“Isn’t that where the shops are?” One person guessed.
“Looks like a fire...” Another person pointed out.
“Oh no, Granny, the Malt Shop!” Alyssa took off running in her bare feet.
“Aly girl, wait for me.” Granny called from behind her, but her feet wouldn’t slow down.
With a pounding heart and racing pulse, Alyssa sped down the sidewalk, dodging onlookers, sometimes hopping over to the street to skirt a larger crowd. The closer she got, the more certain she was.
A roaring blaze heated the entire block, the cement under her feet getting warmer and warmer as she charged towards the burning building.
Before she plunged into the flames, hands grabbed her, twisting her away from the inferno, and Alyssa flailed, her eyes searching the burning storefront, ready to beat down whoever had stopped her. Her head rattled as the person shook some sense into her.
“Alyssa! Calm down!”
She blinked her dry eyes. “Marly?”
“Yes, Alyssa, it’s me, Marly.”
“Oh! I’m so happy you’re alive! Where’s Shari?”
“Right here, honey. We’re okay.”
Alyssa broke down, bawling and gushing all over the Johnson’s as Granny arrived, gasping for air.
“Oh lordy, that’s a long haul for this old gal.”
“Willow dear, you shouldn’t have come all this way,” Shari said.
“I wasn’t going to stand around with all those gossips, trying to guess which store went up in flames. Besides, I was worried about you two.”
“That’s very kind of you, Ms. Willow.” Marly patted Granny’s arm.
“Come on, let’s get out of the way. I hear the firetruck coming.” Shari herded the crowd away as sirens blared, emergency vehicles and the town’s only firetruck racing up the street.
Huddled together, the four of them watched as the fire ate up the candy store, and the water hoses washed away the burnt debris. The fire chief pulled Marly and Shari aside to question them while Alyssa listened in, catching bits and pieces over the sound of rushing water and yelling firemen.
She scanned the gawking crowd, faces lit up by the blazing fire. Looking beyond the firetrucks, she spotted movement in the shadows, and squinting her eyes, Alyssa searched the darkness as a sudden flare in the fire sent light farther into the shadows, exposing a hidden figure.
“Oh, my God.” She gasped, clutching her hand to her throat.
“What?” Granny turned to look where Alyssa did.
“It’s Ras.” She pointed at the shadows. “He’s over there skulking in the dark.”
“I don’t see him.”
“I can’t see him anymore, either. He probably slithered away like the snake he is.”
“Why would he be here, Aly girl?”
“I’m not sure, Granny, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he had something to do with the fire.”
Granny yawned loudly, so Alyssa offered to walk her back home, interrupting the fire chief to let Marly and Shari know they were leaving. Granny made Shari promise to come to the house when they finished.
By the time the Johnson’s arrived, the sky had begun to lighten with the sunrise. Two exhausted shopkeepers filed in the front door, so Alyssa settled them on the sofa with warm tea in hand.
“I sent Granny to bed and made up the guest room. There’s an alarm clock in there if you need it, and extra bedding in the closet.”
“Thank you, Alyssa, that’s very kind of you. It’s been a long, terrible night. I think I could sleep for a couple of days.” Shari yawned behind her mug, elbowing Marly, who slept in his seat.
“Wha—oh... Sorry, I must’ve dozed off.”
Alyssa chuckled at her favorite candy-peddler. “You two get some sleep. The room is just past the stairwell. Granny and I are upstairs. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Go. We’ll be fine.”
***
Heavy knocking echoed up the stairwell into Alyssa’s troubled dreams, and she clamped a pillow over her head to block out the obnoxious hammering. The weight of sleep settled in her body as the sweet silence resumed.
“Aly, there’s a crazy, pregnant woman at the door. She’s demanding to see you.”
Groaning, she lifted the pillow from her face to see Shari hovering in her doorway.
“Do you want me to send her away?”
“Huh?” She sat up and shook her head to clear out the cobwebs.
“The woman. Do you want me to send her away?”
“Oh. Uh, no, I’m up. Give me a second.”
“Okay, dear. I would hurry though. She doesn’t look well.”
