Page 16 of Abalim

Her fists clenched. “So what does that mean?”

“Fascinating that you would ask that before seeing to your urgent physical needs.” Its bulbous head tilted to the side.

For the first time, Lisa noticed a ridge that ran from its temple around the back of its head to end at the other temple.

Instead of being bald, it had wispy gray hair below the ridge that rested at the bottom of its neck.

As if to confirm what the alien said, her stomach rumbled. She put a hand there but didn’t look away from Rerqel. A fading memory of eating a tasty cheeseburger in a dream hadn’t satisfied her need for food.

“We have ascertained that you have not eaten for several days. As we wish for you to be in optimal physical condition for the trial ahead of you, we will provide you with a safe place to rest and eat until you achieve that objective.”

“I don’t suppose I could have something to wear, could I?” Didn’t hurt to ask. What’s the worst that could happen? They’d say no?

Rerqel didn’t answer, but held out its large hand with the spindly fingers.

Like in the movies, minuscule particles sparkled before forming into a solid panel of fabric.

“You may wear what we have engineered for your use.” It handed the lump of cloth to her.

The surprisingly soft fabric didn’t seem to be a particular color. She slid off the cold metallic table and stood to unfold it. One minute it seemed to be gray, then the next it was white, then it turned into a turquoise blue. It was a one-piece outfit. Kind of like a scuba wetsuit with footsies.

She didn’t hesitate. She’d been shivering since she woke up. Either from nerves or the cool air. At least putting on clothes should help. It was easy to step in and pull it over her torso and slide her arms into the sleeves. Before she had a chance to figure out how to close the front, the material flowed across her chest and sealed itself. While it was formfitting, it had to be the most comfortable thing she’d ever put on in her life. Even her breasts were uplifted and held firm. Damn, no bra needed.

Nice. Putting on comfortable, clean clothes made her feel a hundred percent better. Her stomach rumbled again. She licked a dry tongue over her chapped lips.

“We will take you to the domicile assigned to you and provide you with sustenance. You will follow me.” Rerqel turned and flowed with a graceful pace to one of the solid walls. Before the alien banged into it, the barrier disappeared.

Lisa glanced around the room, searching for what, she had no idea. Might as well follow the creepy alien. It’d be nice if they had something as tasty as a cheeseburger for her to eat. She sighed. No way was a cheeseburger happening anytime soon.Humph.She doubted there were cows in space. But, with the promise of something to eat, she followed the long strides of her captor as it led her out of the depressing room.

The corridor of the alien building stretched for miles.

Lisa’s shoulders drooped. It was hard to put one foot in front of the other as she followed the alien Rerqel. The only thing tempting her to move at all was the promise of food. Lifting weary eyes, it took time for her to notice the walls were an eerie luminescent blue as the air hummed with an otherworldly energy. Everything seemed so alien, so strange and unfamiliar. She was glad they didn’t encounter any other Xeltrians. No telling if she’d lose it if she ended up surrounded by a bunch of the tall, gangly creatures.

Rerqel hadn’t said a word since they began their walk. It… well, hell. She might as well call it by a male pronoun. She hated thinking of it as an “it”. She giggled. Now her imagination jumped to an old Addams Family series with Cousin It, except without his body being covered by silky hair. Oh, hell. No doubt about it, she was losing her mind. Throwing her shoulders back, she forced herself to watch the gangly alien move with a strange, almost dance-like stride. His long limbs glided along the floor of the hallway.

Good thing he knew where they were going. If she was left on her own, she’d be totally lost after the first twenty turns. Lisa followed in its, no, his wake and did her best to keep up. To keep her mind off what was happening, she studied the walls as they passed. Just like the previous room, she’d swear the darn building looked alive. It rolled and pulsated, shifting as though a living creature squirmed as it tried to escape. Her skin crawled, and she rubbed her arms to ward off the strange sense of dread welling up.

Rerqel stopped in front of an ornate door, waving his arm in a sweeping gesture.

The solid door disappeared, revealing an arched doorway.

He gestured for Lisa to enter.

With a mental shrug, she peered into the dimly lit room. It was smaller than the medical one she’d been in. But the one thing they had in common was the strange and unfamiliar objects.

After giving the alien a quick backward glance, Lisa stepped inside. Her heart thudded at the oppressive silence. She gave Rerqel another glance.

He stood in the doorway, his spindly frame casting a long shadow across her feet.

In the center of the room, a table appeared, along with a small stool to sit on. Resting on the table were plates piled with what she hoped was food.

The Xeltrian motioned for her to take a seat.

Lisa hesitated, but the scents made the decision for her. While the tantalizing aroma was unusual, it smelled good enough to eat.

Rerqel glided forward and motioned again for her to sit.

She grimaced, but pulled out a chair and sat. A strange excitement fluttered in the pit of her stomach. She studied the array of exotic shapes and sizes on one plate and what looked like breads filling another. Despite her apprehension, everything looked harmless, even enticing. She plucked up a square light-blue thingamajig that felt like holding a tomato. She rubbed it, causing the skin to give way under her fingertips. She slowly brought it to her nose.Hmm… a cinnamon roll?

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