Carlie’s Chapter 4—Dear Tiger: I Miss You

January 2019 Progress Overview Tuesday’s Short—Autumnal Threat

Carlie’s Chapter 4—Dear Tiger: I Miss You

LAST WEEK, Simone was grounded. This week, she makes a decision that just might change her world.Chapter 4 – 'Home' Alone

Date: Sunday, 19 August 3049

Hi Again, Tiger
It’s been more than a week since we went to the Exploration Center. As well as being grounded, I have to do a project on Jigo, because that’s where mum and dad explored.The project isn’t a problem. I finished it yesterday, after class. Don’t look at me that way. We have classes on a Saturday. It’s not so bad, because I don’t get to think about mum and dad, so much. Anyway, that’s why I haven’t finished your letter, yet.I’m on my own at the moment, because the rest of the class is off on another excursion. Marrietta is calling me a ‘company clone’, because I can’t go home to mum and dad. Apparently, it’s okay for her, because her parents are on a long-term project on the bio-tech world of Azmith, but I’m second class, because my mum and dad have disappeared and their project has been black-listed.I asked her how she knew it was black listed, and she said it was called black-listing, because the whole project disappeared into the black where it couldn’t be seen, and therefore something really bad must have happened, and seeing as I was being looked after by the company, my parents had to have worked for it. Well, at least we agree on one thing.So, Marrietta says, if my parents worked for the company and the project can’t be found, then the project has to have been one of the one’s that’s been black-listed. And aren’t I a looooser?You’d think she could just shut up about it, but she takes every chance she can get to put me down. What is her problem anyway?Well, whatever it is, I have a whole day without her, so I can do anything I want, and know I won’t be teased about it. I can just hear you saying “I told you so”, but I still wouldn’t trade being at school with a whole bunch of new faces for being on my own with just my mum and dad, and the wildlife.No… I tell a lie. I’d consider living without friends for a whole year, if it meant I could see my parents again. Just a year, mind. I don’t think I could do without my friends for much longer than that. And then I could see my mum and dad on the holidays after that. It would be great. Maybe mum and dad could have a research project at the complex here, and then they wouldn’t have to go away. But, no… they’d hate it. They love exploring new worlds—and that was one of the things they did ask me about.I told them to go and do their jobs, that I’d be okay in boarding school with Rini and Carmen. I missed them, but at least I could go and have holidays with them. Now, I can’t even do that, and no one will tell me why.D’you know what? I think I will open it. Maybe, there’s something inside it that can tell me what went wrong, a clue as to why they didn’t come back. I’ll post this first, and open the package first thing, when I get back. And by the time the guys in the FedExplore mailroom read this, it’ll be done.
Write me soon, Tige.

It’s always good to hear from you.

Simone. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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