The Earth Shifter

Being stuck on Radssoda wasn’t as bad as it was on Eossoda. At least the people were nicer. Three days have passed with absolute failing trials of leaving. I decided that I shouldn’t surrender until I leave.

“What now?” I asked for the zillionth time. We were sitting in my room this time.

“...”

“I can’t believe Hendrix has done this to us.” Professor Cyril spoke.

“Well, if we’ve been careful from the beginning and took the news of his disqualification from the University seriously maybe we wouldn’t have been stuck here.” I gaped at Erik. His tongue slipped and he wasn’t even aware of what he’s said.

“What disqualification?” Lilly asked. Erik looked at her reality hitting him.

“U-uhm.” He looked at me for help and I just put my face in my hands. “I read on the Internet that professor Hendrix and his wife were basically fired from the University they were working in because they were taking decisions that threatened the business of the university and the team they were working with and, of course, making researches about fantasies.” He mumbled the words looking at the ground ashamed.

Well, at least they don’t know that I also knew and told him not to tell them.

“Sorry Amber,” He mumbled guiltily.

Erik you idiot. God! He was so dumb. How did I tell him to keep a secret?

I wanted to say anything in my defense but found myself guilty in the first place. They all looked at me angrily even professor Cyril who didn’t seem to know anything about the people he was working with. But Tristan was only watching the show excitedly waiting for what happens next.

“You knew?” She asked on the verge of screaming. I didn’t dare to answer just looked down.

“I can’t believe that you didn’t tell us that the man was motivated for it like that. They wanted to prove they were right no matter what happens to anyone. They did to us the same thing they’ve done with their team.” She snapped.

“I thought it was good to have a motivation like that?” I offered an explanation. And Lilly laughed sarcastically then turned angry again. The trickiest thing about Lilly is when she gets angry she won’t be able to control herself anymore. Nobody wanted to piss her off.

“I just can’t believe you. The motivation is good but they were motivated to step over everyone to get what they wanted and it’s certainly not good, Amber.” She was ranting uncontrollably.

“Okay, I admit I was wrong. I’m sorry.” I apologized but they all got up and got out of my room.

“They won’t forgive you that easily, you know?” I looked at Tristan who was sitting eating a sandwich.

“I didn’t know that they’ll be mad if they knew.” I admitted but I know that there’s no excuse for I what’ve done.

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “Just leave it to me.” I looked hopefully at him.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He finished his sandwich then got up and left.

A day had passed and no one of them talked to me. I tried apologizing but Lilly specially wouldn’t listen. I went to Tristan.

“You said you’ll make them talk to me.”

“Yeah, just wait.” He closed the door in my face.

Was I supposed to rely on this sentence or what?

“Come on,” Tristan showed the next day in front of me while I was taking a walk alone. Without Periwinkle without anyone. I really miss him.

“What?” I asked. But went with him anyways.

“I told them that you were sorry and will never lie to them again.” He explained.

What am I four? But I’ll take anything so they’d forgive me.

“Aaron and Professor Cyril were fine with it but I tried talking with Lilly. She wouldn’t listen. So she’s on you. I did my part. Now it’s your turn.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem but please don’t leave Lilly sad. You really let her down.” He begged like a little girl. I held back my laugh.

“You sound like a girl.” I told him my thoughts teasingly.

“No I’m not, I’m a manly man and what are we talking about here? Just go talk to her.” He told me seriously. This guy had a soft spot for Lilly he may even have done all of it in the first place to make sure Lilly isn’t mad.

Tristan was wearing the traditional clothes today, white with golden doodles and the white bandana. He may have a wedding to attend or something.

“Okay.” I told him quickly then knocked on the door of Lilly’s room.

“It’s open.” I heard her yell from the inside. I entered slowly.

“Hi.” I said and she was going to say something but I stopped her.

“I came here to apologize from you. I shouldn’t have kept that a secret from you. It was wrong and I have no good excuse for it.” I started.

“You manipulated us.” She pointed out.

“You’re overreacting but yes I did.” I admitted. Lilly’s face smiled.

“I’m sorry, Lilly.” I told her looking at the ground. She gave me a bone crushing hug.

“And I’m sorry for being so harsh on you and making a big deal about it.” She apologized backing away gently.

“It’s okay. So, you’re not mad?” I asked.

“No, silly. Sure I was angry at first from what you did but I would never be mad at you.” She shrugged explaining to me. I smiled happily. I really didn’t like it when she was angry but I was wrong and deserved it. And Lilly forgives the people quickly anyways. I think she was just waiting for me to come myself and apologize from her.

“Now let’s go. Tristan is preparing a small bonfire for us on the beach.” She told me.

“I thought he had a wedding.”

