The Unsettled Boy (Beshin Sahin)
?Béshin Sáhin
The spaceship docked at the spaceport. The speakers told me and the other Nílans to get to the next exit. And they wished us a pleasant stay. I shouldered my bag and went out of the small room to the next airlock. Everything as if I'd done it every day for the past thirteen years. But I hadn't.
Actually I was disappointed, the entire trip hid just... happened. The start, the two years of flight, and now the end... I joined the others in the queue.
'Nílan Exchange Programme' the humans had called it. A free trip to Earth, their home planet, and they had promised to give us all an easy start. I had signed, rather spontaneously, out of curiosity. I looked forward to finally getting my feet on the ground of an other planet. And I was pretty keen on inhaling unfiltered and natural air. Well, the port was in space, but huge elevators would take me down to the planet. Or so was I told.
The queue slowly moved forwards. The humans would probably start on some paperwork. They seemed to love paper, although most of it wasn't done on actual paper anymore. I had just hoped it wouldn't be too tough.
Behind the gate stood several humans. They didn't look very nice and even carried weapons. All girls had to put their bags onto the desk and unpack them.
"You can't be serious," I heard one girl shouting. "Those are regular hunting knives!" I tried to see. Two or three knives were on the counter. The human studied them intensively.
"Sorry, Miss, we have to confiscate them. You'll get them back on the planet."
"Hah! That's theft! I'm going to complain!"
"Do that, Miss, do that. For now, next one, please!"
The girl took her stuff, glared and left, irate and mumbling. Next one was me.
"Name?" the human asked, a bit harshly.
"Scán," I answered. The human took notes. I put my bag on the desk and opened it. I didn't have many things I could call my own. Some pants and shirts, three books I had read again and again over the last twenty months, then my mobile and a small stone from a certain beach on Scánish. Plus, of course, all the papers. So the human hadn't much to look over and signed me on.
Next was another counter. A human stood behind the glass. He eyed me. "Name?" I was asked once more.
"Scán."
"Sex?"
"Male."
He took notes, glanced, wrote more and so on.
"Age?"
"Thirteen."
"Scánish years?" I nodded. He sighed and took a calculator. "Sixteen," he calculated. "Birthday?" he asked.
I hadn't reckoned on this question. I knew he was referring to my pouch day, but that had never mattered to me before. I had no idea. Before, I had just added one year every summer. So I shrugged at the question.
The human sighed once more, glanced at his watch, calculated again. "Happy birthday," he said shortly and wrote some numbers onto his screen. "Well, that's your passport," he finally said and gave me a tiny book. "Go to the lobby, where somebody will come to discuss the rest with you."
I nodded, took the book and went on. After the next door the human culture literally hit me smack in the face. I saw shops. Lots of shops, stores and cafés. Advertisings, commercials, and the big sign 'Duty Free' everywhere.
I sat down onto a bench and looked around. Noises. It wasn't really interesting. And I didn't know what I was supposed to think of it. I decided to stop staring and took a look into the book. It told me my hair - I think they meant fur - was beige, that my eyes were blue, that my new birthday was today sixteen years ago, that my nationality - whatever that meant - was Nílan and more stuff I already knew.
This environment made me hungry. But I had nothing more with me than five packs of milk from the ship. And I knew, even in these shops, I would have to pay money for the things. Of course I had no money.
I glanced around once more. Was that what the humans had to offer to the arrivals to their planet? Commerce? Ads on every wall? 'Duty Free'? I shook my head.
"Mr. Scán?"
I looked up. A young woman stood in front of me. "Just Scán, scín," I said.
"Nice name. I think I read it in a book before..."
Stósh, as if I'd never heard that one. "That was another Scán. What do you want?"
"I'm from the Nílan Exchange Programme and supposed to help and introduce you. My name is Linda Kess."
"Scishkí."
"Would you mind if we go and sit in a café?"
"Not at all, scín."
So we sat at a table in the next café. The waitress appeared immediately, demanding our wishes. Linda got coffee for herself, and said she would treat me a tea if I liked. I did.
"Well, welcome to our solar system."
"Thank you."
"So... at first I've gotta ask: Did you pass the IET-test?"
I produced a paper from my bag. I had done the test on the ship, some weeks ago and had passed with an A. That seemed to surprise Linda. She gave it back. "Very good."
The waitress came with the cups. As she turned she almost tripped over my tail. I apologised. Linda smiled. I tried to shove my tail under the chair.
"Next point: What education do you have?" And I could see she expected me to say 'none'.
"I was on a human school on Scánish. I haven't got a paper for it, but I graduated there."
Male and school education? She seemed rather astonished. I could see it in her face. She wrote something down. I felt a little angry, I didn't know why. Perhaps because I never expected humans to be biased about that topic.
"We can offer you a stay in Australia. I hope you know about it."
Yes, I did. The liberal country in the south of the planet. I had seen pictures. Wide landscapes, warm and sunny climate, wonderful beaches... I could go hunting there, as I had done some times in the wide grasslands. It sounded fairly good. I nodded.
"Fine," she smiled. Notes, notes... "So... we'll pay for the trip to the city and for the apartment for six months. We'll help you find a job as well. Here you must work and you must manage an apartment all alone. Do you think you can handle it?"
Was I a walking stereotype? I may be male, but not helpless, if alone. What did this woman know anyway? I bet she just read some books about us. Ones written by other humans who never really talked to the Nílans, but watched and thought that they understood. "Of course, scín." I stayed calm though.
"Wonderful. You'll need to look for a job for yourself, but we have a small list of places for you. You don't need to take any of them of course." She took out a file. "So, here is something for you to read, the rules of the country. Other Nílans will live in the area, perhaps not next to you, but close."
I took the thin book and the forms.
"We've already taken care of most of the stuff. Enjoy your first days on Earth. Oh, here's five hundred dollars, cash." She handed me the magical human paper. I glanced at it. "I suggest you to get an account at a bank. It can be bad to keep it in bills."
Green paper. This was the money I heard so much about. Strange... for something with so much power it looked very harmless. I had heard it was the most powerful thing in the human world. It was meant to make you happy and popular. I was impressed how that could be made by such a small piece of paper with a number on it.
"And, last but not least, the numbers of the people you can call in case of emergency, or for any further questions. Not for chatting, please." She smiled. "Anyway, here you're supposed to live completely on your own, no girl will do everything for you anymore." And she dared to chuckle after this. "I hope you can adapt."
Yes, I hoped so, too.
"Now I gotta get going. Other people need me. Enjoy your stay. The elevator will bring you down in about half an hour. Any more questions?"
I shook my head. That was enough for me. She drained last of her coffee and stood up. "Bye, Mister Scán," she said, waving, and left me alone.
I sipped my tea, it was cold. Oh, well. Now I had money. I didn't know whether five hundred dollars was a lot, but I was sure the two zeros after of the five had to mean something. I gulped down the last of the tea and stood up as well.
The humans stared at me, whispering, pointing. I had expected this. Hey, look, a Nílan. Have you seen one before? Look at him! I didn't really enjoy this, but I couldn't do anything about it. For now I just needed to get something to fill my grumbling stomach.
This shop looked good. The shelves had a lot of stuff to eat. Although... I took something from the shelf. Sugar. Candy. Sweets. Nothing for me at all. Humans were addicted to it, I knew it, but I couldn't understand. I mean, it tasted just awful, as if you put mere rubbish into your mouth. Once, a teacher in biology told me I wasn't able to taste the flavour of sugar, therefore I can't enjoy it. Anyway, this was nothing for me here. I was in the mood for something with meat...
"Can I help you?"
I spun around. A rather young human girl was standing behind the counter. I nodded.
"You lookin' for something?"
"Just for food, you know."
The girl smiled. "We've got plenty of it, as you see."
"Do you have anything without sugar?"
She frowned. "Yes... crisps? Fries? We've got salads for take away as well."
Salad... was I in the mood for a salad? Didn't sound so bad... "Well, a salad then, scín."
She opened a refrigerator box. "Vegetarian or with meat? Or fish? Shrimps?"
"Oh, fish, thanks, scín."
It was a little plastic bowl with a little plastic fork attached to it. "That's four ninety nine."
I gave her one of the bills. I didn't know exactly how much that is, she will tell me hopefully.
She frowned. "A hundred? Oh, we're rich, aren't we?"
I blinked. "What?"
She counted out the change and handed it over. I noticed she was pretty keen on touching my paw. Curiosity. I couldn't really be bad about it. I took the bowl and the change. Before I turned I leaned over. "Do you want to feel my fur?" I said spontaneously. I didn't really know why, I just did.
The girl glanced into my face and smiled. "Why not?" She reached out for my arm and stroked. "Wow..." Then she smiled. "My sister won't believe this." Her hand moved up and up, against the direction of my hair. As she approached my shoulder I slowly moved away. There was a limit.
She moved her hand away. "I'm sorry... well, sir, have a nice stay." She smiled once more, weakly this time. She was very embarrassed about it. I wasn't, but maybe that was just because I was used to girls touching me.
I went out of the shop. I could feel her watching me leave, I could feel her glance on my tail. I decided to go a bit more further away to have the meal and to wait for the elevator.
So I had a look at the small book of rules. Obviously they didn't thought very highly of Nílans. I ignored the grammar and mistakes with the accents. It was only natural. It was the content. 'Do not steal.' Oh, kás, that was the reason I had come here. 'Do not bite, hit or injure any person for other reasons than for self defence.' My back still hurt from the last night with a girl, yes, but I didn't intend injury to anyone. All in all it was about things I never thought of. For example the word 'rape' never crossed my mind before. It was strange, at home I'd never seen the rules written down. Did we have even rules as such? I don't think so. We just knew how to behave. I put the book into my bag and got on with the meal.
It tasted artificial. That was the best word to describe it. It didn't taste as natural as I had expected. Somehow... well, somehow like the food I got from the space ship.
A sign told me the elevator was ready to take the passengers down. I stood up and went to the gates.
Half an hour in a glass box. The sight was very impressive, of course. The blue and white planet under me. It looked just like Scánish, as we had started. Only the landmasses were different. And there was more green and many more clouds. Scánish was warm and a bit dry, at least my homelands were. Earth seemed fresh and green, maybe cold. And somehow I got the impression of a rather young planet, younger than ours. Or maybe it was the fact they only had one sun here. I don't know. It was just my impression.
I quickly retreated from the windows to make some space for the young girls who wanted to look and to press their muzzles against the glass. I could hear them making astonished noises. It was impressive, but I didn't need more than a short look to keep it in my memory. Photos were taken.
And then the door opened. I wasn't able to make a long, drawn out, dramatic thing out of the first step onto the planet Earth, because the people literally stampeded out of the huge glass elevator. Almost funny. Actually, no. At that moment it was rather pathetic.
As I got to the last doors dividing me from the outside world. I took a deep breath and made the step through the automatic doors. I looked around. A street. Buildings. Very tall buildings. This was the inner of a city.
