Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter Six

"How do those new boots fit?" Thorne asked as he strode into the cockpit.

Cress stood up and grinned proudly. They fit better than any shoe she had ever worn. "Perfect!"

Thorne raised his eyebrows. He sank down in his seat and started making adjustments on the control panel. 

"Okay, not perfect... but close to perfect," she amended, sitting back down at her desk with her port screen. "I've been looking at some shops near Rieux, and look at this—what do you think?" she asked, turning her screen to show Thorne a dress she had pulled up—purple, cinched at the waist with buttons going down the front, long sleeves, and a full skirt.

"It's pretty; looks like you."

Cress grinned. 

"Save any ball-gown shopping for when Iko can help you—that was her main objective when we were on our way to rescue you."

Cress's grin intensified and she giggled excitedly. "Looks like it will be a lot cooler than it was in Africa," she said brightly. "Scarlet said I could borrow her clothes until I get some of my own. She has more at the farm."

"The minute we've passed off the antidotes, we'll get your wardrobe stockpiled," Thorne promised, turning his chair back around to face the view port.

Cress grinned. She stood up, hugging him around his neck and then skipping off to her room. Sitting in front of the tiny desk with a mirror, she critically studied herself. Grabbing Wolf's headband from the hook, she arranged it on her head and pulled a few pieces of hair out; framing her face and trying to mimic the way she had seen some Earthen girls wear their hair on the net.

Grabbing her dress from the satellite, glad she had thought to wash it yesterday, she slipped it over her head and tossed the to-big pants into the corner.

The moment the Rampion touched down at Scarlet's farm, Cress yanked her safety harness of and darted towards the cargo bay where Scarlet and Wolf were already waiting. Her excitement at seeing Europe, the first of many adventures, was suddenly overpowering and she was afraid she'd burst. Even Scarlet, who never got excited about anything it seemed, looked anxious to deboard.

No doubt she was homesick.

Stepping into the sunlight, a warm burst of air greeted Cress in her face. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, letting the breeze dance through her hair and feeling the freshness of it. It was warm here, but not nearly as hot as Africa and there was slight moisture to the air that made it seam fresher. It didn't seam possible that air could be this fresh.

Cress looked down at her toes. Grass... oh aces, she was standing on grass. Real grass. Green and vibrant. Cold and soft. Just like she dreamed it'd be.

Almost shaking, Cress bent down and threaded the blades through her fingers. It was stiff... but not at the same time. The dirt beneath it was moist from the morning dew and it was all she could do to not drop to the ground and lay down on it.

Someone nudged her shoulder and she looked up to see Thorne standing beside her. He nodded to something and she turned her gaze to the side.

Trees. One, two, three... a whole grove of them! All different colors. Most of them green, but a few that were yellowing and full of fruit. The grass around them was thinner and the sunlight created patches of shadows on the ground. She started toward them, but a voice made her freeze.

"Scarlet!"

"Emelie!"

Cress was snapped out of her tree-gazing stupor to see a blonde girl burst from a house nestled not to far away. It was rustic and homey and looked like it could have been straight out of a net photo spread.