Abducted Life

by Patricia Josephine

  “He always knows when I need him.”

  “His instinct to protect his partner.”

  “No, he was like this before, too.”

  T’inissi smiled. “He still had that instinct after. You two belong together.”

  Savannah sighed. “Yeah… I only wish he didn’t have to bear the memories on his own.”

  “If you were able, would you unlock your missing time?”

  Savannah didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  T’inissi offered her hand. “Follow me.”

  ****

  The bright light blinded Savannah. Her hair whipped from the wind swirling like a tornado. She felt her feet lift from the ground as she floated up.

  “Savvy!”

  “Evan?” Squinting against the light, she twisted in the air. “Evan, where are you?”

  “Savvy, I’m here.”

  His fingers brushed her arm. She tried to grab him, but he floated out of reach. “Ev—” An electric jolt hit her in the neck and shot through her body. She screamed. Her arms and legs twitched uncontrollably. Another bolt rocked her, and blackness dragged her under.

  When she woke, she was lying on her back. Metal bound her hands and feet. Unconsciousness crept around the edges of her vision. She tried to fight it off and force the world into focus.

  A face appeared before she could examine her surroundings. The skin was light blue. It had no hair, floppy ears like an elephant’s, thin lips, and large, black eyes.

  Fear flooded up her throat, but her lips didn’t move. Her body was frozen. The alien ran a slender, black device over her face. She whimpered as it rubbed something wet over her exposed skin. Numbness seeped into her. It reached into her bones. Everything faded again, and she slipped away.

  ****

  Savannah stood with four other human girls. Their clothing had been stripped. She shivered. Aliens examined them. Their bodies were tall and slender. They had long arms; their three-fingered hands hung past their knees. Cloaks of silver and black draped over their shoulders. They gestured with both hands and spoke in low voices, the language sounding like a mix of French and Chinese. One pointed to the girl to her right. The girl screamed and pleaded to be taken home as she was pulled away. Savannah clapped her hands over her ears. None of them would see Earth again.

  When Savannah was picked, she didn’t struggle. She lifted her chin and walked forward. Her attitude apparently impressed the aliens. They chattered. One sounded angry as it gestured at her. The dispute was settled quickly, and the alien led her outside.

  The sky was midnight blue with millions of stars sparkling and a crescent moon. In the distance, a city glowed. If Savannah hadn’t known different, she’d have thought she was on Earth. She shivered as a cool wind blew.

  She was led to a bulky craft on six wheels and loaded into a small compartment. Each wall had a rectangular slot. She looked through one to see the alien world. The slot on her right revealed a girl curled up in the corner of her cage. Her legs were pulled to her chest, and her face was buried against her knees.

  “Savvy!”

  On the far wall of the girl’s prison, Savannah glimpsed amber eyes through the slot. Her heart jumped into her throat. “Evan.”

  He shoved his arm through the narrow hole and outstretched out his hand. Her fingers latched on to his. She held on as tight as possible. Her cheek rested against the cold metal. Tears pooled in her eyes. At least she had one piece of home with her.

  ****

  The wall loomed above Savannah. It had to be at least six stories tall. She raced toward it with razor-sharp focus. Gathering the strength in her legs, she leapt. Her right knee grazed the top of the wall as she flew over it, but she cleared it and landed. Throwing her arms up in a gymnast pose, she froze and waited.

  On a podium above, four aliens looked down at her. They spoke and gestured to each other, and she wondered what they were saying. Aliens abducted her from her planet, did something to her to make her into a mutant with heightened strength and speed, but they hadn’t bothered to teach her their language. They didn’t appear interested in learning hers either. She felt like a show dog. Preened and groomed, she was put through her paces and judged. Her owners had collected four trophies because of her.

  The alien judges finally came to a conclusion. A screen above them lit up with strange symbols. A humming ran through the crowd, and they lifted their hands in the air, but Savannah had no clue if the reaction was good or bad. Applause wasn’t something aliens knew how to do.

