KYLIE
All Kylie wanted to do was take her motherâs hand, but the manâthe ~alien~âholding her kept a tight grip on her arm. Where were they taking them? What were they going to do with them?
She briefly contemplated digging in her heels and dragging her weight against him. However, when she saw one of the women up ahead attempt the same thing, only to end up swung over the manâs shoulder, she reconsidered.
Kylie stared at the womanâs long dark hair. She wasnât Malay. None of the women were. They had been abducted from all around the world.
She looked over at her mother. Her mother seemed calm, though when she met Kylieâs gaze, her face screwed up with grief. Kylie knew that she was worried about her. It made the tears itch behind Kylieâs eyes.
She quickly turned away before her mother could see. The last thing she wanted was to make her more upset.
They turned a corner and came upon a corridor of doors. There was high-pitched screaming when a woman was pulled into one of them, the door snapping shut behind her. Moments later, the alien stepped back out and walked back the way heâd come.
Kylie watched him. He was looking directly ahead. Like the others, he was tall and broad. Somehow his face didnât look right. She couldnât pinpoint what exactly. But it didnât look ~quite~ human.
Too broad and strong, too masculine, almost tooâ¦perfect. She couldnât stop looking at those eyes. Those yellow, predatory eyes. He glanced her way, and Kylie lowered her head.
The further they walked, the more women were pulled into these rooms. Some were screaming. Others were quietly crying. The rest were silent, like Kylie and her mother.
Then it was her motherâs turn.
âNo!â Kylie cried.
Kylie tried to wrench out of her captorâs grip, but he simply yanked her into his chest. He was gripping both her arms now, holding her close as her mother was pulled away. The two women locked eyes.
âLove you,â her mother said.
âNo! We go together!â But the door snapped shut behind her.
She glared up at the alien holding her. âLet me go!â
Now she was no longer quiet as she kicked and yanked and thrashed around. She screamed and yelled.
Tightening his grip on her arms, the alien merely thrust her on ahead to another door not far from her motherâs. Kylie glanced back down toward her motherâs doorâbut it remained shut tight. At least it wasnât far. At least she was close.
The door slid open. Inside, she glimpsed a big bed, a large window, and what looked like a small kitchen. The alien kneed the back of her legs, trying to push her inside. Wrenching free one of her arms, she grabbed onto the doorframe.
But he simply picked her up from the hips with his astonishing strength and hauled her inside. The door slid shut behind them.
Once inside, he released her.
Kylie turned and took a wary step back as her eyes darted around the room. âWhat are you going to do? What is this? Why am I here?â
He said nothing, his yellow eyes gleaming into hers before turning and leaving the room.
Kylie raced toward the door, but it was shut tight. There was no handle and no lock that she could see. She turned to face the room, gripping at her hair. It was quiet, and she was alone.
Holding herself, her heart humming in her chest, she dared to wander around. Maybe there was another way to get out. But even if she could get out, what was she going to do? She was in space!
She felt a shot of terror as she stared through the window. Where was Earth? All she saw were twinkling stars. She continued wandering around. There were lots of buttons, lots of blinking lights. But otherwise, there wasnât much to see.
She jumped back when another door slid open, revealing what might be a bathroom. She ducked her head in, then back out again.
Next, she turned to the little âkitchenette.â There were screens and buttons above a bench that held a plate with a cloche on top. She hesitated a moment before reaching out to lift up the cloche. Cool air escaped, revealing something icy, the sight of which made her tongue tingle. She could smell something fruity.
Putting back the cloche, she next saw three cylinders filled to the top with a blue liquid. Again, her tongue tingled. She felt an ache in her throat. It was hot in here. She rolled her shoulders. The back of her neck felt itchy with sweat. Why was it so hot?
She pulled off her cardigan. The heat was becoming unbearable, and she was growing hotter by the moment.
Shaking out her shirt, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and laid it over her shoulder. It was even becoming difficult to breathe.
Then she rememberedâthe bathroom! Water!
She hurried over. The door whooshed open. She tried all the buttons she could find, but there was no water. Did they even use water here? She needed to cool down. Sweat was trickling between her breasts.
Continuing to air out her shirt, she went back over to the kitchenette. The ache in her throat was intensifying. The blue cylinders looked ~so~ good. But what were they? They didnât look like water. Leaning over, she sniffed. They smelled nice. They smelled sweet.
She picked up the first cylinder. Despite the heat in the room, it somehow felt cool in her hand. It made it that much harder to resist. She stared at it. What if it was some kind of poison? It might smell sweet, but petrol smelled good too; it didnât mean you should smell itâor drink it!
It looked like a cup, and it was near something that looked like food. It had to be okay.
She was so ~damn~ thirsty. So thirsty her eyes felt hot in her head. She yanked at the neckline of her shirt. Finally, she pressed her lips to the rim and took a sip. It slid down her throat a little thick. She waited. It wasnât water, but it tasted good, and it eased the burn in her throat. It reminded her of thickened cordial.
She drank it all down. She put it back, smacking her lips as she eyed the second one. It wasnât enough. She was still thirsty. Moments later, the second one was gone.
Feeling better, she stepped toward the cloche and lifted the lid again. Instead of eating it, she picked up a handful of the icy substance and pressed it to the back of her neck with a sigh.
Was it her imagination or did it seem to be getting hotter and hotter? She stared at the third cylinder. What was stopping her? Sheâd already drunk the other two. She picked up the third, only to jump back when it slipped through her sweaty fingers and smashed upon the floor. The blue stuff went everywhere.
Kylie stepped back nervously and looked toward the door. She darted her eyes around the room. The icy âfoodâ sheâd rubbed into the back of her neck was dripping down the back of her shirt.
It felt good.
She turned at the sound of the door opening. Her eyes widened.
In filed the same alien as before, his yellow eyes piercing, his black braids flowing down his huge shoulders.
He looked down at the smashed cylinder. Lines appeared around his eyes and mouth.
She backed away. âIâm sorry. IâI dropped it.â
He marched toward her. âWhat are you going to do?â