Free Si in Space by John Luke Robertson Page B

again.
    “We better get out of here. I don’t think that belongs to someone friendly.”
    Maybe it’s a corny time to pray, but why not? Heavenly Father, we got ourselves into a little pickle. Sure would be nice to let us out of here.
    The grumbling noise is getting louder.
    You look around the garbage dump you’re mired in. There’s the door where you came (or fell) in. And wait   —there’s another door on the opposite side of the chamber. You didn’t notice it before.
    You slog through the garbage and stand in front of the other door. You can hear some sounds right outside.
    You wait to see if your prayer has been answered.
    Sometimes God seems silent. But you know those are the times he’s helping you get out of the messes you’ve made for yourself.
    “What should we do?” John Luke asks, his pants covered in sludge and slime.
    You smile for a moment. Think for a second. Then start pounding on the door and screaming.
    Suddenly the door opens.
    At first you can only see the shadows of a couple people.
    “Whew, that was a close one, Jack,” you say.
    Then, when you get a good glimpse of the two figures at the door, you shake your head.
    First pirates and now this? What’s going on? Like a Halloween convention?
    “What’s up, guys?” you ask.
    The two figures don’t say a word, however. They do raise round, shiny guns at you and John Luke and blast you.
    End of story.
    So you assume.
    But it’s not over.

    The first thing you hear, almost before you wake up, is heavy breathing. Then coughing.
    You open your eyes and see you’re in a chair with your hands tied behind your back. John Luke is in the same position in a chair right next to you.
    Come on, what’s this all about?
    “Welcome, Silas Robertson.”
    The two figures who were standing at the doorway are now right in front of you. And they’re still in costume   —dressed all in black, wearing motorcycle-type helmets. One helmet is silver and the other gold.
    “John Luke, did you know we’d been kidnapped by Daft Punk?” you joke.
    “Uncle Si, you know about Daft Punk?”
    “Know? Are you kiddin’, Jack? Come on. I know my Grammy winners.” You turn back to the disguised men. “So what’s happening?”
    “Is this the moment, D.?” the silver helmet says.
    “I think so, P.”
    D. and P. That’s cute, really funny.
    “I know you’re suspicious, and that’s fine,” Silver   —aka P.   —says.
    “But we might as well give you your options now,” Gold   —aka D.   —says. “So, Silas, or Uncle Si. And John Luke. Two of our beloved Robertsons. Do you want to hear the truth about our plans? Or would you like to simply be shipped back home without knowing anything?”
    “Maybe I wanna hear the truth,” you say.
    “And maybe the ducks wanna hear something besides those calls y’all make.”
    You think P. might be making fun of you a little bit.
    “So you guys pick. Which will it be?”

    Do you ask for the truth? Go here .
    Do you decide to be sent back home without remembering anything that happened here in space? Go here .

STRANGE NEW WORLD

    IT’S SO HARD TO SAY NO to John Luke when his face looks like that. You give in. It might be nice to have him along.
    There’s something really strange about this moon. Your spaceship landed in a barren field made of stone. Hey, looks like everything’s made of stone here. Commander Noble leads your group of five   —himself, you, John Luke, Wade, and Kim   —toward where the distress signal is coming from. The worst part is that this place happens to be full of the thing you hate the most.
    “You okay, Silas?” Noble says over the radio.
    “It’s the dark.”
    You’re all carrying heavy-duty flashlights that brighten twenty yards in front of you. But it’s not enough. Not for you.
    Silence presses in. Darkness creeps. Some gremlins gotta be close by.
    “What about the dark?” Kim Sampson says after a minute.
    “I hate the dark. Always have.”
    “So naturally you