Falling Forward by Judy Colella (crime books to read txt) 📕

He lowered his gaze and turned slowly to face the ship, then wished he hadn’t. The reverse-engine ports were underground now, he realized, and if he turned off the shields, the vessel would probably fall over completely onto its left side. So be it. They couldn’t leave the power on, and at its current angle, there was nowhere else for it to go once the invisible barrier between its sides and the ground was gone.

“If it…falls any more…any more this way,” he gasped, “we won’t be able to…to access…the door.”

“I know.”

They exchanged a glance, nodded, and climbed back into the ship. Looked like they were going to have to adapt to the atmosphere a lot quicker than anticipated. Once inside, they got their breathing back under control almost instantly, but knew they wouldn’t be able to enjoy it for very long.

“I’ll start gathering the food and medical supplies,” said Dia. “We can put them in the sample-storage containers for now.”

“Good idea. I’ll start salvaging as much technology and other stuff as I can without compromising the engines or the integrity of the ship. One of these days we might find a way to get it flying again.” He didn’t sound convinced.

Over the next two days, the twins managed to remove a sizable amount of supplies, setting them well away from the ship. Once the power was shut down, it would complete its crash, and they didn’t want to risk losing anything under its weight.

During this time, they saw no one like themselves. A few creatures on four legs approached from time to time but never got too close. These were not like the forest animals they knew on their world – not entirely – but there were enough basic similarities that told them they were instinctive rather than intelligent beings. Their timidity also defined them as non-threatening.

Other creatures made themselves known by flying past their heads, landing on their arms and legs, and crawling over their shoes. Very tiny these were, compared with the four-legged ones. In fact, these had six legs. Dia watched, fascinated, as one crept across the back of her hand. From what she assumed was its head darted a needle-like projection. After several seconds, she realized the thing was trying without success to pierce her skin. She wondered why.

When they’d taken everything they could from the stricken vessel, Kyva used one of the rescued tools to shut down the engines from the outside. By now, they were breathing a little more easily. Certainly not as well as they could inside the ship, of course.

They watched with sadness, perhaps some despair, as the shield deactivated and their interstellar transportation lay down like a massive animal going to sleep, the door pressed into the dirt.

“We ought to cover it, Kyva.”

“Why?”

“So it doesn’t get damaged or found, I suppose.” She spoke slowly, having learned that this reserved enough air to keep her breathing even and comfortable.

“Hmm. Makes sense. I’d be surprised if anyone from our world came by, though.”

“You never know.”

“True. I’m thirsty.”

The water, they’d discovered, was abundant and delicious here. Near the end of the first day, which they assumed occurred with the setting of the sun, they’d found a stream not far from where they had landed. A good thing, too. Hunting for water when they could barely breathe would have been a miserable pursuit.

Before long, they were able to calculate time as it would be reckoned on the planet, and were somewhat shocked at how much shorter the days were in this place. At home, it would still be mid-morning after five of this planet’s days had already passed.

They built a shelter for themselves from various items they’d taken off the ship, then covered it with branches and leaves to make it look less strange in the primitive environment. As for the ship itself, they managed to camouflage it rather well beneath a blanket of shrubs, downed branches they’d picked up here and there, and after the days began to get cooler, the many leaves that had turned bright colors and fallen, landing in a blanket on the ground.

The colder air proved to be a blessing; for some reason, they breathed with greater ease on the days and during hours when warmth fled from before a brisk wind, or swept through the forest like an imperious overlord. Their own world was icy most of the time, so they had no problem with the weather.

When they awoke one morning to a world turned white, they remembered tales their parents had told them of a phenomenon called “snow.” After the skies had gone ugly, the storms had brought only poisonous rain. During the colder times, nothing fell from the hideous, often noxious clouds. No snow.

Ah, but here – lots of snow that sparkled and crunched underfoot, delightful, thirst-quenching, refreshing snow. They loved it. They ran and rolled about in it, laughing, forgetting for that brief while that they were stranded on a strange world, alone, almost out of food.

