Kintolf Rising (New Alien Species #2)

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The Acrad Homeworld

Myla

Cowering in the corner of a dimly lit cave, I sit with my knees drawn up, hugging my legs, scared as a dog quivering under a back porch during a loud thunderstorm. The water drips into a puddle and the smell of mold is absolutely repugnant. My head feels like someone is hitting it over and over with a hammer (probably from dehydration, maybe lack of sleep, or both) and my nose itches. Every time I give it a good rub, the nasty smell from my hands lingers in my nostrils.

Time seems to flow in short bursts of shock, and then stand still, with no way to measure it. I’m stuck in a cell, cold, frightened, and lonely. And of all things, I’m being experimented on like a lab rat by an alien species that looks like giant spiders (and I hate spiders!).

Before leaving Earth, the Space Port Authority insisted that everyone attend education classes on the dangers of space, Galactic Rules and Regulations, and have the universal translator inserted. After learning about so many dangerous species, I thought twice about my own decision to visit Aunt Viv, but I needed to get away and live a little before this chance passed me by.

At this rate I’m not sure I’ll live at all, I muse grimly. Or, if I do, will I even recognize myself in the end?

These…spider things…are called the Acradidia. Evil as they are to behold, I understand that they’re actually a sentient species, however strange.

What I don’t understand is what they’re trying to accomplish. Every few days, they come for me, drag me to a lab where they inject a thick yellow liquid, which turns my blood to molten fire, burning me from the inside out. I don’t like that stuff. And I hate the spider…I mean Arcadidia. I have to force myself to call them by their proper name. My momma always taught me that it’s wrong to call people names. That said, it’s a bit hard to think of them as people …

Everything I’ve read, everything they taught me in the education classes says that the Acradidia specialize in the space version of the black slave market; but this is no auction, and I am not a slave, so what are they doing? I can’t put my finger on what they’re trying to accomplish, but it can’t be anything good.

The cell directly across from mine is empty, has been since I was brought here. How long ago was it? Three weeks? Four? Or has it been months? At this point, I just don’t know.

Across and to the right, I sometimes catch a glimpse of blue claws wrapped around the bars. The creature pulls violently, roaring in anger at least two or three times a day. I don’t blame him (at least, I assume it’s a male). If I had the courage, I’d roar too. When he paces, I catch sight of blue tuffs of fur down his hips, and powerful, muscled legs. In spite of the claws, fur and blue skin, the hands and legs are sort of Human-like…I think.

Across and to the left, there’s a yellow alien with extra-long bony fingers which wrap gracefully around the bars. I swallow hard as I imagine what he looks like. Occasionally, a forked tongue flickers out between the bars. I would hate to come face-to-face with him. Or her.

That one surely ain’t very humanoid, as the term goes, I chuckle nervously.

Hard steps echo down the passageway, stopping every ten paces or so. It’s an ominous sound I’m now accustomed to, making me quiver with fear. Guards checking to make sure every prisoner is accounted for. I can’t fathom why. How could I escape even if I tried? Gulping hard, I slam my eyes closed, body shaking.

With almost erratic breathing, I count… one, two, three… the now loud steps stop in front of my cell. Frozen, I dare to exhale.

After a few heart pounding seconds, the clop clop clop sounds again as the guard walks away. The breath rushes from my body and I sag in relief.

In the distance, a door shuts with a final clink and I know the guards have left the area. I think I may be safe.

For a while.

Soft murmuring comes from the right; it’s the blue tough guy. His voice is always the same—deep and masculine, and tormented. Something about it draws me to him. Like a ship to a lighthouse, he’s my only glimmer of light in this dreary place.

I get to my feet, walk over to the bars. I can see him pacing again. As always, I try and talk to him. “Hello?”

I hear incoherent words, and he doesn’t slow in his pacing. I’m not even sure he can understand me.

“Do you know why they are holding us prisoner?” I ask for the umpteenth time. I just want him— anyone —to talk to me. This isolation is making me crazy.

To my surprise and for the first time since I’ve been trapped here, a low growling voice bites back an answer. “Keep your voice down or you will bring the guards back!”

The low masculine sound draws me in, and I want— need —to see his face. It’s something I can’t explain, so I chalk it up to loneliness, the lack of companionship…something. But stuck behind these bars, I know it’s impossible.

