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“I’llbe honestKira,IwishIhad an anchor.I’mgrateful and bitter all at the same time becauseI’mhere and alone.I’mseeing a side of myselfIdidn’t realize was even there, andIdon’t really like her.”

“Youhave every reason to react the way you are now.Noone is or can be prepared to wake up here.Welived in a world where aliens were something made up onTV.Ifsomeone came back with a tall tale about being abducted, we shook it off as good drugs or a hallucination.Inow wonder how many were actually telling the truth.Ifwe had a world to return to and went back there, who would believe us?”

“Nota soul, butIstill wish that was an option.”

“OnethingI’velearned in all these years is that looking backward only leads to the ‘whatIF’s’ in your mind, and those are questions that’ll never be answered.Youmust find your happiness in thenow, because it too will be gone in the blink of an eye.”

Herwords sink heavily into my thoughts, and just asIstart to ask her how she got here,DaRapproaches us. “MyKira, the pavilion will be accessible momentarily.Ihave notifiedBuKand a few others about the crates that need to be unloaded and set up for you three to be able to prepare the sustenance needed shortly.”

Iwalk a short distance away to give them some privacy, only for my eyes to instantly settle onMeK.Hiscoloring is almost like abeacon among the subtle colors surrounding him.Heis working on one corner of what they are calling a pavilion, but just looks like a big ass tent to me.Severalothers have taken hold of a corner, pulling it tight, but they are all failing to secure it in the ground.Thatis, until he arrives at their location.Themoment he swings that massive hammer in his hand, the stakes they had been struggling with disappear into the solid earth below.

Thestrength of that single stroke is astounding, especially when the others are straining so hard to get theirs in the ground.Apparently, my legs were moving me toward him without conscious thought because suddenly,Ifind myself only a few feet away and unfortunately, right in the way.

Idon’t see the stake that is only partially in the ground, andItrip over it, launching myself directly in his path.Allmy eyes can see is that massive hammer heading toward me.Curlingup into a ball,Itry to protect myself, butIknow if … when he hits me with that thing, it’s gonna leave a mark.

Ihear someone screaming as the earth seems to shake all around me, only to realize the sound is coming from me.WhenIsuddenly find myself lifted from the ground by a huge set of gentle, trembling hands, my mind finally realizes it’s not going to be obliterated.Iopen my eyes, andI’mpractically blinded by the bright orbs staring down at me.Fora moment, he looks genuinely concerned.

“Female, are you injured?”Hisvoice is rough, butIcan still hear his concern.

“Letme think.No,I’mfine … but that was way too close for comfort.”JustasIstart to apologize, he abruptly sets me back on my feet, his entire tone changing.

“Yourcarelessness not only halted production but also nearly cost you your life.Inthe future, you should …No, you need to be more aware of your surroundings and proceed from this point on with caution.”Heactually shakes his hands off as ifI’msome sort of vermin with a disease.Myheart races in my chest, not just because of what almost happened, but becauseIfeel completely humiliated.Tearsflood my eyes asIstumble away from him and the others who’ve witnessed this entire mishap.I’venever been spoken to like that or made to feel so insignificant, but one thing’s for sure, it’s taught me is to stay the hell away from that giant because his bite isWAYworse than his bark!

Wrappedup in my own thoughts,Iwipe the few stray tears off my face before heading back to whereKiraandCarlaare now standing together.KiranoticesI’mupset. “Hey, are you ok?”

“Yeah, just something stupid, butI’mfine.Whatwould you like me to do?”

“Well,Istill haven’t found the plates, and we need to set up the serving tables.Ithink most of that stuff is in those other crates over there.Becareful opening them though since the latches seem to be stuck on most of’em.”

Chapter Seven

LACIE

Briarcomes skippinginto our room, all smiles. “Heyfrowny face, how was your first day?”

“Ishould’ve stayed on the damn ship because it wasn’t my day.”Displayingthe black bruise on the back of my hand,Iexplain, “Ismashed my hand whenIlost my balance standing on a rock in front of one of the crates holding the plates.Whichmade me drop the stackIhad in my other hand, breaking them all over the ground whenIslid off the side of the rockIshouldn’t have been standing on in the first place.

Gotthat mess cleaned up and noticed that one of the tables we were going to put the food on was leaning.So, like an idiot,Icrawled under it, trying to adjust the legs, only for it to collapse completely on top of me.Thefood that was already on it spilled all over the ground, making us short on sandwiches because of my goof.Sinceit was my faultIrefused to eat, and thenIstarted to get the shakes becauseIhadn’t eaten all day, only forCarlato notice.Shekinda went into overprotective momma-bear mode and made me go see our doctor.

Didyou even know we had a doctor?Well, we do!Hername isVedece, and she was super sweet.Apparently, she’s an herbalist;I’mnot sure how that’s going to play out on an alien planet, but she seemed pretty confident.Sheeven has some sort of biochemical analysis machine with her to help with the new fauna.”

Briarplops down on the arm of the chairI’msulking in. “Lookat you using all those big words, but why doIhave a feeling this wasn’t the worst part of your day?”

“Nope, made an idiot out of myself and then got my ass ripped likeIwas a five-year-old child up to no good.LikeIsaid,Ishould’ve stayed on the ship because it was just one thing after another.”

“Whohad the balls to rip your ass?”

“MeK!Oh,Ideserved it, but that doesn’t meanIhave to like it.Enoughabout me, how was your first day?Ihope you don’t have your own horror stories.”

“LookslikeI’llbe working withOwen,BuK… you know, the hot pink guy, andEthan.They’reapparently the muscle, andI’mthe beauty among them.Wedidn’t get a lot accomplished today since we spent most of it sorting through crates.Whoeverpacked those things just threw some of it together.Owenwas called away to helpRickywith the outer perimeter, soI’mnot sure if he’ll be back with us tomorrow or not.BuKis so shy that it took me forever to get a word out of him.Ethanis kinda cute but seems really sad.”

“Don’tleave me hanging here,Iwant to hear about the hottie.”

“Let’sjust say he’s distracting but easily confused.SeveraltimesI’dsimply space out, practically drooling when he’d lift one ofthose crates by himself that all three of us together couldn’t budge.Buttttt,Idid get tired of repeating myself … or rewording a sentence ten times because he absolutely couldn’t figure out whatIwas asking or needed him to do.Cute, but kind of slow, you know whatImean?”

“So, are you over him already?”

“Nahh, he doesn’t have to say a word, he can just stand there and let me look at him.Sofar,Ihaven’t decided whichIlike best, those arms or the horns on his head.”