Free Meteorite Strike by A. G. Taylor Page A

which she now realized had to be men in suits, much like the ones she’d seen astronauts wear. The mirrored visors of their helmets made them look inhuman.
    â€œSarah!” Daniel yelled when he saw her. He struggled hard against his attackers. “Let me go!”
    A third one stepped towards Daniel as he threatened to break their grip. There was something that looked like a can of deodorant in the figure’s glove. The man sprayed the contents in Daniel’s face and he immediately slumped back into the arms of his attackers, unconscious.
    Sarah looked to her left and saw Robert being sprayed by another suit as he kicked against his own attacker. Within seconds he was lying still as well.
    Fear took hold and she began to back away, feeling suddenly powerless against this new threat. After everything they had been through. What more could happen? The two suits holding Robert looked round at her.
    She was next.
    Sarah backed into something. Looking round, she found herself staring right into one of the mirror-masks, blocking her escape. In the helmet reflection, her eyes looked wide and fearful. She saw one of the cans raised, ready to spray in her face.
    Sarah ducked forward and rolled between the legs of her attacker. The suited figure turned awkwardly and made a grab for her, but she was already running. Ahead, a wall of fire blazed. After a few metres she slowed to a halt.
Robert
, she thought.
Where am I going?
    Sarah turned slowly to see the three suited men approaching. One held what looked like a rifle in his arms. The suit raised the gun and took aim.
    â€œNo,” whispered Sarah as the weapon was fired.
    She staggered back as something hit her in the arm. Looking down, she saw a five-centimetre-long dart sticking into her flesh. She reached to pull it out as her knees buckled under her.
    Then there was only blackness…

11
    Sarah lay very still under cool, soft sheets. She stared at the white tiled ceiling for what seemed like a long time before trying to move. Her head ached and she wasn’t sure how long she’d slept. It could have been less than an hour or a whole day.
    Very slowly, she looked right and then left, taking in her new surroundings.
    The room was a perfect square and completely empty apart from the bed in which she lay. Directly opposite the foot of the bed was a long mirror set into the wall. Sarah’s own image stared back. The reflection stimulated her last memory before she had passed out and she sat bolt upright. A jolt of pain shot through her skull and she raised a hand to her forehead reflexively.
    â€œHeadache?”
    Sarah jumped a little at the unexpected sound of a woman’s voice. It seemed to come from the mirror, but when she looked up she saw only her reflection. She was wearing a white smock, the kind Mum had worn in hospital. Sarah fingered the material nervously, bad memories coming to mind.
    â€œYour clothes were filthy,” the voice from the mirror explained. “They’re being washed. Does your head hurt?”
    â€œYes,” replied Sarah. She looked at the mirror and swung her legs out of bed. The tiles of the floor felt cool after the heat of the desert.
    â€œTake this.”
    A panel opened in the wall to the right of the mirror. A tray slid out upon which a single glass of water and a small dish stood. Walking closer, Sarah saw that two pills lay on the dish. She poked them with her finger suspiciously.
    â€œThey’re just aspirin,” the woman reassured. Her tone was calm and soothing.
    Her head was aching so badly, Sarah decided she’d just have to take the woman’s word on that. She popped one pill after the other in her mouth, swallowing each with a gulp of deliciously cool water. She finished the rest of the glass and set it down on the tray.
    â€œI bet you’re starting to feel better already,” the woman suggested.
    Sure enough, Sarah could already feel the pain in her head subsiding. She