Tumia

Not Wanted

Class went on for about an hour as Dr. Evans explained what would be happening over the next two weeks. We'd attend classes with the Kratens and learn about each other, aiming to show the chief that harmony could be achieved.

During the break, everyone headed outside. The Kratens stared at us, and we sat isolated from them. The others weren't used to this treatment, but it didn't bother me much.

"These creatures are rude, just as Father said," Halle whispered as we sat in a circle.

"I want to go back to base. They don't seem to be fans of us," Michelle added, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Did you expect them to greet us with flowers?" I questioned.

Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. "No, but they could treat us better, Thalia," Michelle snapped before turning to Halle.

"They think they're better than us, but who's really in power?" Chris added.

Rolling my eyes at their ignorance, I stood up and went inside to get water. Hanging around them wasn't the same as it used to be. They were becoming their parents—military patriots.

As I poured water into my cup, it was suddenly slapped out of my hand, accompanied by giggling. I looked up to see the same guy from earlier, flanked by two others and a girl.

"Polah tik yoful nofom," he smirked, speaking to his friends.

(What a tiny human.)

I picked up the cup, ignoring them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you humans only understand English," he cooed, stepping in front of me as I tried to leave.

"Do you need something?" I asked, noticing the huge scar on his cheek.

The man was tall and wore similar attire to the other Kratens—cloths around their waists with no shirts. The women had beads or longer cloths to cover their breasts, but the men were typically shirtless.

"Yes, actually. You and your friends should head back to your planet," he spat angrily.

The rest of them circled me, towering over my body. I wouldn't lie if I said I wasn't afraid; they held so much hate in their eyes.

"I'm not in control—"

"No, but your father is," the girl cut me off.

How did they know my father?

She gripped my arm, digging her nails into my skin. Breathing deeply, it took everything in me not to punch her.

"Your people have done enough here! This stupid school is another ploy to destroy our land," she shouted, adding more pressure to my arm.

The three guys smirked as I started to feel pain. Her nails were extremely sharp, digging deep into my skin.

"Get off," I yelled, grabbing her arm. We glared at each other as the others gathered around, waiting for my next move.

"Or what?" she taunted, squeezing harder until blood started to spill from my arm.

We stared into each other's eyes, waiting for someone to make a move. My arm had gone numb, but I wasn't backing down.

"You'll—"

"Eldreth! Kibok yul," a loud voice shouted, making everyone turn. A tall man approached us with an angry look.

(Eldreth, let her go.)

Eldreth released my arm and bowed her head, stepping back quickly. I grabbed my bleeding arm, letting out the breath I'd been holding.

"Lorik umok," she apologized.

(Sorry, brother.)

They made space for him as he stood in front of me. I made eye contact and got lost in his grey eyes. I hadn't noticed him in the room earlier. Was he a student? He was taller than the rest and had markings all over his face that continued down his neck. He wore a low-cut tank.

"Otak inume jitak ilu," he spoke quietly.

(Leave us and head home.)

The four of them rushed out, closing the door behind them. The Kraten reached out to touch my shoulder, looking at me with a sad expression.

"Thank you," I said, getting lost in his grey eyes. Unlike the other Kratens, who had similar blue eyes, his were different.

"I don't need your thanks, human," he said, ripping off part of his shirt to use as a bandage.

His chest was on full display, mesmerizing with the same markings. He wrapped the cloth around my arm, tying it tight to stop the bleeding. I was so lost in his eyes that the pain faded.

"I could have let my sister rip your arm off, but that would have caused a war," he said, smiling slightly.

I didn't find it funny. The Kratens clearly didn't welcome us, and perhaps my father was right. This one felt different, though; he didn't harbor the same hatred as his peers.

"What is your name?" I asked, curious.

He smiled warmly but started to walk away. I grabbed his arm before he could leave.

"I asked a question. It's common decency to answer," I whispered.

He laughed, gently removing my hand from his arm.

"I don't need to give my name to a human. I didn't help you out of mercy; it was to protect my people," he said.

"Well I'm Thalia-" I began but soon became speechless as he left the room mid sentence. Looking down at my arm, I touched the cloth, thinking over everything. To think I thought he was nice. It seemed all the Kratens hated us, and the idea of peace was naive.

Walking back outside, everyone was still seated in a circle. Eldreth and her friends watched me like hawks as I sat down. I made no eye contact with them, wanting the day to end.

"Thalia, what happened?" Ava semi-yelled, grabbing my wounded arm and inspecting the makeshift bandage.

"Did those freaks attack you?" Michelle asked frantically.

"I'm alright," I pleaded, but the group wasn't convinced.

Ava looked worried, but I reassured her I was fine. We continued to sit outside, and I tried to spot the man who had helped me. Was he a student?

I noticed the Kratens starting to leave the field and head towards the woods. I guessed their classes were over. Watching them disappear into the forest, Dr. Evans came outside, asking us to come back inside.

Everyone walked ahead while I lingered, staring at the forest.

"Thalia, are you okay?" Dr. Evans asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, peachy," I said, forcing a smile and walking inside.

I needed to clear my head. I had so many questions but didn't know whom to ask. Though my father said the Kratens weren't to be trusted, I found them oddly fascinating. Despite the bad first interaction, it intrigued me.

"I hope you guys enjoyed today! I know it'll be hard to adjust, but I believe in you all," she encouraged.

We finished early, and once we got back to our quarters, I rushed to my room to process everything. From Eldreth stopping me in the water room to meeting Vorian, things were becoming odd.

Everything we learned on Earth failed to mention how much the Kratens hated us. They made it seem as if they were open to harmony, but it's clear that's not the case. I didn't know much about what's been going on in the past five years, but I could tell there were secrets the military was keeping.