Unplugged: The Hidden World (#2, Unplugged Trilogy)

Chapter Thirty Five

Enna

My body soars over the open wind, smooth like an ice skater. Colors and shapes replace the endless blackness as dull feeling comes back to my nerves, at first annoying. As time progresses, each sense grows stronger, together overpowering the numb nothingness.

"Enna..." Is it the Voice? Is it in my head?

"Enna!" Suddenly my eyes jerk open, squinting against the sharp glare of metal and glass. The general pain combines and gathers at my throat and shoulder. I reach up to brush the wounds with my fingertips only to realize that they are closed with stitches.

"You're awake," someone mutters. I look to the side to see Gale, sitting tensely in a chair. Behind her, an enormous window offers a glimpse of the sky, bright blue and cloudless. I'd almost forgotten what the sky looks like.

"Yep," I mutter, trying out my voice. Other than a slight scratchiness, it sounds as normal as ever. I can help but show my surprise.

"Those were quite some wounds you acquired," Gale mutters, as if reading my mind. "But the RoboMeds can work wonders, can't they? We were all worried that you wouldn't make it for a little while. Especially that boy of yours..."

Small snippets of memories resurface from hiding, combining to form actual events. Josh, my mother, Ariel, Sam, Willis, Victoria, John, Matthew... I groan and massage my temples, almost wishing I'd stayed unconscious.

"Is everyone alright?" I whisper. "Are we in the sky now?"

"Oh yeah, it's all good now. Everyone's recovering." I search her face and notice--despite her message of good news--the sadness building in her eyes.

"It's your husband, isn't it?" I whisper. For a split second her eyes narrow in anger. Then she sighs sadly and props an elbow up on the--bed, table?--that I lie on. I can honestly say that she looks as tired as I feel.

"I just feel like I let him down. Robert. Like I left him behind." A single tear slips from her eye. Somehow, it's the most emotion I've ever seen her show. Feeling a bit useless and awkward, I turn my gaze to the clear blue sky. What a beautiful day... "I guess I had assumed that Rob was going to be at that base, and that I would find him somehow." She laughs bitterly and rubs her eyes.

"Maybe he's somewhere else. Somewhere better," I offer, thinking of Josh, and Ariel, and Mom. My resolve hardens. "Actually, I know they are."

"They?" Gale asks, confused.

"Oh, I mean he. I know he is."

Gale gives me a knowing look then sighs and stands from the chair, stretching her back.

"Now that I know you're alright, I'm off to bed."

"Bed? In a Mothership?"

For the first time, I remember to examine my surroundings. The wide window on my right ends at a curved metal wall that forms the rest of the little room. I lie on a small, pod-like bed with a deactivated droid to my left. It looks eerily like the battle droids I used to fight, but with glowing red crosses instead of round lights.

"There are one hundred fifty bedrooms, to be exact," Gale replies, her eyebrows wiggling. I watch her turn to leave, but right before she does she whispers, "Victoria would kill for telling you, but Matthew's just down the hall." And with that, she leaves, flipping a switch on the wall.

I smile a little to myself. It's the first time I've done that in a long time.

* * *

"Can I leave now?" I complain, growing restless from my three days of endless sleep.