Annexation

by Marisa Chenery

  Kiri blinked at the rapid change of subject. “What do you mean he’s gone?”

  “Taken,” Meg said quietly. “They took him. Some Atres soldiers. They came really late last night and took him away. The warrior in the hall was one of them. He warned me to keep quiet about it. That if I told anyone, he’d come for me too.”

  A chill ran down Kiri’s back. So far, the Atres had basically left humans alone since the day of their arrival. Taking them during the dead of night was new. And she seriously doubted Meg’s dad would return. Kiri knew what it was like to lose a father because of the Atres.

  “Don’t worry. I won’t tell him that you told me,” Kiri said.

  “I know you wouldn’t. Kiri, I haven’t been the nicest to you over the years. I should never have told everyone about you having to see a psychiatrist. I only did it so I could fit in with the others.” Meg nodded toward the table where her friends sat. “You were my friend, and I should have respected you more.” She paused. “They don’t have the skills to help me, not like you do. I promise I’ll never betray your trust again.”

  “Okay,” Kiri said slowly. “I don’t know what you need me to help you with, though.”

  “I know you’re a black belt in karate and you’re really good at archery. You know how to protect yourself. How to fight if you need to. Do you think you can forgive me enough to be there for me? To defend me if something were to happen? Kiri, I’m really afraid the Atres will come back to my house and take someone else from my family. Me even. My mom wouldn’t be able to stop them. My dad is gone, and even if he were there, he wouldn’t be any use. They took him so easily.”

  “What would you want me to do?”

  “Hang around with me. Be my friend again. Come to my house sometimes. Maybe you could teach me some self-defense moves. I’d just feel safer if you were near.”

  “I guess I can do all that. Just don’t change your mind and go back to the old you.”

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  Kiri noticed Meg’s friends looked their way and whispered to one another. “What about them?” She jerked her head toward the other girls’ table. “Won’t they wonder why you’re all of a sudden hanging out with me? Remember, I’m the crazy girl of the school. People avoid me like the plague.”

  Meg cringed. “I’m so sorry I started that. I don’t care what they think. They’re shallow and only think about themselves. What happened to my father, it made me realize there are more important things in life than being popular. The world is no longer the same with the Atres here.”

  That was an understatement. Seeing spaceships was now the norm, and the people of Earth would never be able to think of themselves as being alone in the universe ever again. It was too bad the aliens hadn’t arrived, saying they came in peace and asked for our leader.

  Kiri glanced at the other girls again. “As long as you’re okay with it, then I guess I am. And you’re right. The world is a different place than we knew it to be. When would you like me to start teaching you?”

  “Today. After school. If you’re okay with it.”

  “Fine. I have to go home first and tell my mom where I’ll be.” Cell phones still didn’t work, and probably never would with the Atres in power. Even the landlines didn’t function. The Internet was also a thing of the past. They’d gone into a semi-Dark Ages as her mom had predicted.

  “I’ll drive you. And I don’t mind picking you up in the morning and dropping you off every day. That way you won’t have to take the bus.”

  Meg lived a block from Kiri’s house. So it wasn’t as if she’d be going too much out of her way. “Okay. I won’t pass up on getting a drive,” Kiri said with a smile.

  “Good.” Meg grinned. “You have no idea how much better I feel now that you’ve said you’d help me.”

  Kiri really didn’t know how much of a help she’d actually be. Yes, she had the skills, thanks to Cax in her dreams, and karate and archery lessons, but she’d never used them other than in competitions or practices. And the Atres wouldn’t tolerate any humans showing some backbone. Her mother had been worried Kiri’s bow and arrows would be taken the wrong way and had had Kiri hide them in Kiri’s bedroom closet where there was a small crawlspace attic in the ceiling under the roof.

