The Archaeological Chronicles - The New World

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Here she comes again

Troubles on her brow

Here she comes again

With worries she can’t hide

--

Mari

I woke to gentle clawed fingers stroking the hair away from my face.

My surroundings became clearer the more I regained consciousness.

I was in a bed, a smaller one than back at the glassed villa. I guess I had fallen asleep on the ship.

Involuntarily, I leaned into the touch. It was pleasant. Reminded me of when Amalie would run her fingers through my hair whenever we hung out.

She loved to fickle with things, and often that involved my hair. Or her knitting. A pang of homesickness hit me like a wave.

I opened my eyes, confirming that I wasn’t in my own bed. On my own earth.

I am met with Kai’ine’s blue and yellow eyes. He was kneeling before the bed, looking at me.

A groan escapes my lips as I turn my back towards him. Not ready to get up for the day.

He chuckles. ‘’We are in Zone three, little Viking,’’ he murmurs gently.

The gentlest I’ve ever heard his voice be.

‘’Cool,’’ I mutter, brushing him off completely.

‘’We are going on a hike today. A tall mountain. Overlooking the sea,’’ he tempts. ‘’You do not want to come?’’ he teases.

I groan again. Knowing myself too well. Of course, I want to come. I’m a scientist, I love looking at things. Old things, especially.

I have also worked up an appetite of unknown-alien-planets as well.

I fling the duvet to the side, leaving my body exposed to the chilled air onboard the ship.

Fuck, it was cold in here.

An instant shiver seeps through my bones.

‘’Fuck Kaine, how high is your body temperature?’’ I stutter out, shaking teeth, as I rise from the bed.

‘’Well, you die if your body temperature reaches 42 Celsius. We are considered ill if we go under 50,’’ he explains as he ushers me to the bathroom.

‘’If you wanted to kill me, freezing me to death seems like quite the boring option,’’ I mutter as I basically run into the shower.

‘’True,’’ he shrugs in a joking matter as he steps into the shower too.

This was a smaller shower, then what I was used to. Quite so.

I am pressed up against Kai’ine, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve come to learn his emotions without him ever having a facial expression.

If he ever does, it’s quite the strong emotion, or that he tries to mimic a humane one. The latter only makes him look more like a robot.

He was feeling especially touchy-feely today as he grasps my face in his hands and tilts my head upwards. Never saying anything, just staring.

Looking into my soul.

I never brought up the genetic match part again, neither did he. I want it to stay that way.

‘’How are you feeling?’’ he asks, as the staring got too intense for me, so I turned my back towards him.

He let me.

‘’Tired,’’ I answer.

He start with the usual routine, touching me places I’d rather not be touched by a man I hate, but it’s incredible how accustomed the body gets to dominance.

How little my opinions matter.

Hate. A strong word. Do I truly hate him? Do I still hate him, is the more accurate question.

Do I?

He can be gentle, attentive and a good listener. He likes it a lot when I talk about archaeology. He doesn’t want me hurt, yet he hurts me himself.

He’s possessive and controlling. He has touched me places. If this was back on earth this was sexual assault, big time.

I felt sexually assaulted every time he did it, every morning and some nights. I just got used to it, that’s all.

To him, this wasn’t inappropriate. To him, this was a show of care – that he will care for me. If he’s telling the truth, that is.

I’m constantly conflicted between feeling completely safe and at ease in his presence, that nothing can ever get me when he’s around or that he’s constantly hovering over me.

Smothering me. Watching me. Waiting to hurt me when I least expect it.

When I look up at him, he’s concentrating on getting enough conditioner at the tips of my hair.

His startling white hair flowing freely, even when completely wet. One should assume that gravity would hold it down, especially when it had water in it. Weighing it down.

But no.

I can’t help but think that he’s strikingly attractive, in his own way. Muscular, tall and lean. Symmetric face. The color of his skin never bothered me. It was beautiful, too.

The eyes, his eyes, were the most striking part about him.

