Dominion

Chapter Twenty Two: The Long Way Down

Chapter Twenty Two: The Long Way Down

The Earth.

My eyes found it, but only briefly. In an instant, all I could see was blackness. Space. And in another instant, Star Hall. My body was turning, spinning perhaps, but I had no control. I had no sense of anything.

I was weightless, yet I had weight.

I was falling. Gravity was present despite my surroundings, somehow forced into the air tunnel. But it didn't feel like it was there. My body still felt as though it was floating regardless of the fact that it was falling. It was war between the vacuum of space and the gravity of Earth, ripping my body in either direction. Gravity was defiant, though, as the descent continue. The descent, the long way down.

That was the only thing I was sure of as my senses came undone from my body as if they were a web wrapped around it.

The air was thin, just what was needed to breathe. Even that came as a challenge. Perhaps the shield was only designed to sustain one person, not two. Vera. I hadn't seen her. My eyes tried their best to search my spinning vision for her, but little progress was made and the frantic energy only served to weaken what little strength the tunnel left me. Our hands had been forced apart when we were ripped off our feet.

That was what I wanted, something under my feet. Something solid, something to ease the feeling of weightlessness that was eating away at me.

I had no idea how fast I was descending. The Earth seemed no closer no matter how many times it spun into my line of sight for the briefest of split seconds. Everything became even more jumbled, my body reacting to the lack of air. And something else began tugging at me as well - the call of unconsciousness, perhaps? I fought that feeling. Unconscious, I would have even less control once I entered the atmosphere and approached the ground. With no way of knowing if this tunnel would somehow slow me down for a landing that wouldn't kill me on impact, I couldn't risk losing what little power I had.

The tug became stronger, though. It transitioned into more of a yank, harder to resist. It was like that and yet, it was exuding a calming breathe over my body. Just sleep, my body begged, giving in. Just give in.

Never.

"Always defiant, huh?"

I could see his outstretched hand, inviting me. Paxer.

"It ain't gonna hurt you, kid."

I could see his face now. The tunnel faded away. Star Hall, the Earth, the colors of the nebula, they all just faded into the blackness. All that was left was Paxer, his hand extended toward me. He radiated assurance, positive nothing would go wrong. That he could handle anything that did. That calculated confidence was what I had aspired to have. Giving into that desire to be as strong as he was, I took his hand.

I was on the ship, standing beside him. I had never even seen a ship before, having barely left my village before The Dominion came to it. The metal floor, the windows, even the piles of supplies strapped down - it was all foreign to me. I had an awe about me as I looked around at the simplest of things.

"Who's the kid, Paxer?" It was a new voice, and it came from the front of the ship. The pilot, my child-self assumed. Paxer's gaze shifted to the voice.

"I told ya - no questions. Just get us to Star Hall," his voice was commanding. The pilot wouldn't dare disobey.

"Alright, alright," the pilot replied, and didn't utter another sound.

"We're going to Star Hall?" I asked, my voice a mixed pit of wonder and concern. My parents had told me stories about Star Hall, about it not being the kind of place you would want to find yourself if you had a choice.