Lab Rats
It’s been two years since they came to Earth. Two years since my whole life changed into something from a Sci-Fi horror movie. They came, they conquered and they abducted.
They only abducted those with something special in their blood which accepts their crazy space serum. The serum changes our composition so we are able to breathe their air, assuming your veins don’t boil in a reaction. It causes a death so painful I wouldn’t even wish it on these evil aliens.
I should be thankful that I had the special blood they probed us all for when they arrived that day. If I didn’t I would have been vaporised on the spot to dust. Apparently we’re only useful to them if we can be their lab rats.
Those of us whose bodies accepted the serum and are now calling this planet home have one task. Sit in a chair and let them give us numerous injections or lotions as tests.
A high pitched beep sounded each side of my ears then I heard the click of my door. I opened my eyes to steam surrounding me, the glass door of my tube swung open. I stepped out of the clinical white pod that us humans call our bedroom.
At least its weird foamy sponge back is super comfortable, it sucks you in and supports all my limbs as though I’m laying on a cloud. There’s also not much time to complain about the fact it only just fits me as the steam that fills the inside puts me into a deep slumber.
A few guards were towering over us on raised platforms which overlooked all our pods. It was hard to tell exactly how they looked, they wore what they did when they invaded our planet minus the helmet.
Their faces though, I see them in my dreams every night, or nightmares I suppose. Their skin is a deep teal, in certain lights it glistens different colours. It was different for each alien I noticed, most glistened blue or green in the light. Their eyes were larger than ours and they hardly blinked and when they did a clear film shuttered across them in a spectacularly creepy way.
They had spikes on their head curving with their skull which protruded high into the air, similar to a mohican hairstyle, the tips looked sharp enough to cut. They had creepy slit noses which reminded me of Voldemort, although they make him look like an angel.
Their ears were pointed and slightly raised away from their head so they could turn and twist. And their mouths looked much like ours but inside all their teeth were fanged, at least that’s what I had seen quickly when one got angry.
I shuddered as I turned my focus on the humans and not on the creepy and terrifying aliens watching us like cattle. One step in front of the other, that’s all I needed to do. Walk, eat, sit. That was my life now, oh, and be quiet of course, which was truly the hardest of all, I do like to talk.
I began my walk to the human’s eating quarters. I was surrounded by the hundreds of other humans who have survived. Eight billion people lived on Earth, now there are only one hundred and thirty two humans left.
Again I should be thankful, I try to think of all those people who haven’t survived, my parents, my friends, yet I’m living in a horror movie. The only really good thing in my life at the moment is Frankie, my older sister. Even then, watching her drain into a fraction of the person she was is hard to watch.
The crowd of humans formed a line to queue for our breakfast rations. It was almost military standard, impressive really. We learnt very early on that it was better to not talk and do exactly as they asked otherwise they would happily turn us to dust.
Twice I saw people turn to dust in front of me here and it was two too many. I still don’t understand how they do it, they don’t have weapons that I can see. They merely raise their tail and point it at them and bam, they’re gone. Maybe the weapon is in their tail? Or is the weapon their tail?
I tried to look at one of their tails once and the alien angrily clicked at me in warning so I didn’t do that again. They seem to communicate in clicks and grunts. There’s only a few who speak to us in English, they’re the high up aliens, you don’t want them to talk to you.
I remember one of them talking to us when they abducted us and gave commands, his accent thick but his voice high and musical. It would have been beautiful if not for the fact they invaded our planet, then killed or abducted us and I was literally trembling in terror. The alien spoke perfectly but as soon as someone asked a question bam, he was dust.
No warning, nothing. That’s why we don’t talk. We don’t bother them, we do exactly as we’ve been shown.
The alien at the counter distributing breakfast was, I assume, a female. Her frame was more slender to the others, more feminine, unlike the others who were built like bricks. She was different to the aliens who stood guard over us.
She was purple, her skin wasn’t like ours, it was almost like fur. Soft tufts which grew longer nearer her torso where it grew as long as my hair it almost sparkled in the light that shone into the room. It swished with her every movement, it was rather mesmerizing.
Her clothes aren’t that different from our white slip dresses, hers is a dress but it’s navy not white. Perhaps she’s not from this planet either. Her composure isn’t timid like ours, she holds her chin high, but never takes her eyes off her task. I wonder if she was abducted too.
When I got to the front of the queue I took my bowl and went to find Frankie. My fingers gripped the bowl tightly, its smooth texture almost too smooth. It felt like it could slip out of my hands at any moment.
I’ve got used to all their strange textures, the slightly bouncy floor. The spongy bed I sleep in. The smooth bowl and squishy seats. Even the walls of the room are strange, similar to sand but if you touch it the texture is wrong, it’s more similar to grass.
I couldn’t stop my smile from forming on my face when I saw Frankie. Her auburn hair was in one braid hanging down her back, we both had the same hair, except hers was shorter and had a beautiful wave to it when it was loose. Her eyes were green like mums, I had dad’s brown eyes. She was always the prettiest in the room and she has a presence which commands attention.
Frankie was always the very best person in my world and this world too. She was talking to the people around her in a way to not draw attention, she and the friends she made here learned ventriloquism so the aliens wouldn’t notice.
I slipped into the squishy seat next to her and grabbed a spoon and began to eat my soup. I call it soup because it’s the closest thing I can call it. To be honest it tastes rather yummy, it’s more like a smoothie but with rich deep flavours too. The food is probably the best thing here other than Frankie.
I sighed when I took my first sip and Frankie nudged me smiling. ‘You and your food Annie.’ I nuzzled into her side and continued to eat happily. This was my favourite part of the day, my little piece of peace. Frankie and food.
When I was close to finishing I finally took note of what was happening around me at the table. Something was tense yet there was a little buzz, I glanced at Frankie, she winked.
‘We’re getting out of here sis. I have a plan. Be ready at dinner. I said I’d protect you and I will.’ Her eyes shone with determination and love. I would trust and follow her anywhere, she was my rock.
