This was to have been part of
the next chapter but I think it works better on its own.
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3. ESCAPE
Life was fun thought the little leviathan as it flew happily flying alongside
its mother. All around was dark open space with only a few stars twinkling in
the distance. She loved listening to Momma describe the place they would one
day visit together and the strange but beautiful creatures they would meet
there. A land covered in mist and dense clouds where kind beings called cara-,
the little leviathan had forgotten the name. Still, it all sounded very
exciting and the child was impatient to get going. The little leviathan
wondered if that was where they were heading now.
Before it had a chance to ask,
a ray of intense white light burst across the Mother's bow and the offspring
heard her cry out. In the distance a big grey ship moved rapidly towards them.
The light was coming from its prow. Fly; fly as fast as you can the mother
called to her child. The little leviathan didn't need to be told twice. As it
executed a quick about turn, the beam of light from the big ship struck its
side and it howled in pain. It fled through space, its mother close behind. The
big grey ship was following them. Another blast of the painful white light hit
the mother. They continued to run, the grey ship still in pursuit and the white
light still bursting intermittently from its nose.
The little leviathan was
growing tired. Its pace was slowing down but its Mother kept urging it onwards
as the grey ship continued to gain on them.
And then, suddenly, there it was, straight in front of them. Another grey ship.
A blast of light flew from its nose heading straight at the young leviathan.
Terrified, it almost froze in space. Its mother, already sluggish because of
the repeated impact of the numbing white light, lunged forward and swung
herself in front of her child. The beam caught her full on, illuminating her
vast bulk in an incandescent glow. She let out a long, low cry of pain and then
fell silent.
The two grey ships began to close in on them. The little leviathan didn't know
what to do. Calling desperately to its mother, it tried to rouse her. At first
she did not respond. Then, in a quiet voice, she ordered her only child to tuck
in close to her and she would demonstrate the greatest gift a leviathan
possessed. Momma began to glow once more, her body a network of shimmering blue
veins as she pushed every last ounce of energy into starburst. Her tail tips
sparkled as she initiated the procedure. The little leviathan felt an
incredible surge of power as they both shot forward. It was exhilarating. A few
moments later they came to rest. That had been the most exciting thing the
young leviathan had ever known. It asked if they could do it again but Momma
did not reply.
The little leviathan circled around its mother, calling to her again and again,
wondering why she didn't answer. The leviathan edged in closer and closer
almost nudging its mother with its body. Momma, Momma, Momma, it cried over and
over again. But there was no response. Instead, the leviathan heard a new
voice. It was telling it that there was a way to escape but that Momma could
not come with them. The leviathan was scared the big grey ships might come back
but it did not want to leave Momma behind. The voice sounded kind and inviting
and the enticing whispers eventually broke down its resistance. Guided by the
voice it launched itself into the swirling blue-grey vortex that appeared
before it.