Slowly I took a deep breath from the fresh air of the Earth. And I was forced to cough. I coughed long and hard. I fell onto my knees and coughed and coughed. The air was scratchy and unfamiliar in my lungs. After a while I could feel a hand patting my back.
"Everything okay?"
Still coughing, I got up again. A human male. He looked at me. "No," I said with a hoarse voice. "Did you guys ever heard of oxygen?"
The human smiled. "I've heard a rumour, yes. You're a Nílan, ain't ya?"
"No, I had just a bad childhood." Doesn't all that fur give just a tiny hint?
"Very funny. Well, Paul ínscamen."
"I am a vegetable?"
"What? No! That was supposed to mean that I'm Paul. Nice to meet you." He reached out his hand so I could shake it.
"Oh... I'm Scán..." Why had he started to talk to me? I didn't want to appear anti-social, but I knew I should be careful with friendly humans. "Do you know where I can get a map of this place?"
"What's your destination?"
"I've got an address..." I gave him the note I had taken from the papers Linda had given to me.
He glanced at it and nodded. "That's not in this city. You need to go by train, probably. The station ain't far away." He pointed.
"Thank you," I said.
"That's my job."
"What?"
"Aren't you guys used to the meaning of uniforms?"
It was only then that I noticed his outfit. Well, it could have been the usual human way of dressing, how could I know? The only uniform I had seen before was the one of a soldier. This memory always came together with another one I only wanted to forget. Kás, it was there again...
A badge pinned to the breast pocket of his jacket told me he was some kind of policeman. It had been in the English book. Policemen were a kind of soldier, just for the cities and citizens. Anyway, I thanked him again and made my way to the station.
Not in this city. What was 'this city'? On the note was written something like 'New Melbourne'. And where was I now? They hadn't told me. I hoped I could find some sort of clue at the station.
Another big building. Glass. What was it with humans and glass? Maybe it's wonderful to be able to look out... But somehow it's also possible for strangers to look in, which I definitely not always the best thing. I got in.
There it was written, on the inside. 'Welcome to New Sydney.' I'd Never heard of 'New Sydney', actually. I had had enough trouble memorising all the countries, so the cities and towns were almost unknown to me. New Sydney... As I was walking deeper into the building, between all the humans turning their heads, I saw some Nílans as well. All girls, of course. They were the two I had met on the ship and spent a night or two with. So I joined them, as they were stood in a shop, looking to buy some books or magazines, probably about this place we were in.
"Maí, look at this!" one girl said and giggled. I could only see the cover of the magazine, which showed the bare chest of a human male. The two girls couldn't stop laughing. Then they noticed me and smirked. "Scán, this is something you can't compete with." I didn't want to know what they were talking about. If they were referring to a human male, then it was only natural that I couldn't compete with them. But somehow it was attacking me a bit. But those were girls, I never get mad at girls.
"If you say so..." My standard answer to anything.
"Thál sahín," Maí said. The girls giggled and rummaged through the magazines in the magazine rack.
I found a guide for the city of New Sydney, as well as one for New Melbourne. I wasn't quite sure whether I should take them both, but somehow it affected me and I just bought them. The small maps of Australia showed me the places. I said down into a waiting lobby once more to read. The girls weren't interested in me anyway.
New Sydney, the guide said, had originally been build just for the elevator, which could not stand at the coasts. So they made up a new city in the middle of the desert - they called it Outback - so the traffic wouldn't affect anyone. With an airport and a train station this place is connected to the world. The only other elevator on Earth was in North America, the book said.
New Melbourne, on the other paw, was build at the southern coast, originally as a centre of trade and business. It had grown quickly, especially after the two wars in the northern half-sphere. Today this town had the most mixed society on this planet and it was assumed as the most tolerate place in the world. That was how they advertised it in the guide, I think it's a bit exaggerated. No wonder the Exchange Programme was intending to send me there.
I better kept moving if I wanted to be in my new home before dawn. Through the glass ceiling I could see the sun, which didn't help me at all. One sun, that had always meant 'morning' to me. When the second sun gets up it's 'noon'. When both disappear at the horizon it was 'evening'. Simple. But I could not tell what time it was with this single sun. Afternoon? Morning? Noon? I just wasn't able to figure it out.
Oh, yes the clock. I had never understood why the humans needed it so urgently. Now I knew. With only one pathetic sun they needed something like that. It was four in the afternoon.
Just before I was about to go to the trains I saw a sing which reminded me to buy a ticket. So I went to get one. I joined the queue, waited and got to the counter.
"You wish?"
"One ticket."
Silence.
"To where?" the woman said impatiently.
"New Melbourne."
"City or Airport?"
"City, I think."
"Simple or Return?"
"Simple..."
The woman gave me the ticket, I paid, took the change and left. This was very strange. This human almost seemed to hate talking to me. All I've seen was kind curiosity, not this kind of anger. Did I do anything wrong?
I glanced at the ticket. Railway 172, Platform 13. Numbers. It's always numbers with humans. My final math grade had been a C and a bit better than many girls, without wanting to show it off here. But the human love for numbers was just strange to me. I looked over the platforms. Number 13 was empty. No train there. As I turned I noticed the screen over the information point. It told me another number, the time for the departure of the train to NMB - I thought that was New Melbourne. Forty minutes. I sighed and sat down again.
The glances got annoying with the time. People just stared as if long watching would make me doing something interesting. I didn't know what they expected me to do, really. Maybe I was supposed to snarl and show me predator teeth? What a luck that the girls just found a café and decided to go through the entire list of the offer and give a loud comment for everything. So people considered them a lot more interesting than a sitting male who just took out a pack of milk and a book for reading.
They could not understand the words of the girls, I knew it. The sisters didn't mind the riot around them, I think they enjoyed it. I never liked dragging too much attention onto myself. Well, I'm a male, on Scánish I never got much attention, and I really liked it to sit in the corner. Anyway, here it is not possible not to drag attention. I will probably never walk unseen, that is just what I look like. Between all the humans every eye will notice me. And then it will stare.
I read more about New Melbourne. The pictures looked nice. I had hoped for something in the country, away from the distress and the noises of a big city. I had lived in Nárch for some time, but as I looked at the population I realised that was no comparison. In Nárch, grown to the biggest city on Scánish, lived about three hundred thousand Nílans, number with many zeros. And that was somehow impressive to me. But in Melbourne and the nearest environment they had about two million humans, which is a population I wasn't able to imagine that time. Two million were six zeros... a lot of people... how can they stay at one place? Don't they disturb each other? How was that possible?
Photos of long streets, very nice at night. The restaurant mile... so many places. I hoped I'll have the time to visit some. And it had a map in the back. I just opened and took a look. The station New Melbourne City was there. I took out the note of the address and tried to find the place on the map. It was not that close as I hoped. I found a way, but for walking it was probably too far if I wanted to be there before sundown, whenever that'd be here.
The girls just sat down next to me. "Are you hungry?" Maí held something wrapped in paper under my muzzle.
I took it. "Thank you, scín." I unwrapped. Hey, a hamburger. The first hamburger from its native place. I had eaten some, on Scánish, but I knew those were slightly different. I bit. Yes, it tasted different.
"Is it good?" Maí asked.
"Yes..." I nodded.
"Are you going to live in New Melbourne? We are." She giggled. "Maybe you could come around sometime?"
"We'll see..." I answered.
"We'd like it, Scán, really." Maí smiled. Strange that her sister never said much around her. When we had been alone Sín could talk for hours. But that was out of my business.
Suddenly my mobile rung. I practically jerked and almost fell from the bench. I didn't expected it to work here. It was a Nílan product, human compatible, yes, but this was a completely different planet, wasn't it? So why did it work suddenly? I even thought about leaving it on Scánish. It was deep in my bag, I had to rummage a while.
Finally I found it, opened it and pressed the small button. "Yes?"
"Mister Scán?"
"Yes?"
"Where are you? I'm waiting."
"I beg your pardon...?"
"I hope Misses Kess told you that I am supposed to take you to the city?"
"No... she didn't..."
"Well, I'm waiting here in front of the elevator, so where are you?"
"I'm here in the train station..."
"Oh, good, we'll meet there. Oh, 'sides, are some girls with you? Somehow Lind screwed many things up. Such things happen if you stay in space longer'n it's good for you... anyway, are they there? If not, I'm in trouble."
"Yes... oh, one moment," I said. "Maí! Maí, wait!" I shouted at the girls, who were just about to leave. Maí turned. "They're here."
"Oh, thank god... I'll be in front of the station in some minutes. Please, please, don't run away again!" Whoever it was, he hung up.
"Laí pás unscámen?" Maí smiled.
I waited in front of the glass building. Stósh, those two girls were harder to care take of than a bunch three years old boys. I watched the cars passing by, stopping and so on. I had no idea who had called me there, and what was it all about and how for Scánish's sake he did even know my number, but he had mentioned Linda Kess, so I think I can trust him for a moment. And if not, the train will leave in twenty minutes, I could still use it.
Maí and Sín just had found a kind of hobo or something. The man was sitting on the ground and asked people for some money or food. They had given him a twenty, I think, and he was very thankful. I bet those two had no idea how to manage money, they were spending it without thinking.
Another car stopped. A woman got out. That was it not. I gave up watching them. I had the strange feeling the guy will recognise me when he arrives. I had to drag away Maí from the man, she was about to take off her shirt. I grabbed her and her sister's arm and dragged them to the streets, ignoring their complaints.
And a young human male ran towards us. "Thank god!" he screamed.
The girls looked. "Who's that?"
The guy nodded at us, panting. "Hi... hi... I'm Matthew Sunnings... gosh, good I finally found you..." He reached out his hand. "So, well, the boy here is Scán, I supposed. And you must be Maí and Sín... who is who?"
"I am Sín," Sín said. "Nice to meet you." She shook the human hand, much long than necessary. "Very nice," she added.
Matthew frowned and decided that he preferred to talk to me. "Well, call me Matt. Anyway..." He tenderly, but firmly dragged his hand away from Sín. "I am so sorry, I know it's rather my fault. I'm your cab to your new home, here's my ID. Well, I think the problem was, I was late and was not able to meet you, so sorry. But I thought Linda would've told ya."
Wait... she said they would pay for the trip, didn't she? "Maybe I just didn't get it."
"Anyway, anyway, now you're here. Follow me to the car, please."
We did so. It was human car. Somehow way different and still similar to the human brands I had seen on Scánish. Four wheels, much glass, but way bigger. Enough room not only for four persons. Matt opened and we got in.
Matt started the engine and sighed. "We'll need at least three hours, so make yourself comfortable." I suddenly thought about the ticket in my pocket. It'd be the best just to forget it, maybe I can use it later on.
The seats must be something like human fashion. I could easily shove my tail into a comfortable position. I knew the most human seats made problems, they usually missed a hole in the back. After a while the tail gets numb if you have to sit on it all the time. That was what the girls complained about, because the backseats had no holes.
