Chapter 16
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Zalantha
It was time to open up and tell Lyra the truth: I had been abducted to Mesoterra because I, too, was once a drinker. That”s why those foul-stinking Mesothraxians had taken me, extracting the alcohol from my blood to feed their gruesome army.
It was hard to admit I”d fallen for the trap, but I was comfortable with my new self and able to be honest about my previous weakness.
During my time on Mesoterra, I”d managed to see the truth of what that damn drug had done to me, of how it changed me, made me less confident, weaker, and sadder.
Fortunately, I”d seen the light and then plotted my escape, ensuring I”d broken free from Mesothraxus”s restraints.
I”d come back to Earth to help others see that life was better without the Nectar of the Gods, but my voyage was taking a turn for the worst.
Mesothraxus was behind this. He”d abducted Lyra”s Mom and Duncan. The question was, who was next?
I glanced at Lyra, and my heart ached for her. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she drove. I wanted to help her with her drinking problem. And then, once she was free, I would make her mine, pleasure her, love her, adore her.
Getting her mom back was crucial, but the thought of returning to the planet where I was tortured burned my soul. I had to put my issues to one side, though. Lyra was my priority.
”So, are you going to spill the beans?” said Lyra, sniffling as we drove. Charlie was still in front, driving down a street with little traffic.
”I haven”t got a plate to spill them from.”
Lyra spluttered a laugh.
”Ha, ha. Very funny. I”d prefer to share the joke by seeing your face, though. Wouldn”t it be easier if you showed yourself?”
”It would. But we”d run the risk of everyone seeing me.”
”I”m sort of beyond the stage of caring about what others think, especially after what”s happened to Mom. Are you going to tell me where she is?”
I took a deep breath. I couldn”t hold on any longer. The news would stun Lyra, but she had to know the truth.
”More than likely, along with Duncan, she”s been abducted.”
”What?” she cried, almost swerving into a car. I grabbed the wheel to hold us in place. ”What do you mean, abducted? Why, how, where?”
”They”ve probably been taken to Mesoterra because they drink alcohol. Mesothraxus, an evil alien monster, rules the planet. He abducts humans with a tendency for the odd tipple and then uses the alcohol in their blood to fuel his army.”
”Okay,” said Lyra in a long, unsure tone. ”That makes perfect sense.”
”I know it”s hard to believe.”
”Hard to believe? Impossible, more like. So, let me get this right; you”re telling me that Duncan and Mom were abducted because they drink alcohol?”
”Exactly.”
She shook her head and huffed disbelievingly.
”Hold on a second, you told me that you came from there, so are you a Mesowhateverthing, or were you abducted?”
”I was abducted.”
”So you drank too?”
”Bingo.”
She frowned and cleared her throat.
”So, that means you used to be human?”
”You”re getting good at this.”
”Holy fuck. I can”t believe you used to drink. Mr Don”t Touch a Drop or It Will Burn Your Soul enjoyed getting sloshed?”
”I”m not sure anyone actually enjoys it.”
”Well, we think we do, but, oh God, what the hell are we going to do? How am I going to get Mom back?”
”I”m working on that.”
”Well, work harder because we”re almost at her house.”
Panic hit me hard. I hadn”t been paying attention and had lost track of where we were heading. Charlie turned down the road towards Lyra”s Mom”s place. A dark cloud loomed in the distance. I sensed danger.
”Stop him,” I cried. ”We must go somewhere else; we can”t go near your Mom”s house. They might be waiting there.”
”Waiting there, what for me?”
Refusing to scare her anymore, I ignored her question.
”Call Charlie and tell him you”ve spoken to your mom and that she”s fine and we need to go somewhere else.”
”Where?”
”I don”t know, out for lunch?”
”What, us three? I”m not even that hungry.”
”Lyra,” I said in my most authoritative tone.
”Yeah?”
”Just call him and put him on loudspeaker.”
”Fine.”
Her lips twitched as she huffed again. I imagined placing my mouth on hers to calm her down, but that would have to wait.
”Whatssaaapp,” said Charlie.
”Charlie, listen,” said Lyra.
”I”m all ears, well, more belly, actually, but I have two ears.”
”I just called Mom. She”s fine. No need to panic.”
”Oh, that”s a relief.”
”Yeah, so how about we just call it a day? Maybe you”d be better going for lunch or something; there are a few things I need to sort out.”
”You sure you”re okay, though? You sound a bit stressed.”
”I”m fine. I need to clear my head. I”ll see Mom, and maybe we can catch up later.”
”Okay, if you”re sure.”
”I am.”
”Fine, well, in that case., I”ll...”
Charlie stopped speaking. I glanced ahead. Dread clogged my throat as his car swerved to and fro.
”Charlie, you okay?” cried Lyra.
”No, something”s wrong. I can”t control the wheel. Oh, fuck.”
”Charlie, be careful,” shouted Lyra, putting her foot down.
I observed in horror as Charlie”s car spun out of control and crashed into a street post. Then, appearing in a strange glistening mirage, three menacing Mesothraxians emerged, lizard-like alien monsters with cruel, reptilian features. Their scaly exteriors reflected an innate ruthlessness as they approached Charlie”s car.
”Who the hell are they?” cried Lyra.
”Stop driving. Hit the brakes. It”s them.”
”Who?”
”The Mesothraxians.”
Lyra reacted swiftly by hitting the brakes, bringing our car to a sudden halt. Rage pulsed in my brain as the nightmarish creatures, their sinister presence unmistakable, converged on Charlie”s immobilized car. Other drivers, recognizing the impending danger, stopped and hastily moved out of their path. Without hesitation, the Mesothraxians ripped off the roof, revealing their savage intent.
”Holy heck,” cried Lyra as they dragged Charlie from the car, kicking and wailing. ”We have to help him. Why are they taking him? He doesn”t drink.”
”He must do. They wouldn”t want him otherwise.”
”He can”t drink, that”s impossible. I”d know.”
”You can”t always tell.”
They crowded around him as if about to feast on his body.
”Come on, let”s go save him.”
She reached for the door handle, but I grabbed her wrist.
”We can”t do anything now. We have to save ourselves and help Charlie later.”
”Later when? That”s Mom, Duncan and Charlie in the space of an hour. I can”t just let them do this. You punks, leave him alone,” shouted Lyra.
Panic hit me hard as one of the Mesothraxians looked up and saw us. He left Charlie and headed our way.
”Quick, turn around. He”s coming.”
”Oh shit,” said Lyra, fumbling about in a panic.
”We need to get out of here fast.”
I scooped my hands under her ass.
”Hey, the fuck are you doing?” she asked, kicking her legs.
”Hold still.”
I lifted her from the seat and dropped her in mine as I slid over.
”I didn”t give you permission to squeeze my butt.”
”I didn”t have time to write a formal application.”
The Mesothraxian was close. He towered high, and our eyes met. Rage poured through me. He wasn”t getting me, no way, not now.
”Hold on,” I said, dropping in first.
”Oh, I will.”
I whacked my foot on the accelerator and spun around, speeding off just before the Mesothraxian thumped his fist on the ground.
”There you are,” said Lyra.
Without realizing it, I”d turned into my visible form.
”Hey,” I said, pressing my foot harder as we picked up momentum.
”I missed that smile.”
”That”s good to know,” I said, glancing in my mirror as the Mesothraxian turned his attention back on Charlie. ”At least I have something to smile about. What happened to Charlie?” she asked, looking in the side mirror. ”I can”t see him.”
”They”ve abducted him.”
”Holy shit,” said Lyra. ”What do we do now?”
”Find a safe place and come up with a plan. This adventure is just getting started.”