Page 11 of Semi-Human

When I stop to think of what is happening between us, my doubts bubble to the surface. The logical part of my brain—the one I always tend to follow—warns me about losing track of this mission and what’s at stake. But as the days pass with just the two of us on the road, I find myself walking slower to draw out this journey. Whenever I think I’ve gotten used to River’s uniqueness, he’ll do or say something that makes me gasp or laugh or shake my head in disbelief. I can’t help but feel bland and uninteresting in comparison, especially when he shares his wild stories from the road, but it might just be my insecurities at play since he seems fascinated whenever I talk about my home and the battles I fought.

I try to follow my instincts and not overthink like I usually do. It’s not like anything in my life could have prepared me for meeting this man and being on this journey.

“How many times have you been there?”

I ask River as we get closer to High Hope.

“Five times. They don’t mind me.”

“And your friend?”

River laughs. “They better not mind her. She’s there at the request of the king.”

“He’s not really a king.”

River shrugs. “He calls himself a king, and his people don’t seem to mind. He’s nice.”

“You’ve met him?”

“At a dinner party with Lyla. He tried to prove he could drink more alcohol than me.”

He shakes his head. “Poor man.”

A few minutes later, he stops and looks up.

“What is it?” I ask.

“You’re getting hungry. There are good apples up there.”

Before I can tell him that I’m not that hungry, he’s climbing up the 30-foot tree. I’m not as nervous as I should be since he knows exactly which branches to grab and where to place his feet. In a couple of minutes, he’s back on the ground, holding a red apple. He could have thrown down dozens of apples, but he chose this one.

“You’re crazy.”

“You don’t want it, then?”

He shrugs and takes a bite. “Mmm, my mouth is so happy.”

I watch as the juice slips down his chin, and before I can help myself, I lean forward and lick him. He was right—it tastes amazing. He brings the apple to my face, and I take a bite, holding his gaze as I chew.

“You didn’t spill a thing,”

he says in disappointment when I finish. “Now I can’t lick you.”

I take the remaining apple core and rub it over my chin. River’s eyes light up before he licks my chin thoroughly, finishing with his lips against mine.

We continue walking, and the road to High Hope grows more crowded the closer we get, packed with merchants whose carts are led by horses, while a few ride in buggies. I’m getting used to the curious looks aimed at River, and I assume he’s long used to them by now. It doesn’t go past me that despite people’s curiosity toward him, he’s not being treated as an enemy. If this were the Hive, it would have been a whole different story. I don’t think he realizes how much my people are taught to fear his kind. The possibility of facing the Semi-Humans in battle again had been brought up during my training multiple times. “You think those Raiders are tough, cadets? You just wait until those lab-creatures come back to settle the score.”

The road to the city curves past a line of trees, and I stop and stare in awe. High Hope is built in the center of a steep mountain. Three massive platforms are used as elevators, climbing at least 400 feet to reach the city. It’s hard to tell how big High Hope is, but it seems massive.

We reach the security post leading to the platforms, where guards question anyone who wants to enter the city. The two guards who stop us eye River’s rifle.

“I have a permit to carry weapons,” he says.

“From whom?”

“From whoever gives permits.”

He pulls out a slip of paper and hands it to one of the guards.

“Okay, you two can enter. Remember that this permit isn’t for causing trouble.”

We join the line leading to the platforms, then climb onboard an elevator. The walls are made of glass, so I can see the world growing smaller the higher we climb. I feel nauseous, and my ears begin to clog.

“We’ll be there in a minute,”

River says and rubs my back.

“Do you know where we’ll stay tonight?”

“With Lyla. She has a spare room.”

“Is she expecting us?”

“Yes, I told her yesterday that we were coming.”

He taps the side of his head.

I wonder how it feels to communicate through one’s thoughts, though River said it was more like transferring data, which I know nothing about.

The elevator stops abruptly, and we step out. High Hope was clearly built after the bombs fell, yet it still seems ancient, with structures made of stones likely carved from the mountain. Cable cars climb up and down on thin cables, and I have no idea how they can hold so much weight. It’s loud and crowded by the entrance, but River leads me through alleys until we’re walking on quiet streets.

I almost trip when a group of mutants crosses our path. Some have deformed faces, while others have tails and pointy ears. Two are as small as children, even though they’re clearly grown men, and one is as massive as that mutant Buck. They walk and chat as if they aren’t concerned about anyone bothering them, which says a lot about how open-minded High Hope is.

“Lyla will be home soon,”

River says. “Let’s go eat the best bread in the world.”

He leads me toward a small food stand with tables in front of it. The view is breathtaking—Colorado in all its lush, green glory. Some of the mountains in the distance have snow at their peaks.