"Lovely girls," Matt meant sarcastically.
"Oh, there are worse."
"As always. Wanna talk or do you need rest?"
"Whatever. I don't think I can sleep right now. And not here."
At first the landscape was interesting to me, but now it got so boring that I thought my brain would give up and go to a vacation. The girls fell asleep on the backseats. I tried not to look out of the window. And so I fixed my eyes onto the dashboard instead. That was boring as well.
"Look, sheep!"
I didn't turn my head. I saw so many sheep recently I couldn't stand any more of them. Matthew had pointed at every sheep he saw, now I think he's trying to make jokes with me. I sighed.
"Hey, are you somehow engaged with the girls there?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know, going out with them and... stuff."
I blinked. "Sorry, I still don't get you."
"Oh, never mind then. I don't know anything about you and your kind, actually. I'm just the driver. But I think they're quite cute, maybe you should get them. Ask one of them out and so on."
"Oh, I think I get you... well, if they want anything like that they come to me and ask."
"You mean... you knock on your door and you don't need to do anything?"
"You can say that."
"Hmm... maybe I should start to be interested in your kind..."
"Whatever."
"Like that word, don't ya?"
"Yes."
"As I've said, I wouldn't mind staying in contact. I like you, mate. Maybe we can be friends."
That surprised me. I never had actual friend. I had... no, nothing like that. There had been the girls, which didn't really see me as a full person most of the time, and the other males. But none of them had been real friends to me. "Of course."
"Well, I've already got your mobile number. And now you have mine." Suddenly he leaned over to me and whispered: "Maybe you can hook me up with that Sín girl, she seems to like me."
"She's just curious, nothing more."
"Oh, maybe I can get her."
"I think we have a slight misunderstanding here. She will get you. She's the girl."
"Pardon?"
"I see you don't know much... you're a guy. She will go to you, ask you and you'll spend a night together. If she likes you she will ask you again sometime later."
"Wow... hey, that's a nice way of doing that. Saves me a lot of work."
"I think she will ask you. I don't know about her sister, but she will."
Matthew smiled widely. "That'd be great."
The car ate up the kilometres very fast on the road. With a quick glance onto the speedometer I could see we had almost four hundred miles per hour. The needle trembled very fast. A bit under one hour we had been on the road now. And my brain just went out and left me a small note which said 'Get someone else'. I leaned against the side window and closed my eyes. "Wake me up when something happens."
"Will take some time," Matt said and laughed quietly.
I woke up as I felt something against my tail. Or rather stroking my tail. I didn't open my eyes. The stroke got more and more intensive, and then I felt a lick. I jerked up and turned around.
Maí smiled. "I was bored..."
"Did I say I didn't like it?" I said, smirking.
"Anyway... Are you awake now?"
"Yeah, yeah..."
"Good." Was she offended?
"I dunno what you guys are talking about, but we're approaching our destination."
On the horizon some buildings were growing really fast. To my surprise they weren't that high. But they were many. Matt slowed the vehicle down.
"How long did I slept?"
"Just two hours. Like a baby. Didn't you say you can't sleep in here?"
"It was a more exhausting day as I thought." Maí was touching my tail again, I tried to stay calm. I really didn't mind it.
"Well, it's getting late. I'm sorry, but I can't get you any further than to the house. Open the compartment, there are the keys."
I opened it and got some keys. There were some paper as well. I eyed them. Sín tapped my shoulder and reached out her palm, so I gave her the two keys which looked the same. Then I took a closer look at the papers. Oh, yeah, stuff for the ownership of the apartments. Or rather the renting of them. I gave one to Sín as well. Maí was busy chewing the end of my tail.
"Well, I hope you've got everything. You can call me anytime. Well, not at night, I tend to sleep then, but usually I'm available anytime. Office work is boring anyway."
"You're not form the Exchange Programme?"
"Oh, I am, but not all the time. You can consider me as a volunteer. Usually I sit in front of a screen and read through rather boring stuff. Dunno why they can't put a computer on it... oh, well, then I wouldn't have a job." He glanced at me. "You okay?"
I twitched. "Yes, yes, go on," I said. That one will leave a scar... I bet Maí tasted blood that moment. And she didn't stop.
"So... around that corner... And we're there." He slowed the car until it stopped in front of an apartment house. One of many. I looked at my new home. It wasn't a very new building and there was almost no glass. Fine by me.
Maí let my tail go and opened the door. "Scánkalantesh," she said and nodded at the human. Her sister followed her.
"Yes, yes, many thanks to you."
"Oh, you're welcome. I enjoyed it. Hope we'll talk again soon."
I went out of the car. "Yes. Bye. And thanks."
"No worries." He smiled. I closed the door and watched him driving away.
Then I turned. The girls were just about to open the front door. There was a small note attached onto the key, it was a number, probably the number of the apartment. I went after the girls and up the stairs.
The building didn't make a bad impression to me. It was solid and clean, just a bit older than I expected it for such a new city. Actually, I couldn't say what I had expected, so I wasn't disappointed.
My apartment and that of the girls were directly opposite. I shoved the key into the lock. Maí grabbed my shoulder.
"Wanna come, suggle?" she asked smiling.
I shook my head. "No, scín, sorry." I was not in the mood for such stuff, especially after she practically ate my tail.
"Come on, Sis, I'm tired." Sín opened the door to their apartment and looked around curiously.
Maí looked at me again. I denied again. So she spun around. Now she was offended. She slammed the door and was away.
I didn't care if she was offended or not. Even as a girl she had to be able to cope with rejection. She can't have everything she wants. Well, in addition, I hadn't really to worry. Probably I was the only Nílan male around, so sooner or later she had to come back. I hope a bit more kind then.
Finally I opened the door to my new home. And I was surprised. My first own apartment. It was one room plus a bathroom and a kitchen. Nothing more. But it was perfect. At least it seemed to me that moment. And there were already furniture in it. Even if it was only few.
A screen, a table and a couch in the living room. That was enough for me. I explored the kitchen. Nothing much, empty drawers, an empty fridge, a shove, another table, chairs. Well, tomorrow I would have to buy stuff. A lot of stuff. My stomach told me, I better should do it right now. But I went to the tiny bathroom first. Only a shower, water bowl, toilet and mirror. Everything empty. No brush, no shampoo... I thought about what I would have to buy then.
I sighed and sat down onto the couch. So I had arrived. Two years of travelling were over, I had reached my destination. A new life. On the Earth. I chuckled quietly in the dim light. I took my bag and rummaged. The stone... I let my paw go over it. Smooth and round, yet hard. I liked the black colour. Slowly I put it onto the table and watched it.
Once more my stomach reminded me of the urgency of food. Restaurant... that word suddenly sounded nice to me. I wondered what to do...
Well, at first I decided to change my clothes. A bit of blood came onto my pants. It was only a little bit, but somebody with predator teeth shouldn't run around with blood on his pants, I reckoned. So I took my clothes of and rummaged in the back for some others. I wondered if I should put something on my tail. I looked. No, it had already stopped bleeding, so I just went to the bathroom and washed it off. Then I dressed on and got ready to explore the environment.
'Bistro.' It looked like a restaurant and it was the closed establishment. I listened to my stomach who agreed very intensively. So I went in.
All eyes moved to me. Not many, but they stayed. I looked around for a moment. Now I was a bit helpless because I didn't really know what to do now. After an eternity of ten seconds I just sat down at the next table. I eyed the other guests who were looking and whispering.
The waitress popped up. "Hi," she said.
"Scishkí, scín," I said.
Silence. I didn't know what to say, she didn't know what to answer.
"What do you offer?" I asked finally.
She blinked as if dragged out of a dream. "Oh, mainly pizza and pasta."
I smiled. "What is that?"
Another time she looked at me, bewildered. "Well... food... you know what, I get you a pizza. Just wait some minutes." She left, went behind the corner and into the kitchen. I waited. What else could I do? I started to hate those stares.
Almost desperately I started to look around, reading everything I could find. The first humans lost their interest and ate on. It got dark outside, I looked out onto the street. People walked there, not many. Cars passed by. I sighed and looked back to the humans. Hey, I wouldn't mind anyone talking to me or anything. But obviously I was far too weird for that. Nobody dared to come to me. And I didn't want to go to them, maybe they don't want me.
After some minutes of rather annoying looking around the waitress came back and put a plate in front of me. On it was a very round piece of... bread? Anyway, there was a lot of other stuff on it. I just wondered how I was supposed to eat it.
The waitress smiled. "Hand or fork?" I looked at her. "Gosh... mind if I sit down?" I shook my head. So she sat down and took one piece of the pizza. "Look, you take and bite. Easy."
I did so. The cheese got into my fur, but I didn't mind. It tasted great, despite it was hot. "Very good," I said and bit another time.
"Yeah..." She looked into my eyes.
"Just ask," I said. "Just ask."
"Can I... well, touch you? Y'know... gotta be sure you're real..."
"I am real. Get sure."
Slowly she reached out and touched my shoulder, just for an instant, and jerked back again. "Thank you," she whispered. I ate on. "What'd you lead here?" she asked.
"Curiosity. And my home planet got boring."
"Y'know, you're the very first alien we have here. I hope you don't mind the people, they're just curious."
"No, I don't. Although it get annoying to be always the centre of the attention."
"Oh, I bet. But people are shy too. Do you like out planet so far?"
"Actually I just arrived. My very first steps alone out here. And until now, it's very interesting."
"Did you know they published some of your book around here? I read them, and I really liked them. I never, ever, thought of meeting one of you in reality." She smiled weakly once more. "But don't think you can go out of there without paying."
"Never crossed my mind, scín." Quickly I ate up the rest of the pizza. I liked it. I really liked it. "Well... could you make some of this pasta stuff and pack it for me? Me entire kitchen is still empty."
"Oh, of course," she stood up and went to the kitchen. I could hear her talking. After some minutes she came back, two glasses and a bottle in her hands and joined me at the table again. "For free," she said and shook the bottle. "Welcome to our planet. You guys drink wine, do you?"
"I can't tell, I never had it before."
She smiled and poured the red liquid into the glasses and pushed one over to me. I took it. "Cheers," she said.
I drank. I tasted Káhli. The slightly burning taste touched my tongues and then my throat. It was much more mild than the transparent Káhli liquid what I was used to. Well, not really used to, I've never drunk much. Tonight I was in the mood for a bit more, so I let her refill. It tasted nice. "Thank you, scín," I said once more.
After the third glass she tenderly took the glass away from me. Then she stood up, with bottle and glasses and went to the kitchen once more. I watched her putting a plastic bag onto the counter. She nodded at me. I stood up.
"Well, that'd be eight dollars."
I put a ten dollar bill on the counter and thanked again. I refused the change.
"Good luck on Earth. And I wouldn't mind if you'd come back."
"Oh, I will. Well... were can I buy other stuff, you know, like meat and vegetables."
"Well, just down the street, the super market. You'll notice."
"Scánkalantesh, scín."
"What does that mean?"
