Meltdown Ophilion - Book One

53_EAST CAMP

The main room was now quiet. Celli looked again to her mother and siblings, Lem and Cari. They watched her with round, frightened eyes, not so much because of their father's outburst, but because of what they had seen on the broadcast; because of what Celli had said when she spoke.

When she thought enough time had passed, Celli's mother took her turn. "Celli... Celli, wait," Her mom said soothingly, "if the rulers really thought there was some kind of danger they would do all they could to avoid it, wouldn't they? They wouldn't be the ones causing harm. I don't know what all that was, but I'm sure we'll get an update before long that will explain more clearly. We can't just jump to conclusions."

Celli stared at her mother incredulously. "I don't believe you're saying this. Mom, I... I was there. I saw. I know! The scientists confirmed it! It's going to happen. We will die!"

Celli's mother would usually offer words of comfort after Hanro's tirades, though she never opposed what he said. This time it was different. There were no conciliatory gestures; she didn't even want to come near her daughter, as if she might become infected with an illness Celli had contracted after having been in that studio with those strange people, having participated in that strange and disturbing event, having accepted such unhealthy and unsound ideas.

She hoped they could forget what had happened and return to normal as soon as possible. She hoped Celli would not lose her job, a job they had all worked hard to secure. "Let's give this some time," she said. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We'll see how this all turns out." She took Lem and Cari's hands in hers.

Celli's worst fears had been realized. Hope is a bad habit of mine, she thought.

Lem and Carri looked at her, wondering if she was going to say anything else. Celli looked From Lem to Carri. "The camps..." she spoke in short desperate bursts "...we're going to East Camp... now. We... we have a ship – it's on Orion's roof dock. The big white one..." She informed her siblings, praying they would comprehend.

The young Merenthaal representative looked around her small apartment as if for the last time. Then she picked up her backpack, placed it on her shoulders and walked out the door.

***

Orion opened the front door of his apartment. "Celli!" He exclaimed, "...come in." Jenna knew immediately what had happened. She reached out and held Celli close. Celli began weeping bitterly. They sat down on the sofa. Orion and Belarin sat close by. "They didn't want to come," she whispered, when she could find her voice. "They didn't believe me!"

They sat in silence, Jenna stroking Celli's hair.

"What about Lem and Cari?" Orion asked.

Celli looked up at him and sniffed. "I don't know, they didn't say anything. I... I told them where the ship is..."

"It's okay," Orion reached out and took her hand, "we still have time; we're not going to let them get hurt. We'll think of something." The confidence in Orion's voice gave Celli a small measure of hope. She bit the corner of her lip and nodded.

What a lot these kids have to go through, Belarin thought. What will our future be like? Will there really be a meltdown? This all seems so unreal.

"What do you want to do?" Jenna asked.

Celli looked beyond them, out the window. The megatropolis of Kypro moved along in its never-changing pace. Hanthran had begun its descent from its zenith, now that the show was over. "We'll just have to go on without them for now," Celli said uncertainly. "Maybe they will change their minds. We can ask Arthur and Maria if we can come and get them later." She looked hopefully at Orion.