I grab the door frame with white knuckles as he tries to drag me out. I kick him in the head and he falls backward, letting me go for the second that I need to scurry back in, crawling towards my hiding space under the dashboard.
A painful shock jolts through me making my body tense up into unnatural positions. It’s over in a heartbeat and I collapse to the floor unable to move. My skin is smoking and I’m breathing fast. I can feel my heart working double time in my chest and all I can do is pray for a heart attack. Anything to get me away from this horrible situation.
The claws are back, squeezing my arms and dragging me out. They both carry me out of the ship and through the tall green grass in the valley with the pretty patches of pink dotted throughout it.
My limbs are heavy and I can’t seem to move them. My feet are numb and I can barely feel my toes as they drag over the bumpy ground.
Even my eyes are heavy and I have just enough strength to turn my head and look at my rock. It’s sitting in the valley and this time I envy it. Being alone would be a welcome treat. Being alone was way better than this. I didn’t realize how good I had it until now.
They throw me to the dirt at the feet of another alien. I gulp as I push myself up to my knees and slowly look up. He’s bigger than the other aliens; six feet at least. His arms are much thicker and look incredibly strong. The inside of his claws look razor-sharp and his praying mantis face looks meaner and angrier than the others.
He’s an important figure. I can tell by the submissive way that the other aliens stand around him.
I recoil my head back and cringe as he waves a vicious claw at me, clicking angrily the entire time.
All I can do is stare in horror as he waits for an answer. Two little finger thingies line the sides of his jaw, stroking his yellow lips. It’s so disgusting that my stomach heaves and my chest tightens.
I finally take a breath, gasping for air as he turns his head towards the larger ship and shoots out a series of angry clicks.
There’s nowhere to go. My legs are heavy and numb and there are a dozen or so ships in the sky that can easily chase me down if I try to flee. Not that I could anyway, I’m way too scared for that.
The door of the larger ship slides open and a robot rolls out. I stare in shock as it rolls over, blinking and beeping as it approaches.
“Hello, earthling woman,” it says in a crackling voice.
“Tin Tom?” I ask in a whisper. It looks just like him.
“I’m Matt,” the robot answers cheerfully. Great. Another one. “Matt is a translational robot here to help you through the vigors of interplanetary travel. Matt is versed in over sixty thousand languages and is an all-around nice guy.”
“Great,” I mutter.
The furious alien in front of me smacks Matt with a thunk. He lowers his head, stroking his nasty mouth with those little finger-thingies and clicks angrily at the robot.
“The Captain would like to know what happened to the ship and to the other women,” Matt says.
I focus on the robot’s blinking lights and try not to look at the Captain’s terrifying face but it’s hard with him swinging his claws around violently as he clicks at a furious rate.
I try to explain what happened but I can’t find the words. All I can do is cringe, ducking my head while my pulse races uncontrollably.
Matt blinks as he listens to the Captain. “The Captain would like to say that it would be very much appreciated if you cooperate. He hopes to have a warm friendship with you that would last until you die.”
That may be sooner rather than later with the deadly way that he’s swinging his claws at me and Matt.
He smacks Matt again, harder this time, and lets out a furious series of clicks that puts a sour taste in my mouth.
“What does he want?” I ask Matt, trying to keep it together.
Matt blinks. “He was just saying that Matt is doing a good job.”
My muscles are so tense as I look back up at the scary Captain. My head is pounding, my stomach sick. “Is he going to hurt me?” I ask, looking up at his beady black eyes.
Matt rolls towards me and bumps into my leg. “Gracious, no,” he says in a soft voice. “You will have a wonderful life full of happiness and love.”
“Really?” I ask, holding my breath with hope.
Matt beeps wildly. “Oh, yes,” he says, making me feel better. “Being one of Emperor Rsordan’s many love slaves will be full of joy, gratitude, and love.”
All heads turn up to the sky as a huge ship, much bigger than the others descends below the cover of gray clouds.
“Ah,” Matt says. “Here he comes now.”
My blood goes cold as I watch with bulging eyes that are no longer able to blink. The huge ship lands with a hiss and the door slides open.
It’s him.
I didn’t need to see the video to know that. He’s enormous. At least eight feet tall with legs as thick as trees and jaws that could snap the head off of a dinosaur.
And he’s coming over. To make me his love slave.
There’s not enough lubricant in the world to get wet for this monster.
I should have just killed myself when I had the chance.
four