Callim's Challenge

by Pearl Tate

  “How are the shakes? What do you feel like?” Beth’s voice is all serious now. We were school friends before this, but now I consider her as close as a sister. Going through traumatic events like alien abductions and life-threatening diseases will do that to a relationship.

  “I feel fine. Great even.” I deliberate briefly and hold my hand out off-screen to see what it looks like. Pretty normal.

  “We can always stop by and get tested again. I think we should do it every day until Atticus says it’s gone.” Beth’s voice drops a notch, “Forohn really would feel better if we did.”

  “Ah.” I smirk and nod my head knowingly.

  “Anyway, I called to see if you will be ready any time soon to head for food. We’re planning to walk that way shortly, and I thought you might want to join us?”

  I’m hungry. “Well, don’t wait for us. I’ll hop in the shower now and try to be done before Callim gets up.”

  Beth successfully reads my mind when she adds, “Yeah, because if he joins you, you’ll never get there!” Her cackling laughter makes me glad the door is shut. Smart-ass.

  I don’t even go back out to the bedroom. My shower’s way quicker than last night and I definitely needed it to fix my hair. By the time I walk out for clothes, it’s been at least twenty minutes.

  Callim is still sleeping. Wow! I’ve heard of people being hard sleepers, but that’s never been me.

  Too many years of making sure that no one sneaks into bed with me. My body is trained to wake up at the slightest movement. In fact, I remember Callim did some tossing and turning last night. Maybe he had trouble going to sleep, and he’s making up for it?

  I decide to dress before waking him up. The fewer distractions for him the better. Especially if we’re going to cross paths with Beth and Forohn.

  Crawling up the bed, I slide over his frame until he’s below me. Nothing. I will scare the crap out of him if I’m not careful.

  “Callim.” I gently kiss his lips. When he doesn’t move, I kiss him again a little harder. “Callim.”

  Fuck me. This can’t be normal, right?

  Abandoning waking him quietly, I drop next to him to grab his shoulder and shake. “Callim… Callim!” Still shaking him I start to panic.

  Damn it! What the fuck?

  I have to get help because I can’t wake him up!

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  - Shelly

  It takes me a few minutes to locate the fucking tablet! While I’m looking, I consider running to the Medical Bay to get Atticus, but that’s stupid. I finally find it in the bathroom where I left it after talking to Beth.

  Atticus answers almost immediately, and I feel like a total idiot when he does. I realize I’m crying as I talk. “It’s Callim. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I can’t wake him up!” How many times did I have the same problem with my mother? She would sometimes stir and slap me away. I’m getting nothing from Callim.

  “Calm down, Shelly. I’m on my way but put the camera on him.” Flipping the screen around, I pan it over his still form on the bed. He’s laying on his back and is definitely breathing. “Did he seem sick when you went to bed? Hurting anywhere? Did he say anything?”

  I flip the tablet and can see the background around Atticus changing as he heads towards our room. “No. Nothing. No sign to me anyway.” Putting a hand on his legs, I shake him again. He barely moves he’s so big and heavy. “What could be wrong?”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll be there shortly. Let me go. I will set up a gurney to take him up to the Medical Bay. Okay?” Sniffing, I wipe the wetness from my cheeks and glance around the room. He doesn’t even wait for me to answer, just ends the call.

  Could he have noticed something with Callim that I wasn't able to recognize? Now I’m thinking all kinds of fucked up thoughts! What if that head scientist Mila did something to his system? After all, they give the prisoners on Dactyles nanos that keeps them from leaving the planet.

  What if they did something like that and he didn’t even know? One thing about Callim that I love but doesn’t bode well for him is how trusting he is. There’s almost a child-like innocence about him that’s so appealing.

  Calling Beth back, I bite my nails waiting for her to answer.

  “Bitch, where are you?” Beth’s taunting voice helps me pull it together.

  “I can’t wake him up. Callim. I can’t get him to wake up and I’ve called Atticus. He’s on his way over. Are you still next door?”

  Beth looks shocked but recovers quickly. “We just got to the cafeteria. I’ll be right there!”

