THIRTY-FIVE
ELLI
Igot a good running start, but it felt like the cold was actively attacking me—stabbing me with icy knives as I rushed through the deepening twilight. Also, my right leg—the one that the Sweeper had stung—seemed awfully stiff for some reason. I was pushing hard, trying to run, but it kept wanting to lock up on me.
Must be getting a muscle cramp,I thought desperately. But I had no time to stop and try to work it out—I was in more danger every minute I was out here and I damn well knew it. It was so cold that every breath I took was like breathing icy-fire—the air that made its way to my lungs felt like a million tiny knives trying to cut me up inside. I couldn’t last long in these temperatures, I was sure.
I got across the deserted road and onto the black paved parking lot. I had to keep blinking my eyes because of the way the ice crystals were forming on my eyelashes, making it hard to see. I was dragging my right leg by now—it had locked up and gone completely stiff on me in a strange way that seemed like much more than a muscle cramp. Something was definitely wrong with it but I could ‘t stop to figure out what—Ihadto keep going.
My boots were scraping on the black asphalt stuff as I walked,step…drag…step…drag…and I could see Sir’s ship up ahead. It was long and sleek and silver and it looked more like a fighter jet than a flying saucer, like aliens are supposed to drive.
I staggered over to it, praying with all my might that it would answer to me the way it did to Sir.
I just have to touch it,I told myself.Just have to touch it to make it open.
I hoped, anyway. I could tell by now that if this didn’t work, I wasn’t going to make it back to Baron Vik’tor’s building. My whole right side felt stiff and I could barely keep my balance because my right leg was completely inflexible and dragging behind me.
Keep going!I told myself, sucking in another icy, knife-like breath.Keep going, Elli—you can do it. Youhaveto do it! Just touch the ship—just get close enough to touch it!
Step…drag…step…drag…My entire body was feeling numb with cold butfinallyI made it to the side of Sir’s ship. With a gasp of relief, I lifted my hand to touch its side…and realized that it hadn’t worked. My right arm was no longer obeying me—it was down by my side, stiff as a wooden branch with my fingers pointed at the ground. And anyway, it wouldn’t have done any good because my gloves were still on.
Using my teeth, I managed to pull the three layers of protective gloves off of my left hand. Then I lurched forward, reaching for the ship with fingers that were already going numb.
Just touch it,I thought.Just…touch…it!
My left hand slapped the sleek metal side…and I jerked it back just as quickly. The metal was so cold itburned.I felt like I’d put my hand on a hot stove! But I knew I had to make contact with the ship in order to get it to open.
“Hey!” I shouted hoarsely, the words whipped away from me by a gust of wind. “Hey, open up for me. Open up for little one!”
As I spoke, I lunged forward again, slapping my stinging hand against the ship’s metal. Though it was agonizing, I held it there for a full second while I sent a mental call, trying to communicate with the huge alien vehicle.
Then, I couldn’t stand it anymore and had to jerk my hand away. My palm and fingers were red and swollen-looking and they burned like crazy from the brief contact.
At first I thought it had been for nothing and my gesture hadn’t worked. But wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, suddenly a crack appeared in the ship’s side. To my joy and relief, I realized it was the door, finally swinging open. I could see the warm glow of the interior as the ship welcomed me inside. It even let down the ramp to allow me to climb up easily into its interior.
I tried to put my left foot on the ramp…and felt myself slipping. In the few moments I had been standing there, trying to open the ship, my left leg had frozen as stiff as my right one.
With a cry, I overbalanced and found myself falling forward. I could see the rough black pavement rushing up to meet me but I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I fell stiffly, like a tree that’s been cut, and barely got my left arm—the last part of me that wasn’t frozen, up to cushion my head.
I managed not to bash my brains out, but it was still a nasty fall. I got the wind knocked out of me in a sharp little cry as I felt the sharp pavement cut my cheek. My entire side felt bruised and I was pretty sure I was going to feel this the next day.
If therewasa next day. Because now I was stuck there, lying like a log beside the ramp to the ship, unable to get up and climb inside. I could still see the warm interior glimmering in the open doorway from the corner of my eye. It almost seemed to be calling to me.
Come on, little one—get up! Why don’t you come inside?
Or was I imagining that the ship was talking to me? Was I going crazy? Or just freezing to death?
Well, I was definitely doing that. I couldn’t move and it was getting colder and colder. What was going to become of me?
I had no answers and no way to move as I felt the last vestiges of warmth I had left leaking away from my body into the cold, rough pavement below me.
“Sir,”I thought weakly.“It’s so cold here…I’m so sorry…I never should have tried…”
But then it got too cold to think anymore and I felt myself drifting away…
THIRTY-SIX
SIR