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SUMMER
Igasped and stooped down beside Burmoot, though I didn’t dare touch him. His body continued to twitch, and moans jerked from his lungs.
Adone kicked the monitor, and it went flying from Burmoot’s back. It smacked into one of the boulders and fell to the ground in pieces.
Burmoot shuddered and rolled onto his side. “Adone.”
“I don’t know what to do,” I said, tears stinging my eyes. This guy had helped us, and now he would suffer.
“Adone,” Burmoot said. His hand jerked upward.
Adone stooped on the opposite side of Burmoot and took his hand. “What can we do for you?”
“Leave. Run. The ship is . . . programmed. Will take you to . . . Tetryx.”
“I can’t leave you here,” Adone said, his body jerking backward.
“You must.”
“No.” Adone shook his head. He peered toward the waiting ship, then looked to me. “Grab Tumbles. I’ll get Burmoot. We’re all leaving this planet.”
I felt better having something to do. While I didn’t know how far we needed to travel to reach Tetryx, we would hope that someone there could help Burmoot.
I’d started toward the woods to find Tumbles when Burmoot spoke again.
“Run before . . . they send more . . . monitors,” he said. “Please, son.”
Adone’s eyes widened. “Son? Wait. Who are you?” He held the elderly alien’s shoulder, and his pain-filled voice lifted. “Who are you?”
“Wish I could’ve . . . held back the . . . Shiedars,” Burmoot said. “Did . . . what I could.”
“You’re my father?” Adone said, his voice gutted.
Burmoot nodded. “Couldn’t help . . . your mother. Couldn’t help . . . you.”
“But you have.” Adone’s tortured gaze met mine. “I can’t leave him here.”
“We won’t.” I tightened my spine. “Get him onto the ship. I’ll be right back with Tumbles.”
While I raced to the woods, Adone carefully turned his father onto his back. His dad groaned when Adone lifted him.
Adone’s wings outstretched, and he flew to the ship. Did he realize the skill that had evaded him in the desert had come naturally in this instance?
I turned away as he landed and carried his father up the ramp and into the ship.
I found Tumbles playing with a big beetle among the trees, but he left it and rolled over to me. I bent down and lifted him, holding him in front of my face. His fur flattened against his body, and he cooed.
“Okay, Tumbles, this is it,” I said. “Adone and I are leaving. Burmoot too. You can come with us if you want, or you can remain here.” I didn’t think he’d understand. How could he? “I’ll put you down and leave the decision up to you.” It was kind of lame, but there was no other way to give him a choice.
Turning, I hurried from the woods. If I called out to him, he’d follow, but was that giving him a chance to decide?
He rolled beside me, cooing, but the real test would come when I boarded the ship.
With Adone urging me to come quickly from the doorway, I continued across the open area and around the boulders. After taking one final look at the world that had caused me so much grief yet gifted me with Adone, I nodded and started up the small ship’s ramp, joining him at the top.
“Tumbles?” he asked, peering around me. “Ah.”
My brambly friend had rolled past the boulders. He scooted toward us but stopped at the base of the ramp.