  The thank you dies in my throat as she hangs up without waiting for an answer.

  Moving off the bed, I lower myself slowly into the chair next to the door. My mind has gone blank and in a way, I’m thankful. I’m a little overwhelmed by how stressed out I am.

  Does this mean I care about him more than I realized? I mean, it can’t be the big “L” word but I’m crying. What’s up with that?

  The door dings, and I immediately release it to see Atticus and Brock. As they rush in, I point at the bed and trail over after them. I will feel like a fool if he wakes up right away now.

  “Callim. Callim.” Atticus is calling his name while lifting his eyelids and shining a light in his eyes.

  Brock turns and waves me over to the side of the bed. “Tell me what all you did last night before you fell asleep.” He sinks his humongous frame into a chair across from me that can barely hold him.

  My face flushes. I like Brock, but that’s nosy. “You mean besides sex or positions or what?” Fuck, fuck, fuck! Wouldn’t you know it? The first time I have sex in years, and I get to talk to the alien version of a shrink about it.

  Brock looks chagrined but clarifies. “No. I don’t want all the sex detail right now. I was thinking more food? Did he bring anything with him from Quasar?”

  “In those sheer little harem pants? Fuck no!” Atticus runs a hand-held scanner over him. “We came back here. Talked. Had sex. Took a shower. More sex… and passed out.”

  “Is he okay?” Beth’s shriek as she enters with Forohn right behind me has my words dying as I hop up. Folding me into a hug, I cling to her. Clenching my eyes shut, I try not to let any traitorous tears leak out. Rocking me back and forth, Brock waits silently. When I open my eyes, I see Forohn less than a foot away.

  “Hey, Forohn.” Scrubbing a hand over my face, I pull away. “They’re just checking him out. It’s only been a minute or two.” Raising my voice, I keep hold of Beth’s hands. “Atticus! Anything?”

  He shakes his head but doesn’t look over, still staring at the screen on his device. After a couple seconds of awkward silence, he announces, “Let’s get him into the Medical Bay.”

  “What are you going to do?” I hate how pathetic I sound. The room’s already crowded but two more guys walk in with a gurney between them. When they move towards the bed, I follow them.

  “I have to do blood work and see what's going on. Right now, he’s unconscious, and I’ve no idea why. There isn’t anything physical that’s showing up on the scan.” Atticus moves towards me and out of the way.

  The guys reach for the blanket and I yell, “Stop!” Crawling onto the end of the bed, I tuck the sheet around his legs working up to his hips. “He’s nude. Leave him a little dignity! If it was me, would you yank the blanket off and throw me on a gurney naked?”

  Both guys have backed up to the wall and are looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. It’s then I realize I’m crouched over him like a protective mama bear.

  “Come on, Shelly.” Beth steps in front of them and helps me climb down. “They’ll leave the sheet on. I’ll have Forohn get us some food and meet us in the Medical Bay.” She’s dragging me back towards the entrance. As I glance back, Atticus is supervising them putting Callim onto the gurney.

  As she tugs me out the door, we stand across the hall watching while she murmurs to Forohn. The lump in my throat is growing. I hate feeling helpless! There isn’
t anything I can do, and that drives me crazy.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  - Callim

  Strange voices are arguing next to me as I wake up. But then I recognize one. Shelly, my mate. And she’s angry.

  “How can you not know? You’ve got all this high-tech equipment around here and you don’t know?” Wincing as I open my eyes, I try to remember where I am. What equipment is she referring to?

  “I don’t want to give him anything until we’ve thoroughly reviewed the blood work. Please, Shelly. It’s only been a little while. I need to study this.” That’s Atticus. His calm voice responds to Shelly as if they are talking about what they ate for dinner last night.

  I try to roll towards their voices, but my muscles cramp. Everything hurts. What’s wrong with me?

  Squinting my eyes, I turn my head instead. Shelly’s already reaching for me. Leaning over me, she blocks the lights so I can focus on her.

  “You’re awake. Fuck, Callim! You scared the shit out of me.” Even her small hand resting on my chest hurts.

