by Rick Kueber
“We go whatever way we can get away, and if we make it, we start heading west again. The desert was east, so we don't want to go that way. I guess we could go south, but west feels right.” Elle sorted out her thoughts as she spoke.
I did not try to reason with her or rationalize her choice. I trusted her... with my life. I placed my finger to my lips in the universal symbol for “shhh” and reached for the back door knob. Unlocking it first, I twisted the knob and slowly pulled the door wide open. There were no Takers in our sight, it seemed like a clear path between us and the sparse tree line that lay no more than thirty yards away. I looked Elle straight in the eye and gave her a nod. Hand in hand, I turned to run out the door, but she hesitated, pulling me back. I turned back to see what was holding her back and she grabbed my mess of hair in her hand and kissed my mouth with a hard, wet and passion filled kiss.
“For luck... and just in case,” She said releasing me. I could say nothing, but merely nodded again and pulled her along behind me as I exited the rear of the house.
Elle and I sprinted from the back of the house toward the tree line without ever looking back. I lost grip of her hand but did not slow down until I had passed into the trees. The patch of trees was shallower than I had expected and once within its cover, I could see the clearing on the other side. I stopped in the middle of the small piece of woods and turned to see Elle immediately behind me. We stood still for a moment catching our breath and wondering what our next move would be.
“You know, we have nothing, right?” Elle whispered intermittently through her heavy breathing. “Not even a bottle of water.”
“We have each other.” I tried to distract her from our destitute situation.
“Well, I'm not much on cannibalism, but if the need arises, I suppose you can... eat me.” Her sarcastic innuendo made me smile inside, but it didn't help the current state of affairs.
Chapter 12
INTO the TITAN
We looked around at our current surroundings to get our bearing. The sun was climbing higher in the sky, and the Titan had not moved from where its 'foot' had landed in the center of the little burb called Barnhill. Elle looked up through the tree canopy and studied the direction of the sun.
“The town is west of us, and that's the way we should go.” She pointed out.
“So, maybe we go south and skirt around the town until we can travel west again.” I offered up an idea.
“That sounds like the best plan to me too.” Elle agreed, even though we knew we wouldn't last more than a few days with no food, water, or means to defend ourselves.
A wind grew from nothing and rustled through the branches overhead, breaking the near silence that surrounded us. When the breeze died down, the rustling of leaves remained, but instead of coming from the branches overhead, the rustling came from behind us. I spun around quickly to find a hoard of takers lead by an Ahsusha, closing in on us. Neither of us screamed 'run' out loud, but I was thinking it so loud, that I believe she heard my thoughts. We both took off running wildly through the thin stretch of woods. I ran the length of the woods instead of popping out on the other side where I would be exposed and easily found and captured.
My feet flew across the leaf litter that covered the floor of the woods and as I jutted in and out of the trees and brambles, I tried to catch a glimpse of Elle behind me as I ran, but I had lost her in the chaos. A small drop, not more than a couple of feet, caught me off guard and I tumbled down a small hill. Regaining my composure at the bottom, I heard the rushing Takers approaching, but saw no sign of Elle. I prayed that she had gotten away, but my heart knew that was unlikely.
I had a sudden memory of my last encounter with the Takers. They hadn't paid attention to me in the woods, and I had even followed them for a distance. Finding myself utterly alone, I had nothing to lose, and turned toward Barnhill and slowly walked out of the woods. The earth began to rumble again as the midnight blue Titan's appendages began to fold against themselves and the body of the mechanical giant landed flat against the earth, crushing several blocks of Barnhill and sending a shockwave across the ground that nearly knocked me to my knees. When the tremor settled, I began to wander closer to the interstellar beast. Watching the multitudes of Takers assembling and moving to the Titan, I followed them. I soon found myself surrounded by dozens of Takers and several Ahsusha.
