The Sound of Stars

by Alechia Dow

  Ellie is silent, thoughtful, and he wishes she would ask him something else. He has never spoken to someone, or anyone like this before, and he feels relief from it.

  She’s quiet so long that he thinks she is done with their conversation. Then she surprises him. “How does the Hive work?”

  M0Rr1S swallows. He expected her to ask him this, and he will answer, but he wonders if it will only reaffirm how alien he is—how different they are. “Il-0CoM is a network of minds connected through signals and sounds. True Ilori can use it at will, connecting to solo minds, having private conversations. Some labmades can also turn it on and off, but connecting to solo minds is difficult. I suppose it’s like talking on a phone but not choosing who’s on the other end of the line.”

  Her foot sinks into a small pile of snow, and she shudders as her mouth droops into a frown. “Were you happy on your home planet?”

  He lets the question bounce around in his head. “I miss home. I miss my mother, and the food. But no, I wasn’t happy.”

  “Because you’re labmade?”

  “My father hates me, my brother wishes to kill me, and yes, being labmade makes me reviled among my people.” His voice falls as he remembers the stares and displeasure even his teachers wore when he was in their presence.

  “Is that why you’re different? Why you like music?”

  M0Rr1S brightens, his steps feeling lighter. “True Ilori look down on emotions. Even though they feel them, they’ve found emotions cause chaos. The labmade were conditioned to not use our emotions, but some of us do. Some to serve our masters—to please them—but some use it to enjoy music and beautiful girls with purple hats.” The last part is a risk, and he worries it will push her away, but he wanted to say it.

  Ellie drops her head, and he sees it—just there—a blush of pink crosses her dark cheeks where there was none before. Her lips tug into a small smile, but she doesn’t respond. He has embarrassed her. He should apologize. But he also wouldn’t mean it. He decides instead to ask her questions as they continue through the woods.

  “Before the invasion, what did you plan on doing with your life?”

  The smile’s gone now. “I wanted to become a librarian, like my dad. Or a cellist.” She snorts as if she doesn’t quite believe her own words.

  “What is a cellist?”

  “A musician who performs on an instrument called a cello. It makes classical music.”

  He doesn’t know if he has heard classical music yet, but he would like to listen to her make it. “We must find a cello for you to play.”

  “Let’s just find a shelter tonight, and we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” She sighs, and lifts her wet foot. “I’m so cold.”

  “What bridge? How far?” M0Rr1S stops and widens his eyes. The morning light helps him see what he couldn’t before without using extra energy.

  She smiles. “Sorry, just a saying that means we’ll deal with that later.”

  M0Rr1S focuses into the distance, using a fraction of his abilities. There, less than a mile away, shrouded by trees in the middle of the forest, is a tiny house. It looks abandoned, intact and cold, but will supply adequate shelter.

  “May I?” he asks Ellie, and she eyes him with confusion.

  Ellie squints at him. “May you—?”

  He places one arm around her back and scoops her legs into the other, holding her to his chest. “Carry you?”

  She nods with raised eyebrows. He feels a stab of guilt for not waiting for her answer first. But the need to move at full speed and get out of this cold is too much to bear.

  He runs through the forest, expending more precious energy as the wind whips at his face and the cold bites his cheeks. His back aches, and his body is exhausted. When they reach the cottage, he gently sets her on the porch and leans against the railing to catch his breath.

  “I apologize for rushing, but I believe this shelter may be useful.” He pants, trying to fill his lungs with oxygen and keep himself from falling over. He needs a rest or a charge. Soon. He pushes his charge display. Thirteen percent. Resting will give him a few bars of charge but nothing more.

  Ellie crosses the threshold to the door and it squeals open. “Go inside. I’ll collect something for a fire.”

  Inside, M0Rr1S sets the backpack on the floor beside the door. He lets out a relieved groan as his muscles relax.

  Ellie returns with a bundle of chopped wood in her arms. “Whoever lived here must’ve stocked up on firewood before they left. There are loads of stacks behind the house.” She dumps them into a little man-made cave behind a fence on the floor.

