Dangerous Days of Daniel X

Chapter 90

IF I THOUGHT the first feast at my grandma’s was something, I hadn’t seen anything yet. There were twelve straight days of dancing and music, celebrating, eating, storytelling, you name it. Except that you couldn’t possibly imagine a blowout party on Alpar Nok, could you?

For hours and hours, total strangers came up and embraced me. My arms were sore from shaking hands. And my cheeks, from being pinched. I was told that I met every single inhabitant of Alpar Nok. Twice.

At one point during the final fireworks show-really, this was the final-I found my grandma and sat her down for a heart-to-heart.

“Let me help you rebuild the city,” I said. “Where do we start? When?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “You’ve done enough here, Daniel. You have to go back to Earth. Finish the work your parents started. And I’d go now, if I were you. Make the Outer Ones take you and the rest of the abducted kids back. Before those blackguards can think about it, and do something deceitful and treacherous.”

“But when will I see you again?” I said. “Will I see you again?”

“Of course you will, Daniel,” she said. “In your dreams, in your mind’s eye, and always in your heart.”

“One question,” I finally said. “Seriously now. Are you a doctor?”

She shrugged. “Gardener,” she said.