Free Out There by Simi Prasad Page B

was that the other side appeared to be just darkness.
    It was so close that it felt unreal and I lifted my hand out to stroke the clear glowing matter in front of me.
    â€œDon’t touch it!” Jade slapped my hand away. “How do you know it won’t do something weird?”
    â€œLike what? Explode?”
    â€œI don’t know…”
    â€œHow are we meant to get through it anyway?” Lexi asked.
    â€œAva said she had it all figured out.” Katelyn turned to me.
    â€œRight, Ava?”
    â€œSee… the thing about that is…”
    â€œYou don’t even know how to get through!” Lexi exclaimed.
    â€œWell, I do.” They were all staring at me. “I just don’t at the same time.”
    They all groaned and sat on the floor.
    â€œCan we go back to sleep now?” Jade yawned.
    â€œJust give me a second.”
    I searched around the empty ring of grass that stretched for miles on both sides. I assumed that it probably looped around the entire edge of the Bubble, but this was one of the closest spots we could find to it. The other side of the city was all buildings for city robot storage.
    Soon I spotted a small rock lying on the ground next to the tree. I picked it up and slowly turned it over in my hands. Then in flash I threw it at the Bubble wall with as much force as possible.
    â€œAva, no!”
    But the little rock glided right through the Bubble without hesitation. The others all stared open-mouthed.
    â€œSo I’m thinking that maybe the Bubble isn’t really meant to keep out wild animals,” I said, grinning. “Come on, let’s go.”
    I had to drag some of them off the ground, but soon we were all lined up facing the Bubble, our faces only centimetres away.
    â€œSo, who wants to go first?”
    â€œI think that maybe you should go first, Ava, seeing as this was all your idea,” Jade decided and the others nodded in agreement.
    I looked over at them then back at the Bubble. “All right, here goes nothing.”
    Inhaling a deep breath, I closed my eyes and leapt. It felt like flying for a split second then I landed on solid ground. Opening my eyes, I just saw more grass and it stretched on in front of me for a few metres before reaching thick trees up ahead.
    I turned and saw that the wall of the Bubble was similar to how it looked on the inside except it drifted between images of grass stretching on forever and my friends standing on the other side. Like a semi-transparent border. I saw their faces searching for something.
    â€œIt’s OK, you can come through!” I yelled out to them.
    Katelyn jumped. “I think I just heard Ava.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œYes, I’m OK! Come through!”
    â€œThere she is again. I think she’s OK.”
    â€œOh yeah, hi Ava!” Jade waved slightly to the right of me.
    â€œCome through everyone!”
    â€œWell, here I go.” Katelyn jumped up and flew through the Bubble.
    â€œKatelyn!” I ran over to her. “See? It worked!”
    She looked around in shock. “Wow, I can’t believe it.”
    Then Lexi came running out of the wall squealing with delight, “This is so cool!”
    Jade and Bri popped out a moment later, linking arms. “Did we make it? Are we alive?” Jade still had her eyes squeezed shut.
    â€œYes, Jade, you’re OK.”
    She opened her eyes and looked around. “This is not at all what I was expecting.”
    â€œShall we continue?” I gestured to the trees in front of us. “But how will we find our way back?” Bri bit at her nail. “I’ve got it all figured out, trust me.”
    â€œAva!” they all yelled.
    â€œI do this time!” I exaggerated slightly.
    â€œYou better.”
    â€œAll right, we came all the way here so let’s just go.” Katelyn began to walk towards the trees.
    The others all followed her and I saw Lexi skipping around and