The Aliens That Took Me

Leaving Earth

     When we reached my house, River, who had been holding me, finally set me down. I let them in my home once more, "Mom! Mom come down here, there are some...." I looked at them, with some question, I couldn’t voice, but neither moved to interrupt me.  "Things that need to speak to you!" 

     "Marley!" I heard her call from upstairs, "that’s no way to address a guest." I almost smiled, little did she know how correct I was. 

      Dakota took my hand. "Come on, it's time to allow River to handle this. You should not be here."

     I pulled my arm back to stand in the same place, "But I-" The creature’s black eyes became bigger  holes. It almost looked like I was seeing nothing, and everything in that same glance. I knew, it was serious. I looked down away from her but I followed. 

     "He will make sure everything is ok." It told me. It had taken my hand again, and while I did follow, all I wanted to see was my mom.  I watched it grow back up to its full height, or as much as it could, given our low ceiling as we stepped out the back door. I tried to take one last glance, but all I saw was my mom’s silhouette in the distance.  

    "So that one is a he?" I asked. It pulled me along, further from the door. There was no point in trying to find out what It was saying in there to my mom. My poor mom, alone with an alien. What had I gotten myself into?

     "In your world, we are what you would call  fluid gender. He is primarily male, but he can change to female if he so chooses. I am primarily female. Our partnership is not primarily based upon physical attraction. We are also equal in our mind and soul." 

     My backyard was not big, but it wasn't tiny either. It felt smaller now though, as she walked, and pulled me along throughout it.  It had a small swing set from when I was young, and a grassy patch on the right. But the best part of it was the massive tree in the center. It provided shade for the house, and when my dad had been around, he put a tree swing on it for me. It seemed to me that the tree’s branches touched the sky. I let her hand go to wonder over to it. My forehead found a place along the cool tree bark, I ran my fingers along the mossy ridges. How would I live in a new home, without this tree to look out at? 

     "I can put you on that tree if you trust me." She said. I broke out of my day -dream. The tree seemed much higher than it had a moment ago when there was no chance of me getting on it. but  I nodded to her. It was the least I could do, to say goodbye to the old tree. I was swinging through the air. My feet dangling below me, And then I was sitting on the tree branch the rope swing still sat on. The red and orange leaves rustled and pulled themselves from the tree in the wind. As  I straddled the tree I could see all around me, from the little birds in trees cawing above me, to the leaves, just barely touching the grass below me. 

    "Thank you for this." my voice was low, and wet, as I looked out to the house I knew we would be leaving soon. 

Her face contorted, and her irises once again came into focus, the beautiful flecks shone brightly in the falling sunlight. "Your welcome, young one.  River is calling to us." I nodded but before I could move to climb down, she had me in her arms. She put me down neatly at the back porch. With one last glance at the tree, I stepped into my house and my mom who was sitting on the far couch, stood up. My thoughts of both River and Dakota were temporarily forgotten as I moved to meet her half way. 

     "I love you, Mom." I told her, as she met me, but instead of a hug, she grabbed my arms with her cold fingers and glared  into my hazel eyes with her own. 

     “You really want this?” I teared up but I found myself nodding anyway. 

     "Will you be ok? I’ll come visit a lot. Can even do the laundry." I joked. The laundry was her least favorite chore..   

     She nodded, as I watched her eyes become wet. "I don’t think you’ll need to do the laundry where you are going and  I won't have to work three jobs anymore." 

     I smiled through my  tears, “That’s great, Mom." She let my arms go to wipe her face with the back of one of her hands. And then, she threw her arms around me, and hugged me tighter, then I think she ever had before. I breathed deeply, and looked around the room, at the ratty couch, and our scuffed up hardwood floors, and the pictures of me on the wall. I had to memorize this moment, I didn’t know when I would get another one. 

      I knew she didn't want to admit it, but I had been a burden to her since my father had left. I let her go, and she turned away from me to wipe her face again. I didn’t bother to wipe my own as I turned to face the creatures. "I'm ready now." 

