Kepler-22b

Chapter 4- The Decade Long Mystery

Sorry about the wait for this chapter but my editor was out of town. Also I think that all the different years were getting confusing for people to understand so I wrote them out:

Stella lived one year on her home planet, two years in the pod ship on the way to Kepler 22-b. After landing there, she spent seven years alone on the planet, was ten when she found Alma. Then there has been almost five years spent with Alma. Stella is now fifteen. She has spent twelve years overall on Kepler.

After an awkward minute of us both just staring at each other he finally realized that he was still two inches from my face. As soon as he realized it, he was quick to jump up and get up off of me. I took his extended hand and spent a minute trying to get up from my jumbled heap on the ground.

"I think it's broken, my leg I mean." I winced from the pain that shot through my body. I then let go of his hand and gave up on trying to stand up with my feet. I spread my wings and lifted myself off of the ground and into his awaiting grasp that was ready to help steady me.

"Alright, I think I have something that can help." He said as he started to help me move.

"Wait, why can you speak english?" I asked in confusion as I finally noticed the obvious. And another obvious thought came into my head: How could I possibly know if I could trust this man? I just met him and now he wants to take me somewhere to get "healed." I really wish I had more experience with this right now.

"There will plenty of time for explaining, but right now we need to fix your leg before the earthen comes looking for you."

"Won't it be easier to just fly there?" I stated.

"I don't have wings." He replied flatly as he continued on the path.

"How is that possible? I thought that you were the same species as me. Wait, were you actually born on this planet?" I interrogated him, forgetting to restrain myself with all of the questions that were now pouring from my mind.

"No, I am not from this planet, I am from the same one you originated from. And I always just assumed that males were born without them, that it's just a female trait."

"Oh, makes sense, I guess. But how did you even-" I was interrupted by a sharp rock that lined the path jabbing my shoulder. I winced, but held back the cry of pain so that this stranger wouldn't perceive me as weak.

"Maybe we should walk the rest of the way in silence." He suggested. I gave a quick nod in response thinking of the pain that was now in both my left leg and my right shoulder. I reached up to cover the wound, and felt warm blood slowly streaming out.

We continued to walk, or limp in my case, down the path until we had reached a small cave. I have never seen this place before in the twelve years that I have been living on this planet.

The boy moved aside the vines that did an excellent job at covering the entrance of the cave. The boy set me down on the floor and made sure I was comfortable, then he went to work mixing together a variety of plants, pieces of animal parts, and a few insects. He began to mix the ingredients until he was satisfied with the consistency.

I watched him intently as he quickly and quietly worked. After grabbing a cup of water, he holds out both the mixture and the water to me.

"Drink this, but it will smell and taste awful so wash it down with the water afterwards. I know it won't completely help, but it's the best I have on a short notice." After grudgingly accepting both liquids I try my best not to gag at the sudden miasma that came over me.

"This smells like an overused outhouse that's been covered with wingly bugs." I say with disgust as I do my best to analyze the smell without gagging. "This stuff could kill me just with the smell alone, there is no way in Kepler that I'm putting that in my mouth!"