Adventures of the Space Pizza Delivery Guy

Chapter 10: To Run or Not to Run

Ethan calculated the time it would take for him to run to his backpack and leave Cloud Atlas. 

He would definitely make it.

But just then, his thoughts were cut off as Chronna’s voice echoed through his entire being. 

Chronna shouted, “Don’t stop thinking of a way out for all of us! Even if you feel like your head is bursting, even if you feel like exploding! Don’t give up on us, Ethan! Think! Continue to think!”

Ethan was dumbfounded. He saw Chronna’s eyes filled with trust. It wasn’t idle hope or fickleness that he saw in her eyes. 

Chronna wasn’t saying those things because she needed Ethan to save them or because Ethan was abandoning them.

For some reason, Chronna’s eyes were staring at Ethan with her full trust like she knew Ethan would find a way, that he would come up with a plan.

Chronna smiled at Ethan before she said, “You asked me if I trust you, right? Well, I do, and I know Captain Smith does too! It’s exactly why he’s still holding out despite the unbearable pain he’s feeling!”

Ethan flinched as he averted his glance at Captain Smith. He remembered that his gadget only healed the exterior wounds, but it didn’t erase the pain, and yet, Captain Smith was still fighting to the best of his abilities.

He realized that all of it, Chronna’s decision to stay and help Captain Smith and the captain’s perseverance, all of it was because they believed in Ethan. The two of them barely knew him, but they trusted that he could do this.

Ethan chuckled softly under his breath, and he remarked, “You’re both stupid entrusting your lives to some reckless and careless irregular like me but… thank you.”

To be completely honest with himself, Ethan… never really had anyone believe in him. It’s been far too long that he eventually lost the ability to believe in himself as well. Not that there were disappointments towards him. 

But it was totally different when someone seriously depended on you. So he had never considered what would happen when he made some mistakes, even if no one really expected anything from him.

He glanced at Chronna as he realized how little time they spent together, and yet… he was able to feel more than he ever did for the longest time he was staying at the MDWD.

Chronna was really one of a kind.

He released a heavy sigh. Ethan asked, “Are you two listening?” 

Chronna and Captain Smith nodded. 

Ethan continued, “Right, heads or tails! I’m tossing the damn coin and finding a way out of this for all of us!”

“Go right ahead, kid!” Captain Smith assured with a grin. 

Ethan pulled out his lucky coin and tossed it upwards. The world seemed to slow down as they all anticipated the results. 

Somehow, Ethan was praying that Chronna would be the one fighting alongside him, that way, he could make sure he could protect Chronna no matter what.

The coin was slowly falling down now. Ethan saw that it was landing on heads, and that would mean Captain Smith would be the one taking control of the ship. 

He felt his chest tightening- the anxiousness and anticipation was torture, but suddenly, as it was landing, the salamander used its tongue to attack the coin, assuming that it was some gadget to harm it.

Captain Smith was about to cut off the salamander’s tongue, but Ethan stopped him. He shouted, “No! Don’t! The salamander will only get stronger!”

The coin was thrown out across the room, but Chronna was able to catch it. She had sweaty palms, and even she was scared of the result. 

Ethan asked curiously and nervously, “So…? Chronna, what was the result?”

Chronna gulped hard as she opened her palms. She felt her heart drop as she saw it.

“Tails…” She softly replied as she showed it to them, “The result… is tails. I’m driving the ship, and you two fight off the salamander.”

Ethan walked towards her, but she knew Ethan would only volunteer to do it instead of her, he was that kind of person, and he had that look in his eyes, but Chronna stopped him midway. 

She didn’t look back at him. Instead, she grabbed the ship’s steering wheel with shaky hands and stated, “I’m driving, so stay back there and help Captain Smith. Now, what’s the plan, Ethan?”

Ethan felt a lump in his throat. He started speaking, “Chronna, I-“

“Did you know? Trust goes both ways. I trust you, and you have to trust me too.” Chronna gave him a gentle smile. 

It was obvious that Chronna was afraid, and Ethan’s plan was dangerous, mostly for her, the one who would drive the ship. Nevertheless, they both knew she had to do it.

Ethan walked away and helped Captain Smith in the battle against the salamander. Chronna was right. No matter how scary it was, he just had to trust Chronna with this one. 

Ethan said, “The plan is to drive through the asteroid belt and avoid each asteroid that comes our way-"

“That’s insane!” Captain Smith heard Ethan’s plan and protested, “Even I couldn’t do that! This ship isn’t equipped for that kind of thing! No one survived an asteroid belt, and the asteroids would destroy us-"

“I can do it.” Chronna cut the captain off and repeated herself, this time with more assurance and confidence, “I can do it so… please, trust me.”

Captain Smith then gave the nod, and he replied, “Okay. Chronna, keep us alive.”

Chronna chuckled a little before assuring, “I will.”

Chronna held the steering wheel firmly this time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had no idea about everything. Chronna remembered how she was taking a stroll back in France just a couple of hours ago. It was quite peaceful despite her subconsciously knowing that she was not supposed to be there. 

She also had no idea what she was doing there. The MDWD told her that once a person realized they were irregular or once the time police found them, all their memories were automatically erased to make sure no irregular would want to go back to their timeline.

It made sense. If she remembered what she lost, she might want to have it back even at the expense of everyone else’s sufferings. 

Humans were greedy. 

Chronna didn’t know exactly why, but somehow she knew that was the case.

After that, Chronna was taken to a place she had no understanding of, the MDWD. Words kept going in and out of her ear, just like a bunch of useless gibberish. 

She was taken under Ethan’s roof, a guy she barely knew.

Chronna felt empty inside. She knew nothing, and everything was passing her by, but she knew she couldn’t keep being afraid of what she didn’t know.

Chronna muttered to herself, “The only way to not be afraid… is to be afraid and face it head-on.”

After a few moments, she got the hang of it, and she started driving the ship towards the asteroid belt with a trembling heart.

The three of them were fighting their battles of the unknown, but they all knew that they would come out victorious because they had each other.