Chapter Four:

Monday...

Staring at the all too familiar room that Isla had nightmares of the previous night she walked to the chair on the other side of the table and sat down. Refusing to even look at Mr. Snow, who was sitting opposite her, Isla chose a spot on the plain white wall behind him and appeared to stare right through him.

"So Isla," he started clicking his pen with his left thumb, "your task, as we discussed on your training day yesterday is to leave the space pod with the space suit and save a dying dragon. In view of the meteor shower and storm yesterday however this is going to prove to be much harder,"

You would love that, wouldn't you? Isla thought bitterly still focused on the point of the wall behind him.

"Are you ready?" he asked, excitement dancing in his eyes.

"Yes. I'll be going on alone, right?" Isla replied, half hoping the answer would be no.

"Oh, but of course, then it wouldn't be a trial, now would it?" Mr. Snow said, this time with an encouraging smile. Allowing herself to smile back, Isla then followed him into yet another corridor that she hadn't seen before. Even though she'd been in the same space pod her whole life as she walked she felt as if she'd hardly lived there at all. Mr. Snow led her down to yet another hallway. Isla gaped as she realised that the door she saw before her was the same one she'd seen Luca go through in the emotional trial just a few days prior as her other self stayed behind.

There was another IGF officer who clutched Isla's space suits if her life depended on it. Isla's heart thumped against her chest and blood rushed up to her ears making it impossible to hear if anyone had spoken to her at that moment.

"Thank you," Isla whispered barely audible. They both helped her get into the space suit, which proved to be more difficult than they'd anticipated. The woman Intergalactic Federation officer checked the adjustments on it and before Isla pressed the button to lower the bubble visor, she spoke, "Your task today is to save an injured Whale-dragon, who is currently laying on a massive meteor. Just be warned that the dragon could fall off and float away into the abyss," the woman paused and Isla shivered as the lady continued, "This is why you're going to have a rope tied around your waist the entire time,"

"We will both be holding you, while also assessing your methods," Mr. Snow added. Isla nodded trying to avoid her ever growing fear. They helped her to secure the rope and she swallowed the bile rising in her throat, her heart unable to beat steadily.

"Any questions?" the woman asked.

So many.

But Isla simply said, "When I've reached the dragon, how am I supposed to get it back here? Or am I supposed to at all?"

"Use this,"

Mr. Snow and the woman, who Isla later found out was Ms. Clayton, handed her a tiny bag no larger than Finley's A5 sketchbook.

"Don't worry. It looks small, but with IGF's technology it can fit two dragons and one Pluto-jelly. All you have to do is get their tail into the bag and it will do the rest," Ms. Clayton replied.

"Right and will this hurt the dragon further?" Isla asked. They both just shook their heads as she continued to speak, "one last question, are Charlotte and Elliot going to do the same thing?"

"Elliot is, yes," Mr. Snow answered looking at his watch, "okay. We've got to get moving. Remember we've got you at all times,"

What about Charlotte? Isla also wanted to ask how they were going to be able to see her movements when they were safely contained in the space pod. Without responding she neared the door when the screeching sound of the ramp almost deafened her. Pushing the button of her visor, Isla continued a determined look on her face. She was going to do this, even if it killed her. Finally for what seemed like an eternity to her she reached the edge of the ramp and jumped.

***

Floating along trying to swim through space, Elliot just managed to serve as a smaller rock whizzed past. The space suit was uncomfortably tight and the rope digging into him didn't help the situation. The two Intergalactic officers assigned to him weren't exactly what he'd call helpful; they hadn't told Elliot, for example, where the injured dragon that he was supposed to save actually was or warned him about the jellyfish. One, who was the same size as him, pulsated towards him at an alarming rate. Trying to avoid its long tentacles, Elliot watched as a pool of four luminescent dragons glided past observing him curiously.

How was he even supposed to find an injured dragon in this pitch-black state? Anxiety crept up on Elliot like a dragon would sneak up on a squid consuming it. Suddenly he was yanked back painfully, the rope cutting into his stomach. Screaming in a mixture of agony and shock, Elliot thrashed around somehow spinning himself around so that he was upside down. He grabbed the first thing he could, hating the feeling of floating aimlessly. Unfortunately before he had a chance to register what he was holding onto the jellyfish had already stung him. Letting out a sharp cry, Elliot let go of the tentacle and cursed at the "protective"  gloves the officers had given him. They obviously hadn't helped at all and he still needed to find this poor dragon.

