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Spring was in full swing. Birds chirped beautiful melodies. Flowers galore bloomed in the flower pots and plots you’ve planted around the house. The street was gloomy besides the recently, newly painted house you live in. A bright smile graced your features as you tended to the tomatoes; pulling any dead flowers off or tomatoes that were either ripe or have grown past their picking date.
A random tune hummed from your vocal cords. You deemed this planet freshened up before carefully picking yourself up with the help of your cane. Two steps to the left. Then, you gingerly lowered yourself down to a knee while the other leg stood straight out. The nerves in it have been shot for a long time since a near fatal car accident when you were young. This is how you lived now.
Once this plant had been thoroughly plucked through, you returned to a standing position and stretched out your back. Multiple joints along your spine popped with the move. A satisfied groan fell from your lips before you turned and strolled over to the shed.
Other items were pulled out. The tools you had currently used were placed back in their respectful spots. You returned back to garden with a hose and some bug killer treats. Anything to kill the stupid slugs trying to consume your cucumbers and pumpkins. You didn’t know why they had such a problem with those!
It irritated you to no end. It’s as if they knew. The little buggers had to know and came in large grooves, trying to kill off your plants one by one. You have been struggling for a while to get a hand on them. From soft deterrents to now what you consider was extreme. Pesticide. It’s not that you wanted to kill the insects, but they were destroying everything in their path. Your precious plants.
The sun was falling in the sky by the time you finished up spraying the pesticide. Next, you began to water any thirsty planets. Any spots you missed along the way, you tidied up and ensured your garden was in tip top shape by the time you made your way back to the shed. The hose was rolled up and hung from its holder next to the shed door. Before ending the day, you closed and locked the shed door. Then, you headed inside to prep dinner.
Songs poured from the old radio sitting on the counter. The oven was firing away at a lovely roast you were cooking up. You hummed along to the beat and set up the dining table with a drink, utensils, and condiments. Other snacks like vegetables were placed on the table as well.
As the last of the items were put on the table, you happened to glance out the window that faced your backyard. You did a double take. The sun had fallen below the horizon and left little light to fill the sky. It was dark enough to notice a trail of bright green splotches to mar your stone pathway. All the way to shed. Its door was slightly cracked open.
You remember locking it.
A hard lump grew in your throat. Your heart began to thunder in your ears, pounding against its bony cage. If someone was trying to steal your tools… The thought broke your heart. All your hard work, months of saving for everything you had. You gritted your teeth and snatched up your cane.
By the front door, you picked up a baseball bat and marched towards the back door. No one was stealing anything of yours. Not if you have anything to say about it.
The door was ripped nearly off its hinges as you raced out into the back yard. One hand gripping the bat while the other rapidly moved your cane to keep up. Pain raced up your bad leg, as if trying to slow you down. Yet, you used it fuel your rage for looters.
“Who the hell is in my shed?!” you shouted at the top of your lungs then reached the shed door. With the bat, you used it to pushed the door open. Then, you held the bat up, ready to wield it on the poor soul who dares to break in.
The lack of light makes you blind everything besides the neon green substance that stained the inside of the area. You squinted and leaned forward, as if that would help you. Then, you saw two bright yellow eyes peering at you from the darkness. Glowing almost as bright as the green stuff.
A gasp tears at your throat. In a panic, you stumble backwards. The heel of your good foot catches on the ledge of a stone brick. With a surprised cry, you land on your butt hard. You hissed and clutched the bat and cane tightly in your hands.
Pain surged up the length of your spine. You squint through the agony to see the eyes growing taller and taller. You make a noise of surprise before trying to scramble away. Only for a large, dark hand to wrap around the ankle of your bad leg. A hiss sounds from lips when that pulled on your damaged nerves.
Fear crawled up the back of your throat as you saw this humanoid figure step out into the full moon light. It’s bright, vibrant eyes pinned on your trembling form. It easily towered over you with a fierce look that filled its gaze. You felt your heart lodge its way into your throat as you could only lay on the stone path, trembling.
Neon green fluid leaked down its powerful frame. Muscles corded its strong body. You pushed down the lump and finally took in a breath.
Both the bat and cane were dropped off to the sides. Its gaze jumped to each item at they fell away from your body. The tension that gripped its entire frame slightly eased away. That didn’t make it move away from you. It continued to stare down at you, sizing you up like a predator would do to its prey.
“U-uh, um… What, what are you?” you sputtered out, unable to look away from it. It captured your entire attention. Nothing could draw you away from its powerful gaze. It looked to be thinking. Was it weighing if it was reasonable to kill you? It looked like it could easily do that.