     “You must say goodbye.” Dakota walked toward the steps to upstairs.  Bewildered, I followed. “Say goodbye to your things.”  I trailed into my own room, and looked at my old books, toys, and memories. I grabbed my baby blanket off the bed. I sighed deeply, I would take this. I walked out past her, and rounded the corner of the stairs. It was time to go. More time here, and I’d only want to change my mind.  

     River  met me at the bottom of the stairs. He bent down and took my hand.  I flinched a little, but let him touch me. I felt the warmth from him flow into my hand, and I smiled at him, a sad watery smile. He may be human sized, but he was definitely not human. They both turned to the wall, and once I realised what they were about to do, I turned away and held on. Together, the three of us walked into the wall. I fully expected to bounce back with a broken nose and a concussion.  But when I opened my eyes, I was in what I assumed to be  a ship. In the center, was a big ball of bright light, the rest of the ship was bare and black, so that almost nothing was seen. There was only one chair. River looked to Dakota. He did not say anything, but between the two, who were both now in their full shape and size, I could tell they were using their link.  

     Dakota stood at the giant ball of light. She put her hands over the ball. Her eyes grew light and her hands glowed as she directed the ship. It  jolted back and then forward and then suddenly there was a giant lurch. I fell against River, though this was not much of a problem, being as I barely came up to the bottom of his knees. He lifted me up into his arms and then  promptly sat down in the lone chair. I heard a cackling sound, and when I looked at Dakota, I realised she was laughing at us. He thought I didn’t see, but I saw what can only be described as a smirk flicker across his face, as he buckled us into the seat. 

     I watched all the stars we went past with wonder. The chair was behind the main windows of the ship, and so while before, on earth, they appeared as smaller dots, now that I was up here, they also looked like dots, but there were many many more of them.  I reached for my bag and pulled my blankie out. I held it tight. While the stars were breathtaking, a full day of classes, and leaving the planet, had taken its toll on me. There was no use or point in trying to do or see more, as I had been buckled into the seat with him like a lap baby. Gently, I felt his fingers rub my arms, as if to say that everything was going to be okay. I relaxed into him and his masage. Even if they were going to eat me still, at least I had seen this. 

     When I next woke up, I was still in his arms, but we were facing a purplish gray planet. "Welcome to your home." He whispered. He unbuckled us, and I stood up shakily and walked to the windows still holding my blanket. I had never seen anything so massive. "It’s name is Arc. You slept for most of the journey home due to the atmospheric pressure. You will be able to breathe on our planet due to the partial bonding process we did with you while you were asleep. Please do not be alarmed by the others who have come to meet you. No one will hurt you.” River stood next to me staring out the window. Partial bonding process? Breathing? More creatures waiting for us? I yawned. 

     “We are approaching the landing base, please secure yourselves.” I watched in awe as we entered the planet’s atmosphere.  River pulled me back by the hand into himself. 

     While the planet’s topography was similar, with land, rivers, and mountains just like earth, Arc had a completely different range of colors. When we landed, the sky had a green tint instead of our usual blue sky and the dirt was a deep purple with specks of glittering gemstones. It looked like kinetic sand, lush and soft. 

     As we came to a smooth landing, I looked down to see that there was indeed a crowd of Aliens all dressed in what looked like robes,  waiting to see me. I gulped.  Already I felt like a toddler compared to creatures of River and Dakota’s size. Nevermind that I had come here in order to be a baby again. It was so embarrassing. Did they know that I had come here because I wanted to be a baby again? Or did they assume it was something else?  I wanted to go home, but it was a little late for that.  

     There was no rush of air like in the movies when the spaceship opened, it was just a door with stairs but the stairs were retractable. As the door opened, Dakota lifted me into her left arm from my place on River’s lap, and took River’s hand in the other.  They walked cleanly to the edge, where we met the crowd. We came out into the light, we, and the group who had gathered, each stared at the opposite group. When they saw me they did not cheer or clap as I  hoped. But then I also could not stop looking at them. They all wore their feathery hair differently, some had long hair like Dakota, and others only to their shoulders like River, some had no hair at all. They all appeared to be so opposite each other. 

