Maddox

I didn't understand. I couldn't understand. What made these humans so scary? Why was it they terrified the Oevolos' so much? We call ourselves the superior species and yet we fear them? I couldn't figure it out. How could humans be dangerous? This ones been crying in the corner since we captured it.

She has been crying for days. At night her cries grew worse and she even has begun to have what humans call "nightmares." I thought these were something only children have. I thought they would grow out of it with age, just like Oevolo children. But I've realized How little we know about their species.

After I had tried to console her, the only contact I ever made with her was to bring her new clothes. It was clear she wanted nothing to do with me after Julius had so frighteningly revealed himself to her.

Every time I guarded her she sat facing away from me, and as far from me as she could within the cells stone walls. It was then I realized how meaningless her existence had become.

Eden

I could feel his presence behind me. I didn't want to admit he was there. Sometimes if I closed my eyes long enough I could pretend I was sitting at home being ignored by my parents. I could pretend I was eating breakfast with Carla or sitting at Starbucks with Amelia. But I was always brought back to reality by the dripping in my cell or the growl of my stomach.

I was half way through daydreaming my third trip to Starbucks this week, when six horrifying words met my ears, "we need her for more testing."

I looked around for something to grab onto but I'd forgotten the cell was bare. My eyes met the bars and though I realized I could try, I was much too weak to do anything.

When I didn't move, Maddox grabbed me by my arms and dragged me from the cell. His grip was somewhat gentle, but it still hurt my sore arms.

"Please just let me go," I begged.

I tried struggling, pounding my fists on his back, but he squeezed my waist tightly, squeezing the air from me as well. I hung limply over him and it bothered me how weak he could make me feel. Why did they say to fear humans when they reacted so mercilessly in the first place. Sure we were destroying our planet, which my fathers campaign did nothing about, but we had never harmed this alien race. We had never even come in contact with them before now.

Maddox's grip around me tightened as I continued to squirm, preventing air from reaching my lungs. "I. . . can't breathe!" I gasped.

He didn't release his firm grip from me until he had sat me in the same operation chair. The lack of oxygen, left me unable to move and bolt for the door. I could only lay there, catching my breath, as they strapped me down in the cold metal clasps.

I felt a little better knowing Julius was nowhere in sight, but seeing the 10 syringes lining the table made me want to throw up.

"What are those?" I asked nervously, seeing the doctor turn around, picking up the first syringe.

"Poisons and antidotes."

"What?!" I shrieked. "No, please no! What if I die from one, then who will you test on?" I asked, trying to prove my value so I wouldn't die, so they wouldn't kill me.

"That's why the antidotes are for, dearie," he said grinning. He looked like a mad man. No, he was a mad man.

I flinched and clenched my teeth, preparing for the immense pain of the poison, as he injected it into my arm. This wasn't going to end well.

After a long moment of silence and lack of pain, I opened my eyes to see the doctor and Maddox visibly surprised.

"What?" I asked, watching their confused looks.

"That poison is the most lethal in our home world. It kills within the first 30 seconds of administration. How have you not died?"

"Well, I'm not an alien, am I," I asked sarcastically. "Now, um, could you give me the antidote?"

"Why waste the antidote when the poison hasn't affected you?" The doctor asked, tucking away the first antidote in a sealed drawer.

"But that doesn't mean it won't affect me later!" I yelled, hysterical. They really are trying to kill me.

"Hush hush, we've more testing to do," the doctor continued, taking another syringe. Maddox retreated to his post at the door, ignoring my pleas to stop.

•

Two hours later I had survived all the poisons each without being given a single antidote. The only pain I felt was from the syringe re-entering my arm again and again.

"I'll have to get some human poisons then," the doctor sighed in boredom.

Maddox unclipped me from the chair, shoving me forward through the door. This time I thoroughly watched our way back to my cell, trying to memorize a pattern. It was easier this time since I was allowed to walk.

Suddenly I saw a door with a small window and light shining through. Sunlight! How had I not noticed this before!

I looked at Maddox out of the corner of my eye, as he continued to shove me toward our destination, unknowing of my plan.

I'm probably going to die for this. Wrenching myself away from him, I sprinted towards the door, towards the light. Throwing the door open as fast as I could, so Maddox wouldn't catch me, the light nearly blinded my eyes.

I continued running, thankful for the adrenaline pumping through my body. Holding up my hand to block the sun from my eyes, I noticed how unbelievably bright it was outside. Why was it so bright?

Suddenly my head began to throb, from the light or from something else. I tried to block the sun, but I also couldn't see where I was going, until I crashed right into someone.

"Well, well, well, look who came back for more," the voice sad. I looked up, hurriedly, my head still throbbing. It was Julius.

I jumped backwards, tripping, and tumbling into someone else. It was Maddox. I quickly ducked away from him, trying to run in a different direction, but Maddox grabbed onto me tightly and didn't let go.

"Oh look, hiding behind your protector now, are we?" Julius scoffed.

"Julius, return to your post. I'll be bringing her inside now," he said, shoving me forward, and gripping my arm tightly. Even through my shirt I could feel his nails digging into my skin.

Eventually he dug into my arm so hard that I squirmed in pain. I could feel his nails digging into my skin and I hissed in pain, trying to get away from him. "Y-You're hurting me!" I cried.

I was still shielding my eyes from any light, and my head was still throbbing. I felt Maddox claw deeper into my arm, making me scream in pain as we neared the room with my prison.

I looked toward him, hoping to plead with him to stop, but what I saw shook me to the bone. Maddox did not look like Maddox anymore. His skin had become pale blue, somehow he had grown taller, and his head was now adorned by two large horns and red irises.

I tried to scurry away, but his death grip on my arm prevented me from moving at all. I didn't want to look at him, his fangs and snakelike tongue bringing back memories I'd care to forget.

This was it. I was going to die. I shouldn't have tried to escape. I should not have ever even thought I could escape. I was going to die here. I was really going to die.