The early morning air was crisp, laced with the scent of dew and something metallic faint, almost unnoticeable, but it made Kira's stomach churn. He stood on his porch, arms crossed, eyes locked on the crater in his backyard. The spaceship sat there like a fallen beast, dark and silent, its sleek form partially buried in the dirt. The same eerie hum from last night still lingered, but it was weaker now, like a dying heartbeat.
Roxy stood beside him, sipping from a can of energy drink that she found in his fridge. She looked half-awake, her hoodie thrown over her head, hair messy from rushing over last night. "So let me get this straight," she mumbled, voice raspy from sleep deprivation. "You found a wounded alien, licked her blood, called me over at some ungodly hour, and now we have to investigate her spaceship?"
Kira sighed. "It sounds dumber when you say it like that."
She smirked, nudging him with her elbow. "Because it is dumb. But whatever, I'm already involved, so let's get this over with."
Za stirred and let out a small groan and shifted, both of them snapped to attention.
Her golden eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first. Then…
"AAA~"
Kira lunged, slapping a hand over her mouth before she could unleash whatever alien screech was about to come out. "Shh! Do not wake up the whole neighborhood!"
Za's body tensed, her pupils narrowing into slits as she locked eyes with him. Then, completely ignoring his warning.He wasn't sure if she trusted them yet, but at least she hadn't tried to stab them in their sleep. That was progress.
Out of nowhere, she licked his hand.
Kira recoiled with a noise of absolute disgust, wiping his palm on his hoodie. "Did you lick me?! What is wrong with you?!"
Za groaned, rubbing her head. "Mmm… dizzy… body… not strong…" She muttered something in her own language, her tail lazily curling.
Roxy, ever the scientist, raised an eyebrow. "So, she can talk. Kinda."
Za suddenly pointed at herself. "Za."
"…Huh?" Kira frowned.
Za pounded her chest, more determined. "ZA."
Roxy's eyes widened. "Ohh! Your name is Za?"
Za nodded vigorously. "Za! Za is Za!"
Kira sighed. "Great, so she's speaking in third person now."
Roxy smirked. "Dude, do you realize what just happened,Kira?"
Roxy folded her arms, looking smug."Her translator is broken.That's why she is talking like this."
Kira groans in frustration. "No shit, Sherlock.I know that already. "
Za, oblivious to the argument, pointed at Kira. "Kira." Then at Roxy. "Ro-kee?"
Roxy snorted. "Close enough."
Za looked around, now fully processing her surroundings. Then she frowned.
"Ship?"
Kira and Roxy exchanged a glance.
"…We should check."
They made their way toward the ship. The closer they got, the more wrong everything felt. The air was heavy, like the atmosphere itself was pressing down on them. Kira stepped carefully through the grass, his eyes scanning for anything unusual.
That's when he saw it.
A dead bird, its body twisted unnaturally, lay motionless near the crater. Its eyes were missing. Not pecked out… just gone, as if something had cleanly removed them.
Kira's stomach lurched. "Roxy…"
"What… " She followed his gaze and nearly dropped her drink. "Okay. Nope. Absolutely not. What the hell is that?!"
Kira didn't answer. His eyes drifted further ahead, where more bodies lay scattered. A squirrel, limp and shriveled. A rabbit, its fur standing on end like it had been electrocuted and there were bodies of two dead raccoons. Their fur was matted, eyes dull, their bodies completely limp. There was no blood, no visible wounds, just… lifeless.Each one eerily untouched, except for the hollow, empty sockets where their eyes should have been.
A chill ran down his spine. "Something's wrong."
Roxy swallowed, her usual sarcasm replaced by genuine unease. "No shit, Sherlock. What… what did that?"
Kira checked the bodies. "I… don't know,dude. But it's definitely not normal"
"…Kira." Roxy's voice was unnervingly calm. Too calm.
"Yeah?"
"WHERE. THE HELL. IS THE GIANT ALIEN SPACESHIP?!"
Kira swallowed. "Uh… It was here, last night. I swear."
Roxy turned to him slowly, her face a perfect picture of 'Are you stupid, or are you messing with me?'
"You swear?" She gestured wildly at the empty crater. "Because all I see is a hole in your backyard and ZERO SPACESHIP."
Kira ran a hand through his hair. The grass was scorched, dirt scattered where the ship had landed, but there was no wreckage. No hum of alien machinery. Nothing.
"This isn't possible," he muttered. "It was right here.I know what I saw," Roxy huffed. "You didn't dream an alien girl into existence last night… though that would explain a lot."
The sight of the bodies and the empty crater, sent a shiver through Kira, but worse than that, he had a gut feeling. Something wasn't right.
The ship disappearing, the dead animals… It felt too precise, too unnatural.
And then he felt it.
That feeling again. Like something was watching him.
His eyes flicked to the shadows beyond the yard. The space between the trees seemed darker than it should've been. Almost alive. But when he squinted, the feeling faded, like it had never been there.
"Kira?" Roxy nudged him. "Dude, what's up with you? You're staring into the void. Don't tell me, something is there… "
Kira forced himself to look away. "Nothing," he lied. "Let's go back inside."
They stepped back inside just in time to hear the front door open.
Kira stiffened.
That was Aira.
His older sister had finally come back from her boyfriend's place. And she was not going to be happy about the alien situation.
Roxy nudged him. "Wanna bet on how fast she freaks out?"
"Nope, I'd like to live."
Before they could do anything, Aira stepped into the hall. She was yawning, rubbing her eyes, mumbled "stupid traffic…" Then she stopped.
Her eyes landed on Za.
Za, still perched on the couch, met her gaze.
The silence was thick.
Za tilted her head. Curious.
Aira took one shaky step back, her expression frozen somewhere between horror and denial. Then…
A blood curdling scream.
Kira barely had time to react before Aira pointed a trembling finger at the very much not human girl sitting in her house.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"
Za blinked, seemingly fascinated by the reaction. Then she grinned, baring her sharp teeth.
Aira screamed again.
Kira groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Oh, fantastic."
To Be Continued…