Running On Empty

CONFESSIONS (Write To Rank 2023 Round 2)

"I'm in love with you."

    I stopped in my tracks.  "You're what?"

    "Are you surprised?"

The figure in the billowing black overcoat stopped as well. In the depths of the hood, the mouth smiled; in the jaundiced streetlights I could see small pointed teeth.

    "I'm still recovering from the confession that you're an alien!"  I turned and stomped on, splashing through dirty alley puddles. Despite the rain, it reeked back here.

    "Wait!"  He shuffled after me.  "I'm still the same person you knew.  I promise."

    "Nope.  Anyone who tells me they're not from this planet gets reduced to 'stranger' status, buddy."  But I stopped, hands on my hips.  "Why now?  Why in the middle of an alley with--with them following us?"

    The footsteps behind us had faded; only the crashing of the waves back by the pier was audible.  "Because I don't want them to catch me, of course.  Will you help me hide?"

Was that a helicopter overhead?

"Why should I?  What if you're, like, planning an invasion or something?"  I trotted on toward the end of the alley. "Are you?"

    "Am I what?"

    "Planning an alien invasion.  You've seen movies, right?"

    "I've seen a few."  He adjusted his hood.  There was something decidedly not right about his arm, though I couldn't tell exactly what through the loose sleeve of the coat.  "But no, my species is not planning an invasion."

    "That's the right answer, at least," I muttered.  "So why are you here?"

    "I'm in hiding."

    "From who?"

    "From those that would do me harm."

"No shit." I stopped to check a street sign.  We were close to my car. All the recent revelations had me a bit disoriented. "I thought human men were hard to communicate with.  Come on, who's chasing you?  Besides the government dudes back there."

    "How did you know that's who they are?"

    "I'm asking the questions here."

    "All right."  He fell silent as we strode along the dark, deserted street.

    I sighed. He had always been a literal sort. "How come you looked human before?"

    "We have advanced technology."

    "Obviously."  We reached my car, and I leaned against it, catching my breath.  "Will I be in danger if I help you?"

    "Possibly." His coat ruffled and moved, though there wasn't a breeze.  I both wanted and did not want to know what was going on under there.  "I will do everything I can to protect you.  Whether you agree to help me or not."

    "What if don't?"

    "Then I'll disappear and not trouble you further."  He shivered. "I will have what you call a broken heart, though."

    I crossed my arms.  "Do you even have a heart?"

    "I...have a series of them."

    What was I supposed to say to that?

I opened the passenger door of my car. "Get in.  Before they figure out which way we went. Or I change my mind."

    "Are you sure?"

    Before I could stop myself, I said, "I love you too. Now, get in."