by Anna Lewis
With a smile, Kathy took it.
THE END
= Bonus Book 7 of 11 =
Alien Colony
A loud scream from afar woke her up.
She could taste salty water on her lips. When she tried to move her aching arms and legs, she felt the smooth skin of her bare feet and hands scraping against rough grains of sand.
Her mind was now alert, her ears picking up the slightest sounds in her surroundings. There was a deafening silence following the scream. Had it been her imagination? Was it just a dream?
Suddenly, gusty wind made her shiver. She realized she was all wet and cold.
Opening her eyes, she was greeted with the sight of a beautiful, calm, blue sky. The gentle white clouds glided across, slightly covering the shining sun.
Despite the pain that seemed to envelop her entire body, she forced herself to sit up and look around. She pushed aside the wet and sandy strands of blonde hair matted on the side of her face.
She stretched her legs and straightened her back. Her muscles protested, but she didn’t care. She had to see what was happening. She had to find out where she was.
As she realized that she’d washed up on what appeared to be an island, everything flashed back to her all at once—the unexpected storm, the boat capsizing, her loud screams drowned by thunder and other hysterical voices.
Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she shook her head in an attempt to brush them off.
Looking down on herself, she saw that she was still wearing the highly expensive cashmere sweater she’d recently bought along with a pair of her favorite ripped jeans. Her slip-on shoes were nowhere to be found.
She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, hoping that the sun would fully come out already so she’d stop feeling so cold and her clothes would dry faster.
After a few minutes of trying to calm herself down and think straight, she got up and made her way into the dense woods behind her. Perhaps she could find something else to wear so she could avoid getting sick. Coming down with a fever after being shipwrecked would be a disaster!
As she walked barefoot on the fine, white sand, she kept looking to her left and right. “Hello? Anyone?!” she called desperately in a loud voice.
Going further into the woods, she found an overgrown dirt trail of some kind. Since she had nowhere else to go, she followed it and hoped that it would lead to something that could be of use to her.
“Belinda?” she called out loudly, referring to her agent and close friend who had been on the boat with her. When the boat had capsized, Belinda had been sleeping in her cabin. Her heart constricted as she said a quick prayer for her friend’s safety.
“Clay?” she called out, as she pictured the handsome actor who’d been flirting and making out with her on the boat. They were supposed to be first-time co-stars for the upcoming film Beach House, the remote location of which they were headed to before disaster had struck.
She could still feel his breath on her neck and his hand groping inside her sweater while they had been enjoying the wind outside in the starless evening. When the rain had begun, they had not cared at all. He had just started kissing her when a clap of thunder had made them jump apart.
She shivered again. Her clothes were still quite wet. She needed to get out of them quickly.
She continued down the path, frantically searching for anything that she could use to keep herself warm while she dried her clothes.
To her surprise, she found an old blanket on the ground, partially covered in dried leaves. Pulling it out from the leaves and dusting off the dirt, she saw that it was dull blue in color but had probably already lost its original hue. There was a regal-looking crest embroidered in the center, which piqued her curiosity.
But it was no time to wonder and investigate. She was just glad she found it.
Quickly she took off her sweater and jeans without care, thinking she was all alone there, anyway. She threw the blanket over herself, before unclipping her lacy brassiere and shaking it off to the side.
She was about to remove her underwear when she heard the rustling of leaves. In a snap she turned around, her heart pounding hard. “Who’s there?” she hissed, feeling crazy. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her body as she waited for someone…or maybe something...to come out of the bushes.
There was no answer. Everything was still. She didn’t dare move. Her ears picked up the sound of heavy breathing coming from behind the cluster of trees in front of her.
A minute passed. She slowly stepped back and picked up her clothes, her mind and body prepared to run.
Suddenly, she heard that loud scream again cutting through the silence. The cry now seemed closer.
Without thinking, she broke off into a run, tucking her clothes under one arm and clutching the blanket around herself.
More screams followed. But this time, the voices seemed to blend into a weird pattern, a rhythm that sounded like a tribal chant or something.
She kept on running. She could hear heavy breathing and distinguishable footsteps coming after her.
She didn’t know where she was headed. All she knew was that she had to get away fast.
The scream-like chanting was coming closer. She slowed down as she realized the sound was almost in front of her.
“Spy!” a deep, rumbling voice yelled from her back. And before she knew it, several odd-looking men in dark blue robes appeared and surrounded her.
She screamed in fright right before one of them threw her over his muscular shoulder. She didn’t catch a glimpse of his face. But as he and the rest of the chanting men took her deeper into the woods, she kept struggling and punching and slapping, trying to get away. He did not seem affected at all.
Whimpering, she finally relented. She closed her eyes, wishing it was just one of her movies and she’d wake up again in her luxurious penthouse in Hollywood.
She could imagine the headlines this morning: Lindy Miles Missing After Boat Overturns in Storm!
***
“I’m so glad they finally thought of pairing us,” Clayton said, his intense dark brown eyes filled with lust. His gestures had all been suggestive, after all, ever since they had started meeting about the upcoming movie. “Beach House is going to be a blockbuster, with you and me in it.”