  M0Rr1S sits down on a shredded couch. “Would you tell me a story? Maybe one from your books?”

  Ellie fumbles with a little box in front of the wood. “What kind of story would you like?”

  M0Rr1S stretches his legs in front of him. “A story about someone refusing to let their voice be silenced. Like the other book of yours I read.”

  Ellie grabs a dusty, holey blanket and drapes it around him. She sinks down beside him and lets her head fall against the back of the couch. He’s aware of every place their bodies touch and the gentle breaths she takes as she concentrates.

  “Well it’s not all that similar, but in a very different future, there’s a girl named Katniss, who would do anything to protect her sister...”

  He tries to keep himself awake despite Ellie’s soft and comforting voice. As his eyes close, he knows he’s never been more at ease in his life.

  * * *

  Gunshots sound, not too far away.

  M0Rr1S jerks awake as Ellie dives flat on her stomach on the floor. He bolts to the window to search for them. Hunters. The question is, are they Ilori or human? He shakes his head. That is a silly question. Ilori don’t hunt, at least they didn’t before Earth. And never with guns. Another shot rings out, but no howls or yelps sound. Whatever the humans are hunting or protecting themselves from, they missed.

  Ellie’s gaze is glued to his in fear. She crawls to the fire and grabs her shoes while he turns back to spot two burly humans pointing at the house. The smoke. They must have seen it and come to investigate They hold long weapons as if they mean to use them. M0Rr1S slows his breathing, picking up their voices outside as they discuss what to do. There’s a large vehicle, a truck, he thinks it’s called, parked in the clearing of trees. Yet the humans are somewhere just out of sight now.

  M0Rr1S moves toward Ellie.

  “We need to get out of here. The other way, okay?”

  Together they tiptoe to the back door and out into the cold. He leads Ellie into the trees as darkness falls around them. He scans the area until his gaze falls on a vehicle in the clearing.

  “They have a truck.”

  “What do you want to do?” Her whisper is harsh.

  “Stay here. I’m going to get their keys.”

  She shakes her head. “How?”

  He grins. The sleep makes him more confident, invincible even. At 15 percent charge, he almost feels normal. He leaves Ellie behind a tree and strides back into the house just as the humans come in the front door. They stumble back, letting out curse words as their eyes lock on his blue-lit panel. M0Rr1S lets them embrace their terror until they knowingly lower their weapons. They know he can do so many things to cause them pain, from attacking their minds to throwing them into walls. They don’t know his charge is too low and he has no desire to harm them.

  “I’m not going to hurt you.” He enunciates the words in what he hopes is a soothing manner.

  They are far older than he. They lower their weapons, but grip them tight. “We don’t want no trouble, alien.”

  “Nor do I.” M0Rr1S keeps his voice calm, hopefully reducing the tension. “I just need your keys.”

  “No,” one of them says. “We ain’t giving you our truck.”

  “You have
a choice. I could kill you before you have a chance to escape.” M0Rr1S takes a step closer, standing tall and, he hopes, menacing. “Or you could give me the keys and stay here. There’s a pile of wood outside that should last you a long while before you move on. Most free humans have found refuge in the middle of the country. I’m sure you could find them.”

  They eye him with suspicion, their hearts pounding. “How do we know you won’t kill us?”

  “Because.” M0Rr1S’s gaze flicks in the direction of Ellie. “I have no desire to kill humans today. I want peace, friendship. Love.” He shakes his head, clearing the thought from his mind. Did he say love? Has the music addled his mind?

  The keys jingle in the second one’s hand. “You look like one, but you don’t talk like one.”

  “I’ve been told this before.” M0Rr1S shifts. The exhaustion begins to creep in again, causing his next words to be short. “The keys or death?”

  They exchange a glance before the second one tosses him the keys. M0Rr1S plucks them from the air, and his shoulders droop. He turns around and starts toward the back door.

