Artificial Heart

21

'Thank you for picking me up,' Prisha told her sister as she opened the back door and shoved in her suitcase and camping equipment. She kept Alf's box sealed as she shoved it in after.

Renee watched her quietly from the front seat, looking pale. Her long hair was pulled up into a messy bun. Her sunglasses were lopsided. Her shorts and t-shirt were rumpled, as though she'd pulled them out of a pile of clothes. She was frowning. 'You're going camping again? You think that's a good idea?'

Prisha shut the door and climbed into the front seat. 'I have no idea what I'm doing. Let's get moving.' Prisha searched the street but it was empty.

Renee pulled away and Prisha watched sadly as her house disappeared into the distance.

'Why couldn't you drive?' Renee asked.

'They know my car and number plate. They'll follow me.'

'And they won't follow me?'

'Not yet. Maybe. I don't know. I've never done this before.'

'I can't believe you, Prish. You're an utter nutcase.'

'I know.'

'How many times?'

'Four.'

'And you're the woman they're all talking about.'

'Yes.'

Her sister released a whistling breath. 'So ... what's going to happen now?'

'Alf is supposed to come back.'

'Who?'

'Alf—the alien.'

'His name is Alf?'

'No. I called him that. He doesn't really have a name.'

Renee shook her head. 'Alf. Trust you.' She shivered. 'Part alien, part machine. This can't be real. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. But I don't understand. What exactly is he doing? Why is he abdtu—taking you?'

'You mean why am I so damn special?'

'It's not funny, Prish. You're in lots of trouble.'

'I know.' She did her best to explain but it sounded confusing even to herself. 'He wants to help us.'

Renee glanced at her suspiciously as Prisha turned towards her phone and flicked through Alf's pictures again, keeping it angled away so her sister wouldn't see.

'What have you two been up to? What do you both do while on that ship?'

'Lots of things. He takes me places. I've been all over the world! He tells me things. He explains about the ship. He ... he ... does things to me—'

Her sister's hands jerked on the wheel. Renee peered over her sunglasses at her. 'He does things?'

'Experiments. With my consent!' She added quickly when her sister's hands jerked upon the wheel again. 'It's just data collection.'

'You were in hospital, Prish!'

'He fixed my heart, Nay. And I feel better. I feel stronger. Whatever he's doing to me, it's making me better.'

'You can't know his intentions. He took you against your will, Prish.'

They fell silent. Prisha turned towards the window, lips pursed, face burning. What would her sister think if she knew the whole truth?

'You're okay, though, right?' Renee said. 'You're not hurt.'

'No,' she said, still facing the window. 'But it might hurt my life.'