Short Story: The Patrol Ship

The Patrol Ship

“Nothing ever happens in this town,” Elida complained. Elidia and Aspyn had just been let out of school and walked down the street to go home. The town was as quiet as a ghost town, perfect as the ocean, and clean as an operating room. Nothing ever happened. When something did happen the patrol ships would stop it. Elidia and Aspyn always dreamed of growing up to control those ships. Be crime fighters, without actually having to get hurt, of course.

“I don’t see the problem. We never have to worry about anything bad happening,” Aspyn replied. Elidia just shook her head and kept walking, bored out of her mind. They walk down the street talking about their day, but when they turn the corner they see smoke coming up from behind

“I have no idea. Come on, let’s go find out,” Elida said excitedly. They are right in front of the bushes and it reeked of gasoline. When they walk through them they see a patrol ship.

“A patrol ship?” Elida questioned, “Why is there are crashed patrol ship?”

“I thought patrol ships never crashed though,” Aspyn whispered.

“I thought that, too- Oh look there’s a keypad. I’m going to unlock it,” Elidia whispered back.

“And how do you know the code to a patrol ship?” Aspyn questioned her, still talking in a quiet voice.

“I don’t. I’m going to guess,” Elida responded, “And why are we whispering there isn’t anyone here.” Aspyn just stared at her and motioned to the keypad, as if saying Are you going to do it or not? Elidia crouched down in front of the keypad and typed in 0356. The door opened. She looked up at Aspyn’s astonished face.

“The numbers are painted on the side of the ship,” Elidia said motioning towards the numbers.

Elidia walked into the ship looking around. It was perfectly white. She looked around, her feet moving forward without her realizing. She was completely amazed. Her dreams were coming true. Her trance was broken when she realized that Aspyn wasn’t following

Elidia quickly typed in those numbers. The ship counting down 5, 4, 3. The door started to open and they slid through it as soon as they could. They sprinted out of the ship. They heard the ship say 0 and they were thrown to the ground by the explosion.

Their ears rang and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. They stood up and looked back at the ship that was now engulfed in flames.

“We should really get home,” Elidia said trying to regain her composition. Aspyn looked at her and nodded her head. They turned around and began to walk away from the flaming ships.

“We are never going back, right?” Aspyn said staring at Elidia. Elidia looked back at her and nodded.

“I should really be more careful with what I do,” Elidia said on the verge of tears, “I could have gotten us both killed.”

“Elidia you being adventurous is what makes you, you. Yeah maybe you should be a little more careful, but don’t stop being your outgoing self. It’s fine to be adventurous just maybe be a little more careful so we won’t ever have to worry about dying young ever again,” Aspyn pestered. Elidia was silently crying now. Aspyn hugged her close, “It’s okay Elidia. It wasn’t all your fault either. I’m the one who pressed the self destruct