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The sun was barely halfway up the sky. Anneyn could think of nothing better to do than stand at the low wall outside the observatory and stare into the distance.
This was not good. It was in fact, very, very bad.
Ordinarily, new life forms fascinated her, but now not even the millions of little red ladybugs that carpeted the bases of the nearest trees attracted her interest. Some of the trees and plants had signs identifying them, but she just leaned on the wall and stared into the distance and thought about that discourteous Harcroft. What was the matter with him?
A voice behind her startled her out of her gloom.
"Hellooo, Darcy! Did you talk to Dr. Harcroft?"
It was her recent rescuer, pushing a cart with several cans on it towards a large steel box.
"Oh, hi, Mrs. Delbosque. Yes, I talked to him. But he didn't want to hear what I had to say. I think I have wasted my time."
"Oooh, I'm sorry. That’s too bad! Pobrecita.” Poor thing. “You look so sad. What you going to do now?"
"I don’t know."
"Were you walking from the campsite? Were you with your family?"
"No, ma'am. I am alone."
"Well, where do you live?"
"Uh, a long way from here." Thinking quickly, she added "I hitchhiked to get here, but I don't know where to go now. I must have been stupid to come so far."
"Ay, pobre little 'cita! To think a little girl like you hitchhiking! Que molestia!” So dangerous! “And no place to go? Do you have any food?"
"No, ma’am, I don't," she sighed.
She hadn't planned that far ahead. She never dreamed it would be necessary. She had no money or clothes or anything. In retrospect, it was foolish to have expected needing more than an hour or two to convince an expert of the danger to the earth.
I'm in serious trouble. I can't get off this planet, I can't convince that idiot astronomer of the threat to his world, and I have nowhere to go. I don't even know what to do in the next ten minutes. What was I thinking?
"Well, maybe I can help you a little, anyway. Why don't I drive you to my house for lunch, and you can stay for supper and sleep on it? We have room for you, and tomorrow you can decide what you want to do. Why not?"
The generosity of the proposal, unexpected as it was, startled her.
"Oh, Mrs. Delbosque, that would be wonderful! Thank you so much! I'm so tired!"
"Ay, mija,” daughter. “It will be my pleasure. Let me empty these cans and I'll get my keys and we'll vamonos prontito!" We’ll get going.
