The Core

Encounter

Chapter 11

I suddenly take in a quick breath and hold it, looking around the room for somewhere- anywhere to hide. I don’t know who they are, but I have a strange feeling they aren’t a welcoming committee. I let the breath out.  I start pacing the room, then look outside at the men who are still making their way over here. Could they have seen me already? Maybe, they are nice. Maybe the ship landed in Arabia or something in the middle of the desert. That would explain everything. This is what I try to persuade myself. I start to think that I actually believed this theory, until I realised that I was still looking for a hiding place. I guess my mind knows that something isn’t right. After taking one last look at the group marching over here and seeing that they are extremely close, I decide to follow my conscience and hide in a pile of metal that has some space in it for me to fit in, hidden.

I realise that I have hidden just in time when I begin to hear footsteps and metal clashing somewhere close in the shuttle. Or what’s left of it. I silently move my torso and position myself to look through a gap in the bottom of the metal. I can’t see anyone. I release a sigh of relief before realising that I had relaxed too soon as I see someone’s ankles through my peek hole. My body tenses and I hold my breath again, fearing that I will give myself away. Behind his, I see 3 more pairs of feet, all wearing the same brown leather sandals. They walk half way to the room then stop, facing the bed. CRAP! It must be the only bed in here that is made perfectly, looks recently slept in and has my supplies near it. STUPID KAYLA! I think to myself. Damn it! It is too late when I realise that I said “Damn it!” in a quiet whisper. I’m hoping to myself that they didn’t hear. That it was too quiet. That I didn’t give myself away. But all of these hopes are crushed when the first one that came in turn to face my direction. I can hear and see his footsteps nearing towards me and I’m sure they can hear my heart beating too.

Almost in a flash, the metal guarding me is flung off and I am revealed. A shriek escapes my lips. I look up to find his gaze as he menacingly smiles down at me, his 3 friends behind him, all looking delighted to have discovered me. I look back at the man infront of me. He has black long hair that reaches a little lower than his shoulders and tanned skin. He is wearing no shirt like the others so I can see the scars and cuts on his chest and arms. He is extremely tall, much taller than me. His arms are thick with muscles. I notice his machete last. He says something I can’t understand, but it sounds like a mixture of Latin and Spanish. However, I hear his voice is low and husky. When I look at him incomprehensively, the smile on his face grows.

“So you don’t speak Europan. You can’t be one of us. Who are you and where are you from?” He says, this time I understand him perfectly. I don’t answer and he stands there waiting. I know he’s waiting for me to reply.

“I’m in Europe?” I ask sitting upright and tucking my knees into my chest. I keep telling myself to have confidence. I look him in the eye. These men can’t just kill me so I shouldn’t fear them or assume things. Though I do wonder what the machete is for. He begins to laugh and I begin to wonder what was so funny.

“No, not European. Europan,”  He says, his laughter fading. “But I think you knew that already, little girl,” his evil smile turns more into a smirk and he says the last part. I swallow.

“No I didn’t and I’m 23,” I say, my anxiety taking the better of me as I stare at the ground after I said it.

“In Earth years…” he says. Shocked by his words I shoot a look of confusion and fear at him. He nods towards me and the guys behind him stride towards me. Two of them grab me on a shoulder each and pull me up while the other one ties my hands behind my back. I struggle at first but I see it’s no use; these guys are just as strong as first one. The husky voiced one slowly walks towards me, his smile completely gone and an expression of anger taking its place. He comes so close to me, I have to look up a long way to make eye contact. I can feel his breath on my forehead.