The Odyssey of Scylla

Chapter 4

The metal table beneath me sent shivers across my skin. I didn't even have to open my eyes to know that there were bright lights overhead. I tried to lift my hand to shield my eyes but couldn't; they were strapped down. I tugged at my restraints, trying to free myself. Blinking against the lights, I looked around and found I didn't recognize the room. Straps were holding down my body, and I knew I was in danger.

"What's going on? Let me go!" I pulled against the restraints again.

"We have orders to keep you down here. Well, more than that, we're supposed to split you." I knew that voice; I'd only heard it once before this, but it left an impression knowing how terrible she was at her job.

"Snake, let me go! Hokuto and Death will come looking for me. You don't want to stand between them."

Snake came into view, holding a knife in her hands. "No, we cut your transmitter out. So they won't find you. So orders are, split you and jettison your corpse."

Split? What was splitting?

Snake ran the knife over my arm. "You seem confused. Splitting is this amazing thing they use for spies. They put their consciousness into another body. We're going to do that but use a body designed to die immediately. Serpent wanted to keep you for himself, but Chariot said no."

A quilled hand smacked Snake across the back of the head. "Stop talking about our boss's plans."

"Come off it, E-scale. She's going to die when we put her in the little one." Snake reached up and pulled one of the lights close to my body.

E-scale walked to the other side of the table, and for the first time, I noticed the little body lying next to me. It looked like a Kukunda but deformed. Its body was stunted, and tentacles were too long.

"You can't do this! You're making a horrible mistake." I started fighting against the restraints again.

"Orders are orders. We get ahead and don't have to worry about you standing in our way. Or making Death's brothers look bad."

"Enough, Snake. Let's split her and do what we need to do."

Snake tapped me with the knife again. "Bye, little songbird."

The light against my body intensified, and I could feel myself being pulled, and I screamed.

---

The room around me was a very light grey but not in a threatening way. I sat on the table and waited for whatever happened after a human was taken from Earth by aliens.

After what felt like an eternity, a human-looking creature came into the room. The most noticeable differences were that he had a tail, long limbs, and red eyes.

He snapped his fingers. I shook my head. He moved closer and snapped them closer to my face, and I pushed them away. He shook his head. He snapped his fingers next to my shoulders, and I finally understood what he was trying to do.

"My ears, auditory receptors are here." I pointed at my ears.

He grabbed two tiny black screws from the table he shrugged his shoulders. Then, before I could react, he grabbed me and slammed me onto the table; it winded me. He pushed the screws in the bones behind my ears, and I screamed.

"...easy." The word started as a screech but changed to a voice.

"There, that should be better. Can you hear me?"

The alien let me up, and I held my ears for a moment. "It hurts."

"The pain will pass. We do this to everyone, so they can understand all. Hard to explain when you can't understand me." He stepped away and picked up another piece of black material. "This is an atmospheric regulator; it will allow you to breathe anywhere we go. But I must implant it into your airway. It is even more irritating than the translators."

"Do I have to be awake?"

"Unfortunately, you do. You'll get used to it over time. I'll give you a moment to ready yourself."

"What's your name?"

"I'm Dr. Traverse. I am Death's primary physician and scientist. I care for his entire squad, which now includes you..."

"My name is Scylla. Scylla Ariti."

"Scylla. It's a beautiful name, but how about we help you breathe."

---

I woke up screaming but the sound coming from my mouth wasn't my voice. It was broken and watery. I reached for my throat and mouth, but my arms weren't long enough. I looked down and cried out. I knew who I was, but this wasn't my body. This wasn't my body, and I didn't know what to do.