Regaining Composure, Page 3

  “H-hello..?” She called out softly, her voice echoing throughout the large house. It felt so eerie and creepy being in her own house, and the silence that answered her was even more unsettling.

  Kyuki looked around. The whole house felt so empty now… Now that she knew the awaiting fate that would soon be met with reality. Her uncle wasn’t in the kitchen, living room, neither of the bathrooms, or even in the basement where his hot tub was. So, the only remaining place he could be was in his room.

  “Uncle Chad? Y-You home?” Kyuki called out one more time before checking the last room of the house. No reply. No sounds. Just eerie silence that made Kyuki intensely uncomfortable.

  The long walk down the hallway seemed to be miles long. It was so unsettling to the young teen, as the floorboards underneath her creaked loudly with each step she took.

  Eventually she made it to her uncle’s bedroom. The door was shut.

  “He never shuts his door...” Kyuki mused to herself. With a trembling hand, she grabbed the doorknob. And, after a moment, opened it.

  When she opened the door, she immediately regretted it. What she expected to see was a bloody mass of flesh that was her Uncle Chad, but, instead, she saw.. to put it kindly, the act of lust between Uncle Chad and Teresa. Ew.

  “SHUT THE DOOR!” Her uncle bellowed, and Kyuki did as she was told. She leaned against the door, scarred for life.After a moment though, she giggled. She guessed it was better seeing that than seeing her uncle dead.

  But then a thought occurred to her. Her uncle didn’t even look in pain, so that means Fiz couldn’t of done anything to him… So then…

  Who did Fiz kill?

  The thought of the alien killing an innocent bystander sent shivers down Kyuki’s spine. She stood up, walked upstairs, went into her room, locking her doors, and went to sleep. She couldn’t risk being awake with her many thoughts right now. Despite being unconscious for three days, Kyuki was extremely exhausted.

  Chapter Seven

  “Wakey, wakey little piggy~”

  Kyuki grumbled to herself at her new morning greeting, which she still hasn’t gotten used to. She didn’t reply, or even move in her spot, which seemed to anger the ‘person’ who had greeted her, because they grabbed her by the front of the shirt and yanked her into a sitting position on the bed.

  Kyuki merely stared at Fiz, unimpressed. “Mornin’.” She replied. She was half tempted to ask the alien why she was back again.. Weren’t they still fighting? Kyuki could still feel tension between herself and Fiz. She tried to brush the thought aside for now.

  Fiz rolled her eyes, letting go of Kyuki. After a moment, she began pacing. “So, I’m joining this thing you humans call… ‘skale’. I hope you didn’t forget.”

  Kyuki rolled her eyes. “It’s called ‘school’.”

  “Whatever..” Fiz grumbled, watching the human sit up on her own and stretch.

  The events of last night begin to pop into Kyuki’s mind. Kyuki remembered that Fiz said she killed her uncle. She also remembered that Uncle Chad was in perfect condition. Kyuki narrowed her eyes.

  “My uncle wasn’t dead.”

  Fiz wasn’t paying attention, and she looked back at Kyuki. “Say that again?”

  “My uncle wasn’t dead.” Kyuki repeated. “You said you killed him, and you didn’t. You scared me half to death with that, you know!”

  If Fiz had eyebrows, she’d have one of them raised. “I never said that I killed your smelly uncle.”

  “Yeah you did! You said-“

  “I said you didn’t have to worry about him ever again.” Fiz rolled her grey eyes. “As I said before, you humans just don’t seem to ever listen. It’s unfortunate.”

  Kyuki blinked. So… She’d gotten all worked up over Fiz for no reason? Even yelled at her for no reason? Although Fiz was being pretty suspicious and off about the incident beforehand, maybe Kyuki shouldn’t have assumed so quickly. She felt guilt.

  “Fiz.. I’m sorry.” Kyuki apologized, eyes saddening.

  The alien wasn’t looking at the human. Her back was now turned to her. “Mmhm.” She mumbled. She was still mad.

  Kyuki stared at Fiz, her large, sad puppy dog eyes not enough to make the alien forgive.

  After a moment, Kyuki smiled, an idea hatching in her mind. She got off the bed and pulled Fiz into a very tight embrace.“Forgive meee~!” Kyuki whined, her arms growing tighter on to the alien. Said alien began squirming.