"Oh, it means: Thank you very much, I'd like to see you later." I smiled.
I went up the stairs, carrying my new possessions. It wasn't much, only food for the next days, something to cook and so on. I went up the three floors and frowned as I went around the corner.
"Sín...?"
Sín sat in front of my door, naked, a bottle in her paw and waved. "Scishkí, Scán. How're ya doing...?"
I was surprised that she talked to me in English. With a small glance I could see that the bottle had formerly contained original Káhli from Scánish. Now it was almost empty. I stepped closer. "What are you doing here?"
"She kicked me out, that bitch," she answered. She poured the rest of the transparent liquid down her throat. "Dun wanna get back there now."
"Get up," I said and dragged her onto her shaky feet. I had to support her, while opening the door. I dragged her inside, together with the bags. Softly I laid her down onto the couch, closed the door and brought the bags to the kitchen. Then I went back to Sín and tried to get the bottle out of her paw. It was now empty, but she refused to let it go.
"Ya know, you hit her a bit hard..." she began. "Hehe, told her she should go get a human, they're always wanting... she called me perverted..." She chuckled, got quieter and quieter and sighed quietly. "Now we both are far too drunk to talk, yes..." Then she let the bottle go. "Do you mind me staying here?"
"No, scín."
"Thank you..." And I could see how she fell asleep the next moment.
Now I stood there, I had a sleeping, naked girl on my couch, which was the only place could have slept on this night. I opened my bag once more to see if I had a blanket. I knew I had taken one with me before the trip, for emergencies, but now I remembered I had forgotten it on the ship. Kás. Well, if I had found one, I would have put it onto Sín anyway. I wondered what to do now.
Very quietly I went to the kitchen and put all the stuff into the drawers and the fridge. Where would I sleep this night? Now I got my own home, but no own place to sleep. I went to the bathroom, washed my face and paws. The floor. I had slept on the floor once or twice before. And now I had to do it again. I sighed and curled up on the carpet in the living room.
I could never be mad at girls.
I woke up as I heard a knock. Slowly I opened one eyes. My entire body hurt. Well, I had slept in full clothes on a thin carpet this night. My tail was numb and I could feel bruises emerging on my shoulders. I pushed my body up from the floor as I heard another knock.
Sín was still asleep, curled up on the couch. I had to admit she looked kind of cute, she laid there completely innocent, quietly breathing. I reached out my hand to stroke over her back fur...
The knocker got impatient, I could hear it. I quickly went to the door and opened it. Maí was there, as if I could have guessed it.
"Is Sín here?" she asked, quietly.
"Yes, she's still sleeping."
"I wanna apologise... could you wake her up?"
I nodded. It was a pity to destroy the wonderful scene of Sín sleeping, though. I went to the couch and stroked her neck down all the way to end of her tail tenderly. Sín opened her eyes and looked at me out of her cute face.
"Your sister is here," I said with my softest voice. "She wants to apologise."
Sín yawned and sat up. Maí closed the door and stepped closer. I decided to get into the kitchen and let the girls talk. I took out three cups and started to make tea. I avoided glancing to the girls. Their business, not mine at all. As I turned I could see then hugging each other. I didn't want to know what happened yesterday evening, but obviously is was not too bad. They both had just been drunk and it went out of borders.
With the cups in my paws I returned to the living room. They were still hugging. So I put the cups onto the table and went back for breakfast. Yesterday I had found something interesting. They had called it sausages, just meat pressed into a cylindrical shape. I took a can of it out of the fridge, held it under warm water for some minutes and opened it. Didn't taste bad. Maybe even the girls would be satisfied with it.
And once again on the couch was no room left for me. I just stood, nibbling the sausage. The girls seemed to like it as well. But again, this artificial taste came through. I didn't know if I should hope to get used to it.
"What'll you do today?"
"Shopping. We need a lot of stuff," Sín answered. Yesterday I thought she had been just confused to use English. "Do you know where to buy vegetables and meat?"
"Super market," I answered. "I've been there, yesterday."
"Sounds good," Maí said. She sipped the tea. "Good tea." She stood up. "I just get you some clothes, Sis, you can't walk around naked. At least they say that in the rule book. 'Don't be naked in public'. What a nonsense."
Oh, yes, that part. I think this rule was necessary. On Scánish, it was not unusual that girls didn't wear anything on warm days, or even on cold days. I never complained, of course not. Although... there is nothing much to see on Nílan girls, in comparison to humans. That at least was what I heard pretty often. Many had humans asked me why 'my' females don't have breasts, and I always replied why human females have such big chests. Obviously they were ashamed of them, they always hid them. By the way, for a strange reason males are supposed to wear pants in public, even on Scánish. Strange rules. But it were ours.
Maí returned with some stuff. Sín dressed on, but they stayed a while, we had breakfast together and talked about what to do today. Actually I had not made any plans at all. I had no idea what to do now. On the ship it had always been only the thought when I'm there, but not afterwards. Well, I was here now. I thought a bit about sightseeing.
I asked the girls if I should go with them, but they just said I could show them the way to the market, that'd be enough. Of course, they were girls, they didn't need anybody with them, and I didn't mind. As I had seen the day before, those two could get very embarrassing. Was it good to leave them alone?
Maí took a wallet out of her pouch. That really surprised me. Well, naturally I have no pouch, but many girls had told me its inner was very sensitive. No wonder, it was supposed to contain babies. I really never heard of girls putting things into it. Even I, as a male, had only been allowed to touch that part really barely.
Maí took out money. And she counted. She counted again. Then she shook her head, sighed and gave it over to me. "Count," she demanded, smiling weakly. Embarrassing, to ask a male for help in such stuff.
I counted. Well, nine hundred and a bit. Nothing much , considering they got double as much as me. They had made to spend almost one hundred without even really buying anything. I had spent the same amount yesterday, but my kitchen and fridge were full now. So I asked about that, even if it was cheeky of me. Obviously too cheeky. Maí just looked at me, took a fifty, gave it too her sister, took another fifty for her and put the rest into the wallet. The wallet disappeared into her pouch again.
I watched my last sausages disappear as well, not into one of the girls pouches, but into their muzzles. Two I had been able to save for myself. The cups were empty, so I took it and the can, washed them and threw the can away into the trash bin. The girls got ready to leave, so I just followed them, feeling thrown back into the traditional male role somehow.
The girls went into the shop. Now I was alone again. Kás. No idea what to do. And the girls had to leave that quickly, I hadn't been able to grab the guide first. Now I was alone on the street, this single sun throwing its rays against my head and back, and I didn't know what to do now.
I remembered the money thing. Well, I had a lot of it in my pockets. I didn't have a wallet or anything. And it was a lot, that was what I had learned yesterday. I didn't feel good to carry it around with me. Linda had mentioned something called 'account', but to be honest, I had no real idea was that was. And she said bank...
I sighed. In a pocked next to my tail was the mobile. I knew it was there, I had put it there after the call of Matthew the day before, and it had given me bruises during the night. I hoped I didn't broke it with sleeping on it. I opened it. Could I just call Matthew? His number was there. Could I just cry for help?
I did. How coward.
"Yeah, Matthew Sunnings here."
"Umm... scishkí, Matt... do you have a bit of time for me?"
Matthew got out of the car and waved at me. I sighed in relief and stoop up from the bench. He smiled. "Nice too see you again." I could only agree. "What's your problem, exactly?" he asked.
"Well... there is one thing... tell me, what is an 'account'?"
He blinked and frowned. "An... account. You mean with a bank and so on?"
"I suppose."
"You go there, store your money at the bank and they give you a plastic card," he said and produced a small card out of his pocket. "Just like this." He showed it to me.
"And that's all?"
"Most likely. If you need more cash, you can go to the bank and get it. It's still yours, they just store it for you, safely."
"Wow..."
"Or you pay with the plastic card. Very handy." He put his card back again.
"So... I just go there and ask for a card?"
"Yes."
"Linda told me I should get such an account... and I've got nothing better to do. Will you come with me?"
"It'd be my pleasure. Get in the car."
"Oh, thank you very much."
So we sat in the first bank we had found. They all had special conditions, but Matt had told me it wasn't really worth looking through those catalogues of offers. So I trusted him and we got to a bank which was pretty popular anyway, and the mass can't go wrong, as he said.
The woman behind the desk was very patient. I had a lot of questions about the forms, for example, but she never lost her smile. Obviously she had already dealt with weirder people than me, although that was hardly possible. Although I had seen on the street someone lying again a wall some minutes ago, who seemed even more furry than me.
One thing was strange, and that was what they called a 'sign'. I was supposed the be the unique way of writing my name. The elderly woman explained me even that with an incredible amount of patience. I just wrote my name in Nílan letters. My handwriting was so bad that nobody could copy it without a lot of effort anyway. And written in one go it was not readable anymore.
After a lot of signs I got my plastic card, as well as some numbers. The woman explained me the use of the money machine. Right then I gave her three hundred fifty dollars for my account. Fifty dollars will be enough for the next days, I thought. She wrote it on.
It was strange to have a small bit of plastic in my pocket now instead of paper. And it wasn't worth the same. That was what it was about, that I don't carry valuable money with me. I didn't feel much better about it though.
Together with Matthew I left the building, which had a glass façade, of course. Now I really had no idea anymore what to do next. Matthew told me we could visit something he called mall, a place where many shops were in one building. Maybe I could get a wallet there. He told me a new shirt wouldn't be bad as well, the one I was wearing, he said, didn't look very fashionable. That was a topic I couldn't talk about, fashion was something for girls. I was rather keen on one or two cheap blankets.
As we were in the car I looked out onto the street. In the city Matthew was not allowed to drive very fast, so I could take a closer look at the buildings. They seemed new and modern to me, but Matt said they were rather old. Fifty years, and that would be a lot of time for buildings. But it was still a young city. How confusing...
"How come you aren't at work?"
"Well, I never work on weekend."
I frowned. I totally forgot to get out the weekday. On Scánish, the weekday had only mattered when I was dealing with humans. They had brought the concept of weeks to the planet, we had to adapt somehow. "I guess it's Saturday then?"
"No, Sunday."
"Oh, right." We arrived the parking lot.
"Gotta go work tomorrow again, gosh... Actually I can't stand this office."
"Then get a job somewhere else."
"Yeah, sounds easy, but it isn't. And hey, think of all the people who work every weekday and have just enough money for a home and some food? Better not to risk what I've got. Although there could be an improvement, no question."
The mall was not impressive to me. All in all, I had already seen it, it was just the earth-bound version of the spaceport's lobby, just without Duty Free. It gave me the creeps. Massive amounts of humans running around, buying stuff, eating, chatting. Somehow that scene was a bit wrong to me, I really could not tell why because everything was alright.
"Look, mummy," a child said and pointed at me. "Doggy!"
I glanced shortly. Of course I dragged attention once more. People looked at me, stared, glanced, glared. It really was getting annoying. I could possibly do one move without a bunch of human eyes following me. No way I'm going to look for clothes now. Stósh, not even to get a wallet. But I had to.
