Her Extraterrestrial

2.

"No more screams and shouts
You're quiet as a mouse.
And in this slaughter house is there no way out of here?
They feed fears the hide the grief
A burden these gods, kings, and queens won't even dream of peace."

- Welcome to the Slaughter House, Lily Holbrook

*

As Thomas and I say our goodbyes and part ways. Once I walk in, reality hit me like an anchor.

The clinic was horribly decorated in blood and organs. An extremely potent oder of decaying bodies raided my nose and burned my throat. Nurses frantically searched around for survivors but it was all in vain.

"Cora!" Grandmama immediately captured my face in her hands,"Where have you been, child?! You had us worried sick!"

"I'm sorry, Mama," I choked.

She brought me in for a hug, blocking my view from the murder scene.

"Did the Red Shadow do this?" I asked, barely a whisper.

Grandmama shut her eyes tightly and her grip around me tightened, "Yes, baby. He did."

I pried myself from my Grandmama's grip and proceeded towards the horrible murder scene.

As I passed the bodies, I identified them. Or at least tried to.

There was Mrs. Taylor. Over there was Marcie Strafford and next to her was the little boy Gina used to play with, Levis, I think his name was.

In the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar face. Mr. Browe.

I clasped my hands over my mouth when I fully set my eyes on him, I was frozen in the pool of blood I stood on.

Mustering whatever strength I could, I slowly crept up to the dead man, as if scared I would wake him from his deep sleep.

Kneeling down to his lifeless corpse, the stench of his rotting body overwhelmed me and brought tears to my eyes.

Mr. Browe lay on his side, his lower half completely gone.

His eyes had a ghostly white film over them and his skin was pale. The silver mustache was caked in blood leaking from his agape mouth.

Reaching over, I lightly brushed my fingertips against his eyelids. Maybe now with his eyes closed, he looked somewhat peaceful.

*

That afternoon, I helped decompose of the bodies. I made sure each person had a proper burial because I simply refused to let friends and family get burned.

As Grandmama and I made our way out the clinic, Fen ran up to us. He threw his arms around me briefly before he took my shoulders and lightly shook me, "Jesus Christ, Cora, where the hell have you been?! Don't you know you scared the hell outta me? I didn't know if you where dead or alive!"

Fen had every right to be angry. Ever since the death of our parents, he took on the responsibility of taking care of us. It's only natural for him to be worried about me without knowing where I was.

"I'm sorry," I sniffled, the pesky lump in my throat forming again and my already swollen eyes pooling more tears, "I didn't...I didn't mean to scare you."

After seeing my tears, Fen's anger subsided. Pulling me in for another hug, he whispered,"Don't you ever scare me like that again. Please."

I nodded and tangled my being with his.