Lainey waved her hand but didn’t say anything else.They sat in silence until Bianca woke and they exchanged looks when she began to sob quietly.Eventually, she tapered off, went into the bathroom, and then came out to join them in the pit.
Bianca looked just as worn down as Cecelia felt.Out of all of them, Bianca was the only one with a family, with a husband and young daughter.Even though were all roughly the same age, in their mid or late twenties, Bianca had married her high school sweetheart and had been pregnant before she could even legally drink.Every morning she cried and every night she cried.
“I—I just want to go home.I want to see my little girl,” Bianca said, her eyes filling with tears anew.The blonde buried her face into her hands and her body began to shake.Lainey let out a sigh and Cecelia reached out to rub Bianca’s shoulder.
“And you will,” Cecelia said softly.“We just need to be patient.”
After Bianca quieted again, the three of them watched the twin suns rise in the sky, slowly painting their room in glorious shades of pink, which woke up the rest of the women.Crystal, an upbeat blonde, Taylor, a reserved yet kind woman, and Erin, the peacemaker of the group and moderator when Lainey got a little too cranky, soon joined them in the pit.
Cecelia knew that any moment, their guards would bring in their breakfast: a plate of surprisingly good spiced meat and tart, colorful berries that burst with strange flavors they couldn’t identify.The portions were always large, but Cecelia could hardly eat a fourth of what they offered her.She tried to force herself, but she felt the weight that she’d proudly gained during remission already starting to melt away.
Like clockwork, two guards came in through the large swishing door that led out to the darkened corridor, just as the suns rose above a far off mountain.And Cecelia wondered when she’d get used to seeing aliens, when she’d get used to knowing that intelligent life not only existed beyond Earth, but that she was on one of those species’planet.
Luxirians looked similar, at least the ones she’d seen.She’d only seen males, never females, and they all had long, dark hair that hung either loose or in braids to the middle of their strong backs.Blackhornsjutted from near their temples, curling back towards their crown.They were either clothed in leather-like material, or shirtless, displaying perfectly sculpted bodies, every muscle expertly chiseled.All were well over seven-feet-tall, with scars dancing across their skin, as if they constantly brawled for a living.And their skin…it was like a mirage.A shimmering mirage that reflected the light around them.The room they were in now glowed a soft yellow, so their guards’ skin took on a golden hue.At night, after the suns set, they appeared a grayish-indigo.
As for their eyes, most were a light, electric blue.Some were darker.She even thought that one of their rescuers had had gray eyes, like hers, but she couldn’t be sure.
The women in the room went quiet as the guards delivered their meals.Even though Cecelia didn’t feel any hostility from the aliens, tension filled the room.
Lainey was the first to speak, as she did every single time the guards entered.She stood, hands on her hips as they set down the trays of food and silvery liquid that they knew was water.
The redhead scowled and demanded, “When are you going to tell us what your plans are?We’re all sick of sitting in here, twiddling our goddamn thumbs all day.We wantanswers.”
All of the Luxirians they’d come in contact with spoke English, which was mind-blowing in itself.Briefly, when Crystal had asked one of the guards on the first day how they’d learned their language, he mumbled something about an ‘implant,’ whatever that meant.
Cecelia reached forward to one of the trays and scooped up her water glass.Her throat felt dry and she knew she’d need to hydrate herself after how much she’d sweated out the night before.She downed the glass in one go and poured herself another from the pitcher.
The two guards stared at Lainey without surprise.They knew her nature by now, but they still seemed uncomfortable, like her distresspainedthem.
“Female,” one started, inclining his head to her.His accent was thick, but not unpleasant.“As we told you the last span…the Prime Leader has not given us orders.We only follow his command to make sure you are cared for.”
“Your leader can go to hell,” Lainey started, an angry flush rising to her cheeks.“You tell him—”
“Lainey,” Erin, their peacemaker, cut in.And that was all she needed to say for Lainey to quiet, have a little stare off with the guard that spoke, before plopping back down onto her cushioned pillow, turning her head away.Erin was always smoothing over the feathers Lainey ruffled, whether it was with the Luxirians or within their own group.Erin looked up at the guards and gave them a soft, hesitant smile.“Thank you for the food.”
The Luxirians inclined their heads and backed away, leaving through the swooshing metal door a moment later.A beeping sound told them that the lock engaged.
“We’re prisoners here,” Lainey started after they left.“I was just saying what everyone else was thinking.”
“Prisoners or not,” Taylor said, the reserved one, “we are under their control.We have no choice but to wait and you antagonizing the guards isn’t going to help our position.”
Cecelia held her breath, hoping Lainey would just keep her mouth shut.She really didn’t want to hear another petty fight amongst them.She already felt drained.
With a glance at Cecelia, Lainey kept her lips zipped and reached forward for the trays.She passed them down the row of women and didn’t say another word as they all ate in silence.Cecelia didn’t have an appetite, but she forced herself to eat, knowing she would need her strength.
Near the end of their meal, however, their morning was interrupted.All of them looked around in confusion when they heard the door unlocking and then craned their heads to look at their unexpected visitor.
A Luxirian male stepped into the room.Unlike the guards, he was wearing a white tunic and white pants, his dark hair braided and pulled back away from his angular face.He also seemed older, more seasoned, than the guards.
“It’s that doctor,” Bianca whispered.
Cecelia remembered him.When they’d first arrived, they’d been taken to some kind of research lab, which had freaked them all out to say the least.The doctor had run tests on them and took blood samples, but they hadn’t seen him since then.Dread pooled in her gut.When she’d been in those labs, she couldn’t help but think that maybe the Luxirians purpose in bringing them there was to experiment on them.Maybe she’d seen too many sci-fi movies or maybe her fear was about to come true after all…
With the guards at the door, the doctor approached the fire pit, stopping a few feet away from the ledge, his hands behind his back.He nodded down to them.“Females.”
Crystal spoke, “Who are you?”
“I am Privanax,” the doctor replied, his voice calm, his accent much clearer than the guards’, like he’d practiced English more.It was odd, because he hadn’t said a word to them when he was running his tests a couple days ago.“I am a…I think you would call me a doctor.I am a healer here on Luxiria and a researcher.”