Lindy smiled seductively, playing right into his game. She knew what he wanted, and she wanted it too. “It will be big, of course,” she agreed, her bright blue eyes locking with his. She had to admit his recent rise to stardom was going to boost her already flourishing career as a Hollywood actress.
“You are so beautiful, Lindy…” Clayton whispered as his arms went around her waist, pulling her closer.
“That’s what everybody says,” Lindy answered confidently, her wavy blonde hair whipping around her radiant almond-shaped face.
He chuckled. “I like confidence in women,” he murmured. “It turns me on.”
She laughed in response, her manicured hands crawling around his neck. “Lucky for you I’m in the mood tonight.”
“To what?” he whispered hoarsely, obviously getting more aroused.
Lindy could feel him growing, rubbing against her thighs. She suddenly yearned to make love to him—right there in the little dark corner on the deck of the boat. “To talk,” was her teasing reply.
She loved playing this little game with men who always fell at her feet. It gave her a sense of power and fulfillment. It was one of the things she enjoyed about being a celebrity with a face and body that never seem to age. At 35, she looked ten years younger. She was still single, and she preferred it that way.
Clayton, on the other hand, was only in his twenties and had recently broken up with his girlfriend. He was eager for sex with no strings attached.
Little raindrops fell on her face. For a while, she was concerned about her makeup and eyelash extensions. But then, Clay leaned forward and began kissing her on the lips. His hands caressed her back and eventually mo
ved down to her buttocks, cupping them and pulling her closer.
Even her vanity was temporarily forgotten as their heated kiss continued. The rain began pouring harder, but neither of them noticed.
Suddenly, a flash of light appeared in the sky, followed by a roaring thunder. They jumped apart in surprise, their bodies still filled with hunger for each other.
“Lindy? Clay?” a voice called. It sounded like the captain.
Lindy stood up and made her way toward the side. She saw the captain right before the boat dangerously swayed to one side, knocking her off balance. Clayton, standing behind her, caught her before she could fall.
“You better get inside!” the captain said. “There’s a storm warning tonight, and it doesn’t look good.”
“Wasn’t it supposed to be a clear day?” Clay grumbled, his eyes darting toward Lindy in grave annoyance. “Damn storm!”
It made Lindy giggle, though she was getting nervous about this sudden storm announcement. It was unexpected. And she knew they were out in the middle of the ocean, still a long way from their destination which they were scheduled to arrive at in the morning.
As she walked along the side of the deck, she could feel the waves becoming wilder. The boat felt like it was made of paper.
Her heart was racing. Her mind was in turmoil, as long-buried memories pushed to the surface. She hated storms because they reminded her of that night when her parents had died in a car accident. She had been left in the care of her Aunt Thea that evening, and she would never forget how it had felt to realize she would never see her parents again.
Even though she was only six years old then, she’d felt the severe loss and emptiness her entire life. Her mom’s sister, her Aunt Thea, had cared for her throughout her childhood and teenage years but eventually passed away too because of cancer.
Lindy made her way to the cabin entrance, eager to get indoors and take her sleeping pills to drown out the awful memories, and to escape the dreadful weather conditions.
But before she could step inside, lightning flashed and the thunder boomed. At the same time, she felt the boat swaying once more to one side, this time much higher than before. The captain was calling out instructions. She screamed as she felt herself sliding toward the side. A huge wave on the other side rocked the boat, toppling it severely. She kept screaming, her arms flailing as she struggled to hold on to something, to anything.
She saw Clayton going into the water too, but in a different direction. As the cold water hit her, her world went black. She submerged and on instinct, she held her breath for as long as she could. Eventually her body rose back to the surface. She opened her eyes and her mouth. She took a huge gulp of air as she saw how far she’d been thrown from the boat. There were bobbing heads near the capsized boat but she couldn’t tell who was who.
“Help!” she yelled, but her voice was carried away by the wind. She began to cry, but knew she had to look for something stable to hold on to while her legs could still kick under the water.
“This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening…” she kept repeating to herself in between sobs. Her eyes spotted a piece of wood floating nearby. She swam toward it and let it take her weight.
The storm was still raging on. She was quivering in the cold but slowly she tried to push toward the boat, hoping to find someone else. She didn’t even know if her friend Belinda had gotten out or was trapped inside the cabin. She would drown there!
The thought gave her added energy to keep going. But no matter how much she paddled toward the boat, she was drifting further away.
After about an hour, the rain stopped. Nevertheless, the waves were still quite big and tumultuous, pushing her over the water, and hindering her from seeing anyone else. She was so exhausted at that point that she could only keep reciting a prayer in her mind, over and over again.
Without warning, another huge wave came and threw her off the piece of wood, causing her to swallow some water. She felt her body being carried away, but she had no more strength to fight. She could only float along and pray.
***
“That woman is a spy,” somebody was saying. It was a man’s voice. He sounded angry. “Why are you taking care of her?!”
