1st 5 Pages March Workshop - Baxton Rev 1

K.L. Baxton
MG Science Fiction
Intrec and the Earth's Venom

CHAPTER 1—EARTH’S SERPENTS

If Intrec couldn’t gather the antidote on Earth within the next several days, Granddad would die.

When would the spaceship fly to their parallel planet again? He had to find out.

On the zap path, he streaked past the houses in his neighborhood, landing several feet with each stride. He also passed other numahs in gray blurs who wore various clothing: short arm tops, black and blue twilled bottoms stretching to their knees and ankles, suits, and slips.

As the ground light between crossroads beamed from orange to purple, a few people stopped and filed in lines, waiting for blue to emanate. A gust of wind drifted over him, and palm fronds swayed in the opposite direction. Two lanes divided on each side, and a straight black line separated between the directions.

“Intrec, what are you doing?” Mom spoke without moving her lips while standing on the walk path. Her work uniform revealed a black slip that swayed at her knees and a white top that stretched to her elbows. The golden ball-of-shine light beamed over the white dotted mountains and Mom’s shiny star-shaped work badge on the side of her top—the embroidered OSH (Outer Space Headquarters). His eyes squinted.

“You’re supposed to be at home studying.”

He wiggled his ear tips and shuffled toward her. “I already finished…I wanted to visit you at work.” More like eavesdrop.

She grinned down at him, revealing her white squared teeth. “Jezum is in meetings,” Mom answered as they shuffled down the walk path. Jezum was her boss at Outer Space Headquarters. “He gave me the rest of the day off.”

“About going to Earth?” Intrec’s heart skipped a beat.

Mom nodded.

“When?” Would another journey take place soon enough so he could figure out how to stow away on the spaceship to collect an extra serpent for Granddad?

“Within the next couple days.”

Dad and millions of people had already died from Tapergnaw’s disease, the deadly plague that suddenly started spreading on Harte over ten years ago. Earth’s serpents held the cure, but at limited supply, senior elders never received treatment, and youngsters were always treated first.

“How many trips have been made to planet Earth?” Their twin planet, just on the other side of a black hole. What kinds of lifeforms lived there?

His stare connected with hers, the tips of his ears slowly rising. He missed her during the many evenings she worked late.

“So far, there have been six successful journeys to Earth.” Scientists rarely stayed there more than several days at a time. The longer they explored their parallel planet, the more likely the earthlings would discover them. About three decades ago, that’d happened to Zuko, his great grandfather who was also a research astronomer that discovered Earth, so now they took extra caution.

He jumped up and down. “I’d love to go to Earth someday.”

Mom shook her head. “I’m sorry, but that’s very unlikely.” Intrec frowned.

“Things aren’t so bad.” He begged to differ. Since Tapergnaw’s disease stole Dad’s life and would soon be stealing Granddad’s, how could she possibly say that? They dawdled up their wheelway toward a peach-bricked house with a maroon-colored roof. Mom rested her hand on the automated sensor beside the door. It lifted, and Intrec stepped inside.

He called for Twyzoe and bent down on the black wooden floor. A tricolor wagger barked and ran toward him, his white legs and black paws rested and scratched on Intrec’s knees. Twyzoe licked his face full of kisses while he patted his white head, also petting his floppy brown ears and back.

Although Intrec had to find a way to travel to Earth, Mom wouldn’t want him to risk exposure to the earthlings. But since when did a youngster genius listen to his mother?

CHAPTER 2—THE HUMAN FAMILY

“This move will give us a brand new start,” Mom had said several times already.

Ethan wanted to argue, but the words didn’t budge from his tongue. His dad always used to say, “Sometimes people make bad choices. It’s no use to dwell on the past. All you can do is learn and move on.” But some mistakes were bigger than others. When they resulted in death.

 She peered straight ahead as she drove, her gaze fixed on the white beam of the headlights. She seemed quite sure of what their new home would be like. He had no idea what to expect, though silhouettes of cacti, palm trees, and the sun rising behind the mountains started brightening the horizon.

