The Forever Journey Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Each man, when he is asleep, is in a world of his own.” He shook his head. “I would rather just take a drink of water and return to sleep.”
    Arnaud looked as if he wanted to argue, but Nathanial gave a look that stopped him. Nathanial rose and walked off to get water. Returning to the cot he found Arnaud was already asleep. Nathanial looked down at him, a smile creeping across his face.
    He climbed back into the cot, this time lying in the same direction as Arnaud, but before he could reconsider his actions the comforting arms of the other man embraced him. Nathanial settled his head on the pillow, and closed his eyes.

Chapter Three
    “Something Isn’t Right Here.”
    1.
    ANNABELLE WOKE UP , her breathing laboured. Another night, another dream. She was becoming most weary of them. Sleep was now her least favourite activity on the flyer. Spending time in the company of others recently had not been a priority of hers, but some duties had to be attended. Nathanial was too busy with his lab to notice, the others with their own thoughts. Today, she decided, she would keep to herself.
    She tried to remember the latest part of the “story” that had been steadily unfolding in her dreams, but it was like trying to catch a snake in tall grass, and after a while of attempting, she forfeited. There would always be tonight’s dream.
    A glance at her pocket-watch told her it was about time to get up and breakfast.
    The common room was, thankfully, empty. She pottered around preparing food and, once finished, made her way back to her cabin. Before entering, she took a quick glance up and down the gangway. She heard Nathanial and Arnaud deep in conversation in their lab; they had grown most comfortable with each other. Glad that they were otherwise occupied, she re-entered her cabin.
    She sat at her desk, eating her pork loaf. It was nothing special but it would suffice. Annabelle was not one to do nothing for more than a few minutes, but since they had left Earth, she had the unusual feeling of being devoid of mental and physical energy. Everything was sapping. She tried to shake the muggy feeling that was afflicting her brain.
    A giggle resonated around her room, as if it was trying to push its way into her mind. “What…?”
    She looked around her cabin, but there was no-one there. The giggle had the high-pitched, playful sound of a young child. It came and went in seconds, not betraying its source at any time.
    Annabelle stood up from her desk, to better see from where it came. She searched all over her cabin, but found nothing. She listened intently, hoping that she could locate the little giggler, however the giggling changed into frightened fits of sobbing.
    “Hello? Are you okay?”
    No answer.
    As if lightning had struck her, she jolted up and across the room, and flung open her cabin door. The child had to be outside! There was nothing there to greet her. The usual hum of the flyer; a rhythmic clanking from the engine room; the low noises of the two in the lab, yes, but no actual person. Even the sound of giggling had gone.
    She travelled up and down the gangway, but there was no sign of a child. She shook her head, hoping to rid herself of whatever was playing tricks on her mind, and re-entered her cabin.
    Inside she made one final sweep to make sure there was nothing there. There wasn’t. Maybe sleep would cure whatever had been ailing her? She undressed and climbed under her covers, pulling the netting over herself. Lying down seemed to empty her head, and sleep soon followed.
    2.
    NATHANIAL AND ARNAUD sat comfortably close to each other at the table. Some of their notepads pinned down with magnets, others hovered in the air. “How is your food?” Nathanial enquired while pulling one of the notepads from above him down to the table.
    “It is most delectable, for flyer food,” Arnaud said, winking. “There is something different in the taste of chicken stew from a tin , oui? ”
    “Well if you will take