What was I doing? I had no rational explanation for my actions, but I felt drawn to the giant craft, and I thought that if Elle or any of the others had been taken, I might be able to find them. Helping them might not be possible, but if I searched the Takers and didn't find them, perhaps that would mean they had escaped. A mechanical groaning sound bellowed through the air and I saw a small opening appear at the front of the Titan and the Ashusha escorted the Takers on board the mechanical monstrosity. I tried to decide if I could simply watch them load up and hopefully move on, or if the Ahsusha would notice if I stayed behind. While I toyed with the idea, I felt my feet moving me closer and closer to the opening. There was a desire to find the pale Titan, and perhaps this Titan would lead me to it. I had promised Elle that I would not leave her, but I did not know if she was in the crowd of Takers that had loaded into this Titan, or if she had escaped them and was in hiding. Without knowing for sure, I had to assume she had been taken and being completely unnoticed, I filed into the belly of the beast along with the others.
It was dark in the large gathering area where we stood, but being able to see better in the dimmest of lights gave me an advantage over the rest of the Takers, but not the Ahsusha. A moment of anxiety filled my senses and twisted my stomach when the door began to close. The Ahsusha escorted the Takers in groups of ten, or so, through an arched opening at the far end of the room. I wondered where they were being taken to, and had a feeling I would know soon. As the room began to empty, I noticed one of the Ahsusha was fixated on me, and I was beginning to feel that my plan to sneak on board was a secret that was known by another and perhaps I was allowed to 'sneak' on intentionally. Had the alien beings caught me by simply letting me believe that I had gone unnoticed? Clever, if that was their game, but what were their plans for me now that I was captive inside of their Titan, with no means of escape?
Aside from a pair of brightly glowing eyes, this Ahsusha, like all of them, appeared to be just another person. A tall woman, easily approaching six foot, with radiantly smooth skin like porcelain and flowing white hair, not blonde, but actually white. She wore a pair of black yoga style pants, black high top canvas sneakers and a royal-purple oversized button-down shirt that hung down to her mid-thigh. As she approached me, I noticed another Ahsusha, a man in his mid-thirties of average build and height, dressed in blue jeans, brown leather hiking boots and a plain blue long-sleeved t-shirt. The man had dark brown hair that was thinning on top and a full beard and mustache. The two moved in my direction without aggression and though I wanted to remain undercover, I remained still and waited for them to make contact. The other remaining Ahsusha escorted the remaining Takers from the area and left the three of us alone.
When the two were mere feet from me, I felt a warm sensation flooding over me, a lucidity that I hadn't known before. The woman reached out to me, laying her left thumb on my cheek, moving it with precision to find just the right placement, and her index finger on my temple, she spoke to me within my mind, without moving her emotionless lips or uttering a sound.
'I am Lori, and this is Mitch. We have awaited your return. Ornan, the commander of this vessel will be pleased that you have come. Your assistance will help us find the Pale One. The rogue 'Titan', as your people have called them, has come here to collect you. Though its commander, Moro-Dan, has a connection to your thoughts, he cannot locate you without your participation. We have followed Moro-Dan to this world and with your help, we will stop the rebellious plan he is trying to initiate.' Her voice in my head was as sweet and smooth as silk and honey, and it filled me with a comfort that took away my worries.
'Why
me? And what is his rebel plan?' My thoughts were blunt but to the point.
'Moro-Dan traveled across the dimensions to connect with you on several occasions throughout your life, planting a blueprint of his plans deep within your mind, altering it as needed with each visit. He was creating an ally that would help his cause... his rebellious plan. This world was a part of our plan ever since we discovered its variety of life and elements. Our plan was simple. Come to your world when the time was right and overtake the physical bodies of your kind. We have become beings of energy and light, intelligent and conscious of ourselves. We had lost our need of true physical forms which had always been weak and vulnerable, wearing down and failing. The one thing that we lack, that you have the capability of is reproduction. Though in our current form of existence, we are nearly immortal, we cannot pro-create and that has become the one thing we have grown to desire. Moro-Dan would have your kind rebel against us by joining with him and those with his Pale Titan to fight against our peaceful overtaking.' I absorbed every word as if I already knew exactly what she spoke of, not simply word-for-word, but the entire concept.
