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Maklr

“Nell, it’s me,” Maklr called. “I’m opening the door.” Although he wanted to run into the cabin, he restrained so as not to cause her undo stress.

“Where are you?” he called into the empty cabin.

“Nell?” Falling back on his military training, Maklr started his search for Nell in the living room.

Systematically, Maklr checked the tiny bungalow, opening closets and closing them after making sure Nell wasn't hidden inside. “Nell, it’s me. Nothing’s going to hurt you. ”

He searched the bathroom, moving the shower curtain from one side of the tub to the other.

“Where are you?” Maklr narrated each of his actions in case Nell could hear him.

“I’m opening the holo-suite,” he called.

He opened the suite door and turned on the light.

“I’ll be honest, I thought you might be in here.

I hoped you’d programmed it to what your home planet looked like, or wherever you have amazing memories,” he said into the air. “Nell? Please come out.”

Only the bedroom remained. A sliver of light invaded the hallway through the almost closed door of the bedroom. “Nell?” Maklr stepped closer to the room. “I’m coming in.” Maklr knocked twice on the door before pushing it open.

She had made her bed and not returned to sleep.

The soft blue plush comforter, which Nell tucked in earlier that morning, covered two pillows.

Maklr looked around. “Something’s different.

” He ran his hands through his mohawk, rubbing his horns in frustration.

“The stuffed animal. The caton is missing. Nell, wherever you are, it’s okay.

No one will hurt you. I’m going to look under the bed.

Please be there.” Maklr knelt down, flipped his tablet open and turned the light feature on.

Gingerly, he lifted the edge of the comforter. “Damn it. Where are you?”

He rested back on his knees and waited. “Please give me a sign. I need to know you’re okay.”

The closet door handle moved. The door sprung open. “Nell?” Maklr crawled on his knees to the closet. “I’m going to open the door. My hands are on the handle. I’m going to pull it toward me. If you’re in there, don’t be afraid.”

Inwardly, he groaned, realizing the stupidity of his words. “Sorry, I said it without thinking. Nell, I’m going to turn the light on. I’ll place the tablet on the floor with the light facing upwards. It won’t be too bright for your eyes. Can you please come out?”

In the closet, a duffle bag in front of the door rustled. Nell’s fingers gripped the fabric of the case, pushing it to the side. She sat with her back resting against the closet wall, her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs, cuddling the plush cat-like creature.

“Philtan’s an idiot,” Maklr said. “He means well, but he can’t read the room.

” Nell said nothing, so Maklr continued.

“For what it’s worth, I punched him in the mouth.

I’m not sure he’s going to learn his lesson and my hand hurts a bit because he’s a giant.

A giant faal’s ass. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

” Nell chuckled, the corners of her mouth twisting in a half-hearted smile.

“And for the record, I wasn’t punching Phil in the mouth for the first time. He speaks before thinking.”

Maklr sat back. “I’m not going to force you to come out of the closet. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

Nell motioned across her lips.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. Not now anyway. Does Charlie know?” Maklr probed.

Nell shook her head. “No. Not all of it.”

“When you’re ready, I’m here.” He sat down at the foot of her bed, leaving the closet door open. “I’ll stay until you’re ready to come out. I don’t think being alone is best for either of us right now, do you?” Maklr waited for a response that never came. “I’ll take your silence as a no.”

He leaned against the bedframe and mattress, careful to give Nell space. “What would you like to talk about?”A shadow moved from the back of the closet; Maklr’s lone clue that Nell was even paying attention. “Was that a shrug?” he asked.

Silence answered.

“You know, I understand why you don’t want to talk.

I have an idea, though. What if I talked, and you listened like usual?

Instead of talking, you can type your responses.

The communicator has an automatic translator, so whatever you write in your language I can translate into Klagan.

Does it sound like a good idea?” he asked. Nell reached for the tablet.

Her fingers were steady as she typed out a message and pushed it back to Maklr.

What did you want to tell me about? he read. I don’t want to talk about what happened.

“I was thinking about telling you about my life. Would you like to hear some of my story, since I know a lot about yours?” he asked out loud.

Yes.

“I grew up on Eoris right outside of Dorbound, near the sovereign and his three sons. Did you know he had three children? Arkas, Strels and Isir. The twins are the oldest; they’re mated to a human female now.

Their brother, Arkas, is in the military working with the Elite Force.

He’s been in for a while and hasn’t been back to the planet in revolutions.

Anyway, I didn't know the twins well until the military stationed us on the same ship.”

Nell scribbled furiously on the tablet. Why did you enter the military? Was it mandatory?

Maklr took a moment to read it. “No. I always had an affinity,” he cleared his throat, “more of a desire to help injured people or animals.”

Is that why you became a doctor? Nell wrote.

“Kind of. My family had a small farm. One day, I came home from school and there was an injured faal. I stayed outside doing whatever I could to help it. My father was annoyed that I brought the large beast home.” Maklr put his hands on his hips, deepened his voice and mimicked his father.

“Maklr, we don’t have room for that animal, son,” he said.

“My mother insisted if I was adamant about keeping the faal, I would learn what responsibility meant. Neither she nor my father would help me with it. I stayed up with the injured animal day after day hand feeding it.”

Did it live? Nell wrote.

Maklr smiled. “It did, and I believe you know one of its offspring, Eos.”

Navil’s faal?

“Eos is the son of the one I raised.”

That’s amazing, but it still doesn’t answer why you went into the military.

Maklr fixed his mohawk. “It’s part of the longer answer. The simple answer is, my family didn’t have enough money for my schooling. The military provided me not only with training, but all the necessary school. As soon as I was eligible, I signed up.”

