She stood next to my dad as he handed us our suitcases saying, “I think you kids should go back to Earth with your Aunt.”
“No,” we said in chorus.
It took a lot of pleading and some coxing from Aunt Molly but he decided to let us stay. He seemed to realized he was fighting an argument he would never win.
Dad asked Aunt Molly if she wanted to go with us, but she said she was meeting someone (I wondered if it was her husband). She then looked at Daniel and me stating firmly, “Besides this is their journey.” I knew she was taking about fighting the Time Shifters.
The patchwork stopped and snapped into clarity when she kissed us good-by. As she did she spoke softly to us, “Danger surrounds you, look for messages in both the big and small things.”
Before she left she said something she would often say, “Don’t let the great moments in life pass you by just because you get to busy to look.”
By the time Aunt Molly left if was early evening. While we were getting ready for dinner Daniel asked me the most unexpected question.
“Do you think Mr. Alset and the Time Shifters sent those bees after us?” I was surprised he asked because as far as he knew I didn’t believe in that sort of thing. How could he know I’d been - what do scientists say when they’re changing their mind? Re-evaluating my opinion. He could tell I was thinking but he was getting eager for an answer.
“Well,” he prodded.
I was thinking about what to say. New evidence had come to light for me; the weird wooly mammoth, my Aunts concern, our dreams, the bees.
“I’m waiting,” he said impatiently.
I shrugged.
He seemed thrilled. Even if all I was saying was maybe it could be.
“Sooo you think there could be Time Shifters?”
I shrugged
“And they can alter time?”
I shrugged.
“Mammoth?” he was asking if my change of mind started with the wooly mammoth chase at the museum. So I was right, our Aunt had said something to him about it. It also explains the question he asked me on the bus about how it made a different sound. That seemed long ago now, but it’s only been two days. I remembered how I didn’t answer the question then, but now I had to answer.
I nodded, “Mammoth.”
“Awesome.”
“Awesome may not be the word I would use. Did Aunt Molly tell what she thinks is going on with us and the Time Shifters? How their out to stop us from our ‘journey’ – maybe even kill us if they have to?” I asked.
“Your right, that part’s not so awesome,” he said.
We went to dinner and again I didn’t each much because of all that happened. And because of all that had happened I thought for sure I would sleep like a rock. But I didn’t.
The bunks on the ship were soft and cozy. They hung by silvery chains from the ceiling making the beds rock and sway as if we were at sea. Normally they would have rocked me to sleep and carried me away from the cares of the day. But something else happened that haunted me that night. I saw Mr. Alset again - saw him at dinner. But this time he wasn’t in the shadows. This time he was wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt. He winked at me and gave me smile that had no warmth but instead said, “I am coming after you.”
5th Entry
“I don’t usually talk to some one who sends prehistoric creatures out after my cousin or me,” was what Daniel said when I told him I wanted to find Mr. Alset and talk to him. We were walking back from breakfast and dad finally let us out of his sight for a bit as he was getting some last minute instructions on his assignment. We were supposed to go straight to the ship but I figured this might be our only chance to get some information.
“Don’t you want to find out what’s going on – find out what’s he’s doing?” I questioned.
That made Daniel stop in his tracks. He stood in front of me blocking me from my mission.
“You believe in them now don’t you? It’s not just a maybe. And you think that Mr.Alset is working for them?” They were actually more statements than questions. But even so he didn’t wait for an answer.
“Why risk talking to him. You think he’ll tell us anything? Besides..” Daniel didn’t finish and as my eyes followed his I could see why.
Mr. Alset was there leaning against the wall as if waiting for us.
“What do you want?” I hissed as we came up to him. He was wearing the same bright Hawaiian shirt as last night.
“I want you to fail. Isn’t that obvious,” he shook his head and clicked his tongue. “I thought you were supposed to be smart.” As he spoke he didn’t look at us. He looked in our direction – sometimes in back, sometimes a few inches in front, sometimes even through us, but never at us.
We all stood for a moment saying nothing then very suddenly Mr. Alset’s hand darted into his pocket. Daniel and I jumped back not knowing what he was going to do - what would be in his hand when we saw it again. Slowly he pulled out --- a candy bar and started munching on it.
He pretended he was surprised that we would be startled saying “Oh, not here my little poppet – my good son. Not with all these people watching,” he motioned to the only other people there, two loading dock workers drinking coffee.
“But don’t worry,” he said giving me the same kind of creepy smile he did in the restaurant. “We’ll meet again very soon,” as he spoke he laughed the laugh of a demented clown. Then somehow, despite the brightness of his shirt he disappeared into the shadows just like the first time I saw him. All that was left was his laughter that hung in the air.
We are boarding the ship now getting ready to leave for Triton. In the faceless bustling crowd of the Moon port I thought I heard that laughter again. Even more frightening, Daniel thought he heard it to.
Chapter 5-6th Entry – Neptune and Its Moons ands Its Sword Fights in the Library.