Alienated

THREE

My breath hitches in my throat, and I look at her. No fucking way.

The doorbell rings suddenly, both our heads snap towards the door. I can hear someone talking, a light male voice but I can't pin what he's saying. The door to the inside opens and that's when we see him. I was expecting someone younger, crazier looking. He looks to be mid-twenties, tall, handsome.

I wonder what he knows about aliens. Does he know more than me? Or is he just a publicity stunt like Randy Riddler? I'll have to question him when I get the chance.

"Damn Aster, you alien geeks are hot!" She's practically drooling when he walks by. He glances our way and we hurry and act like were organizing the magazines on the coffee table. I peak up one last time as he enters Dr. Rodent's office.

Dr. Rodent is our "therapist." He flirts more than he councils. I don't go to him voluntarily but he likes to call me in from time to time to "talk." He's the stereotypical creep. Who also happens to have several degrees in Psychology.

I shake the thought away as the door he just entered closes. I look to LaToia.

"I gotta talk to him."

She nods, seeming to be lost in thought. I get up, make my way around the table before slowly creeping to the door he just entered. I peak through the window and instantly see Dr. Rodents sittin' in his rolling chair, his fingers folded together as he's talking to Hero. Hero's head is still down but I can tell he's listening, a nod here and there.

I put my fingertips on the door to steady myself, but it doesn't work. Before I know it I'm face down on the ground inside Dr. Rodents office. Somewhere I'd rather never be in again if it were up to me. My heart beat is unsteady and I'm helped up off the ground by large, rough, recognizable hands. I shrug them off of me and stand a few feet away, dusting off my clothes. I'm cornered and it doesn't help my heart beat any slower.

"I'm sorry Doc, I didn't mean to intrude, I was just trying to get a better view of our new patient..." I say slowly, peeking over his shoulder to get another look.

Dr. Rodent laughs and puts his hand on the small of my back again. "It's okay sweetheart, you're just a curious little thing aren't you? Come sit by our new patient, Hero Di'Blanca. We were actually just talking about you." Why would they be talking about me? Oh...

He doesn't look up as I quietly sit beside him. Dr. Rodent lights one of his signature cigars and sits in front of us. The room is barely lit, only one lamp on his desk illuminating the area. The old photographs on his wall are eery, the dim light making the faces in them seem disfigured.

"Di'Blanca? As in Andy Di'Blanca? I question. Dr. Rodent chuckles and nods. Andy Di'Blanca is my Poppa's boss, but I didn't know he had a son. "I didn't know he had a son, why are you here?"

Hero looks at me and for the first time I finally get a good look at him. I eternally gasp. His eyes are a beautiful shade of green and his lips are plumptious. The words that come out of his mouth next raise goosebumps all up and down me.

"I believe you know why." I gulp and look to Dr. Rodent. His smile is ugly and his cigar smoke almost makes me gag.

"Mr. Blackburn here believes he saw someone kidnap his sist-"

"I don't believe, I know I saw something not human take her! I wouldn't just make something like this up!" I can instantly tell the man is distressed. I narrow my eyes at Dr. Rodent while an ugly smirk grows on his face. He pleasures himself with others pain and it's wrong. "All I want to do is be there to find my sister."

"And in time your sister will be found. Along with all the other helpless little girls out there missing."

Hero then lunges out of his seat and grabs Dr. Rodent by his collar, making me stand up in complete shock. Do I do something? I mean I would love for Dr. Rodent to get what he deserves by getting beat to a pulp but do I want Hero getting in this much trouble on his first day here? I don't necessarily have to do anything, I don't even know this man but I haven't even gotten any of the juicy stuff out of him yet. I grab Hero by the back of his shirt and scream at him to get off. It doesn't do much help.

"Now listen here you cock sucker, me and Aster's-" Woah I didn't know we were on a first name basis here. "-younger sisters are out there dying for all we know and you wanna lock the only ones who want to help away? That's bullshit!" I grab onto his shoulder this time and yank hard enough for him to face me. His eyes are wild and the green has darkened. I'm frozen for a second before I continue in a harsh tone.

"Now you listen to me. We may not be in the best place right now but we have to work with what we got. How the fuck is getting put in the box on your very first day gonna help anyone? That's right, it isnt. So you gotta keep it together if you want me to help you." I think that was the best damn advice I could give to stall a complete stranger from beating the livin' hell out of someone who definitely deserves it. But help him with what precisely? I couldn't tell you but I can tell he knows what I mean when I say it. He looks at me for a moment longer, then let's go of Dr. Rodents collar. We both eye him as he eyes us back. He doesn't trust us, but no fucks are given. We don't trust him either.

"You didn't have to do that Aster, I had it under control." He says in a higher pitch than usual. No the hell he didn't. After he fixes his collar he walks to the door and opens it, waiting impatiently. "His room is on the second floor, first room to your right. Help him see to it and I'll forget this ever happened, but if it happens again..." he shakes his head and clicks his tongue to his teeth, "Miss Aster here won't be there to save you. Now go."