This was the clothes' shop, obviously. Tons of textile stuff. I couldn't really see everything, it was huge. A lot of humans ran around in here, they were too busy to see me. I could hear the noise of chatting people.
"Okay, come here, Scán, you can't run around in that clothes, that's just... well, you look terrible."
"Oh, that's so nice of you."
"No offence, of course."
"Of course."
It was strange. As far as I remember, always when I entered a shop a staff member suddenly popped up to help me. And they were always female.
"Can I help you guys?"
"Indeed, you can. My friend need something he can go out with."
The girl looked at me. She looked long and intensively. Then she suddenly took my shirt and sighed. "Yes, he needs. Turn around."
I felt that the situation was completely out of my control now. I did as demanded.
"You're male, aren't you? Sorry to ask, but I can't really figure it out."
"I am." I jerked as she suddenly lifted my tail and frowned.
"Challenging," she said. "But not impossible. Sit down, I'll be right back."
We sat down onto a bench. I had to sit on my tail and used the occasion to take a look at the wound. It wasn't bad at all, it'll heal soon. A bit I was relieved.
"What did she mean, challenging?"
Matt smirked. "I have no idea, really."
"Sure you do..."
The girl came back. "Well, well, well, that tail definitely would be a problem, I think we gotta change the pants and shorts, yeah..." I blinked. "Try that shirt."
I just took off my current shirt and got changed. Now even more people stared. Matt leaned over. "Next time better go into a changing room..." he whispered.
Oh, right... I never cared about that. I looked into one of the thousands of mirrors which were standing around in here. A white shirt, far too long for me. And somehow it didn't really fit up to my fur colour. As for me, I've always preferred black.
"Wonderful, really wonderful. Nice accent with your hands, really, oh, wait, I'll be right back," she said and left again. I looked at Matt who shrugged.
"Here, look, perfect for ya," she said as she came back. This one had exactly the same colour as my fur.
"Well, then I could go out without shirt as well..."
She smiled. "Very funny. Lemme get you some trousers."
Later we sat in a random restaurant. Many were in the huge building, so Matt let me choose one. Meat was always good for me so I chose one with hamburgers and such stuff.
"So... what'd we learn today?" Matt asked as he came back with some stuff.
I reached out for the water. "That it's impossible to dress me properly?"
"Well, that too... I was referring to the fact that shop assistants are very hot."
"If you say so." Hmm... this burger tasted strange... "What did you mean with 'to go out with', anyway?"
"Oh, it's Sunday evening, why not go out for a drink this evening?"
"I don't know..."
"What's there you can't know?"
"Well, I just came here and so on... say, what kind of meat is that... it tastes strange, almost awful..."
"Does it?" Matt bit off. "Tastes completely normal..."
"What is it?"
"I think it's normal beef... I could ask, but I bet it's usual beef."
I bit off again and chewed. Impossible. I couldn't eat this. Slowly I put the burger away and reached out to try the chips. Salty, as always, but there was still this artificial taste in the background. Well, I decided to ignore my tongue, because my stomach was already yelling loud enough. Then something else snuck into my mind. "Go out for a drink?"
"I just wanted to ask you, really, you haven't gotta agree or anything."
I thought. I just arrived here, yesterday, could I just go out? I was sure he was referring to a bar or a pub, and I had to agree, I only had seen those establishments from outside before. Sure, there had been the small Nílan rooms where I usually had sat and had a meal while waiting for the next girl to take me home... but the real bars had been places for humans and girl to drink and celebrate. Always closed for me. I was curious. "Sure, no problem."
He smiled. Very widely. "Wonderful. Oh, what time is it now?"
I tuned to get a glance at a clock nearby. "Two in the afternoon."
"Do you need anything more here?"
"Blankets, two or three, would be nice."
Matt braked his car in front of my house. Stósh... it was the first time where I thought 'my' house. It wasn't mine at all. The apartment was only for rent, and I wasn't even paying the rent myself. But still, somehow I was connecting this building with myself, couldn't help it. Probably it was because it had been the first own home for me I ever had, except for the room in the ship, which I only had used to store my stuff and I nearly never had slept in there.
It was not that late, but he said I should just put my new possessions into my room and get changed quickly. I still didn't like this white shirt, it looked like I was mourning for somebody, which I wasn't. But this was the humans' home planet, I had come here, I had to follow their rules. Although they never had followed our rules on our planet...
After only two minutes I was back in the car, ready for whatever Matt had planned for me. He smiled to my question and started the engine. "It's just a bar, not far from here."
And it really was not far away, two or three blocks, and Matt parked his car at the rim of the street. We got out and he pointed at a small building between two apartment houses. We quickly crossed the street and got in.
Blue smoke and dim light were waiting for me. I coughed, the air scratching in my lungs. It even burned in my eyes. This was supposed to be a place where I can do party? I was barely able to breathe, let alone to be cheerful. Matt dragged my to a table, made me sat down and asked me if I would care for a beer. Since I had no idea what a beer was I just nodded.
After some minutes, a quite long time for me, he came back with two pints and a woman. He sat down and pushed one pint over to me. "I want you to meet my sister," he said after his first sip.
"Hi, I'm Sue," the woman said and sat down. "Nice to meet you."
"Scishkí, Scín."
"You're a real Nílan? With everything and stuff?" She stared at me, but different as the others had done. There was not only curiosity, but also something else I couldn't really figure out.
"No, it's just a pretty good disguise."
"See, Matt? You owe me ten bucks."
Matt laughed. "He's kidding, Sis. You are kidding, aren't you?" I nodded. "He's kidding." He got ten dollars from his sister.
She eyed at me long and very intensively, like checking expensive groceries before buying them. "Are you looking for a job?" she suddenly asked.
I was very surprised by that question, as well as Matt. Theoretically, I was looking for a job, but I had thought something like that could wait at least one more week. I had just arrived, so I thought I could orientate myself before getting a job and settle finally. On the other paw, I didn't know if I get another chance like this in one week. So I just gave it a try. "Yes, scín, I am."
"Oh, that's just wonderful." She turned. "Keith! Keith!"
"Yeah?" Somebody behind the counter turned towards us.
"You're fired! Get outta here!"
"What? You can't fire me!"
"I can, and I just did. Get out or I'll throw you."
"You foul wrench! I'll get my lawyer!"
"Oh, yes, by that occasion you can tell him about the two thousand bucks which are missing. Oh, and the three barrels of beer. I think he'll find that very interesting."
"This is not over, bitch!"
"Get out or I'll call police."
The man behind the counter wanted to say something, but then threw the cloth in his hand at Sue and left angrily and by slamming the door. Sue turned to me again and smiled. "Good, that'd be clarified."
I couldn't do anything more than blinking. Something just happened, and I didn't really know what. Obviously I just had got a job, but somebody else lost his for me. Should I feel bad about it?
"Well, Matt, take over for a while till our new mate is introduced."
"Umm... yeah..." Matt said and stood up. He seemed at least as surprised as I was. He went behind the counter and started to serve out a beer to a guest who didn't care at all about the inner politics of the bar and just wanted his poison.
Sue eyed me again. "Well, have you ever worked in a bar?"
"Sorry, scín, but actually I've never worked before at all."
Now she was the surprised one. "Well, well, I hope you'll behave. Just some rules: Never steal from me. That's clear, I hope. Well, you're serving alcoholics to the guests, not yourself. Maybe they can get full, but better you won't touch the stuff. Trust me it's better you keep a clear head during the night. Oh, and when you see someone's had enough, refuse to serve more. I don't wanna explain the police another body in front of the counter."
"And that's it?"
"You'll figure out. Oh, by the way, do you know any Nílan drinks and stuff? There are some really big fans 'round here who are pretty keen on getting everything of you."
"Oh, that's why you wanted me to work here?"
"On of the reasons. Do you?"
"I don't think there are any drinks beside Káhli."
"Oh, could you invent anything? Would be great."
"I don't think you got real Káhli..."
"There must be a substitute. Just try it. Well, pay check every week, all tip is yours. Excuse me now, I gotta check on the new deliveries."
So, very, very fast and surprising, I got that job in a bar. The first evening, right on Sunday, had been very hard for me. Not only the names of the things were very strange to me, also the variety was. And the later the day got, the weirder became the guests. Although Matt had said it had been a slow day, but I can't really imagine anything faster. Sue had said I'll get used to it, and I really hoped so. At least I had brought the list for home. Learning. This evening had just been weird.
Around three in the morning, or in the night, or however, I got back to the house own my very own feet, as Matt had to leave earlier. It wasn't too far and the area seemed safe enough for this. I just looked forward to a shower, a juice and then sleep on my couch. My fur smelled bad, the new shirt was dirty because some guy had insisted on puking onto it.
I took the stairs, yawning. Short before I was able to shove the key into the lock tiredly I felt a paw onto my shoulder. I spun around and could see Maí's face with a broad smirk. Without a word she just dragged me into her apartment and closed the door.
I woke up. And I felt bad. Carefully I pushed Maí from myself and moved from the bed. She turned in her sleep. I dragged a cover upon her and looked for my pants. They weren't there. Slowly I left the small room, into the living room.
Sín sat there, switching her way through the human TV programme. From time to time she tossed some pieces of meat into her mouth. She didn't even turn to Scán as he entered.
"Heat," she just said.
"I noticed. Stósh, she had no control over herself."
"Three weeks," Sín answered.
"Really? Stósh, no wonder... I hope she takes her pills."
"She does. I'll watch her."
I found my pants on the floor, I took them. They were intact, so I put them on. The new shirt was next to the couch, but heavily damaged. Well, I hadn't liked it anyway, it was just a pity for the money. I sighed and sat down next to Sín.
"Where have you been yesterday, anyway?"
"With a guy." She sipped.
"Thought so. By the way, I've got a job."
"Very well. We weren't looking yet. Maí wants to way until it falls to us."
Well, it did for me. Kind of. "Usually the girl treats a breakfast after a night."
"Help yourself."
"Thanks, scín."
I was satisfied with some sausages. I was not in the mood for food, although my stomach said otherwise. And I was still tired. So I shoved the stuff somehow into my muzzle and waved at Sín. "Have a nice day, scín."
"We'll see, we'll see..."
I left the apartment of the girls. They obviously had still problems between them, but that was not my business. Girls-stuff stayed girls-stuff. I need to sleep, hopefully finally on my own couch.
I need a clock in my apartment, that's for sure. I had no idea what time it was as I finally woke up because I had fallen from the couch. Slowly I stood up from the hard floor and wondered about time. Was it time to go to work? Or would I have some time to relax a bit before? With shaky steps I went to the bathroom.
There was a clock on the microwave oven. I glanced at the digital numbers for a while before I could form them into an image of the usual analogue clock I was used to. Actually I had seen the digital ones much more often around here, but I've learned to read the clock on an analogue one, with hands and numbers and stuff. I had some time left, at least three hours.