“How could they possibly hear me? They’re gone,” I whisper in reply.

“They have their ways,” he says in an irritated but barely audible tone. “And for your safety and mine, you will be quiet.”

I still don’t understand how they could possibly hear, but he obviously doesn’t like me talking to him. Frustrated, I huff aloud, head toward the back wall and slide down onto the cold floor. It takes a while until I finally drift off into an uneasy, light sleep.

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A loud roar bounces off the cave walls and I jump to my feet, race over and tightly grip the bars, turning my knuckles white. It’s him! The blue-clawed alien is practically being dragged down the passageway. Swallowing hard, I can’t breathe. The experiments are never good, and I don’t want to think about what might happen to him. Craning my neck as much as possible, I watch until he’s out of sight before I slowly wander back to the wall and slide down again.

Voices boom down the cave; one I recognize, the other two are low, deadly. The echo from the walls makes it hard to understand, but I make out the word ‘freak’ followed by an angry roar.

My thoughts are constantly on the guy with light blue skin and blue tuffs of dark fur across his shoulders. Hard ridges under his skin run down his back. My mind races with terrifying scenarios of what they might be doing to him.

Stop that! I chide myself.

Sitting here, I hide in the shadows of my own personal hell. Maybe they will forget about me. It’s worth a shot.

With my legs drawn up, forehead resting on top of my knees, I just keep picturing the clawed alien and wonder what they might be doing to him. I wish there was some way to escape this hellhole.

Caught off guard daydreaming, I miss the clop clop clop of my captors until they draw near. My eyes pop open in an instant but stay locked on the floor, chest moving slightly as I breathe in and out. The heart-pounding undulated fear unfolds and I raise my eyes slightly to the cell door. The closer the sound, the more I tremble. Please don’t stop here .

Clop clop clop , the sound becomes increasingly louder—then dead silence.

Oh shit!

Prickles run the length of my spine, my skin crawls form the heavy stare of its beady eyes and I know—I know they are coming for me. I feel it all the way to my bones.

The dreaded sound of the locking mechanism being activated. My heart gallops like a bunch of horses, or a stampede, and for a mere second, I think I might throw up.

Slowly, I lift my eyes further, swallowing hard. Two Acradidia —two monstrous spider-like aliens—step inside, their beady eyes locking with mine.

Breathe, Myla .

I know better than to fight; their acidic blood will burn through my skin. I found that out the hard way.

One hand (if you can call it that) wraps around my upper arm, effortlessly yanking me to my feet. Its long slender stick fingers dig into my skin, jerking me forward.

With heavy legs, I shuffle my feet and take one step after another, trying to prolong the inevitable for as long as possible.

My life flashes before my eyes, and at twenty-four, I haven’t even begun to live yet. I want to explore, see new things…I used to want to meet new species, learn more about their cultures. Farm life is all I’ve known, and I long for more.

Until now.

Now I only want to escape this hell I’ve been living in. Go home, see Mom and Dad, snuggle into my warm bed, hug my dog Henry.

I fear I’ll never have the chance as I slowly march to what feels like my death.

My eyes shift to every cell we pass. Some are empty, but most are filled with humanoid aliens. One sickly yellow-colored alien lifts his head, glowing yellow eyes lock with mine. Its forked tongue strikes with a hiss, and I lurch away and gasp, now putting a face to that tongue I’ve seen so many times. He is humanoid after all… sort of. I shiver.

Reluctantly continuing to walk on, my gaze lands on two blue men —or males—with piercing ebony eyes. One has long black hair, one shoulder length, both have corded muscles, although one is smaller in stature, but just barely. Something inside me shifts—I’m not afraid of them as they stare with an intensity that should scare the hell out of me. They both radiate domination, yet something draws me to them. It’s strange really, but I feel as if they would protect me and I want to stay with them.

As the spider marches me along, I hold the blue aliens’ gazes until they’re no longer in sight, breaking the lust-haze trance.

What just happened? I shake my head and stare straight ahead.

On down the passagewa0y, glancing to the cell on the left, there is another man with tanned-skin, wild ebony eyes, and short black hair, who looks more Human than anyone else here. Unlike the other two, I feel nothing but pity for him. Maybe a little fear.

I haven’t seen much in the way of aliens before, not really, but as we pass by, I see the faces with unmistakable, dire expressions of desperation and anger. Their destitute feelings are palpable even on my tongue, tasting bitter, like death itself.

