Shelby and Shauna Kitt and the Dimensional Holes. P. H. C. Marchesi
yourselves, then,” said Marina. “I’m too tired to argue - good night.”
“Tippy can stay here with us, right?” asked Shauna.
Tippy’s ears, followed by the rest of her little face, finally ventured out of Shauna’s backpack. Marina’s astonished look revealed that she had completely forgotten about the stowaway feline.
“Tippy can stay in my roomix,” offered Lendox. “It is very spacious, and you can visit as often as you like.”
“But a cat needs food and water, Lendox,” said Marina, nervously. “And she’ll need a litterbox, which is where cats –”
“The roomix will provide for whatever she needs,” said Lendox. “It senses the needs of any life-form aboard it. I believe Tippy will even get some entertainment when we are not there. Would you like to come with me, Tippy?”
Tippy sprang from Shauna’s backpack, trotted cheerfully over to Lendox, and jumped on his lap.
“I guess it is a yes,” he said, affectionately. “Good night, Shelby and Shauna Kitt.”
“Do you think mom will be ok here, Lendox?” asked Shauna. “What if there are any more klodians?”
“I will be in the room next door. No klodian could come anywhere near this hospital without me sensing it. Besides, your mother’s negative energy has left her system. Even if she were awake, she would not attract a klodian. They would not know where she is, even if they were looking for her.”
He gave them a reassuring smile, and left. Shauna, feeling perfectly safe all of a sudden, climbed into her bed, and Shelby crawled onto the pullout chair.
“Sleep tight, guys,” said Marina, as she closed the door. “Who knows? Maybe your mom will be awake tomorrow morning!”
The next morning, however, Fran was still asleep. She did not wake up that day, or the following day, or the day after that. Five days passed, and still there was no sign that she would regain consciousness anytime soon.
“It’s too bad you don’t have anyone who could stay with her,” said Marina. “Isn’t there a relative in Chicago you could call?”
“I don’t think so,” said Shelby, hopelessly.
“What about grandparents?” asked Marina.
“Nope,” replied Shauna.
“That’s going to make things harder,” said Marina. She and Lendox traded worried glances, and Shauna and Shelby immediately understood that their time was running out.
“We’re gonna have to leave her here, won’t we?” asked Shauna.
“You do not have to do anything you do not want to,” said Lendox. “However, Marina and I must leave tomorrow, and you must choose whether you are coming with us or not.”
“‘Course I’m coming,” said Shelby, with determination. “Shauna?”
Shauna hesitated. In the past few days, Lendox had told them about the mission against Klodius, and Shelby had immediately volunteered – of course he had. Shelby never thought anything through. She, on the other hand, had the hardest time making any decision quickly, and this one seemed to be getting harder by the moment. She looked at her mother: what if she woke up and no one was there? But what if she didn’t wake up anytime soon? Then Shauna would miss the chance to go on the mission, and would let down the only people who had ever believed in her.
“Me too,” she said, finally. “Shelby can’t do anything without me.”
“Whatever!”
The next day, Shelby and Shauna said their good-byes to Fran and followed Marina and Lendox to the roof of the hospital, where a helicopter waited to take them to a military base in an undisclosed location.
“You look worried, Shelby,” said Lendox, seeing him lag behind. “Is something wrong?”
Shelby was caught off guard by this – he did not think Lendox had noticed. The mirian vice consul, however, seemed to be waiting for an answer as he looked at Shelby from behind the sunglasses that hid his lilac eyes.
“I just remembered that I get sick on anything that moves,” confessed Shelby.
“I see,” said Lendox, relieved. “I thought it was something much worse.”
“It’s awful!” protested Shelby, disappointed that his revelation had not been as impressive as he had expected.
“What do you do if you have to take the subway?” asked Marina, who had clearly decided she wanted to be part of the conversation.
“He draws,” said Shauna.
“Doesn’t that make you sicker, Shelby?” asked Marina, baffled.
“I know it’s weird,” he said, feeling self-conscious, “but it’s the only thing that works. I’ve tried everything else.”
“So draw inside the chopper,” said Marina. “No one will mind.”
“I mind,” said Shelby. “I won’t be able to draw when we’re trying to close the dimensional holes!”
“I understand what is worrying you,” said Lendox, rummaging inside his sling bag. “Most worrying, thankfully, is either unwarranted, or easily fixed.”
Shelby had no idea what “unwarranted” meant, but he was pretty sure that Lendox was wrong. His motion sickness definitely did not fall under the category of something that was easy to fix.
“I have something that will help you,” continued Lendox, ignoring Shelby’s skeptical look and pulling a dry and wrinkled brown leaf out of the bag. “This is called an agitex leaf. It will keep you free of motion sickness for about five hours.”
“I’m supposed to eat it?”
“Put it under your tongue. Do not chew.”
Unimpressed, Shelby stared at the shrivelled leaf. Not wanting to offend Lendox, however, he put it in his mouth, and discovered that it had a very bitter taste. It was so unpleasant, in fact, that he decided he couldn’t take it.
“Do not spit it out,” warned Lendox. “Be patient.”
Being patient was not something that Shelby was very good at, so he waited, in total agony, until he began to feel a moldy, honey-like taste replace the bitterness.
“Lendox,” said Marina, intrigued, “how did you know you’d have to bring that leaf? Don’t tell me you have motion sickness too?”
“No,” said Lendox. “I am carrying a connectix bag. It establishes a connection to the medicine warehouse at the Healing Arts Academy in Palanix. Whatever item I want, I need only reach for.”
“You’re a doctor?” asked Shelby, barely able to hide his disappointment. He had not given much thought to Lendox’s profession, but “doctor” did not seem nearly exciting enough for someone leading a heroic mission to save the planet.
“Yes, I am,” replied Lendox. “Unfortunately, I have not been able to practice as much since I became vice consul.”
“Can we see inside the bag?” asked Shauna.
Lendox obliged them, and they all peeked inside. There was absolutely nothing.
“No way!” cried an amazed Shelby. “Can I get one of those?”
“I am afraid only a healer is allowed to have a connectix bag,” explained Lendox as they climbed into the helicopter. “One receives it upon graduation from the Healing Arts Academy.”
“Too bad,” joked Marina. “It could make fashion history.”
They all sat down, and the helicopter propelled itself upwards. Shelby glued his face to the window, half-expecting