Not the End of Us.

Others

She was standing in front of him, and suddenly two guys came from behind her, guys of 18 years or so, older than him, but the two of them had spikes on their backs, just like Ben. He wasn't the only one anymore, How many of them were? How? Questions were flooding his mind.

-Ben: Who are you?

-Diane: I'm Diane.. those two are Marco and Jasper.

The two guys went directly to the last skitter alive, the skitter Ben had throw away.

-Ben: How..

-Diane: We've heard about you Ben. Ben Mason right? Red Eye is looking for you.

-Ben: How do you know about him?

-Diane: Are you serious? I thought the spikes gave me away.

Diane gave her back to Ben and started walking to a truck, Ben was so shocked he never heard it. He notice the two guys, Marco and Jasper, they were putting the skitter, still alive but tied in the back of the truck, they were doing it like they have been doing it for years, capturing skitters. He spotted another guy, he looked the same age as them, and had the same spikes they all had.

-Ben: Your spikes..

-Diane: Oh yes, we are like you, and i'm telling you, we heard all about you and your family.

Everyone got on the truck, it was a military truck, everything on this group was weird and was blowing Ben's mind.

-Diane: You're coming?

-Ben: I can't.

-Diane: Sure? You might need some help on that search. We know Ben, we know the Red Eye plan against you.

Ben stared at her, and even if he didn't want to waste more time, he needed answers, not only about the red eye plan, but about this group of people that were like him, and knew everything about him.

*****

They arrived to an abandoned building, they were installed on the parking lot that was underground, when they entered, the place was lit with blue light and some christmas lights as well; Ben noticed the place didn't have any adults. They were all children, teenagers, no one was older that 21, some of them had spikes some of them didn't, boys and girls from different places, races, colors were in there. They were a lot, not as much as the old camp Ben used to be, but it seemed like they were enjoying every little second, no one was scared, some of them were laughing, some of them were drinking beer, it seemed like there was no rules, and this was just as similar as some resistance.

There was also some music playing, it wasn't loud, but it kept the silence away, they were hiding but it seemed like they wanted to be seen.

Ben followed Diane and the rest, he somehow noticed they might be the leaders, while they were walking and making they way through the people, everyone was waving and saying hi to them, and of course, everyone was staring at Ben, the new one.

Diane took Ben to a separated room, it was more quite and lonely, it was like her room/office.

-Diane: Welcome to camp! We call ourselves the others, we are not man or women, we are just..

-Ben: You're children.

Diane laughed.

-Diane: I guess you could say that. Most of them were captured by them, the skitters, some have spikes, some felt they needed to join us, some weren't captured, they were just trying to survive, others just found us to join the fun.

-Ben: The fun? What is this? A resistance?

-Diane: We are so much more than that, don't you see? They came after us, the young ones, adults feel they know what is like but no. They took our parents, they took our freedom. They did something to us, something not everyone understands, the ones who feel that way, lost, empty, broken, angry... they all come here. We are this family against Skitters specially, and we have this to not feel that way, to have fun against the ones who used us as toys, puppets.

-Ben: So you are all against the red eye?

-Diane: Yeah, but we have been told that one is yours.

-Ben: How do you know things about me?

-Diane: Well, it's a long story but, we've been connected to them, the new ones know more.. all information comes to me, and there was this name , your name. 'Find Ben Mason' Words from the red eye.

-Ben: But why? Why only me?

-Diane: Well, i don't know, we learn that the aliens have something against some families, yours is one them, they are keeping the heads of the families on a farm, some of them have run away to this.... "paradise place". Have you heard of it? It's creepy.

-Ben: Paradise? Nothings makes sense, not even this place.

-Diane: Don't worry, it will. You will find refuge and fun here.

-Ben: I'm not staying. I have to find someone.

-Diane: Oh yeah, we also heard that.

-Ben: Do you know where she is?

-Diane: She? Damn, we didn't know it was a she, we heard he took something from you to make you angry, to prove you his point. Someone. It was all part of a Plan, he was attacking your camp while his worm was taking that person to him.

-Ben: Diane, please, i can't stay, i need to find her.

-Diane: Oh i know you do, i just don't know where they are. But.. there's this way we get information, we always do.

-Ben: How?

-Diane: You'll see tonight.

-Ben: Tonight?! No, i can't..

-Diane: Oh Gosh chill, it's a tradition here, i can't break that, he won't kill her today, you still have time. Besides, it will give you time to learn about this place, perhaps you.. can join us later?

Ben didn't answer, he just put his look down, worrying about wasting time, but if that was the only way, if they had answers, he was willing to wait.

-Diane: Go out, explore camp, i see you tonight around the disco ball.

Diane lead Ben outside her room, and he stared at this bizarre place, at the people, at how calm they were, like they were so certain the aliens were already defeated. There was no other option than to wait, he wasn't calmer, but he was just going to look around to think through everything he have just heard.