  ****

  A moan crawled up Savannah’s throat. She pressed against the wall of the tiny room she occupied. At her feet lay a thin mat and woven blanket. It was the only bedding the aliens provided. They were lucky the nights were warm. Otherwise, they’d freeze to death.

  Then we wouldn’t be slaves anymore.

  She focused on the anger the thought conjured, but her body rebelled, a drive to mate pulsing through her.

  Around her, other girls cried and moaned. It was as though mass hysteria had gripped them. Savannah suspected the planet’s moon had something to do with it. Like werewolves responding to the full moon.

  Alien werewolves.

  She scoffed and grew madder. She had to keep the rage stoked. It distracted her from the fire inside her.

  The door to her crate opened. Her owner strode in, grabbed her arm, and hauled her out. She snarled like a dog. In the courtyard, a creature was on its back. It was bound by its arms and legs. The animal was bipedal with hands and opposable thumbs. White fur covered its body, and it had a stout muzzle full of sharp teeth. Its breath fogged the night air. Among a mass of fur in the center of its belly was a pink appendage with short, black barbs. A device was attached to it, pumping a milky liquid through a thin tube into a machine.

  Savannah whimpered. She dug her heels into the ground, pressed her lips together, and held her breath as the alien dragged her to the machine.

  No! She refused to give in.

  ****

  Savannah lay on a thick mattress. A lump at the top supported her head. A contraction made her wheeze. Breathe, she reminded herself and drew a slow one through her nose before releasing it through her mouth.

  The aliens bustled about the room with excitement. They checked the machine they attached to her swollen belly. A hologram showed the tiny figure curled up in a fetal position.

  Savannah reached out. Her fingers made the image waver. She couldn’t see the baby’s face. And with the way the child was turned, she had no idea if it was a boy or girl. A lump filled her throat.

  At first, she had been repulsed by the pregnancy. She had felt violated. If she could have, she would have ripped the fetus out. But as her belly grew and the baby began to move, she realized it was as much a victim as she was. The baby had no choice. It would be born into slavery. She would be the only one to care, and she vowed to love her baby with all her heart.

  Another contraction made her cry out. She was clueless about how to give birth. The aliens didn’t care about communicating with her or any of the girls they had stolen from Earth. They were pets. Nothing more.

  Loathing for her masters temporarily silenced the pain.

  Savannah glared at them. Her teeth gritted as a third contraction rocked her. Sweat soaked her body. Hours passed as she struggled through labor. The aliens kept their distance from her. Did they expect her to lash out at them in her state? Did they have as little idea what to do as she? Or did they not care about her?

  Another contraction squeezed her, and she pushed. She cried and gripped the mattress. A wail filled the air. Savannah slumped back with a whimper. An alien rushed forward and gathered the baby up. It sliced through the umbilical cord with a knife.

  “Let me see.” Savannah held her arms out. “Let me see my child.” The alien turned away. Panic gripped her body. “Give me my baby!”

  The aliens left the room. The one with her child led the way. Savannah stumbled after them on wobbling legs. Blood trickled down her
thighs. She collapsed outside, too exhausted to go farther. She tried, oh did she try. Clawing the ground, she dragged herself across the courtyard. Tears dripped to the dirt, and she clutched her stomach. “Let me see my baby!”

  She sobbed. Her cries echoing in the night. Warm arms pulled her close, and a voice murmured in her head. She threw herself against Evan. He held her tightly, as if he could keep her from breaking into a million pieces.

  Footsteps approached. An alien yanked Evan off her. It dragged him away by his hair and threw him into a cage. The metal slammed shut and echoed through the darkness. It returned to her. She shook, but not with fear. Rage seared through her like lava. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She glared at the alien and spoke in a low voice.

  “I’ll get my baby back. And, with Evan, we’ll escape this hell.”

  ****

  The wind beat at the ground, sending dirt swirling like a dust devil. In the distance, thunder growled and lightning flashed red. Figures dressed in black crept across the courtyard. They melted into shadows, seeming to disappear before reappearing in another spot. Their footsteps were silent. The only sounds they made was the swish of fabric. They split into two groups. One headed for the cages, and the others went to the crates where Savannah and the girls were kept. She watched the intruders with narrowed eyes. When one approached her, she scrambled back. The hairs on the nape of her neck stood with alarm. She snarled, trying to make herself look dangerous.

