Anith: Beyond Space

07

A few weeks passed by without incident. They settled into a routine: he would do what he had to do, hunt at night.

And on weekends, at night, they would go to the empty room, and she would dance, and he would watch.

Roxanne stood as he came in the door. He smiled, dropping some cured meat off the table.

"Night time, Roxanne," he greeted her.

"Evening," she corrected him as always.

He shrugged. "I like Night time better. I got meat, and your favorite vegetables, corn. I'm gonna roast it-"

"Hey, didn't you say you had to leave a few weeks ago?" She asked.

He nodded, kissing her head. "I did. But then I didn't."

"Well let's go," she whispered up at him.

He cocked his head. "Go...go where?"

"To Iohiri."

"Why? I thought you wanted to stay? Not to mention your friend wouldn't be there for years. And, you are picky, remember. You may not like Iohiran food-"

"Anith," she grabbed his hand. "I wanna go now."

He narrowed his eyes. "Did something happen?"

She shifted. "Nothing happened...I just need to get off this rock is all. Let's go to Iohiri. Show the beautiful stars like you always tell me about."

He narrowed his eyes. "Roxanne, I am concerned about you. But if you truly wish to leave earth right now, I will go."

"Yes let's go, let's go right now-"

"I will have to fuel the ship. It takes about two weeks-"

She groaned. "Shit! I thought you were an alien! Aren't aliens supposed to be able to warp, or something?!"

He frowned. "Organic matter cannot go through warp gates without being terminated."

"Shit! We need to go now! I need-"

Anith sighed, taking her hand. "Roxanne if you truly need to get away-"

"FBI-come out with your hands up-"

Anith looked up. "FBI? Is that...who is that? Uh...I remember the research...federal bureau of investigation. Perhaps they are mistaken-"

Anith turned around to answer the door. She grabbed his hand.

"They're not," she said quietly.

He frowned, as they began breaking the door down.

He picked Roxanne up, and tossed her over his shoulder, sprinting out of the back door. He was fast.

Inhuman.

"You'll want to close your mouth," he advised.

Roxanne closed her eyes and her mouth, as the house she'd come to love faded in the background.

She sighed, as he slowly came to a stop. "We're a few miles away," he set her down, looking around.

"What have you done," He asked, "That your government has come to apprehend you?"

She shook her head. "I just want to leave-"

"I want to know what you did! You're a good person, Roxanne. Tell me...they're wrong. That they're unjust. That what you did was for a good reason." He asked persistently, trying to catch her eyes.

"It was," she whispered.

He let his hand rest on her head. "Okay. I believe you. So we have two options. We can flee to Iohiri. Or I can just-"

Roxanne collapsed on the ground, groaning. "I can't believe this happened. I can't believe they tracked me."

"Well the housing technically was government funded," he shrugged, "it tracks that they could find you on a government server."

Roxanne opened one eye. "Are you a caveman or are you an alien tech whiz?"

"I think you're trying to stuff me in a category based on what you've seen in movies," Anith remarked.

"I'm a representative," Anith said, taking her hands. "I can speak with them. I know you want to go home," he picked her up.

"No, no," she balled her fist, punching his back. "Just take me away from here, you promised!"

Angry tears spilled from her eyes despite herself. "Hey, are you listening!"

He pulled her back, holding her above the ground, as she wiped her nose.

"Man, what the hell? Why are you handling me like this?"

He blinked. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"Just my pride," she grumbled.

He sighed, setting her down. "Roxanne...you would be the only human in Iohiri. There are no stores. No one looks like you or speaks like you. No one watches the TV, or dances the way you do. You would be alone. Please. Wait, until more humans arrive."

She wiped her face. "I would have you though, right?"

He sighed. "Yes. But I have much work. And there is no corn, on Iohiri. Or...the Popeyes, or the Way of the Sub. Our skies don't even look the same. I just think...it is imperative for humans to socialize with people like them. We are not like you. You will be sad."

Roxanna stomped her feet. "I will not!"

He cocked his head in silence, just raising his brow.

"I...I want to leave earth," she insisted.

He smiled sadly, touching her face. "You want to leave Earth, Roxanne. But you don't really want to go to Iohiri. There's a difference."