A Texas girl finds herself admiring a light in the sky only to find out it is indeed an alien, which transports her to another time long long ago in Africa and pairs her with a Neanderthal population in hopes that her descendants will populate Nort...
Curiosity overpowered her fears of the unexpected as she watched the scenes of her new life unfold before her. Julie saw a man looking oddly petrified, much as she had been. He walked about looking behind bushes as if expecting to be attacked.
His name is Riangi, said the voice Julie called Taso.
Clickety, clickety, went the static noise now smoothly rolling like the sound of Oceans waves beating on the sands. Julie looked carefully at the images before her and found it difficult to see.
I can't make him out, she said, he ain't clear. She was curious about the sight she saw. He looked physically fit. Much more so than Clevis with his pot belly.
But Julie didn't have to wait too long for a clearer view because she suddenly found herself on the ground, out of the aliens' ship from Orius 15 and presumably on Earth, but when?
The morning sky resembled lapis lazuli, its deep blue color still marked with the evening stars like specks of pyrite. The air smelled of pine, like the smell of her home desert, sagebrush, and pinion. A barely noticeable breeze brought with it the sound of rustling leaves and trickling water. There was no more clicking noises, no more floating in a white room, no more Taso. Her feet stood firmly on the ground by an ancient riverbed carved out of the landscape, much like the rivers of Texas. It had receded to a tiny stream at the bottom of a five-foot gully.
The stream wound through the landscape in an oxbow and drew her eyes to a tree unlike any she had seen in Texas. This tree looked dry and tortured as if the earth - out of which it was born - had drained it of everything it could give, yet it had a beauty all its own and spread mightily out over the bare patch of ground. It called to her and offered sanctuary. She walked towards it.
The dry air was filled with the sound of buzzing.
As she neared the tree the sound grew, and out of the side of the dried riverbed, she saw a huge nest of honeybees in a constant swarm.
I hate bees, she said aloud. Behind her, she heard a rustling in the shrubbery and turned to see a naked man squatting. He hid behind a large bush thick with ripe figs, its pale green leaves like gloved hands offering their red berries for the taking.
Riangi, she said aloud surprising even herself as much as she surprised him. He said nothing in reply. He looked at Julie with uncertainty in his eyes. She thought he might pass for one or two men she had dated in the past.
Shit, she said. Now what?
She smiled thinking it might help ease him, and draw him out. Riangi smiled back and stepped out from behind the fig.
So, this is what y'all looked like? She examined him as he walked nearer. She saw him taking her in as well. His eyes weren't those of some witless caveman. She saw in them more awareness than her half-stoned boyfriend Clevis, clear and alert, light in color, almost a greenish brown. Hazel, she said aloud, with some chestnut. His eyes left her eyes and began searching down her body. She blushed even though they were both naked.
Riangi, she said. He looked at her eyes and she pointed to herself and said, Julie.
Riangi sat down, his buttocks resting on the ground; his feet planted in front, and his arms wrapped around his knees. Julie did the same and they sat like this for a long while. They said nothing. Riangi caressed her with his eyes. Then they both stood, and he reached out to touch her. She backed up repeated her name, and pointed again to herself. Then she called his name and pointed to him.
Julie, she said again, trying to communicate.
Jugee, he said. And he pointed to her. And then pointing to himself, Riangi. He spoke in a deep smooth, rolling baritone, almost guttural voice.
Again, he went to touch her and this time she didn't resist. But she would kick his balls in if he tried anything funny. His hands gently caressed her hair. He leaned close and sniffed. He winced. He looked into her eyes, and she held his gaze and slowly he lowered his eyes, and she lowered hers. She could feel his breath against her cheek. Her eyes found his genitals and she smiled. He noticed her reaction and he became suddenly erect.
Wow, aren't we a big fellow, she said directly to his penis. Still, she didn't want to give this man any ideas, despite what the Orion's expected of her.
Riangi, he said pointing to himself.
Yeah, that's right you Riangi, me Jane.
She wondered what differences there were between him and her. What made him not human, one step away from being human? It seemed unlikely.
Riangi took hold of Julie's hand and pulled her away from the tree, and toward the forest. She jerked her hand out of his and stopped. I can make it on my own, thank you.
Come, he said and started walking expecting her to follow. She found she could no longer understand him as she had on board the ship. When he had gone fifty feet across the old riverbed and stood at the edge of the tree line he stopped and waited. Julie shrugged her shoulders and said, What the hell? and followed. They walked for about five minutes. She held on to his calloused broad hand. It reminded her of her father's hands and how they felt after years of hard work on the ranch.
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The next Chapter will be available Friday August 30