  “The middle of the country...where? It’s a big-ass country.” He pauses and turns back around. The one with the thick, furry cap steps back, as if they aren’t sure if M0Rr1S will kill them but are also curious.

  M0Rr1S thinks about the geography of the land, pulling up the map behind his left eye. “I believe you call it Nebraska. And the farther north you go, the better. My kind avoid the cold whenever possible.”

  “Why?” the second one asks, fingers gripping the zipper of their puffy vest. “Why did you alien scum come here? Why did you take our world?”

  “Because we could.” M0Rr1S steps outside again, ignoring the hatred rolling off the humans in waves. The humans follow him gingerly, standing on the porch as M0Rr1S finds Ellie still hidden in the trees. “Ready?”

  “Hold up, what’re you doing with that girl?” One of the humans picks up their weapon again. M0Rr1S tosses the gun a glance and with that small charge he received from rest, he moves the atoms in the metal, heating the gun until the human drops it. They groan, yet still won’t back down. “Is he keeping you captive? Has he hurt you?”

  “No.” Ellie shakes her head as M0Rr1S takes her hand. “He saved me.”

  “Traitor.” They spit on the ground. Ellie cringes, but she doesn’t respond. She keeps her eyes trained on the humans and their fallen guns as she and M0Rr1S walk through the trees and around the cabin toward the big, black truck. He yanks the door open for her to slide in, and then quickly does the same.

  Music purrs out of the center dash as M0Rr1S turns the key in the ignition.

  Ellie raises an eyebrow at him. “Bob Dylan’s ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’.’ Couldn’t be a more suitable song.” The corners of her lips quirk into a small, haunted smile.

  His foot pushes down on the gas, and they peel away into the woods.

  CHAPTER 11

  “Anne hoped she had outlived the age of blushing; but the age of emotion she certainly had not.”

  —Jane Austen, Persuasion

  JANELLE

  I didn’t mean to fall asleep with my head on his shoulder. Honestly, I feel pretty weird about it. I was just so cold, and my shoes were drying by the fire. And although I know Morris is an alien with abilities like a superhero, there’s something comforting about him, as well.

  I steal a glance at him. He’s drumming his fingers against the wheel, and I can’t help but warm a little. It’s not because he called me pretty. Okay, it might be because he called me pretty. It’s not like no one has ever called me pretty before. But I don’t know... I just liked that Morris did. It’s been so long since I could find even a little happiness out of something so small.

  Besides, knowing his past, what brought him here and how he’s treated by other Ilori...knowing all that changed things. The way he feels and sees and smiles, how he put his arms around me and held my hand back at the cottage... I felt safe. Feel safe. I still need to know more about him, why he thinks he must do something wrong in order to do something right, but we have time. I will figure him out. We’re on two sides of this invasion, but he and I aren’t enemies. To him, I’m a human, not just a black girl from Brooklyn trying to fit in where she never belonged. I’m his friend.

  Traitor.

  The insult clangs in my mind. Am I a traitor? No, but perhaps that’s what I look like. That I prefer the company of an Ilori to humans. I shake my head. I’m not a traitor. I’m a survivor. And I’m going to save my family. I’m going to save Alice. I’ll do anything for them.

  “Ellie.” His gaze stays on the snowy road in front of us. “I want to know everything about you. It may very well take more time than we have, but I like you, and perhaps telling me everything will make time pass more quickly.”

  I chuckle, unable to keep it to myself.

  “That is the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.” Morris looks over and beams, and his smile is wobbly but so...Morris, as warm as a cinnamon bun from the oven. It’s easy to be taken in by his earnestness.

  “My full name is Janelle Quicia Baker, and...uh...you know, I don’t know how to tell you everything.” I laugh again.

  “Tell me about the things you love.”

  “Besides my mom and dad, and Alice...I love books, of course, and music, especially the Starry Eyed. The words of their songs always felt like they spoke to me. Movies. Science. Puzzles. I’m a puzzle master. Oh, I also loved going to concerts. And doughnuts. It’s been years since I’ve had one.”