'And I am to help you and Ornan find this rogue Titan and stop the rebel cause? How am I to help?' I was unsure what I could do, but I felt like I was truly meant to be a part of this story. I had some important part to play, but what of Elle, and Maddie... and my life before them?
The male looked back and forth between us, as if he wondered what our conversation was filled with.
'We will take you to Ornan at the control center of the Titan, and there you will be understand more.' She removed her thumb and finger and our telepathic connection was broken. The two turned and began to walk away. I felt that I had to follow, and it was more than a need to understand, but a destiny. This was something that I was a part of, and whether I went, or fought against them and was able to escape, I was still connected to this monumental event.
Lori and Mitch turned away from me and I noticed the space where we stood had changed. There were no doorways, no corners, and no lights. I supposed that lights may have no purpose for these beings... but this was not what I would have expected. In my head I always thought of a UFO as being filled with flashing lights doors that 'swooshed' open and closed when they were approached. I followed them a dozen steps or so to an area where I noticed the floor was no longer perfectly smooth like everything else. We had stopped, and were standing in a place where the floor was covered in perfectly round, tiny bumps. There was a slight fluttering in my stomach and a growing sense of electricity in the air, like static making my hairs stand on end. There was an uncomfortable pressure in my eyes that made my vision go blurry, and a shooting pain deep within my skull. Something felt wrong and my feeling of tranquility quickly turned to uncontrollable anxiety. The other two looked at me with confusion, as I grabbed my head in my hands, afraid it might literally explode. Lori and Mitch closed their glowing eyes and dissipated right before my blurred sight. The feeling of static electricity hummed and pulsated and I thought it would kill me, but it didn't.
I felt hollow and queasy. The desire to collapse and pass out overtook me and I felt that uneasy adrenaline rush... the kind that clears your sinuses when you tip back in your chair and you almost go too far but catch yourself. Little, brilliant stars swam in the blackness of my vision for an instant before my sight returned and I found myself crumpling to the floor. Lori and Mitch stood over me, their glowing eyes stared down on me from expressionless faces. A bright glow lit their silhouettes from behind and grew closer as I regained my composure.
An alien being, Ornan, I assumed, split the two and approached. It's gelatinous, glowing figure took on the basic form of a human, though not complete. The faceless figure came close to where I sat on the floor. It lowered itself to my level, not bending or stooping, but melting its form to a shorter and thicker body. It stretched out its arms to me, reaching for my head with its chubby-jello fingers. Lightning struck, metaphorically, when it touched the sides of my head, I felt its energy penetrating my brain and filling it with a myriad of information. In a split second, the being broke contact and an audible screeching moan echoed through the hollow space. Its form stretched and twisted in what appeared to be a very unnatural way. The alien glow of its energy dimmed and flickered, leaving a puddled blob that slowly shrank and evaporated in our presence.
Chapter 13
HOMELESS
I stood up and felt good. There was confusion, a feeling that I was not remembering everything that was important to me, but I didn't feel sick; I wasn't dizzy; my body did not ache in the slightest. I felt... complete. In the moment I stood, the Titan shook and groaned a terrible mechanical groan. The giant shuddered and I could sense that it was taking a stand though it felt different than I had expected, more labored and less powerful. A sense of control filled my being, but the glow in Lori and Mitch's eyes dimmed as they stepped back. My mind was overloaded with thoughts and ideas that were not my own, but my body... my body... was suddenly filled with an energy that made me feel physically complete. The two Ahsushas, Lori, and Mitch seemed intimidated and almost afraid of me. They lowered their eyes and would not look directly at me.
The limitless thoughts in my head flashed like a slideshow of pictures I did not remember. Some of the thoughts were ideas of internal workings of the Titan, and how and where it was controlled. Other flickers of thought were of the armies of Takers that were held in the belly of the titan. Each thought had a million other ideas and memories attached to it and it was more than my brain could comprehend. There was a surprising picture, like a short clip from an old home-movie, that flashed in the midst of all of the alien knowledge... A raven haired woman, tan and fit, squatted down in a dimly lit cave. Her expression was blank, but there was a kindness in her dark eyes. I knew this person held some importance, but I could not place who she was, or what role she had played.
