Sixteen

On my sixteenth birthday mom had slowed down my visit to the outdoors to less than once per month. I’d grown used to it being a special occasion. She needed the help around the home. She sat me down this morning in front of my journal and asked me to write fifty more words. At this point I’m worried she struggled to read my writing. I was growing distant from written word and my penmanship suffered. The bulbs and root vegetables had died and all that was left were rats. As a special treat for this special day she had found a small handful of gooseberries, and sweet tree sap which she kept in a jar of water through the winter months. It had flavored the water in a unique way. She called it tea. Whatever it was, it was the best thing I’d tasted. 

We had a close bond. Mom and I. We lamented our lost loved ones together, and comforted each other. But every so often I would leave to explore. I’d bring back baskets of rodents, wild rosemary, and anything else I could find to eat. That day I left and stared at the cursive above the door, pondering its meaning again. I ran to the yellowing toy chest and sipped my drinks and stared out the window at the foggy red-orange sky and gloomy jaundiced path ahead. Still, nothing and no one. Except, there was a new figure sitting in the window opposite me. Directly across the street in a second story window was the pale steel blue face of an observant Hil. I noticed it the last time I explored and nearly s**t myself. It stared at my window with such intensity I’d thought it was trying to summon a fire on my forehead. It didn’t mind me, and I didn’t mind it.  

Hil is an acronym. It stands for Highly Intelligent Lifeforms. They are all flesh and blood and look similar enough to humans but they are silvery blue and all wear the same uniform. They are silent, observant. A governmental experiment is what mom says. Dad claims they are from one of the distant stars. They are treated with care. They seem to be completely mute, but they are not dumb. I was told to find one if I ever needed help. They will sit with you whether you are a worm, an armadillo, or one of the elites.  

The thought came to me that I should go across the street and greet them but where there are Hils, typically there are also Armidillos. The corpse of one lay face down in the street between the two homes. I was surprised it’s body hadn’t been discovered or removed. Unfortunately this was a normal enough part of life. Just when my mind wandered to the doll in the toy bin and I was standing to close the blinds my body froze. I wasn’t sure why at first. I stood still in the window for several seconds before I pieced together what had stopped me. There was a figure in the doorway. I turned quickly on my heel to face the silhouette and it had vanished. I didn’t even blink. I nearly dropped my whiskey and I believe I did drop my jaw. I shut the door and placed in front of it every heavy object in the room and looked at the window. A humanoid shadow filled most of the curtains width and nearly all of its height. I pulled my knife from my hip and reared back like a snake, ready to pounce. I ripped the curtain open and thrust my knife through the glass window at the shadow, and let out a growl. A sharp cold feeling caught my wrist and my momentum ceased. The Hil from across the street was holding my wrist. My fingertips were turning a strange shade of purple.  

My blade had struck its chest, and a shade of blue I couldn’t ever imagine poured down the handle. It was warm. The Hil spoke. “Earth. Please, run. Run fast, run far. Hear me Earth. Humans are coming.”  

It released me, held its chest, and retreated. I gasped back to life and stared at the electric blue blood on my hands. I began to shake and a sob caught itself in my throat. I let out a whine. I wiped my tears and ran home faster than I ever thought possible, forgetting about the cigarettes in my pocket or the whiskey in my hand. Mom stared at me, said nothing, and held me. She took my whiskey and cigarettes and grounded me for the next year. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go outside ever again anyway.