Clutching at the tiny bag that hung from a string around his neck he wondered if it could actually fit in an entire dragon and what the 'magic' behind was if it worked. The pain from the jellyfish sting combined with the pain from the burns on his back seemed to travel through his body and much to his annoyance he decided he had to take a break. Seeming to appear out of nowhere as he floated through space, the rope still tugging at his waist, was an unmoving luminescent blue dragon who lay on a massive rock. As he swam towards it he could see that half of their left wing was torn completely off.

Elliot would never forget the sound the Whale-dragon made for as long as he lived. It was the sound of pure heartbreak; the wails seemed to pierce through his heart as he neared the gentle creature. Elliot approached them from the front making sure that they could see him.

"I'm going to help you, okay?" Elliot whispered not sure if they understood him or not. To his delight the dragon nodded; a swift movement he might've missed had he not been looking.

While he gently attended to the dragon Isla was at the other end of the space pod weaving in and out of a pool of ten dragons. Unlike Elliot, Isla enjoyed the feeling of floating, the feeling of being completely free. The dragons stared in her direction and she could feel their gazes from miles around. Some were as sleek as velvet while others had raised rough scales. Isla stared in wonder; if this was any other day she would've stayed for ages just observing. But of course this wasn't just any other day. This was the day that decided her future and just the thought made her shudder.

Isla floated away from the pool of the beautiful creatures into the pitch black looking for the injured dragon on the meteor. A sharp tug on the rope attached to her waist pulled her from her thoughts. Ahead of her she saw a swarm of iridescent jellyfish and right smack in the middle of them was the injured dragon wailing in pain. Thinking that the space suit and the gloves she'd been given would be enough to protect her, Isla swam right through them following the sounds of the distressed animal. As soon as she entered the swarm most of the tentacles wrapped around her, others lashed her like whips. The stings were excruciating causing Isla to cry out. Desperating trying to free herself from their malicious tentacles she kicked out propelling herself towards the Whale-dragon, the jellyfish seemed determined to keep her within their grasp. Shooting pain moved through her entire body and the rope had twisted itself around her squeezing. Then something amazing happened; the Whale-dragon batted some of the jellyfish away with their tail sending them flying in the opposite direction.

As Isla was struggling to break free, she could see how much effort it took for the injured dragon to do that. Using the last of her strength, Isla broke free of the jellyfish and watched in awe as the dragon's tail came thumping down on the remaining jellyfish scattering them far and wide. Isla hissed in agony as she carefully untwisted herself from the rope until it was only wrapped around one time like before. Still shaking from the stings and burns she gasped as she floated towards the wailing dragon and took in the damage. One wing had been ripped off by a large rock and the other one hung loosely by their side.

"Thank you for helping me. Now it's my turn. I'm going to take you somewhere safe where they can get you up and running again, okay?" Isla said staring into their large opalescent eyes. The dragon's tears scorched her space suit as she gingerly took the small bag that drifted in front of her. Isla's whole body felt as if white hot pins had been seared into her skin, but she moved as quickly as she possibly could and, just as instructed, placed the bag over their tail.

Zoop!

The sound shocked her so much that Isla nearly dropped the bag. Her face broke out in a smile as she realised it actually worked. She had done it. Isla's smile was short lived as the pain blossomed in her mouth. Another sharp tug sent her whizzing backwards and she screamed, clutching the bag for dear life. For what seemed an eternity later Isla was nearing the space pod and she could see Mr. Snow and Ms. Clayton pulling at the rope with all their might.

"Well done," the woman said. It was the first time Isla had seen her smile and, if she was being perfectly honest, she preferred it when she didn't. It was bordering on creepy and Isla shivered causing her a new wave of pain.

"Thanks," whispered Isla as they both helped her take off the space suit, but not before Mr. Snow grabbed the bag from her.

"Ooo, that looks painful," said Ms. Clayton, stating the obvious. Isla glanced down at herself and gasped at the webbed-like patterns snaking up her arms.

"What is that?"

"Those are from the jellyfish stings. It looks like they've got you pretty badly. You will need some treatment for that. Gabriella and your mum will be able to help, I'm sure," Mr. Snow replied. Karolina and Gariella had both trained as nurses when they had their trial at 23 years old, which was around 25 years ago now. Isla nodded and they both led her back to the Headquarters.

—————-
Any feedback you could give me would be greatly appreciated!!