  “Gah-eh-just- LET ME GO YOU FILTHY HUMAN!” Fiz bellowed, clawing at the human’s arms.

  Kyuki narrowed her eyes, staring evily at her friend. “Not until you forgive me~.”

  After several minutes of eternal struggle from Fiz, the alien let out a large sigh, and muttered “I forgive you” with little to no real meaning. However, Kyuki took this. It was better than no forgiveness at all, right?

  After Fiz was released, she dusted herself off and crossed her arms, sitting in front of Kyuki.

  Thinking a moment, Kyuki tilted her head. “So what did you say to my uncle to make me not have to ‘worry about him ever again’?”

  Fiz looked boredly at her claws. “I talked to him.”

  “About what?”

  Fiz was about to say something, but the little digital clock beside Kyuki’s bedside began to beep rather obnoxiously. Startled, Fiz covered her head (it took a minute to remember that her antennae were underneath her wig) as merely turned off the contraption.

  Fiz slowly pulled her hands away from her head, still a bit startled. “What.. What was that?”

  Kyuki blinked a few times, before replying, “It’s called an alarm clock. It’s supposed to wake you up in the morning if you’re asleep.”

  “I wake you up in the morning when you’re asleep. Am I an alarm clock?” Fiz asked. Kyuki laughed, but realized that the alien was being serious.

  She cleared her throat. “Um, no. Alarm clocks show the time on them.. And they’re inanimate objects.”

  “Oh.” Kyuki couldn’t help but roll her eyes and giggle. Fiz was so oblivious it was ridiculous.

  Kyuki heard loud footsteps come to the edge of the stairway downstairs, and shortly afterwards, a yell. “Hey, Kyuki! You gettin’ ready for school?!”

  “Yeah!” Kyuki yelled back. After a minute, she stood up. “Well, we best get ready.”

  Time seemed to fly by this point. Kyuki gave Fiz some of her clothes to help her disguise (It’d be weird, seeing someone in a weird alien-like uniform) and showed her what humans did in the morning to get ready for the day. Most of the routine confused Fiz, though. Despite all, Kyuki found enjoyment by the alien’s complete and utter obliviousness.

  ...

  “Now remember,” Kyuki said, as the two walked through the doors of the school. “if anyone asks, you’re my cousin transporting to this school from Europe.”

  Fiz furrowed her fake brows. “Are Europeans pink?”

  Kyuki merely shrugged. “I dunno. Anyhow, we should probably get your schedule and-“

  “Hey, move it!” A big jock pushed Fiz against the plaster wall in an attempt to get to his other friends. Fiz watched him walk by, her fake eyes beginning to twitch.

  “Fiz, calm dow-“

  “I SHALL DESTROY YOU FOR MESSING WITH A SALPHONIAN WARRIOR!” Fiz screamed to the jock, before charging towards him.

  Kyuki sighed, a pale hand brought to her face. Today was going to be a long day.

  Chapter Eight

  “This is extreme. Even for you.”

  Fiz rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I tried picking a fight with that dumb smelly human. No one disrespects a Salponian soldier. “

  Kyuki rolled her eyes as well. “Well, thankfully I peeled the almighty ‘Salponian soldier’ off of him in time for first period. You would have been late if I hadn’t done so.”

  Fiz waved her hand dismissingly. “Yeah, yeah, thanks, whatever.”

  “And thankfully we had second and third period together. But I don’t get
to see you again until eighth period.”

  Fiz smirked. “I can get along on my own, don’t you worry, little piggy~”

  Kyuki sighed.“Whatever you say, but if I find you in a bloody heap on the floor at the end of the day, leaking out weird alien blood, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The two finally made it to lunch, and they sat next to each other. Kyuki growled, the popular kids on the other side of the table beginning to scrutinize both her and Fiz.

  One thing was for sure, Kyuki hated the way the lunch tables were lined out. First of all, you didn’t have a choice where you sat. The jocks and the populars can usually just boss you around.

  There were five tables; each for a different cliques: Nerds, and geeks, jocks, student council, band kids, and since there was only one last table, the populars and the ‘nobodies’ (nobodies basically means you don’t have a clique, like me) have to share a table. Populars on one end, and nobodies on the other. Since two different cliques were sitting so close to each other, the lesser group usually gets insulted by the ‘better’ clique members. It’s not fun.

