THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

staring up into a purple sky with green streaks through it. Where was I now?
    Green streaks and a big red ball that didn’t glow like a sun. It pulsed instead.
    A chillingly eerie sight I had no reference for.
    “I think we’ve just gone where no man has gone before,” Gabby crooned. “That looks like a moon. It’s got shadows...craters. . .or maybe it’s a face?”
    “Okay, Sigourney Weaver and Princess Leia,” Tony groused, his voice coming from somewhere off to my left. “Where the freak have you two got us to now?”
    Good question. Better question was why hadn’t we left Tony trapped in that metal room? A tempting idea. “Who’s Sigourney Weaver and Princess Leia?”
    I got a look from both Tony and Gabby at that. Tony laughed. “You’re serious. Ever watch Alien or Star Wars ?”
    I shook my head.
    Gabby sat up and smiled, unbothered by my answer.
    Tony’s mouth dropped open, speechless.
    Gabby swiveled her shoulders, a dazed look of wonder on her face as she took in her surroundings. “Check out the sick colors in this place.”
    “Sick, as in unhealthy?” I asked. 
    “Ah, no, that means they’re gorgeous and amazing.”  She smiled, framing a picture with her index fingers and thumbs, clearly someone who lived in the moment. Wildflowers of neon-pink and intense black, with sharp spikes and even square shapes sprouted here and there.
    Tony speared  Gabby with a hard look. “You happy ‘bout this?”
    She muttered something to herself then said, “I’m not entirely sure I’m even conscious and will admit to feeling a bit out of my element right now–”
    “A bit?” Tony chuckled sarcastically.
    “–but you shouldn’t take life so seriously. It’s not permanent after all. And to be honest, I was looking for a change of scenery.”
    I might not always understand the things she said, but Gabby had held up pretty well through this and wasn’t bawling her eyes out. As she was the one person not giving me a hard time for being here, I could better handle her strange ways than Tony’s abrasive attitude.
    He was already reaching for his phone–did he sleep with that thing?–so that should keep him content for a moment.
    Or so I thought.
    He squinted at my leg. “What’re you wearin’? A cuff?” 
    Out of reflex, I looked down. I’d forgotten about my ankle bracelet. Had it stopped working? The thing was still locked on, but I hadn’t felt any electric shock, not even a tingle. Or maybe it just hadn’t activated yet.
    When I didn’t answer, Tony muttered, “Suarez stuck me with a freakin’ criminal. This day just gets better.”
    I rolled to my knees. Every muscle groaned in protest. Was being beaten and bruised my normal state?
    And landing in strange places?
    Scanning the terrain, all I found beyond the dry grassy area surrounding us and the metal contraption at my back was an encroaching jungle that loomed on all sides.
    A deadly quiet jungle.
    No sounds. No breath of a breeze. Nothing.
    Tony stood and trudged over to the metal thing that had spit us out and sealed itself back to a solid metal cylinder again. He started smacking one palm against the structure over and over, his other hand still clutching his phone that he waved around.
    “What the freak are you doing?” Gabby asked, mimicking Tony’s voice as she slid to her knees before standing. “Think your cell provider has coverage here?” 
    “Look. I’m just tryin’ to get back inside. I put more faith in technology than this–” he waved his hand to indicate the unreal world around them.
    “But we just got out–”
    “You two wanted out of this thing. Me?”  Tony jerked his thumb toward himself. “Got dragged along. We came here in this pod thing. Logic dictates it’s the only way back. So you can hang aroun’ and sightsee, but I’m findin’ my way home.”
    Just then the metal pod started spinning counterclockwise, causing Tony to stagger backwards. “What the-–”
    His last words were swallowed in a bang and puff of red clay dust. When the air cleared, the pod had disappeared.
    “Nooo!” Tony screamed, his hands thrown wide, his eyes wider. “It can’t . . .”
    But it could, and had.
    I felt as sick to my stomach as Tony looked. Staying inside that thing had worried me, but that was the way we got here.
    Gabby stared at the open spot for a moment, stunned silent.
    I didn’t say a word. I’d heard something new beneath Tony’s cocky arrogance. Panic. The kind of panic when your