Sleeping

Chapter Nine

We continued walking around for a while, occasionally getting a scowl, a smile, or even an introduction. We had both been—dare I say it—flirting with one another when we ran into Ashley and Cora, the girl Ashley had met up with earlier. She had perfectly straight neon red hair and eyes and there was even a very red tint to her skin. I then learned she had come here at the age of four and was another kind of alien—a Ruby.

“The actual name for my species is unpronounceable by non-Ruby tongues—you need a special extra vocal cord to speak our language.” Cora said and proceeded to say her species name and her first name—both definitely did not sound like ruby or Cora, but I could see where they were coming from. Her language was actually spoken without opening your mouth. It was high-pitched and seemed to come from the throat.

Then she said, “At first, I didn’t even know any English—or any human language at all. The only reason they let me stay is because I was kinda sorta maybe a scared four-year-old. So Snow, I totally know where you’re coming from. And I’m a Pure, someone who is just one species—so it was even worse for me. Not saying your sitch isn’t bad or anything, because it definitely is, but you could still have it worse. But while most people are adjusted to me being here, I still get the occasional scowl or whisper when I walk by—”

“Cor, your babbling again.” Ashley said and cut Cora off.

Cora looked at her. “Was I?” she turned to me and Ashton apologetically. “Sorry—it’s a Ruby thing.”

I made a non-committal wave. “No prob. We all have our little quirks.”

She shrugged. “Yeah. And us aliens have to stick together.” I gave her a tensed smile. “Sorry. Too soon?”

I shook my head. “Just still trying to wrap my head around it.”

“That’s what I meant by ‘too soon’.” Cora smiled. “Come on. I know something that’ll cheer you up.”

“And what is that exactly?” Ashton spoke up.

“Not what. Who—Nathaniel.” Cora said and turned to me again. “He’s another Isarian—the only other one here. He can teach you about well, you.”

As we walked to meet this Nathaniel guy, I got to know everyone and the camp a little better. It’s like this place is the Island of Misfit Toys. People actually come looking for here. It’s a kind of safe haven for the different—the people who don’t fit, fit here somewhere. Now, some people are sent here to die and many do before they can find the camp. I was lucky Ashley and Ashton found me when they did—or else the Beasts would’ve gotten me.

Yeah, I finally found out what those monster things are called. When two people from different species who aren’t genetically compatible somehow conceive a baby and it lives, most of the time it comes out deformed and crazy—hence the Beasts. Sometimes they live perfectly normal lives, even though any siblings they have by the same parents might be Beasts. It’s just a weird genetic mutation. But they’re exploited and sent to places like here. Places where people can disappear—whether they like it or not.

“Okay, here’s the rec room.” Cora said when we—me, Cora, Ash, and Ash—entered an entryway. The rec room was fairly big and filled with well, stuff you would expect to find in a rec room—tables, laughing people, sports balls—it was all there. At least this place had a legit ceiling. Sort of. Cora walked up to the Isarian guy and I couldn’t help but wonder who he really was. He was like me. He was going to teach me how to be my own species.

He turned and I could see how much he reminded me of myself. I had never met someone like myself before—an Isarian. He was older than me, maybe twenty-one or twenty-two. He was paler than I was. Ashley led me over to him with Ashton in tow. “…and this is Snow.” Cora finished as we got to him. He looked vaguely familiar, but that might just be from the fact of him looking like me.