When Aliens Weep (24 page)
Authors: J. K. Accinni
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Horror, #Literary, #Teen & Young Adult, #Literary Fiction
Forbation raised his red staff and shook it at Netty. “It has been decided. Your species is too dangerous and unpredictable
.
I am particularly disappointed that the destructive human nature has continued in the Elders. The Womb had great hopes.”
“Will the Womb allow Sister Daisy to accompany us?”
“It will be Sister Daisy’s decision. She has a destiny and is of great use to us. I implore her to stay but she has until your departure date to consider.”
“What of the Earth’s wildlife?” Netty indicated them all. “I speak for us all when I request that they be allowed to come with us.”
Forbation bowed. “As you wish. They will be ready. That will include every last one of them.” Forbation’s aura felt ominous.
“Does that include the flamers, Brother?”
“Yes, of course it does.”
Netty remained silent over the finality in the aura.
“Come, come, Sister Netty. Will that be all?”
Netty remained speechless and bowed after nodding her head.
“I leave you to your musings. It is time for me to join my kind in their mourning. Good day.” Forbation’s wings encapsulated him and abruptly, he was gone.
***
The four weeks passed too quickly, the survivors occupied with their life-dependent choice and the health of Ginger Mae, Peter and Jose.
As each survivor decided what their items would be, they were assigned a minion to escort them through the Womb to collect their choice so it could be packed in bundles fit for a Kreyven to deliver.
The pile of goods was enormous. Cobby chose weapons, some easy to operate, some mysterious and intricate. Wil chose tools. Dezi chose kitchenware, enough to serve a banquet to hundreds. Netty chose books from the stars. Kane chose seeds. Bonnie chose medicine, everything from antibiotics to elephant pumices, to poison antidotes. Kenya chose bedding and Abby chose baby paraphernalia, everything from formula to diapers, to onesies.
Once Ginger Mae and Peter recovered enough to understand their situations, they made their choices, although they needed to be cajoled, their minds not fully grasping the reality of the events. Ginger Mae chose clothing: bright and beautiful fabrics, strong, warm and durable that included two lifetimes’ supply of sewing paraphernalia with which to craft them. Peter selected farming equipment that included a supply of 110hp engines.
When Jose recovered enough to speak, he asked Wil to make selections of building material in his stead.
The only one that refused to state her choice was Chloe. No matter what was said to her, she refused.
“But Chloe, we need you to make a choice. We never know what we will need. We can’t afford to give up a chance to help our survival. Please . . . you need to help us out here,” begged Dezi.
Chloe shook her head, turning away as Dezi made a notation in his ledger. “I’m sorry, but this will be recorded unless you change your mind.”
“Do what you need to do, Dezi.” Chloe walked away, her figure swaying slowly as she left the room, now heavy with child and overdue delivery.
***
The day of departure arrived. The survivors stood grouped outside, clustered around a portal. Signs of animal dung and trampled grass reassured them that the animals had preceded them. Most of their new equipment had been already delivered to their destination by the Kreyven.
Jose, Ginger Mae, and Peter huddled together, their health giving them something in common. Over the weeks they had bonded with Jose, a help to all three. Ginger Mae and Peter now sported full heads of hair, and complete body parts. Two more grateful people could not be found on Oolaha.
The acceptance of who they were was coming more reluctantly. Hud and Bonnie leaned on each other through the slow and frustrating process. But they were patient. Time was on their side. The fact that Peter and Ginger Mae were alive and cancer-free was enough to ask for at the moment. They were grateful for the chance to woo their spouses back. They had held private conversation about the apparent closeness their spouses had developed while away but decided to table their feelings on the issue until they had a chance to sort it out with guidance from Netty and Wil. After they settled into their new planet. Kane and Cobby stood watching the Kreyven swallow its last load. Cobby gave it a friendly pat as it turned to disappear through the portal. They had a good hour to kill before it would return for them.
“I’m sure going to miss the big beast. It made our life easier,” declared Cobby.
Abby approached the father and son, slipping her arm through Cobby’s. “Are you guys ready for this?”
Cobby gave her a wide smile and wrapped Kane into the hug he gave them both. “I’m the luckiest guy in all the galaxies. I have a baby on the way, my son who is my pride and joy, my baby that Karen and I adopted, my gorgeous daughter-in-law Kenya and my first grandchild. Did I forget to mention the love of my life is in my arms and I call her my wife?” he asked, looking deep into Abby’s shining, love-struck eyes. “We’ve been through so much. This is just another blip on our radar. I’m sure it will have its moments.” He paused and swallowed. “But we are strong. We’re resilient and healthy. And we are
family.”
He laughed. “Do we
dare
to ask for anything else?”
Kenya joined them with the baby in her arms. “I’m ready. I don’t know what’s ahead but it can’t be worse than getting thrown off an entire planet.” She wore her indignation well, her shoulders high, her head proud.
“That’s our girl,” said Cobby.
The rest of the survivors drifted closer, presenting a united front as Forbation approached, red staff in hand. He was alone.
A feeling of grave disappointment shrouded the survivors as they prepared for departure. Chloe scanned the horizon . . . not a single minion or nooglet in sight. Even little Teddy gave a low whine as he squirmed in her arms. Caesar chuffed impatiently, unsettled himself by the lack of minions.
