Not of This World

Five: Sya

I place the paintball gun up against the bathroom counter. In the mirror in front of me, my face is dirty and bloodstained. My hair is out of place, no longer in a tight knot on the back of my head. I sigh and remove the suit from my body.

That boy. . .he didn't tell those people I was here. Why? I shake my head. Silly human.

I remove the black ID tags from around my neck and place them on the counter. They're like small hard dives with all the military personnel's information on it. Most store pictures and videos on them, so while on explorations they will be able to see the faces of their families and friends. I was only able to add a few before I was sent out. Sadly, I wasn't able to graduate with the rest of my class. That's when the exploration mission was departing. I would have been able to hear what jobs my friends were assigned if I didn't have to leave.

I exhale, no longer wanting to think about the things I miss and might never see again.

***

I exit the bathroom with a white towel around me. Drops of water fall from the ends of my hair and onto the floor. My body feels exhausted and I want to sleep, but I know I can't let my guard down here. No matter how nice this boy seems, he could easily turn me over to those people at any moment. Then I might have to kill him as well.

I hear the sound of his voice from down the stairs, but it's mixed with another. I lay the paint ball gun down on the floor, knowing that I can take him down without it if something is wrong.

I walk down the stairs and the two voices become more clear. At the bottom I see the boy. He's with another. They stand near the main entrance, opposite from where I came last night.

"Look, Aaron, this really isn't a good time."

"Come on Wren, you gotta help me plan what I'm doing for my date tonight." The other boy's eyes land on me. "Damn, well now I know why you didn't want to go out with Nicole."

Wren turns around, staring at me. His eyes scan me quickly before turning back to the other boy.

"This isn't what it looks like," Wren says quickly. "She's. . .she's my cousin."

"Your cousin?" He gives Wren a weird look, his eyes turning back and forth from Wren and I. "You don't look related."

"On my dad's side."

"Oh, well that makes sense." He continues to stare at me, though this time with a creepy smile in his face.

"Dude!" Wren gives him a slight shove. "Sya, go put some clothes on please."

"I don't have any," I say.

"That's okay, you don't need any," the boy says.

"Aaron!" Wren says, sounding bothered. "Call Nicole, see if she's got anything." He then walks up to me. "I'll give you something for now."

I follow him back up the stairs, watching him closely remembering I left the paintball gun on the floor outside the bathroom. I stare at him as he passes it. I know he sees it, but he makes no move for it. Maybe he's not worried I'll do something to him while I'm practically naked. Stupid assumption. Or maybe he thinks he can trust me since I haven't done anything. Both are stupid assumptions. But all the better for me to have the advantage.

He steps back into his room and digs through the dark colored dresser opposite his bed. He pulls out a blue plaid long sleeve shirt and tosses it on the bed. Then a pair of sweat pants.

"They probably won't fit you, but it will work until we get a hold of my friend Nicole." He says.

"Thanks," I reply.

"I'll just be down stairs." He exits the room, awkwardly trying not to stare at me.

Once I hear the door close, I let the towel drop to the floor and reach for the clothes on the bed. They may be a bit big, but at least it will blend me in with everyone around me and not make me look out of place. I'm pretty sure wearing my suit will turn some heads and put more attention on me than I would like. This will at least keep those people from distinguishing me out from the other inhabitants. With these two human boys, I might actually survive.

Once I'm fully clothed, I exit the room and walk back down the stairs. I see the two boys seated in the living room, talking. Wren told this other boy we're cousins, related, family. He has no reason to cover for me; he doesn't even know me. I'm not even from this planet. He doesn't know that though. Maybe it's because he thinks I'm like him, human. Maybe that's why he's helping me. If he knew, he would have probably left me with those people. Am I lucky, or just slowly moving toward my own death? Either way I need to make the most of the time I have left. I need to find a way to get home.

"You guys ready to head out?" Aaron asks. "Nicole gave us the clear to come over."

"Yeah let's go." Wren stands.

Though, the question still remains. If things go bad with these two boys, will I be able eliminate the problem? I already killed three people, can I really kill another two?