  Brown eyes stared at her from a slit in a black mask. A stilted voice whispered. “No. Fear. Follow. To Free. Dom.”

  ****

  Savannah’s eyes snapped open and she gasped. She lay on a mat in the room she had first woken in. T’inissi sat next to her, stroking her hair. The alien didn’t try to infuse her with calm. She appreciated it. Right now, she didn’t need calm. She needed to process the memories and emotions. To accept the year she had thought she lost.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Chapter: Evan

  The sound of laughter echoed down the ship’s corridor. Footsteps pattered against the floor then up the wall and to the ceiling.

  “Look, Mommy.”

  Savannah’s voice was full of laughter—and a bit of fear. “Yes, I see, Atiyya. Now will you come down?” She grunted a moment later.

  A child’s giggle filled the air. “Good catch, Mommy.”

  “I’ll always be there to catch you. Love you, jelly bean.”

  “Love you, too, Mommy.”

  Evan listened to the exchange outside the door to the healer’s room. His lips twitched. A pang pierced his heart. It was irrational for him to feel abandoned, but Savannah had barely been to see him lately. Her time was spent with her daughter and T’inissi as she explored her unlocked memories. He couldn’t say he missed her, though, as he spent the majority of the time unconscious.

  Still, he feared he was losing her. She had a daughter. And other than some pointy ears and pink eyes, Atiyya would be able to pass as human. They had a chance to live a normal life.

  But he didn’t.

  “I wish you’d stop thinking that.”

  Savannah stood in the doorway with Atiyya in her arms. Evan turned away, quickly securing his scarf. He felt her gaze burning a hole in the back of his skull.

  “What, Savvy?”

  She sighed. To him, the sound was like nails on a chalkboard. He wished she’d get it over with. Go home and forget him.

  Savannah was before him in an instant. She slapped him. The blow was more of a shock than painful. He jumped back and rubbed his cheek.

  “Why the fuck did you hit me?”

  “Don’t you swear in front of Atiyya,” she snapped.

  Evan felt blood seeping from his mouth. “Well, why did you smack me?”

  She shoved him into a machine, and a device fell off the top. “Go home and forget you? Did the government remove your brain when they were cutting you open? Why would I do something so stupid?”

  “Because this is your chance at a normal life. You and Atiyya. That’s what matters.”

  “And you don’t believe you’re worthy enough to be a part of it?” She demanded. Tears filled her eyes, and her voice grew heavy. “I thought we discussed this already. My life isn’t complete without you. Wherever you go, Atiyya and I will go.”

  “You don’t have to give up—”

  “Don’t tell me what you think is best for me!” she screamed. “It’s my life, and I get to make the choices. And I say you’re part of my life.”

  “Don’t leave us, Daddy.” Atiyya scurried to Evan and grabbed his hand. Her pink eyes stared at him with adoration. “Mommy says we need you to be a family.”

  Evan stilled. What…

  Savannah wiped her nose and sniffled. “I told her you were her daddy, because I can’t see raising her without you.” The anger deflated from her. “Don’t ask me to leave you behind.”

  She pulled his scarf free and kissed his lips. Letting himself drift in the warmth of her touch, he closed his eyes. When it ended, he sighed. “I’m sorry, Savvy.”

  “You should be.” A smile twitched her lips.

  “I guess I figured you didn’t need me anymore because you had a daughter to love.”

  Savannah sighed and shook her head. “My love isn’t restricted to one person, you doofus.”

  He wrapped one arm around her and the other around Atiyya. They leaned into him. A vision of the future with Savannah and Atiyya beckoned to him. It was possible. He felt a sense of peace settle into his soul.

  “I have a question,” Atiyya chirped. She looked at Evan quizzically. “What is a doofus?”

  Chapter: Savannah

  Savannah and Atiyya sat on the floor in Atiyya’s room. The silver ear bead translators were on the dresser in a glass bowl for safekeeping. Cards with the English alphabet written on them were spread before them. Savannah arranged the D, O, and G into the word.