  Meg went to get a tray of food. She returned and spent the rest of the lunch period with Kiri. Some of the Atres warriors did a short patrol around the cafeteria halfway through, which caused Meg to stiffen since the one who’d accosted her in the hall had been among them. Kiri looked him in the eyes as he walked past and didn’t give him the pleasure of seeing that his hard stares intimidated her, since they didn’t. It probably was kind of on the stupid side for her to do it, but she wasn’t going to play the weak human when she wasn’t. Maybe all those years of seeing dream-Cax had made her used to being around an Atres, so she didn’t find them all that different as everyone else did.

  Just before the bell was to ring, Kiri promised Meg she’d meet her in the parking lot once the last period was over, before she headed to her next class. They didn’t have any more subjects together for the day.

  As Kiri walked out of the cafeteria, she couldn’t help thinking that if the Atres hadn’t come to Earth, Meg more than likely wouldn’t have changed her feelings about her. Would she ever forget what the other girl had done to her? Probably not, but humans as a whole had to look out for one another. If the Atres were now taking people from their homes at night, there was no room for grudges. They had to protect themselves as much as they could. The past couldn’t come between them. Meg wanted help, and Kiri would give it to her. It was as simple as that.

  * * * *

  School was done, and Kiri sat in Meg’s car—a light blue VW Beetle convertible—as Meg drove them to Kiri’s house. It was actually nice not to have to take the bus. It was a hot day, but with the top down on the Beetle, the wind was enough to keep cool.

  Meg pulled into Kiri’s driveway before she shut off the engine. “You can come in,” Kiri said.

  The other girl nodded. “Sure.”

  They climbed out of the car before Kiri led Meg to the front door of the house. She opened it and went inside with Meg close behind.

  “Mom, I’m home,” Kiri called.

  “I’m upstairs,” her mother replied.

  She looked at Meg. “Just give me a couple of minutes, then we can leave.”

  “All right.”

  Kiri took the steps to the upper level. She found her mom in the master bedroom, putting a load of clean laundry into her dresser. She stopped what she was doing and looked at Kiri once she stepped into the room. Her mother had dark circles under her eyes, and she’d lost weight. She wasn’t sleeping or eating properly since the loss of Kiri’s dad. Her mom had taken it hard.

  “You’re back early,” her mom said.

  “Yeah. Meg gave me a ride. She’s downstairs, waiting for me.”

  Her mother scowled. “Meg? You mean the girl you used to be friends with who spread all that gossip about you?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “What are you doing with her?”

  “Meg asked if I could teach her some self-defense moves.” Kiri met her mom’s gaze. “The Atres took her father late last night, and he hasn’t returned. She’s afraid they’ll come back and take another of her family.”

  Her mom paled and sat on the bed. “They’re taking humans now?”

  “Apparently. I couldn’t tell her no, Mom. Especially since one of the Atres who took her dad cornered her in the hall at school today.”

  “I know you can’t. You’re not built that way. Will you be home for dinner?”

  “I think so. I should go. Meg’s waiting.”

  “Okay. If you don’t make it for dinner, don’t be late coming home. I want you back here way before curfew. And be careful.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  Kiri walked out of her mom’s room and then downstairs.

&nb
sp; Meg smiled. “All set? Was she okay with you going?”

  “Yes, to both.”

  “Great.”

  They headed outside to Meg’s car. Not even a minute later, they arrived at Meg’s house. Once the vehicle was parked, they went inside. Meg’s younger brother, Luke, was in the foyer. He was thirteen and in the eighth grade so Kiri didn’t know him that well.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Hi,” Kiri replied.

  “How come you’re home early from school?” Meg asked.

  “They closed it down. Somebody pulled the fire alarm after lunch, and the Atres sent everyone home.”

  “Where’s Mom?”

  Luke made a face. “She’s in the kitchen. She’s acting weird again. I have a feeling we won’t be getting anything for dinner.”

  He walked past them and headed up the stairs. Kiri mentally rolled her eyes. Luke was a typical boy. Of course he’d be more worried about where his next meal came from than concerned about his mother. Or maybe that was just his way of handling everything that had happened with his dad.

  “Luke can be such an idiot,” Meg said. “Sometimes I wish I was an only child like you.”

  Kiri chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t have to put up with annoying siblings.”

