Part 4
For disclaimers and the like, see part 1.
The deafening silence that filled Liz's bedroom was bothering Maria. She wished that someone, anyone, would say something. Instead, all four of them just sat there, staring at the walls.
"OK, I can't take this anymore! Speak up, guys!" Maria's voice snapped them back into reality.
Michael glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He could see her frustration clearly, her hands shook, and the antennae on her head swayed with her every movement. He nearly reached for one of her hands, but stopped himself.
Isabel sat perched on the edge of Liz's bed. She hadn't wanted to meet them here. She wanted nothing more than to be at the hospital, near her father's room. They wouldn't let anyone but Diane Evans in the room, but Max and Isabel had spent the better part of the last three days in the hospital.
Max and Isabel had come home from the Crashdown right after the news report three days ago, to find their mother running frantically around. She'd been packing a few things for their father, who had apparently contracted the same disease that had nearly half of North Americas population dead or sick, at this point. Also, almost every citizen of Peru had been wiped out, and the casualties in Brazil were growing more rapid everyday.
So, Liz had asked them all over for a few hours. Her intention had been to lighten the tense mood brought on by Philip Evans' illness. It was a mission failed, no one spoke a word. Maria shook, Max stared blankly, Michael paced, Isabel let tears course down her face, and Liz watched them all with a sense of longing. She wished for the happier times of a few weeks past.
It wasn't until Kyle walked in, only two minutes after Maria's outburst, that the silence was broken. The look on his face suggested bad news, and bad news wasn't going to be met well at this time. Especially not at this time.
"Isabel, Max..." Kyle's voice tapered off. He could hardly bring himself to say it.
"I"m sorry, guys, but your father is... He passed away half an hour ago."
Isabel fainted.
________________________
"Isabel, look at me," Serena pleaded.
The dark road that had led them to Serena last time was the same, but the shimmering glow that surrounded Serena was gone. Her aura was marred with a deep sadness, and it pained Isabel.
Michael and Max stood off to the side, letting Izzy be comforted by Serena. The death of their father had hit her the hardest. To complicate matters, Diane had gone to sleep early tonight, complaining of a horrible headache. It was the same symptom that Philip had experienced, right before he'd been hospitalized.
Serena gathered Isabel in an embrace, and allowed the child's tears to fall. The poor girl, the only father she'd ever known was gone, and soon her mother would die too. No one knew what caused the plague except Serena, but even she couldn't stop it.
"Tell me what we need to do to stop this dying." Michael demanded this of Serena, and Max flinched at the tone of voice he'd used.
"I'm sorry, Michael. I'm so sorry, Isabel, Max. There is no way to stop it, children. This is why you must listen to me now, and leave this place, before you too are killed by this horrible tragedy. I will leave you a paper filled with information on how to find the ship you will use. Once you have found the vessel, you will know how to use it. It's in your nature. I must go now, I have limited time with you here. When you've reached your destination, we will have ages to be together."
"Wait! Serena! Please, I have to know, can we bring people with us? Please, Serena? I cannot leave my friends here to die," Isabel asked.
"Very well, you may each select very few loved ones to join you. Only your closest friends or family, there won't be much room. And never forget this, you must take extremely good acre of yourselves prior to the flight. A strong body is the only body that can handle the strain. If one passes through the doorway of the ship and that person is not completely healthy, all on the ship shall die."
For disclaimers and the like, see part 1.
The deafening silence that filled Liz's bedroom was bothering Maria. She wished that someone, anyone, would say something. Instead, all four of them just sat there, staring at the walls.
"OK, I can't take this anymore! Speak up, guys!" Maria's voice snapped them back into reality.
Michael glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He could see her frustration clearly, her hands shook, and the antennae on her head swayed with her every movement. He nearly reached for one of her hands, but stopped himself.
Isabel sat perched on the edge of Liz's bed. She hadn't wanted to meet them here. She wanted nothing more than to be at the hospital, near her father's room. They wouldn't let anyone but Diane Evans in the room, but Max and Isabel had spent the better part of the last three days in the hospital.
Max and Isabel had come home from the Crashdown right after the news report three days ago, to find their mother running frantically around. She'd been packing a few things for their father, who had apparently contracted the same disease that had nearly half of North Americas population dead or sick, at this point. Also, almost every citizen of Peru had been wiped out, and the casualties in Brazil were growing more rapid everyday.
So, Liz had asked them all over for a few hours. Her intention had been to lighten the tense mood brought on by Philip Evans' illness. It was a mission failed, no one spoke a word. Maria shook, Max stared blankly, Michael paced, Isabel let tears course down her face, and Liz watched them all with a sense of longing. She wished for the happier times of a few weeks past.
It wasn't until Kyle walked in, only two minutes after Maria's outburst, that the silence was broken. The look on his face suggested bad news, and bad news wasn't going to be met well at this time. Especially not at this time.
"Isabel, Max..." Kyle's voice tapered off. He could hardly bring himself to say it.
"I"m sorry, guys, but your father is... He passed away half an hour ago."
Isabel fainted.
________________________
"Isabel, look at me," Serena pleaded.
The dark road that had led them to Serena last time was the same, but the shimmering glow that surrounded Serena was gone. Her aura was marred with a deep sadness, and it pained Isabel.
Michael and Max stood off to the side, letting Izzy be comforted by Serena. The death of their father had hit her the hardest. To complicate matters, Diane had gone to sleep early tonight, complaining of a horrible headache. It was the same symptom that Philip had experienced, right before he'd been hospitalized.
Serena gathered Isabel in an embrace, and allowed the child's tears to fall. The poor girl, the only father she'd ever known was gone, and soon her mother would die too. No one knew what caused the plague except Serena, but even she couldn't stop it.
"Tell me what we need to do to stop this dying." Michael demanded this of Serena, and Max flinched at the tone of voice he'd used.
"I'm sorry, Michael. I'm so sorry, Isabel, Max. There is no way to stop it, children. This is why you must listen to me now, and leave this place, before you too are killed by this horrible tragedy. I will leave you a paper filled with information on how to find the ship you will use. Once you have found the vessel, you will know how to use it. It's in your nature. I must go now, I have limited time with you here. When you've reached your destination, we will have ages to be together."
"Wait! Serena! Please, I have to know, can we bring people with us? Please, Serena? I cannot leave my friends here to die," Isabel asked.
"Very well, you may each select very few loved ones to join you. Only your closest friends or family, there won't be much room. And never forget this, you must take extremely good acre of yourselves prior to the flight. A strong body is the only body that can handle the strain. If one passes through the doorway of the ship and that person is not completely healthy, all on the ship shall die."