Missing Stars

Chapter 5 | After

Chapter 5 | After

The airtrain lets out a shrilly horn as it stops at the station. The blue doors along the carriages swing open. A swarm of bodies pushes us forward, scrambling for seats before the train fills up. Alex takes my hand and guides me to an empty compartment. He releases me and takes a seat opposite mine.

This time, when I look at him—really look at him—I see things I didn't notice before. His brown jacket hangs loose around his torso and his face looks gaunt. There's a faint scar peeking from underneath his collar to his neck, a pale streak against his tan skin.

"What happened to you?" the words slip out of my mouth before I can stop them.

A cloud passes over Alex's eyes. "I've been looking everywhere for you. God, Kelrina...I"—he draws in a deep breath—"can't imagine what you went through."

I think of that day at the airport; the unanswered calls and emails, the sleepless nights I spent wondering why he left me, the binge drinking to drown out the pain and tears, and I feel a blade of anger cut through me.

"No, you can't." My voice is steel, meant to hurt. "You weren't there."

Alex grips the edge of the seat, a wounded look on his face. He opens his mouth to say something then lowers his head. I turn away from him and rest my head against the window.

The airtrain moves along a winding monorail. It rises higher above the traffic. There are bright holoscreens displaying advertizements on the walls of buildings, matatus joining the long queue of traffic and hoverbikes snaking between tall skyscrapers. I stare at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, all made of concrete, glass and metal.

Only three days ago, I'd been in that place, seated among top scientists and exuberant scholars. My mother had given a speech on the evolution of robots and the crowd had been zealous, intent to learn from the woman in charge of all the robots in Osiris. I could see it in their awestruck faces, their genuine smiles.

Ahead a green smudge turns into a beautiful park. That's our destination. God knows why Alex wants to visit Uhuru Gardens. Is that where he plans to tell me the truth? I'm not sure I want to hear what he has to say.  

When the airtrain stops at the next depot thirty minutes later, Alex lets me lead the way. He doesn't hold my hand again and I can't help but feel relieved. Some foolish part of me still reacts to his touch, his presence. After all, here he is, alive. I wish I could stop feeling anything for him. The bitterness, the hate and whatever the hell this is. I want to be like the wall of a fortress, hard and impregnable.

"There are no signs that it rained yesterday," Alex says while we walk on a platform, grey eyes narrowed under the glare of the morning sun.

I don't see any small puddles or muddy tyre trails on the road but the air smells clean and fresh. "When did you arrive in New Nairobi?"

Alex gives me a sideway glance. "Last night."

I walk faster. If he got here last night, that means he came to me first thing in the morning. Was I so important to him? I give a little snort. I'm not the one who ran away from our relationship.

"You don't believe me?" Alex catches up to me.

I shrug. "It's nothing. I don't really care."

"Kelrina—"

"Look." I point at a floating red balloon heading our way, a perfect distraction from our conversation. The string tied to its mouth sways like a snake.

Alex releases a long sigh. He reaches out to catch the string. The balloon bumps against his head, tossed by a breeze. He tries to control it, his brow furrowed in concentration. My lips twitch at the sight of him—all lanky and ruffled.  

A lump forms in my throat. I can't allow Alex to get to me. I must remain unshaken, unmoving. Swallowing the lump, I descend the platform and head for the park, thinking of the impenetrable wall.

I am a wall. I am a wall. I am a wall.   

"Hey, wait!"  

I hear his footsteps behind me. There's a small boy watching us on the left side of the street. He jerks his mother's hand and points at us. I slow down my steps and wait for Alex to reach me. The boy nods at his mother then keeps pointing at us. He lets go of her hand and walks to us.

"That's mine," the boy says, dark eyes bright.

I frown in confusion.

Alex brings the balloon forward. "This?"

The boy nods. "There's a blue smiley face on the back. Mama drew it."

Sure enough, I notice the smiley when Alex tilts the balloon. He squats down to the boy's level and hands over the string. The boy takes the balloon then looks at me. His eyes widen, mouth hanging open.     

"Mama!" He tugs at the woman's floral skirt. "It's the Space Girl! It's her, Mama! It's her!"

Space Girl? Alex lets out a laugh. Warmth floods my cheeks. I should have carried my hoodie. The boy must have seen me on TV when they announced the voyage to Vayne in the news.

"She does look like her, doesn't she?" The woman says. "Kelrina Andersen?"

"Yeah. Er...nice to meet you." I cast a surreptitious glance at the other passers-by. I hope no one else recognizes me.

"You make robots!" The boy is excited, a cute smile lighting his features.

"Space Girl sure does," Alex says. "She's made robots that big." He jabs a finger over his shoulder, at the huge tree next to a streetlamp.

The boy looks impressed. If only he knew how long it took me to finish assembling the X33-11 droid I made for a construction company, a job my mother handed over to me to test my skills. Construction droids have one of the most complex motor systems and I had to equip it with a bulldozer, excavator and a crane.  

"I'm Ben Omolo." The boy grins at me. "Did you know that the first android to step foot in Kenya was in 2407?"

"The first artificially intelligent android, yes," I say.

"I saw it in pictures. It didn't look pretty like Caro." Ben pouts. "Mama, ask her!"

The woman shakes her head. "Ben, that's rude."

"Ask me what?"

"Caro is broken. She used to help Mama in the café but now she just sleeps in the celly."

"Cellar," his mother corrects him.

Ben looks at me with pleading eyes. "You'll fix her, yes? Without Caro, Mama gets tired when she's home and I—"

"Ben..." His mother shifts to Kiswahili and speaks harshly, her head lowered as if ashamed.

I bite my lower lip.

"How old are you, kid?" Alex asks.

Ben holds seven fingers in the air. "Next Friday, I'll be this many."

I remember Ben's face when he looked at me, admiration in his eyes. I remember his sad face as he spoke of Caro, the android, and his mother who got tired because she had no one to help her in the café. 

"All right, I'll fix her," I say.

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Belated Happy Halloween! What costume did you wear? Oh and what monster did you meet? ;D As always, votes and comments are much appreciated.