     They stared back at me,  the blackness of their eyes was getting bigger and then smaller inside their crisp blue irises. Then each alien raised his right hand up to the sky, including River, who did it for the both of them. A shimmering beam came from each alien to meet in the middle, and there was a deep rumbling that sounded almost like a hum. I had to look away, it was so bright. I would come to understand in time, that this was their version of clapping. 

     After a moment, River moved his same right arm and instead put it straight ahead, A massive ring of black cubes came into focus and straight down to us. Stairs came out from the cube, leading straight into the wall again, just as the spaceship had done. I hid in Dakota as the other aliens stared at us. “Do not fear, as we said before, nothing shall harm you. We will go inside and show you your home, and then we shall finish your bonding.” She said it so plainly, like it was common knowledge. I wanted to wake up from this dream. 

     “My bonding?” I asked, but received no answer. They walked with such confidence. Their heads held high, hair whisping behind them. Their long flowing wraps floating ever so gently up the stairs. None of the aliens spoke to each other. I kept my eyes wide open this time, as we stepped through the wall of the cube. 

     “This is our food room, and our living cube. Houses here are not made in one building, but in many. Our species is normative, meaning we move regularly to different parts of the Arc based on the danger levels in a certain area. Our homes are mobile to allow for this.” I nodded just soaking it all in. This cube could have fit my entire home inside of it easily. The furniture was gigantic, built for their massive size. I would have to climb over the side just to get onto the couch. I realised glumly that I would not be able to accomplish anything without their assistance, even if I had wanted too.

     The living room was clean, but also soft. The couch was a  furry material in a bright red color. The center table was black and round with metal legs. I noticed they had put some type of covering around the edges, and realized, with some embarrassment, that it was meant to be baby proofing.  Behind the living room, the kitchen had a table and an island with pretty hanging lights. The whole space was elegant, pretty, and terrifying much like them. “We’ll show you your room now.”  They walked out of the wall by the back of the sofa. 

     We stepped out onto a small porch, River gave three short commands I couldn’t understand  and a third smaller block appeared out of the wall. I watched as a path solidified. I looked to the precarious dark depths below, afraid. How high up where we? what happens if I step out of my room and fall? My thoughts gripped me and instinctively I gripped Dakota. I wanted to believe that they would never let that happen, but a part of me, still wasn’t sure.  

     As far as aliens go, not that I'm an expert or anything, but they were quiet. Only saying the bare minimum, I thought, as we stepped lightly, from room to room. They barely spoke to me, or to each other. If they were happy to have me, they didn’t show it. I began to worry if they even wanted me there at all. I knew it was stupid, but part of me wanted them to like me. I was suppose to be living with these creatures for forever, what do they do with humans they get bored of? 

     River stepped through first, and then me and Dakota.  It was perfect, as far as a baby room goes. No matter how much I loved my room at home, there is no denying that this room had clear love poured into it. It was a vibrant purple and white color scheme. A shag rug covered the center of the floor, a white crib sized for me was at the far right against the wall. It had a horse mobile, spinning in the slight breeze, hanging over top. There were no cartoon characters, like had been in my childhood nursery, but in the far left corner was a little chair, probably my size, with soft toys, books, and stuffed animals, piled up around it. Closer to us, but also on the left side was a large changing table. I gulped and I took a shaky breath. The air felt clean but still not as natural as on Earth. I took another one and looked around again. It could be worse. “We hope that you will grow to love us.” River said, looking at me. None of us moved closer or farther away, just standing there watching eachother. 

     I didn’t answer them, what was I supposed to have said? “I wanna love you too but I’m scared you’ll eat me?” I don’t think so.  The aliens took me into the bathroom, which was in the same cube as my bedroom, and was only separated by a doorway. The bathroom was massive like them and the rest of their “house”. It had a bathtub that was the size of a small swimming pool. Inside the swimming pool, was a purple tub that looked about the size of my tub at home. I realized with some shock and disdain, that it was their version of a baby bath. “River will give you a bath, and then you will have some adjustment time before the ceremony.” She said, setting me down on the floor. I looked at River, craning my head up, regarding him almost as curiously as he was regarding me.  

