Alien Bride

There were moments of happiness and peace. There were experiences that excited me. Summer vacations, school plays, sitting at the backyard table every Sunday for dinner.

The little things always hit me the hardest. When I really analyze my memories, I start to realize there were a lot of little things.

Sometimes, the pain of loss is so overwhelming you make yourself forget. Through forgetting, you lose even more.

Ever since he died, my world broke apart, like a snow globe in the hands of an infant.

I can’t forget him. I can’t forget them, my family.

I can’t forget Earth. The planet is just too damn special.

Although I was overjoyed just a few seconds ago, a clear view of Empire City sends me into a negative spiral. I hope it wasn’t a mistake to think this could work, that three aliens would ever be allowed to marry a human without the permission of their great Emperor…

A sound reverberates through the landscape, causing me to stand. A rush of wind follows, furrowing around my body. “What the...”

I squint my eyes, but I can’t see anything.

And then I hear light computerized tones. One by one, cloaking systems reveal a group of sentinels. Their armor flashes on as they scatter toward me, weapons lighting up.

They fire.

My flowers fall to the ground, petals scattering across the dead grass.

Laser beams fly around me. At first, I’m frozen. These horrid, policing brutes are hell bent on killing me, and I have no idea what to do.

So I run.

I jolt toward the breeding facility, tripping only to roll down the hill. I dive through the chain link fence and worm around the massive metal beams of destruction.

I pray to God they aren’t on my trail, but they’re not far off.

Another laser blast hit near my ankle as I enter the facility, screaming, “Wake up! Sentinels!”

My nerves twist as I run downstairs to the alphas. As I enter the darkness, I feel a set of hands force around my mouth.

It’s Lök. “Shh,” he whispers.

When the sentinels enter upstairs, their footsteps slow. I hear another foreign tone, and a beam of red light floods the room.

“Sending out a heat map,” a sentinel says.

Another flash of light illuminates the chambers, but it stops near our feet.

All of the alphas hold their breaths, and I can make out the quiet thud of their hearts beating.

We’re all frightened. This could be it, the end of our bliss.

“The female is not cold blooded. She will not register on our devices,” another sentinel says, near the darkened path.

“She must be somewhere,” another says.

Step by step, their noises grow louder. The darkened path down to the ritual chamber has been discovered. They’re going to find us.

I expected the best when I should have expected the worst. This entire time, I was chasing an impossible dream.

The sentinels reach the downstairs chamber. Another beam of light flashes. It’s over in an instant.

The aliens open fire before the Empire’s goons can get the go on them.