“He did but then he said that he’ll make a little party with all of us.” She explained.

“Now let’s tell the guys.” I nodded.

We sat by the small bonfire at night. Tristan had his casual clothes back on. I apologized to Aaron and professor Cyril again. Aaron was okay with it and professor Cyril told me that I reminded him with his daughter so much again.

“Tristan, I was wondering. What will happen to Eossoda?” I asked still feeling responsible for it.

“After like fifty years or so it’ll come back to the surface and we’ll go back to guard it again till we find the next Earth Shifter.” He shrugged. “It’s just how it works.”

This wasn’t right.

But I had more important things to think about right now.

“And how are we going to get out of this island?” Lilly played with the black sand looking very annoyed. We had a ton of fun playing on the beach but now I wanted to cry. I just want to go home.

Aaron was going to say something but stopped when he heard a sound of a plane. We looked at each other.

Could this really be happening?

I kept wondering till I saw a sea plane land on the water in front of our eyes.

“This is my plane.” Professor Cyril exclaimed happily.

Someone got out and walked through the water till he arrived. I couldn’t believe my own eyes.

“Is that...?” Erik asked surprised.

“Yes.” I answered knowing what he was asking about. Professor Alessandra came standing in front of the fire we were all gaping at her.

We looked like a bunch of thirsty people seeing water in the middle of the desert.

“But you left us.” Lilly said like she was in the middle of a conversation.

“I know, I’m so sorry. I came to get you back home.” She said.

“And you took the researches and the videos about Eossoda” I accused her.

“It’s all in here” She threw a back bag on the ground in front of us. Erik snatched it quickly. “I stole them from Hendrix before he can do anything with them. I knew what he was doing is wrong but I was too afraid to stand against him.” She looked like a mess.

“But when he left you there, I knew this was it. I took some time...” Aaron cut her off.

“A lot of time.”

“Yes, I know but I’ve been searching for you for days.”

“How did you find them?” Tristan asked sounding suddenly interested.

“I didn’t. Eossoda wasn’t there so I checked many times flying through the exact coordinates but when it didn’t work I turned around to get back. But then this island suddenly appeared on the radar because I was flying right over it. Exactly like Eossoda.” She took a deep breath after explaining so fast.

“You can fly a plane?” Erik asked.

“Yes. So, are you coming or what?” She asked. We looked like we’ve been dead robots and got turned back on when she asked that question. Tristan threw water on the fire and we all ran to our rooms packing our stuff.

In half an hour we were ready to fly back home. We said goodbye to Tristan who seemed really sad for leaving us. I was going to miss him too he was such a funny and light guy.

Lilly offered to take him with us but he refused and said that his dad isn’t going to be okay with it and that not all the dreams he dreamt about since he was a kid must become true.

I disagreed with him. If I wanted a dream so bad and worked hard for it then god will give it to me.

“Close the door.” Professor Cyril yelled from the front pilot seat.

“Wait, Erik didn’t come yet.” I answered standing at the door waiting for Erik to show up. He came running from a distance.

“What took you so long?” I asked him as he was climbing the stairs.

“Sorry.” He mumbled sitting down.

The ride was quiet and everybody was tired but Lilly looked so sad because she had to leave Tristan on the island, I felt bad for her. I went to sit next to her and patted her shoulder. “Don’t be so sad.” I told her.

“I’m not.” She pulled out a smile but came out sad and disappointed. “It’s just that I thought Tristan will come with us. He always wanted to explore the places outside the island. His father isn’t being fair, Amber. He just wants his son to grow right next to him.” She explained to me. Her voice was so low, I barely heard it. I really didn’t like seeing Lilly like that. She was always happy and full of life.

“How about this, we can come back after a month or two to visit Radssoda and you get to say hi to Tristan?” I told Lilly and her face changed into a wide smile.

“Really?” She was so happy with that suggestion and I nodded at her smiling.

I was sitting on the same seat I was sitting on the last time I was on this plane, looking from the window. Nobody was sitting next to me this time. A Black sea was the only thing there.

Walking through has changed my life. I was happy that we had this trip together. I thought about all of the strange things I saw in that ‘freaky invisible’ island except that it wasn’t freaky anymore. The Deltars, the wedding ceremony, the advanced technology, the black shore, the spiral clouds, the upside down water fall, the Radharcs and Periwinkle. The list was long but didn’t find it hard to remember all of them at once. I didn’t admit it when I was on Radssoda but I acctually loved every second I spent there.

I blew a breath on the window and wrote...

Ivan

Periwinkle

Playing with my brown bracelet I though, I’ve lost two of the most beloved in my journey in this life and it wasn’t easy.

“I’m gonna miss you.” I whispered watching the names disappear.