Floating in the Nothing

Anna Jane heard the faint beeping in the distance.

“Is something wrong?” Logan asked. Anna Jane whipped her head around.

“Huh? Oh, no,” she said. “I just thought I heard something.” They turned back to the elderly monkey woman.

“Sit,” she said. The crew sat down on the ground. The elderly monkey held out her hand.

“I can get you where you need to go,” she said. The crew whispered among each other.

“How so?” Ripley asked. “Where do we need to go?” The elderly monkey woman lowered her hand.

“All of you can’t go up,” she said. The chatter stopped.

“What do you mean by that?” Vivian asked.

“Only four of you can go up,” the monkey woman said. The crew looked at each other for a moment.

“Who gets to go?” Anna Jane asked.

“That is up to you,” the elderly monkey woman said. The crew looked at each other.

“I will go,” Anna Jane said.

“Same,” Logan said. Vivian threw up her hands.

“Sure, might as well,” she said. That was three. Now one more. Sergeants Patel and Ripley put up their hands.

“We’ll stay back,” Ripley said.

“You sure?” Anna Jane asked.

“Yeah,” Patel said, nodding. “Our mission is done here. We’ll hold off the pandas when they come.”

“Thank you,” Logan said. That left Teddy, George, and White Bear. Anna Jane’s heart sank.

“Oh…” she said. Vivian rolled her eyes.

“Seriously? You’re torn up over two stuffed animals and a creature?” she asked.

“They are our friends!” the younger girl whimpered. The geisha threw back her head and groaned.

“Are you an idiot?” she asked.

“No!” Anna Jane yelled. The elderly monkey woman cleared her throat. Everyone looked up.

“He can’t come with you,” she said, pointing at George.

“What?! Why?!” she asked. The monkey held up her hand.

“I’m not done,” she said. “Let me explain.” Anna Jane closed her mouth.

“Thank you,” the monkey said. She cleared her throat.

“Now,” she said. “He will be your gate to Chronus.”

“Meep?” George asked.

“How?” Anna Jane asked. The elderly monkey woman smiled.

“Have you made your choice?” she asked. Anna Jane held Teddy to her chest.

“Yes,” she said. White Bear stood by her leg. The elderly monkey woman nodded.

“Come with me,” she said. The monkey walked out of the hut. The children, George, and bears followed behind. Anna Jane heard beeping in the distance. She couldn’t focus on that right now. She had to see this quest through.

The elderly monkey woman came out to a small garden around back. She paused and turned the small group. George waddled to catch up. The old monkey woman grinned.

“Good,” she said. “Now we can begin.”