a story [woven by miss pretzel]

[pretzel]

AUTHORS NOTE:
For the longest time, this lovely little piece of literature has been a simple idea floating in my mad mind. I have recently begun putting it down on paper (screen?) and this first chapter-proglogue, actually-is the result of me plopping my butt in front of a computer. Its a rough draft really, no edits have been made besides minor spelling corrections. Therefore, there is also no title, because I am bad at coming up with titles. So go easy on me, kay?
Feedback is appreciated!

- - - - -

PROLOGUE

The alarm lights spun wildly, throwing a ruddy glow over the hallways. Workers scurried through like ants, panicking as sirens shrieked, warning of dangers to come.

A man moved through the throng of panicking workers, his face an indifferent mask, an aura of calm surrounding him. Workers took one look at his face before parting before him, like the Red Sea before Moses, allowing him to pass with ease.

As the man approached the end of the hall, two great doors loomed. Light shone from beneath the doors, like the bright lights of heaven’s gates. The man eyed the small keypad off to the side on the wall. He punched in a few numbers, each button ringing with an ominous ding. The doors spread wide before the man, groaning as they swung inward.

Behind the doors was a large control room. The panic from the hall had found its way into this space as well. People shouted as they carried clipboards and papers from computer to computer, demanding information from the men sitting at each.

Above the chaos stood a second man, a smile broad on his face despite his sweaty brow. He turned to look at the man who had entered, excitement evident on his face. “Captain!” he called, rushing down from his post to greet him. He shook the man’s hand enthusiastically. “Captain, so nice of you to join us; we’ve just initiated the machine!”

The Captain regarded the second man with a cool gaze. “Yes, Doctor, that would explain the alarms.” He paused, glancing around the room as the Doctor led him up the stairs to the ramp that oversaw his operations. “What’s going on?”

The Doctor watched his operations as he spoke, eyes darting around the room wildly as his men panicked below. “Isn’t it wonderful, sir? The excitement, the energy! Can’t you feel it, sir? Can’t you feel it?”

With a resigned sigh, the Captain placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, turning him away from the room and towards himself. “Yes, Doctor, I can. But I need you to tell me what is happening.”

The second man nodded. “Oh, oh yes sir! We initiated the machine earlier today. Originally, I didn’t expect anything to happen; I just wanted to test the electrical systems out. But then, then! Oh, glories, Captain, glories! The most incredible thing!” The man paused, though whether or not it was for dramatic effect, the Captain could not be sure. “It began to Pull!” the Doctor enthused, his eyes lighting up.

The Captain stared at the man, silent and incredulous. “It… It worked?”

“Oh, yes sir!”

“Has anything crossed yet?”

“No, sir, not yet. At least, my students have not yet detected anything.”

The Captain nodded, thoughtful. “What do you think will be Pulled?”

The man paused, thinking as he turned to look at his operations. “Most likely a non-organic substance, I’d assume. Something simple, like dirt or rocks. It’ll probably be small, too. Nothing too complex, I’d guess.”

Nodding, the Captain followed the Doctor's gaze. "Your students are...diligent," he observed, watching them.

The other man nodded. "Oh, yes they are, sir! Just yesterday they-"

"Sir! I have a trace on one of the Pulled targets!" The shouting of a student cut him off.

The Doctor jumped before running down the stairs to the ground level, nearly falling in his excitement. He scurried over to the student, eyes alight with wonder. "What is it, son? What was Pulled?"

"I'm not sure yet," the student said, typing quick commands into the computer. "I have to lock in on the target and get a location before I can determine anything." He glanced over his shoulder, aware of the Captain who had arrived behind him, eyes cold and calculating, a stark contrast from his overenthusiastic colleague.

"Take your time, son," the Doctor said, clapping a hand excitedly on the student's shoulder.

The Captain watched the student work. Images and diagrams flashed across the screen for a few seconds before the student stopped his frantic typing, staring at the screen in awe.

"Woah," he muttered, his mouth open as the computer flashed codes before him.

"Oh, oh my," the Doctor muttered, his gaze matching his student's.

"What? Where is it?" the Captain asked, peering closer at the complex codes on the screen, as if he could gain answers from the machine.

"I-I have the lock," the student muttered. "The object...it's in the fourth unchartered territory. Rainforest, sir."

The Doctor stood, straightening as he turned to look at the Captain. "But that's not the astounding thing, sir. My Captain, the machine has worked. Better than we could've expected. I never would have guessed that we would have such a success on our first try."