The rays grazed her face: the dark circles under her eyes, the large yawn she let off—he did the same thing. He didn’t have to stare into her eyes to know how they’d look: chocolate brown amid redness. And he was certain that his mirrored hers. Ethan wanted Mom to pull into a hotel like they had the past four nights, but she insisted she’d drive through the night, so they could start their new lives sooner. Seriously, what was the hurry? She took a swig of coffee from her large cup.

“So…” Ethan propped his elbow in between the two seats and ruffled his hand through his dark, gelled hair. “Have you always missed living in Benson?”

Mom nodded and grinned. “I certainly won’t miss Connecticut’s cold winters, that’s for sure.” She chuckled. He held back a groan. However, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her smile, and that was his fault. He caused his father’s death, and the move must’ve been his punishment.

“Your grandfather is really looking forward to seeing us.”

Ethan blew air from his lips.

“Try giving him a chance…He’s always wanted to spend more time with us.” She briefly patted his hand. “And he wants to get to know you better."

Ethan’s grandfather had practically been a stranger before he lost his perfect life. One where he played ice hockey with Dad every winter and was always surrounded by the friends he’d known from kindergarten to eighth grade. His grandfather only visited them once a year, sometimes twice, and they’d soon be living with him. For sure, it was weird. Ethan also wasn’t quite sure whether he wanted to fill his father’s shoes, but it seemed possible. He cringed.

Somehow, he had convinced Mom to move them back to her hometown, Benson, Arizona. Ethan eyed Mom’s white knuckles on the steering wheel, wanting so badly to grasp the wheel and turn back to where they came from, Westport, Connecticut.

She peeked up in the rearview mirror at Savannah, his eleven-year-old sister, whose lean body curled up across both backseats. Her long blond waves draped across her face. Their dog, Benny, curled beside her, both sound asleep. Must be nice. Savannah’s pale bare arm covered with goose bumps. Dad always made sure they were warm enough. A bulb of sweat dripped down Ethan’s back. It was unusual that he wouldn’t need his winter coat as often or even his hoodie. He yanked off his sweatshirt, reached back, and draped it over her.

As Mom veered off the next exit in Tucson, she tugged at the top of her turtleneck. Ethan pressed his finger against a button under his window. Cool gusts of dry winds swooshed through the Escape, whipping Mom’s brown hair across her cheek. Dad used to tuck her hair strands behind her ears every time they hung over her face, always followed by a kiss. His heart split.

A mushy wet nose sniffed Ethan’s arm. He hoisted his puppy and set him in his lap, stroking his back. Benny stuck his head out the window, and his ears flopped with the air.

They passed a sign that read:

WELCOME TO BENSON, ARIZONA

POPULATION 5,105

“Wow,” Ethan said. “This town is so small.” Westport wasn’t huge either with a population of 27,840, but Benson seemed like it’d be cramped and the sort of place where everyone knew each other. People would soon stick their noses into his business, no doubt.

“I’m sure you’re going to like it here…in time,” Mom insisted. She rolled into a subdivision, slowly driving past houses until she veered onto a driveway belonging to a peach-bricked house with a maroon-colored roof. A moan stretched from the backseat. He glanced over his shoulder. Savannah gathered into a full sitting position, rubbing her eyelids. A familiar older man with black and gray hair stood on the front porch, beaming and waving at them.

“I hope he’s making us breakfast,” Mom said half-jokingly.

Savannah nodded. “Me too.”

Grandpa stood outside Ethan’s window, petting Benny’s head.

“Hello, Ethan,” Grandpa chanted. Ethan swallowed hard and feebly nodded once.

Ethan’s intestines squeezed. Getting to know Grandpa wouldn’t be enough, he knew. Even if he was the nicest grandfather anyone could have, even if he wished they could develop a closer relationship, it still wouldn’t fix what was wrong with his family.

Ethan.