Earth to Emma

The Pipes

The faces reflected the tiny light like beacons in the dark. A patchwork of different metals made up their faces. Copper lips, grey cheeks, dull foreheads. I cringed when my gaze fell on their eyes.

Human eyes.

Well, mostly. One of them had a ruby embedded in their eye socket. A kaleidoscope of colors spun back at me, questioning what I was doing there.

"Hi?" I managed to choke out, slowly inching away.

"Is that a human?"

"No, no, can't be."

"Sure looks like one."

"I 'eard they all died out. Ya know. Extinct."

"Right, right. Then what's one doing 'ere?"

They bantered back and forth until I couldn't tell who was speaking and who was nodding along. Their pointed teeth gleamed in the light.

I cleared my throat, pushing a lock of hair away from my face. "What are you?"

"I believe the correct term is who. W-h-o," the face with Both Eyes spelled. "And we could ask the same of you."

"I'm a—" I thought for a second, my gaze darting back and forth between the faces. "Human?"

"Look, not even the thing itself knows," One Eye chuckled, though it came out as more of a rusty cough.

"We're the Pipers. We do all the maintenance 'round here."

"And you, little missy, are gettin' in our way."

Gulping, I grabbed onto another pipe, hoping it wasn't somebody's arm. Or leg. Or whatever other appendages these 'pipers' might have.

"Well, I guess I'll just be leaving now." A nervous laugh escaped my throat as I pulled myself to my feet. Shifting my weight, I felt along the wall, trying to find the door. The Pipers watched with vacant expressions.

"Is it gettin' away?"

"I think it's tryin' to leave."

"Well that's awful rude."

"Do you think it's a resistance worker?"

I paused my blind search.

"Well it's gotta be. It's a human, isn' it? Be a crime if it wasn't doin' resistance work."

"Morally speaking, of course."

"Morally speaking."

"The resistance?" I cut in before they could ramble on about any more morals.

The Pipers regarded me, as if they had forgotten I was there. I still couldn't tell what the faces were attached too, and quite frankly, I didn't want to know.

"Surely you've 'eard," One Eye snorted, his ruby sparkling condescendingly.

"Save the humans," the other drawled. "Down with the Mound. The usual rallying battle cries to save you lot."

"Save us? From what? And what's this mound everyone's been talking about?" I tried to hold back the rest of my questions, biting my thumbnail raw.

"So it really doesn't know?"

"We'll I'll be—"

A deafening boom thundered through the room and their faces flickered. Thick darkness enveloped me before the dim light flared into existence again.

"The generator must be up an' runnin' again. That'll be our cue to leave."

"Wait, you can't just leave! I need to know what's going on in this place." My nails were practically in pieces.

"Listen 'ere," One Eye said, casting a glance towards his companion. "When you're ready to talk, go to the Hull, take twenty six bolts, and say the Pipers sent you. That'll show you everything you need to see."

"Well, it was okay talking to you," grimaced Both Eyes.

"Average time, I'd say." One Eyes nodded along.

"Wouldn't do it again, but an interesting experience all the same."

"My favorite part was its face." One Eye grinned. "Sure can pull some funny expressions."

Their banter faded, as did the light, and soon all that was left was me and the gloom. A shiver wracked my body, and I hugged myself, sinking into a crouch on the floor.

I had no idea where the door was, and all I could do was blink into the black until my eyes watered and spots crowded my vision.

I'd never felt more alone.

............

I must've drifted off, because the next thing I knew the door slid open behind me, and I sprawled across the floor. Opening my eyes, I saw Zig and Kio above me, panting like they just ran a marathon.

"Guess who!" Zig did a pathetic attempt at jazz hands, giving a pained grin.

Groaning, I closed my eyes, soaking up the hallway's florescent lights.

"Come on, up and at 'em." Two tentacles latched themselves to my wrists, and I was hauled to a sitting position. "I didn't run all the way down here just to have you die on us."

"I can't feel my knees," Kio wheezed from above me.

"I can't believe you guys locked me away! Do you know how creepy it is in there?" I fumed. Standing up, I steadied myself against the wall, glaring at them.

"We missed you too." Zig patted my head, as if I were an upset cat. "It was quite the crazy drill. Kaz-Fes showed up straight from the showers, poor guy was dripping wet."

I squinted at them, really looking at the two aliens for the first time. One was blue, the other more green, but both had the same humanish face and long tentacles for arms. Something so human and yet so different. I was suddenly hit by such a strong wave of home sickness, I crossed my arms across my chest, leaning against the wall. All I wanted to do was go home, back to my arm chair and thick warm blanket and pathetic ham sandwich.

"Are you alright?" Kio stared into my eyes, and at that moment I knew I had to get home. By any means necessary.

"What's the Mound? And the Hull? And who are the resistance workers?"

"Slow down there, Human," Zig chuckled nervously. Now that I thought about it, I didn't even think he knew my name.

"No, I won't slow down! Will someone please just tell me what's going on?"

"I've read about this in our textbook," Kio held a tentacle out in front of me and pushed Zig behind him, as if I were a wild animal. "I think she's hungry. Do we have any chips back at the dorm?"

I tightened my hands into fists, my shredded nails digging into my palms. Breath in, and out. I'd worked in customer service before. I can handle a few ornery aliens. Plus, two years as an RA? This would be a breeze.

"If you don't start answering my questions right now, I'm going to turn you in." I poked my finger at Zig, and he shrunk behind Kio even further.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Yes I would. But you wouldn't know that, would you, considering how much attention you pay in class."

The color drained out of both the aliens' faces as they took a step back, and I smirked triumphantly.

"I think it's time we had a little chat," a low voice rumbled from behind me. I froze, pivoting slowly. A third alien, deep purple and towering, glared at the two behind me. "It seems to me you two have found yourself quite the living, breathing, specimen."

..............