Authors Note:
It's been a long time coming, but I finally have something else to add to this series I started just about 2 years ago. I didn't think it would take this long to get only 5 parts out, but life finds a way to get in the way. There are more parts planned, and I do at least want to finish off the story I've been building. So expect more, but more when, I can't say. Regardless, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.
Humaboo Anon
*****
She was a little girl again. In the blackness of the void, an impossibly tall window stood staring down at her. The star field outside shone with the brilliance of a billion tiny specks, each glimmering their own individual dance as they floated in her vision. But it was the one in the center that drew her attention the most. An yellow-orange sun, slowly growing in her vision until it occupied nearly half of the window. She couldn't feel it's warmth, but she knew it was there. She turned her head. Her father was there, smiling down at her. His tall frame silhouetted in the light of the sun. Only now did she realize how little she really was. Although it was strange, she didn't feel little.
Looking down only seemed to confirm that fact. However despite the evidence right in front of her, she knew she was still just a little girl. She was looking back at her father now, only it wasn't her father anymore. He had been replaced, in the span of what felt like seconds, by the striking image of her mother. She wasn't smiling like her father. She looked... concerned. Not at her, but at something else. A tingling began to encroach on the back of her neck. Not unpleasant, but not welcome either.
Her mother seemed to be looking past her, behind her, with the concern growing on her face. The itch began to increase. It demanded her attention, compelling her. She willed herself not to listen, not to turn around. The desire was strong, yet she willed herself not to listen, not to turn around. The force was compelling, aching. Instead she focused on her mothers face. An air of disappointment had come to replace the concern. Disappointment in her stubbornness. Disappointment in her. She could hear her mothers scolding tones, even as her mouth remained silent.
It was almost taunting her now. And with an exasperated sigh, the image of her mother disappeared, rolling her eyes as she did so. The little girl panicked. The room, she now realized she was in a room, surrounding her became dark. The stars had dissipated. But not the yellow-orange sun. She clung to it, a desperate attempt to retain her vision. But despite it's powerful light, the room remained dark.
She ran. A corridor, clad with white metal, stretched out to infinity ahead of her. Her fear propelled her down it. No feeling came from her legs, but still she ran. The tingling continued, an ever present sensation that just wouldn't cease. Something chased her. She couldn't stop, couldn't look back. To stop now certainly meant her end. Her heart pounded. She willed herself forward. Escape was all that mattered now.
The path was blocked. A door, gigantic, twice her size. It towered over her. She knew she had to turn and run as far away as she could. Her legs had other plans. She approached that door. A chilling feeling running down her spine as she did. Her hand began to reach out, inching ever closer to the door, disregarding her repeated mental pleas for it to stop. It was almost there now, her fingers so close that she could feel the coolness radiating off the metal. The door opened. A figure towered over her. A creature three times her size stood to greet her.
It had four legs of exaggerated proportions. Each one ending in a knife-like pointed claw. It's arms a mix of tentacled whips and blades. It's face, a terrifying oblong shape. It screamed at her, loosing an attack of its bladed appendages towards her. They narrowly missed as she dashed underneath it's broad body. Once again she ran. The thumping of her heart almost deafening the sound of the monster as it chased after her. The little girl darted down the hallway, following their twists and turns as she attempted to lose her pursuer.
At last, a doorway, wide open and beckoning. Surely she would be able to lose the monster in there. The door opened up into a large, empty space. No matter how hard she tried, she could not see the walls. The door had disappeared, leaving only the void where it once stood. There was nowhere to run now, nowhere to hide. It was in the room with her, she could feel it's presence in the shadows. Stalking her, mocking her. Slowly the creature faded its way into her vision. She was paralyzed, unable to move, unable to scream. The monster lumbered it's way over to her, taking its time. It knew it had her trapped. Once again it lashed out a weaponized appendage at her. She slammed her eyes shut. Only a small whimper escaping her lips as she anticipated the end. It never came.
She peaked an eye open, expecting the worst, but no. The monster had fallen, a massive hole when through it's chest. Another figure approached her. He was as tall as her, pink flesh showing where his body wasn't covered and a matting of brown hair on top of his head. He smiled a smile that resonated through her. Walking over to her on two single jointed legs, he carefully slipped an arm around her back as he got closer. She was no longer a little girl.
