Starfire

Scene 8: Jennifer

Koriand'r didn't have a watch, so she soon lost track of time altogether. How long had it been since the dark-skinned had left? Was he talking to other people about the punishment he had planned for her? How much longer was she to wait for him?

More than once, she had considered just flying out of the building and going somewhere else. The only reason she refrained from taking that option was what the man had said, that she would need help if she was going to survive here. He may not have said she would die, but the way he spoke implied that was possible if Koriand'r left on her own.

Could she trust this man, a man she only just met and knew nothing about? Koriand'r hadn't had the luxury of trust, not since her years as her sister's slave. Was it possible for her to find trust now, after feeling so lost and damaged for so long? Could she recover from her experiences.

Suddenly the door opened and the dark-skinned man returned. When he made eye contact with Koriand'r his face broke into a grin. "Good news, for you, honey. You're coming with me."

Koriand'r felt confused. The man seemed to be in a pleased mood. That had to mean he had reached his decision on her punishment. If he was smiling so broadly, it had to be some terrible form of torture.

"Please, I am confused, sir. Where are you taking me? This is part of your plan of punishment for me?"

The man only laughed again. "It's okay, girl. I was exaggerating when I said punishment. I'm not actually going to hurt you."

Koriand'r merely felt more confused. What was exaggeration? Could it be some form of mental torture? The man said he wasn't going to hurt her. Did he mean he wouldn't hurt her at all?

"You still have not answered one of my questions," Koriand'r pointed out. "Where are you taking me."

The man pulled something out of his pocket. Looking more closely, Koriand'r saw they were small pieces of metal on a small round chain. Raising his hand, the man replied, "You're going to be staying at my house. I'll explain more when we get there, and after you've met the rest of my family. Now come on, we're late for dinner.

***

Dad was late getting home, which Jennifer was not surprised about. Not that she was resentful. She was just simply used to him arriving later than he said he would.

After he had hung up on her, Jennifer wondered what was holding him up now. He hadn't said much in his call, so it had to be serious. She hoped that Lexi wasn't being no more impossible than she already was. Whatever was going on back at the studio, Lexi was probably involved.

By the time she heard her dad's car pull up in the driveway, dinner was ready. Looking out the window, Jennifer was half expecting her dad to be accompanied by somebody.

The person she saw getting out of the shotgun seat, however, was not Lexi. The girl looked absolutely nothing like her. She had long red and curly hair that went all they way down to her feet. Her eyes were green and her skin was a bright yellowish orange tan color. The clothes she was wearing looked like an intricate one-piece purple bathing suit. though they still revealed much of her midriff.

"Who is this?" Jennifer asked curiously as soon as her dad let the strange girl into the house. "Where did you find her, Dad?"

After hanging up his coat, her father grinned. Jennifer knew that grin all too well. It meant her father had a new crazy idea up his sleeve. "Big news, Jenny. Lexi's been in an accident and can't compete in the upcoming elimination series."

Her father's tone surprised Jennifer. He didn't sound upset like she thought he would be. On the contrary, he sounded quite cheerful about something. Whatever it was, it had something to do with the girl.