Within minutes, Mal’k was outside my door with Ruiz, who explained to Klein what was happening before we were teleported aboard their vessel. The first thing you’d notice about their ship is the silence. It was deafening, no hum of the engines or ventilation, no beep of machines. No sound, but the swish of clothes and the fall of steps as we followed Mal’k to the infirmary.
“What is eternal sleep?” I asked. sounds like death.
“It is a way of rest that slows our bodily functions.”
Basically a meditation method, that allows them to sleep for years, like being in a coma. They often use it to seclude themselves from society, or while they are still searching for their companions, to pass the time. Their souls wander and it’s dangerous without a companion.
“Those without a companion are assisted by a physician or spirit guide into a pseudo sleep. But Lao’k entered sleep without telling anyone.” Mal’k explained.
Lao’k was connected to tubes and wires, his body deathly still, not even his chest moved.
“He entered sleep after you two separated. He was fine until last night. He’s been slipping deeper, moments ago he crossed the threshold, we can no longer reach him. If this goes on I’ll lose him. Please Alei, I can’t lose my brother. Right now only his companion can call him back.”
My chest felt hollow except for the pinch loneliness. I’m such a mess! I wanted to rush over to him, to see him looking at me. I felt like a hypocrite, minutes ago I was angry at Klein for trying to push me at Lao’k, saying I couldn’t accept being his wife. Now here I was, wanting to save him, wanting to see him smile at me again.
I looked at Mal’k with wet eyes. “How do I?”
“Reach for him like you do to talk to him, from there you’ll know what to do. The bond between you goes beyond conscious thought.”
I walked up to the bed, he was lying so peacefully. I traced his lips with the tips of my fingers. He didn’t feel warm. Reaching for him was harder with his eyes closed, normally I’d feel an anchor to where he was, but he seemed so far away now. Like a fading echo. The room around me gradually disappeared, replaced by an infinite void. Lao’k was far ahead of me. I tried to get closer to him, but a warmth had an unyielding grip on me. In fighting to get to Lao’k I felt a snap. I was suddenly cut lose, the warmth that weighed me down was gone, replaced by a biting frigidity that cut to the bone. I ran toward Lao’k, he was wandering aimlessly like a lost puppy towards a cold black hole. I called out, but he didn’t hear me. When I grabbed his hand, he turned to me, almost immediately his eyes lit up.
He hesitated, then called my name sorrowfully. Alei.
Let’s go, Mal’k’s worried about you. I said shivering.
He shook his head slowly. You are right, I have done nothing but disturb your life
Malk needs you.
He does not. You do not.
He was out of it. I never thought he could be so... depressing. I sighed, either I committed, or didn’t and he died. I had to be honest for both our sakes. I need you. I’m a mess, but the thought of losing you... I inhaled sharply, a pointed pain in my chest dug deeper followed by the tingling feel of electric shock. He looked backwards then at me.
What are you doing?!
Fetching you. I gave a weak chuckled. I felt overwhelmingly drowsy.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the black hole. We walked until the drowsiness eased, then he threw me ahead of him. Go back.
Not without you.
You are not Alythe, you will not need me as a mate.
I forced a laugh. Maybe that was true before, now I’m not so sure. The thought of not having you around frightens me almost as much as losing our farm.
He took hold of my hand. We stayed silent, no exchange of words or thoughts. I don’t know how long we stayed like that, but it ended when he kissed my hand. Let’s go back.
We walked hand in hand, our fingers intertwined. I need a life with you Alei. Without you there is nothing else. I’m sorry to have complicated your life, but I do not regret it. Not from the moment I laid eyes on you.
You’re an unexpected variable in what I thought was a neat plan for my future. And with you are burdens I don’t want to carry.
Then don’t. He smiled at me then disappeared.
Unbelievable. Ok I got to him. How do I get out? I kept walking away from the black hole waiting for my turn to disappear. Nothing happened, except the tingling I had been feeling stopped. Was this a trap? No. Mal’k’s concern for Lao’k was genuine, I felt his fear when he first reached out to me. So how do I get unstuck? A pair of arms circled my waist and I felt a breath on my neck. A fantasy I had that day in the Bot-bay reared it’s head.
Lao’k kissed my shoulder. Do you remember your body?
I live in it, it’s hard to forget it. I turned to him like he was mocking me.
He wasn’t, his face had a serene smile. Build me the image of your body.
I thought of my body. I was tall for a woman, skinny as a skeleton. My bust got bigger recently, but its hardly noticeable, no arse. Dark brown hair in a pixie cut, thick eyebrows, and annoyingly long eyelashes. Stubby nosed, butt chinned, toes like fingers, with scrawny scarred hands. What color are my eyes...
Deep brown like your hair, with touches of red. He breathed against my ear.
I opened my eyes to a ceiling I did not recognise, Mal’k and the others looking down at me. I was lying in the bed with Lao’k’s arm around me.
“She was dead.” Klein whispered in shock.
“Good morning, Beautiful.” He whispered against my neck.
Lao’k later explained, that sensation of leaving the warmth that kept me from getting to him, was my soul leaving my body. I had died. They had brought our doc over to revive me, must have been the tingling sensation I felt.
Lao’k and I sat down, and discussed what happened, I apologised for how I reacted, and for not trusting him. We agreed on two rules; he’d keep his fantasy sharing to a minimum along with the skinship; and I’d read his mind more often.
Stick to your plan Alei, but add me to it.
Mal’k also continued his talks with Klein. As compensation for breaking the talks, he allowed some of our engineers to study Alythe engine technology. Klein was happy with the end result and more or less got off my case.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cUsbIZxRE
and then Add to home screen.