  “Especially younger brothers.” Meg grew serious. “I have to see how my mom is. Do you think you could come with me when I do? I think she might feel a bit better knowing you can teach me how to defend myself.”

  “Sure. I guess.”

  Kiri followed Meg to the back of the house where the kitchen was located. Meg’s mom sat at the table with a piece of paper in front of her as she madly wrote something on it. She quietly muttered. Kiri couldn’t hear what she said. Her short, blonde hair stuck out in places as if she’d been tugging at it, and she wore pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. Now Kiri understood why Luke had said his mother acted weird.

  “Mom,” Meg said as she approached the table. Kiri hung back a bit.

  Meg’s mother jerked her head up and turned in her chair to look at them. “Oh, Meg. You’re home.” Her gaze skipped to Kiri. “And you brought a friend I haven’t seen you with in a very long time. It’s nice to see you again, Kiri.”

  “Hi, Mrs. O’Brien. It’s nice to see you again too.”

  “Did Meg tell you what happened to her father?” Meg’s mom’s eyes took on a desperate look.

  “Yes, she did. That’s why she asked me to come here. She wants me to teach her some self-defense.”

  “Oh, yes. You have a black belt in karate. You started taking classes around the time you began seeing a psychiatrist.”

  “Mom!” Meg interrupted. “The whole psychiatrist thing is something we aren’t going to talk about.”

  “Sorry. I won’t mention that again. Still, it’s good you’re a black belt, Kiri. Maybe you could teach me as well. We’re all going to need to know how to defend ourselves against the Atres. They’re killers, and will eventually come for us all if we let them. After last night, I know why they came to our planet.”

  “Why?” Kiri asked.

  “Mom, let’s not talk about that,” Meg said.

  Kiri shook her head. “No. I’d like to hear. Go ahead, Mrs. O’Brien.”

  “Blood. They’re here for our blood. They feed from us. One of them bit Meg’s father before they took him away. I saw it.”

  “Like a vampire?”

  “Yes. The one who bit him, his eyeteeth grew into fangs. And his eyes changed from copper to red.”

  That was something Kiri wouldn’t have expected. Out of all her dream visits with Cax, not once had his eyes changed color or his teeth become fangs. That didn’t mean what Mrs. O’Brien had said wasn’t true. Could the Atres have come to use humans like cattle? To feed? She’d wondered more than once why they’d come. It couldn’t have been on a whim. She was positive it’d taken them two years to reach this planet. That was the amount of time Cax had said he’d be in stasis. And now he was at Earth.

  “They killed him,” Meg’s mom added. “I know they did.” Her eyes had a wild look in them. “We’re not safe. None of us are. The Atres are keeping us controlled so they can pick us off one by one. We’re corralled. The curfew makes sure we’re penned up at night.”

  Meg interrupted. “Mom, enough. I’m taking Kiri to the basement.”

  Kiri followed Meg as she walked out of the kitchen. In the hallway was the door to the lowest level. She took the steps to the basement behind Meg. What the other girl’s mother had said swirled in her mind. Was there some truth in it? Could the Atres be a type of vampire who considered her race nothing but animals to feed from?

  Once they reached the finished basement, Meg turned to Kiri. “Sorry about my mom. She has been freaked out ever since last night. I didn’t see the Atres bite my dad, but Mom swears one did. I really hope it isn’t true or it makes them even scarier than they already are.”

  Kiri wanted that to not be the case too, but she doubted that would happen. There was still so much they didn’t know about their new alien overlords. She just wished she could be with Cax again. He would have the answers to all her questions.

  Chapter 4

  Two weeks went by and Kiri settled into a new routine. Meg picked her up every morning for school, they’d spend lunch together. At the end of the day, Meg would take them to her house where they’d practice self-defense. Kiri had to admit Meg took to it easier than she’d expected. The other girl learned fast, and soon had a good enough grasp of it to defend herself if she needed. Even Meg’s mom had gotten the basics.

