She moves slowly in the direction of the noise. “Oh no,” Adalla says, shoving her lamp at me, as if I’m not already burdened by the load of our neatly packed lunches. However, as we venture farther inside, I hear a panicked squeal from somewhere in the shadows-something startled by our presence. This is far from being the perfect getaway, but it’s cozy and quiet, and most important, private. The warmth here is a welcome change from the chilly temperatures we pretend we’ve gotten used to since our near exodus. Finally, the fissure opens into a small chamber the size of our bedroom. I’m mindful of where I tread, stepping over the bulging capillaries threatening to trip me and avoiding the trickles of phosphorescent ooze meandering down the walls. I wish I shared her confidence, but the anticipation of the bone-rattling heartbeat keeps me from fully appreciating the mischief we’re about to get into. “This section of the heart is closed off and repairs won’t begin until tomorrow. “Don’t be nervous,” she says, her gait sure and steady. Which is why I’m here, sneaking through this nauseating crawl space, hoping to steal back a little bit of her time and attention during her lunch break, despite the risks involved. But really it just means that Adalla’s been in such high demand at work that she’s completely wiped by the time she comes home to me. She’s worked her way up to being indispensable now, and her knife skills are renowned. Even after she’d single-handedly saved our Zenzee’s massive heart from failing three years ago now, it’d taken months and months and months before she was trusted anywhere near the organ again. Adalla should know that more than anyone. If we get caught here, we could get into so much trouble. “I’m not sure about this,” I whisper to Adalla.
Keep one hand on Adalla’s shoulder and keep my eyes trained on the half-dimmed light she holds out in front of her, even though it fails to illuminate anything beyond her next step. Ichor-slickened flesh presses all around me, as if I’m sealed in a womb.
Enjoy!ĭarkness creeps up behind us as Adalla and I venture farther into the abandoned heart fissure. And today, The Mary Sue is delighted to share an exclusive excerpt from Escaping Exodus: Symbiosis, that picks up Seske’s story and hints at even more immersive adventures to come.
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