Spears of Uu'kata

Chapter 61 - Gravity Sucks

Annie awoke to find the bed empty. A pang hit her in the chest and she sat up, hugging the sheet to her chest and glancing around the room.

It was still raining outside. Did it ever stop?

With a disappointed sigh, she glared at the empty space beside her. She didn't know why she had expected Chelling to be there, but she did, and his absence made her feel like she was tipping over. In this alien world, he made her feel safe, confident.

So where was he? He'd brought her to bed, laid beside her and pulled her against the warm length of his body. After a day trying to stay upright in this planet's heavy gravity, she'd zonked out in pure exhaustion.

She'd dreamed of vodka.

And now he was gone.

She pushed the blankets back and slid out of bed wincing at how heavy she felt. After scrubbing her face and trying uselessly to tame her curls, she dressed and stepped out into the hallway.

It was quiet and dim. This place was always quiet and dim. Where were all the people? Shouldn't a castle be full of people?

She hugged herself, making her way slowly toward the bathroom.

She pushed in through the door and froze.

Naked. Aliens.

Huge, male, Uu'k'asht, Tillith, and the tentacle dude.

Conversation stopped as they all turned to her and stared and she suddenly felt very, very small.

"Uh... hi," she said awkwardly.

One of the huge, beautiful yet scary four-armed Tilith cocked his head.

"Bye," she said, and spun on her heel.

Her heart was pounding as the door closed behind her and the dimness of the hall closed around her once more.

Blowing out a breath, she muttered, "Too much bare dick in that room," and picked a direction.

She didn't get far before she was out of breath, the weight of this world making her feel like her joints were being ground into a rough powder. They ached and her chest hurt.

With a groan, she sat in the middle of the floor, in the middle of the hall and blew out a breath.

"Fuck me," she said with a huff. "Where the hell is everyone who's not naked?"

She looked up the hall, then down. This castle was a maze and she didn't even know which direction she was facing, so she did the only logical thing.

Inhaling deep enough to fill her lungs, Annie hollered, "Chelliiiiiiiiing!" as loudly as she could. After a moment, she added, "Or anyone who's dressed!"

The door beside her jerked open with the sound of someone bitching in a language she didn't know, and a scrawny Uu'k'asht wearing a pair of wrinkled, loose-fitting shorts glared at her. His hair was messed and sticking out on one side, his expression twisted in sleepy irritation.

He rubbed his eyes and looked at her again, his expression going from pissed off to surprised. Then said something that sounded like a question, though she couldn't understand him.

"I'm lost, dude," she said.

He rubbed his eyes with a groan and approached, crouching down beside her. He said something else and again it sounded like a question.

"Yeah, I have no idea what you're talking about but, hey," she said, "your eyes are like mine. No, uh, black sclera."

It occurred to her that he looked young. Very young. Hell, she'd be surprised if he was a day over thirteen, despite his height.