     “Ceremony?” I questioned. But Dakota was already leaving. River said nothing to answer me. I sat down on the white tile.  His long legs were bent down on the mat by the tub, his hands turning and pushing buttons. I could almost remember my dad, as a fuzzy sort of flashback, doing this for me as a child. But River was nothing like him. My dad had always been angry, his movements rapid and harsh. 

     Even in the short time I had known both creatures, I knew they were not like that.   I watched as River went to his knees over the tub, his dress wrinkling around what should have been his calves. His feet pulled back, as he pushed himself up using the bathtub’s edge.  His  glittering legs walked around the bathroom like I wasn’t even there. I could see he was pouring in something to the bath, a towel was put on the sink top.  If he knew that I was staring, he ignored it. 

     I sighed, the bath had to be almost ready. It felt like I had been sitting on the tile for hours. I pulled off my shirt and pants. He didn’t turn to look. I was standing up behind him now in just my underwear. I pulled down my bra straps, my eyes never leaving his back. His white hair was resting so still against his shoulders, He was bent, checking the liquid in the tub to make sure it was the right temperature. I pushed the bra down my body to meet my underwear, and pulled them both off my feet. I was almost daring him to look. Daring him to see my naked body, there, waiting. What did he think of my body? Finally, but still slowly, he turned his massive head to look to where I was. Even crouched down, he was three heads taller than me. I looked away from him, but I could feel his eyes pouring over me trying to understand. Understand what, I wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it made me feel self- conscious. “Are you going to say anything?”

     He blinked in surprise and stood up until he was leaning over my head. I waited but he said nothing. He just stood, looking at me.  He bent slightly and lifted me high up to his face. Whatever he had been wondering, it was clear he had figured it out. He lowered me slightly and pressed his cool thin lips to my forehead. He held me, still naked, against his neck and chest as close as he could. Immediately, I regretted my questioning about what he thought.

     I rested stiff against him, but he didn’t let me go, or move his lips from my forehead for a long while, long enough that I wondered if the bath liquid would get cold, long enough that I got comfortable enough to wrap my hands around his neck and breath easily.  When he felt me relax in this position, he finally let me go, and allowed me to move my head away. “I think you are beautiful, young one. I cannot wait to call you our little girl.” His gravelly voice and the hum of it coming out of his neck and chest was so intense I was glad I was looking away. My face felt red and hot, and my tummy felt jittery; but I still didn’t know how to answer him other than to press my face against him and hope he understood.  

     I had almost fallen asleep there, when I felt River lower his whole body down to the floor, and put me in the baby bath filled with the warm purple liquid I had been waiting all this time for. I now realised, the bottle he had poured into the tub earlier, had been bubble bath, and smiled. That was a thoughtful touch. “Here what your version of water would be is this.” He was running his long fingers through the bathtub gently, before catching a bubble on his finger. He looked at it, interested, as he spoke. “ It is a cleansing substance that all creatures on our planet need to survive. It runs in patterns similar to your lakes and rivers, but also can be found in living things.” I kicked with my feet to make waves.

      It was thicker than water. It slid through my fingers like soft diluted slime. It smelled like metal. I tried to relax against the back of the plasticy tub. River picked up a washcloth and began gently brushing my body with it. I felt his hands sliding down my legs and the soap bubbles popping all over my body. “Tilt your head back now, please.” I shut my eyes, but tipped my head back as he picked up a small bucket and rinsed my hair. I tried to focus on anything but the fact that an alien was trying to wash me as I felt his thin fingers massaging the soap into my hair, and rinsing it out again. “You're all clean now, Marley.” His voice came softly to me,  I almost didn’t hear him. I opened my eyes just in time to feel him pull me up out of the tub.  He carried me to the monstrously high changing table. I shivered involuntarily. I looked up at River but he didn’t look back at me. 

