After discovering that human minds are created by creatures living in the atmosphere Tonya must discover the truth of who she really is before it's too late.
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Fifteen-year-old Tonya is a neglected teenager from London who...
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Tamashi heard her voice before she saw her.
She followed the sound in disbelief and there she was: Oba, her mother, standing more magnificent than ever.
The red bulbs from the circus tent bounced off her wet grey skin. Tamashi stared in shock, she froze to the ground as her body lost all sense of movement. Then she felt the magic of pure joy as her mother's arms flung around her body.
Two creatures embraced as one.
Their hearts thumped heavy in their silvery chests.
A mother and her child, reunited.
Tamashi formed the word "Mum" in her mouth like she was speaking another language.
"You came for me?"
Then she saw Muku, standing next to her mother. Muku squealed in delight and they flung their arms around each other. Something soft pressed into Tamashi's tummy and she looked down. There was Tangles the bear, still tied to her waist after all this time.
"My little Moo. I've missed you so much my brave little sister, so, so much."
As her instant euphoria sobered slightly, she now noticed that for miles in the sky, the thousands of ladders that filled the air were teaming with Samsara. Old, young, frail, huge, tiny Samsara. Some families she knew and others she didn't.
It was with a sinking realisation that she begun to understand that it wasn't just her mother who was with her in the circus, it was what seemed to be the entire city of Baadal. Millions of Samsara were making their way down from thousands of ladders across the atmosphere, stepping foot on planet Earth.
Words came out of Tamashi's mouth again, like a dripping tap, her shock not allowing her to form sentences yet.
Oba tried to calm her. "Shh, my love, don't panic. It's okay, everyone is okay. There is so much to tell you, but—"
"It's not okay," Tamashi cut in. She found her sentences again. "We can't store Lucids down here, they won't stay inside your stomach. We can't..."
"Tamashi," Oba interrupted, looking pained at this new information. "We didn't have a choice. The Incubus have been destroying our homes and killing us. It's war up there. You've no idea. They've created these huge explosioves. We were so worried for Muku, and for all the other young. It's been so dangerous."
Someone shouted "Tam!"
With a sudden leap of joy, Tamashi realised it was Zarni. Tamashi raced through the crowds of Samsara and spotted her weeping best friend. She grabbed her, pulling her into a tight hug.
Tamashi clutched Zarni's hand and the pair looked into each other's eyes. Zarni was crying heavily, her body convulsed passionately in large, awful sobs.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again, ever.
Tamashi held her friend in her arms.
"Oh, Zarni, I can't believe this is happening. I feel like I'm inside a Lucid. This is unbelievable."
She hugged her friend tightly and their bodies trembled in unison.
Zarni whispered into her ear. "Tam, what happened that night?
"I clung to that lucid, do you remember the jellyfish lucid we caught that day?"
Zarni gasped! "It's not possible! Lucids are never that strong, I knew that lucid was special but that's just beyond...oh Tam, I'm just so so happy you're alive, but why did you go out in the rain?"
"Not here Zarni, I'll tell you everything, but not here"
"Please, I'm your best friend, it's been going over and over in my mind, I have to know."
Still in the embrace, Tamashi leant forward close to Zarni's ear.
"I fell in love with an Incubus called Rupa". Tamashi surprised herself with the use of the word love and hardly noticed as Zarni pulled back from the hug.
"Rupa? You fell in love with Rupa? The Rupa? You cant be serious? You can't. She an Incubus. Her father killed your Baba Tamashi."
"Shh. Please Zar, not here okay? I know how it sounds, but please, if you'll just let me explain."
Zarni leant in close, with a cross hushed voice "You know how it sounds? Have you gone insane? What could you possibly have to explain? Just before me and my baba's escaped, our house got bombed. Do you know who dropped that bomb Tam? It was Rupa. She tired to kill me. You are seriously telling me you love an Incubus who tried to kill your best friend?"
Tamashi's mind whirred with the shock of what Zarni had just told her, but she didn't have time to reply as Muku came running over and pushed her little hand into Tamashi's, pointing up at the sky.
"Look Tammy, look at the ladders"
Tamashi looked up as the ladders in the sky began to break away into night. She knew more than anyone what this meant; this was it. No going back to the clouds, no more storing Lucids, no going back to Rupa, this was their home now.
