AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The pod zipped along at what might have been speed, and my stomach took its own turbulent journey.
The stars outside, usually distant and steady, transformed into fleeting streaks of light, illuminating the darkness like fireflies on a summer evening.
“Okay, universe,” I muttered, my voice vibrating from the pod’s rapid movement. “I could’ve used a ‘hold onto your seats’ warning.”
As if answering me, the pod gave a sudden jolt, and I found myself thrown about its confines.
An awkward dance of trying not to collide into the glass, the alien, or myself ensued.
However, every twist and turn seemed to have me smashing into the alien’s sturdy frame.
“Sorry!” I exclaimed after the third or so collision, my cheeks reddening. “I swear I’m… usually better at personal space.”
Talan, for his part, didn’t seem perturbed by our physical encounters.
He moved with a grace I didn’t expect, effortlessly holding on to the walls of the pod, while also attempting to shield me from the more violent jostles.
Those golden eyes, which seemed to hold galaxies within them, showed a glint of amusement.
In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d say he wassmirking.
The alien shifted his weight, subtly positioning himself in a way that would protect me from the next wave of turbulence but without making me uncomfortable.
Our shackled arms entwined, and for a moment, we were locked in a cosmic tango.
Suddenly, the once deep black of space started giving way to the fiery amber of an atmosphere.
We were descending onto a planet, and from the looks of it, not gently.
The protective layer outside our pod glowed bright, resisting the atmospheric friction.
My heart raced, my mind racing with it. “Is it normal for this pod to heat up like a molten lava cake?”
He merely glanced at me, a look of confusion on his otherwise calm demeanor.
Maybe he wasn’t as invincible as he seemed.
I felt him grip my hand tighter.
It was comforting to know that amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there was a bond, however nascent, forming between us.
The speed of our descent seemed to increase, and I felt the pressure mounting.
The inside of the pod grew hotter, the air thinning.
Panic threatened to overtake me.
“Hey,” I whispered, trying to hold back my anxiety. “If we don’t make it, just… thanks. For trying to protect me.”
I was gibbering in my terror.
Talan looked down at me, and for the first time, I saw emotion in those mesmerizing golden eyes.
Empathy, understanding, maybe even a hint of… affection? “Riley,” he started, his voice strained from the intense heat and pressure, “we will survive this nightmare if…”
His words were cut off by an even more violent shake.
Ifwhat,dammit!