“She doesn’t look like a spy,” a woman answered.
Lindy stirred awake. She realized the conversation was taking place outside. As she gazed at her surroundings and remembered what had happened to her, a feeling of dread washed over her. Had taken her prisoner thinking she was a spy?
The room she was in did not look like any prison cell, though. It was almost bare, with four walls in plain white. There was nothing except the surprisingly comfortable bed she was lying on, a chair, and small round table beside it. The door was ajar and there was no scary-looking guard. There was even a curtained window on one wall, where the voices were drifting in.
Standing up, Lindy brushed strands of her blonde hair away from her face. She felt terrible, but knew she had no time to dwell on any pain. For a brief moment, she had the urge to check her reflection. She must look horrific!
Well, even if she wanted to, there was no mirror anywhere. She climbed out of the bed and saw that the floor was made of concrete. She wondered if this structure was still on the island, or if they had shipped her somewhere else.
She was now dressed in black cotton pants and a loose-fitting white shirt. Her lacy bra was underneath, now dry. She wondered who had dressed her.
“Go back there. The spy might wake up and escape!” the man outside commanded.
The woman simply grumbled in response.
Lindy went to the window and peeked outside. She didn’t see anyone, though. The people talking were no longer there.
Since the window was slightly open, the cool ocean breeze was coming in, blowing the curtains gently. It was quite refreshing and calming. She was most certainly still on the island. And for a few seconds, Lindy closed her eyes and savored it, trying to relax her racing heart and jumpy nerves. When she opened her eyes again, she looked outside. There were many trees blocking the view, but she could tell that she was near the shore. It would be easy to escape. But where would she go once she was near the water? She had to plan it well first.
“You are up,” a female voice said in a flat tone.
Lindy gasped, turning around. She was expecting to find a woman who resembled the men who had captured her, or maybe woman who looked like she lived in the jungle. But the brunette who stood by the door was a pretty young lady who could easily be a model with some makeup and a stylish outfit.
The strange woman’s brunette hair was straight and long, but with a yellowish glow. She was wearing a navy blue, long-sleeved dress with buttons in front all the way down to her ankles. It did not have any shape, though.
Lindy had the urge to find a colorful belt and glam up the drab outfit a bit. She pushed away the thought and instead smiled at the young woman.
“Hi,” Lindy said, her heart relaxing and warming up to the person in front of her. She looked nice and friendly. “I’m Lindy. What’s your name?”
“Kayraz,” was the curt reply. She didn’t smile. She looked guarded as she approached.
“Where am I?” Lindy asked, frowning in disappointment. She had been hoping to make friends with the young woman.
Kayraz gave her a puzzled look. She moved closer, watching Lindy closely and scrutinizing her face. Finally, after a few seconds, she said, “You are within the Vorton War Compound.”
The woman had an bit of an accent so it took Lindy a minute to comprehend the words. “Wait, did you say ‘war’?”
“I am part of the Vorton Community Servers,” Kayraz explained without answering her question. “Now tell me about you, Lindy.”
Lindy looked her in the eye. “I work as an actress back home. I was on a boat that capsized in the storm, which is why I ended up on this strange island. I went into the woods looking for something to wear so my wet clothes could dry, and then suddenly, an army of men arrived and c
aptured me!”
A look of alarm passed over Kayraz’s eyes for a brief moment. “The blue soldiers did not hurt you, did they?”
Lindy shook her head.
“Good,” Kayraz said. “They sometimes tend to go overboard with security.”
“Are you going to let me go?” Lindy pleaded. “Or maybe help me find a way back home. Please! I’m a very wealthy and popular celebrity! People will be looking for me…”
“No, it’s not my decision to make,” Kayraz said, cutting her off. “Somebody said you’re a spy. The Prince will have to meet you first. He will be able to tell.”
“What are you talking about? Which prince?” Lindy asked, her tone of voice showing despair. “I need to get home please… I don’t even know if the others are okay…” To her own surprise, she broke down into tears.
Kayraz gave her a sympathetic look but did not approach her. “Perhaps you need to rest first. If you get hungry or you need anything, I’ll be right outside.” She then walked toward the door and closed it behind her without looking back.
Lindy spent the next few minutes crying and feeling sorry for herself. She didn’t know what to expect from these odd people who had taken her into their compound. A war compound! What does that mean?
She fell asleep again and when she woke up, she felt more renewed and filled with hope. Her stomach made a grumbling sound. She was also very hungry.
“I knew you’d be hungry,” a man’s voice told her. He sounded friendly, though.
She sat up in surprise. The man’s voice sounded familiar. She couldn’t place him, but she knew it wasn’t the man she’d overheard Kayraz talking to outside the window.
“Eat,” he said, rubbing the stubble on his chin as he talked. He was sitting on the chair beside the bed, pushing a basket of bananas and a bowl of soup toward her.
Lindy looked at him with doubt, thinking that he was being friendly because he wanted to lure her into eating poison. She was still trying to rack her brain for why his voice sounded familiar.
