Baskadia

Chapter 9

   "It is found", Bee shouted extremely loud, which wasn't normal.
   We all headed back to the top floor. Uri and I were in front, Butler was behind us, and Bee was in the air watching over us.
   We were almost at the exit door then I felt another presence with us. Uri sensed it too.
   "Stop!" Butler ordered us all. "Miss, grab on to my arm", he said as he extended his left arm to me.
   "Bee, guide Uri. Someone else is here". At his last words, a series of explosion emanated from above us. It was Wasp_ she was under attack.
   "We have to help her", I shouted to Butler, but with his mighty arm around me, I couldn't move an inch.
   "She's a Quanbot, she can handle the attack on her own", Butler said as he moved backwards slowly.
   I searched for Bee and Uri, but I couldn't see them anywhere. I heard a footstep approaching, but I couldn't tell from which direction.
   "I am surprised to see you, Butler", a female voice came from every direction. "And lemme guess, you've gotten yourself a little girl. Awwn! It's a poor thing you won't be there when she'll die".
   "That is not, and never going to happen", Butler's voice raged with fury. This was my first time of seeing him in a fighting stance. He held me tightly with his left arm, while his right arm had a laser gun. He constantly flashed the laser in every direction, aiming at nothing.
   "I am right behind you", the voice said from behind.
   Butler spun around, and for the first time, I saw the owner of the voice. It was a young lady, who looked in her early thirties. She wore a dark-green fitted jumpsuit with a black mask which covered her nose, down to her chin. Her hair was tied in a ponytail behind her back. She is a kind of lady you will call; beautiful, I thought.
   Butler flashed his laser to her, but she simply teleported again.
   Butler sent a blast of shock-wave upwards, but the force didn't hit anything. He was about doing another one just when a hand from beneath him held his legs and pulled him down. He sinked downwards, and when it was time for a straight fall, he released me.
   "Butler!" I screamed as I watched him fall a hundred feet into the basement below.
   "Ouch! That's so sad! Who's gonna save you now, poor girl?"
   I looked towards where the voice came from. She was standing right beside me. I screamed and crawled backwards, I was totally defenceless.
   The lady approached me slowly, and I saw something flash in her eyes_ it was surprised.
   "You're not from Quantum. You don't behave like one of us. You're an alien, aren't you?" She asked with a sharp tone.
   "No... I... I'm..." I stammered.
   "Where are you from?"
   I was about to answer just when Uri came in. But he was alone.
   "She's not a part of the plan, Lilian", he said in a commanding tone.
   "Uri, I see you've grown", Lilian said with a grim expression on her face.
   "Of course, why won't I?" Uri said with a smug. His tone seemed to annoy Lilian.
   "You want to know something about your family?" He asked, still keeping a calm gesture. "You all are murderers".
   "Shut up!" Lilian bellowed. "You know nothing!"
   Uri gave a disdainful smile. "Oh, let me prove it: Your grandmother killed your grandfather, why? Your dad wiped off life from Quantum, why? You murdered your own precious dad, why? Like I said... murderer". He stressed on the last word.
   "I kill you", Lilian yelled as she teleported right in front of Uri and flung him in the air. Before he hit the ground, she shot him a blast of shock-wave, which sent him spiralling in the air out of the farmhouse.
   My mind went blank, I couldn't believe my eyes. Was Uri actually_ no, I refused to think about it.
   "Now, tell me little girl, where is the book? Or I'll cut you into two equal halves", Lilian's voice sounded more deadly than a serpent's hiss.
   "I'm not telling you anything", I couldn't understand where the courage in my voice came from.
   "So be it! You die!" On saying that, her gloves emanated a sword, she raised it up, but before she could make any further move, a series of bullet hit her in the shoulder and the knee. She lay on the ground, unmoving.
   "No one is cutting my sister into two equal halves", Wasp said as she helped me to my feet.
   "Thanks, Wasp", I said as I gave her a hug.
   You're welcome, baby sis!" She said with agrim expression on her face.
   "I watched him get blasted out of the farmhouse, I couldn't save him... he's gone", I struggled to keep my voice steady.
   Wasp giggled and pointed towards the door. "He's right there".
   I turned to look at what she meant. Standing beside a truck was Uri. He looked like nothing happened to him at all. Bee stood behind him.
   I gasped. Uri never confronted Lilian at all, it was Bee who confronted her, in the body of Uri.
   "You're a hoodwinker!" I shouted at him.
   He shrugged. "I'm just doing what I do best", he said with a smile.
   "I guess we're done. Let's all go home", Butler said from behind me.
   "Butler! You're alive!" I exclaimed.
   "Why not?" He asked, grinning. "You think that fall would kill me? Not even a hundred soldiers can kill me in four rounds".
   "But, they will in five", Bee joked.
   We all laughed.
   "I guess Butler's right. It's time to go home!" Uri said as he brought the book in front of him. "But, what year should we travel to?"
   "2022", Wasp beamed.
   "Why not 1908? So that we can meet Uri again", Bee suggested.
   "No, Bee. That will make us repeat this same situation", Uri said confidently. "2022 is our best option".
   "Whatever! Let's go!" Bee said as he shape-shifed into human form.
   Uri opened the book and laid it on the ground in front of him. "This is my grandfather's 2022 memories, it should lead us home".
   "Bee, you first", Uri said as hewiped off his name.
   "Farewell, Tesher Willington. I hope we meet again", Bee said as he stepped into the book and got sucked.
   "Butler, you're next", Uri ordered.
   "It's an honour knowing you, Tesher", this was the first time he addressed me by my name. "Goodbye, Miss". With those last words, hewas gone.
   "Wasp, you know what to do", Uri said as he took out her name.
   "Yes, Uri", she said to him, then turned to me. "I'll see you soon, baby sis", she stepped into the book and vanished.
   "I guess it's just you and me, Tesher", Uri said.
   "Yeah", butter flies began twirling in my stomach.
   He cancelled my name from the book.
   "Why do I have to go first?" I asked.
   "Well, that's because, I have to watch your back", he said and took my hands. "Before you go, Tesher, I'd like you to know some things", he had a grim expression on his face as he spoke.
   "What could they be?" I asked, getting anxious.
   "Firstly: I want you to know that your coming into my life isn't an accident at all. Secondly: I've been looking forward to the day I'll be telling you this, and I guess it's today, right now..." he paused for a moment.
   "You're beautiful, and I like you".
   I could hear the sound of my heart, beating against my chest. I threw my arms around him, instead of hugging him, I kissed him. I put my hands through his hair. He felt gentle and he smelled of sweat. I like him for that, I like him for everything about him.
   He withdrew gently and gave me a warm smile. "I think you should go now. You have someone waiting on Earth".
   "What do you mean? Who's expecting me on Earth?" once again, I was confused.
   "You'll see", he said as he helped me into the book. "Goodbye, Tesher".
   "Goodbye, Uri", those were my last words, then I dissipated out of existence.