What was it like traveling in space? Did you see many planets? Nell asked in writing.

“Some. I spent a lot of time aboard my stationed ships patching up injured soldiers. Truth be told, I spent more time on space stations than on different planets. One day, I would like to explore more whenever I’m able.” Maklr’s eyes pierced Nell’s. “Do you ever think about traveling?”

I did once. I think I’ve seen enough of space. Nell wrote.

Maklr tutted. “I think you’ve seen the dregs of society and not some of the beautiful places available.

” He paused. “The resort provided us with the holo-room. If you’d like me to program some places I’ve been, or if you want, you can show me where you grew up.

” Nell’s eyes widened and Maklr waved his hands back and forth.

“Not now. Not tonight. Tonight we talk. Or, I talk, and you listen. What else do you want to know?”

Do you have any siblings? came Nell’s response.

“I did, but it’s just me now. My brother died when he was nine revolutions old.”

You don’t have to tell me about him.

“His name was Olvil. We were inseparable. He was one revolution older than me. We did everything together. One summer, we built an underground tunnel behind our parents house. It had a trap door where we could hide.”

What did you do there?

Maklr laughed. “You won’t believe me.”

I will.

“We read books and scrolls. We were what you humans call Greeks.”

You mean geeks. Greeks are people with a different language. Nell’s handwriting became larger and looser, showing her amusement.

“Yes. That’s the word. Can I ask you a question?” Maklr asked.

It depends. I might not answer.

“How did you learn to sing so well?”

I took lessons. I used to do a lot of singing on Earth. Anytime the radio came on I would sing along. I like everything about music. In school there was a class we could take called chorus. I joined, she wrote.

“You’re very good. I might not have understood all the words to your song, but I felt the meaning and passion you put behind every word. So did everyone there. I meant to thank you earlier. It was such a selfless act.”

You’re welcome. By any chance, do you know if the baby survived?

“The baby’s fine and with his father as far as I know. Charlie knows all the details.”

I would expect nothing less from her. She always knows what’s going on. She meddles in everybody’s business. Nell gestured. I wouldn’t put our situation past her.

Maklr laughed. “She does. Where did you grow up? If that’s a question you're willing to answer, I mean.”

I grew up on the East Coast of a country called the United States. I lived close to a major city called New York. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you, but it was a heavily populated area, like Dorbound, with so many things to do. The only way you could be bored was if you didn’t explore.

“What things did you do?”

My parents used to take me into the city to an area where there are, or were, a lot of theaters for plays and musicals.

I was fascinated with the pageantry, the dancing, the acting, the songs, everything.

When I was a little girl, I hoped one day my name would be in lights on the marquee of one of the theaters.

Then for a while, I wanted to be a chef.

I focused on cooking anything I could. Collecting recipe books and baking cookies and cakes with my grandmother were my favorite pastimes.

I tried to make foods from different cultures for my parents, who were nowhere near as adventurous with food as I was.

“If you ever want to cook together, we can,” Maklr offered. “Or if you would like to cook your own meal, I’ll try it.”

I think I’d like to cook for you, Nell wrote.

“I’d enjoy it. I want to try more human foods. But don’t feel pressure.”

Look on the resort’s information page. Guests can request items delivered to the cabin. They might be able to get us the ingredients.

“Don’t feel pressure on my behalf.”

I’m not. Nell yawned.

“It’s getting late. Are you tired?”

A bit.

“Do you want to come out of the closet now?”

Nell shrugged and then wrote. I don’t know.

“To be fair, it’s not a comfortable place to sleep. What if I leave the room, you head into the bathroom, freshen up and get ready for bed? If you want, you can call for me. I won’t go far.”

Don’t go, she wrote. Please stay.

“If that’s what you want.”

Nell handed the plush caton to Maklr and crawled out of the closet.

Once in the bedroom, she stood and walked into the bathroom.

Maklr turned the bed down, ready for when she got out from freshening up.

The bathroom door opened and Nell padded out in bare feet wearing leggings and a long tunic top. She paused, staring at the bed.

“I will not sleep in bed with you. I thought it would be more comfortable. My mother used to turn down the bed for me whenever I was sad and it made me feel better.”

Nell sat on the bed, slipped her legs under the covers and laid back, pulling the sheets over her.

Maklr handed her the plush cat. She clutched it close to her chest.

“I’ll be out on the couch if you need me.” Maklr headed toward the door. His hand rested on the knob.

“Stay and talk until I’m asleep?” Nell’s voice cut through the silence.

“Of course.” Maklr settled on the floor next to her bed. “What do you want me to talk about?”

Anything, she wrote.

Maklr talked into the night, never stopping, though his voice grew hoarse. When he stopped, Nell began to twist and turn, moaning in her sleep.

“Nell, wake up. You cried out. Wake up.” His voice shook with concern.

She opened her eyes and reached for the tablet. A nightmare. I’m used to them.

Maklr leaned forward to take her hand in his. Nell flinched. “I’ll never hurt you,” he said.

I know, she wrote.

Maklr’s curiosity got the better of him. “Why don’t you talk much?”

Nell shrugged and typed on the tablet, handing it to Maklr.

He said nothing as he read it. “What do you mean by ‘Nothing to say of any importance'? I understand the ‘Listening saved my life’ part.”

Nell typed back. I don’t want to talk about it.

“Can I ask one more question?”

Nell nodded.

“Will you try to talk to me more?”

“Maybe,” she said out loud, a slight smile crossing her face.