The Human Pet: A Sci-Fi Romance

Part 5

Kayla

Nearly all the doors we pass in the hallways are identical, with a metal covering and a rectangular shape.

Tarak stops when we get to a rather unusual door that looks similar to ruins I've seen on Earth, like an ancient arch or gateway. The same symbol that is on my collar, the half-bird, half-man creature, is inscribed over the arch. On each side of the door are dozens of pictographs. I study some of them, trying to guess what they might be: several types of four-legged animals and winged creatures, maybe?

"Kepr," says Tarak, tapping the door.

Tarak makes the same hand motion he did when we left his room; he closes his fist, turns it clockwise, and the door opens.

I cannot believe how big this door is. A procession of giraffes or elephants could easily walk through it.

When we walk into this room, I gasp. This place is beautiful. Large trees and vines stretch up to the ceiling. I gaze upward; luminescent arms of a spiral galaxy wink at me through the viewport; so many stars...

The weight of the chain is no longer on my collar, and I look at Tarak. He's holding the leash in his hands. Is this a test? He makes no move toward me. I take a few steps away and still, there is no reaction from him.

Funny, as a xenobiologist, I had always envisioned discovering life on a far-off planet, wading around with sampling jars in a pond or sea, and maybe, at most, finding microbial life.

That did not prepare me for what is in this room, so when a pack of rodents with long curved canines squeak and run toward me—I nearly climb Tarak's body to get away from them.

Tarak rumbles—is he laughing at me? He ruffles my hair and places me back on the floor as he sits on one of the park benches.

The rodents scamper to who knows where and only now do I realize where I probably am. This must be some sort of pet park, and the fact that I'm leash-free and Tarak is ignoring me must mean... I'm free to explore.

I look around me. There are lots of benches with scourges sitting on them, so, no... I find myself walking toward the beautiful trees, with gnarled trunks and long vines hanging from the high-up branches that make this a magical place.

I want to explore! I run from tree to tree, tapping bark, squeezing the vines, and listening to the strange squawks that come from the treetops. I get so excited running from tree to tree. The trees get denser and when I see trees in every direction, I realize I have no idea what direction I came from. I'm lost. What if no one finds me ever again? Or what if I starve out here? Or what if something eats me?

Take it easy, Kayla. I take a deep breath. I have an owner and he will look for me, right? So, I continue exploring...

It's the novelty of everything around me that pleases me. I squeeze the squishy vines and there is a burst of scents, a mixture of mint and pepper. I keep touching the vines until I reach for some of the long green vines, my fingers hovering over them, and they move. I freeze, slowly stepping away from vines that whip out and stick to me.

My imagination goes wild, remembering Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, and all sorts of carnivorous plants on Earth. Would scourges intentionally place carnivorous plants in a park to eat wayward pets that get too far away from their owners, I wonder?

I panic, ripping off part of the vine, and I run blindly.

Something green and luminous twinkles at me from one of the trees. It's green and flashing, like our fireflies on Earth. I rush toward the light like it's a star, guiding me to a safe place.

I get to the base of a tree with one of these green luminous lights in the treetops and I gaze upward, Glowing eyes meet mine.

Suddenly, the creature leaps. landing in my arms. The little creature is warm, like a miniature sun and that's when I notice how its skin not only glows but casts light. The other part that I find fascinating is how only moments ago the creature had been green but as I hold it in my arms, it's now glowing a bright yellow.

What is this creature? It has the body and shape of a squirrel, with stubby little feet and a long tail, although that is where the similarities end. For one thing, it has wings and the animal's exterior is tough. Even though I can't classify this animal, I feel like this ball of light has some sort of bond with me.

"What are you?" I ask the creature, lightly scratching the top of its head and it curls onto me, resting its long neck and head on my shoulder.

I don't want to be too loud in case I attract the attention of predators or carnivorous plants that might be in this park, so I whisper. "Shall we find our way out of here?"

Luminous eyes blink back at me.

"Do you have a name?" I ask. "Sorry, that's silly. You can't talk and since you are in the forest, I doubt you have a name so I will give you one. How does Glow Ball sound?"

Glow Ball peeps like a baby bird. Suddenly, lots of similar peeps come from above me, and I gaze upward. Glow Ball apparently has friends in the treetops. I can't help thinking of Christmas because the trees look like they are lit by luminous, bright balls of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. How many of these creatures are in the forest? Do they live out here? Are they pets that have escaped?

Glow Ball peeps a few more times and others chirp back. Why do I feel like I am overhearing a conversation? They must be conversing, though, because they all take flight. In synchrony, they flash together, all of them now a bright green. That's how I find my way out of the forest, by following this procession of glowing, flying animals out of the wilderness and back to the benches. Off in the distance, I can see Tarak. Did he even know I was lost?

"Thank you," I say to the glowing creatures in the treetops. I'm a bit sad that I won't be seeing them anymore.

When I leave the forest, Glow Ball flies near me and lands on a nearby bench. I try to pet Glow Ball, and he trills, flying just out of reach. I try again, leaping, and Glow Ball dodges me again. Glow Ball's flying friends join us and they join in the game, trilling and darting away from me when I chase them, flashing beautiful colors on their bellies. It's like we are playing a game of tag, except that I'm always it.

I leap and I jump, but I start to get frustrated. I am never going to catch them.

Glow Ball peeps loudly and flies straight at me, landing on my shoulder. I stroke his head, giving the creature praise and it purrs, kneading its claws on the cloth of my spaceship uniform. His wings flap, tickling my cheek. I carefully pull out the wings to examine them better; the wings seem delicate and running through the center of these wings are long slender bones.

"Kata," calls my owner.

Although I don't know much of the scourge language, I have some idea what that kata means. Basically, he wants me to run to him like some sort of lap dog. I don't want to leave these fascinating creatures quite yet, so I ignore Tarak and chase after these creatures. I never want this fun to end.