  “What happened?” My voice is raspy, and the male I met yesterday appears at the other side of my bed with a drink. While I’m sucking it down, I listen to the doctor who examined Shelly yesterday. As he talks, he moves into my line of sight at the end of the bed.

  “We aren't sure yet. But Shelly couldn’t wake you up this morning, and we’ve had you here in the medical center for half the day. I’m analyzing all the tests, but tell me how you feel? Does anything hurt? Are you hungry?” He pauses for me to answer, and I try concentrate on what I'm experiencing.

  Attempting to sit up, my stomach cramps. Sweat soaks the bedding beneath me and my stomach rolls just imagining food. “Can I lift the bed for you? Don’t try to sit up.” The big male on my left is holding my shoulder down.

  “I can’t remember your names.” I let my head relax in the pillow as I peer up at him.

  “I’m Brock. Here’s the control for the bed. Push here… and it lifts.” The back of the bed rises soundlessly, but it doesn’t make my symptoms subside.

  “I'm going to vomit.” Brock is shoving a metal bowl into my lap instantly. It must have been right under the bed.

  As my stomach lurches, I lean over the bowl and gag. My racing heart speeds up as every muscle in my body screams in protest of any movement at all. After a few long, silent moments, I look up. Everyone is staring.

  “Drink?” Brock hands me another water and I take a sip thankfully.

  “I’m nauseous.” I announce. Shelly growls, and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.

  “Quit smiling! You’re sick! Fuck.” Even as terrible as I feel, when she growls again I almost laugh.

  Closing my eyes, I try to communicate to the doctor how I feel. “I’m still tired. My stomach hurts but so does everything else on my body. My head is pounding. When I threw up there my heart was racing and I’m sweating. Does that help?”

  Opening my eyes, I see Atticus taking notes and running a scanner over me.

  “If you weren’t unconscious, I would guess it’s a flu.” Shelly’s petting my hair. I feel it going wild and traveling up her arm.

  “What’s a flu?” Both Brock and Atticus seem interested in this hypothesis.

  “Just a cold virus… I don’t know exactly. Ask Hannah.” She rolls her eyes as she looks back at me. “Atticus and Brock told me your hair will always respond to me—unless you’re unconscious. I didn’t even know! I talked to Beth and took a shower and everything… I didn’t know.” She sounds dismayed as she dwells upon it. Grabbing one of her hands in my hair, I bring it to my mouth for a kiss.

  “There wasn’t anything she could have done though. We haven’t given anything to you yet. I wanted to make sure I understood your blood work completely before I did. And I was beginning to cross reference things. Hannah is on her way too since she’s interested in learning everything she can about our species.” Atticus turns off his device and finally focuses on me. “Shelly isn’t the most patient person.”

  Shelly leans in and gives me a kiss even though I try to turn my head. My mouth needs cleaning after expelling the bile my stomach couldn’t hold any longer. “I’m so relieved. I can’t help it, Atticus. Cut me a little slack.”

  The double doors into the medical bay slide open soundlessly as Hannah and Bren come in. “Oh, yeah! He’s awake.” Hannah joins Atticus at the foot of my bed, smiling down at me like everyone else.

  “Just now.” Atticus waves his display at her. “Let’s go study this and let him get cleaned up. Do you want something for the nausea? I’m asking… but I’d rather wait if you can make it.”

  Waving him off, Shelly grabs my hand as I answer. “I would just like to use the facility and get cleaned up.”

  “Are you sure?” Shelly releases my hand to stroke my hair back as she looks at me seriously. Her cool fingers feel wonderful as they flutter across my forehead. I’m positive having her here and touching me is making me better.

  “Of course. I can wait a little longer.” The words come out of my mouth, but I’m not exactly sure if they’re true. Using the bed controls, I put the back up as high as it will go.

  My stomach clenches and Shelly grabs the bowl and shoves it in my lap. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

  Swallowing hard, I push the pain I'm enduring to the back of my mind as I study Shelly’s demanding face. If I couldn’t sense through our bond how concerned she is, I’d assume she's angry at me.