The Captain's patience began to thin as he stared at the man, trying to decipher the Doctor's words. "What was Pulled?"

"Life forms, sir. Human."

"Human? A human was Pulled?"

"No, not a Human," the Doctor said, eyes lighting up. "Humans. Three humans have successfully been Pulled from Earth to Aluthia."

The Captain's eyes, usually indifferent, lit up at the Doctor's words. He smiled, emotion crossing his face for just a moment before his mask slid back into place. "Excellent," he muttered. "Excellent."

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[pretzel]

AUTHORS NOTE:
Here it is, the highly anticipated CHAPTER ONE! Just kidding, probably not highly anticipated. I doubt many of you have even bothered reading this (Rachel's the only one who has said anything to me so far). But, nevertheless, I am going to give you Chapter One. This, like the Prologue, has not yet been extrenuosly edited. I have submitted both pieces to my Creative Writing teacher, so I may repost these chapters again later with revisions he has suggested I make.
As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! By the way, don't be afraid to post any comments you may have here.

- - - - -

CHAPTER ONE

Jane May's Ice Cream often attracted lots of business in the summer. As Sand Hills, Massachusetts, was entirely a tourist destination, it earned lots of attention in the summer, when the tourist season was at its peak. However, when the tourists left the small ocean-side town in the fall and winter, it lost much of its energy.

Jane May's Ice Cream was much like the town it was located in. Its location attracted tourists in the summer but once the cold winds of fall blew in, the tourists scurried, leaving behind an empty parlor once full of life.

For the inhabitants of Sand Hills, however, the tourist's abandonment of Jane May's was just fine. In fact, most of the families living nearby preferred it when Jane May's was less busy, in the off-season.

For many families, Jane May's was a constant, a solid structure in their lives. It was a place where good times where celebrated and where bad times were mourned. A place where first dates were held, where breakups occurred. Jane May's was a place of gathering, a place of community. To some, it was a place to call home.

On a particular Sunday in September, as tourist season tapered off, a teenage girl entered Jane May's Ice Cream, a small boy at her side. She looked to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, with chestnut hair layered around her shoulders. The boy, around six, had features that matched hers closely: the same high cheekbones, the same gray eyes. His hair, however, was a startling shock of blonde atop his head. He gripped his sister's hand tightly.

The man behind the counter glanced up from his crossword puzzle, eyes shining as the bells above the door rang. "Good morning, Miss Naomi, Mr. Benjamin. I hope you two are doing well today."

The girl smiled. "Hello, Mr. Fuller. We are, thanks."

John Fuller laughed. "Please, Naomi, call me John."

Naomi smiled, unconsciously tightening her grip on Benjamin's hand. Ever since their father's death the past year, she found that the residents of Sand Hills were acting more cordially towards her and her family. Their neighbors still sent over food every once in a while, as if Naomi's mother wasn't capable of feeding the family herself. Adults like John Fuller insisted that Naomi call them by their first names. Oftentimes, she would refuse. She didn't want people to be treating her differently. She didn't want to be "the girl with the dead dad." She didn't want to be looked at like that.

John Fuller smiled at her, his old eyes crinkling. Behind the falsities, Naomi could see the sympathy, the quiet sadness that lay there.

It took her longer than it should have to remember that John Fuller had known her dad, too.

"What can I do for you today?"

Benjamin leaned up against the glass, pressing his face close to it in order to see the different assortments of ice cream it held. His eyes shone as he looked at it. Even though he came here with his sister every Sunday, he still stood at the counter, staring wide-eyed at the ice cream flavors inside. After a few minutes of quiet deliberation, the seven-year old stood on his toes and whispered something to Mr. Fuller. The man smiled, glancing at Naomi before going off to fulfill their order.

Naomi sighed, watching Ben while he moved off to the side of the counter, looking at a poster with intense interest. Ever since their dad had died a year ago, Benji, a nickname given to him by their father, had been decidedly quiet, refusing to speak with anyone. And when he did talk, he never said much, his words often a whisper.

Their mother and his teachers were worried. The family's grief counselor was worried. Naomi was the only one who understood Benji's silence. He was grieving. He didn't want to talk to anyone about anything, much less about their dad.

Oftentimes, she herself felt the same way. Her friends pushed her into discussions, asked her questions. The counselor was worse, always analyzing and sympathizing and understanding. But worst of all was the adults' silent pity, their quiet whispers as she walked down the streets of Sand Hills.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She looked away from Benjamin, away from the John Fuller, away from the parlor. She shut her eyes tightly, sinking down into a booth while Benji turned to her, worry etched into his face.