Although I had no idea how to spend that time. Well, I could take another shower, maybe use the new cinnamon shampoo... but then?
TV. Waiting for my fur to dry I switched through the channels and had to realise they were nothing boring commercials. All the way through, they tried to sell me something, or to persuade me to go and buy it. Which I didn't intend.
After half an hour I was just too annoyed to keep the screen on, and so I slammed onto the off-key on the remote. So I sat in my silent apartment, alone on the couch. Suddenly I got an idea, rummaged in my bag and took out a pen and some paper. I made notes about stuff I could use. A stereo, for example, if they have anything like that on this planet. Plus I would have to rummage for bearable music, if humans were able to make such stuff.
Still, two more hours to go. Maybe I just needed a hobby. Well, I could go over and knock at the girls' room... no. How did that thought sneak into my mind? I switched the screen back on, maybe there was anything I could bear though.
"Scán? You're very early."
"I couldn't stand my apartment anymore."
"Well, now you're here, you can do some dishes."
"Yes, scín."
It had been a very slow day, the bar closed earlier. That was usual during the week, Sue had told me, only Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays were really many guests around and it could become even a bit hairy. Today there were only some men at one of the desks and someone sitting at the counter stirring, but never drinking his only drink for the night. No tips from them, of course.
I hurried to get into my apartment and locked the door from inside. It was not that I wanted to avoid Maí, I was just not in the mood for anything and wanted just take a shower and sleep. I didn't know if she had understood that, I would doubt it, but I didn't want to take the risk. I was exhausted.
The first week on Earth went rather boring for me. Every day was the same, sleeping, working, Maí, sleeping, working and so on. Sue told me Wednesday that I get a free day Thursdays, to relax and get read for Friday, when all the crazy party humans break into the small building the entire night. It's usually gonna be rough, she said.
On Thursday I finally wanted to get the stuff I needed for my own distraction from the world. On Tuesday I had found the leftovers from Saturday, the pasta I had brought home that day. It was not edible anymore. I had just forgotten about its existence. I threw it into the dustbin, together with all the superfluous packaging which had been around my quick meals. I wonder how much money I was actually paying for the groceries and not for the wrapping.
I wondered if I should walk to the mall. I didn't want to bother Matt with anything, he had done so much for me so far and I didn't want to ask him just for a ride. And I knew the way, it wasn't that far. Half an hour of walking from here, no problem at all.
"Can I help you?"
Astonishing. Ten seconds, I had counted them. I didn't even have the time to look around. But this time the shop assistant was male for a change. I shrugged. "I'm looking for a mobile music player."
"Oh, right, we got a lotta them."
"Nice."
"But... don't you have a mobile phone?"
"Of course."
"Usually they can play music as well. We got earplugs if you need some."
"Mine can't."
"Come on, that's a standard for three hundred years now, you gotta be kidding me."
"It can't."
"Lemme take a geek at it." I pulled my mobile out of my pocket. He took it and frowned. He opened it and frowned even more. "What is that?"
"My mobile. Well, maybe you already noticed the fur, so why are you surprised to see a Nílan mobile?"
"Just... never seen before... it is so light..."
"Three grams. But that doesn't matter, I want a music player."
"We can give you a new mobile with all the functions, for free. In exchange for this one..."
"Oh, you'd really like that, eh? No way." I quickly grabbed my mobile before he could steal it in any way. "Well, I could go to the shop upper floor, maybe they are not so greedy."
"No! No... I was just offering you a new and much better mobile."
That's it, I thought, turned and went out of the shop. Of course they wanted my mobile, it was a fine piece of Nílan technology. And, I already had figured that out, if someone would get it and make it to copy the technology, they will get rich. I didn't intend to give anybody that opportunity, because the technologies the girls on my home planet had developed were some of the few things they could offer to the humans in exchange or other stuff.
There was another, much smaller shop for technologies. I took a quick glance at the mobiles in the windows, they were big and clumsy in comparison to mine. I got mine as I was three and it still worked fine. It had the numbers of two hundred girls saved, numbers which won't work here. Not all girls got a phone, but usually the males do.
There was only one shop assistant, he hadn't even noticed me as I had entered, he was busy talking to an elderly customer. I had the wonderful opportunity to rummage through the shelves without having a human looking over my shoulder and telling me stuff I don't want to know about. There was one device for testing, I took the plug out of curiosity and put them to my ear. As soon as my paw let it go, it fell out of my ear. The second try made the same result. Of course, this small fiddle thing was not shaped for me. I wondered if there was anything available for me. I saw one device I'd like to have, a reasonable price, I just needed something for my ears. I hadn't thought of that, but now it was just logical.
I went to the counter and waited until the man was away. The young boy behind the counter, sorted some papers, tidied up. I waited patiently, not really used to be neglected. But wasn't this what I wanted? Just being treated as everyone else.
"So, what's the matter?" the young man smiled at me.
"This thing here... and some earplugs for my ears."
"Turn a bit. I see. Pretty special... Well, I've got something which could look a but awkward though... one moment..." He turned his chair and reached out for one of the million packages behind him. They weren't sorted, but just needed to make one grab and he got what he was looking for.
I glanced at the thing behind transparent plastic. He nodded, so I unpacked it. It didn't fit exactly to my ears, only hold there by the bow, as with tongs, but it will work. It pulled it down around my neck and nodded. "Perfect."
"Wonderful. So together it'd be eighty five bucks. Cash or card?"
Of course I didn't have much more cash with me. And I wanted to see if the card really worked. So I handed it over. It worked.
"Hey, do you think some more of you will show up here? 'Cause then I could try to get something special shaped for you guys."
"To be honest: I'd doubt it. But I have no idea, I'm just a male."
He glanced at me, questioning. Then he smiled. "Thank you, mister, come back soon."
"Nice to see you again," the waitress smiled at me.
"Oh, yeah, same here, scín."
"What would it be this time?"
"I have to admit, to my shame, that I never came to eat the pasta-stuff you wrapped for me... maybe I can get some now?"
"Of course."
"Thanks, scín."
And again, she sat down opposite to me and watched me eating. It kind of blocked me; I ate slowly and was always staring back. Something in her facial expression was just strange, but I couldn't say what it was. I didn't care, the pasta was great.
Friday had been fun, but very, very tiring. I was working for almost twelve hours, serving stuff, and even entertaining. Somebody just gave me five dollars with I'd take off my shirt for some minutes. Then later, a group of women gave me fifty dollars to take it off and give it to them. Well, money was money, I had some other shirts. Not to mention all that money I got from people who just wanted to touch me.
I think that was the real reason why Sue had offered me the job almost immediately after the first meeting. I dragged attention and people into the bar. The entire night long it was full, the people were almost not able to move properly and most just wanted to get forward to see me. It was a general party feeling, I got somehow infected by it, I was happy and cheerful this night. It was great.
At home I got a quick glance at my tip. Almost one hundred dollars, I was really surprised. And somehow I had the feeling it was not going to stop before Monday. But for tonight, I was just tired, I got rid of my pants, threw myself onto the couch and fell asleep almost the next second.
I didn't know when exactly, but in the middle of the sleep, during an almost pleasant dream, my mobile started to ring. Its penetrating sound digging through my ears into my mind and made me awake immediately. I groaned and stared at the ceiling, too lazy to move. I was in fight with my body, it just didn't want to move, and I was not insisting enough to force it to move. But the mobile didn't give up, so I had to reach out for my pants finally.
"Scá...?" I moaned into it.
"Scán? Good, wonderful me could get you, wonderful. Listen, you've gotta do me a favour."
Quickly I glanced at the display to get the name of the girl. They usually didn't say their names, and some get upset if I just ask. It was Scerén. "What is it, scín?"
"Well... do you remember me was breeding on the ship? Well, the boy is old enough now, you know, he needs to get out of my house."
Wonderful, I thought, just wonderful. I tried to suppress my next groan. "Can't you, I dunno, get Mál?" Just push the task away, I thought. I really wasn't keen on having a little boy around me, not now, things went just too well.
"You have no idea how difficult it is to get a male around here. By the way... me doesn't trust Mál."
Stósh, as if that'd be your problem. You push the boy away and you won't see him ever again, so where's the problem? But I knew I'd lose this game, so I gave up. "When and where can I pick him up?"
"Fine! Well, it's Canberra, Parshey Road, number... anything... you'll see it."
I still had no idea about the cities, but something told me that Canberra wasn't around the corner. "Listen, Scerén, give me some days, I'll call you back then..."
"That's so awfully nice of you, Scán, thank you. Sáshkal!" She hung up.
I let the mobile slip out of my paw onto the floor, turned on my couch and closed my eyes again.
I could never be mad at girls...
I woke up again and blinked into the light of the setting sun. One more hour before the next party started. Some memories came through my mind. And suddenly I had a headache. Not a real hurting one, I just remembered what I had agreed to just to get back to my sleep. I had just said yes... Kás.
I chuckled to myself. Me. Me... taking care of a boy... stósh... well, no way to get out of it now, I had to face it. My fault? No. Every male has to do that once in his life. I didn't know how many males had been on the ship, I only knew of me and Mál. Maybe there was somebody else, but not many.
Now I wondered how to get to Canberra, or however that place was called. I'd need at least two free days... I shook my head. I could think about that later, right now I wanted to shower and fill my stomach.
"You're late," Sue said and tossed a cloth over to me.
"Yes, yes, sorry, scín."
"Is there a reason?"
"Probably I'm not used to the strain yet. And I need an alarm clock."
"Well, well, we're opening in some minutes. Try to tidy up the counter quickly. I think the people won't be picky today anyway."
I just nodded and moved the cloth over the counter. I'd need some free days this week... "Sue?"
"Hmmm..."
"I... I need two days off this week..."
"Oh, that soon? You've been working here for just a week, you know."
"It's... quite urgent. A Nílan thing." She can't fire me. I'm dragging too many customers in here.
"Well, if you come back... Tuesday and Wednesday. But you stay on Thursday then."
"No question."
"Fine. So... I'm opening the doors now."
Thirteen hours, one hundred and twenty dollars. Wonderful. I wonder what the pay check would look like. It was still tiring, of course. The problem for tonight, or rather day, was that Maí was already waiting for me.
I was cleaning some glasses as I could see Matt sitting down at the counter. "A beer?" I asked.
"Yeah, thanks, mate."
I served the beer. "I need to ask you for a very big favour."
"Oh? What is it?"
"I need your car for two days."
He kept his smile. "For what reason?"
"I need to do a trip to Canberra. I'd go by train, but that would... well, let's say, I need to be completely alone."
"I see... you've got a driver's licence, I hope."
Yes, I had. I had made the tests on Scánish, got a human licence there. Usually Nílans don't bother with that, if you can drive, you can drive, you don't need a piece of plastic to prove it. But humans were very different about such topics. Or just very keen on taking tests from others. "Of course."
"Well... if you promise to take care..."
