Scorpio

FIFTEEN - Aliens

A spacious area decorated by tall, stained glass windows, stylish balconies and complemented with high, arched ceilings resided on the other side of the doors; a line of picnic-style tables laid out in a single, neat column all the way down the hall.

The pair of teens wandered among the tables, admiring the decor, before Estella took a seat on the edge of a wooden bench.

"You alright with sandwiches?" Alycs asked, watching her. After the nod of confirmation, he added, "I'll be right back, ok?"

Another nod, and he was gone.

---

For the first few minutes, Estella sat, unmoving. Her acute claustrophobic episode had felt like both a blessing and a curse, but there was one thing she knew was certain: it wasn't natural. As in...normal people weren't supposed to do that. Or...were they?

Alone in the wide, although beautiful, pristine hallway, she felt a little on edge. The area had an ominous echo about it, so that if she closed her eyes and concentrated, she swore she could hear voices.

"...I can detect her, S'aman'dr."

Salamander? Estella clenched her eyes shut, before opening them again. She trained her ears towards the source of the noise, trying to convince herself the voices were non-existent - even though they seemed to be getting clearer and clearer the harder she tried.  

"Is she an oddity?"

"A little small, she is..."

The last phrase sounded so close, as if it was whispered in her ear, and Estella immediately leapt to her feet, flaring bright purple. "Who's there?!"

The air in front of her rippled like a curtain drawn back, and from it, three deformed grey creatures dressed in skin-tight blue fabric stepped out. The tallest regarded her with a somewhat haughty look, to which she subconsciously matched by rising several inches from the ground. The smallest greeted her with a cheerful wave.

"From which planet do you originate, Flying Grape Jelly?"

Estella blinked, her stance in the air still guarded and untrustworthy. Maybe this was a skit - some of the Decathlon exhibitionists, perhaps? "Were you the one asking..."

"We are to go for the 'oddities, as they are unattended the most'." The little alien answered, as if reading her mind. Despite their friendly demeanour, the twinkle of sharp, plaque-covered canines in their mouth spoke otherwise. Estella briefly wondered how the implants were possible, as the alien continued to talk enthusiastically. "Which I do not understand - surely, the oddities are treasured tremendously -"

The tallest grasped the lapel of the dwarf alien, speech slurred with an angry warble that reminded Estella of a ticklish pigeon.

"Do not speak against the principal! These are his rules, and we are to only follow them without question."

Estella tilted her head in confusion. "Doesn't that get..."

"Boring?" The little alien supplied eagerly. "Yes, infinitely. S'aman'dr, I like this lady-of-small-proportions very much."

"I'm-" Estella started, feeling slightly offended at the euphemized title for a small person, but the third alien interrupted with a growl.

"We were promised a big ssssupply of exssssss, not thisss -" the alien raked their eyes over Estella's hoodie for effect "- diminutive sssupply."

What was it with these actors insulting my height?

"The remote brought us here - a single, isolated supply of exs; for quick and easy capture-" the little alien began to refute.