  And at the moment these thoughts crossed her mind, Kyuki felt a wad of gum hit her in the face and ricochet onto the table. Her eye involuntarily twitched.

  Fiz, noticing this, glanced at Kyuki. “Everything alright, human?” she asked, poking the human’s cheek gently.

  Kyuki rolled her eyes, listening to the populars snicker. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She grumbled, flicking the piece of gum off the table.

  “Hey, Para-Geek! Who’s that pinkie freak beside ya?” Called one of the popular boys from the table. Again, Kyuki’s eye twitched slightly, as she glared hard at the table.

  Fiz tilted her head, her fake black hair shadowing her face lightly. “I’m Fiz.” She said, not understanding the insult.

  Kyuki facepalmed. This was going to be a long lunch period.

  The boy started whooping in laughter. “Fiz? Fiz?That’s your name?”

  Fiz simply nodded.

  Some of the other boys started joining in laughter, and the girls simply giggled.

  “Why are you pink? And.. why don’t you have ears or a nose? You look so ratchet.”

  Fiz furrowed her eyebrows. “…Ratchet? I look like a medieval weapon?” She frowned, glancing down at the table in thought. “Oh, wait, that’s a hatchet. A ratchet is a machine, I think.. Unless you’re trying to say wretched?”

  Kyuki put her head on the table. She had no idea Fiz would draw attention to them..

  The populars were now in-between laughing and becoming annoyed with the alien. Mostly because she didn’t understand their insults.

  Finally, after what seemed like years of failed insults of jokes, and Fiz basically smarting out the kids or being oblivious to what they meant, the lunch period ended. Kyuki grabbed Fiz by the wrist, and rushed the two out of the large cafeteria.

  “Whoa, whoa, calm down! I can walk on my own, you filthy human!” Although some kids gave the pair a few weird glances, Kyuki mostly ignored them.

  Kyuki only stopped when they were in front of their lockers (which, luckily were next to eachother).

  Fiz yanked her hand out of Kyuki’s, before glaring at the human. “Why did you drag me over here for?”

  Kyuki shook her head. “You should go home.”

  Fiz blinked a few times, before tilting her head slightly. “Why?” She asked.

  Kyuki sighed softly. “Because you’re getting yourself a lot of attention, and people will begin to suspect-“

  “Is it because I embarrass you?”

  Kyuki stopped midsentence, and stared at Fiz with a bewildered look. “What? Why would I be embarrassed?”

  The alien looked at the ground, tapping her fingers together. “I don’t know, you just don’t seem to like being around me anymore.. Is it because of that thing with your uncle?Are you still mad at me?”

  Kyuki quickly shook her head. “No! Of course not! That’s not why at all!” She grabbed Fiz’s chin and turned her face so she was looking at her. Huh. Fiz was so cold. Kyuki brushed the thought aside. “I do like being around you!”

  Fiz smiled slightly. “Even if I’m different?”

  Kyuki smiled herself. “Even if you’re different.”

  The alien quickly pulled the human into a tight embrace, and the two just stood there, even dismissing the late bell.

  Without departing, Fiz mumbled, “I’ve been watching Earth TV.”

  Also without departing, Kyuki replied, “Uh-huh?”

  “Is this the part where we kiss?” Fiz replied, and Kyuki could feel her smirking without even looking at her. The two pulled away to look at each other, before bursting into laughter.

  The laugh wasn’t forced, either. She suddenly forgot that she asked Fiz to go home at all.

  And you know what?

  For once in her life, Kyuki could say she was truly happy.

  Chapter Nine

  The rest of the school day zoomed by fast, and (much to Kyuki’s relief) Fiz didn’t get herself into any more trouble.

  At the very end of the day, Fiz waited patiently as the human began packing her stuff into her locker to go home.

  “So, are we working on the spaceship today?”Kyuki asked, tucking an ebony strand of hair behind her ear.

  Fiz nodded. “Probably. We haven’t even gotten halfway done fixing the darn thing yet.” She sighed. “It’s going to take longer than I thought, I suppose…”

  Kyuki shut her locker door, locked it, and began walking out of the school building with the alien by her side. The day was nice, the sun shone brightly, and golden autumn leaves fell from the trees.