Puzzled, Alyssa grabbed the sweater from earlier, which still smelled of smoke. Crap, that wasn’t a dream.
Dragging her exhausted body down the stairs, she searched for a sickly, pregnant lady. Shari cleared her throat, drawing Alyssa’s attention to where she hovered in the hallway, and pointed at the front door.
Opening it, Alyssa found Erica bent over and breathing erratically, her auburn hair plastered to her face, sweat dripping onto the doormat.
“Erica? What’s wrong with you?” Alyssa scowled at her least favorite person. Well, third least favorite, after Kayn and Ras.
“I’m in labor, duh!” She moaned through gritted teeth.
“Well, why the hell are you on my porch? You should be at the clinic.” Duh!
“I snuck out of the, gasp, compound. I had to, gasp, get away.”
“So, you came here?” Double sigh.
“I had nowhere else to go! Please, gasp, let me come inside.”
“Yes. Yes. Come in.” Alyssa waved the irritating woman into the house with an exasperated sigh. She helped Erica into the living room while Shari retrieved some blankets, laying them out on the sofa where Erica collapsed, clutching her belly.
“What’s all the racket?” Granny marched into the room, strands of silver hair sticking out of her loose braid.
“It seems Erica has foregone the amenities of a proper birthing facility for the comforts of your home, Granny. She’s going to deliver her baby on your lovely sofa.”
Granny huffed, and Shari giggled as Marly, who had appeared shortly after Granny, guffawed. Erica started to protest but howled in pain instead.
“Oh dear.” Shari muttered, wringing her hands together.
“Grab some towels, Marly. This baby is coming.” Granny turned on her heels, making a beeline for the kitchen.
Shari trailed after Marly, shaking her head, and Alyssa dashed upstairs to change into some old, grubby clothes while Erica’s moans and groans echoed throughout the house.
Back downstairs, Granny and Shari helped Erica out of her tight pants, draping a sheet over her lap. Marly hovered at the opposite end of the sofa, a tower of towels in his arms. A big pot of steaming water waited on the coffee table with a stack of hand-towels.
Granny coached Erica with her breathing as Shari mopped her face with a damp cloth, and Alyssa kneeled by her head, grasping her sweaty hand. Erica turned to give her a grateful smile that turned into an anguished scream before grabbing onto her sheet-covered knees, making small grunting sounds.
“I think it’s time for you to push, girl. What do you think, Shari?”
“I think you’re right, Willow. That baby’s ready to see the world.”
“Okay, girl, when you feel the urge to push, have at it.”
Granny snatched a towel from Marly, tucking it under Erica, who continued to blow air out and suck it in per Granny’s instructions, her face turning scarlet as she strained.
With several grunts and groans, and a final echoing wail, Erica pushed out the baby. Alyssa couldn’t see around the sheet so she concentrated on soothing an exhausted Erica while Granny and Shari were busy doing something with the baby.
“Why isn’t it crying?” she asked in a weak voice.
“I don’t think all babies cry right away.” Alyssa tried to calm Erica’s anxiety by rubbing her arm.
“I
s it a boy or a girl? Someone please talk to me.” She lifted her head, rolling forward, but fell back against the sofa with a pained grunt.
Granny and Shari had their heads together, arms moving swiftly, and Alyssa started to worry as a panicked Erica squeezed her hand. She gently pried Erica’s hand from her rapidly bruising fingers.
“Hold on. I’m going to take a look.”
Granny popped up as Alyssa crawled toward the other side of the sheet. She tilted her head, puzzled by Granny’s expression as Shari quickly turned away.
Dreading what she might see, Alyssa forced her eyes to the bloody bundle laying on the towel. Seconds ticked by as she tried to find something to focus on until, bit by bit, her brain pieced together the sight before her, her gag reflex kicking in hard.
The shriveled, malformed fetus had a large, bulbous cranium, and no lids covered the misshapen, over-sized eyes. The arms and legs were barely more than skin covering twigs, and a tiny heart rested, unmoving, visible through paper thin, translucent skin. A small gasp escaped Alyssa’s mouth before she could stop it.
“What? What’s wrong? Somebody tell me what’s happening!”