The boy moved towards his sister, touching her hand gently from its resting place on the table. Naomi opened her eyes to look at him, forcing back the tears she held there. She felt Benji's arms wrap around her, his heart beating against hers. She held her brother close, sniffling slightly. "I'm fine, Benji, really." Ben pulled back, nodding slightly.

From the counter, John Fuller cleared his voice, worried about intruding on the family's moment. Naomi stood, leading Ben over to the counter. He took his ice cream, albeit slightly reluctantly as his excitement had since worn off. Naomi paid for their purchase.

"Bye Mr. Fuller," she said, shepherding Ben towards the door.

"Bye," the shopkeeper echoed. "Oh, and Naomi." She paused at the door, one hand on the glass, ready to push it open. She turned back towards him slightly, peering at him with curiosity. "If you ever need to talk about something, I'm always here."

Naomi forced a smile. "Thanks, Mr. Fuller."

She then left the shop, meeting up with her brother outside.

Ben took his sister's hand, gripping it tightly as he looked up at his sister with wide eyes, the sun lightening his already light hair. Naomi squeezed his hand, forcing a smile. "I'm okay."

Ben nodded, turning back to the sidewalk and licking his ice cream while he walked, pulling her with him. Naomi followed Ben absentmindedly, not paying any attention to where they were going and not really caring.

It wasn't until they reached the docks that she noticed something was off. What she had thought was absentminded wandering on Ben's part had had a purpose. The whole time, he had been leading her towards the docks, where empty warehouses stood as a testimony to the shipping business Sand Hills once had. Nowadays, most of the merchants had moved their business to Boston, but their storehouse remained, standing like silent soldiers in vigil.

Naomi didn't know why her brother had brought them here, but it was best that she didn't argue. Benji had long ago finished his ice cream, his walking more purposeful as he led Naomi towards one of the warehouses near the end of the docks. It was one of the older buildings, with badly peeling paint and broken glass windows. They stared down at her, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to rise as she stared back.

The warehouse loomed before her, echoing with a foreboding emptiness. Ben seemed unfazed by the warehouse's size and strangeness, despite the fact that most people would be freaked out by such a building. It was the type of place that ghosts haunted, where teens went to drink and get high. It was where gangs met, a place that even the homeless avoided.

Even so, Ben continued to walk towards it, taking his sister with him.

Naomi dropped Ben's hand and stopped, watching in disbelief as he continued his crusade. "Ben, stop!" she yelled, unwilling to take another step forward. When he didn't heed her, she stumbled forward, gripping her brother around the wrist even as he continued to struggle, trying to get away from her. "Ben, what are you doing?"

He turned to look at her, gray eyes confused and pleading. She pulled him towards her, kneeling down to his height. "What's going on?"

"They're calling us," he answered, his voice soft. "They want us to come. They want us to help."

Naomi's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who wants us to help? Who's calling us?"

Ben shrugged. "They need our help."

"They? Ben, who's 'they?'"

But he just shook his head and pulled himself from her grasp, running into the warehouse. Naomi stared after him before following, yelling for her brother to stop. The boy ignored her, his shoes pounding against the empty warehouse floor until he came to a halt dead center in the warehouse.

"They stopped," he muttered, staring wide-eyed at the building around him. He heard his sister catch up to him, panting slightly as she grabbed his hand, pulling him towards her.

"Come on, Ben. Let's go home."


The boy shook his head, tugging his sister back to the center of the warehouse. He looked at her, eyes wide with anticipation. He could see the worry in Naomi eyes, the concern for his well-being. But he could also see the fear, the trepidation. He didn't like that. "Don't be scared, Nami," he whispered, touching her forehead as he called her by her nickname. "You never have to be scared."

Naomi stared at him, shocked. Ben could tell she was thinking, the way her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed. "You don't know that Ben."

Ben nodded, his voice lower as he spoke once more. "Yes, I do. The voices - they told me so."

The voices had gotten louder now in Ben's head, echoing from the corners of the vast warehouse. But Ben knew that the source of the voices was not his head, but the spinning mass of a vortex just behind Naomi, swirling in the warehouse's doorway.

He couldn't let his sister turn to see the anomaly; no, she would simply freak out and pull him away from the vortex. The voices told him. And he knew the voices spoke the truth.

They cried out again, resounding in his head. "Help!" they yelled, "you must help!"

