Page 26 of Orange Lake
“I am not special. I am plain as I can be in my planet. I’m from a planet called Earth. I recalled telling you that.”
“But there are no records of your planet in any database we can find. Here or with the Galactic Council.”
I shrugged. “We are out there. I'm not lying.”
He looked suspicious. From his stance, it looked as if he’s defending the men behind them from me. Yes, little old me? How absurd is that?
“I don’t know how I can explain. The best is if I can find my way back home.” My voice almost cracked at the end. I think I’m going stir crazy in this planet. Probably from the water and food they eat which are all salty.
Unbidden, my eyes teared up. I missed home terribly. I suddenly missed being ordinary. Here, I’m an outsider and some others fear.
I inhaled deeply, trying to stop the tears.
“What is that?”
“What is what?” I was busy trying to wipe away my tears.
“That. That water leaking from your eyes. Are you ill?” he sounded concerned.
I snorted. “Nah, I’m just, what we call, crying. We humans, unlike you manasties, cry when we feel like it. These are called tears.” I held up my hand because once again, he’s invading my personal space. He moves so fast. Like the rest of them.
He inhaled it and I was not surprised when he licked my hand to taste it. He had a slightly rough tongue like Zirc and Roqs. But they all differ. His was ticklish. I took my hand back.
“Like our water,” he said quizzically. He looked beyond me towards the windows and seemed to ponder. I could hear movements behind him. I guess, the men had been unfrozen.
Some grunts and surprisingly, I can hear what pass for birds in this planet. They started chirping. Wow, could that crystal be that powerful? The range when Crix held it up was even outside the mansion.
“How come you’re not affected by it?” I wondered.
He was silent then looked at me as if surprised I was there in front of him. “The wielder of a crystal, of any crystal, is not affected.” He held the white crystal in his hand, almost chest level with mine. “I wonder.” He was about to say more but stopped himself.
He sidestepped, more to go near the windows and said, “Brace yourself.”
I wonder what he meant. He placed the crystal inside his pocket and locked his arms in front of his chest.
All too soon, chaos ensued. It was all too sudden.
I got smashed into a hard body, strong arms enveloping me. A fierce growl I can hear on top of my head. Zirc’s growl is reverberating all throughout his body, reverberating against me. He is holding me tightly but unlike before, I can breathe easily in his arms.
“Easy there Zirc,” I can hear Roqs. The other men were quiet except for a few growls every now and then.
“You okay man?” I can feel Roqs standing beside Zirc. Though he is not touching, he is very near. I can smell the spices he used in the kitchen. It signaled my brain that I urgently need food.
Right on cue, after Zirc growled loudly, my stomach grumbled in response. Zirc stiffened. He knew, I explained it to him that my stomach does not growl. It rumbles and signals for food. Which he just smirked thinking it was funny and somewhat ‘cute’.
He eased his arms around me and looked me in the eyes. His pupils are dilated, a sure sign he’s stressed but not so stressed that his pupils go all black.
“You’re not hurt?”
I nodded.
He went down to my level. I thought he was going to kiss me but he took a deep breath and inhaled the top of my head. That was weird. Weird but somewhat gave me those fuzzy feelings again.
I can feel his tense limbs, one by one, slowly relaxing. The air surrounding us seemed to be clearing as well. He reluctantly let go of me and stepped back.
I can see Roqs is staring intently at Zirc who is refusing to look back at him. Uh oh, looks like trouble in paradise. I don’t want Roqs to look at me like that.Not surprising the way Zirc pushed Roqs earlier.
I backed away and turned around. Only to face Coone who is very much near my personal space. He was staring intensely but not as intense as Roqs. I can’t sense his thoughts or feelings. Which was weird. He was easy to read this morning. But now.