With the limited light offered to you by the moon, you were finally able to notice the details of its… inhuman features. Mandibles tipped with sharp, white fangs that looked like they could pull your jugular out twitched when you spoke. Four them covered its mouth with more teeth. There was nothing you could do to stop it if it wanted to attack you.
After a long time, you finally realize the green liquid dripping down its body was its blood. Clearly, whatever it was, wasn’t from here. Not from earth.
“You’re injured,” you stated the facts as if it didn’t know of its own situation. One of its upper mandibles twitched. “I have supplies. I can help you.” Does the alien even understand you? You were using a soft voice like you would do to a scared animal. “I don’t mean harm.”
The unknown creature snorted. It was a very human reaction. But it understood you! Possibly. You think.
“Please?”
Its shoulders sagged. The weight of its decision finally rolling off of them. You took it as a sign to unsteadily get back to your feet with the help of your cane. The creature’s bright eyes quickly snapped to the wooden stick in your hand. “It’s not a weapon. I have to have it to walk,” you explained to it and timidly demonstrated its use to the creature.
Once it deems you safe enough to continue, you slowly lead it into the safety of your dwelling. It pauses at the entrance, eyes dancing this way and that before stepping in. A very cautious being, you internally noted.
Despite its large feet, it stepped behind you on the hardwood floor was silent. If it wasn’t for the fact that you knew it was there, you wouldn’t have known at all. Not even its heavy presence that seemed to consume the entire space of your house.
You lead it to the bathroom where a first aid kit was stowed underneath the cabinet. Its broad form takes up the entire doorway behind you as you placed the kit on the counter. A quick look from the corner of your eye has you darting your gaze back to the box. “Uh… you can have a set. On the tub edge.”
Now with light, you see its skin wasn’t skin. Scales. Lizard scales, soft by the looks of them. Said scales were a dull purple. Hints of moss green covered the sides of its body and the outer sides of its arms. Thick, grey tresses hung from its dome shaped head. The thing was powerful looking, terrifying in the least. And, you had now let it into your home.
Another snort escapes its inhuman mouth. It grabs the kit straight from your hands and walks back through the house, taking the same path. You scrambled to follow after it once getting over your shock.
“Where are you going?!” you asked in hurry as the figure stalked back through your house and into back yard once more. Your cane wobbled in your grip as you scrambled to keep up. Was it just going to take the kit and scurry off? You… you wanted to make sure it didn’t die at the very least. Nothing deserved to die.
It continued to move through your small back yard. Black, inky darkness washed over its broad frame. The shed became its new home. You stood there, panting slight as you watch it close the door in your door.
Stunned, you gingerly turned around and moped back to the kitchen, confused about this whole situation. The roast was pulled from the oven pipping hot. The smell filled the small space and brought your spirit back up. As you plated some food, you couldn’t help but think back to what just happened. Did it just happen? Or did you just imagine it?
Another plate was filled with some roast, bread, and vegetables. You carried it out to the shed and lightly knocked on the door. All you could hear was the soft rustling inside.
“Hey… um, I brought you some food if you’re hungry?” A few seconds of silence passed. With a sigh, you set down the plate before the door before returning to the kitchen. Maybe in the morning you’ll find out if you’re crazy or not. You gazed out of the kitchen window and saw the plate still there. A slight ache pained your heart. You had hoped maybe it had grabbed it.
You sat down at the dinner table and had your meal. Your phone set off to the side as you scrolled randomly through social media. It wasn’t long before you finished up and returned to the kitchen. You began to clean up the meal and randomly glanced out the window.
A small smile broke across your features. The plate had disappeared from in front of the shed door.
This had become a daily occurrence.
Everyday, when you were home, you would make a second plate. A jug of water set out with the food. When he would finish off the jug, he’d set the jug out with an empty plate. You go out to pick lunch’s plate and set down dinner and a new, fresh water for him. A simple two knock on the shed door to let him know it was ready for him.
As you turned your back towards the shed, a familiar creak behind you made you pause mid step. All of your muscles froze. You didn’t dare to turn around and face him. That may scare him off, back into the darkness of the shed. A lump grew in your throat as you just stood there, waiting for him to retreat back into the safety of his new home. But, the door doesn’t close afterwards. Not in a timely manner. You timidly turned around with the help of your cane and see a wall of muscles standing there. You had to close off your throat to stop a yelp from sounding from you.
