Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 51862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
The closer I get to him, the more fear appears in his eyes. I am so much larger than him, and my tusks and fangs are not vestigial. They are made for battle. I can taste the blood of my erstwhile enemies on them. As I approach, I let my tongue run the length of both tusk and fang, preparing them for fresh meat.
Before I can lay hands on him, the boy goes pale, turns, and runs as fast as his legs can take him. I could easily run him down, but I let his cowardice take center stage.
“I am not here to hurt you,” I declare to those who still remain. “But you were marked for capture by enemies of mine, and you are still in danger. I need all of you to listen to me, and to obey me in every order I give. I am not your adversary, but I am also not your friend.”
I see them look at one another as I make this announcement. I know it will bring comfort to those who are frightened, but will also cause rebellion among the more dominant of their number — and there will be several of them. I can already feel them out in the crowd. The two women with baked goods strike me as the first most likely troublemakers. They are matriarchs among this tribe, and quite likely the progenitors of many of those I have before me now. If they can be persuaded to align their interests with mine, they should be of use to me. Then there are the males who have positioned themselves as authority figures. They will be more troublesome.
I am taking stock of what will soon be my stock, wondering if I should round them up now and get them into the ship. It might cause a stir to land Wrathelder’s ship back on my home world and emerge with an entire village of humans, but it would also be a significant triumph.
Of course, Wrathelder would sue for custody of them and I would be thrown back in prison. Perhaps that is a fantasy best kept for another time. I will train them now, earn their loyalty, ensure that they know precisely whom they belong to. Yes, I intend to take every single one of these people for my own, though only Emily is my personal pet.
“Zain?” Almost on cue, Emily’s soft fingers curl around my scaled arm. “You’re scaring people.”
“Good,” I say. “Fear is a proper response. Fear will keep you all safe. Listen to the people who were taken. Any of you can be plucked from exposed spaces at any time if a Wrathelder ship is nearby.”
There’s a murmur of concern as the recent abductees confirm that yes, this is true. Of course, many people were inside at the time Wrathelder ran their extraction ray over this town like a vacuum. They saw what happened to those who happened to be outside. They also no doubt saw the rapid descent of their unfortunate friend and his unpleasant end. I can see the shrouded stretcher being carried into a steepled building of worship which sits at the very end of the main road of the town, facing what would be the direction of the rising sun.
Wrathelder are true monsters, and if they are allowed to gain mass control over human populations, only suffering can result.
“They will be back. It is only a matter of time. I can protect you, but only if you are obedient.”
The humans immediately begin arguing among themselves, speaking in fast chatter.
“We’ve been protecting ourselves for years.”
“Against sky rays that suck us up?”
By now, what must be nearly the entirety of the settlement is assembled, perhaps a hundred human souls in all. Many of them are older. I do see a few females with children, though it looks as though as a population, they are running out of mates for a breeding population. My pet appears to be among the younger women. That explains some of the hostility of the younger male. Perhaps he intended on one day mating her himself.
I am sure when they are not confronted with paradigm-altering evidence of their own small place in the universe, they are shiny happy smiley, ruddy faced pure people. Wholesomeness rolls off them in great waves and I feel a certain deep peace watching them. I imagine they might have a similar feeling when watching their stock grazing peacefully in pasture. It is a feeling of contentment and protection. I will look after these people, whether they like it or not.
This is how humans are meant to be, I tell myself. This is a place worth protecting, a vestige of a time when humanity was still able to be happy.
The women wear clothing made of recycled and handmade fibers. There is a lot of wool in evidence. The men are dressed in thick denim and cotton trousers; those who labor favor blue hues, while older gentlemen are wearing tan. I do notice that although there is clearly a great deal of craftsmanship on display, much of what some of them are wearing appears new.