"Hey, you! Furry one! A beer... and a hundred bucks extra if I can spend the night with you!" I turned to the girl who just screamed that.
"Sorry, scín, I've already got a job for tonight. But ask my mate here, he's looking for somebody."
Matt chuckled and shook his head. But the girl actually came over and sat down next to him. I pushed a pint of beer over there. "Do I get your car now?" I smirked.
"Yeah..."
I turned to another guest and left them be for the rest of the evening. They left early.
On Monday evening he came, a broad smile on his face, and parked the car in front of the house. I thanked again, and he told me, if I was really going to drive through the desert, I should get extra water for the engine and myself. The little research I had done told me it were a thousand miles between here and Canberra. And according to the average speed of the car, that would take me more than eight hours of non-stop driving, and I had to admit, the longest time I was driving a vehicle had been half an hour. But somehow I will deal with it.
It was strange how it just... happened. Everything around here just happens. Things come and go, taking me with them, and I didn't try to struggle. No rest for me. This was going to become a change in my life, and I just prepared for it as I would do for a breakfast. I slept well during Monday, did a good day of work and threw myself onto the couch afterwards. No sense in sleeping. I had to think about the new life here on Earth. And somehow... I didn't know what I had expected before, whether I had expected it to become glorious or boring or... well, how it was right now. And only after a week here, the next big change was coming.
I took the mobile music player and wondered why I had bought it and not used it yet. There wasn't even any music on it. So I sighed and distracted myself with looking for music on the 'net. I was surprised how huge the variety was. Nílan music was rather... well, not boring. But there were not as many styles. I listened and added songs to the collection. All in all I maybe spend thirty dollars for some ones and zeros.
With the sound of an electric guitar and some drums on my ears, I locked the door, went downstairs, got into the car, switched the automatic navigator and just drove on. It just happened. Where were my emotions, for Scánish's sake?
I was so glad I had bought that music device, I bet I would have fallen asleep if I had not had the noises of several rock bands in my ears. But as I was about half way through the long, boring and dusty street, I needed a break. Lucky for me, there was a service station coming by. A bit of food, a cup or two of tea, that was what I needed right now.
I moved the car onto the parking lot, got out and locked it carefully. As I went into the small building, I felt again all eyes on me. Of course. I was probably the very first Nílan who ever showed up here. The humans in here, almost all older men, didn't know how to deal with me.
I sat down at the counter, adjusted my tail to prevent anybody to step on it and waited for the woman to react to me. After at least three minutes of stating and non-movement with an open mouth, she seemed to decide that the best way to handle me was to treat me as every other customer.
"Whaddaya want?" she asked with a snappy voice. Yes, exactly as every other customer...
"Well, I'd like a cup of tea..."
"We dun' have no tea."
"What?"
"We got coffee."
"Umm... I can't drink coffee..."
"No coffee, eh? Sorry, but there's not much else."
"Do you have milk, maybe?"
"Yeah," she said, produced a glass from anywhere and filled it with the white liquid. I really wondered where it suddenly came from, but I decided that I preferred to stay ignorant about that topic. "Anything else?"
"A soup," I said and noticed my voice getting smaller in front of that big woman with her rather bad mood.
Some minutes later I got a bowl with a steaming soup. I stared at the yellow liquid and the pieces of meat and vegetables swimming in it. I wondered if I should really eat that, but I felt the eyes of everybody lying on me, especially of the big waitress, so I took the bowl and lifted it to my muzzle. It tasted as good as it looked, but I was too hungry to think about that. And I didn't want to disappoint the humans.
Nobody said a word while I was in that diner, so just swallowed down my meal and stood up, tossing ten dollars onto the counter. I didn't like this place, so I left it as quickly as possible. At least my stomach was filled now.
Twenty minutes after my arrival, I left this place.
As I drove over the dusty highway, completely alone, only me and the music, I noticed the giant pillar of the elevator at the horizon. I had no idea how far it was away, but that didn't matter, it was a direct connection between the earth and the sky and visible in an area of thousands of miles around it. And somehow I started to wonder... why hadn't I seen it before? It was always there, I couldn't drive fast enough, or far enough to escape. Maybe I hadn't seen it because there had been a long curve and it got slowly in sight over the last hundred miles. Now I couldn't look away. It had a kind of majesty, glittering and twinkling in the sun shine.
My eyes slowly slipped left, and left, and left... and a sudden bang of an impact made me braking the car in an instant. Cursing, I slammed the door open and ran out.
An animal laid on the street, if you could call that bit of dust a street. I had no idea what animal that was, it was something beige and small. I slowly stepped closer. Its leg moved. It was still alive. I was scared.
What could I do? It was alive, but could it stand up and survive? What am I supposed to do right now? I stepped carefully closer. As I bent over it, it opened its eye and stared at me. I stared back. I knew... this animal felt pain. I could see what it felt. And somehow I knew... I had no idea what I knew.
And I think I lost control over myself. All the clothes, the ability to speak, even the ability to drive a car... it was nothing against the strong power of the instincts. There lay an animal, hurt and not able to move. And I... I was a predator. From the earliest times, my ancestors had been predators, so am I. Am not proud of this. I lost control and bit.
As I bit, it felt good. And it felt perfect. After about two minutes I suddenly realised what I was doing and jerked back. It was too late. Whatever it was, it was dead.
I am not trying to justify what I did. I am just trying to give the reading human an idea about why I just killed that helpless animal. I never told it anybody, I knew no human would ever understand it.
Now I stood there, disgusted of myself, blood on my muzzle and shirt. The animal was bleeding on the sand, and I couldn't stop staring into its eye, its accusing expression. It asked me what I did to it. What have I done? What could I do now?
If a girl had been here, she would have told me to get some knives, cut it into pieces and be happy to have food for some days. I was not a great hunter. It was not the first animal I had killed, but I never felt so bad about it.
So I needed to do anything about it. Nobody was here, nobody had seen anything. So... well, I just took the body and pulled it off the street. Behind some high and dry grass nobody would see it so easily. I checked the front of the car, but the hard plastic was still alright, no bump or anything. I sighed in relief and gasped in the same moment. Had I just put the life of an animal lower than the damage of a car? Stósh...
For the rest of the trip I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was driving about hundred twenty miles per hour, and it had been a direct impact. The animal had been still alive, but I bet it was injured badly. Would it have survived anyway? Or had I really killed a healthy animal? Was I just thinking that to justify myself and to calm down my bad conscience? Why did I have a bad conscience anyway? I was a predator, so why did I feel so bad about killing an animal? Question over questions in my mind...
And no answer in sight.
I arrived at Canberra and the navigator told me how to find the Parshey Road. It was a in a suburban area, didn't surprise me. She had said I would see which number exactly. And that was true. In the sun of the evening, a naked girl lay in a deckchair in front of a house, enjoying the last rays. I braked the car there. Even with the sunglasses I recognised Scerén. I got out and looked over her. She was asleep. Since I saw her the last time, she had added some new markings into her orange fur. And the area over her pouch was a kind of hill... she was breeding again, probably third month.
I wondered whether I should just wake her up. Would be the best. "Good evening, scín."
She jerked and pushed her glasses up. "Scán? Is that you?"
I nodded. She sat up. "You're early. Why have you got blood on you?"
"Just forget that. Can I wash anywhere?"
"Inside, second floor. Me hopes you'll stay the night."
"Most likely."
"Wonderful."
Stósh, she was breeding, it was visible, so couldn't she just put her desires after the child? I sighed and went in.
The house was wonderful, just very messy. Rubbish and old clothes were lying around, the TV was on and advertised a wonderful new sun blocker and there was a sticky smell in the rooms. There were the usual human rooms, kitchen, dining room and stairs to the upper floor. I just went up. There was the bathroom, I quickly washed my paws and my muzzle. I wish it would really get away. Maybe it was not visible anymore, but the blood will stick in my fur and in my mind forever.
I got out of the bathroom and used the moment to breathe and calm down after the trip. There were two more rooms, one obviously the mother's bedroom, the other one for the child. Probably humans had known she had a child and had given her a decent house with an extra room for her son. And now I saw what Scerén was intending: She wanted to have the boy out of the room before her girl was out of the pouch. She wanted to have the room free for her baby. Wow...
I took a quick glance into the room. It was almost empty: There was a bed, a stuffed animal on it, a wardrobe and a packed suitcase. The boy was missing. The room was cold, very tidy, but rather empty. The rest of the house was rather untidy, but it had still a warm expression... somebody lived in there. But this room... nobody lived in it, it was just used. It was cold. Poor boy.
I went downstairs, Scerén was tidying up the couch so she could sit there.
"Where is the boy?"
"I think he's walking around, maybe at the lake, I don't know."
She doesn't know, of course, I thought. "What's his name?" I asked. "Thank you," I added and drank the milk she given to me.
"His name's Daniel."
I almost choked. "Daniel?"
"Daniel. You got a problem with that?"
"No, no, not at all... just a bit unconventional."
"We're on Earth, so he can have a human name."
And with those words, the door opened and the young boy entered. He was only two, maybe two and a half in Scánish years, actually a bit too young to move over to a Sáhch already, but I didn't think I should try to persuade the mother now. And after all, I had done the trip, I didn't want to leave with empty paws.
The boy didn't say anything, he just eyed me for a while.
"Scishkí, Daniel, I am Scán. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah... I'm upstairs and watch TV, mum." And so he left again, over the stairs. There was not much time to get an impression of him, but he seemed to be a bit passive about his life.
Suddenly I felt Scerén's touch on my thigh. "Well, a lot of time till tomorrow," she said, moving her paw slowly to the button on my pants.
As I woke up I wondered why it was always the same. I was laying in a bed, a girl halfway over me, and there was a headache on its way and the strong urge to forget the last night. Well, sometimes there had been two girls, one there had been three, but that didn't change the problem. I slowly moved away under the girl and off the bed.
The boy's room was empty once more. I went to the bathroom, washed myself, went downstairs and looked for my pants. I always felt awkward without them.
The boy was sitting in front of the big screen and watched drawn animals beating up each other. He chuckled quietly. I found my pants halfway through the room, between other things, and put them on quickly. Then I sat down next to Daniel.
"Didn't you have a TV in your room?" I know this was a bad way to start a conversation.
"It's a very tiny, portable one. I already packed it. When will we go?"
"So keen of leaving this place?"
"You have no idea."
I didn't know what to answer to that, else than saying: "As soon as your mother wakes up."
"This could take a while."
He seemed to be a very intelligent boy; he had a good way of speaking for his age. I had been the same way. We watched the cartoons together, he laughed a lot, but always suppressed. Yes, it was the best to take him with me.
Two, maybe three hours later, we had made us breakfast, Scerén came downstairs on shaky feet, walking straight to the fridge and rummaging. "Daniel, me told you not to touch the cheese!"
I looked down at my plate. I had thought it'd be alright to take some of it. "It's my fault, sorry, scín."
