Jack Strong and the Red Giant

Chapter 18: Light Speed

They were all laughing at Jack and Vyleria.

Xylem was telling Ros and Padget all about their close shave with the birds.

"But, I didn't realise. We don't have these things on Earth," said Jack.

Jack looked at Vyleria for help. Her cheeks were glowing again. The volcano was about to erupt.

"LOOK IT WAS A MISTAKE OKAY! ALL OF THIS IS NEW TO US. I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU DO BETTER!"

"You forgot to sssay captain!" hissed Xylem, smirking at the others.

Vyleria gritted her teeth and clenched her knuckles. Her eyes burned. She looked like she was about to punch him again.

Seconds slid by like knives.

"Okay captain," she said finally, gritting her teeth.

"You forgot to add Sssir," rasped Xylem, to yet more howls of laughter.

Vyleria moved like a whirlwind, running across the room and throwing Xylem to the floor.

She looked wild, insane.

"Help me!" screeched Xylem. "She's crazy. Get her off me!."

Ros and Padget wrestled Vyleria off him as she kicked and punched away.

"You sssee what she'sss like!"

"No, I'm not! No I'm not!" she yelled, eyes burning. "It's you. You're doing this on purpose."

"Look at her!" he hissed. "Who do you believe?"

Everyone, bar Jack, nodded their heads, agreeing with Xylem.

"Fine. Have it your way then," spat Vyleria, brushing past Xylem on her way out of the room. "Good luck running the ship without me."

"Vyleria!" shouted Jack. "Come back."

"Want to run off with your girlfriend?" hissed Xylem.

"She's not my girlfriend," said Jack, cheeks reddening. "But she is my friend. Leave her alone."

"What if I don't?" said Xylem, his eyes yellow fire. "What if I don't?"

Jack didn't know what to do. He'd never been good with confrontations. Once more the old fear returned. "I... I..."

"Yesss?"

"I'm going to stay," he gasped.

He desperately wanted to go with Vyleria. She was his only true friend and she had helped him out many times. But something told him that she wanted to be alone for a while, besides he was sick of being pushed around by creeps like Xylem and Gaz Finch. It was time he faced up to his problems.

"Look Xylem," said Jack, returning his stare, "you can say what you want about Vyleria, but you're not pushing me away. Not now. Not ever."

"Well I don't want you," he said. "Nobody doesss."

"Err... I do," said Padget. "He saved my life earlier."

"He sssaved my life captain sssir."

"Err... yes sorry, my captain," he said, his large eyes fixed to the floor.

"He only saved your life because it suited him at the time," said Ros.

"No, I didn't!" said Jack. "I did it because it was the right thing to do and he needed my help."

"That's what you lot always say. I've heard enough. We should lock him up."

"WHAT?"

"You can't be trusted," said Ros, his black eyes burning. "And that's what happens to untrustworthy people. We should make one of these rooms into a jail cell. Jack can be the first prisoner."