The Secrets Among Us

TSAU Ch.47

|Audree|

After a long walk to the pod we finally haul the body out of the box and toss it into Braylon's U.V. chamber inside a makeshift shack behind the pod. It looks to be made with wooden scrap and dozens of U.V. lamps webbed into the walls.

"Okay...that should do it rig-"

I get cut off by an aggressive hiss in the air. I look to my left and see the alien's corpse practically boiling.

I turn away from the grody sight and see Braylon is barely keeping a straight face. He bites his lip and his eyes are shaky. I lay a hand on his shoulder and try to give him a comforting look.

"Never would I have imagined I'd be here...when I led Nia and I to that orphanage." Braylon says in a shaky growl.

"Hey, you couldn't have known. You were young and was just just trying to do the right thing."

"Maybe. But I could have stayed...I just left her, Audree. I was all she had left and I foolishly deluded myself into thinking this was the only way. Now I am putting you and this whole planet in danger all because I am a shitty brother!"

Braylon's arm enlarges and he effortlessly punches off a chunk of a nearby tree.

I choke on my words. I don't know what to say.

The silence lingers for a while until Braylon speaks.

"I will be alright Audree. I just...I'm ready for this to be over." He forces on a smile.

I give him one last look of concern before he takes himself into the pod.

I pull out my phone and see notifications for 10 missed calls from Ace. I press the callback button and it picks up in one ring.

"Are you okay!?" Ace shouts.

"Hey, I'm fine. I'm sorry I scared you." I let out a sigh as I sit on a rock near the pod.

"Audree, what the fuck happened back there?"

"I–it's kind of hard to explain. You probably won't believe it."

"Try me."

I let out a deep breath and unpack all the events that led me to this point. Tears fall from my eyes and for a brief moment I feel light. I hadn't realized how much I had been carrying with me that I hadn't processed.

Ace is silent on her end, but after a few more minutes of silence, she speaks.

"I mean, I have heard some more crazy shit than that so, I kinda believe it." Ace states. "Can I help in any way? I mean the fate of the world is kinda at stake."

I let out a sigh and run a hand down my face.

"If anything comes up and I need you, I'll let you know."

Lies. I'm not gonna let her risk her life like that. I can't afford to get anymore people involved, shit is getting too real and I can be the reason for someone's death. I couldn't live with myself.

"Bullshit. I can tell you don't mean that but it's cool. My friend Romana knows a guy that can loan me a piece fo dem ET lookin ass motha fuckas."

I chuckle and Ace joins with me.

"You know what? I actually do need you for something."

"What?"

"I just need a day. One day where I can do what day one Audree saw herself doing before all of this craziness: Get drunk and party like any normal college girl."

"You do realize that, that is media's forced perception of college life and in fact about a handful of students here are actually living that life."

"Don't kill my moment Ace! I was onto something...*ahem* I would like to ask you out to a romantic night out in the city of sin."

Ace chuckles in disbelief.

"Are you serious?"

"Oh I am deadly serious! I need this, just one night where I can forget it all and experience just a semblance of normalcy. C'mon it'll be fun. I will invite my friends Zahaire and Braylon–oh, and we can have a double date!"

"So your just gonna trauma dump me with all the events from the start of this year and tell me basically the world is ending any day now...and you want to go to Vegas?"

"Yes."

Ace lets out a deep breath.

"What the hell, okay."

"Yes! Ohmygod you are not going to regret this Ace!"

I hang up and I don't think I have ever smiled harder in my life. I walk up to the pod and knock on the hatchet entrance.

A few seconds later Braylon lowers the entrance door and I walk in, making my way to the seat beside him.

"So. Tomorrow. Me. You. Zahaire. One night to ease our minds from all of the stress we've been going through."

"Are you suggesting we party Audree?"

"Yeeeeesss...and no? Look, I know the circumstances right now makes my suggestion a bit tone deaf but we deserve this Braylon."

I reach for his hands, and grip them tight.

"We've been at it for months...one alien threat to another, keeping tabs on Iphegenia's whereabouts, on top of trying to cover everything up and appear to be living normal day to day life."

"Audree...I don't know–it all feels pointless. We'll still be facing imminent doom."

"Hey, I know I sound like I'm asking but I am actually telling you. We are going to do this, or so help me God I will hold you at U.V. gunpoint the entire time we are in Vegas."

Braylon lets out a low growl.

"Fine. Seeing as you clearly threatened my life, I guess I have no choice."

"Thanks Baywee! We're all gonna be bringing plus ones so call up that beefcake Shfralif guy. I saw the way you looked at him."

I wink at him and Braylon instinctively hides his hands even though he is still in human form.

I hug Braylon and wish him a good night before I head back to my dorm texting Zahaire, and telling Delilah about tomorrow's plans.