by Zara Zenia
When Betty wasn’t studying, she was doing everything in her power to stop the abductions from taking place. At first she gained very little ground, but then suddenly, several weeks later the abductions simply stopped.
Betty had yet to decide if that was a good thing or a bad. She wondered if the abductors had simply changed locations and she was spending every waking moment looking for them.
For the third morning in a row, Betty rolled out of bed feeling like she had a severe case of the flu. Just what she needed on top of everything else.
She had just taken her last exam of the year and was looking forward to a few days of rest before jumping back into the swing of things. She tried to stay as busy as possible so that she didn’t have time to think about Barsork, or what had happened to him. The thought of never seeing him again ate at her soul.
Betty heard a knock at the door, but was too busy heading for the medicine cabinet. “Jenny, please get that.” Betty pulled the ibuprofen from the medicine cabinet and knocked over the small plastic circle of birth control pills she had gotten from the clinic before this whole crazy thing had happened.
She had never even opened the box. Betty stared at the box for several moments before a small tingling sensation began in her stomach. She placed her hands on her belly and turned so quickly she fell from dizziness. She felt strong arms grab her before she hit the floor.
“Hey, easy does it.”
Betty looked up into those blue eyes and knew that despite his outward human appearance again, she was looking at Barsork.
Epilogue
Barsork
Her hands flew to her mouth in disbelief as she stood shock still in his arms. “Barsork,” she let out in a small squeaky voice.
That was all she was able to get out before his lips brushed hers and all her fears dissipated. She cried as he held her tight and Jenny smiled from the other room.
“Guess your boyfriend’s back.” Jenny laughed. “It’s about time, maybe now you’ll stop moping around all day.”
“Oh my God, Barsork. I can’t believe you’re here. What happened? I didn’t hear anything and I thought…” Betty broke off unable to speak through her tears.
Barsork wiped them away softly and kissed her cheeks. He set her down gently on the bed and then turned to Jenny. “Do you mind?”
Jenny looked confused for several seconds and then quickly bustled around the room. “No, of course, of course. I’m sure you two have lots to talk about. I’ll just…I’ll just go somewhere else.” Jenny quickly left closing the door behind her and Betty laughed.
“Barsork, I’m so glad to see you.”
He pulled her tight once more. “King Barsork now actually.”
Betty pulled away quickly. “You did it then. You challenged your brother.”
“Challenged and won. I don’t think either of us quite believed it, nor did most of Xicret.”
Betty slid her hand into his. “I’m sorry that you had to do that.”
Barsork nodded. “As much of a monster as he was, he was still my brother. On Xicret he will be remembered as a king, but his rule could not be allowed to continue. I have left a good man in charge while I am gone. He will do well with the people. There are many changes to be made, and they will not be made over night, but enough of politics. I am here to see you.”
Betty smiled. “I have missed you so much, Barsork. I didn’t know if I would ever see you again, and my heart was sad.”
Barsork smiled and kissed her softly. “Betty, we must talk. I love you and I cannot leave your side again. If I must abdicate the throne of Xicret I will do so willingly and live here on Earth as a human with you.”
Betty smiled. “I do not believe that you will need to give up your throne, travel is easy for your kind, and there are many things we need to do together. I would like to spend some time here on Earth though. I want you to meet my parents, and my friends, and I have been working to bring down the abductors here on Earth as well.”
Barsork smiled. “I know. I received numerous reports of your successes, and I beamed with pride. I have put a price on the head of any who comes to Earth without direct permission from the king for now.
“If that does not stop the abductions, I have put a reward out for any abducted Earth women. I do not believe we will have long before the contacts dry up. Without Carzon, the auction house has no leader.
“There is still a great deal of damage and many women will have to be found. Also abductions are still occurring on other planets that I have not been able to put a stop to yet. I thought perhaps we could take a trip back to Wolfban and pick up your friends. I think they will be perfect for rescue missions.
Betty laughed. “I think that’s a great idea. I would like to spend a little time here on Earth because I want you to get to know my parents and also I will need your help at the clinic here on campus for a while. After that, I would like to go to Xicret with you and meet your people. I think by then they will be very happy to see you return.
“Anything you say, my Betty. What help will you be needing at the clinic?”
Betty smiled. “Oh just little stuff like lifting heavy boxes, picking up ice cream, small things like that.”
Barsork frowned not quite understanding, but at the moment all he wanted to do was look into her eyes. Something about her looked different, but he couldn’t quite tell what it was. “Betty, are you okay? Your eyes look strange.”
Betty smiled. “How do you mean strange?”
He shrugged. I don’t know they seem to have blue specs in them almost, but very faint.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Barsork.”
He smiled and pulled her close to him, wrapping his strong arms around her. “I can’t wait for you to see Xicret. The people are going to love you. There has not been a true bonding on our planet for a very long time, and the people are very interested to see you.”
Betty sighed contentedly. “I will be happy to meet them. I think that you will have a very big welcome home ceremony when you arrive.”