River orders two sweet bread rolls and some cheese. He pays with nova, and we take our food to one of the tables.

“How do you have nova?” I ask.

“People pay me to help out, and I don’t spend much on the road. I’m a good businessman. Now, your first bite should be without the cheese.”

I take a bite, and like with Roberta’s burger, I’m caught off guard. “Damn, that’s good.”

“Now try with the cheese, but just a little bit.”

It tastes even better with a touch of sour cheese. The warm bread feels like it’s melting in my mouth. “You spoil me.”

“You are my favorite prisoner after all.”

His face turns somber. “Sorry, I know you don’t like me calling you that.”

I shrug. “I don’t really mind.”

He squeezes my knee beneath the table. “Really?”

“Really.”

He beams. “We’ll swipe nutrients tonight, my prisoner!”

I laugh, almost choking on bread.

While we eat, I overhear a conversation from a nearby table; my attention pulled by the word giants. I signal River to listen as the people next to us talk about refugees coming from the west and the dark tales they’ve been sharing. I’ve no doubt that in a few days, there won’t be a single person in this city who hasn’t heard about the horrors coming from the west.

We finish our food and leave. I ask River if we can buy a razor for me to shave, and we find a place to buy a razor and shaving cream. From there, River takes us to the front door of Lyla’s house. The structure is carved straight into the mountain.

“Anything I should know?”

I ask before he knocks.

“A lot is riding on us getting her help.”

“I was hoping for something less stressful.”

He kisses my cheek. “She’s my friend, and you shouldn’t be stressed.”

River knocks, and the door is opened by a tall woman with a better physique than most of the Defenders I know. Her face is round and pretty, slightly resembling River’s. I wonder if it’s common for his people to look related, or maybe it’s only if they are from the same wave. Her long hair is the same copper color as River’s, though slightly curly, whereas his is wavy. She wears simple brown clothes that complement her body.

River hugs her, then leads me inside. “This is Josh.”

She sizes me up and nods. “Heard a lot about you.”

I wonder how much she’s heard about me as I offer my hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Her grip is firm, but her palm is soft. I glance around to see a well-lit living room with lots of plants and furniture made of wood. There’s a pleasant scent of spices in the air.

“Go on, Lyla, offer us drinks,”

River says, which is not how a guest should behave.

Lyla walks to the kitchen area. “You want it cold?”

“Yes, and with alcohol. We’ve come a long way. Very hard conditions.”

River drops our things and pulls me deeper inside. We sit on a comfortable yellow couch, close to a wall packed with small plants on shelves. Lyla joins us, holding a tray with three glasses filled with a purplish drink.

“Is this the one I like?”

River asks.

“Yes, but it might be too strong for Josh.”

“He can handle it.”

River hands me one of the glasses. “It’s lemony.”

The three of us clink our glasses, and I take a sip. The drink is indeed lemony, but after two seconds, it slaps my brain. “Damn.”

“Told you.”

Lyla winks.

River downs the entire drink as if it were water.

I decide not to risk another sip. “You have power here,”

I say, nodding at a lamp close by.

“Mostly hydropower. There’s a big waterfall inside the mountain.”

“We have a waterfall in my Hive as well, but it’s small. We use a reactor for power.”

She whistles. “That thing must be ancient.”

“Yeah, it’s a headache to maintain. Have you been living here long?”

“About three years. River and I left our village at the same time. He preferred to keep traveling, but I wanted to settle down. I’m working with the local guard and advising the king when he’s in a mood to listen.”

“Advising him about what?”

“Like River, I have decades of knowledge collected by my people, all stored here.”

She taps the back of her head. “Very useful.”

I wonder if those decades of knowledge include the war between our people. I'd rather not ask.

“We met refugees on our way,”

River says. “They saw the New-Humans during the attack. Their army has tanks.”

Lyla nods somberly. “I haven’t heard about the tanks, but refugees have become more common in the last few weeks, even if they haven’t reached this far yet. We’re likely a few days from panic spreading.”

River leans forward. “Then you see why we must all work together, right? You’ll come with us to convince the rest?”

She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, brother, but between the Defenders and the Free Cities, humans should raise an army of their own. We’re not the target here.”

“Not yet! Are we just going to sit and wait for them to kill Mother?”

I’ve never heard him so angry.

Lyla remains composed, and I assume it takes a lot to rattle her. “There hasn’t been an attack against her in months. Declaring war against Father will undoubtedly change that.”

“He didn’t just stop attacking, Lyla. He still doesn’t have what he wants. She isn’t safe.”

