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Then, hesitantly, she placed her hand on mine, mimicking my posture. “I’m Aurora,” she replied softly, trying to mirror my tone. “Of… Earth.”
I smiled, a gentle curling of my lips, appreciating her attempt at observing my traditions. “Well met, Aurora.”
While the danger outside urged us to be silent, the atmosphere in the cave pressed on us, thick with unsaid words and curiosities.
Seeking to ease the tension, I started sharing my story.
“I come from a planet called Zelthora in the Andromedan sector,” I began, my voice echoing slightly in the cave. “It’s a world of vast oceans and towering cities, where the skies shimmer in purples and blues. Our species, the Zelthorians, are known for our skills in interstellar navigation and diplomacy. But as you might’ve guessed, I’m not exactly here on a diplomatic mission.”
Aurora listened intently, her fear momentarily overshadowed by fascination. “Your world sounds beautiful,” she murmured.
“It was,” I admitted, a pang of nostalgia hitting me. “But circumstances changed, leading me on a different path, one that brought me here.”
A shared silence enveloped us, comfortable yet filled with a multitude of questions.
It was Aurora’s turn now.
She began recounting her journey, her life on Earth, and the series of events that brought her into this alien game.
“On Earth… and I can’t believe I’m even referring to it like that… but on Earth, I was a clerk in a store. We sold souvenirs to tourists. I always had plans to travel but… I never thought… I mean,abduction?”
The connection I felt to Aurora deepened, an unexpected bond forming in the midst of our shared adversity.
The night deepened, and the roars outside became more sporadic, signaling the creatures exploring other quadrants of the platform.
While our immediate danger seemed to wane, I knew we couldn’t afford to let our guard down.
The two of us, aliens in every sense of the word, found solace in our shared stories.
The cave, initially a mere refuge, transformed into a sanctuary of connection, bridging the gap between two vastly different worlds.
Outside, the world remained perilous.
But for now, in this fleeting moment, there was understanding.
There was hope.
* * *
I took a deep breath, preparing to explain our predicament to Aurora.
“You, Aurora,” I began, hesitating slightly, “have been sold to the Malquarans.”
Aurora’s eyes widened. “Sold? I wasn’t sold!” she exclaimed, her voice echoing slightly.
“Well, if not sold, then you were abductedand thensold,” I replied, looking at her earnestly. “But the means by which you arrived here is irrelevant. You’re now part of their twisted competition.”
She eyed me warily. “What competition?”
I sighed. “The Mating Games. A grotesque mix of an intergalactic holo-TV show and a dark social experiment. It’s popular among certain… less honorable parts of the galaxy.”
Aurora stared, disbelief evident on her face. “You’re telling me this… thisnightmareis some sort ofreality show?!”
“It’s worse than that,” I admitted. “The goal for each male participant is to mate with you. And not just once, but three times. Once that happens, that male wins, and the game concludes. Each time you mate — or if you die before it takes place — the scenario is reset. We all reappear in those pods for the next round.”
Aurora looked horrified, her eyes darting around as if searching for a way out.
“You mean to tell me that every time one of those…thingsmates with me, this whole thing starts all over again?!” Her voice trembled with anger and fear. “That’s barbaric!”