  “Perfect day for working on an alien spacecraft, don’tcha think?” Kyuki said, playfully elbowing her friend in the side.

  Fiz happily returned the gesture. “You said it.”

  The two conversed on things on how much more work they’d have to do, and how long it’d take to completely restore the ship. Before they knew it they were standing in front of the brick building that was Fiz’s base.

  “Welp, shall we get started, human?” Fiz asked, looking towards the backyard where her still wrecked ship lay.

  Kyuki let out a long sigh. “Might as well.” She replied.

  The two started towards the yard, when a low buzzing was heard. The pair froze.

  “What’s that?” Kyuki questioned, looking around for the source of the sound.

  Fiz reached behind her and pulled out a weird looking alien device from her pocket. She stared at it for a moment, before looking back to the human. “Eh,gimme a minute..” She grumbled, walking into her house and shutting the door behind her.

  Although Kyuki was generally curious, she didn’t follow her friend. Instead, she walked into the backyard, staring at the demolished ship. She frowned. Not because she knew she’d have a lot of work to do, but she knew that once the ship was finished, Fiz would have to leave.. She’d have to go back home, to her own planet..

  Kyuki would be alone again.

  The girl was disturbed from her thoughts when Fiz walked back outside. She plastered on a huge fake smile. “Let’s get to work!”

  Fiz wasn’t smiling, however. She looked like she was mad, with a sort of a guilty tint.

  Kyuki tilted her head at this. “Fiz? What’s wrong?” She asked, concerned.

  Fiz stared at the human for a few seconds, before turning her gaze to the ground. “I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

  Confused, Kyuki raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  The alien sighed, leaning against the barb wired fence. “I didn’t crash on this planet because I was going home.” (Kyuki couldn’t help but notice the world ‘home’ was laced with poison.) Fiz took a deep breath, and slowly let it out, as if she didn’t want to explain furthermore. “I’m a wanted fugitive.”

  Kyuki nearly choked on her own breath. “Y-you’re what?”

  Fiz continued to stare guiltily at the ground. “A few Salponian years back, I
nearly destroyed the entire planet in a lab accident. My leaders had banned me from the planet all together. They didn’t trust me. So, I left.”

  “And you came here?” Kyuki asked.

  Fiz shook her head. “No, I was actually going to go back to Salpone, to plead to my leaders that I wasn’t as bad as they made me out to be, that I didn’t mean to cause a lab accident. Your planet’s gravitational pull caused me to crash here instead..” She explained.

  After a moment, she continued. “My leaders just called me. They didn’t believe I was going to Salpone to plead. They thought I was going to try and destroy the planet out of ‘rage’.” Fiz clenched her fists, scowling. “They still don’t believe me..”

  It took a moment for Kyuki to find her voice again, but once she did, she asked softly in a hoarse voice, “So what’re you going to do, Fiz?”

  Fiz forced her eyes from the ground to Kyuki. “They want me to attend a trial, meaning we have to finish rebuilding the spaceship, and we have to finish quickly. If I pass the trial, I am forgiven by the Salponian council for an unintentional decantation of the planet.”

  The question lingered on her mind. She had to ask. Biting her lip, Kyuki asked, “And if you don’t?”

  Fiz didn’t respond verbally to Kyuki’s question. She did, however, bring a hand to her neck and showed the gesture of execution.

  Kyuki’s face went pale.

  If Fiz passed the trial, Kyuki would never see her again.

  If Fiz failed the trial, Kyuki’s one and only best friend was going to be killed.

  Chapter Ten

  The rest of the night was silent. Kyuki and Fiz worked on the spaceship in ear-splitting silence. As curious as Kyuki was, she asked Fiz nothing. It was probably for the best, anyway. Fiz was probably stressing just as much as she was.

  Once they finished for the night, the two departed, and Kyuki began the quiet walk home. Millions and millions of questions and thoughts filled her brain, and Kyuki’s head ached. She just wanted to go home and possibly try and think things through.

  No matter what happened, Kyuki would lose Fiz. If her trial passes, Fiz would live, but she’d have to leave Earth. If her trial doesn’t pass, Fiz would be murdered.