Purple scales covered the alien from head to toe. You couldn’t help but let your gaze roam over his form. “Uh… hi, um. W-what can you do for you?” you asked him in a quiet voice and kept your gaze anywhere besides his eyes. You could feel them piercing your skin.
A deep grumble came from his chest. A chest so close that you felt the vibrations without touching him. “Look… up,” he orders and demands your attention. Your muscles tensed up at his words. The lump in your throat was forced down before you tilted your head up. Slowly, you met his intense gaze and felt like a deer in headlights. Standing before a creature that had the chance to kill you. Easily.
“Shower. Bathe.” Oh! You perked up and dipped your head.
“That’s what you wanted?” From this position, you weren’t able to see his injuries. White gauze covered where he must be hurt though. It had been a week since he first showed up. “Yeah, just-just follow me.” You carefully turned around with your cane and slowly made your way back into the house. The purple alien followed after you like a shadow.
Through the halls of your small home, you lead him to the only bathroom. Each doorway he had to go through, the beast had to duck to fit. The height difference only becoming more apparent with him so close. You stopped in front of the bathroom door and motioned towards it. “Well, here you go. I probably don’t have any clothes that fit you unfortunately.”
None of your clothing will be able to fit his size. He gazed down at you then glanced towards the bathroom. “No issue.” Then, he moves around you and into the bathroom, ducking down. The door closes behind him. You stand there while looking at the door for a few seconds, gathering you feeling about this whole situation. Then, you decided to head to the living room and wait for him. Just encase he may need something from you.
The T.V played something random as you watched a show. You weren’t even paying much attention to it. You had become too drawn into your own thoughts. All revolving around the alien who was currently taking a shower… in your apartment. What has your life become? That reminds you, you don’t know his name.
Where did he come from? How far away from home is he? What’s his life like? Oh, god. What had hurt him? That’s a question that you needed to ask him. What in the world could hurt a beast like him? Was there another creature like him out there? Here on earth with him. Why did they attack each other?
And would they come back?
It wasn’t the click of a door or the footsteps that alerted you to someone approaching you. A figure stood in front of the T.V. The sight finally drawing you out of your thoughts. You refocused your vision on the purple form standing before you. Only to slap a hand over your face with a loud gasp.
“You’re naked!” you screeched and kept your hand over your eyes. The soft footfalls of the creature announced he grew closer. Heat flushed to your cheeks. Yeah, you didn’t have any clothes for him but… you weren’t expecting him to coming out naked. At least a towel until you could wash his clothes or something!
“Yes,” is his simple answer. Though, he did seem to struggle with English though. “What the problem?” There was clearly a difference between the two cultures at that. You timidly lowered your hand and glanced at him. Your eyes flickering back to the ground and him a few times. Seeing things you… weren’t expecting.
One being the fact there wasn’t anything between his legs. Your eyes snapped back to him only realize how insensitive that was and looked back to the ground. “Humans… humans don’t walk around naked. It’s seen as-it’s just bad.” You didn’t know how to explain it to him. It’s just is. You were raised to see nakedness outside of intimacy as wrong. Clearly, his kind didn’t have that.
All you got in return was a grunt.
You cleared your throat and found his stunning, yellow eyes. “I’ve been meaning to ask: what’s your name?” After a week, you feel like you should know it by now. If he’ll let you.
His piercing gaze studied you thoroughly. It felt like he was looking directly into your soul, trying to figure out if you deserved to know. He must have found what he was looking for.
“Uihoy.” The first thought was how alien it was. It wasn’t a name that would easily roll off your tongue. You tilted your head to the side, brow furrowed. One his upper mandibles quirked up into a human-like smirk. He read the look on your face like an open book.
“I will… learn how to say that,” you told him. “As for clothing, why don’t you give me the dirty ones and I can clean them for you.” A minute pause as your eyes scanned over him. “So, you’re not naked anymore. For the time being, do you mind wearing a towel? I feel rude each time I accidently glance at you.” After the third time, you don’t know if you could call it an accident then. You realize your actions and flushed deeply afterwards.
In an instant, you got off of the couch and slipped past him. “Don’t worry! I’ll just grab them myself.” He lets you go without much of a complaint and watches you though. Uihoy takes a seat on the couch you once sat at, arms spread out across the back of the couch. You were quick to grab the brown shorts he had been wearing and scrambled to the laundry room.
Once in the safety of the room, you leaned against the washing machine and placed a hand over your mouth. What is wrong with you?! With a few deep breaths, you threw the piece of cloth in the washing machine and started it. One last calming breath. You left the laundry room. You couldn’t hide in here forever.