Unnatural Instinct: Abduction

15.

You wake to a bright room. With a groan, you squint and roll over, mashing your face into the pillow. It's late and you need to get ready for work. It takes you several moments before you remember that you're very far from home.

Sitting up with a gasp, you look around quickly but the bed is empty. So is the room. Where's he gone? You look down at your breasts, heat rising in your cheeks. What had gotten into you last night? You touch your nipples. It's almost as though you can still feel his hard chest pressed up against them. It's been a long time since you've had a boyfriend, since you've known love. Other than your mother's, of course. But that doesn't count.

And you suddenly realise why you did what you did. You had sworn off men after your break-up with Mathew. That was two years ago. And ever since then you thought yourself content; you thought yourself whole. But going by what you did last night, you're no such thing. You're lonely. Desperately lonely.

And you didn't even know it.

Sliding from the bed, you reach into his closet and pull out another suit. A pink one. It's strange to think a man would wear such a thing, but of course he's no man. On his planet it's very likely that the colour might even be considered masculine.

A curious thought.

You lift your nose and turn at a mouth-watering smell. A meal has been left on the kitchen bench. At the sight of it, your chest fills with warmth. Wherever he is, he hasn't forgotten about you.

You eat, and afterwards you stare at the door. You know it's his expectation that you'll stay in the room, assuming your fear will keep you away from the rest of his ship. But he doesn't count on your need to see him again. You glance at your hand. You've since washed it and the blue tinge has faded away.

Taking a breath, you walk out the room. The corridor is thankfully empty. From what you've seen it's not a particularly big ship. Not that you have anything to compare it with. It's a simple thing to find your way. Right leads to the eating area. Left leads to his laboratory and beyond.

You take the left. There's nothing to see but shining lights and metal walls until two aliens cross your path. Keeping your eyes fixed ahead, you do your best to ignore them, your heart thudding the whole time. They take no notice of you. Releasing a breath, you leave them far behind.

Then you reach a window; one that stretches along the length of the wall. You pause to look through it—and see the laboratory. You rest your hand against the glass, your heart thudding madly. There are the three benches. The middle one—your bench—is empty. Your skin prickles as you recall all that had happened to you. The fear, the horror—it had been so real.

The light above is dim, the metal bench below cleaned and polished. Then you see him. You walk further down the viewing window to watch him more closely. He's standing by the first bench where the squid-creature is lying. He's dressed in his suit and shield, his white hair sticking out in a ponytail. Three of the smaller grey aliens are assisting him. He's holding an instrument. It looks awful, like a large drill.

You clutch at your throat. Despite how terrifying the squid-creature might seem, it doesn't deserve such treatment. You know too much of its terror.

'No!' You slam your fists against the window but nobody reacts; nobody hears you. So you race to the door. It whooshes open as you rush inside. 'Stop! What are you doing!'

The white-haired alien turns. You wince at the awful sound the 'drill' is making; it seems to thunder around the room. Switching it off, he lifts his face shield. His clear blue eyes are wide. 'What are you doing here?'

His assistants make their way towards you.

'No!' you shout as they reach out their twitching, grasping fingers. They pause. 'After all that's happened, how can you still do this? Have you no soul? Have you no empathy?'

You force yourself to get close to the dreadful squid-creature. Taking care to avoid its tentacles, you stand between it and the white-haired alien, spreading out your arms, blocking any further 'research'.

He stands frozen, his eyes like chips of ice.

'A great man once worried that our species' technology would surpass our humanity,' you explain. 'He was right about a lot of things. Clearly, going by what I see of your species, he was wise to be worried.'

Einstein. Are you really quoting Einstein to a super-intelligent alien?

Swallowing down your fear, you turn to look at the squid-creature. Its terrified eyes stare up at you.

You rest your hand on its 'shoulder'. 'You're going to be all right.' You look back at the so-called scientist. 'Tell him it's going to be all right.' You nod at the third platform across the room. You don't yet know what kind of creature rests upon it and you don't want to. 'Tell him too.'

He remains frozen, his jaw tight. You jerk back when the cool, sticky fingers of one of the 'greys' suddenly seize your wrist.

'Leave her,' he commands.

Immediately, they draw away.

He puts down the drill, then pulls of his gloves and face shield. 'Wait for me outside,' he says.

The corridor is empty. You don't know what he's doing but you can safely assume he's sterilising himself off before he leaves the laboratory. Nervous, you hold yourself. The greys are back in the room tending to the two prostrate aliens. You shiver at the thought of their long, prodding fingers.

Soon, the white-haired alien steps through a second door. He's changed into another suit and is looking a little pink from the steam bath. He gazes at you, his lips pursed into a stern frown, his perfect forehead furrowed.

Holding yourself more tightly, you lower your eyes. What a stupid thing to do. You should think of yourself before anyone or anything else. You need to get home!

'I know you're angry at me,' you say.

It sounds so feeble. Apologise! It might just save your life! But you can't do it. The thought of that squid-creature's terror clamps your lips shut.

'I'm not angry.'

You look up. Gone is his stern look; instead, he's staring at you in wonder. You swallow, pushing your back into the wall as he approaches you. You drop your gaze again, your skin prickling as he looms over you

The corridor remains empty. The ship's lights glow against the green of his new suit. A little gasp escapes your lips as he lifts your chin and lowers his mouth to yours.