She felt him begin to caress her, feeling up every part of her body. Her clothes seemed to melt away wherever he touched. Her fear turned to excitement, then to lust. The man pulled her in close, kissing up and down her now fully naked body. His skin clashed with hers, creating a contrast that pleased her to see. He continued to feel her up, slowly leaning her back onto a warm pillow of clouds. He was on top of her now, kissing and caressing her body in a way that sent pleasant shivers streaking through her. She could feel his warm breath on her nape of her neck as he lay carefully on top of her. A deep kiss and then...
Tashaiea jolted awake. The melodic chimes of her alarm suddenly and unceremoniously rousing her from her dream. She rolled over and turned it off, feeling the tickling of John's hair on the back of her neck as she did so. His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close. His body heat transferring into her back, leaving her front comparatively cold. Tashaiea looked around to get her bearings. They were in her old room at her parents place, sharing the same bed that had just barely enough room for the two (considering John's bulk). Carefully she removed her sleeping partner's arm from around her waist and as quietly as she, slipped out of the bed.
The last lingering remnants of her dream still floated around her head. 'Typical' the Kai'ani woman thought as she rose to her feet. 'Just as I was getting to the good part.' She considered waking John for an early morning romp, but it was already 0930. With only around sixty minutes to get to the doctors appointment her mother had made and demanded she go to, she pushed the thought aside. Besides, as much as it would be nice to finish what her dream had started, John was still quite out of it. Probably still a little drunk from the previous night. A small smile crossed her lips as she looked down at her sleeping Human. Last night had been the drunkest she had ever seen him.
It was nice to know that there was indeed a point where he too could become too intoxicated to walk straight. She would definitely tease him for that. However until then, she had to get ready. Tashaiea rifled through her bags (they still hadn't bothered to unpack yet) and eventually produced an unassuming beige and gray long sleeved shirt with similar enough looking pants. She threw on a bra and a fresh pair of underwear and donned her chosen attire for the day. She liked this particular shirt. She had owned it for as long as she could remember. She wasn't really sure where she got it, and she had never been able to find one like it since. It was just the right amount of looseness to fit well, but with the comfort and mobility that she required. And the colors were about a modest and modest could be.
Tashaiea found it a little amusing that she would choose a piece of clothing that was as familiar to her as the house they were staying in. Even though she had been away so long, it seemed like nothing had really changed. Well, except for the alien she was no sharing her bed with and the lack of all her stuff cluttering the floors. Giving one last look at her sleeping Human lover, Tashaiea exited her room as quietly as possible. The sun, which was still making it's way over the trees of the valley, shone it's warm light down the hallway as she made her way to the kitchen. The eating area was empty. Her mother would already be at her office, and it appeared that her father and Kesse had still yet to get up. She was alone, if only for the moment. Tashaiea walked over to the stasis food storage, basically just a more advanced refrigeration unit, and put her hand on it's smooth gray face. It was almost an instinctive reaction when she brought up the menu interface and requested a glass of mixed fruit juice.
It was something she had done an innumerable amount of times in the past. Within a few seconds a compartment beside the unit lit up and opened to produce and perfectly chilled glass of juice. Tash brought the glass to her lips and let the refreshing liquid slide down her throat. It was like drinking a memory. Another reminder of the life she had left behind. Indulging in another few moments of reflective bliss, the young woman moved herself to the center table, taking a seat and grabbing a handful of dried Kreay berries. Most likely a morning snack that her father had left out. It was something he had always done for his family. Tash was glad to see that the tradition hadn't stopped in her absence.
The table sensed that she had sat down and projected its interface along its surface. A message from her mother flashed at her.
'Tashaiea, I've scheduled a personal transport to take you to the clinic. It will arrive at 0975. I've also added a transit exception to your personal account so you can take priority transit back. It will be valid for the rest of the week. I expect to see your results when I get home.'
The message ended with her mothers signature. Tashaiea taped on the menu that she acknowledged the message and closed the overlay out. 0975... it was already 0965 so she only had a little time left before her ride would be arriving. She gulped down the rest of her juice and shoved a few more berries in her mouth before dropping her empty glass in the sanitizer. With a final check around the kitchen reaffirming that she wasn't forgetting anything, Tashaia grabbed a small shoulder bag and her shoes and headed out the front door of her family's house. She didn't have to wait long before her automated transport vehicle rolled up.