Page 28 of Made For The Alien Warrior

For most of her life, Symphony had been the one asking for help. She needed assistance chopping vegetables. She needed to take oral tests rather than written essays in school. She needed help with experiments in the science lab. Help putting on earrings. Help carrying more than a handful of items into the bus.

She was the one always on the receiving end. When people had problems, they didn’t turn to her. Tonight was her first time feeling the weight of someone’s trust.

“Stop overthinking this. It’s not like he cares about you. He didn’t even kiss back,” she mumbled.

Tiegan already had someone running after him. Leel was certainly more bouncy, cheerful and welcoming than Symphony could ever hope to be. She seemed like the type who would make tons of friends back on earth and have a host of men clamoring for her attention.

Though Symphony had gotten a new arm, it hadn’t changed her personality. Indeed, decades of holding people at a distance wouldn’t change overnight.

Symphony groaned and tipped her chin up to the ceiling of the cavern, wishing she could turn back time and…

Her thought stalled abruptly.

She blinked once.

Twice.

Since when did the ceiling look like stars? She turned her head back and forth, noting the vast expanse of the horizon. Darkness covered the sky. The glow of a giant planet hovered in the distance.

“The heck?” She jerked her eyes to her surroundings. Purple trees crowded around her. Flat plains stretched out beyond the alien forest.

When had she left the sacred damas? And why was there a tug in her chest urging her to keep moving?

Her heart jumped to her throat. “Tiegan?” She called, hoping desperately that he was around. “Tiegan?”

No response.

“Hello?” She trembled.

Every shadow seemed eerie. A monster creeping out of slumber to crawl in her direction. Something rustled in the bushes. She yelped, jumping back as her heartbeat skittered out of time.

A small alien creature popped out of the shadows. It looked like a rabbit with horns. Orange eyes glowed from its chubby face. Tiny claws extended from its five paws. The tail had eyes on it too. The rabbit seemed more frightened than she was. It hustled away at the sight of her.

Though there was no imminent threat, she still felt the adrenaline. Fear grabbed ahold of her, squeezing her neck until she could barely breathe.Thistime, it was a harmless rabbit, the next time, it could be something much more intimidating.

“Tiegan,” she rasped.

But no one came to her rescue.

She was alone.

Just like when her mom died.

“Find me,” the voice in her head said.

The words, this time, were paired with a tug in her chest. A magnet that was trying to draw her away.

She resisted it. “Find you?” Symphony hissed, her voice shaking. She turned around in a slow circle, equally frustrated and frightened. “Who are you?” Her chest heaved. “What do you want with me?”

“Find me.”

Swallowing hard, Symphony turned and marched away from the voice. Away from the mystery. Away from the urgency in her chest.

“I have to find the Plutonians,” Symphony muttered to the darkness. “If I retrace my steps, maybe I can get back to the sacred damas.”

A yellow moon splayed rays of light before her. The purple trees glowed neon, their wiry branches stretching out like claws. A hint of sulfur filled the air, warning her that she was definitely not on earth.

Dried leaves crunched under her bare feet. Symphony wrapped her arms around herself, noticing that her steps were slowing down. Her bones felt like heavy weights inside her body.