“Will you find the rogue Titan, now... Ornan?” Lori spoke aloud, and her voice was feminine but raspy as if she had not used it in a very long time.
“I seek the Pale Titan, and I seek a woman with ebony hair and dark skin from my memory. I will find them both if I am able....” My words came without thought but sounded foreign to me. “Ornan exists no more. I am Tanner. I have always been Tanner, and I will remain Tanner.”
The moment I decided that I desired to find the rogue Pale Titan, the mechanical giant we were inside of began to move, stretching one appendage at a time, and slamming hard into the earth below with each step. Lori and Mitch backed aside a few steps, opening a pathway and extending their arms as if to say 'this way'. I knew without question, that I should follow the way before me. As I approached the edge of the rounded room, things that were unseen became visible. There were a series of windows, a wall full of them in fact. These were not the typical windows that I had been accustomed to. Though I could not remember much of my past, I had flashes of memory, and those flashes were confusing and felt out of place. All the same, these windows seemed unusual in that they were not pieces of clear elements framed to fill openings in a wall. The wall itself simply became clear in a large area, revealing a panoramic view from a height that was almost dizzying.
Although the entire 'plan' was buried in my brain, I had not taken the time to think it through. My only concern for the moment was to find the rogue, Pale Titan, and the majestic Titan that I rode seemed on a set course to find it. Somehow my thoughts and desires were controlling this giant. I wondered if normal people were scattering below. In the moment that the thought entered my head, a series of infra-red lights began to glow red from just below the 'window' and the earth below was suddenly a mixture of the normal color and light spectrum and infra-red to ultraviolet that showed heat signatures. Despite being more than three hundred feet in the air, I could plainly see the movements of the smallest of mammals: squirrels, rabbits, birds, and mice. A human or a group of them would be blatantly unmistakable... easy targets.
The Titan strode over the countrysi
de in long and purposeful steps and my mind shifted to misplaced memories. While this monstrous, mechanical gorilla remained on course to find the rogue Titan, I scoured my mind in search of lost bits of my humanity. Flashes of being on a jet plane that was about to crash, coming to consciousness in the desert alone, being rescued by a mysterious person shrouded in black, a gathering of people in a comfortable living room and a beautiful woman by my side... Raven black hair, deep and thoughtful eyes that drew me in, dark tanned skin... I knew this woman. She was my companion, my savior... my lover... A dark and mysterious scene played out in the corridors of my mind; this powerful and beautiful woman was seductively and submissively intertwined with me, flesh on flesh, hot breath on hyper-sensitive skin, need and desire exchanged between her and me, and passion and pleasure unequaled... ELLE!
In that moment, I knew. I knew... everything, or, at least, I suddenly remembered everything, and the rogue, pale Titan was no longer as important to me as this woman that I had promised I would never leave... this woman that I... was in love with. With a vertiginous spin, the Titan turned. A few steps, a few miles, and we were headed back to where we had just come from, which told me that somehow the Titan knew, I knew, that Elle was alive and she had escaped the army of Takers.
Like a drunken sailor, the Titan stumbled when its front leg stepped over the edge of a small ravine. This step should have been easily maneuvered, but the Titan seemed to be losing control. My purpose was split. There was a need to find the rogue Titan that I did not fully understand, and a desire to find Elle, that I could not deny. My confusion was feeding into the central controls of the beast and my emotions confounded its programming. Emotion had never played a part, and the previous commander of the Titan had only directed it with a meticulous, apathetic purpose. Two more shaky steps, like those of a fawn just learning to walk, and the Titan came crashing down, its four tremendous appendages folding under itself. I rode the falling Titan like a surfer in an aerial, dropping in and catching an a-frame wave, while the two Ahsushas, Lori, and Mitch, tumbled to the floor.