Page 15 of Orange Lake
“True,” Roqs conceded. I saw Zirc is now standing behind him brooding while I saw the end of Crix’s purple-magenta tail almost got squished when the door closed. It’s like he was preventing a big male to enter the room just now but I can’t see beyond him.
My pulse rate began to beat. I can almost feel his thoughts coursing through me. And, will I agree to their harebrained plans of having Crix examine me while having sex with Zirc and Roqs?
Chapter 5
INTERLUDE: AN EXPERIMENT
Brynn
Before any of them can think, I blurted. “I want to go home.”
Zirc frowned, brows knit. I glanced at Roqs and he looked at me blankly. Seems like Roqs understands me better or he anticipates what. Zirc will do.
“You cannot go anywhere Brin. We can’t take you back to where I left you,” Zirc gently chided.
What? Oh, he means the place he left me with.Hisdomain. It was touching. Or creepy. Depends on how someone will look at it. He is offering me his home. Roqs explained to me that it was Zirc’s special place.
Roqs walked and sidled up to Zirc.
“No. I meant home. My planet.”
I saw the exact moment Zirc stiffened and Roqs sighed. The latter placed his arm around Zirc’s shoulder so that his hand is hanging loose on the other side. He is not caging Zirc exactly.
“If you have this kind of technology, then maybe someone can bring me back. A shuttle or something.”
I heard it. A low vibrating sound. And true enough, Zirc is growling for the nth time today! Good thing Roqs is there to hold him down. Zirc’s face looks thunderous for a second then he smoothed his face.
“I understand,” his voice seemed strangled. I doubt if he understands. “But we can’t afford it at the moment. As you may know, I have things I need to do.”
“I know you said you’re on a mission.” I bit my tongue. I wanted to add, that’s why you left me in the first place.
“Maybe,” he grumbled. “Maybe when this is over I can look for someone to take you back.”
I peered into his eyes. He is looking at me steadily. I really want my life to return back to normal. Zirc is not promising me anything. I know he also has no obligations to help me. I nodded. I know there’s no knowing if he’s telling the truth. But at least, with Roqs as a witness, he told me he can help me go back home.
I reached out and placed my hand on his rough and furry hand. “I trust you Zirc,” I said looking into his eyes. “My kind, we like being with our families. Even though my parents are not my biological parents, they treated me fairly and that is a blessing. I can’t let them think I am dead. If there’s a way to even call them, tell them I’m safe, I can take that.”
I gripped his hand. “Family is important to me.”
His eyes softened. He escaped from Roqs, sat on the bed and dragged me towards him. HIs muscled arms engulfed me in an instant. I barely know this guy. Physically yes he is stronger and I should fear him, but as a person, I don’t know why I don’t feel afraid of him. Why I trust him implicitly.
“I will not promise you something I can’t keep Brin,” he murmured against my hair, his hand massaging my thigh as if trying to soothe me. I felt Roqs sat also beside Zirc. “If we can’t find someone to take you home, then I will find a way to make sure you can reach them and let them know you’re safe.”
I closed my eyes and couldn't stop a tear from falling.I wanted to ask, why he can’t take me?
Zirc stopped his movement. “What is this? Are you sad again?”
I wiped away my tears, sniffling a bit. It’s hitting me hard right now that it’s possible I can’t go back. That I’ll die on this planet. It’s very sweet of Zirc to promise me this and all I can say is, “Thank you. Thank you, Zirc.” I said in between sniffling.
His chest vibrated and he continued to soothe me with his hands. Even Roqs joined in by rubbing the back of my neck. It’s very sweet and kind of them when I don’t have anything with me to pay them back.
I cried and cried until my lids got heavy and I knew I went back to sleep again. When I woke up, I saw Zirc’s face and beyond him, saw Roqs’ shoulder. Probably spooning against Zirc. I escaped from Zirc’s hot arm around my waist. When he grumbled, I just said toilet and he let me go.
I did my business. Thankful that the toilet is very familiar to earth though it’s all hard angles, not like the regular toilet bowl. Sadly, there’s no toilet paper and I almost squeaked when water automatically hit me. I know from my friends who experienced this kind of toilet to not scramble away otherwise the water might hit you in the face so I stayed still.
The shower feels heavenly. This bathroom is actually big and the buttons are user friendly because it has symbols that I can easily understand. Amazing how I initially thought that this planet is primitive. In this part of the planet, there is technology and comfort. Much better than the Blue Tribe when I try to compare them. When I pressed a button that has a cloud symbol on top of it, I almost moaned. It was indeed soap that I can use as a shampoo. It smelled almost like lavender. I played with other buttons.
I squealed when artic air blasted me from head to toe. So cold! I’m pretty sure my tits are stiff as ice. It was a very hard contrast from room temperature to ice cold cold. I immediately pressed the shower button, the warm water dripping from the ceiling.
