Two Worlds (Written by a 10-year-old author, 62,000 words, 72 chapters)

Chapter 68: The days to come

The next few days were quiet.

Lily's mom set off on another work trip (this time it was in Oregon), leaving Lily behind to figure out a plan. Jake and Stacy visited constantly from another hotel. Lily never opened the door until she heard one of her friends' voices. Occasionally Lily ventured outside for a little while, but danger was everywhere. Any suspicion sent Lily racing back to her apartment. Her mind was occupied during all of her waking hours, with plans, Sophie, Theresa. And Tara.

Lily had no idea where her friend was, but she hoped for the best. A week passed. Two more lagged by. Lily was starting to lose her hope. Then one day there was a knock on the door. Not loudly like Jake, or quick like Stacy. The knocks were soft, as though the person on the other side didn't want to disturb Lily. Then a voice came through, working its way to Lily's brain. "Lily? Hello?"

Lily yanked open the door and tackled Tara in a bear hug. "Tara! Where were you?" she exclaimed. "With Sophie," Tara explained. "Duh. Where's Stacy?" Tara asked. "At the hotel. Why?" It was then that a faint memory surfaced in Lily's mind. Just yesterday, Stacy had visited, complaining in distress that she'd left her computer in the alley, but when she came back to look for it, it was gone.

"Stacy lost her computer," Lily blurted. "Sophie has it," Lily's friend said. "I gave it to her a minute after I keyed in the self-destruct code. When it exploded, I escaped." "Oh." "Stacy is going to be so pissed off at me!" "But an exploding computer won't stop her from finding us," Lily said.

Thirty minutes later Tara was reunited with Jake and Stacy. Her reappearance seemed to energize Lily and the others, and soon they were crowded around Lily's desk with a map spread out on the table. "So, we have our two main assumptions," Lily said. "Sophie's either on this planet, or she isn't on this planet. Pick a guess and we'll work from there."

In the end, it was decided that Sophie probably wasn't on Earth. Lily had no idea if they were correct, but as soon as everyone guessed, Theresa called out in Lily's mind: They are correct. I know for a fact that Sophie is on the elfin world. Lead them!

If Theresa was going for optimism, Lily didn't like it. Nevertheless, she tried her best to secure a plan. She was doing okay until Stacy interrupted: "Lily, you're not going back on the elfin planet."

Lily glanced up. Stacy was telling the truth and she knew it. They all knew it. But was it right for her to send her friends back to their home planet into a war that was beyond their knowledge to defeat? "If you're sure, then you can go back. But you will visit, right?" Dead silence filled the air as another thought dawned on Lily. "You're not coming back," she realized. "Theresa's moving the planet far away, out of Sophie's reach. That way, no harm will come to us or our people. And you will probably be safe, too," Tara said quietly. "I know we're leaving a bit early." Jake fidgeted with the edge of his shirt sleeve as he spoke. "But we've all realized a long time ago that spring will be too late for us to leave." "It'll be okay," Stacy said. "We'll try our best to communicate with you."

That thought was barely enough to lift Lily's spirits. "Can you Skype me?" she asked hopefully. Tara nodded. "That wouldn't be beyond Theresa's powers, would it?"

"No, it wouldn't." Lily considered the pros and cons of her friends leaving. Sophie would certainly send in more attacks, for sure, but at least Stacy and the others would be safe.

Safe. Lily hadn't experienced that feeling for the past few months. But if her friends would be safe, she wasn't going to stop them.

"Okay, then." Lilystood up. "Get packed."