Where the Flowers Don't Bloom

Chapter 1

Very peculiar, Kellen thought as his eyes flickered open. It was the only thing he could muster to think. His head hurt like all hell, and he was completely disoriented. He didn't know how he got there or what his life was like before, he just knew had a past. It was vaguely there, noiseless and invisible in the back of his mind.

It was very dark, and even with his eyes adjusted, he could barely make out his surroundings. He glanced around the room, finding it to be perfectly square, and completely gray, walls barren. He felt panic beginning to burn within him to be in a completely bare enclosure, fearfully looking around until he noticed in front of him was a strange door, nearly the same shade of gray as everything else.

He stumbled to his feet, wavering back and forth like his legs were gelatin. He fell sideways, smacking into the wall to his right. He swore under his breath, regaining the little balance he had. He took a step towards the door with ease, but the next step was painful, and he staggered back into the wall. His right ankle- something was wrong.

He reached for the door. Finding no knob or handle, he pressed his hand against it. It was smooth and cold, and despite no light in the room to gleam off of it, it had to be some sort of metal, he was sure of it. He moved in front of the door carefully, making sure to lean on his left foot, keeping one hand against the wall at all to keep from falling. He felt around the door for a button or pad or switch. He wanted for anything that may help, whether it added light to his surroundings or opened the door. Finding nothing, he simply banged against the door hoping that someone heard him and came to help.

He heard heavy thumping behind the door minutes later, as if someone came running. The door slid open, and instead of the blinding light he was expecting, Kellen was hit with a dull light only slightly brighter than the one he was in. Before him stood what appeared to be another man, except they were seven feet tall and white as a sheet. Kellen took an apprehensive step back, hissing when a shot of pain ran through his ankle. The thing tilted its head to the side as it watched him. "You are awakening so soon, Kellen-boy," they told him finally.

"You know my name," he replied dumbly.

"Of course I do," They explained, gesturing to themself proudly, "I did researching on you before actioning my plan!"

"Actioning your- What?"

"I am apologizing. Your dialect is strange," the creature sighed, "I am trying. I want communication with you." The creature turned away, back towards where they came from. They commanded, "You should be following."

"Wait. Before I do that, what are you?"

The creature was silent. "I am Xarian, and am having the name Bara. I am thinking there's word for it in your dialect- I forget."

"You forgot?" Kellen asked suspiciously, before deciding suspicion didn't matter. He was here, and this was his way out, and that wouldn't change. "Well, it's nice to meet you, I suppose," Kellen greeted half-heartedly.

"Yes, I am feeling that also," Bara agreed, "I am welcoming you to Xaria." They began walking down the hall, and Kellen followed as commanded.

"Thank you," Kellen said, sounding less than grateful, "Where is Xaria?"

"Oh, I am thinking that the name of our galaxy is having no translation."

"Your galaxy?" Kellen paused a moment to think. "Is the word you forgot alien?"

"Yes! Yes!" Bara cheered, grinning, "I am alien! That is the word!"

"And how did I get to your galaxy?"

"Oh, that process. I am apologizing. I did no realizing that bringing you to Xaria might-" They trailed off.

Kellen side eyed them nervously, accidentally weighing on his right ankle. He shifted back onto his left, clenching his teeth. "Might what?" he asked, trying not to sound pained.

"I am having difficulty saying it with your dialect," Bara explained, "In the past, you are sleeping for the trip, and then sleeping more on Xaria, with three rotations of the central star and the moon. After your sleeping, your memories are disappearing. I am having no thoughts of how!"

"So that's why my head hurts so much."

"You are hurting?" Bara asked, "You should be telling me of everything hurting!"

"Oh, um. My ankle hurts too. It's hard to stand on it."

"In the past, you are running a small amount and are doing some falling. That is why?"

Kellen nodded, "Yeah, that could be why."

"I am hoping I am capable of fixing you," they told him, "Your appearance is similar to mine, but Xarian technology is appearing to be harmful to you."

"Yeah..." Kellen sighed, "I'd like it I didn't get anymore hurt."

"In the future, I am fixing you," they promised.

Kellen smiled at them. "Thank you!"

"I am helping you. In the future, you are helping me?"

Kellen paused in confusion, staring blankly at them. He pieced the request together in his mind. I'm helping you. Will you help me? "Oh. Sounds fair, so I don't see why not," Kellen agreed, "What do you want help with?"

"Please be understanding. I am trying to say these things good. You humans are so good at good things. You are resilient. You are good at withstanding droughts and famines and plagues. You are good at bringing up things and keeping them alive," Bara explained, "Xarians are good at these things also, but humans are even better."

"I still don't know what you want me to do," Kellen told them.

"Xaria is dying," they continued, "In the future, you are fixing it?"

Kellen blinked. "You want me to fix a dying planet?" he asked, "Alone?"

"I am helping."

"Anyone else?"

Bara paused. "I am having no understanding of your statement. I am apologizing."

"It's okay, English is a hard language," Kellen replied, "I meant, while you and I are fixing the planet, are there more Xarians to help us?"

Bara shook their head. "The others did leaving a leap ago. They are cowards! In the future, I am fixing Xaria, and they are returning in shame!"

Kellen looked from Bara to the ground, then back again. "Bara, I don't think it's possible. Maybe if we had a team and a lot of luck we could, but just the two of us it's going to be impossible!"

Bara scowled at Kellen, which took him aback. "If you are no helping for me," they growled, "I am no helping for you."

Kellen weighed his options. He could either stay here and be injured, helpless, and alone, or he could stay here and be healed, have a companion, and spend the rest of his life attempting to complete an impossible task. "Alright, I'll help you."

Bara smiled. "I am thanking you, Kellen-boy!" they exclaimed, "All of Xaria is thanking you also!"

"Where do we even start?"

"We are starting by helping you."

"Oh. Thanks!"

"You are no needing to be thanking me," Bara brushed him off, "In the future, you are no helping Xaria if you are damaged. Now, you should be following me." With that, Bara continued down the hall and into a room branching off of it. Kellen followed as commanded.