“Why is that?” Barsork asked mildly curious.
“I hear that children are a big deal on your planet, and I would imagine that the first son of the new king would be an even bigger deal.”
Barsork chuckled. “Yes, I suppose it would be…” Suddenly her words sank in and he turned her around to face him. “Betty, are you saying what I think your saying?”
Betty nodded slowly. “I can feel him, Barsork. He’s a great deal like you, fierce, but gentle. He will be a great king one day to follow in his father’s footsteps. He felt your presence when you came in, that’s why I almost fell. The sensation was overwhelming.”
Barsork laid his hands on Betty’s stomach. “A boy. You’re sure?”
Betty laughed. “Oh I’m sure alright. He will be the first Xicret born out of a bonding. I think he will have a lot of responsibilities on his small shoulders.”
Barsork pulled her to him, tears of joy running down his face. “I love you, Betty. You and our son.”
“I love you, Barsork. Three months here on Earth and then we head back to Xicret. The babies should be born there. After they’re born we will go to Wolfban and pick up the refugees. Then it will be time to shut that auction house down for good. I’ve thought of a much better use for the space.”
“Oh yeah, what idea is that? Wait…did you says babies?”
Betty laughed. “Oh did I forget to mention that your second son also lives inside me. They are twins, my love. Can you imagine, twins? As far as the idea I had, I thought perhaps we could turn the space into a safe haven for children from all over the galaxy.”
Barsork smiled and kissed her tenderly. “Twins!”
Betty laughed and then her face became pale. “Speaking of your wonderful new offspring, I believe I am going to be sick now.” With that she rushed off the bed and bent over the toilet. Barsork came behind her holding her hair and rubbing her neck softly all the while wearing a huge proud grin on his face.<
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Benzen Preview
Preview:
Benzen: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance
Chapter 1-Benzen
I think it’s all working out with our escape plan, everything going as it should. I think so right up until the very last minute, when the engine fails. It comes as a violent shudder, the sound of metal crunching and stuttering, coughing like a dying old man before giving out completely. The next thing I feel is the terror inside my gut as we hit a speed I scarcely thought possible.
We’re tumbling, flying, falling fast down to the nearest planet. I see it come closer, a glowing blue orb the color of lightning bolts and vegetation. For a moment, as we plummet down at breakneck speed, I wonder what the puffy, white substance is that caresses the atmosphere of the world we’re about to land on. I ponder it until we’re right in the middle of its softness and realize they’re clouds. They moisten the sides of the ship as we stab through them, a ball of mechanical fire falling to disintegration.
The ground comes up fast, then faster, then faster still until I hold my breath, certain that we will crumble upon impact. Glancing around at my crew, I see them more terrified than I am. Victorinth, her eyes are ablaze in fear, her gaze following mine out the window as the ship falls sideways. She’s holding onto her seat, gripping it as though it’s the last connection she has to her life before it became a disaster, before we felt the fear of falling.
Our eyes meet over the chaos, panic surging between us like a tangible energy. Horror is etched into Victorinth’s face, and I see her lips twitch as she tries to tell me something, but I don’t hear a word. All that enters my ears are the rapid sounds of the craft cracking up around me and the rush of air as it escapes through the gaps in the falling wreckage. It hits my face, cold and caustic, the force almost burning my skin.
The last thing I see before we crash is a large building on the edge of a city. If I knew of its importance to the crew, I would have feared nothing, but in that moment, I’m stricken with an intense fear, one that grows the closer we get.
It’s right before my eyes, the ground black with symmetrical white stripes, and it’s coming up fast. I resign myself to fate, it will swallow me up and I will live no more. There’s a crunch, Victorinth screams, and the crew falls into a mass of tangled-up terror as the ship splinters at the edges.
Before the blackness arrives, I look up and see the large building beside us. There’s a sign on the wall in an alphabet I’m not familiar with.
RICHMOND CITY MALL
I squint in an attempt to decipher the symbols, but as I strain my eyes, shock takes over my body. Then, nothing but darkness.
My eyes are stinging, blistering with the pain of unseen molecules. It would seem where we’ve landed has something in the air we’re not used to. It takes a few breaths to adjust to the light. It’s like nothing I’ve seen before. The sky is dark like the blackest onyx, but every now and again, items are illuminated, like buildings or vehicles of sorts. As I glance out the window, I can see there are various other crafts. Some are larger than others and in different colors, but they are mostly of similar length, or at least much smaller than our craft.
“What are you looking for?” One of my team shouts from behind me.
“I don’t know yet,” I answer. “I’m still figuring things out.”
I see something move, another being. They’re tall, slender, ethereal, and calm as they walk across the space in front of me. I see them enter one of the vehicles, then watch as it disappears around a bend.
“What was that? I hear something.”
I can hear the team behind me spruce themselves up and get back on their feet.
“Is anyone hurt?” I turn around to check everyone.