Ben nodded to them, a small smile curling his lips. Of course, he replied in his head. We will help you.

At that moment, however, Naomi's eyes widened, only inches from his face. He could see fear in them, along with a sharp pain. She released him, moving her hands to clutch at her heart.

Something was wrong.

"Nami?" he asked, nervous now. The voices didn't say anything about pain. "Nami, what's wrong?"

She just shook her head, paling as she clutched tighter at her heart.

"Nami?!" Ben called again, panicking now.

But his sister was beyond hearing him. She fell back, startled, as if something had pulled her. Her mouth opened, as if to say something, but instead and unearthly scream ripped itself from her throat. Behind her, the vortex swirled faster, sucking in a gust of wind. Naomi began to slide away from him on the rough warehouse floor, screaming as she did. The vortex swirled faster as she approached, growing in intensity. Ben cried out as his sister was dragged away from him. The voices never said anything about this. They never said anything about hurting his sister.

Ben ran after his sister, scrambling to grab a hold of her before she disappeared into the vortex. But as he stumbled forward, a sharp pain stabbed at his heart. He felt himself crumble from its strength, falling to the ground. The pain intensified and he felt it constricting around his heart like a lasso. No doubt this was the same pain that Naomi had felt only moments before. He cried out, standing as he stumbled forward towards his sister. It took him a moment to realize that his eyes were shut. When he opened them again, Naomi was gone.

The vortex was swirling angrily now, pulling him closer to it. The pain tugged at his heart, as if threatening to pull it from his chest. He stumbled forward with it, but it was too quick for him. It pulled again, causing him to release a scream, the same scream his sister had cried only moments earlier.

There was no way to slow the departure, no way to stop it. Ben could only cry out as the pain pulled him closer to the vortex. He didn't resist, didn't struggle. Naomi had been pulled in there a few seconds earlier; Ben had to help her back. He couldn't abandon her.

As he was pulled into the vortex, a strong wind rushed around him. Icy blackness tugged at his consciousness, the wind roaring in his ears. The sensation only lasted a few moments, however, before he fell.

Ben felt himself hit the ground with a thud!, the soil soft and loamy beneath him. He was no longer in the warehouse. Above him, rich green fauna reached towards the sky, similar to plant he has seen in the rainforest exhibit at the museum. Before he slipped into unconsciousness, Ben registered one thought. He was far, far away from home.

[Rebecca]

I love the way how you described how the town treated Emma and how she felt about it; it is so real and so true.

There's a few minor spelling and grammar mistakes, but nothing a good spellcheck won't fix. Great job! You got me inspired to type up more of my book and post it here.
Do you write or type your story on the computer? I've been writing mine, and I'm just curious if you do the same.

[pretzel]

Thanks for the input!

I kinda do a mix of both. While I'm at school or away from a computer, I write. But then I type it up and I fix things and change things while I'm typing. Or I'll just type if I'm by a computer.

Either way, I personally prefer typing. I seem to write a lot better that way. I don't know why.

[Rachel]

I love it Pretzel! I'm trying to write a book, but I can't get the beginning worked out. I've got the climax done, but what is that without a beginning? The only thing that bugged me about it was the beginning of chapter 1. It was a bit repetitive about how it was a summer business.

[pretzel]

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Alright, folks. I have the second chapter (almost) finished and I will post it once it is, but first I need help!
(What's this? Pretzel needs our help?! We must help her, right away!)
...
Ahem, anyways. Yes, I need your help. See, when I first started writing this, I went through many different names for my main female character (now known as Emma). She started off as Cameron, then Emma, then Alex and finally Beth. I've gone through many other name possibilities for her, but I just cannot find a good name that works for her!
And that, my friends, is where you come in. Can you help me?

If you have any name suggestions for Miss White (surname is subject to change as well) please post them here! I am looking for a name that is on the verge between common and uncommon. Its not around much, but you've heard it used before and isn't too far 'out there.'

What do you say, folks? Are you up to the challenge?

[Rebecca]

Haha, in truth I write pretty much everything rather than typing it. I have a binder dedicated to my book; it's crazy. I have five chapters written and only one typed out. xD

In my book, I use pretty much all English-sounding names.
Georgiana, Archibald Dunsmore Kasmouth III, Kaleb, Harold, Alice...
Well, you get the picture. I also use weird names that Vikings used or names that I make up (like Ericson and Trump. (: ).

So in any case my names may or may not work for Miss White seeing that I have a weird "naming style", but I'll try my best.