Netty joined Chloe, one of the babies in her arms. She waved to Wil who had his hands full with Maya who was refusing to leave, her tear-streaked face and caterwauling upsetting the rest of the infants as they lay in their safety transport.
“I don’t understand where everyone is,” said Netty.
Chloe’s lips were in a straight line. “They will be here.”
Forbation approached. “You are leaving without making a choice, Sister Chloe. That is a grave disappointment. We may not be able to co-exist with you but you are part of us. We wish you nothing but success.”
“Thank you, Brother Forbation.” Chloe held her head high as the rest of the survivors drifted over. “But I fully intend to make my choice before I leave.”
“Look,” yelled Dezi, pointing to the horizon. Within seconds the minions converged. Tens of hundreds filled the sky, blocking out the sun to light the dawn with their own glowing beauty.
Touching down next to Forbation stood Echo and Baby, Ivey bringing up the rear. The minions stood reluctantly, their three fire butterflies’ glorious flaming sparks belying their wretched demeanors. From out of the portal emerged the Kreyven.
“It is time,” pronounced Forbation.
Chloe stepped forward and turned to Forbation. “I’m ready to make my choice. That is the last privilege granted to me by the Womb.” Forbation nodded. “I request the presence of the rest of my family.”
Forbation’s aura slowed. “But everyone is here, Sister.” He swept his golden hand toward the crowd of survivors.
“No, not here.
There . . .
” said Chloe as she pointed to the minions. “Baby and Echo. And of course, we can’t leave without Ivey.”
Forbation stood silent. “You have me there, Sister.” He bowed to Baby and Echo who ran to Netty and Barney, their joy clear as a green light, the group cheering. “But you are mistaken if you think I can give you Navigator IV. She is not part of your family.”
Chloe smiled as she held out her hand to Ivey. Bonnie wiggled her way to the front of the crowd and knelt down. Ivey jumped to her side. “Last night Bonnie and Ivey were married by Netty. I was a witness. By the laws of our civilization, they are now married.”
“But they are both female,” sputtered Forbation.
“Yes, they are. And same-gender marriage had a long and storied tradition on Earth. Particularly in the United States where we are from. It was a long-fought-for achievement of our society.”
Chloe stepped forward to hold out her hand to Forbation. “I want to thank you for everything you have done for me and my child.”
Forbation paused then opened his arms to the pregnant Chloe. His aura caressed her mind. “Caesar was correct. You truly are The One. May you lead you lead your family to prosperity with your wisdom. We will be watching.”
The survivors made their way to the sphere that the Kreyven would swallow to ferry them safely to their planet.
Kenya approached the gelatinous mass, her neck back as she shouted to the beast. “I’m going to miss you, big guy.”
Forbation hurried forward. “Wait. Allow me to make a gift to your success. The Kreyven will not be returning. He is yours, young lady. May the Kreyven always serve you and your family well.”
Kenya turned to thank Forbation, startled by what she saw.
“Look!”
The rest of the survivors turned at her exclamation. The sky was full of sudden illumination.
From one end of the horizon to the other, fluorescent glittering filled the sky as well as from the tears that slipped from Forbation’s remorseful eyes, a tribute to the emotions of the aliens toward the departing humans they so loved.
“Aliens weep, Father?” asked Maya.
“Yes, sweetie, it appears they do,” he responded as he wiped away the moisture from his own eyes.
Not a dry eye watched as Chloe’s radiant and tear-stained face turned toward the waiting Kreyven.
“It’s time.”
The One led her family of survivors toward the sphere, one hand on her abdomen, the other resting on the great neck of the magnificent Caesar. The rest of the survivors scrambled after her, excitement mixed with fearfulness but anticipation the most tangible.
Dezi poked his way through the crowd, his journal open, his writing instrument poised. “Chloe, wait. What will we call our new planet?” She turned to wave to the weeping minions for the last time, hope and wisdom shining in her overflowing eyes.
“Home, Dezi. We will call it
Home.”
The End
To my readers,
Thank you all for coming on this journey with me. I honestly don’t believe this will be the last of the series. It is not easy to say goodbye to these characters who have become real people to me. I spend more time in their world than I do in my own.
As most of you know, the fortunes and success of a series rises and falls on the amount of readers’ reviews. The more reviews, the more Amazon will let others know of the books’ popularity.
If you have enjoyed the series and wish it success, I would be honored if you would leave me a comment regarding your feelings on amazon.com or the Amazon site of your country.
Thank you so much for sparing the time.
J. K. Accinni
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Coming soon . . . Alli Sun
Fifteen year old bi-racial orphan, Alli Sun doesn’t know who her parents are. But she knows she must run from the orphanage she grew up in or face being sold to the highest bidder. She learns to live by her wits on the mean streets of 1930s Charleston, South Carolina, leaving behind her budding romance with eighteen-year-old fellow orphan, Dale.
Then her life changes as she rescues a strange set of pups from the forest who go on to protect her in her efforts to discover who her parents are as they survive on the streets and the lowland, going on to solve the most vexing and sensational murder mystery of their time.
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