  “D-Doh-guh?” Atiyya said slowly.

  Savannah fought to keep from laughing. “Close. You’re using a long O. It’s dog.”

  “Daugh.”

  “Dog.”

  “D-og.”

  “Great job. Okay, how about…” Savannah shuffled through the letters. A smile lit her face. She arranged a new word.

  Atiyya looked at it. “E-von?”

  “Nope. It’s an A sound, not an O. Can you guess how to say the A?”

  Atiyya’s nose scrunched as she examined the word. Savannah propped her elbows on her knees and watched her daughter.

  She looks like you did when you were her age. Minus the ears. Evan sauntered in and settled next to Atiyya.

  She grinned widely at him. “Hi Dah-dee.”

  His mouth twitched, and he blinked rapidly a few times. Savannah took his hand and squeezed to let him know she understood how he felt. It wasn’t that long ago she wondered if she and Evan would be to able have children. Now it was impossible to imagine Atiyya absent from her life.

  Savannah cleared the emotions clogging her throat. “Tell Daddy what you’ve learned.”

  She spent the next fifteen minutes helping Atiyya arrange words and recite them. Pride swelled in her chest. T’inissi had taught Atiyya a little English, but T’inissi’s mouth was too alien for the language, and some words were impossible. But with a native speaker’s help, Atiyya was becoming more apt at the language.

  The little girl’s face beamed as Evan applauded.

  “You’re so smart. Like your mother.” He poked her nose. “And like her, you have her nose.” He tickled her chin, and she giggled. “And her chin.”

  “What do I have of yours, Dah-dee?”

  Evan stiffened. His gaze flew to Savannah. She stared back. Her mouth hung open, and her mind scrambled for a trait.

  “Jelly bean, you don’t have any physical traits similar to Daddy,” she stammered finally.

  “Why not?” Atiyya looked from Savannah to Evan. Her wide, pink eyes shone with innocence.

  Because I’m not your
real father.

  “You are not?”

  Savannah whirled to Evan. Oh, she was kneeing him in the balls for letting that thought slip. She scrambled for an explanation to give the little girl.

  “Evan is your daddy,” she blurted out. “He’s just not your daddy by blood, but it doesn’t matter because the best daddies are the ones who are your daddy because they love you.” She gave Evan a pointed look.

  He took the cue, nodding. “Yeah, I mean, I loved jelly beans when I could eat them.”

  She socked his knee.

  He threw her a bewildered look. I don’t know how to be a father!

  She didn’t know how to be a mother either. It was inconvenient that he was the psychic one. It’d make things much easier if they could think at each other.

  Atiyya crawled onto Evan’s lap and cupped his cheeks. She bared her sharp, little fangs at him. “I have your teeth, Dah-dee.”

  A knock interrupted them. The door hissed open, and T’inissi strode in. She paused at the scene. A smile lifted her lips, and she chirped.

  Atiyya warbled back.

  “What are they saying?” Savannah whispered to Evan. He raised an eyebrow at her, and she pointed to the dresser. “Removed my translator while I was tutoring Atiyya.”

  “Ooh. Atiyya is telling her about what a good teacher you are, and I said she’s smart like you. Now…” He paused. Savannah nudged him. “She’s telling her how I’m her daddy because I love her and those are the best kinds of daddies.”

  Savannah laughed. “This is what my aunt warned me about. Children have no filter.”

  Evan chuckled. “Better watch what we say.”

  “You watch what you think.” She pinched him. “I can’t believe you let that thought slip.”

  “Sorry, I wasn’t focusing.”

  “Mommy? Daddy?”

  Savannah turned her attention to Atiyya and T’inissi. “What, jelly bean?”

  “T’inissi say food now.”

  They rose and Savannah grabbed the two translators, inserting hers and then fixing Atiyya’s in her ear. They walked through the ship, passing members of the crew. Most were Ruu’lian, like T’inissi, but a few were other races Savannah hadn’t had a chance to be introduced to yet.