Elizabeth White
Caroline White
Carolina White
Jade White
Naomi White
Adelle White (< my favorite so far. i'll use it if you don't...)
Jane White
Sunni White
Natalia White
Jenna White
Seneca White
Ivana White
Eve White
Vera White
Chanel White
Allana White

Hope that helps.

[pretzel]

AUTHORS NOTE:
;D Thank you Bexa! I have decided to take one of your suggestions and go with Naomi! Thank you, thank you, thank you! /worships.
Alright, on to more exciting news . . . CHAPTER TWO! I have completed it and (even though I am not happy with the beginning of the chapter) I am fairly satisfied with it. I really just wanted to finish it so that it would be out of the way for good, since it was giving me so many problems. I will probably edit it later to my liking.
And is it just me, or am I moving this along way to fast?
As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! Don't be afraid to post your comments here!

- - - - -

CHAPTER TWO

Naomi awoke to a strange sight.
Ben was standing over her with his hands curled into fists at his side. A boy was standing across the clearing where she lay, hands out in front of him as if he were trying to calm Ben.

The boy was about her age, maybe a little older, with dark hair and brown eyes. Even though she was laying on the ground, she could tell he was tall.

A pain resounded in Naomi’s head, throbbing with her pulse. Her heart was racing. She moved, trying to sit up, groaning as she did.

“Hey.” A voice stopped her. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

The boy looked at her as he spoke, then glanced nervously back at Ben. He jerked his head towards her brother. “Call him off, will you?”

“Ben,” Naomi muttered, propping herself up on an elbow.

Her brother turned wildly, kneeling down next to her. Worry was apparent in his gray eyes as he looked into hers, eyes flickering to her forehead for a moment.

“What?” Naomi asked, reaching towards her brow. Ben shook his head, grabbing her wrist before she could touch her forehead.

“You’re bleeding,” the boy called. “I wanted to help, but the boy here wouldn’t let me near you.”

Naomi looked past her brother to glare at him. “Ben. His name is Ben. And he’s my brother.”

The boy’s eyes flickered between her and Ben, who had turned to look at him. He nodded. “I can see the resemblance.”

“Who are you?” Naomi asked, pulling her wrist from Ben’s hand to touch her head lightly. She hissed as her hand made contact with the wound. She could feel the sticky warmth of the blood that was there, oozing from a gash on her head. Underneath, she could feel a hard bump beginning to form. Ben gave a small whimper.

“Levi,” the boy said. “Levi Thompson.”

Naomi nodded. “I’m Naomi. You’ve already met Ben. He's not to fond of strangers.”

“I’ve noticed,” Levi said, moving towards her. Ben moved away as the boy approached, eyes widening. Naomi could see that he had a backpack on and was sliding it off his shoulders as he neared her.

“Let’s see, I have some bandages and water.” He looked up at her, flashing a grin. “We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

Only then did Naomi notice her surroundings. Instead of the warehouse where she had been earlier with Ben, she was in a lush rainforest. Trees grew tall around her, green and leafy. The undergrowth around them was thick, but they were in a clearing void of much foliage. Screeches came from the forest around them, though Naomi couldn’t place what kind of animal they were from. Naomi sat up, staring around the forest. She immediately regretted it. Dizziness overcame her and she felt as if she was going to faint again.

"Not too many parents name their kids Naomi anymore. Are they religious? Or is it a family name?"

Naomi ignored Levi's attempt at small talk. “Where are we?” she asked, eyes shut tight as his cool hands brushed against her wound, the pain stabbing into her head. Ben stood off to the side, staring at her as Levi crouched down and raised a water-soaked bandage to her head. It took a few moments, but the dizziness began to subside.

“Dunno,” Levi said, gently dabbing at the blood on her forehead. “South America, maybe? There’s no rainforests in the U.S. that I know of.” He paused, thinking. “Maybe Puerto Rico or somewhere in Mexico.” He shrugged. “I’m not that into geography.”

Naomi nodded as he finished cleaning her head. “On the bright side,” he said, almost too cheerfully, “it’s stopped bleeding! We’ll just put some gauze on that and you’ll be as good as new.”

Naomi glared at him. “Except for the gash on my head.”

Levi chuckled. “Yeah, well, except for that.”

The two sat in silence, Levi bandaging her head with gauze and tape, before Naomi eyed his backpack warily. “Why do you have all this stuff anyways?”

Levi paused, looking at his backpack. He concentrated on his work, smoothly bandaging her forehead. Once he finished, he turned back to her, emotions flickering in his brown eyes. “I just like to be prepared.”