They all look themselves over before shaking their heads.
“I’m scared,” says the youngest, Victorinth.
“Me too,” I admit. “But we’ll be fine if we stick together.”
We all nod at one another to show we’re in agreement.
“But what was that?” asked Victorinth again. “What was that noise?”
She rushes to the window and looks out. Seeing nothing, she turns back around.
“It was a craft,” I explain.
“Like this one?” She runs to her brother, Jarick, and clings onto him.
“No. It looks nothing like this one. It was smaller, much smaller, and did not leave the ground,” I explain.
“It didn’t leave the ground?” Jarick asks, bewildered. “How strange.”
I can see him churn the idea around in his mind, the cogs of his brain whirring as he tries to figure it out.
“Then how did it move?” he finally asks.
“With wheels on the ground.”
“Like… What the primitives used back in the olden years?” He’s aghast.
“Yes, something like that.” I look solemnly to the ground. “But never mind that. We have to formulate a plan for ourselves.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Ethazol says, stepping forward. “We can’t stay here forever, we’re a sitting target.”
“Always the sensible one,” I smile at him.
Walking back over to the window, I look out once more for signs of danger. Every now and again, the beings pass by, but they don’t so much as look over at us. It confuses me.
“I don’t think anyone can see us. Not the craft, anyway. It appears the body work done before takeoff works here too.”
“You mean the diversion worked?” Jarick asks.
“Yeah,” I keep my sight outside the craft. “We’re safe for now, I hope.”
I’m so busy being lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice the human getting closer and closer until it’s too late. It’s striding purposely right to us, as though it doesn’t know we’re here. He’s walking briskly, so briskly in fact that it's only a few breaths until he’s right at the window.
“Look!” I shout at the crew.
They all huddle around the window and gasp as they see him approach, closer and closer until…
“Argh!”
We hear him yell. He’s walked right into our craft, his face crumpling against the metal fragments of our broken ship. He pulls away hurt. There’s a red substance coming out the center of his face. It trickles down into his mouth and covers his teeth.
We all remain silent as we try to figure out what has happened. The human looks to be in a state of shock. He tries to walk again but once again he hits the window.
“What the hell?” We hear him say.
He takes a couple steps to the side and tries to walk again. Yet, just like before, he walks into the craft. He takes another couple steps to the side and repeats and still, he can’t get anywhere. I watch as a look comes over his face. It’s a look of terror, one that shows his ideas of reality tearing at the seams.
“I almost feel as though I want to go out there and help him,” I say as I see him fail over and over again to get to where he’s going.
“You’ll do no such thing.” Ethazol claps a hand to my shoulder. “We are in enough trouble,” he explains. “No use in complicating things.”
Yet we watch enraptured for a long while as the man attempts to get around the ship. At one point, we watch him stop for a little while. He looks exhausted and just stands still, looking down at his body. It’s then that he places a hand on his gut and then examines his fingers.
“Oh my god…” We can hear him muttering through the walls. “What is this?”
As we look at his hands, we see there is a peculiar green substance attached to his fingers. It seems as though his body has come into contact with our jet fuel, and we can only hope that he remains safe with the chemical on his body.
“Don’t go out there, Benzen.” Jarick turns to me. “I know what you’re like. You want to help everyone, but right now you have to focus on just helping us get out of this ship and somewhere safe.”
I nod.
“Very well. It appears you know me too well.”
We’re
all silent for a moment as we contemplate what we have to do.
“What were those things on his body?” Victorinth blurts out eventually.
“I’m not sure,” I answer.
“It looked like some sort of body armor, but not for combat,” she says as she bites on her lower lip in deep thought.
“Yeah you’re right,” I agree. “That is what it looked like. I saw the others out there wearing them too.”
“Well then, we’ll have to get them,” Ethazol commands. “Or we’ll be noticed.”
We Orbas wore very light attire, usually a large piece of cloth across our bodies. Unless, of course, we are in battle.
We all stand around looking at one another, trying to figure out how to get these items onto our bodies.
“I have an idea,” I say, glancing out the window and seeing the man still out there, examining the jet fuel on his body. “I need to concentrate, but I think there’s a chance I can do it.”
“What are you talking about, Benzen?” Jarick laughs. “You and your ridiculous ideas,” he shakes his head.
“Me and my ridiculous ideas might help us stay alive,” I explain to him without anger in my voice. “So just bear with me.”
As young Orbans, many of us are trained from an early age to partake in activities that suit our minds and bodies the best. Ethazol’s particular talent, for instance, was being authoritative and intellectual. That is why he was taught from a young age to have engaging leadership skills and a clear thinking mind that could deal with problems in front of him. However, his talent does not extend to thinking outside of usual situations, and so he is only performing at his best in already learned scenarios.
I, on the other hand, inherited my talent. It came from my mother, a being so vastly special that she could create any talent she pleased. Yet she only chose ones that could be good for the planet, ones that would benefit others before herself.
