flash forward fables fourth place!

By Autumn Notebloom

 

Lee grabbed the laser-like bars of his prison cell. “Hey! Let us out! We didn’t do anything!” Janie slunk back into the corner to sit on the lone bench in the cell.

“It’s no use. The stupid cat’s doomed us. It’d take a miracle to get us out now.” 

Lee sighed, and joined Janie on the bench. “You’re right. How did we even get in this mess anyway?”

It was a normal summer evening. Janie and Lee were at the stake park. They’d been at the park for nearly an hour, most of which Lee had spent running around the stake park like he was a squirrel on coffee, jumping on and off various objects. Janie had spent it watching Lee, and practicing her moves for the roller derby she had that weekend. Lee had finally settled down, and was sitting on the top of the halfpipe, talking to Janie.

“I’m right, a hot dog is a sandwich! Trust. Boogle says it is!” Lee exclaimed.

“It’s not a sandwich, it’s just a hot dog. You’re tripping,” Janie said, sitting and unlacing her roller skates.  

 “No, you’re tripping. I’ll look it up, see?” Lee pulled out their phone and started typing. 

“I don’t care what the Boogle says. The internet is mostly false information anyway.”

“Wait, it is?” Lee asked.

“Yes Lee. Everyone knows this,” Janie said.

“Wait, what the-”

“Lee!”

“What? I wasn’t gonna say it. Well, maybe. But-”

“No, dummy! Pay attention!” Janie pointed to a creature that had appeared in the halfpipe. 

Lee squinted. “What is that? Some type of… alien cat thing?” 

Lee was correct. It was an alien cat thing. The alien cat thing had green fur, with a white underbelly. It had glowing purple eyes, drooping ears, and three tails. And, it was currently looking at Janie and Lee. 

“Lee…” Janie said.

“I see it.” 

“And I see you,” said the alien cat. 

Janie and Lee screamed.

Two minutes later, the alien cat was out of the half pipe, and had tried to calm Lee and Janie down a little. And, as it is hard to go from screaming to calm in two minutes, it failed. 

“So, you’re an alien dude named Zaros from a faraway land who’s come to tell us that we need to… go into space? So we can become what, mercenaries? And beat up bad guys? That’s pretty stupid.” Janie said, crossing their legs.

“I could say the same about you,” Zaros said. Lee lunged forward, but Janie pulled him back, “And yes. You shall protect the universe from a great evil-”

“So… like Space Wars?”

“And be known throughout the universe. But, if you fail, dire consequences await.”

“Ooh. I like a gamble,” Lee said, grinning. Janie rolled her eyes. 

“Lee, we don’t even-”

 “When do we start?”

Zaros smirked. “I knew you two would be up for it. We start now.” The alien turned. Where he was looking, a swirling purple and blue vortex opened up. Janie and Lee both took a step back in shock as Zaros leaped forward and disappeared.

“Lee, are you sure this is smart?” Janie asked. “I don’t want to risk us getting hurt.”

“Eh, It’s probably not smart. But, then again, I had straight D’s last year, so I’m not smart either.” With that, Lee ran into the vortex. Janie winced, glanced around, then followed. 

Janie landed hard on a metal surface. As she looked around, she realized she seemed to be on some type of futuristic spaceship. Zaros was looking at her and Lee, who was springing to his feet, but looked a little pale.

“Ah, I forgot. Your kind is awfully weak. Can barely even use vortexes. A shame.”

“That’s not very nice to say to your alleged future saviors,” Janie remarked. She got up, and went to stand by Lee, who was waving a magnet they had found by an access pad, trying to make it turn green.

“Is it? I tend to be very blunt. Most of my kind is. We don’t mix with other species well.” Zaros slinked forward slightly towards a large door at the end of the hall. “Anyway, welcome to a place known as Child-1, a small department of the larger Mothership Corporation. The Mothership Corporation is a company trying to achieve total domination of our ever expanding universe. Over the past one hundred universal years, they’ve corrupted governments, weeded up any large business competitors, and oppressed thousands of star systems. Your job, for today, is to take on the creatures of this small department.”

“Was that supposed to make sense?” Lee asked. They threw the magnet at the scanner. Nothing happened.

“Let me simplify it for you. Mothership corp bad. They hurt good. No like, so make them go bye bye. Then you get moneys, and your gamble.”

“That makes so much more sense,” Lee said, grinning Janie and Lee moved up towards the large doors. “So… how are we supposed to do that?”

“I have some… acquired weapons that should work. I can grab them now.” Zaros shifted and another vortex appeared. He leaped through it, and appeared seconds later with two weapons in his mouth. He released them onto the floor with a loud CLATTER. 

“Gross…” Janie gingerly picked up a gun-like weapon that had been in the alien’s mouth moments earlier. Lee excitedly picked up a sword. 

“Janie, look it! It looks like a flash saber from Space Wars!” Lee pressed a button and a large electric sword blade appeared. Lee looked ecstatic. 

“To operate the laser shooter, just pull the trigger,” Zaros said. “The safety is the button on the side. Be careful, it’s already off. As for you-“ he turned to face Lee- “I think you have it figured out already.”

“Yep!” Lee chirped. 

“Anyway, You’ll have to fight… maybe forty aliens. I’ll be there to help you, too.” Zaros padded closer to the door, as if ready to open it.

“Forty?!” Janie said. “No way. We’re just some kids, and we don’t even know how to do this! Besides, you’re just a random freaky cat, I don’t see why we should help you!”

“Girl, your planet rests in your hands. Is this really the time for-”

“Janie’s got a point,” Lee said. “I’m usually a ‘do things now, ask questions later’ type of guy, but… I could use some more info. I don’t wanna risk my life for an ugly space cat.”

Zaros moved to reply, but was interrupted by a large BANG. The nearby doors burst open, and various colorful creatures with weapons swarmed the room, surrounding Janie, Lee, and Zaros. Janie and Lee dropped their weapons and put their hands up. Zaros hissed. The aliens seized Lee, Janie, and Zaros, and they were led down the hall, kicking and protesting.

Lee grabbed the laser-like bars of his prison cell. “Hey! Let us out! We didn’t do anything!” Janie slunk back into the corner to sit on the lone bench in the cell.

“It’s no use. The stupid cat’s doomed us. It’d take a miracle to get us out now.”

Lee sighed, and joined Janie on the bench. “Least we have each other?” Janie made a face. “Cringe, I know. Maybe if I hadn’t dragged us into this- we should’ve asked more questions. Then maybe I would’ve thought this through, and you wouldn’t have followed me.”

“It’s okay,” Janie said. “I should’ve pushed you to not be impulsive. Maybe I should’ve literally pushed you.”

Lee laughed a little, and leaned back against the wall. Janie and Lee sat there for a long time, regretting their impulsive decisions, and waiting for whatever came next.