  “What’s a doughnut?”

  “It’s fried dough that’s glazed in something sweet, like blueberry glaze, my mom’s favorite—or regular glaze. Or my favorite, an oatmeal doughnut with sugared cinnamon oats on top. We used to get a dozen every Sunday morning.” I smile, remembering hopping on the subway with Dad in search of new bakeries featured in The New York Times or Eater. “The doughnuts in Brooklyn were the best. So many different places, and all of them were amazing.”

  Morris grins. “What else? Tell me more.”

  “I saw Beyoncé in concert once and decided I wanted to learn all the dances to her music videos. It took forever, but I did it to prove to myself that I could. I’ve never showed anyone, though.” I pause, not knowing how to go on.

  “There has to be more than this.” Morris tosses a look of disbelief my way, and I force down another chuckle.

  “Well, my favorite food is ramen. Not the packaged kind, although I doubt you’d know there is a packaged kind.” I shake my head. “I loved going out for ramen. It’s essentially silky, flavorful broth with a soft-boiled egg and noodles. I think the biggest takeaway is that I love food. New York City has the best food. Had.” I pick at my lip with my fingers, trying not to feel upset, but I do anyway.

  “I enjoy food, as well.” Morris cuts in, distracting me. “On my origin planet, most of our sustenance comes from within the tall trees that cover the surface and rise up into the sky. There are little animals filled with sap that are steamed in the fallen leaves that are the size of my head or even bigger. We also import food from different colonies all over the galaxy. One of my favorites is stardust. There are different types of it, like starberries or starcrusted loaves, but stardust alone is like eating...I suppose something that makes you feel connected to the universe. That’s not a very good description, is it?”

  “Not really.” I sniff. “So, is it the actual dust of stars?”

  “Yes.” He smiles warmly. “I wish you could try it.”

  “Me, too, but I’m most likely going to die here without my family and friends, or my favorite foods, or anything I know. I’ll never see space or eat stardust.” The mood falls immediately.

  “Ellie, may I?” he asks, and I never know what it is he plans to do.

  I shrug.

  “I’m sorry.” He pats my knee.

 
Morris is one of the reasons my life is what it is, I haven’t forgotten that. He may not have killed anyone, doesn’t want to kill anyone; he’s been forced into this life just as much as humans have, and that makes me want to forgive him. But I can’t. Not yet. Not really. Not without knowledge. If I were in his place, I’d like to believe I wouldn’t stand by and watch people die, but the truth is, humans have done that since the beginning of time. Being brave and righteous can get you killed. If they created him for this purpose and he died taking a stand, they could just create others to do it again. And he saved my life when he didn’t have to. “It’s not entirely your fault, though, is it?”

  “But I knew. I wasn’t down here on Earth, but I knew what was happening.” He’s quiet briefly, as if considering his words. “I am sorry, Ellie. I’m sorry for everything that has happened. I’m sorry for the role I’ve played in it.”

  I accept the apology but change the subject to something more pressing. “My parents and Alice. Do you think they’re okay?”

  “Avrola would have told me if something had happened.”

  “But they could be vaccinated?” I ask, a crack in my voice.

  “Only if they had to be. If Avrola had to let them.” His tone is strong but low, like he feels regret. “I don’t believe so, Ellie.”

  A new song begins and, for a moment, we stay silent. I stare out at the snowy fields as they swirl past us. The general lack of people, buildings and noise is disquieting. I wonder where the rest of humanity is, where those guys came from with this truck.

  But then I realize I don’t really care.

  I decide that it’s too quiet and I can’t bear it anymore, even if that means I have to make small talk. “So...are we going the right way?”

  “My mental GPS, as you call it, tells me we are going west.”

  The reality of our situation makes me anxious. “If you could go anywhere in the universe, where would you go? Where have you been?” The idea of life and worlds out there is intriguing enough to distract me from wallowing in the destruction of Earth.