Alyssa turned, throwing her arms up to block Erica, but the frantic woman moved faster than her exhausted body should allow, and a horrified shriek filled the room, sending a paled Marly running. Alyssa gripped Erica’s arms, pushing her back.
“Erica, stop! Don’t look! You shouldn’t see this.”
“Oh, God. Oh, fuck. Oh, God.” She rocked back and forth, arms wrapped around herself.
“Granny, take it away. Shari, help me get her cleaned up.”
Alyssa and Shari tended to a shell-shocked Erica while Granny gingerly wrapped the deformed baby in a fresh towel, cradling it in her arms as she carried it away. Erica’s eyes followed her as she went, emitting a mournful wail that seemed to go on forever.
Shari sat behind Erica, cradling the crying woman against her shoulder, petting her hair and humming a soft tune, as Alyssa gathered up all the towels and rags, removing all evidence of the unfortunate event. They wrapped Erica in blankets, unsure if she trembled from shock or blood loss.
After a while, Erica fell into a fitful sleep. Shari extricated herself, eyelids drooping, and Marly trailed behind her to the guest room, shoulders slumped. Granny and Alyssa worked together, in silence, making sandwiches to keep in the fridge to be eaten as needed.
Granny sent Alyssa to bed, promising to watch over Erica from her armchair. Alyssa helped settle Granny in her chair with a book and a cup of tea before trudging up the stairs to collapse on her bed, asleep before her head hit the pillow.
***
The pink haze of sunset filtered through the window, warming Alyssa’s face as she roused herself out of bed, slinging the blankets off her weary body. With an exaggerated stretch, she worked out the pinching kinks in her lower back.
After a quick pit-stop, she strolled down the stairs, the quiet house seeming to embrace her, filling her with nostalgia. Turning the corner, she spotted Granny first, still tucked in her armchair, asleep, the living room hazy with the dying light of day, and Erica buried under a heap of blankets.
I hope she’s been asleep this whole time and not giving Granny problems.
Tiptoeing over to the sofa, Alyssa carefully lifted a blanket edge, hoping not to disturb the grieving woman, but more of the downy fabric greeted her. She yanked the coverings away, only to find throw pillows tucked underneath.
“Granny.” Alyssa kneeled by the chair, giving a little shake.
“What, Aly?” Granny mumbled without opening her eyes.
“Do you know where Erica is?”
“She’s sleeping on the sofa.”
“No, she’s not there.”
“Maybe she’s in the kitchen.” Granny sat up, scrubbing her eyes.
“I’ll check.”
Alyssa’s footsteps echoed through the dark kitchen, a small square of fading light beamed onto the table surface. Not here. Maybe the bathroom.
Across from the guest room, the bathroom door glowed around the edges, and Alyssa knocked softly, conscious of the nearby sleepers. When Erica didn’t answer, she knocked again.
“Erica,” Alyssa said, speaking softly through the crack between the door and the frame.
A minute ticked by. Knock, knock, knock. “Erica. You in there?”
Still no answer. Alyssa tried the handle, finding it unlocked, and pushed the door open, flower-embossed tiles inviting her in.
A small wall separated the shower from the rest of the room, and Alyssa heard the light sound of water flowing from the showerhead. She tilted her head, listening for signs of movement.
“Erica, are you okay?” She waited again for a response. Pressing her lips together, Alyssa tensed, and with a sigh, she approached the shower, dreading the idea of consoling a drenched mess of a woman.
Sigh. “Erica, I’m going to open the curtain now. If you’re naked, please warn me.”
Still nothing.
Alyssa slowly pushed the shower curtain aside, averting her eyes to the ceiling. She gradually slid her gaze downward, continuing until she glimpsed wet hair, realizing how low she looked, Alyssa jerked her head the rest of the way down.
“Oh, my God!”
Erica’s small body slumped in the corner of the stall, her lifeless hair streaming over her face, covering one whole side. Blood ran in rivulets from beneath her, slowly leaking from jagged slashes on Erica’s wrists. A sharp, steak knife lay near her feet.
“Oh Erica, what have you done?” Alyssa collapsed to her knees.
