Read The Forever Journey for Free Online

approached.
    Folkard frowned.
    There was a muffled sound, obscured by the door. It sounded as if someone had said something.
    “Is that you, Miss Annabelle?”
    There was no reply.
    He turned back round to check the controls; everything was in order. A high pitched giggling came from behind the shut door and the captain span back around. He’d have none of this tomfoolery when he was on duty.
    He hastily unbuckled himself from his chair and made for the door, pulling it wide open.
    “I suppose…” Folkard stopped; there was no one in the immediate vicinity of the door. He descended the ladder to the gangway in the hope of finding the culprit of the jest. He looked up and down the gangway, but there was no activity.
    “I say, who’s fooling around out here? I assure you I am not amused!” His voice bellowed through the flyer. He stood firmly and waited.
    The lab door clicked open and two heads popped out from inside; the heads belonging to Arnaud and Nathanial. Annabelle was next, stepping out from her cabin to see what the fuss was about, followed by Fenn emerging from the engine room.
    They all exchanged looks then turned to face Folkard.
    “Did you call one of us, sir?” Fenn shouted from the other end of the flyer.
    Folkard adopted a puzzled expression and stroked his beard gently. “No, I thought very much the opposite. Have any of you been at my door in the last few moments?”
    “I thought I heard something in here just a moment ago, sir,” Fenn replied.
    “I believe we have all been in our own quarters,” Nathanial said, turning to the crew to confirm his theory. They all nodded in response.
    “Oh,” Folkard said, pausing in thought for the briefest of moments. “Very well then, as you were.” He turned, climbed the ladder and re-entered the control room. This time he left the door open before returning to the pilot’s chair.
    He resumed his monotonous duty, trying not to think of how the laughter from behind the door had seemed almost child-like.

Chapter Four
    “Visitations”
    1.
    ARNAUD MASSAGED HIS temples gingerly. The headaches were affecting his concentration, causing him to snap at Nathanial. He disliked being short with his dear friend. These days, however, it was happening with more frequency.
    Nathanial was looking straight at him, his mouth moving, but Arnaud could not make out the words; the pain drowned out any noise. “ Pardonnez moi , Nathanial, if I am surly, it is my pain speaking, not me. I must take some water and tablets to relieve this before I can continue our conversation.” He tried a smile. “Hopefully in a more civilized tone, non ?”
    The pills taken, the throbbing at his temples abated and once again he could hear properly. Outside, footsteps clanged along the gangway, stopping outside their laboratory.
    “I wonder who that could be?” Nathanial asked.
    “More than likely Annabelle coming to say hello. We have not heard from her today.” The clanking continued down the gangway and out of earshot. “She must have heard our little ‘domestic’, and decided to leave us be,” Arnaud added.
    “Domestic? As if anyone would think that you were my spouse, Arnaud. Such thoughts are unacceptable.”
    “I…” Arnaud turned a deep red. “I did not mean to insinuate you were. Je suis désolée, I just meant… We have argued a lot more recently. Maybe I am using the wrong words.”
    “Oh, I think you are using the correct words, Arnaud. I think it is something you have thought about, maybe something I have thought, too.”
    Arnaud’s eyebrow rose at the last words. He spluttered, unsure of what to say. “I… I… I…”
    Nathanial leaned in closer to Arnaud, a warm look in his eyes. He reached out to place his hand on Arnaud’s knee but stopped short. “I could not live without you. It is something I have…” He paused, looking down at his hand, hovering so close to Arnaud. “I have thought of this more than I care to admit, and it fills me with such a