“I guess we are both disappointments.”
What? Before she could reply, he added, “My parents did not expect much of Grav. From the start, they dismissed him as soft and weak. One reason we did not become close was because I knew how our parents felt, and I didn’t wish to associate with him. I did well at the MEC. I was the promising one, the star cadet. I excelled in military drills and simulations.”
She could imagine what those would be.
“I expected to move up the military ranks quickly, but I never received an assignment in which I could distinguish myself. Then came the Earth campaign.”
Otherwise known as the opportunity to annihilate an entire population.
“Drills and simulations didn’t prepare me for face-to-face engagement.” He looked at her, and she was struck by how blue his eyes were. How earnest. “You smelled good, and I couldn’t kill you.”
“You didn’t kill me because of how Ismell?” Her life hinged on that?What do I smell like?The lady’s soap and shampoo? Her deodorant?
“No, I just couldn’t do it. I guess I’m weak.” His gaze focused on the distance. “What’s that?”
A round water tower with the town name emblazoned on the tank stuck out of the trees. “That’s Big Creek,” she said.
* * * *
As woods thinned, businesses began to crop up. There was an auto repair shop, a nursery with overgrown and dead plants, and a self-storage unit—the kind of businesses people wouldn’t put in the town center. As they drew nearer, a sign pointed to the Big Creek downtown area.
This was where they parted company. She didn’t know what to think about all that he’d told her. He seemed sincere, but how could you trust the enemy? Everything he said could have arisen from a carefulcampaign of alien psyops. The thank-you, the apology, telling her she could go, could be part of a strategic manipulation campaign. Maybe he hadn’t released her—maybe he intended to follow her in hopes she’d lead him to other humans. But if he intended to do harm, why give her his weapon?
“I’m leaving now.” She could not willingly accompany a Progg. She’d check out the downtown area and see what it offered. He could go wherever. She didn’t care, as long as it wasn’t with her.
Rok projected an air of forlornness, like he was being abandoned. Which made her feel vaguely guilty. And how warped was that? An hour ago, she’d been his hostage.Stockholm syndrome, much?
She had to leave for her own sanity.
He opened his mouth as if to say something then closed it. He nodded.
The situation seemed to call for some sort of farewell. Etiquette did not address consorting with alien invaders. What would be appropriate? See ya around? Have a good day? Goodbye, which was an abbreviation of the original phrase God be with ye? Certainly not. If there was a god, she should be praying for him to smite Rok and every other Progg.
“Come on, Kevin.” She marched away, the dog at her side. The hair on her nape prickled like he was watching her, but she held her head high and maintained a brisk stride, refusing to check.
A couple of blocks later, she caved. She knelt, ostensibly hugging Kevin, and snuck a peek. He was gone.I’m not disappointed.
Up the street a ways, she came to the HOME OF THE GROUNDHOGS or so proclaimed the marquee at the Big Creek School. Someone had sprayed illegible graffiti over the message announcing the start of band practice.Somebody doesn’t like band.
The vacant, abandoned school with overgrown weeds rising to the windows caused her heart to pang.So many lives lost.Had the kids been in class when the area got vaporized? Or was Big Creek one of the towns through which regiments marched on foot? As horrible as the massacre from the air was, she prayed for the former so the children wouldn’t have spent their last seconds in abject terror.
This reminded her she had a weapon to test. Removing it from the holster, she aimed at the school bus stop sign and fired.
Not so much as apfft.
What good was a weapon she couldn’t use? Worse, he’d warned possessing it could paint a target on her back. She crossed the street and flung the vaporizer into a trash can. Kevin peed on the trash receptacle, and they continued on.
Downtown Big Creek typified a small American Midwest town. Businesses and city government buildings squared off around a grassy quad. In the center sat the requisite gazebo. City hall and the police department shared a building with two separate entrances. There were a couple of restaurants—a Chinese place and an Italian one—a women’s clothing store, abicycleshop—and Sudsy Paws dog salon.
Score!
No grocery store here, but Big Creek probably had one somewhere. She’d look for it after taking care of business. Vaporization had eradicated vermin from the cities, but mice had started to return, particularly to the supermarkets. However, getting dog food at a grocery store would be easier than going house to house. One-stop shopping.
Will Rok know where to find food that is edible for him?He spoke English, but she’d figured out he couldn’t read it.Not my problem. Why do I care? Forget him!She gave herself a mental smack and thenlooked at Kevin.“You, sir, have a walk-in appointment at Sudsy Paws!”
She led him into the dog salon. Normally he’d be bathed then trimmed, but his fur was too matted. If she washed him first, the mats would tighten, making them more difficult to cut off. He needed a complete shear job.
While she collected supplies, Kevin ran around sniffing, his tail wagging in doggy delight, no doubt detecting the smell of other animals. She envisioned his owner taking him on walks through the neighborhood, Kevin stopping to pee on trees, greeting other canines with a wag and a butt-sniff. Dogs were pack animals; they weren’t meant to be alone.