  It’s obvious from Brock’s expression as he comes to stand beside her, he thinks she’s annoyed. He doesn’t understand that Shelly has a hard time expressing any emotion except anger.

  “I can help him into the facility.” Brock is only trying to diffuse the tension but Shelly acts like he’s hit her.

  “I can do it!”

  Quickly, I set the bowl aside and stand. I need to get this over with and dispel the tension. The room spins, but I keep my hands on the bed and wait for it to settle. My arms shake as I brace myself and sweat breaks out on my body. I’m suddenly freezing as bumps break out on my skin.

  Shelly’s on my left rubbing my back. I’m thankful for Brock’s hand gripping my upper right arm. As we turn and walk slowly towards the facility, my muscles begin to twitch. A strange taste develops in my mouth. Metallic and disgusting. As saliva pools uncontrollably, I realize it’s dripping down my chin.

  Clenching my teeth, my leg muscles refuse to support me any longer, and I fall forward. The floor is coming fast until Brock stops my momentum with his arms. But that’s all I remember before everything goes dark.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  - Shelly

  “He’s seizing!” Brock lowers Callim to the floor and braces him on his side. I watch helplessly as he twitches and shakes. I realize this isn’t my fault, but I feel so useless.

  Atticus and Hannah run over. “What happened?”

  “Nothing. We were just heading for the facility so he could clean up.” Kneeling next to Brock beside Callim, I keep a respectful distance from his head. His hair flicks against my knees wildly. I could swear it’s reaching for me. For comfort.

  “Do something! Please, Hannah! There must be something you can do?” Clenching my hands, I’m relieved to notice that his twitching is tapering off.

  “Bren, call Beth. Tell her what’s occurring and that…”

  I cut off Hannah quickly. “You can’t kick me out! I have to know what’s going on.”

  Atticus and Brock are talking about the length of time that’s passed. It takes both of them to pick up Callim. He’s almost as big as Brock and his dead weight makes both of them groan.

  Grabbing my hand, Hannah steps in front of me, cutting off my view of Callim as they settle him back on the bed. “Honey, listen to me. The only thing we know for sure right now, is that Callim has some foreign drugs in his body. They have no idea what they are, when they were put there, or what their purpose was.”

  Groaning, I drop my head into my hands as tears
start to flow. Fuck. That crazy ass scientist Mila! “Callim told us he was pulled out of his pod at the Sanctuary as soon as they spotted the mating marks. He spent the last five days with Mila.” I’m already plotting her death, wondering who I need to bribe to turn around and go back to kick her ass.

  “Well, we did predict that they would work to stop the matings. This might be some of that? We have no idea.” Hannah’s worried eyes are all I see as she grasps both my shoulders firmly.

  Again. They have no idea! They’re doctors. How can they not know? I’m so angry my hands are shaking.

  I’m furious… at them, at Mila, and at the Council. But most of all, I’m mad at the world for giving me something I didn’t think I wanted—making me like it—and then turning it into shit!

  How typical is that?

  Hannah shoves a tissue at me, and I realize I have snot running down my face. The door slides open as I blow. Beth and Forohn burst in with Beth in the lead. “What happened? I thought he woke up?”

  Hannah goes to meet her, cutting them off from coming directly to where I’ve picked myself up to head over to Callim. He isn’t seizing any longer, but he’s pale and sweating. I grasp his twitching fingers in my trembling hand and watch Atticus study his display.

  I’m terrified to ask anything. My voice will give away my emotions. Like a big, fat chicken, I don’t want to admit how important he is to me already. I don’t know why. Like admitting how much I care about him will make him disappear?

  It seems like living has always been one big cosmic joke on me. Instead of expressing any caring or happiness, I make sarcastic jokes. Then, when things fuck off, I can trick my brain into thinking it doesn’t matter. Just another great day in my life!

  Beth and I have been together in this since the beginning. She’s been excited about meeting her mate, Forohn. Even though I would never in a million years admit it, I was excited too. Maybe not for exactly the same reasons. I’m not sure I can believe in instant love. But instant lust. Yeah, that’s real. I got that no problem.