NOW PUBLISHED!!
This is the unedited version of The Collected. You can now get the completed version with the link
In my bio!
The story of a lost boy, a fisherman's daughter, a heartless soul and a lonely mechanic lost in the stars.
The Collectors a...
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I ran forward instantly to the mother I'd saved only yesterday. Blue blood spilling from a stab wound in her side. Her crying child in her arms. She was weak, eyes closing. But there was no one here that would help.
"Max," Andrea hissed, her eyes scared, "we do not interact with other species."
"Are you serious?" Was all I had to say before calmly approaching the ape-like creature. I raised my arms, showing it I meant no harm. But it didn't seem scared, if anything, the mother relaxed.
"Please, take her." It pushed the crying child towards me. "Protect her, please, no one else will."
"No, you're going to be ok." I bent down and inspected the wound, applying pressure.
"Wait... how do you know what it said." Cosima bent down beside me, Andrea a few feet away.
"I don't know! Does it matter?" My mind raced. But there was nothing to do, no one to call. But the mother shook its head and placed her child in my arms. I held onto it tightly and quickly, it stopped crying as it stared up at me with its wide eyes. "Nicholas did this." I was angrier than ever, "the Collectors found a knife covered in blue blood under my pillow, and this is a stab wound."
Andrea gasped and stumbled backward while Cosmia took the aliens hand.
"We'll protect your child." I stood, holding the child's head to my chest. Cosima raised to her feet as well and the mother closed her eyes, knowing her child was safe.
"I'm going to kill him." I looked back just in time to see Andrea storming off, to find Nicholas no doubt.
"Let's go." Cosima touched my shoulder and I nodded. Somehow, we were never getting our chance to eat.
Eyes followed us. Confused aliens and creatures. I could hear their whispers, as clear as my own thoughts. They didn't understand us, didn't understand me. My need to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Even if I can't even protect myself.
As we walked, we did not talk. And I did not look at its large eyes staring up at me. But I could feel them. Their gaze getting under my skin. What was I thinking? What was I supposed to do? What did I expect to do? "What am I doing?" I whispered to Cosima and was met with a speechless silence. "What am I doing?"
"I don't know." She said all too quickly, "let me hold him."
"Here," I muttered silently, handing the child over. It whimpered when its skin touched hers, and cried when my hands pulled away.
"Shhh." Cosima looked down at her sadly before shaking her head and handing the child back to me. It silenced once again. "I've said it and I'll say it again, this place is awful." I simply nodded.
The yells could be heard down the hall. At least, Andrea's yells. When we walked into the room the two froze. Nicholas's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. Andrea turned her eyes to the ground. "I'll fix this." He sighed and left, shocking us all.