I gag a little.

The spider drags me into the familiar sterile- looking room with a metal chair. Unlike the cave walls, this is a room inside a room, a large dark gray metal box blocking the moldy smell that permeates my cell. Breath rushes from my lungs. I’ve been here before, so I know what to expect.

Shackled to the chair with energy bands around my ankles, wrists, and forehead, I frantically shift my eyes continuously around the room. To the left—a gravitating table with long needles, a few blunt instruments, one syringe filled with the dreaded thick yellow liquid. To the right—two Acradidia studying something on a computer screen as another robot/computer floats in front of my body. Every so often, a set of beady eyes glance my way. Maybe I’m wrong, but they look happy, or at least satisfied as the robot grabs the yellow-filled syringe.

My chest heaves as I stare at the syringe, the needle pointed in front of my face. If I ever get the chance, I’ll stab them with that enormous needle and see how they like it.

The robot arm jabs the needle into the left side of my neck.

Fire starts at the injection site, slowly spreading down my chest, my arms, engulfing me in its poison. It has to be poison. I shudder uncontrollably, willing myself not to scream, and failing. When it finally dulls to a smolder, they release the restraints and grab my arm. I want to fight back, but my body refuses to cooperate as it fights the offending liquid.

God, what are they doing to me?

After releasing the restraints, I almost fall face first onto the floor. One painful hand clutches my upper arm, helping me get my balance. Okay, I doubt he wants to help; he wants me on my feet and back in my cage as quickly as possible.

Shuffling my feet, I can barely walk as the Acradidia drag me back down the passageway. When we come to my cell, he opens the door and shoves me inside. Too weak to catch myself, I fall face first onto the hard floor, striking my head. Blood trickles down my right temple, anger bubbles up, and I want to kill every fucking one of them!

I can’t move.

After a while, the fire in my veins calms somewhat, my aching head dulls, and the blood dries my dirty dark auburn hair against the side of my face. When I hear them bring the blue guy back to his cage, I can’t even get up to hopefully see his face. I feel too ill and weak.

Lying on my side, trying to ignore the change taking place in my body—and there is a change, I can feel it—I think of Mom and Dad.

Living on the farm with only my dog Henry to talk to, I just wanted to live a little. They never allowed me to go anywhere, but my Aunt Viv knew I wanted more out of life than just being a farm hand. With her help, I escaped that life for a while.

And now I’m stuck here, wishing I was back on the farm talking to Henry.

A day passes. I haven’t moved from my side- lying position. With my eyes closed, I hear him (or them) coming again.

Clop…clop…clop… God, I hate their species. The sound stops in front of my cell and I hear the locking mechanism unlock, but I remain lifeless, still hoping he moves on.

A strong hand reaches down and grabs my arm, yanking me to my feet.

“Argh!” I cry out in pain, not that he cares.

Almost dragging me down the barely-lit cave tunnel, my eyes beg anyone who’ll meet my gaze for help. Most avert their eyes, knowing they can’t. Hell, even I know they can’t help.

When we pass by the blue guys, anger transforms their faces but they remain silent as they scrutinize the situation. The slightly larger one peels his upper lip back somewhat, showing large teeth. I gasp and quickly look away.

I think they’re taking me back to the experiment room, but when we stop in front of a cell door, I’m even more afraid to look. Afraid to know what’s in there staring back at me, but I have to. They unlock the door and I lift my chin just as they try to shove me in.

Oh, hell no!

“No, no, no, no!” I scramble backward and claw at its hand, trying to break free. “I ain’t goin’ in there!”

Something wolf-like paces from one side of the five-foot cell to the other. His head snaps up and black, alien eyes pierce mine. His lips draw back and a fierce growl tears from his throat. It flash-freezes my blood for a mere second, and then…something inside me rises to the challenge. It’s strange, almost like a stranger hijacking my body, but I lift my chin and stare him down, or try to. He growls, baring all of his teeth.

Everything happens so fast. The tan wolf bursts through the slightly ajar cell door, knocking the Acradidia backward and releasing me from its grip. I stumble but quickly find my footing.

The wolf dashes around everyone, racing down the bleak, dark passage. My head whips back and forth, staring from the Acradidia to the prehistoric-like wolf that’s running away, and back to the Acradidia .

I’m getting outta here!