Page 140 of Stardusted

It was like my brain had dumped all the media communications information to make room for words likePladiaandhalixand angry Enil set on performing lobotomies. I shuddered.

“Focus,” I whispered under my breath, hoping it might help. It didn’t.

It did annoy my neighbor, a bushy-haired girl who shot me a glare. I mouthed an apology and trained my eyes downward.

Why do we need market research…

Why do we…

Blank. Buzzing blankness filled my head. I tightened my grip on my pencil, lead hovering over the question bubbles. My palm was just visible, the shapes etched into my skin glimmering.

Alien writing.

With an effort, I turned my attention back to the test. Market research helped…it helped with…

Rushing erupted from the vent nearby, and I jumped, biting back a gasp. Air stirred the fine hairs escaping my braid. It was just the HVAC. A bead of sweat trickled down my spine, and I tucked the swaying strand behind my ear.

Just like Sky had done before I’d come in for this test.

That whole interaction hadn’t helped my ability to concentrate.

I turned to look at the closed door. I couldn’t see him through the tiny window, but I knew he was out there. Standing guard. He’d been leaning with one boot braced against the wall, hands in his pockets, his ball cap pulled low over his eyes when I’d rushed into the classroom with thirty seconds to spare.

Oddly enough, he’d looked completely at home in a college hallway. He wasn’t kidding about his ability to blend in. At least, until you noticed how alert he was. How closely he watched everything. Like he was searching for a threat.

Which, to be fair, was exactly what he was doing.

A very real threat.

The longer the test dragged on, the more jittery I felt. Like the passing of each second wound the coiled dread in my chest a little tighter.

Tearing my gaze from the door, I looked around the classroom instead.

Were any of these studentsinvolvedin this alien madness? Were there FETR members among us? Did anyone else know the threats hidden in the sky above?

At least…I assumed they were up there. Where were the Enil when they weren’t in their robot mech suits? In those balls of light like the one that’d run me off the road? I hadn’t gotten around to asking Sky. There wasn’t a guarantee he’d tell me, of course, but…

God. I wasn’t payinganyattention to this stupid test. It was dumb to even be here. What was one midterm in the middle of all this?—

Suddenly, I realized my hand was moving.

I inhaled sharply and yanked the pencil away from the paper. But it was too late. The damage was done.

The writing utensil slipped from my numb fingers and clattered onto the floor. Heads turned my way, but I didn’t care.

Because I’d scrawled alien scribbles all over my paper’s margin.

My heart skidded to a stop before pounding double-time.

I hadno memoryof writing any of it.

“No way,” I whispered, picking up the paper. I brought it close enough that it brushed the tip of my nose. My hand shook.

“Shhh!”Bushy Hair hissed at me.

I ignored her.

The lines weren’t random. Not a doodle. They were…strangely familiar.