IXUS

Prologue

Prologue

17 years earlier

“Dirk, hurry up!” Vera shouted. She was gripping my hand really hard as we ran. Away from the Ixus. The Ixus look like us, they talk like us, they even act like us. But they’re nothing like us.

The Ixus found our hiding place and they won’t stop until the very last of the human race is erased. I was only seven when it started and since then, we’ve been running. We’ve been running for five years.

“Dirk!” Vera shouted again. We were running in the woods. It was really dark but Vera seems to know where she’s headed. Where we’re all headed. She’s following a path the others ahead of us ran to. I was tripping and she had to practically drag me.

Vera’s a very short girl. I’m taller than her but she’s older than me by five years. She met me when she was my age and she acted like my older sister. I hoped that when I’m her age she won’t see me like that anymore.

Truth is, I love Vera more than as a sister. When my parents were taken by the Ixus, they experimented on them. I don’t know what they do with them, but afterwards, we never see them again. Vera said she swore she’ll never let anybody take me. I swore to her as well but she only laughed saying she’ll take care of me because I needed it.

I was tall for my age. Strangely. There were very few kids in our group. The human population is unknown at the moment but I do the population of our group. It is exactly thirty-three, including myself. Sadly, I only know thirty-two humans. There are kids that are around my age. Younger and older by two to three years.

Vera and I don’t have any siblings. Vera’s parents also took it upon themselves to raise me. They’re very nice people.

Suddenly I tripped and hit my head in a rock. I felt a sharp pain. I’m well aware that Vera is hauling me up in my feet, but in her tiny frame, I don’t think she can do it very well.

I look at her face, it’s distorted and blurry. She’s saying something but I can’t make out the words. She looks worried and scared. Suddenly, light came out of nowhere. I was about to pass out. Then I saw Vera’s terrified expression. She was saying something then she pushed me to the ground. I felt someone take my arm, someone was dragging me.

I turned my head to look behind me, they were cornering her. She tried to run away but they caught her. She was saying something. I couldn’t make it out. Then it was dark again.

I thought I passed out. But I was still awake. I look up at the figures that were carrying me. I can see their faces through the moon light. They were crying.

They were Vera’s parents. Vera was gone. They took her.

~o0o~

“Sir,” a voice said behind me. I turned around to see one of the scientists in charge of the project. “There seems to be a problem.”

“What seems to be the problem, Isles?” I ask him. Isles is a tall blond man with blue eyes but that is just our outer coat. Our new skin as we call it.

“One of the new captives is resisting sir. Her blood. There’s something in it. She might die if we continue the process and she won’t be of any use to us further more.”

“Hmm, that is quite a problem. Can she still conceive?”

“Sir?”

“You heard me,” I snapped. He blinked and nodded. “Very well. Continue with her and after, burn her. Wouldn’t want the remnants of whatever blood she’ll leave be of any use to the humans.”

“Yes, sir,” Isles say and turned around to leave. An idea struck me.

“Wait, hold on,” I call. He slowly turns to face me again.

“Sir?”

“Use my DNA and mix it with hers.”

“Very well, will that be all?”

“Yes, you are dismissed,” I say with a flick of my hand. He bows and heads out. I turn my head to look out at the window. I know there are still more of them. And I won’t stop until I get them all.