Snatched

Karina & Silo

Understanding Drake's intention, Silo covered her mouth.

'Listen to what she says,' he pleaded in her ear. 'Listen.'

*

Karina twisted her head in the alien's grip but it did nothing to dislodge his hot, stinking hand.

The redheaded woman—Karina couldn't remember her name—raised her hands. 'You need to listen to me,' she said. 'They're not going to hurt you.'

Karina snarled against the alien's palm.

'You're only making things worse for yourself. You need to calm down.'

Karina glared at her. His hand against her mouth was making her feel hot. Burning hot. It was suffocating. It was hard to breathe. She couldn't breathe!

'I can speak with them,' the woman continued. 'I've learned their language.'

Karina's heart skipped a beat when the woman turned to the alien holding her captive. She said something to him in their dreadful language. She was one of them! Was she always an alien? Or had they made her an alien? Her panting turned to gasping.

The alien spoke something in return.

'He says his name is Silo,' the woman told her. 'And he wants to protect you. He wants to know that you're safe.'

He spoke again.

'He wants you to eat and sleep. He wants you to be happy.'

Karina's eyes darted between the woman and the two aliens waiting behind her. Then her eyes dropped to the hairy arm gripping her tightly around the chest, trapping her arms, restricting her breathing. He'd done this before. She'd been this way before!

'Karina,' the alien whispered in her ear.

She froze.

'Karina,' her father's voice repeated. 'Make a sound and I'll hurt Beattie.'

Karina looked down towards the edge of the bed. She couldn't see her dog anywhere close, which was good. Her father had hurt him before when she'd squealed the last time. Hurt him bad. She wouldn't let that happen again.

'Be still and do as I say.'

Karina remained frozen, barely breathing. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. She used to cry but not anymore. She'd quickly learned that it only made him angry. That it only made things worse. Karina stared across the room, his arm feeling like a vice around her chest, his breath hot against the nape of her neck. Her stuffed animals stared back at her, their eyes black and empty. They'd seen so much.

It was so quiet. It was always quiet.

*

Silo released her mouth in surprise. Could it be? Was something finally working?

'Karina,' he repeated in her ear. He looked up at the redhead who was staring at them both, white as a sheet. 'Thank you,' he told her.

Silo now knew her name—Karina, a lovely name that rolled off his tongue—and it seemed to have done the trick, somehow. She seemed to be calming down. Tentatively, he eased his arm from her chest.

Still, she didn't move. She didn't fight. Silo felt a wave of relief. It was a miracle!

'Karina?' the redhead said. She glanced at Zibry, her eyes wide. She turned back. 'What's wrong with her?'

'What do you mean?' Silo said with a jolt of fear.

Zibry was frowning. Drake looked worried. He came forward. Karina didn't budge as he crouched in front of her and waved his hand in front of her eyes. She didn't move.

'Something is very wrong,' Drake said.

'She's sick,' the redhead said, her voice thick.

'What do you mean she's sick?' Silo said.

Drake reached over to take her pulse. 'Physically I think she's fine.' Silo stared at him as he gently picked up her arm and released it. Staring mutely ahead, she slowly lowered it back down into her lap.

'Her eyes,' the redhead said, covering her mouth. Zibry gripped his female's shoulder as he stood behind her protectively.

Slowly and delicately, Silo reached up to turn his female's face towards him. Again, she didn't fight. She didn't make a sound. It was as though she was frozen. Her expression was completely blank. Her eyes were dark and seemed to be staring into the distance. He touched her cheek. She didn't even blink.

'Karina,' he murmured.

Nothing.

His heart started to race. He'd never seen anything like it before.

'We need to take her to the infirmary,' Drake said. 'I'll call ahead.'

Drake pulled out his I-Spy and turned away, talking into it.

Silo's throat was dry as he swallowed. He touched her face again but again there was nothing. Slowly, he stood, gently pulling her into his arms. She was stiff at first, then hung limp in his embrace. He gazed at the long stretch of her neck as her head hung over his arm. The paint seemed so black against her suddenly very white skin.

Drake was shaking his head as they walked out of the room together, leaving Zibry and his female behind. 'We should do a full, proper health assessment on all of them.'

'What's wrong with her? What do you mean she's fine physically? How else could she be sick?'

Faces turned their way as they marched down the passageway, their boots thudding heavily against the floor.

'It think it's her mind.'

'Her mind?' Silo frowned. 'How can her mind be sick?'

'I can't explain it but I have heard of it. Apparently their minds can be damaged as much as their bodies.'

'You're talking about brain damage?'

'Kind of. But not in the way you're thinking. This is caused by something deeper and much less tangible than a knock to the head.'

'I don't understand.'

'Neither do I, Silo. It is something unique to Rictorians.'

The door to the infirmary slid open. The medical staff were waiting, an examination table already prepared.

As Silo laid her down, the medical specialist spoke, 'Tell me what's happened.'

Silo felt numb as Drake explained, his eyes fixed on her blank face as the medical team crowded around her. Instruments lined a nearby trolley. One of the team was scanning her with a cell-reader. It would do them no good if Drake was right.

Apparently their minds can be damaged as much as their bodies.

Silo shook his head, unable to fathom it. What had he meant by something less tangible? What could damage a brain that didn't involve physical injury? What if they lacked the technology to discover what was wrong? What if they couldn't fix her?

What the fuck was wrong with her?