Hybrid

Time to Think

I feel my house shaking from the soldiers trying to break down the forcefield that surrounds it. It looks like a thousand soldiers are outside trying to break into my home and take me with them.

"What will they do if they get inside?"

"They'll take you back to our planet. You'll be debriefed and prepped for coronation."

"I don't have a say in this? What if I say no, I don't want to go? Maybe I just want to stay on Earth, finish high school, go to college - like other girls my age."

"That's not really an option."

"Why not?"

"You are our Queen. You can't rule from Earth. We need you on our planet."

"What if I don't want to be your Queen? I can do that right? Turn it down?"

Joe looks surprised. "Why would you turn it down? Do you want the Universe, including Earth, to be destroyed?"

"I didn't ask to be your Queen. Why can't you take over? Can't I bequeath the throne to you?"

"No, after you, the next in line to the throne is our enemy. He will destroy us."

"Who's that?"

"Your half-brother."

"I have a half-brother? And he's the enemy?"

The attacks on Joe's forcefield are getting stronger. He's looking weaker from the constant pummeling. The house shakes even more, part of the ceiling falls in on me.

"Emma, are you okay?" Joe rushes to me and helps remove the ceiling debris that knocked me down. I feel a little dizzy. I lean into Joe's arms. His entire body is shaking.

"Do you feel them attacking us?"

He grimaces. "Yes and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep it up much longer."

"Why didn't you let them take me?"

"I knew you would be afraid."

A loud sucking sound comes from above. The house moves on its foundation.

"Oh my God, they're going to tear the house apart."

"They'll do whatever it takes to get to to you. Tell me what you want to do?"

"Take me away from here. I need time to think."

"I will have to teleport us."

"Fine. Do it."

Just as he's about to take us away from the encroaching soldiers. I yell, "Wait! I need to leave my mom a note."

I grab a piece of paper and write, "Mom, I need to go away with a friend for a few days. Don't worry. I'm fine. I will call as soon as I can. I love you! Emma" I know my mom is going to freak out but I don't know how to say, I'm about to be kidnapped by a bunch of aliens who believe I'm their Queen. I'll just have to call her as soon as I can. 

I look back at Joe. "Okay, I'm ready." He takes my hands in his. They feel soft, yet strong. I hang onto his hands for dear life, digging my nails into them. Soon everything goes black.

I open my eyes and Joe is still holding my hands. We stand on the top observation deck of the Eiffel Tower. All of Paris is below us. It's the middle of the night and the lights of the city are twinkling like a million stars. The Tower is lit up like a Christmas Tree.

"You brought me to Paris?"

"Girls like Paris, right?"

I cover my mouth and laugh. "They do. They really, really do." I jump into Joe's arms. I can tell he's tentative to touch me at first. But I won't let go. He's the only person I can trust right now and knows more about who I really am than anyone else in this Universe.

He wraps his arms around me gently. They shake slightly. He starts to lean his weight on me. I pull back and look up into his eyes. He looks like he's in pain. I touch his cheek. "How are you doing?"

"I could rest." He sways a bit. I grab him and put his arm around me.

"Let's go get a room so you can lie down."

"Hold on," despite being weak, he picks me up and we fly out over the night sky. I hug his back and we fly like the wind through the buildings and over the parks and the Seine. I scream in delight.

Joe sets us down in front of a beautiful hotel. "That's much more efficient."

"I didn't know you could fly! That was amazing!" Joe looks through the building and finds an empty room. He grabs my hands and we teleport into the most beautiful room overlooking the Seine.

"Oh my God, it's breathtaking," I say. The floor to ceiling windows showcase the beauty of Paris at night.

"Befitting a Queen," he replies. He takes a seat on the settee. He leans back, obviously in pain. I was so caught up in what was happening to me, I wasn't thinking about the toll it must be taking on Joe. I sit on the edge of settee.

"Where does it hurt? What can I do?"

"I just need to sleep. My body will heal in time."

"You should take the bed."

"No." He closes his eyes.

"I insist. That is an order from your Queen."

He opens one eye to see how serious I am. He realizes I'm very serious and he climbs off the settee and he collapses on the bed.

I get a warm washcloth and I help him out of his dirty clothes. I wash his face with the washcloth and his arms, noting the slight tremor is still there. I place the covers over him and let him rest. I go to the bathroom and run the bath. I find some bath salts and pour them in. Before the water is even high enough, I sit inside the tub and let it fill around me. I lean back and take in everything that happened that day - probably the longest day in my entire life - certainly the most eventful first day of senior year.