Alien Freak - Calista Skye Page 0,11

of. Simulating life where there is none. Give it up, Zaroc. If she’s not quite dead yet, she will be very soon.”

The alien gives off a thin little noise, like a moan.

I freeze. “Did you hear that? She’s alive!”

“A death rattle,” Grandmother explains. “But it’s impressive she lasted this long.”

A thought crosses my mind. “And yet, it’s not totally unheard of. I mean, I know it has never happened. But she is a female. You don’t think…?”

“Don’t say it!” Grandmother cuts in. “Don’t even think it. She’s an alien. There’s no chance of that. At all.”

“You don’t believe the myth?”

“I believe some of them, as told to us by those who went before. But I’m bright enough to know that myths from the ancient past won’t actually come true. Certainly not for me specifically. Not much intelligence is needed for that realization. Is she dead now?”

There’s another little moan, and the female moves her head a fraction.

I start to hope she might in fact survive this. “What does it look like to you?”

“It must be a dream,” Grandmother marvels. “Nobody ever survives this long. Even a gronk would be long dead by now. Are you sure you really bit her?”

“Absolutely,” I assure her. “To the full length of the fangs. And they sprayed inside her, hard. I can still taste her skin.”

“They went all the way through,” Grandmother suggests. “You sprayed on the floor behind her.”

“I don’t think so. You know the fangs seek out the prey’s heart. Anyway, would it matter? The fangs start spraying the venom before they strike the skin. She would still get a million times lethal dose.”

“Well, something went wrong.”

My tongue shoots out and tastes the air right next to the alien. If she’s dead, she should smell of decay by now.

No, fresh and alive. “Or very, very right.”

The alien moans again, then opens her eyes to moist, little slits. “Hu yu tokin tu?”

“Why are you talking to?” the device translates.

I stare at the alien. Can she really have survived?

She looks right back at me. Her face turns into a grin.

A chuckle escapes her.

And then she breaks out into screaming laughter, curling up and pointing a small finger at my face. “They’re too big!” she gasps between bouts of mirth, and her device dutifully translates. “And you’re completely… red! With chrome accents! Are you a fire truck?”

“Great,” Grandmother groans. “She’s a crazy one. You know how to pick them, Zaroc.”

“She was calmer before,” I ponder. “This must be a result of the venom. It has turned her into a maniac.”

The female shakes with laughter. “Do that again!”

I frown. “I hope it will wear off.”

“Yes! Exactly like that!” the alien hollers and points at me. “Oohohoh, you’re so weird!”

“I’ll take her down to the cabins,” I state and lift the little alien off the deck.

“Isn’t the hold full of cages?” Grandmother asks. “That could be more suitable containment for her, I would think.”

I carry the female towards the elevator beam. “She clearly knows how to get out of them. A cabin is safer.”

“And the cabins have beds,” my grandmother says innocently. “But I’m sure that didn’t figure in your decision.”

“Mind your own bed,” I grunt and zoom down.

5

- Averie -

This guy is the funniest thing I’ve seen. He’s as red as a lobster and has eyes that are plainly far too big for him. He makes those faces to make me laugh. And he talks to a voice that sounds like a person but comes from a little box. It’s all too hilarious.

A cold little part of me is muttering that this is crazy and I should be afraid and worried, but I can’t see why. Who wants to be worried? This is much more fun.

The red guy carries me through a corridor and finally dumps me on a bed.

“I’m not tired,” I inform him, my throat sore with laughter. “But maybe you are, ahahahaha!”

I laugh so hard I have to gasp for breath. That was the funniest thing I’ve ever said. Why couldn’t Gabrielle be here to hear it? Then we could laugh together!

Tears of mirth are flowing down my face as I guffaw.

“Why are you not laughing?” I inquire of the red dude. “Don’t lobsters laugh? Where are your claws? You can just click them!”

I curl up and gasp from sheer comedy. My stomach muscles are getting seriously sore. I should be on a stage! Why isn’t there an audience? That red guy is not really appreciating this properly.

He just stands there, arms crossed