Chapter 5

It became hazy. My head would register everything, but my ability to function was somehow impaired. My hair was greasy, my skin oily, I had no shower, and he never mentioned the prospect, I wouldn't ask. I felt disgusting and couldn't see myself in anything. I didn't know how long it had been, days were not something I could tell anymore. Peter seemed to be permanently unsure. He never spoke, I couldn't feeI him in my head. I hated him, but couldn't find the rage to be brutal toward him. I simply was, and slept as much as I possibly could, dreaming nothing, and laying against the window, still flashing red and orange in a fiery strobe.

Although there was no way to 'get used' to looking at him, I began to be able to stop shuddering when he would turn to me. I stared blankly and would shut my eyes.

He would close his, and for a moment come closer, then retreat and return to his blinking silver control panel.

I would speak in my head after this, "I hate you."

I awoke feeling and hearing a loud and undeniable shudder against the floor of the ship, like turbulence but much more violent. Peter was standing and his fingers, long and white, were deftly hitting small lights on the great big board in front of him, small 'whirring' noises were emitting from it, and his hair was standing on edge, spiking out like sharp points.

I pressed my body into the window, and absorbed the rattle of the ship, sweating cold and hearing my heart thump out into my fingertips.

I started to tear through my mind, how is it even possible to survive a crash in outer space? I cannot breathe out there. Wasn't it supposed to be really hot or something? Does he have space suits, does he need them? Would he let me die? What will I do? Oh, God, do you even care about me when I'm not on earth?

I was staring at the back of his head, his sharp and angular shoulders rigid and tense. He turned, for just a moment his eyes met mine, and I could not look away or shut my eyes in resentment, he spoke, "I will not leave you, and we will not crash." Then his back was to me again, and my breathing stopped all together. His certainty felt so final, and my panicked reaction did not know what to do having been cut off so early. It wasn't natural to be unafraid in a situation like that.

I was floundering between screaming at the top of my lungs, and calmly laying down to let him handle it.

In my confusion I did not realize, I had evidently chosen the first.

I was screaming, a hoarse and loud terrorized sound. Over and over, and over. It was echoing around with the whirring of the control board, cracking into the heavy air and shattering all around me.

I breathed in and my lungs readied for another round, when in a sudden and lurching swiftness, the floor beneath me seemed to pitch forward, and shoot through a great big expanse of smoke. Like a plane going through clouds, only these clouds were filled with giant black rocks, looking like molten lava and alive with fire and heat. It was white and frothy, and then black and hard.

I felt Peter inside my head, and instantly straightened, "Story, look, these are stars."

I felt my mouth open wide with surprise, and turned to stare out the clear wall- all around I saw them, the strobing light from before had hid the beauty of it. Deep rich purples and amber, pale lavender clouds, and shimmering dots everywhere. It was like a fantastic dream, I was in a glimmering allusion, so enamored, I began to cry. Silent, and awed.

Peter stayed with me in my head, the ship no longer shaking, everything under control. He slid around my mind, I felt it, and yet was so held by the vision in front of me, I did not reject it. Perhaps he had known that, and used it to his advantage.

I was on my knees, my hands on the glass, leaning toward the glowing beauty. In a corner of my self, I felt his approach, and prepared for it, his pale and boney arm slipped around my waist, and pulled me back to him- an embrace that was oddly intimate.

I breathed heavily, but couldn't get myself to turn and fight, lest I miss just a second of the thrilling display in front of me. He polled in my head like liquid mercury, seeping into my thoughts, laying next to them and analyzing.

His sharp ribs rose and fell behind my back, a rhythm and steady thing. I exhaled deeply, and unconsciously leaned back, watching as the ship passed through one of the amber clouds and the smoke curled around us like incense, as if it wanted to hold on.

A deep indigo flashed across as we sailed past a star so hot it couldn't be red. I gasped at the nearness of it, and heard his humored laugh in my head, his arms pulled me closer to him, and I still did not let myself react outwardly.

"Story, there is so much more you can see on my planet that I know you would love. So many new species, abilities. I will explain them to you-anything you want to know, I will be able to tell. You will be very happy. I ask for your forgiveness, I have much to explain about why I reacted as I did that I believe you would understand. I would not cause you harm, I had forgotten myself, and I will not again."

I shut my eyes to the brilliance around me for a moment, breathing with him, the tense silence settling around us and giving peace. I spoke aloud, "I am still really creeped out though, and I don't mean to be mean-it's just that you're really different, and I've never been shoved or anything before. I'm not OK with it. I still can't really look at you, I get scared." I hoped he wouldn't be offended too bad, but knew he could find the truth anyway.

His right hand moved across my chest to clutch my left shoulder, a gesture making us even closer, and causing me to gasp as I looked down to watch the veins move beneath his skin-were they veins?

I felt his breath move my hair and smooth over my ear, he spoke aloud, his voice sounded loud after not hearing it for so long., "When I came to your planet, and found you- I have always thought you were remarkable and lovely, from when you were forming through you adolescence and into recent years, your thinking and processing is astute and wonderful. I-I find myself drawn to everything about you-the chemicals, the electricity, the shape of your heart. Your form was different from mine, and yet all of my kind find you humans to be magnificent and curious. We want to know your ideas and thoughts, so far behind ours-we just want to understand you, befriend you." His other hand moved to my knee as I sank to cross my legs against the floor, and pushed back to his chest. We moved as one with our breathing.

I thought about what he said, it was so romantic sounding that I felt a side of my girlish self being honored, and yet still entirely out of sorts about it. It wasn't as if I could say the same, and yet there was that odd feeling that I should hold him. I battled with myself, how could I touch him like that again?

I had just decided to ignore it all and remains till when he spoke again, this time a deep voice within my head, humming through my body, "You can touch me Story. It is natural for your kind to be drawn to mine, and curious, evolution has made you that way. You are a wanderer and I will not reciprocate. I have already explored you, it is fair."

I instantly rejected his exploring me, just what did he mean? But I pushed it to the side so I could turn around, embarrassed heat in my cheeks, as I felt my hair graze along his chin. I faced him, again on my knees, with him on his as well.

Oh God, what if he freaked out again, would he kill me?

"I wont."

Freak out, or kill me?

"Story."

I shot my hand out, as if it acted on it's own, and it landed directly in the center of his torso-even on his knees he was two heads taller. I held it there, watching him inhale rapidly, and close his huge eyes.

We were close, and the air was heavy between us. Dense with the intensity.

It was about four seconds before I realized there was something moving beneath my hand, much like a pulsing artery in the neck. I recoiled and then placed my hand there again, "What is that, your heart?"

His thin lips quirked, and his eyes opened, shining black and reflecting my wonder, "No, it is the core of my electric currents. I am composed of hard bone-like material like you, and veins like yours that connect to every part of my inner body. It is how I move, electric pulsation from the center of my core."

"Do you have blood?" I couldn't understand his projection-how could he be only electricity and bones?

"No, water only. It's a simple conductor. We were made without complicated organs or liquids." His hand went over mine, still resting at his center.

I stayed calm, and then began more questions.

AN: Holy heck, sorry! Life has swallowed me whole and drained me of ideas for this story. I've been in quite the rut, but I've got inspiration now, so it's picking up. I hope you enjoyed this : )