Hidden Abnormality

25. Receiving Answers

Chapter Twenty-Five

  "Where is the Ozzoma planet?"

  12z shrugged. "I'm not sure."

  "How are you not sure? Can't you speak to them?"

  "No. There was only one time I spoke to an Ozzoma. It was the one currently with me. I have not spoken to one since."

  So I was right about her not being able to talk with them. "With you? How do you mean?"

  She waved her hand in the air flippantly. "Iom said that they would be in a hibernating state in my blood. They explained a lot before they disappeared and I could feel them moving inside my veins."

  "Iom?"

  "Yes. The Ozzoma in my veins."

  I paced the small room. "So what did Iom explain?" This was all beyond me. I was paid enough for the possibility of having to deal with situations like these, but I still felt underpaid for having to have a conversation that will have people asking me what they should do next.

  "I was little when Iom met me. I was sitting outside, playing in the mud, when this figure about my height walked up to me. It was getting late; it was probably around eight-thirty. The light seemed to be bouncing around this person as if they were a night light emitting a soft glow. I was a sucker for weird things, so I let them sit beside me in the mud.

  "They sat down and offered me anything I wished for if they could take shelter in my bloodstream in return. Iom said that my wish would come true when we leave for their planet. Being a little kid, I agreed. I told them my wish and held open my arms for them.

  "Instead of taking advantage of my kindness, Iom stayed a little longer to explain what I was getting myself into. They explained that they didn't know when the time would come for us to leave, but that I would have to leave with them. Because the Ozzoma has been watching over Earth for some time, Iom granted me abilities humans don't have to evade capture. You wouldn't want your host's brain to be split apart by government doctors while you're sleeping in their blood."

  I had stopped pacing to look her in the eyes as she spoke. If she had abilities that humans didn't, then why hasn't she used them before? Why escape now?

  "Did it hurt when Iom entered your veins?" I asked.

  12z nodded. "It felt like they were stretching beyond repair and I couldn't feel my hands for a week."

  That did sound painful. "So you're leaving soon? How do you know?"

  "My wish is becoming true. And so will every other person's wish who has an Ozzoma in their blood."

  "What? How many are there?" Was there an army of blue people milling about in the outside world? How would they have not been noticed by now?

  She raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like I know every Ozzoma? I've been here for a good portion of my life. The Ozzoma can't reproduce as fast as humans. They're taking select people to bring back to their planet to make sure their species don't die out."

  I stared at her. "What?" I couldn't comprehend this. How often did they do this? How large was their population? Would they all leave their planet to take more of us to their planet? What if they took more than just the people they had control over?

  "I can't answer any more questions. We have to leave." She turned to leave me alone.

  "But I haven't even scratched the surface!" I called, stepping toward her.