A Past with an Alien

CHAPTER 3

IRIS

I coughed up water and felt a sense of relief as the weight on my chest lifted. Despite some lingering pain, my safety and survival were all that mattered.

My eyes opened wide, and I first noticed a blurred image. I closed my eyes again, then opened them, repeating them three times until my vision returned. I was surprised because the blurred image became the face of a man. This gorgeous East Asian-looking man radiated an almost angelic aura.

At first, I felt like I was in heaven, but looking at the person sitting next to me, I noticed something odd: his hair was pink. I quickly rose from where I was lying and sat up, realizing I was back on the bridge. I was confused and wondered how I got there. I glanced at the guy beside me and asked if he had saved me, but I couldn't understand how he managed to do it.

As my attention was drawn towards him, I couldn't help but notice the highly unconventional wardrobe he was sporting. He wore a long-sleeved shirt with a flower print that showed even the most flamboyant Hawaiian shirts. The shirt was too tight for him, which made his belly button almost visible. He paired it with zebra-print leggings, which I had never seen anyone wear seriously. And lastly, he wore white, pointy, and lethal-looking leather boots. I couldn't help but wonder who he was. Despite feeling a little dizzy, I chuckled at the sight of him.

"Who are you?" I asked him for the first time. He has yet to reply. He kept staring at me as if I had come from another world. "Please, who are you?"

He remained quiet, which made me uneasy.

***

ERIER

I could not believe this was my first time vividly seeing a female human. I couldn't comprehend why she had jumped into the water. I had to use my gadget to pull her out and bring her safely back to the ground. If I hadn't acted quickly, she would have drowned.

As I studied her features, I couldn't help but notice how tiny she was compared to me. Even more fascinating was that my human shell looked almost identical to hers, and she wasn't even aware of it. Humans had unique features, and one of their most striking was their hair, like hers, which was long, shiny, and jet-black.

She spoke to me in a language I couldn't understand. However, her voice was sweet, unlike Avara and Alta's. The difference was significant.

"Poslakythgnateyw," she said again.

I never spoke because I couldn't answer her until a voice popped up in my head, and it was Avara talking to me through our telepathic receiver. "Tap your arms twice, and your language will configure."

I followed what she said and tried to open my mouth afterward. "Uh, are you okay?"

The human girl suddenly yelled at me. "Why did you save me?"

I slumped to the ground, sitting from her harsh reaction. Why did she scream at me? I had never done anything wrong. Her face had turned red with anger, and her eyes and brows were furrowed in a frown. I don't get it.

"I've been working on this for months!" she exclaimed again. She burst out crying, and it wasn't good for me. I began to worry.

As Xyle-vers, we knew that experiencing emotions, including shedding tears, could be detrimental to coping with everyday tasks. It was surprising to discover that Xyle-ver and humans shared this trait.

I tried to speak to her as much as possible. "Wait, I didn't do anything wrong. You were in danger, and it was obvious. I saved you."

"I'm not in danger. I just wanted to die."