I loved them as much as I hated them. They were glowing, in this moment. He was happy. Content.

I can’t help but feel like if this was any other circumstance, I would have found him strikingly attractive. Painfully so.

That makes it only worse.

I wish he was ugly. Like really, really ugly. Things would have been much easier.

‘’You are thinking especially hard today, little Viking,’’ he states curiously as he wraps me in a towel. Pulling me out of my thoughts.

‘’Aliens are confusing,’’ I reply, not meeting his gaze.

He braids my hair, still wet. As always. The only difference is that we’re still in the bathroom, and I’m not seated on the bed or on a chair.

I can see him work his way through my long hair. It had gotten blonder, lighter, from all the exposure of the sun.

‘’In what way?’’ he asks, looking up from his braiding. Meeting my eyes in the mirror.

‘’About everything,’’ I answer.

He shakes his head, the ghost of a smile grazing his lips.

***

I was panting like crazy. This mountain was going to be the death of me.

Kai’ine was walking in the front line, leading us up. The twins walked with me, having pleasant chatter as we walked up.

They didn’t even sweat.

Probably walking way slower because of me. The two generals I met at the Flint Castle was also walking with us.

The area remained me, painfully so, of northern Norway. It was as I seeing it for the first time, again.

The only difference was the purple ocean running smoothly through two mountains, that was probably once connected.

Erosion was a funny thing.

We were all dressed in the regular, regal, clothing. I even had to wear white today, because of the masses of people that greeted us on the way up.

They seemed to enjoy hiking as much as Norwegians. All the daque that passed us always lingered their gaze on me.

Probably curious.

The generals walked last. Behind the twins and I. Murmuring to themselves, in their mother tongue.

We were nearing the top after about two hours of walking straight upwards. I was going to feel this trip in my calves and thighs by tomorrow.

‘’Mai’yri,’’ Kai’ine calls.

I look up from the ground, concentrated on my steps. He motions for me to come to the front.

I jog to catch up with him.

‘’See,’’ he points out the scenery.

We reached the top. The scenery made me completely speechless. It was so beautiful.

Tears stung my eyes, unwillingly, reminding me so much of my beloved home.

I fumble in the pocket of my trousers, fishing up my phone.

‘’I have to capture it,’’ I murmur in amazement.

He smiles down at me. ‘’Do you like it?’’

I nod. ‘’I love it,’’ I breathe.

I look at the gorgeous scenery, just enjoying the view.

His hand touches my back.

‘’Good,’’ he says quietly.

The twins catch up to us and join us in enjoying the view.

The generals catch up with us too. Since this is the second time seeing them, I’m not able to gauge their reactions. Expressionless. Their black eyes make it even harder to decipher their feelings.

General Liocel looks down at me, meeting my gaze.

‘’Does it remind you of your home on earth?’’ he ask.

Emotionless. Staring.

I nod once, feeling a bit uncomfortable by his intense eyes.

‘’That’s good. When you get back it will, after all be less crowded, so you will be able to hike in solitude!’’ he chirps.

The three siblings tense.

Kai’ine’s grip on my back, turns slowly into a fist.

‘’Less crowded?’’ I ask with a frown.

Before any of the three siblings can interrupt, which I notice that they really, really want to, he replies.

‘’You know the virus we planted, COVID19? Surely you knew-‘’

Kai’ine shouts at him in their mother tongue, before he can finish his sentence.

But I have heard enough.

I momentarily space out as I take in the new information. Shock doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling in my gut.

I slowly turn to face the siblings.

We had such a good time on this hike. Everything was so peaceful and nice. During all this time, my entire stay, they have lied me straight in the face.

I take a slow breath, to rid myself of the nerves.

‘’Tell me- tell me that you didn’t,’’ I say in a trembling voice.

Almost not daring to look into their eyes. Almost.

Their lack of response is all I need to confirm it.

They have killed millions humans. Innocent people.