Naomi could sense that he wasn’t telling the truth, but she didn’t care much anyways. She glanced at Ben, motioning for him to come forward. Levi backed up as the boy approached, reorganizing the items in his backpack. Ben came up to Naomi, falling on his knees next to her. She reached up, touching her brother’s face gently. “You okay?”

Ben nodded, tears clouding his eyes. He stared at his sister for a moment, grey eyes flickering between hers, before he collapsed into her, hugging her soundly.

“Hey,” Naomi soothed, rubbing his back as her brother sobbed. “It’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to be okay.” She sat back, holding him by the shoulders in front of her so she could see his face. “We’re going to get out of here and go home and have a big bowl of ice cream, alright? And we’ll watch movies and play games. But first I need you to stop crying, okay? You have to be strong, Ben. Can you do that? Can you be strong for me?”

Ben nodded soundly, reaching up to wipe the tears from his face. Naomi smiled at him. “We’re going to be alright.”

“How do you know?”

Naomi smiled softly at him. “I’m your big sister. I know everything, remember?” The boy gave a small laugh. “I love you, Ben. You know that, right?”

Ben nodded, clutching himself to his sister once more.

“Um, I hate to interrupt this family moment, but I there’s something over here you two should see.” Levi had reentered the clearing, though Naomi hadn't even noticed that he'd left. He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder, pointing to where he'd disappeared into the forest moments earlier.

Naomi released her brother and stood, clutching her head slightly as the movement cause her vision to blur. Ben reached out, grabbing her hand tightly. “I’m fine,” Naomi said as the moment passed. “Just a little dizzy.”

The two made their way to where Levi was standing. He turned as they reached him, leading the way deeper into the forest. Hand still gripping her brother’s, Naomi followed with a growing sense of apprehension and unease as the undergrowth around them grew thicker. It seemed as if they would never find their way back to the refuge of the clearing. “Levi, where are we going?” Naomi asked, hurrying a little to keep up with the boy’s longer strides.

“Just come on,” Levi said, impatiently brushing a branch out of the way. He was careful to wait until Naomi and Ben passed before letting it go, making sure it didn’t whack either sibling. “It’s just a little further.”

He took the lead again. After a few more yards, he slowed his pace, stepping carefully though a thick line of bushes. “Careful,” he called back, his voice echoing slightly. Nervous, Naomi carefully followed, Ben close behind.

The rainforest had abruptly ended, giving way to a few feet of dirt before the earth dropped away. A large canyon lay sprawled before them, easily a hundred feet down to the bottom, probably more. It was as if the hand of God had reached down from the heavens, tracing the canyon into the earth below with His mighty grasp. It was massive, at least a mile across. At the bottom, it looked as if a river had once flowed steadily but had long since dried up.

The canyon was a great scar in the earth, a deep gash that divided the land. On the other side, it appeared that the rainforest continued, over a mile away.

Peering into the depths of the canyon, Levi gave a low whistle. "Wow. There is no way we can climb down there."

Naomi looked from the canyon to the boy. "What? Why would we even need to?"

Levi pointed across the canyon. "North. Civilization is always north."

"I thought you weren't that into geography."

Levi grinned. "I'm not. But everyone should know which way north is. You'd get hopelessly lost without knowing."

"Are you sure that way is north?" Naomi asked.

"Positive."

A small tugging on her hand pulled her attention away from the canyon before them. She glanced down at her brother, Ben's worried gray eyes staring back up at her. "What, Ben? What is it?" The boy pointed to the sky above them. Naomi followed it, looking up to where he was pointing to. Her jaw dropped open slightly at the sight. "Uh, Levi? I think we have bigger problems than what way is north."

High above them, floating in the sky, was a moon. It was no more than a crescent in the sky, as if a giant had bitten a chunk out of it. But it wasn't the moon that startled the three. Hanging next to it was a second moon, almost a mirror of the first. It was also a crescent, though not as thin as the first moon. It faced the opposite way from its sister, a nearly perfect reflection of the first moon in the sky.

And even more astonishing than the twin moons was what hung below them. A massive planet in the sky, dimmed blue by the surrounding color. Two rings encircled the sphere, one wide and the other much slimmer, but they still formed a wide "x" where they crossed.

Ben tugged at his sister's hand again. "Nami?"

"Yeah, Benji?" She didn't take her eyes off the spectacle in front of her, the two moons and the planet suspended in the sky.

"We're a long way from home, aren't we?"

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