I hoped the porous stone didn’t crumble under my weight as I did my best to close the window. I couldn’t get the last inch and couldn’t waste time worrying about it. I inched sideways out of sight and hugged the brick, my cheek scraping against the rough surface.
Tap. Tap. Something rapped at the window I’d exited. Oh shit.
I slid over farther, breathing hard in my mask, feeling myself sweat, wishing I’d learned to pick locks. Because I had no doubt the monster found me as a result of my stupidity.
Might as well ring a fucking dinner bell. I used my anger with myself to ignore the fact I stood precariously above the ground. I had no idea where I was going or how I’d get down even. I just kept inching.
And then it happened.
The ledge cracked, and I fell.
Chapter 5
The Past
The president went to meet the alien delegation in person, despite a bunch of his advisors screaming no. Too dangerous. What if the aliens killed him or took him hostage?
The opposition party also said no, but for two reasons. One, they didn’t want him to fuck it up, and two, they also didn’t want him crowned in any glory.
Brokering a peace deal with aliens? The American people might just bend the rules and elect him for another term.
As for me, I didn’t give a shit about the politics. This event would change the world. Who knew what wondrous things would emerge from this encounter?
Despite being at home, glued to my screen, I dressed in my sluttiest best. I’d read a story just recently about some blue alien hottie who beamed right into someone’s apartment and abducted her. They went into the stars and fell in love.
Sigh.
Unlike that heroine, though, I made sure I looked my best. Even had my makeup and hair done. Lounging on my sofa—the chenille covered in an afghan so any visitors didn’t see the rips and stains—I waited with bated breath to see my first alien.
“Oh.” The sound that emerged from me as the door to the spacecraft finished opening and the first visitor filled its frame. I began to understand why the gangplank was so narrow. The aliens gripped it and traversed it, seven of them in total, some treading upright, others dangling upside down as they moved.
I covered my mouth with my hand as the shock of them penetrated.
The aliens weren’t cute. Or anything close to humanoid.
A good thing they claimed they came in peace, because, when those many-legged things emerged, I am pretty sure more than one person in the world screamed.
Spiders. We’d made contact with alien fucking spiders. There went my fantasy of being kidnapped and ravished by some handsome blue-skinned ET.
The president, to his credit, remained undaunted. His staff however?
One of his male subordinates ran off. It led to a few others following him.
Probably for the best. We didn’t want a diplomatic incident with the arachnids. I’d seen the movies. It didn’t end well for Earth.
Gulp.
The lead spider, his limbs almost dainty and his frame colored a bright turquoise, paused in front of the president. Its mandibles flexed over its mouth, like deadly petals opening.
The president, who wore a lapel microphone, greeted the thing with a coolness that almost made me applaud.
“Welcome to the United States of America.” The president held out his hand.
The spiders behind the leader tensed. I noticed the gray versions appeared to be wearing armor, and was that a bazooka strapped to the body of one?
I am pretty sure the whole fucking world held its breath next as the president, with balls of steel, waited.
Funny how even one second in a tense situation can feel as if an eternity passed.
An alien, wearing bangles, gold and silver in appearance, lifted a leg, and the cameraman had the foresight to zoom in so we could see the strange split at the end of the appendage.
They shook hands, er paw or claw? I didn’t know what the fuck to call anything, but I did cry. First contact had happened in my lifetime.
Less than a week later, I cried for an even better reason.
Chapter 6
The Present
As I fell, I had time enough only to think, Fuck me, this is going to hurt. It might only be the second floor, but the impact would break something for sure.
At least I didn’t see the ground coming at me, just the sun finally peeking from behind clouds. Taunting fucker.
At the last second, I closed my eyes. I hit something, but it wasn’t hard ground. The object grunted and staggered but didn’t drop my body.
Caught, by what? Oh shit. Shit. Shit!
I tensed and opened my eyelids, ready to scream, only to blink. It was a someone who’d managed to catch me, a male judging by his square face and stubbled jaw. He wore a knit hat over his hair and a lopsided grin.
“Hey. Nice of you to drop in.” In a deep timbre, my rescuer cracked a lame joke.
He’d also saved me.
Did I say thank you? Nope. All I managed was to squeak, “Hey.”
Yup. Hottest thing ever happened to me and suddenly I’m Miss Shy Girl.
“You okay?” he asked as he set me on my feet.
No. I wanted a do-over. A chance to offer him a sultry hello and thanks before bestowing a kiss on him.
Too forward?
Didn’t really care. I’d been a long time without human contact. This guy didn’t just represent the cake, his hunkiness was like the extra icing on top.
But did he appear overcome by my cuteness?
Nope. Then again, I wore a mask…wait a second. He didn’t?
I stared at his bare mouth and uncovered nose. His lips moved. I could see them. Why didn’t he wear any protective face gear? Didn’t he fear the spores?
He started moving past me, and I finally started listening to him speak. “We should go. The sun won’t stay out for long.”
Despite me not replying, he gripped my hand tight and tugged us into a run. Thank God one of us hadn’t been addled enough to lose their survival instinct. I snapped out of my head and paid attention to the space around me.
He was right about the sun not sticking around. Clouds already scuttled to cover it. Would the gray light be enough to keep the monster inside?
My feet slapped pavement as I sprinted, and my breath huffed. On a positive note, I actually managed to keep pace with him. Gone was the flabby girl who did yoga twice a month and thought herself fit. Now I had abs. Biceps. Triceps. All the ‘eps because with nothing to do but hide and read, I kept in shape.
My savior appeared to know where he wanted to go, turning a few times until we reached a tall building, the windows on the main floor boarded over. The signs above, while dirty, boasted a coffee shop and a pharmacy. What I wouldn’t give for a latte with a dusting of cinnamon on top.
He was more interested in the shattered front doors between the stores. We entered a tight lobby, full of shadows.
To my surprise, he pulled something out and shook it. He had a flashlight just like mine. It created a soft glowing light.
I glanced over my shoulder. Had we been followed by the monster? Picked up by a new threat? I wasn’t sure where we were other than far from my home.
The dude in the hat walked toward a door, saying nothing at all. Should I leave or follow the guy in the long duster? Could he get any sexier?
He held open the door to the stairs, only then meeting my gaze. He arched a brow noticing I hadn’t moved. “Coming?”