I take another deep breath before I start sprinting down the mountain, on another trail that we came up through.

I can hear Kai’ine call for me, but Zuuri holds him back. Letting me go.

I feel most betrayed by Zuuri. He was so kind to me, so curious about humanity.

How could he be in this too?

My experienced feet run over stones, roots and sand. I leap over the biggest stones. Landing gracefully back on my feet. I’ve done this a thousand times.

I knew how to run fast down a mountain.

I was also heartbreakingly aware that if they wanted, they could catch up with me without struggle. I feel so stupid.

So betrayed.

My lungs are burning from the strain, but I welcome the sting from it. The thunderous heartbeat reminds me that I am, truly, alive and experiencing this.

How could they?

Tears blur my vision as I think about my friends and family. I hope everyone is okay. Alive.

Millions of innocent deaths.

I can hear Kai’ine call for me once again, sounding closer. Not daring to turn and face him just yet, I push myself harder.

He is not getting to me without a fight!

I abruptly halt in my steps. Throw myself around, to see him coming after me.

‘’I am going to run down this hill, and you are going to let me, you murderer!’’ I scream.

He halt in his tracks. Giving me an unreadable expression.

’’If you dare stop me, I will fuck throw the biggest tantrum you have ever seen! Your people as well!’’ I scream, fists balled at my sides.

He doesn’t respond.

’’I hate you so much!’’ I cry out, my voice breaking.

I turn from him, wiping my eyes as I leap down a few stones before continuing my run.

I didn’t hear him follow.

Shagged breaths, lungs on fire and legs feeling like jelly. I was almost empty. In every sense of the word.

How could they?

I choke on another sob. Not daring to face the truth. Hating myself for even contemplating on if I still hated him or not. He fooled me. Tricked me into false security. They were never going to tell me.

They were never going to tell me!

Every single cell in my body hurt. I didn’t know where to start. How to process it. How to process the pain I was feeling. I was ashamed. Ashamed that I started to enjoy Kai’ine’s presence. How safe he made me feel.

How could he?!

I’m running as fast as I can, coming down the mountain, but never stopping. I run straight into the woods. Running for my dear life. Maybe I was.

Running for my sanity.

Adrenaline was in such high levels that I could barely feel my feet anymore. My lungs, either. I just kept on running.

I was thrown off my balance as something hits me from the side. I skid against the grassed underground. Painfully. My shoulder taking the hit hardest. I groan out, ready to yell at Kai’ine for hitting me this hard.

It’s not Kai’ine.

A group of masked people traps me in a circle. They speak in hushed voices. Can’t make out their words. I’m breathing heavily as I get to my feet. I’m instantly pushed down again, roughly.

A kick to the ribs sends me flying. I groan out once again, the pain blinding my eyes.

Someone takes hold of both my hands, simultaneously biting into flesh.

I scream out, a blood curdling scream.

Another bites my thigh.

Another my neck.

My blood is on fire.

Poison.

A masked person hovers above me, fisting my hair and snarls in my face. The pain spreading across my entire body is indescribable.

It feels like my nerves are on fire. Every single one.

I wish for it to end.

The masked person that hovers above me suddenly takes a chunk out of the other side of my neck. Biting hard.

I scream so loudly, louder than I thought possible, whilst gurgling on my own blood, spilling out of my mouth.

Everything stops. I can’t feel my body. I can barely keep my eyes open. Ragged breaths.

It’s painful to breathe.

It makes the burning intensify.

I hear a roar in the distance.

A single silhouette with blazing hands. Eyes glowing. Monstrous face. Hair floating wildly.

Zuuri appears in my vision. I can see him talk, but I can’t hear whatever he’s saying.

He’s ranting. Eyes so white, nearly transparent. My body is shaking violently, ever move of my muscles cries out in pain. I have never felt anything like it.

He shouts at me when my eyes start to close.

I’m sorry, Zuuri. I can’t help it. I’m in so much pain. I just need to sleep it off.

I’m sorry.

--