Chapter 3: The Big Reveal
514 Words
The kitchen sliding door groaned open, and Leo stepped out. He was a scrawny boy with messy hair, holding a bag of chips that smelled offensively artificial to Zax’s enhanced senses.
Zax and Pip were huddled behind a large planter, trying to look like typical strays. "Remember," Zax whispered, his voice vibrating in his throat, "we are strictly 'animal' until we find a way to signal the fleet. Do not—"
"Hey! What are you two doing back here?" Leo’s voice cracked.
Pip’s instinct was to offer a logical explanation, but he stopped himself just in time, opting for a low, submissive whine. Unfortunately, his tail started wagging uncontrollably, betraying his excitement at the prospect of food.
"They look weird," Leo muttered, stepping closer. He squinted at them. "You guys aren't from around here, are you?"
Zax leaned over to Pip. "He’s onto us. Initiate the 'coy, dumb animal' routine."
Pip tried to blink slowly, but he accidentally let out a sophisticated, three-syllable sequence of alien clicks instead of a bark.
Leo froze. His eyes went wide, and he took a step back, the chip bag crinkling loudly in his hand. "Did... did that dog just talk?"
Zax groaned. "Fantastic. The human’s auditory receptors are sharper than expected."
"Wait, you are talking!" Leo’s shock turned into pure, unadulterated fear. He opened his mouth, and a high-pitched, ear-splitting scream tore through the yard.
"Stop that!" Pip barked, his voice panicked. "You're going to draw the neighbors!"
"I'm dreaming!" Leo yelled, backing into the house. "This is a nightmare, and the dog is a hallucination!"
Zax realized they were one second away from a neighborhood riot. He stepped out from behind the planter, stood on his hind legs, and waved a paw with authoritative grace. "Enough! You primitive, shrieking little creature, cease this display of emotional instability at once!"
Leo stopped mid-scream, his jaw hitting the patio stone. He looked from Zax to Pip, his eyes darting back and forth.
Zax sighed, glancing at Pip. "Look at him. He’s clearly a young pet, entirely untrained and completely lacking in basic decorum. Just look at the state of his hair—zero grooming standards."
"He’s just a juvenile human, Zax," Pip offered, trying to be diplomatic while still maintaining his 'superior' posture. "He’s frightened because he doesn't understand our intellectual capacity. We should treat him with the patience one affords an unweaned pup."
Zax nodded, walking toward the frozen boy. "Listen to me, young pet. We are not here to cause harm. We have suffered a minor navigational inconvenience. We are in need of sustenance and discretion. Now, be a good little human and calm yourself down. We can discuss your lack of training later."
Leo blinked, his fear slowly melting into a look of absolute, starry-eyed wonder. He dropped the chip bag, his breathing leveling out. "You're... you're aliens? Like, from space?"
"Obviously," Zax said, sitting down and wrapping his tail neatly around his paws. "Now, are you going to continue behaving like a wild beast, or are we going to have a civilized conversation?"
- Writer
