in the landscape, admiring the view. It was gorgeous. Chilly, with long grey clouds that looked like they could release rain on us any moment. Exactly how I remembered it.
"Did someone say my name?" a light voice said next to me.
I turned, my eyes widening. Atina's usual gorgeous blue skin was now a bright pink that reminded me of a lawn flamingo.
Abby tactfully muffled her snort. I didn't quite manage the same.
"What's going on here?" I asked, gesturing to all of Atina.
"I'm testing out the LightScreen technology," she explained, twisting a ring around her finger that returned her to her normal blue and back which coloured her a shade down of fuchsia.
"I think you might have put the wrong values in," Abby said sweetly. "Sahra uses X12GB and that does a good job counteracting her blue."
Atina fiddled with the ring and the obnoxious pink settled to a much paler shade. Her beautiful green hair was now a dull dark blonde but her sparkling eyes had retained their original colour. She was still gorgeous, though, and her bright smile was unchanged.
I took her hand in mine and gave it a light squeeze. It didn't matter to me what she looked like.
A wide grin brightened her face and she gestured behind her. "The shuttle is being undocked on the other side. It's set to take us to the nearest city. Leids."
"Leeds," I corrected gently as I followed her around the spaceship where a standard white van was waiting for us. It had number plates and everything, including a bumper sticker and a little flag on the radio antenna. It was hard to believe this was an illusion. It was only on closer inspection that I noticed the vehicle was ever so slightly hovering.
Atina pulled the side door open. "All aboard."
I climbed in first, with Abby right behind me. Sahra joined a moment later, taking a seat next to her girlfriend.
The inside of the van was bright and large enough to stand upright in. I could also see through all the walls, which was both amazing and scary. I reached out, relieved when my hand bumped against an invisible barrier.
At least there was no risk of falling out.
I smiled at Abby and Sahra. I couldn't say we'd become friends but we were definitely on much friendlier terms than when we left. "You said you wanted to visit your parents, right? Do they live in Chester as well?" I asked.
"No, I'll have to hop on a train." Abby’s face scrunched up. "One thing I haven't missed, public transport."
I chuckled. "Can't say I have either. I'm trying to figure out if I'll have enough time to go up to the farm."
"Ah, feeling a little homesick?" Abby asked.
"I'm not sure yet," I told her honestly. "I feel like I'm trapped in between places. This used to be my home, but it no longer feels this way. Nor does Kyven. I like it there, I like the people, I like having my cousin close by, but when I think of home, Kyven isn't it."