Cold water flowed over Alyssa as her hands grabbed the crumpled woman, her fingers sliding over cool, blue-tinged flesh. She brushed away the wet strands from Erica’s face, her dull, brown eyes staring at nothing.
“Help! Someone help!” Alyssa pulled Erica’s body onto her lap, tears mingling with the shower water as chills racked her sobbing form.
“Why Erica, why?” No reply. “Please, someone I need HELP!”
***
A steaming mug of cocoa warmed Alyssa’s trembling hands while Granny and Shari sat with her on the sofa, fussing with the towels tucked around her shivering body. Marly stood sentinel nearby, a permanent scowl furrowing his brow.
Szu’Kara soldiers traipsed in and out of the house as Ela directed them from where she’d stationed herself in the hallway. Alyssa cringed at the alien doctor’s brisk, disinterested tone.
The four of them watched as a gurney, carrying Erica in a black body bag, rolled past the living room and out the front door. Blood rushed to Alyssa’s face, shame flooding her mind, as she thought of how she’d treated Erica as an inconvenience. The woman had been irritating and full of herself, but she didn’t deserve to be treated so poorly by the one person she turned to in a crisis, nearly pushed away because Alyssa didn’t want to deal with her. Now, the woman was dead, her baby was dead, and that would haunt Alyssa the rest of her life.
Ela followed the gurney, with an entourage of soldiers trailing behind her, the last one parking himself inside the doorway, staring straight ahead, ignoring them. Alyssa wondered how long they’d be under guard.
Granny started to push herself up but fell back to the sofa with an angry huff, as Shari flinched with a gasp. Alyssa closed her eyes with a deep sigh, tensing her hands around the warm mug, when Kayn strolled in the door.
“Ms. Willow, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Alyssa.” Kayn nodded curtly at each of them, face stoic as always.
“Commander.” Marly nodded back.
“Hello,” Shari said, weaving her fingers together in a tight grasp.
“Hi, Kayn,” Alyssa mumbled through chattering teeth.
Granny glared, mouth clamped in a snarl.
“May I speak with Alyssa alone?”
“No, you may not!” Granny barked at Kayn, startling Shari.
“It’s okay, Granny. I’ll talk to him.”
“You sure, baby girl?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
>
“Well, we’ll be right there in the kitchen if you need us. I’ll be back soon.” Granny directed this at Kayn, who ignored her. If looks could kill, Kayn would be a bloody pile on the floor.
Marly escorted the women out, Granny and Shari huddled together, whispering furiously as he watched over his shoulder on his way out.
Kayn stepped in Alyssa’s direction, but stopped at the end of the coffee table, his tall alien frame towering over her. She crossed her arms to shield herself, as if that small gesture could prevent this monster from hurting her more.
“Where is the child?”
“Granny took it. Ask her.”
Kayn gestured at the soldier, who marched into the kitchen.
“Are you well?”
“No, Kayn. I’m not well.” Anger simmered in her chest.
“You have endured much stress recently. I am concerned for our child. Shar reports that you are not eating enough.”
“Well, all that stress makes me sick to my stomach.”
“You look tired.”
“I am tired. I’m tired of all this death! Angie, Erica, probably Katie… my parents. I’m not sure how much more I can take before I break, Kayn.”
“You are a strong woman, Alyssa. This will pass, but you must take care of yourself. I would like you to come and stay with me where Ela can monitor your health more readily.”
“No. We already talked about this, Kayn. I need to be here where I’m comfortable. With people who love and care for me.”
“I care for you, Alyssa. You are my mate.” Oh, no, not this again.
“No, no, no. I’m not your mate,” she said, jerking her head side to side. “I don’t care what you and every other Szu’Kara might assume. I’m an adult woman who can make her own choices, and I’ll decide who I do or do not mate or marry.”
“We can discuss this another time. You are getting agitated. You should rest.”
Pfft! “This isn’t up for discussion.”
“That is to be seen.”
Brushing away a traitorous tear, Alyssa sucked in a big, calming breath.
“Kayn?”
“Yes?”
“What’s going to happen to Erica and the baby?”
“The bodies are being taken to the lab for study.”
Broken: The Discordant Earth Series 1.0 Page 28