Somehow, illogically, arriving at Ana’s house was the most surreal thing of the night. The sky was black inside the town due to the streetlamps being too bright for the stars. There were some crickets chirping somewhere nearby. A light breeze felt nice on my skin and played with my hair. I had killed a man, and apparently the world didn’t give a fudge.
I felt like everything had changed. Standing in front of Ana’s front door, surrounded by her flowers which she tended to with great fairy care, everything felt the same.
Bee knocked on her door – a secret code, for all I knew – and Ana opened moments later, urging us inside.
“Thank the Goddess you’re safe! Is she outside?”
Bee nodded. “Yeah, she’s just coming. I don’t think she’s had a chance to stretch her legs properly in a while. She’s a little shaky but unharmed.”
“That’s a relief. I’ve reinforced the spells all around the house. You’ll be safe here.”
“What the fudge is going on?”
I felt out of place. Everyone seemed to know what was happening but me, and I wasn’t going anywhere until Ana had given me the answers I’d been promised.
Ana smiled, but I thought she looked sad behind it. And tired.
“Have a seat, Poppy. I’ll explain everything once I’m sure that our friend is safe.”
“Your friend? You two know each other?”
“No. Forgive me, that wasn’t the right word to use.”
“What the–”
“Sit. Please?”
I sighed but nodded, and took a seat on one of her sofas. Bee sat down on the other one, and Mel joined her until we were all sitting down. Ana’s ‘friend’ was sitting next to me.
“This isn’t how we wanted to tell you, Poppy. ”
Something nervous twisted inside my gut. “Tell me what?”
Mel looked uncomfortable, but Bee was excited.
“The woman you found in the facility is an alien. She’s from another planet, and she’s not the only one. Our group is committed to saving the ones captured by government splinter groups.”
“Right.” I scowled at Bee. “I thought you said Ana would make sense of this? I shot a guy tonight. I’m so not in the mood.”
“It’s true.”
Well, fudge. If Mel said so, it couldn’t be a joke. Mel didn’t do jokes. I doubted it was completely true, too, though, so I was conflicted.
“Have you never suspected that there’s more out there?” he asked. I had, but I never–
I be damned. I believed them.
“The universe is bigger than humanity is ready for, Poppy. Years ago an alien ship crashed on Earth. Our new friend here was on board of that ship.”
“So who’s after them? Area 51?” I couldn’t believe I was actually asking this, but maybe I could catch them out this way. I wanted to believe them so badly–Mel was right, I had always thought that there was something more out there. I just never thought I’d meet one in my life time.
“It’s some military splinter group. We don’t think they’re anyone official, but they kidnapped everyone on the ship and held them at a facility not that far from here.”
“Then why was she here and not with them?”
“Because of my standing on my home world.”
I jumped when she spoke. I’d completely forgotten the alien sitting next to me.
“Are you their queen or something?” I asked, hoping I didn’t sound disrespectful if she was.
“I’m the Elder Companion.”
“The what now?”
“Here on Earth people have so much spare time. Enough to nourish relationships, get married, and raise a family. On my planet we focus on sciences. Most people don’t have the time or the desire to cultivate a relationship the way you do here, but they still crave physical contact. Love. When they do they come to me. I’ve been trained to satisfy anyone’s every need since I was fourteen years old.”
A whore. The alien next to me was a whore.
Fudging great. How much more messed up could this night get? There had better be a camera crew ready to shout Surprise! You’re on TV! hiding in the kitchen.
“Is that why you were locked up on your own? So they could–” I felt sick just thinking about it.
She nodded. “I give myself freely, because I want to and because it’s my purpose.” Her eyes glazed over. “I’ve never been forced before.” Did aliens have happy places they went to when life was too dark? “Thank you, Poppy Joy. I’m sorry I involved you.”
It still didn’t seem real that one of my two voices was a real person, and that she was sitting next to me. Or that she was a prostitute from another planet. An Elder prostitute.
Wait, so that reward she promised me– I blushed, grateful for the change in topic.
“I’m just glad you’re safe now. I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner, I didn’t think–”
“It’s all right. I knew you were trying.”
“Why did you contact me? Why not someone with more power and influence?”
“You were the only one I could reach. I thought you’d be like me, someone who escaped when our ship crashed.”
“Nope, I was definitely born on Earth. Not a drop of alien blood inside me.” I remembered that I didn’t even know her name. “What should I call you? We can’t keep calling you ‘guest’ or ‘friend’.”
“My name is Mara.”
“Huh. Seriously?”
“Shouldn’t it be?” She smiled. She looked so much like…like… a human, but then there were her face tattoos, her large eyes, and– Fudge! I’d known her boobs were unnaturally big!
“I always imagined aliens to have ridiculously long names no human could pronounce.”
“My full name is Zaveeyera Xiomara.”
Yeah, that made more sense. “I’ll stick with Mara.”
“She’s taking it well, wouldn’t you say?” said Ana.
I’d completely forgotten that the others were still here.
“She is,” said Mel. “I didn’t expect you to be so accepting.”
“I freaked out when Ana first told me what she was doing,” said Bee.
That was a good point. Why wasn’t I freaking out?
“If it’s a joke it’s a bad one and you won’t be able to keep it up. If it’s true there’s nothing I can do about it.” I was many things, but never a racist. Or a xeno-racist. I supposed that was a thing now. “So, what’s next?”
“We fight,” said Bee. “It’s about time we did something instead of just talking about it.”
“I found a memory stick in the facility,” said Mel, and handed a small black USB to Ana. “I had a quick look while Mara stretched her legs. The location of their headquarters is on there.”
“Then it’s time we made our move.” The careless laughter had left Ana’s voice. There was something darker hidden beneath it now, and it made my skin crawl. “Poppy, you don’t need to join us for this. Go home. Don’t tell anyone what you know, or Mara will be in danger again.”
“No, I want to help.” I also needed time to think and progress all of this, but if aliens were held against their will somewhere nearby and I could help, then I would.
“There’s a good chance that people will die, Pop. You don’t have to do this.”
“Then that’s all the more reason for me to help.” I was surprised by how much I meant this.
“Thank you,” said Mel. “But at least sleep over it. We won’t hold it against you if you’ve changed your mind in the morning.”
I nodded. A moment to think on my own was exactly what I needed, but I had a feeling that it wouldn’t change anything.
“We’ll meet back here tomorrow at 1pm,” said Ana. “I’d rather you’re safe, but if you truly want to help I won’t turn you down. Goddess, we could use the extra hands.”
How the fudge was I going to explain this to my parents?
I froze.
Fudge.
My parents.
I’d completely forgot to tell them where I was. They had to be worried sick by now.
“Gotta go. Tomorrow at 1pm, yes?”
I didn’t wait for confirmation. I jumped up and ran.
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