     He stood over me and laid a white piece of cloth over my bare crotch and pressed a small blue button on it. I shook my head wondering why one would ever need such a thing but then I felt it. The cloth was melting and then expanding, it grew to be a thin film all around my bottom and crotch area. It felt like a pair of cotton underwear, but then it grew to a thick fluffy level that encompassed my whole crotch. I sat up immediately confused, and slightly alarmed. I poked it.  They had created touch screen diapers.   He waved at me to stay down before pulling out a beautiful glittering dress like the ones he and River had from the drawer below the changing table.   

     He slid it over my head and fixed it around my body. “T-thank you.” I whispered. I spun all around in my seat, looking at the silver sparkles.  He lifted me and took us to stand at the mirror, I looked like one of them, but I also  looked like a toddler in comparison to him. The immense size, beauty and shape of him fully enveloped what was left of my person. Part of me was terrified, the alien could do whatever he wanted to me and I would have no way of answering. The other part of me was comforted, if such a creature was protecting me, nothing on Earth could hurt me. But then, I was on the Arc. 

     I also realised that if humans evolved to suit our planet earth, and these creatures had also evolved in a similar fashion, what was out there that they would need to be so big and strong? What would they need to become invisible for? River  answered me, “Nothing that you need to worry about for now. The ceremony will begin soon. We must grab your last present and then travel. “

     “Last present?” But River didn’t answer me this time. Instead he carried us back into my bedroom. Looking at it again, I felt my heart warming just a little. They had gone through a lot of trouble to make this room for me. He pressed a button on the crib and the rail dropped. Rain made a foreign noise almost like a growl and then sat on the bed. Dakota appeared. 

     “You don’t have to yell. Our cube is not large. I can hear you through the link.” River just smiled. It was the first bit of affection I had seen from them, and it settled me. Dakota sat down on the bed. She reached behind herself and pulled out a small soft looking elephant. Elephants were my favorite. “This elephant was made special for you. It has been bonded to you by your DNA it will be your comfort animal and companion. Tonight, when you accept us as your family, this elephant will awaken. It will become whatever gender you want, however old you want, and have a personality that is matched to yours perfectly. The only thing you have to do is say it’s name at the ceremony. ” I nodded but i was skeptical. How could they create such a thing? River and Dakota stood. They handed the stuffed Elephant to me, and it fit perfectly into my arms. I held it tight and shut my eyes.  I wished they would just tell me the truth of how everything worked. 

     I kept my eyes shut as they walked out of the cube. I didn’t want to see. My head hurt. I was processing too much information at once. I let go of my elephant to hold my head instead. I felt one of their scaley soft hands on me probably trying to find out what was wrong. I felt slightly dizzy, and then my vision got grainy, and then I  passed out. 

     I don’t remember how we got there. I don’t remember all these others coming in.  I don’t remember being set down on this table. But I felt the cold surface, and looked in shock around me. Instead of being in glittering outfits like River and Dakota, they were in dark gray robes with their hoods up. They were making a deep tribal groaning sound that shook and deafened me. I looked up to the floating blinding chandeliers. Where was I? I turned around and saw River and Dakota. Neither looked at me. They looked straight ahead,  they too, were making the noise. I looked back and forth between them and the rest of their kind. I felt a sense of pride, they were far more beautiful than any of the others. 

     An alien stepped out from the perfectly aligned rows. I watched as the alien came toward me. The crowd raised their hands like they had done when we had stepped out of the ship. The aliens began speaking in their language, and though i tried to understand, there was no way for me to figure it out. The longer I sat here, the more I thought I was going to be eaten. The alien who was speaking stepped all the way forward and picked me up. I reached for Dakta and River, who were still behind me, my eyes wide with terror. He turned to the crowd, who once again raised their hands to me as I squirmed and tried to get back to the table. Finally,  he set me back down, I inched back to River and Dakota. Both looked down, and put a hand on each of my shoulders, they pushed me back, and moved me to face the crowd again. The head alien looked at me and then spoke in English. 

     “Marley, you have chosen to come to this ceremony of your own will, to become one of us. But you must also choose, of your own will, to be raised in our customs and ways by this pairing of an Arkian brother and sister. Do you take these two to be your family? Will you accept them to love, cherish, and raise you as one of their own?”