She lets out a long sigh before meeting my eyes. “Are you on board with his plan to speak with our council? And if they agree to help, will your people even listen?”

I cross my arms, feeling the weight of River’s gaze. When he first told me he wished to bring our people together, I thought him delusional. Now, I can’t stomach the thought of turning my back on him. “What is happening in the west is only going to get worse,”

I say. “My Hive’s leadership is aware of the giants’ existence, and I’m guessing that many others have heard by now. We’ve been trying to get the Free Cities to join forces with us against the Raiders for years, so we understand better than anyone the importance of cooperation.”

Lyla drinks her purplish beverage, her eyes thoughtful. I glance at River, who chews on his bottom lip. I wonder if he’ll give up on his plan if she refuses to help, but he’s too stubborn. Or maybe I want to believe he’ll stick to his plan—because if he doesn’t, what will become of our journey?

“I’ll go with you to see them,”

Lyla finally says. “If only to keep you from fighting with everyone.”

River lets out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

I squeeze his hand, glad of his victory, though it feels like mine as well.

“You should make us food,”

River tells Lyla, once more showing a lack of understanding of the concept of guests. “We’ve been walking so much.”

I rub my face, about to apologize, when Lyla tells me, “It’s fine; I’m used to him. Will you two be sharing a room?”

“Of course!”

River sounds as if the question is an insult.

When Lyla leaves the living room, River pulls me in for a kiss, his tongue dancing in my mouth. “We did it,”

he says. “You were very convincing and handsome.”

“Thanks.”

Lyla is quick to make us dinner. Eggs, vegetables, cheese, and some of the wonderful bread we had earlier. I listen as River shares what he’d been up to on the road before we met: people he helped and places he’d seen. He likes describing events in detail, as if it is important to him that you see what he has seen and share his experience.

It’s dark outside by the time I grow tired, so I suggest they continue talking while I go take a shower and shave before getting some sleep.

“There’s good water pressure,”

Lyla says, “but it can get cold after a few minutes.” She directs me to the second floor, where there are two guest rooms, while her bedroom is downstairs. I choose the room with the best view of the open plains and mountains. It’s hard to see much without sunlight, but it will look beautiful in the morning. I enter the small bathroom and face the mirror above the sink. I look tired and slightly thinner from all the walking, but also tanner. I don’t have much of a beard yet, but I prefer to keep my face smooth.

I take off my clothes and remain in my underwear, scanning my body in the mirror. The bruises on my ribs will likely disappear in a few days, and I can already walk for hours without stopping. I carefully remove the bandage from around my arm. The blisters have been replaced by a growing scab, but it remains to be seen how my scar will end up looking.

I wash my face before applying shaving cream. The razor isn’t very sharp, but it’s sufficient. I’m halfway done shaving my right cheek when River enters the bathroom. “Did I miss it?”

“Miss what?”

“I want to see you shave.”

He comes closer.

“Don’t you want to speak with Lyla?”

“I did.”

In response to my frown, he says, “It’s much faster when we don’t use words. We’ve been speaking for hours since you left. Can I shave your face?”

“What? Hmm, I guess.”

“I never need to shave.”

He takes the razor, chewing on his bottom lip in concentration as he slowly shaves the rest of my face. There’s something erotic about feeling River sliding the razor across my skin.

When he finishes, I wash my face. “Does it look okay?”

He licks my cheek. “Perfect.”

“Do you have eyes on your tongue?”

“Yes, and ears in my nipples.”

He looks down. “You liked me shaving you.”

I don’t need to look to know I’m rock hard. I hold River’s crotch. “You liked it too.”

“Yes. Can we shower now?”

There’s barely enough room for both of us in the cubicle. I take a bar of soap and run it across River’s skin as warm water splashes over us. He leans against the wall and raises his arms behind his head. “Clean me everywhere, my prisoner.”

I slowly stroke his skin with the soap, noticing which areas make his cock stir the most. When I’m done, he moves under the current, watching me. I can see by the way he twitches his lips that he wants to say something, and it’s unlike him to hesitate.

“What is it?”

He takes a breath. “I want to be in your butt. I… like your butt.”

My anal experience has been extremely limited. I tried taking Caden twice, but his cock was too big, and he never agreed to be on the receiving end. River’s cock seems like the perfect size. My heart skips a beat thinking of him inside me, and I fail to find an ounce of doubt. “Okay.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but call it an ass, okay? An ass and a cock.”

He moves me back until I’m pressed against the wall. “Ass and cock, ass and cock, Josh’s ass and Josh’s cock.”

He lowers his hand between my thighs. I spread my legs, not sure what he wants to do in such a small space. Then I feel the tip of his finger against my opening, and it becomes clear.