  Today was the last full day of school before the final exams started. Kiri looked forward to it all being over, but had no idea what she’d do after the summer. She hadn’t applied to any universities since she’d wanted to take a year off to decide what she wanted to do career-wise. Now, with the Atres there, she didn’t see much point in going at all.

  At lunch, Meg came into the cafeteria and sat at the table where Kiri was seated. Meg looked white as a ghost and there was fear in her eyes. Her hands shook as she placed her tray of food in front of her.

  “What’s the matter?” Kiri asked with some concern.

  “He cornered me when I was heading for one of my classes this morning.”

  Kiri didn’t need Meg to elaborate more as to who the he was. It was the Atres. The one who’d cornered Meg before. “What did he want?”

  Meg took a deep, shaky breath. “He said now that school was almost over, he’d see me tonight.”

  “To take you?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe me and what’s left of my family. Kiri, can you sleep over tonight?”

  Kiri had to think about that before she answered. If she said yes, she’d potentially be putting herself in a position to have a run-in with some Atres. There was no way she’d just stand by and let the aliens take Meg or any of her family. Plus, her mom might not be thrilled with the idea. Maybe saying she wouldn’t be thrilled was putting it mildly. If Kiri said no, she’d be turning her back on Meg and would have to live with the outcome.

  To Kiri, there was only one answer. “Okay, I’ll sleep over. I just won’t tell my mom the real reason. She wouldn’t be happy with me if she knew.”

  “Thanks, Kiri. And I promise I won’t say a word to your mom. We can get what you’ll need for the sleepover after school.”

  “All right. How is your mom going to handle it when you tell her what he told you?”

  “Badly. It might be enough to break her.”

  Meg’s mom hadn’t gone back to acting like her normal self since her husband was taken. She rarely left her house. When she did, it was to go to work or grocery shop. She now feared the Atres so much she almost had a panic attack at the sight of one. Kiri had once witnessed that firsthand after school when a warrior had walked by the house and Meg’s mom had spotted the female through the living room window.

  “Let’s hope not,” Kiri said.

  “Oh God. Her
e he comes now.”

  Kiri glanced over her shoulder. The Atres male who’d cornered Meg walked toward their table. Meg kept her gaze on her food as she ate. Kiri turned hers to him once he reached them and came to a stop. She figured he’d be considered good-looking if he didn’t come across as a jerk. He sneered as he looked from Kiri to Meg and back to Kiri again.

  “You girls had better hurry up and eat. The bell will ring soon,” he said. He looked right at Kiri. “You especially wouldn’t want to be late for class.”

  Kiri boldly met his stare. “No, I wouldn’t. I’m never late, and wouldn’t want to start now, considering after exams I won’t be coming to this school ever again.”

  He flicked his gaze to Meg. “We all have to move on with our lives.” He gave them a condescending smile and walked away.

  “What an ass,” Kiri said softly. “I won’t miss seeing his face.”

  Meg nodded. “Neither will I. And hopefully, I won’t have to see it at my house tonight.”

  “He might not show up. He could have said it just to bug you. If he does come, we’ll be ready for him.”

  * * * *

  After school, Meg took Kiri home where she packed a duffle bag with a change of clothes, pajamas, and a toothbrush. She made a last-minute decision to bring her bow and arrows as well and shoved them into the duffle. Just in case.

  Kiri hurriedly said goodbye to her mom before leaving with Meg following. Kiri hadn’t wanted her mother to question why she took such a large bag for only a one-night sleepover.

  At Meg’s house, they went to Meg’s bedroom. Kiri placed her duffle on the floor near the bed. “You better tell your mom,” she said.

  Meg nodded. “I’m dreading it, but I will. What are we going to do if he shows up tonight?”

  “First of all, don’t let him into the house if he knocks.”

  “I doubt he will. When the Atres came for my father, they somehow managed to unlock the front door. Locks won’t stop them.”

  “I came prepared for anything.”

  Kiri squatted and unzipped her duffle bag before she pulled out her compound bow and quiver of arrows. Meg’s eyes widened at the sight of them.