   Once again, I book-traveled. I felt squeezed on all sides. I dared not to open my eyes until all was silent and static.
   I gasped. In front of me was The Return Of Uri. I closed the book and locked it in my secret safe.
   I was about going downstairs to check on mommy, when I heard voices from behind the door. I opened it slowly and saw mommy and daddy. How did daddy get here?
   "Daddy?" I was all confused.
   A tear drop rolled down his cheek. "Happy 15th birthday, Tesher".
   Over a hundred questions popped up in my head. How is today my birthday?
   "Don't just stand there and stare, cupcake. Come over here" mommy started.
   My dumb legs moved forward. I had no idea of what was happening. This wasn't how I left home, something was different.
   My parents hugged me tightly. "I'm sorry I wasn't around on your 14th birthday", daddy apologised.
   "It's okay, daddy. At least, you're here".
   Mum brought out a cube. It wasn't that big. It could just fit into my palm effortlessly,  but something was wrong about it, which I couldn't tell.
   "This is now yours. Don't ask where we hot it, just go into your room and get dresses, while we get you a nice birthday cake", mommy ordered me.
   I went into my roomwith the box, but before I changed my clothes, I opened the box.
   I looked straight right into it and saw what was inside_ nothing.
   The box was totally empty. Where did my parents get this from? I sighed and tossed the box into the trash bin at the right corner of my room. Just before it dropped into the bin, the most incredible thing happened.
   The box transformed into a human being, it was a female. At the moment she turned to face me, I gasped.
   "Wasp!" I exclaimed and gave her a hug. "How did you get here?"
   "Well, it was Uri's idea in partnership with manipulating human thoughts", she said with a smug expression.
   "You're telling me you controlled my_"
   "I'm sorry, baby sis, I had to, just because of you", Wasp apologised.
   "Hmmm... you're forgiven, big sis!" Wasp looked pleased with herself, hearing me call her big sis.
   "You are celebrating my birthday with me, and you need to help me pick a dress", I said as I opened my wardrobe.
   "Wait! How old are you again?" Wasp asked.
   "Fifteen"
   "You mean fifteen?"
   "Yup! One and five", I said as I made a finger gesture.
   Wasp turned purple.
   "What?" I asked.
   "I am a hundred and two years old. I don't think I should be your elder sister", Wasp said as she shape-shifed into an extremely old woman.
   "I am your grandmother!"





THE END!!!