Above, us, in the dark shadows of the outer solar system, there is the shape of something unknown, something unspeakable. It waits, it bides its time, and as the days of summer grow longer, so does its voice grow louder.<br><br>On the quiet island of Sarah Ann in the Pacific Ocean, home of the renowned Firmament Foundation, awkward teenager Eirian Calohan has come in search of the mystery of their father's recent demise. Instead, they are confronted with the stark contrast between languid life on the tiny island and an unspeakable cosmic horror.<br><br>Together with their new friends, they set out to unravel the truth surrounding the death of their father and to also uncover just what it is that the Foundation has reached out to in the dark eternal night of the distant void.

All Cats Are Beautiful

Eirian drew a sharp breath, but before they could say anything, Mauve had recovered, balled her fist and pulled her arm back, and popped Poppy right in the face, knocking her to the ground with a split lip.


“Everyone knows about your daddy issues, Poppy Labyrinth,” the older girl shouted fiercely, “maybe if you weren’t so stuck up all the time, people would have more sympathy for you.”


She drew a deep, ragged breath, and then turned to Eirian.


“You should definitely keep better company, new kid, your new girlfriend’s not worth the hassle.”


Without a further word, she turned and strode off, Alaina following quietly behind her. In the dust and the dirt, Poppy cried quietly as she raised a hand to her wounded lip.


The screen afforded her more information than she really desired, a lengthy explanation of the process, and how that process had fatally failed. She did not need such details, after all, she had volunteered him for the test run.


Chapter 17