Noah Sark and the Mother Ship
by Nell Cooper
(excerpt - Chapter 13)
He will kill us. The blindfold sweats, and my stomach heaves as Sophie trembles beside me. I hear a rummaging noise near the desk. We aren’t alone and my voice is garbled in the darkness.
`Who’s there?
Papery hands brush my cheek, then pull roughly at my skull. An agony of light blinds me, and I squint and clench, then focus on that most dreaded of faces.
`It shouldn’t be this hard Noah,’ Nils Eon oozes, his moon face just centimetres from my face.
I shift away from him, and Sophie blinks at my side. I try to comfort her with a smile but I drool instead.
`I’ll un-gag you, so we can talk.’ Says Nils.
`And no interruptions, or they’re back on. Understand?’
Sophie and I nod in time.
He removes the cloth and I limber my bruised lips, quiet as ordered.
Sophie isn’t silent anymore.
`Dad’ll call the ship’s police when he can’t find us. Let us go, or you’re in big trouble Mister!’
She is a super hero!
Not literally of course, but her bravery is awesome. It’s because she’s desperate like me, but it’s me who should step up. I’m the oldest. I gasp as Nils slaps his hand over her mouth, and her face reddens.
`On second thoughts, Noah first. Sophie later!’ He re-ties her gag, and I watch her struggle against his fingers.
Sophie can’t help now, so it’s my job to find a way out of this. I’ll try talking first. And if that doesn’t work, I must be strong enough to fight. I swallow loudly. Maybe I’ve been training for this all along.
`Stand up Noah. We’ll talk in the bathroom.’
He pushes from behind and I stumble with bound hands towards the wooden lid. Nils Eon leans on the wash-stand, bleeding menace and speaking slowly.
`You know what I want, Noah. I know it’s not in your camera bag. Tell me, tell me now. Where is the Mother ship?’
I bite my lip. I’ll find it. The ship is my connection to Mum, and I can’t let its secret die with her. I’ll discover its magic for myself, for our family. I know Nils Eon will keep pushing and pushing ‘til he gets what he wants. But he won’t get it, he can’t get it.
Not from me.