Artificial Heart

9

The alien came over. He stood over her, blocking her view of home.

'I'm sorry,' she stuttered. 'Just overwhelmed.'

He crouched, big hands hanging between his knees, visor gazing into her face. His huge shoulders pushed against the seams of his suit.

'I wish you'd take your helmet off,' Prisha said. 'I want to see you. I should see you.'

He didn't say anything as he reached over and gently lifted Prisha's chin with one finger. He seemed to be studying her, though his soulless helmet made it hard to know anything for sure.

'You are not meeting minimum nutritional requirements,' he said.

'Hardly. I've been eating so much lately. More than I've ever done in my life.' Prisha narrowed her eyes. 'Why is that? What have you done to me?'

Alf helped her to her feet. Despite the warmth of the blanket, Prisha's skin erupted into goose bumps. The breath hitched in her throat. Then he released her and went back through the door with the bench. He was gone a few minutes, banging around, before returning with a metal box.

'What's that?'

He opened it. Prisha peered inside. There were dozens of small bags. Prisha gingerly took one out, holding it between her fingers. 'What is it?'

'Nutrition. Energy. One a day will meet your needs. Have one now.'

'You're not trying to drug me, are you?' she said, only half-jokingly.

Silence. His visor gleamed against the light. Delicately, she pulled the little "sachet" open. She pressed her nose inside. There was a very faint, sweet smell.

'Does it taste good?' She raised her eyebrows. 'Do you even eat? Is this your food?'

'Consume it.'

Prisha frowned, then shrugged. If he wanted to hurt her, he would have done so already. It was only two mouthfuls worth and tasted as it smelled. Nice texture; it coated the back of her throat like a gel. She waited a few moments.

'Is something supposed to happen?'

He took the empty bag and put in the box, closing it. He handed the box over. Prisha took it and almost dropped it, staggering under its weight. The blanket slipped from her shoulders.

'You want me to take it all?'

He went over to the console and sat down. He pulled out her seat. Prisha joined him, looked for a spot to put the box. Her arms were aching as she settled it upon the floor. Like last time, they were so close their hips were touching. She readjusted her blanket.

She watched his hands as he manoeuvred the controls. She watched Earth's steady approach. Swirling black clouds. Dark landscapes. The lights of so many bright cities. Prisha's skin prickled at the thought that civilisation could be so easily viewed from space. From aliens. From the great beyond. From ... whatever was out there. It looked so full of life. So vulnerable. Suddenly, eight billion people didn't seem so much.

It was incredible! Flabbergasting.

A little terrifying.

Then she looked towards the oceans. She hadn't realised how much water there was. She could see the moon too. A bright globe in the distance. Clutching her blanket close, she shivered. Then she looked into the endless black beyond and shivered harder.

'What's going to happen now? Are you going to take me home? What's the point of all this?'

She felt strangely ill as the Earth grew bigger and bigger, until it filled the window. The thought of going back to her life right now seemed even scarier than being examined on that bench. It was weird because she actually liked her life. Very much.