Eve of Terra

Part 3

The continues prod at the side of my waist ripped me from my sleep. I fought against heavy eyelids. Striking green was evident under the light, its owner looming at all 7 feet. Before another boot nudge came, I stirred and snarled. A somewhat restrained huff sounded back at me.

"It's time to go, " he said with a demanding tone.

I rolled my eyes. "Why should I listen to you?"

Metal glistened in his grip, gaining my attention the instant its power registered. He brought the tip of the gun to my cheek. "Do I sound like I was asking? Now MOVE!"

Apart from his harshness, I saw something in his eyes; a hint of distress. He spat his ciggy to the spot next to me and peered at the door. "They're coming, " he muttered.

"Who's coming?" I absence mindedly asked.

With narrowed eyes, he replied, "Rebel dogs. They're planning to make good use of you."

I was stupefied yet shamed to request understanding. Howbeit, he didn't let the puzzlement lingered longer. With his metal hand aiming towards the entry, the other pulled the nip of my shirt. At the moment, silence gave away the sound of ruckus coming from outside.

"Get up! Now!" He uttered under his breath.

As I scrambled to my feet, the door burst into smederines. My body was shoved back, crashing to the side by force. I was sandwiched between the wall and this man's abs smacking my face. Beams blazed into the room, lining its immense range. With a swift move, he flipped the bed vertically as our shield.

Then all hell broke loose.

"Dammit! This is why your species got wiped off the face of the universe. You are difficult to deal with!" He cussed, an arm protectively covering over me while the other round out shots after shots towards the intruders.

"Then why men can't just say things straightforward?!" I countered, flinching on each crack of fire.

While heavily cussing, he started kicking the wall next to us, grunting at how much it had cost his energy. Once the concrete crashed, he pulled me out and hoisted me over his shoulder. He threw something into the gaping we had just escaped and started running. The site took mere second before it ignited.

Furious wind passed through, making his quick pace known. While I dangled back and forth, I had a glimpse of the enemy emerging from the clouds of dust. They were using black suits, and none showed their faces. How could they survive that explosion?

After losing sight of them, I began, "Put me down!"

When I thought he would protest, I found myself plummeting to the ground, landing on a soft surface. Alas, horror-struck me instantly after taking in a clear view. A dead body was perched under me, mangled and rotting. I jerked to the side, instantly hurling.

"Do you think this is some kind of a magical world of little ponies where rainbow and glitters fill every corner? You want to survive. You listen to me!"

Lack of air or the tension was indeed not helping me to comprehend; if more, it was slowing my brain's functioning. I looked at the stranger who just had his home turned into wreckage. He was hissing, inspecting a shot wound on the side of his flesh arm. I couldn't find the right word to say.

"I- I'm sorry, " I stammered. "But what do they want from me?"

"As a piece of prehistoric, I'm sure they could think of many. Maybe harvest your eggs, whatever."

A chill crept to my spine, and the sudden rush made my surrounding even chilly. I put my hand on the wall as support, waning to alleviate the pull of gravity. Death was something I'd never felt fear for, but torture was scaring me. My eyes couldn't stop staring at the corpse, identifying a probability of what had caused its demise. There were traces of bite marks on its skin, and its limbs were unorthodox.

"Let's go." The man facing me said.

I looked at him idly. "Why are you doing this? You'll only put yourself in danger because of me."

Loyal to his words of only answering to question he chose, he ignored me and scooped me up like a barbarian. I started flailing to free myself but turned to calm after looking at his shoulder. The man had injured himself from saving my life. So could not knowing his intentions justify my action?

Not for long, sleep took over. I expected a nose bleed as I stirred, but I woke up under a blanket, and although I wasn't lying on a springy mattress, there was a sheet covering below. The bright sky seeped through the canopy, offering heat as compensation for the cold night. I ran my fingers through my hair, unscrewing the twill on it.

"I'm starting to believe you are the real sleeping beauty."

A hoarse voice brought my eyes to my back. A smile drew out between thin lips as our gaze collided. He threw a pouch, which I caught with ease.

"Fuel up, we're moving in 10."

Without a word, I opened the package. My excitement for a snack was robbed by annoyance at the sight of nothing in it. "It's empty!" I fumed.

"Didn't I say you have to earn or pay your share of food?" He raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want then?"

"Figure it out, darling." Before the last word left his lips, he was already making his way to where I was sitting.

When our faces were inches apart, I closed my eyes. I was waiting for it to happen; what I thought would be another kiss. But it never came. Slowly I opened my eyes, and his intense smouldering was presented before me.

"Closing your eyes won't get you food, " he imparted.

With a smirk, the man jutted his chin to a direction. I tailed his line of sight and acknowledged a few palm trees growing on the parched land. When I swivelled my head back, he raised the pouch to my face.

"It's a date-" he reached my face and tucked back my hair behind my ear.

For a moment, I was lost. The closeness and brilliant lights shining upon his face made him look striking. Abruptly I looked away, avoiding his eyes before anything foolish happen.

"-Palm date. Go collect them, " he added with a smile in his voice.

Fatigue gained before I reached the nearest tree. While collecting the riped dates, I noticed the tip of my fingers had turned purplish-blue. Even without a proper diagnose, I knew something was wrong with me. With thoughts dragged by the possible outcome, I lost my appetite and returned to the canopy. The man already packed everything and he was holding a chain. Before I could even make sense of what was happening, he clasped the chain to my wrists.

I glowered at him. "What's the meaning of this?"

"A pretty android like you could get snatched easily where we are heading. So I'm just making sure that won't happen." He winked at me after securing the chain.

"But I'm not-"

He turned and started walking, pulling me along. "Well, it's better they didn't know you're human. And you are mine."

"I am what?" The question slipped.

"It's an initial if anyone asks you. You belong to Kael, understand?"

My agreement came in a hum, lost for words at the sight of dunes spreading in front of me. The bleak and empty space alluded my worry.