The Earth Snippet (An ARK Kids Story)
If Abe was being honest, life has not changed much since he first arrived from the ARK. Yes, life was much different, as he was finally on Earth but the enclosure somehow got smaller and lonelier.
Looking up from his book and down at the heart monitor next him, he watched his heartbeat continue it's receptive signals. 1 month officially on Earth and he had seen the sun once. Being the first kid born in space was not for the faint of heart and now on Earth he apparently became pediatrics favorite subject.
The journey from the ARK to the Earth was rather smooth, with Maria now being cured, Project Shadow had been deemed a success and they were finally allowed to go home. Maria, Shadow, and himself had had a group hug before they were each placed in capsules to sleep the journey down. Apparently it was easier on their bodies. While Maria had requested a truce between the two gentlemen, he was still uneasy with the alien life form aboard their ship headed to their home planet.
When he woke up in the room he was residing in, he was alone. His parents had come and gone but never stay for long. Even on the ARK they never stayed around him for long, the poor little accident. It didn't matter to him though, he liked his alone time.
But he had requested one thing from his father the day he had arrived, if he could call Maria. His father agrred and gave him the Robotnik family phone number, he'd be able to contact her there.
For the past three weeks he has been trying to contact her, but her grandfather continued to state that she was still recovering from the journey down. Which was expected. Maria had been recovering from an illness back on the ARK. If he had been experiencing some shocks in gravity, she must've had it much worse. Abe, against his better judgement, also decided to ask about Shadow. Sure they didn't have the best relationship but he must be worried sick about her as well, maybe he could give him a better update than the Professor.
"Project Shadow is no longer under my discretion, Young Towers. I do suggest you no longer question it's whereabouts," he had responded.
Sure, Maria's grandfather was cold but wasn't Shadow also his creation. He had called him son, once or twice. But, at least Shadow was under control. Hopefully.
That is until today, when a GUN solider came to his room followed by multiple nurses.
"Abraham Towers." the solider commanded.
"What is your relation to Project Shadow."
"Uh, well...I know of him. I spent time with him and Maria."
"He will do," one of the officers told his superior over the intercom.
"Hey, wait for what? My parents, what about-"
"Your parents are under GUN's jurisdiction."
"What is going on?" he questioned as he was placed in a wheel chair.
Abe was hauled out of the medical wing of the GUN base he had been placed in. Had he always been in a base? They made it seem like a regular hospital. They passed several corridors and down many floors of the place they were at, until they reached a dark window.
"What is wrong it?" The officer spoke again.
They turned on the light and he saw nothing but a white room, other a red and black ball in the corner.
"I've never seen him do that, what did you do to him?"
"Project Shadow is in excellent condition but in the past two weeks, it simply failed to produce any positive outcomes. We have tried everything."
"Why me? Why not bring Maria? She's the one that dealt with him."
"Miss Robotnik is no longer under our discretion."
"I don't know what you want me to do. I can't fix him. He was born like that. Maria helps him but it's never forever. She always knows what to do or say in these situations. "
"So you have no relation to him."
"I mean I don't think so. We're not friends. His only friend was Maria. I'm the one stuck in the middle because he was so needy."
"Hmmm" the officer said before they placed a cloth on his face and he blacked out.
He woke up in his hospital room again, almost as if he had never been taken in the first place. He might as well try his daily call to Maria.
The nurse brought over a cart with a phone attached to it. He turned the dials through muscle memory and waited for the response.
"Hello?" he heard a very small voice through the line.
"Hello, is Maria awake yet?" he asked
"Abe?" the small voice responded.
"Abe, I need to tell you something. I don't know what's happening to me. If anything, bad happens to me you have to promise me you'll protect Shadow."
"I know you two don't get along. I don't have much time. I don't know where they're taking me. I've been hiding in grandfather's study for as long as I can but-"
He tried to dial again but the line was gone.
"Miss Robotnik is no longer under our discretion." he remembered the GUN officer say.
Abe decided to call his parents but once again the line was gone. "Nurse Mary, could you page my parents please." he requested.
"Of course." she replied.
Two hours later three officers came into his hospital room. "We're sorry to inform you that your parents have passed away."
"We have been tracking all the ARK arrivals for signals of space sicknesses and other ailments. They were asymptomatic to bone deterioration. You will be placed with extended relatives but if that does not resolve you will placed under GUN's authority. Do you understand?"
"Very well, you will be here until further instructions are we clear,"
With that the officers went out. Leaving Abe in tears and shock. He had just seen them yesterday, they were fine. His Physical Therapist came by an hour later to take him for his daily exercises to the workout room as if nothing had happened.
And he agreed. He got his therapy clothes and walked into a bathroom next to it to change. Only he never came out that door again.
Having a child running through the base was not something GUN had expected. Much less for him to know the codes to every single exit of the doors. Child of geniuses for a reason. They lost him two elevators out, as he landed in front of the window they had taken to him before. Only issue was that he didn't have the code or door for his room.
Shadow was still there. Only this time he was laying on the floor and looking at the white ceiling. Sure Shadow came from a monster, acted like a wierdo, and was just all out different; that still didn't mean he was meant for this. What could he do to get him out of there?
"Do you guys want to play spies?" Maria had asked one day, "So people don't know they're communicating they use morse code."
Shadow should still know it. He knew everything about Maria, much like himself.
No response. So he tried again.
"Maria." he saw Shadow mouth
Next thing Abe knew there was a whole in the wall and a very alive hedgehog next to him
"What's wrong with Maria?'
"I don't know. I haven't seen her since we've arrived. Last time I talked to her, she told me I had to protect you."
"Someone took her and my parents and maybe even the Professor. I don't know Shadow. We need to get out of here."
"You don't have to ask me twice," as he cradle carried Abe and ran.