Invincible

Chapter 2 - Seventeen

There was broken glass scattered across the kitchen floor. At first, I thought it may be from a dropped glass, but then I saw the window. Shattered directly in the centre pane, too clean to be a burglar. What else could it be, though? Maybe a kid throwing a ball? No, it can't be that because I would see said ball on the floor or table.

I carefully walk across the kitchen and arm myself with a knife. Not much use against an intruder with a proper weapon, but better than nothing. I swing myself onto the countertop and wait. I hear footsteps down the hallway. More than one person, big, tall and heavy. I listen as they get closer, and mentally decide if I should run or not.

Too late. The three intruders walk into the kitchen. I know now that the knife in my hand will do nothing against them, so I put it down and wait for them to notice me. They're tall, muscular and very dangerous. First generation, I think, swinging my legs slightly.

Finally, one turns around and sees me. The goggles covering its eyes light up and flash green.

"Slide the knife away from you." It holds its gun up, the dangerous end pointed at me. I know if I don't comply with them, the lasers will fire, and I'll wake up in a prison cell.

I slide the knife, so it clatters to the floor. For good measure, I check nothing else considered a weapon is on the bench beside me.

"You'll be coming with us, number 0831. Please come easily and peacefully. We will take you to our ship, where you will receive an explanation and bid your family goodbye." The second Luvah speaks, voice slightly static from bad connection to his translator.

I push myself forward, and land on the ground with a thump. My hands are tied by coils of electric blue smart-rope and my body checked for hidden weapons.

By the time we make it outside, all the kids and locals have come to stare at the Luvah, their ship, and me. My friends all watch, tears rolling down their faces. They knew that the probability of me being selected was high, so they knew it was coming.

I can't even wave goodbye as I'm loaded onto the ship, and placed into one of many glass cages. My hands are untied, and my mother and grandmother are let in.

"Oh, thank the stars, Crynn. I thought you'd been caught across the border when they came," Mother cups my face and kisses my forehead. She strokes my face, gazing at me as if to memorise it.

"How is this any better?" Grandmother grumbles, thwacking her walking cane on the ground. She turns to glare at the three Luvah, and they tremble under it. Even strong as they are, they respect elders.

"Is there anyone else she needs to say farewell to?" The first Luvah speaks, rough and low. Some first gen have learnt our language, or at least English.

"No." My mother says, stepping back and grabbing Grandmother's arm. She squeezes it and Grandmother taps her shin with her cane.

"We must leave, Crynn, before your mother decides to do something reckless. We love you." Grandmother leads my mother out, with my best friend helping her. They all turn around, and I sign, 'I love you.'

The Luvah shut the ship up, but before take-off, one comes over to me. He studies me with his goggles, trying to figure something out.

"You don't talk."

I nod, feeling the absence of my voice harder than ever. Talking was never my favourite thing, and over the years I just stopped. My mother thinks that my father leaving caused too much trauma and I became mute from that.

"When we get there, you will receive a device. You can use it to communicate with us. It will have English and Luvah programmed into it already."

I sign my thanks and smile. He nods and walks to his seat. Together, the three start the ship and begin to prepare for take-off. Gadgets buzz and lights flicker. Then the boosters kick in. They're very loud, and make sounds similar to war tanks.

I'm almost thrown to the floor as the ship rises. To avoid falling, I sit. There are no handles, or anything to hold on to. I cross my legs and brace my hand against the floor. The ship shakes some more, but less violently this time.

A loose part rolls from the front of the ship to the back. The Luvah are talking in their language now, probably to their commanders. They aren't talking to each other, so that's the only option.

"We have to pick up one more." The nicest Luvah yells back, without using his translator.

This could take a while. The other person could be in what remains of South America, while we have just left the Oceania area. To distract myself, I think about the Luvah and their ways.

Naturally tall and lean, with long limbs. Pale, almost white skin. Some of the Second generation have these coloured lines that seem to be random. One thing every Luvah has in common, the ability to sense danger. Like Spider-Man, they have superfast reflexes.

I don't want to think about my future. Sold off to be owned by some military general who wants a second generation son. Or the worse option. Having my body sold to those desperate for pleasure. I shudder and hope that the small movement wasn't caught by the Luvah's high-tech goggles.

*

We land again sooner than expected. Two of the Luvah leave, the nice one stays with me. As if I could escape from the zoo cage of a cell.

I watch as he picks up the thing that was rolling around the ship and shoves it in a drawer. Shorter than the Second generation, but still taller than most human males. My mother said they stand around seven feet tall, while the second generation are about seven foot five. Not taller than the tallest human ever, although some have gotten close.

The other two Luvah return, dragging a boy. He looks like he's been beaten. Bruises can be seen on his arms, his face. A cut on his left cheek surrounded by dried blood. Did the Luvah do this to him?

"Can you look after him while we fly?" One of the Luvah holding him up asks. I nod, and they deposit the boy into my cell.

He groans as he hits the ground, and another strangled sound escapes him when his head bangs into the glass wall. I move his head onto my lap and try to keep both of us still as the ship continues its messy take-off.