Jacob is lying on the silicone lifeform’s bed, watching the alien ship’s tentacles ripple in contentment through the window. Beside him the beautiful blue alien’s tentacles are wrapped around him, squeezing him comfortingly. “She is a fool. You make a wonderful sexual partner even if your genitalia is small for my species.”
Jacob’s watch beeps. “Get your ass on the bus; we are going home,” it displays. Jacob groans; the thought of having to ride back to the surface with ass-face Charles makes his stomach turn.
“I have to go.” He kisses above her breast. “Thank you; I didn’t know where else to go.”
“You’re welcome.” One of her tentacles tickles his anus. “If you ever get up here again, come see me; I find your insides delightful.”
“Why don’t you come visit?” He asks, a frown growing on his face. He rubs his hand across her tentacle.
“maybe” She kisses Jacob again, giving him extra tongue like she thinks he likes.
Jacob pulls away, escaping the invasion. He stands up, eyes down. “Like I said, thanks.” He gets dressed, his eyes reluctant to leave hers. He pulls them away and walks down the corridor toward the airlock.
“Goodbye, Auntie,” he whispers. Running his hand across the hull.
Jacob crosses over to the broom closet that has been his home these few short days. ‘Her stuff is gone.’he thinks and his head falls even lower, he packs his things with a lack of any enthusiasm.
He closes the door to room 13 and walks the short walk to the airlock of the shuttle. Looking around one last time at the garden in space.
He walks confidently towards the shuttle dock his space legs developing just in time to leave. “I hope that ass hat isn’t piloting again,” he mumbles under his breath.
Trever looks at Jacob and nods. “Izzy is inside already; we are ready to depart,” he says, gesturing for Jacob to get into the airlock.
They enter the airlock together.
Trever, without looking at Jacob, says quietly, “She is rough, but she will survive.” He puts his hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “She does love you; don’t forget.” The inner airlock opens before he can ask any questions.
He closes his mouth, the words forgotten, as he looks inside the crew cabin and sees Izzy’s head in her hands, holding her hair, curling herself up as tightly as the seatbelt will allow. The microgravity lets her hair fly into a ball around her head.
Jacob puts his bag in the luggage rack and makes sure the door is shut tightly before sitting next to her. He looks her over; she seems physically ok, just a little pale.
“Izzy…” Jacob whispers, his heart aching to see her like this. He straps himself into the seat, afraid to touch her.
“Strap in; we are dropping in 2,” Jack Harrington says from the cockpit, his voice sharp and angry.
Trever panics and straps himself into the seats behind the cockpit.
Marlon turns and smiles at him. “It’s been good knowing you.”
“Izzy?” Jacob whispers to her, but she is unresponsive.
“20 seconds,” Jack says, and Trevor and Marlon grab the arms of their seat.
“You can pilot this right, boss?” Marlon asks, his coolness lost and his color going the same shade as Izzy’s.
“I can fly anything,” Jack Harrington boasts, putting his cigar back in his mouth. “We will be down in 3 minutes and having drinks in 10.”
The shuttle disconnects from the parking lot; the sounds are horrifying to Jacob. Then, with a small press of a button from Jack, there is a slight sensation of gravity as the ship turns and points toward England, and a 5-second burst of maneuvering jets pushes them away from the station.
“Engines on!” Jack shouts from the cockpit.
Jacob panics and puts his hand on Izzy’s for comfort. There is a tingle, and then he feels the warmth of her skin.
Izzy feels Jacob’s thoughts.
She feels the scared little boy who peed his pants in the car and still worries about it when he goes on long car rides.
She feels the argument they had where she ripped the game console off the shelf, the hopelessness, the remorse, and the heartbreak of losing the competition and his chance to go pro.
She feels how heartbroken he was to come home to an empty house.
She feels everything.
Jacob unknowingly pulls her back into focus. He squeezes her hand, and her mind calms down. She didn’t realize time was moving forward.
She feels the whirlwind of emotions flowing through Jacob’s mind with fleeting memories, some good, some bad. But always together with her. ‘He loves me,’ she whispers in her mind. ‘Even now,’ she thinks, her heart racing. She mumbles out loud, “I don’t deserve it.”
The voice of her inner demon Her inner lust monster looks at her with pity. ‘You’re right.’
Izzy starts to breathe hard, imagining a life without him.
A quiet voice from far away, a smile, and the warmth of arms wrapped her. ‘You’re okay; we will figure it out. I love you; I am here; I am not going anywhere.’
“Jacob?” Izzy cries out.
“Izzy,” Jacob whispers out loud, squeezing her hand.
The ship’s hulls heat up as they descend through the atmosphere.
“I am sorry,” she whispers.