Our gaze remains locked as he begins to massage my entrance. It feels weird, but I still shudder, goosebumps rising up and down my body. By now, he’s seen my face go through every possible expression, from pain to fear to pleasure, so I don’t feel the need to hold back.

He slowly slips the tip of his finger into me. I gasp, my hands clench into fists.

“How bad does it hurt?”

I try to decide whether it hurts too much, but there’s beauty in this pain that I can’t quite explain. I hold his wrist and move his hand until more of his finger penetrates me. He leans close to my neck and licks my skin how he knows I like, helping my muscles relax. I take more of his finger until it’s all the way in. He wriggles it between my muscles, making me produce sounds as if he were playing his harmonica. My legs are no longer stable, my cock dripping precum on his arm. I tilt my head to meet his lips, kissing him hungrily and moaning into his mouth.

For years, I convinced myself I was content with what I had with Caden, but I now realize I was not. Waiting for more than he was willing to give was unfulfilling.

River slips his finger out when the water grows cold, though the feeling inside me lingers. We step outside to dry ourselves, and the second we’re out of the bathroom, he pushes me onto the bed. He sits on my thighs, holding my hands next to my head.

“Was it nice?” he asks.

“What was nice? Did we do anything?”

“Josh Bennett, you are hurting my finger’s feelings! Would you do the same to my penis?”

“Is it also sensitive?”

“Very. Many emotions.”

“Then I’ll do my best to stay on its good side.”

He leans down for a kiss, but midway through, his face twists in agony. He lets out a chilling shriek before rolling away from me. I sit up. “River!”

He begins to spasm, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. I’ve never seen anything like this, and I fear he might be dying.

“River! Fuck.”

I put on my underwear and race out of the room. “Lyla!” I find her in the living room, lying on the floor. Her face shows the same signs of torment; her body is locked in some sort of seizure.

I feel powerless, but if Lyla can’t help, I have to care for River. I run up the stairs to find him sitting and covering his face. He’s crying and mumbling, “No, no, no.”

I sit next to him, afraid I’ll do something that might scare him, but I have to try to calm him down. “River, it’s okay.”

His shudders subside, but he’s still crying, the sound so raw and vulnerable. I put my arm around his shoulders, hoping he won’t get startled and accidentally hit me. “It’s okay,”

I say. “You’re okay.”

He leans his head against my chest. “It’s Mother, Josh. They hurt Mother.”

*

Both River and Lyla come out of the seizure shaken and weak. They sit on the couch in the living room, their faces ashen. I make them drinks and cover them with blankets, trying not to bug them with questions. But maybe they are talking, bringing each other the kind of comfort only they can provide.

I sit in front of them and wait, feeling agitated and worried. Finally, they both stir, as if awakened from a slumber.

“I’m sorry,”

River says in a small voice. “I scared you.”

“It’s fine. How are you two feeling?”

“Been better.”

Lyla runs a hand through her hair. “Such a shitshow.”

“I knew it would happen again.”

River crosses his arms, looking miserable. “We put all those protections, but Father is smarter. We just bought her some more time, but it’s running out. I can’t… I can’t hear her at all—not even an echo.”

Lyla holds his hand. “You will once we’re closer to home.”

“And after the next attack?”

She looks away, her eyes troubled.

“Can I ask what happened?”

Although I can already guess.

“Father attacked again,”

River says. “He took over another satellite, and now Mother is even weaker than before.”

“Did the rest of your people feel it too?”

“Most likely,”

Lyla says. “Those of us who stay connected, at least.”

“So maybe it will make it easier for us to convince them. An attack against Mother is an attack against all of you, right?”

River nods. “It might help, yes. I’m tired now.”

I walk with him upstairs. He slips into bed, turning to face the window. I lie next to him, not sure what to do. I don’t know how it feels to be unable to talk to an AI through my thoughts, but it seems devastating to him.

“I’m sorry,”

he says. “I’ve ruined it.”

“You didn’t.”

I slide closer and wrap my arm around him.

“It’s the first time we’re in bed together. I wanted it to be special. But I have a bed in my house; it will be special there.”

“You have your own house?”

“Yes. It’s small and nice. I also have a garden. They take care of it for me when I’m on my journeys.”

I kiss his shoulder. “I’d love to see your garden.”

He snuggles closer. “I wanted us to stay here for a couple of days—there are nice places for you to see—but we should leave tomorrow morning. I need to hear her again, Josh. I hate the quiet in my head. Maybe it’s worse than we think.”

“Then we’ll leave tomorrow morning. Try to sleep, okay?”

“Okay.”

But he remains tense and alert, and I end up falling asleep before him.