THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 1144 words) [9/18] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 04 2016	Views/Reads: 1768/1261	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 1 - CH 8

EIGHT 

Blaze knew where Corthan would be. There was a cave way on the other
side of the ugly black mountains and when he wasn't wandering around 
the planet, Corthan spent a lot of time there. 

Night wasn't far off and Blaze could feel some rain starting. He
shivered and dematerialized. He hated the rain and had never seen any 
before he was sent to this grey, bleak place. He materialized again 
under some overhanging rocks about half a mile away. 

They gave some shelter but the wind gusted some rain in. He picked up a
stone, threw it in the air and before it hit the ground he had 
vanished, only to reappear seconds later out in the open having missed 
the point he was aiming for – the side of a small hill which might have 
sheltered him from the wind. The rain beat down and he was gone. 

The next point brought him to the end of the long valley at the foot of
the ugly black mountains. He looked up the mountain face and spotted a 
ledge about three-quarters of the way up. He closed his eyes, 
concentrated and moments later was standing on it. 

The wind blew outwards from the ledge and took the rain with it so he
stayed a minute and gazed back up the valley. Away in the distance he 
could just make out the shape of the hill where Kane usually sat. 
Beyond it, everything was merging into the darkness. He turned and 
peered up at the crest of the mountain then he jumped backwards off the 
ledge into space. 

He allowed himself to fall fifty feet, the wind rushing past him then he
laughed and closed his eyes and pictured the crest. When he opened them 
he was there. On the top of the mountain the rain and wind were even 
wilder. He turned his back to the valley and disappeared. 

A few more points brought him to the edge of a small forest of black
trees which grew down a gently sloping hill. He took shelter under some 
thick branches and peered down. Through the rain and the trees he could 
see the flickering yellow glow of Corthan's fire. He dematerialized to 
the foot of the hill and saw him sitting just inside the cave. 

“Corth!” he yelled, waving. 

Corthan spotted him and waved back. Blaze vanished from the tree line
and materialized at the fire beside him. 

“Hi Corth!” he said, hugging him. “Kane sent me. I've got some news!
Terrific news! Fantastic news, Corth! Yippeeee!!” He vanished and 
reappeared on top of a nearby boulder. “We can leave Sirene, Corth! We 
can leave if we want to!” he yelled then dived straight off the 
boulder, vanishing only inches before he reached the ground. “We can 
leave, Corth! We can leave!” his voice echoed from the back of the 
cave, followed by some crazy laughter. 

He appeared beside the fire again. “We can leave, yippee!!” he shrieked
then vanished and materialized upside down fifty yards away. “We can 
leave!” he whooped then disappeared and appeared beside Corthan. “We 
can leave Sirene, Corth! Get off this lousy planet!” he bubbled 
breathlessly, grinning all over his face. 

Corthan smiled at him and ruffled his hair. “Sit by the fire,” he said.
“Calm down and tell me about it.” 

While Blaze calmed down a bit, Corthan made some tea. As they sat by the
fire and drank it they talked. Or rather Blaze talked, with Corthan 
asking some questions now and then. 

“Did you see the Ship coming down, Corth?” 

Corthan nodded and Blaze launched into a rambling chatter about how it
wasn't a Transporter but one of those Falcons and how Tyler and Kane 
talked for ages out on the moor and then they came back and Tyler said 
he was looking for people to go to Chameleon. 

“Chameleon Corth!” said Blaze, screwing up his face the way Miller had
done. “I'd rather rot here than risk that place.” 


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