CRIMSON ROTH

Chapter 13 - Final Test

Crimson opened her mouth, but then closed it. Another challenge?

"No worries, Crimson," Time said, smirking. "Goodness, you're pretty tired for this time of obstacles. But no, this won't require any physical strength or anymore running. Physical, no. Mentally? Perhaps so." Time's words were like snapping Crimson out of a trance. "Good luck."

Crimson felt the world shift before her, the grey walls brightening into a soft silver. The cold felt colder than the floor before.

Suddenly, as if waking from a deep sleep, Crimson found herself sitting on the floor of the NYX-042 like the previous hours ago. She gasped as if she had been sunken under water like a shipwreck for ages. Beside her, on the Pilot chair in the cockpit, was Jake; who snored as he buried his head in the pages of the same book he was reading before they both visited the shabby library.

Crimson shook the boy awake. "Jake, Jake! Wake up! We're back in the NYX!" But all that didn't work. When he was tired, he can sleep for ages. So Crimson put the young shape-shifter down on the white floor and in a few seconds heard a yelp of, "Ow!"

Jake sat up and grasped his hip, his forehead sweating. "Crimson! You could've broken another bone today!" His complaints stop there when he realized where he was. "Golly, are we... Is this..." He looked around. "How did we get here? All I remember was Time saying something and..." He seemed to be lost in his own words.

"Whatever it was, this might be a challenge. Or we might've slept in here for some reason. But I don't believe so, because I still have some scars from the battle- they're still fresh," Crimson stated. "Well, if this is a challenge though... what are we supposed to do?" Her question was cut by a clear and quiet bleeping from the screens in front of her.

The screen croaked, "Bomb detection. Bomb detection. Bomb level... ten." Crimson gasped; she was horrified of the information. "Beware. Please fly the ship away from the planet. There is a Bomb Level Ten. Captain, be aware of the situation." The screens, from a hazardous red, flashed back to their blue-and-black cover.

"We've got to fly the NYX away from here. Fast." Crimson checked her watch. "We've got approximately six minutes to get out of this darned planet." She pulled several levers, clicked a dozen or so buttons and lights began to blink. The spacecraft was about to fly soon, but the strong zooming sound was interrupted by a strong banging on the door.

A frantic voice of a woman from outside cried, "Help us! Open the door!" Crimson widened her eyes in surprise- it sounded just like her mother Cordelia. And it was.

Crimson raced towards the door and opened it, terrified to see her exhausted parents and her little brother skinnier than ever. The three clambered onto the spaceship in an instant, gasping as if they've ran for ages. Otis instantly ran towards the sofa and passed out into a deep sleep, his eyes baggy.

"What happened?" Crimson quickly asked her silent father, Arcturus, as Cordelia tended her son. "Why are you all like this? How did you-" but she stopped herself when she realized she owed the family a large apology. "I'm so sorry for running away... But two years seemed like forever! I just couldn't wait." Crimson lowered her head is shame. "It's just that... I wanted to see the world. I had to. And I guess Escaping was a bit of worth it- having to save the world..."

Arcturus patted his daughter on the back. "It's okay, kid. I was slightly like you too- but I wasn't daring enough. I mean, look at you now! Stopping a universal apocalypse is thousands of steps ahead for an average sixteen year-old. I'm proud of you, Crimson." But his face instantly forced back into his stern frown. "Of course, you're probably grounded for a very long time, young lady. Running away like that! Leaving a note, okay. Fine. Telling us not to find you? It was like some kidnaper held a ransom on you or-"