‘No green food on Earth,’ I told her.
She shook her head. ‘Maybe something similar…’
‘Maybe.’ I didn’t want to get her hopes up.
She led us to the small cave I’d inhabited before, and I grinned when I saw the sleeping bags, a hairbrush, and a bottle of water.
‘Galadrias have been collecting human things and keeping them here for Kit and friends.’
Although we never really talked about it, Dawn had foresight. She probably saw us coming.
‘Thank you. Very thoughtful.’ I placed my hands at my sides and gave her a deep bow, as I would Master Aki.
She bowed back and then wished me a nice sleep. Our crew filed into the cave, some spilling out onto the grassy lawn area in front, and we started to set up camp. I’d never seen Skyhome so full and bustling.
“So it’s safe to sleep here?” our pilot asked as he laid out a bedroll.
I nodded. “Your body will stay here and you will just dream, like before.”
He looked at me incredulously.
“It’s awesome,” Damien added as he tucked Jeremy into his sleeping bag and laid a weighted blanket over him. He was wearing earplugs and an eye mask so that he couldn’t see anything, basically shutting out all outside sound or light, the way I used to sleep before these fuckers landed on Earth.
My gaze flicked over to Maxine, who was looking extra jumpy. Her eyes darted around the cave walls and back out to the Galadria. Scooting over, I sidled up next to her. “How you doing? Ready to get some shut-eye?” Maxine had PTSD and anxiety, so sleep was a hard thing for her to do on a normal day, more or less in a new place. She’d slept here once before, but things were different then. The breeders weren’t hijacking Galadria minds.
“I’m not sure about letting my guard down here.” She tapped her fingers on her leg and started to squirm on her sleeping bag.
“I’ll take first watch. I got your back,” Nox told her, machine gun in hand at the entrance to the cave.
Her shoulders sagged with relief. “You sure? You must be tired?”
He shrugged. “I’ll take a stim.”
Stims sucked. Hardcore. You felt sick from the adrenaline rush it gave you. But it would be nice to have someone at the entrance. Just in case.
“Wake me for the next shift,” Brisk called out to Nox.
“I’ll take shift after you,” Damien told Brisk.
It was settled, we had a shift schedule and we were going to freaking sleep. I couldn’t wait. The world had gone to total shit, but for this one moment I didn’t care. The rock digging into my back didn’t bother me. I was so tired my body just melted into my sleeping bag and I was out.
Peeling my eyes open, I saw the top of the cave wall and forgot where I was for a second.
I’d dreamed.
I’d freaking dreamed like when I was a kid! It was already a fleeting memory I couldn’t grasp. I’d been driving a bus or something, I already couldn’t remember, but it felt amazing. My entire body felt so rested and relaxed I almost didn’t want to move. Sitting up slowly and peering around me, a grin pulled at my lips. Nox and Brisk were smooshed back to back, with one leg draped over the other. The pilot was still out too, but everyone else was gone. Spinning, I came face to face with Damien.
“Morning, or afternoon, really,” he whispered, handing me a hot Thermos of what I prayed was instant coffee.
I rubbed my eyes. “Morning. How long did I sleep?”
He checked his watch. “Sixteen glorious hours. We all just woke up recently.”
Sixteen hours! I hadn’t slept that long since… never. I must have needed it.
“How is everyone doing?” I tried to peer past him to see my friends, but Skyhome was so thick with Galadrias I could barely make out Maxine’s red hair.
“Everyone is good. Maxine and Jeremy seem a bit quieter than usual. I don’t think they like the crowds.”
I nodded. Maxine was probably itching to find a space she could be alone. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. I had an idea and it would take my entire team to make it happen. “Let’s have a meeting,” I told Damien, and started to weave through the crowd. When I came up to my crew and took in the scene before me, a grin lit up my face.
It appeared that master Aki was leading a group meditation… with the baby Galadrias. They sat on their bottoms, wings folded in and eyes closed, quiet and breathing deeply. The older Galadrias who sat around the edge of the mediation circle were smiling, lips peeled back over their large teeth and watching Master Aki with curious expressions. The man who taught me everything I know about mental control popped one eye open and looked at me.
“Meeting?” I mouthed.
He nodded and stood. “Continue your breathing. Focus on the breath,” he told the younglings.
We walked for a few minutes until we found a spot on the island that was less populated. It was a little alcove of trees that reminded me of the weeping willows we had back home. Jeremy, Josephine, Mr. Hansen, Maxine, Ronnie and Master Aki all faced Damien and I.
“I’ve been thinking about something… ever since I chucked that breeder through the opening onto Earth and she shriveled up.”
Jeremy pulled off his headphones and listened with rapt attention.
“What’s on your mind, doll?” Maxine drawled in her Texan accent, hand on the butt of her gun as usual.
“Well, we know that breeders can’t survive on Earth and we know that Galadrias can...” Everyone nodded and Damien grinned as he caught my meaning.
“You wanna know if the grunts and sentries shrivel up when they hit our atmosphere?” Damien asked.
I nodded. “I do. I think while we are here and well rested, we should go ghoulie hunting and do some experiments.”
“Well hot dog, I’ve been waiting
