The Unaffected

➠3.1

----PART 3----

EXPLORATION

the next morning I wake up, and head out of my room, quietly so as not to wake Ella or Katelyn. Our rooms are deep underground. You have to go through what looks like a store cupboard, which leads to a staircase, and then two hallways in going opposite directions. Our rooms are in the hallway to the left, and in that hallway, there are five rooms. The boys' is the second last one, ours is the last.

It's an amazing house. If I could ever get a house, I'd want to model it like this. It's so exciting, finding new hallways to go through. There seems to be a hundred different routes to every room. And I've only been here overnight.

I walk down the hallway and see John coming out of his room. "How'd you sleep?" he asks politely.

"I slept alright, but I had a weird dream," I reply. "Although I forget what it was about, I just remember it being weird. Isn't that odd?"

He nods, and laughs. "I have that sometimes."

Then I remember to ask him how he slept, as well. I think that's how you're supposed to be polite... I wouldn't know. But why does it matter? Gah. We're running from aliens who are trying to take over our planet. I suppose politeness isn't the top priority right now.

"I slept badly," he admits. "Matt snores."

I laugh, and pat him on the back. "You'll get used to it."

We head upstairs together. "Isn't this place freaky?" John asks.

"I love it!" I say. "It's so cool. I want a house like this."

"Smaller on the outside," he says. "Not my thing."

I laugh. "It's amazing."

We walk into the eating room, where Nick is already seated and talking to the aliens. In the middle of a mat, which they are sitting around, is plates of what I assume is food, although it looks odd. I sit next to Nick, with John on my other side.

"Ah, my conspiracy buddy!" Nick says.

I laugh. "What evil schemes should we plot next?"

He grins and goes back to talking to the aliens. John leans over to me and mutters, "Do you think we can eat any of this stuff?"

"I don't really know... probably, since they've put it out for us?"

He looks unconvinced. "I'll just ask."

He does that. Hamlet looks up and nods. "Yes, it's all edible to you. We've made sure of that. Help yourself."

There's a stack of plates in the middle of the mat, so I take on for myself and for John, and then put some mushy yellow thing on my plate. Then I take a little bowl thing that I see Calphurnia drinking out of. Then I take a beaker of clear liquid (it must be water) and pour it into the bowl/cup.

I take a sip, and try not to spit it out. It tastes like vinegar. Nick watches me, and laughs. "Scar, that's sauce for the thing on your plate."

"Oh." I grin, and pour it on to my plate. "What do I drink, then?"

He hands me another beaker, and pours its contents into my glass. It's thick and bright green.

"What is that?" I mutter.

"It's fruit juice. Water's only for dinner here."

"That's odd."

"Not really. Their counterpart rituals are weirder."

"Really?" I ask, changing my position on the floor. It isn't very uncomfortable, but I never sit still.

"Yes. They have to spit into each other's mouths." He talks quietly, as do I. I don't want to offend them by being confused at their daily life, and I suppose he feels the same.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because it symbolizes the fact that they'll do anything for each other."

I laugh quietly. "I suppose that makes sense. But remind me to never get married on this planet."

"Not even to me? We should do it before either of us is hurt too badly," Nick says, winking.

I burst out laughing. "Okay, then."

"Is it really that ridiculous?" he asks.

"Yes."

"Oh. Okay, then." He looks sad.

I pat his back, and then go back to my questionable nutrition source.

The juice tastes sweet and spicy and very cold. It gives me a bit of a headache. The mushy thing actual tastes good, especially with the vinegar thing. I suppose I could become accustomed to this stuff.

Although in both lives, I'm on the run from aliens. I wonder if I'll ever be rid of them.

a/n

sorry this took so long, I've had an exhausting week lol.