His breathing is just as labored as mine, though, and I get the impression the poor guy is really suffering. The guy in the sky leads us around the base of a steep, headland cliff, and, looking back, I can see the mouth of the cave we’d escaped from is carved into the rocks of a small, black-sanded bay. There’s tide marks up the cliff, showing that when it’s in, this little area really is cut off from whatever is around the corner. Hopefully, we’ll cut off those monsters too, because I can see a small number of them gathered at the cave mouth, watching us as we flee.
When we round the headland, leaving those awful creatures behind, we enter another black-sanded bay, only this one is much larger and stretches further along this strange coastline.
“Come,” the other winged man grunts, landing beside where Aloryk and I have slowed to take it all in. “Further along the cliff there is a climbable ridge.” He pauses, dark eyes looking at Aloryk with an expression I can’t quite place, particularly eyeing the way one of Aloryk’s wings is drooping so low on his back, some of the feathers now trail in the sand behind him. He opens his mouth as if to say something but clearly thinks better of itand closes it again, the muscle in his jaw jumping before he gives a curt nod and starts to lead the way.
Aloryk’s hand tightens around mineonce, twice- as if twitching involuntarily, but he doesn’t say anything as we begin walking, following along behind the other guy.
I can tell he’s slowing his pace for me again, and for that I am grateful. And it’s only when I finally let all the noise in my head settle that I start taking deep breaths of the crisp, sea air.
I don’t think this is a dream anymore.
But if this isn’t a dream… then what -the actual fuck- is going on?
“Where am I?” I ask, my voice sounding smaller than I had intended.
Aloryk’s hand tightens on mine again. “These are The Great Waters,” he tells me, “they lay at the very edge of Trixikka lands.”
“No, I meanthis whole place. What is going on? How did I get here?”
Aloryk sighs painfully. “I know. It is a tale that must be told, but it will not be an easy one to hear.”
“Try me,” I say, slipping my hand free of his and standing my ground. I fold my arms over my chest and wait.
And then, he says what I was afraid he was going to say. It’s like, I kind of expected this explanation, but also…didn’t.
Because that’s crazy, right? That’s utterly bonkers.
“You were taken from your planet in your slumber, bartered for, but have landed here…”
He’s still talking, but my ears are ringing.
Taken from your planet.
Taken from your planet!
I’m feeling light-headed again. “Ok,” I say to myself, bending at my waist to brace my hands just above my knees and catch my breath in more ways than one. “Ok… ok-ok-ok.”
‘Ok,’ Polly?Really?!Say something else -anythingelse - because this shit isnot ok!
“Fuck!” I straighten and walk back the way we came only to instantly circle back. Is there another explanation for all this that I can’t fathom right now?
The other guy is way ahead of us, but even he’s stopped to look back at me having a little mini melt-down. And I’m reminded, yet again, that I’m currently strolling along with two seven foot guys who havewingsandtails!
I cannot be on another planet, surrounded by aliens. That is certifiably insane.
Oh, that must be it.I’ve finally lost it,I think to myself, nodding as I squint and look around. I’ve gone insane.
My best friend, Niska always joked I spend too much time alone with my head in a book instead of getting out and meeting people. She said that I preferred fantasy to reality and my go-to response had always been ‘duh!’ - I mean, have youseenthe real world lately, and have you met ‘people’?
And now, I’m apparently having trouble deciphering what is real at all.
Great.
But maybe that’s for the best? Because if all thisisreal, then I’ve been abducted by aliens.
“The mimyckah will follow us, we need to keep moving!” the bossy alien calls to us.
I look up at him and then my gaze goes north into the sky before pinching the bridge of my nose and screwing my eyes shut. “Whythe fuckare theretwo sunsin the sky?!”