“One thing about all this,” Dia said on an afternoon when they’d finally tired of chasing each other around in the fluffy whiteness. They had fully adapted to the atmosphere by this time, and were barely out of breath when they sat together outside the shelter.

“What about it?”

“No plants, no food. What are we going to do?”

Kyva frowned and bit his lower lip. He, too, had considered this problem, and had thus far been unable to come up with a solution. “We might have to leave this area and try to find some.”

She nodded, unhappy. Where they were had been safe and was now familiar as well. Who knew what they would find if they went elsewhere? “Well, we have enough to last at least another, another of our own month’s time. That would be what – six hundred or so of their days, yes?”

“Something like that.”

Relief. “We’re okay, then. I believe the snow and cold will be gone long before our supplies run out.”

“I hope so. Still, I’m beginning to get curious about what else might be here. On the planet, I mean.”

“Aw, Kyva, come on. Don’t say we’re going to go exploring!”

“Why not?”

“It – it mightn’t be safe.”

“What makes you…” He stopped, an odd look crossing his features, and stood suddenly. “Sshh!”

She joined him, cocking her head as she tried to hear what had interrupted him.

Kyva waved at her to stay still, and began walking away to their left, peering about as he went. A few feet further, he stopped, and had begun to turn back toward his sister, when someone stepped out from behind a tree a few feet away.

The person spoke, her tone of voice indicating surprise, and Kyva spun back to face her, eyes wide.

This individual was wearing some kind of long, dark green garment, thick material wrapped around her head and shoulders. It was obvious this was a female, unless the males here were the ones who had larger breasts. Her face, too, bore the more delicate features of a female, but what was she doing? What was she saying?

She spoke again, smiled, extending a hand. This appendage was wrapped in something as well, each finger covered except for the tips. On her arm swung a container of what looked like woven tree bark and it was covered by a bright cloth.

Kyva had reached Dia’s side, and put a protective arm around her. The female didn’t look at all threatening, but this was an unfamiliar place, and for all the siblings knew, smiles meant danger here.

Still speaking, the female reached into the container and removed an item that even at a distance smelled like something made of miracles. It was round, brownish, thick-looking. What could it be?

Dia took a step closer, and for some reason Kyva didn’t try to stop her. “Who are you?”

The woman’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and she answered, but of course, Dia didn’t understand her.

“We don’t know your tongue,” said Kyva, needlessly stating the obvious.

Dia recognized this as her brother being terrified but working hard to hide it. Not that she didn’t know why he’d be afraid. This female was much, much older. If she turned out to be a warrior of some kind, they wouldn’t stand much of a chance. Then again, these people apparently had no technology, so maybe she and Kyva would be able to fight her off.

The female came a little closer, nodding at the object in her hand. It was clear she wanted them to take it. So Kyva stood straighter and stepped past his sister.

“Thank you,” he said, taking the thing. Up close, the aroma was almost overwhelming, and without thinking, he lifted it to his nose, taking a deep, blissful sniff. “I think it’s food of some kind,” he murmured.

“So taste it.”

He could feel that while its outside was somewhat hard, the thing had softness to it, so he carefully squeezed one end. It broke off, displaying an inside that was white and porous.

The female’s smile grew and she nodded, telling him something.

“I hope she’s telling you to eat it, Kyva, because it smells incredible and I want a taste.”

“Me first. If it kills me, run.” He took a bite…eyes closed with pleasure, he chewed for a moment, then had another. “This is amazing!”

“Must be – you’re talking with your mouth full.” Manners had always been paramount in their family. Well, back when they had one. “You going to share that?”

He passed the object to her, smiling as he saw her take a bite and almost squirm with the joy of its flavor.

The female was speaking again. They had no idea what she wanted or was telling them, but had they been able to translate, they would have heard, “You poor dears! How have you lived out here all alone? Why, you’re just little children! Please – come home with me!”

Text: Judith A. Colella
Publication Date: 06-27-2013

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