"Bah," she answered. Daniel didn't even dare to look at his mother. Horrible. I liked Scerén less and less with every moment. It was the best to get out of here soon. She should deal with the mess and the smell. The boy should get out of this place. He was only suffering here.
"Well, Dan, get your suitcase and so on. It's a long way to go and we need to start early."
Not only almost cheerfully the boy stand up and went to the stairs quickly. Now I had to talk to the girl...
"Scín?"
"Yes, Scán?"
"Well, now I'm taking care of the boy and... you know, he needs food and clothes and such stuff." I opened my paw in a waiting pose.
"You're telling me, everything is about this money around here... what's with your paw?"
Stósh... "Exactly. Money."
She lost every positive emotion in her face. "What, you want money from me? You cheeky male!" She almost screamed. "Do you think I've got loads of it? He had eaten like a breeding Rálasc! Hah!" Now she was upset. I've seen what the boy had eaten, two sausages and some milk for breakfast. And he hadn't had dinner the day before.
In a lucky coincidence Daniel came down that moment. I figured it was the best thing if we just left. Right now. I took his paw and dragged him to the door. "Sáshkal, Scerén." I slammed the door shut and went to the car with firm steps.
I unlocked it, let the lad get in, jumped in myself and started the engine the next moment.
"Terrible girl..."
Daniel sighed.
"No worries, you don't need to go back there every again."
"Good." Then he turned his head and looked out of the window.
Poor lad...
Sometime out of town he got sick of staring at the eternal silver pillar on the horizon or at the eternal lands on the other side and got the portable screen out of his suitcase. It was good to hear him laughing about the pictures, although he still suppressed himself. This would have to change the next weeks. He was completely distraught. Not seen, not heard, until his mother got rid of him. Must have been hard for him.
"Well... I think we should start to talk, you know, knowing each other better and so on. You know I don't have any lakes around my apartment."
"Lakes? Why lakes?"
"Never mind."
Silence. That had been an even worse start.
"Hey, was there a dead kangaroo on the side?"
"No."
"You haven't even looked... can we stop for a moment?"
"No."
He went back to his screen. I am so stupid, stupid, stupid. I didn't want to stop here, no matter what reason. I kept my eyes on the street. Maybe we would stop at a service station, but not at the same as I had before. I was not in the mood to deal with that woman again, or with anybody.
"She'd wanted a girl," the boy suddenly said.
"What?"
"Mum... she had wanted a girl... she had told me that thousands of times, that I am worth nothing, that I was an accident..."
"Oh..."
"And then she told me so often how lucky I am... she told me that unwanted children get usually bitten to death... she told me more and more stories on the ship... and I was scared she'd do anything to me..."
"Stósh..."
"Thank you. For getting me out of there..."
I hadn't known it was that bad. I knew Scerén for quite a long time, and she was always nice, yet very dominant and firm, which didn't disturb me, because it was just a usual female behaviour. But I had never guessed she was that traditional in her opinions. I wanted to say something, anything for the boy to feel better. But I couldn't think of anything. I couldn't. Idiot.
I looked at the boy again, at the small figure left to me, at his bleach orange fur, his dirty clothes, hiding a very skinny lad. I felt mere pity for him.
I think I had more luck with my mother. She had been very modern in all her views and opinions, and nice, too. Even my sister had always been nice to me, and I think they had been very sad as I had to leave as I was about four, pretty late for a male. Yes, it had been good years... and my Sáhch had been nice to me as well. Maybe I got my positive feelings for humans from him. And he helped me as I was intending to visit the human school.
Somehow I wanted to do the same for the boy. I had no idea how, or what exactly, but I wanted to give the boy a good childhood he would like to remember. I had just no idea what to do.
I put my arm around his shoulder. "No worries, boy. I'll take care of you. I promise."
This was a better restaurant. I had decided to go through another street, the navigator had told me the way would be longer, but the streets were better. And it would bring us near to the coasts for the last hundred miles. Then I had seen this place with the restaurant next to the asphalted street. And since it was way after human lunchtime I figured it would be the best to park there and get the lad a full and big meal.
At first he was very shy about it, he touched some chips, but he didn't dare to eat more.
"Stósh, Dan, eat as much as you want, no worries, just shove it in."
He took some more chips. "You know, mum always got mad when I ate too much of my portion. Actually...she ate my food..."
"It's yours, here, take more. As much as you want. You don't need to go out of here with an empty stomach."
More and more chips disappeared in his muzzle, but he kept looking at me, as if fearing I would try to take it away from him again. "Thank you... thank you so much..."
"Goes without saying, lad."
He ate faster and faster, ripped the paper off the burgers, shoved them in... as if he had never eaten anything. Well, if people hadn't been staring before, they would do now. But I was so glad seeing him eating.
"Some more?" the waitress asked Daniel with a friendly voice.
Suddenly Daniel stared at her, then at me. I nodded smiling. He stared back at the woman, bewildered. Then he leaned over to me. "What did she say...?"
That surprised me. Was he even unable to speak English? "If you want some more."
He turned to the waitress. "Scá, scín..."
Maybe she didn't understand the words, but the meaning, so she took the old tray and left, smiling soothingly.
"You don't know English?"
He just stared down into his milk, obviously embarrassed. "No..."
"Well, more things we have to work on. Don't worry."
"Shall I pack you guys something for the trip?" the waitress asked.
"That'd be very nice, thanks, scín."
"No probs."
"The pillar is annoying."
"I know. Go back to the TV. Why are you watching it if you don't understand a word?"
"The pictures are usually enough... and I already know some words, really."
"I am not a teacher, I can't teach you."
He sighed and pulled the TV out of his pocket.
"Could you do me a favour and turn the volume down?"
"I haven't switched it on yet."
I slowed the car down a bit, and we both looked behind. Another car was approaching, with a loud sound and flashlights. Somehow I knew that was not a good sign. I didn't know what exactly I was supposed to do now, just braked and went off the street. I was surprised as the other car did the same, some metres behind us. A man got out, he was dressed in the uniform of the human police. I let the window go down and looked inside, taking notes on his device.
"Father'n'son, eh? Had a nice trip?"
"So far..."
"Well, ya dun' need ta worry, just a usual control. You've been a li'l bit too fast, but let's say ya just unused, won't we?"
"Heh..."
"Well, ID and licence, please."
I pulled out my wallet, and gave him the papers. He just glanced shortly at the ID, it was not hard to tell that the person on the photo was me, but the licence made him frown. "What is that?"
"My licence."
"No, no, no, no, mate, that ain't a driver's licence. That's a funny piece of plastic with funny letters."
"Nílan letters... it is a Nílan licence, validated by the Human Civil Service..."
"Oh, everyone can tell me a fairytale. Sorry, mate, really, nothing against you, but as long as you can't prove me what's written there, I ain't allowed to let ya drive on."
"What? You must be kidding me!"
"No, mate, really sorry, but that's the law. Didn't make it."
"Kás!"
"What's the matter...?" the boy asked carefully.
"And... what am I supposed to do now...?"
"I don't know, call a friend. I can't let you drive on. Not with that thing." He waved the licence.
"What'd he say?"
"Dan... he says we can't go on 'cause my licence isn't valid here."
"But... but..."
"Don't worry, lad, don't worry, I'll take care of it."
The policeman finished his notes. "Well, what I can do for you if escorting you to the motel, twenty miles of here. I hope ya have anybody to call."
"I do... thank you."
Well, there had been nothing to thank for. He left us there, we got out of the car and I sighed out loud. It was clear that I had to call Matthew, it was his car, his country and I only had his number anyway.
Daniel roamed off, probably to discover the area. There were some buildings around, too few to call it a town and too many to call it a service station with motel. I was very sure he won't run away, so I let him be.
"Matt? Matt! Wonderful, wonderful I get you... there's a problem... no, no, the car is alright, completely alright, purrs like a cat, as you humans say it. The problem is rather... I am not allowed to drive... Yes, yes, I have a licence. The policeman just told me he can't accept it... No, I have no idea how to deal with that... Where I am? Stósh, where am I... at a place without a single pedestrian to ask. Let me get into the building, I'll call again."
I went into the motel-building. There was a small lounge with some old armchairs and a counter. Of course nobody was here. But there was a map, which didn't help me because it showed entire Australia and many arrows to various places. I knocked on the counter until a young man showed up. He was as astonished as every human to see me.
"Pardon me... where is 'here'?" I asked.
"What?"
"Where am I here? Has this road a name?"
"It's the New South Australia Highway... why do you ask?"
"And we're here...?"
"Three hundred eighty miles from New Melbourne."
"Wonderful, thank you."
"Are you gonna spend the night here?"
"I don't know. I will see." He seemed disappointed. I stepped outside into the sun again and called Matt.
As the sun was setting Daniel came back, his clothes and fur even filthier, but seemed quite happy.
"What's the plan?"
"We'll wait for my friend Matt, he'll come with a taxi and get drive us home. It's his car anyway."
"And when will he come?"
"What do you guess?"
"Not before tomorrow..."
"Smart lad. I've got a room in the motel, number 115. Just knock, I'll be in there. You can roam around if you want to, I'll just sit in there and relax. Just take care, will you?"
"Okay," the young boy said and went off into the landscape again.
In the middle of the night I woke up due to big pressure on my bladder. As I came back and wanted to lie down again, I couldn't stop looking at Daniel. I still couldn't get used to his name, but that didn't matter. He was curled up on the bed, in his day clothes and without blanket. We curled up that much that his tail touched his muzzle. I noticed that his tail was longer than usual, maybe because he was a cross-over between western and northern race. He had this dirty mixture of the northern orange and the western beige in his fur. I was western, pure beige, but that didn't mean anything to me anyway.
He looked so innocent and cute, but not the way as Sín had looked innocent and cute, rather in a more childish way. I couldn't understand how Scerén had been able to treat him that bad. Nobody could be bad to somebody being that innocent. His only crime was his sex. And that was something he wasn't to blame for. Stupid girl...
I saw him shivering and closed the windows. Then I took the blanket for his bed and covered him carefully. Lying back onto my bed, I thought.
Could I be mad at a girl, just for once?
Yes.
Of course I paid for the cab. Matthew was very worried about me, he was surprised to meet Daniel, and I they seemed to like each other, although they didn't understand each other.
Matt walked around his car twice, checking it very intensively for anything. But he smiled. "Did you drive against a plant or anything?"
"An animal... sorry, I'll pay for that, really."
"Oh, no worries, it's alright. You see the small bumps here? I'll show you some magic..." And with those words he left into the motel. I was very surprised, because five minutes later - I was just about to follow him - he came back with a bowl of steaming water. "Watch," he said and poured if over the bumps. They disappeared. I was astonished. "Never worry about such things," he said smiling.
As we got in I noticed what Dan was leaving a trail in the dust. The pointy end of his tail was touching the ground, it was just a millimetre, but strange. I didn't know why I suddenly put anything into it, I just noticed. I hope the lad wouldn't get any problems due to his tail.
He got inside and sat down onto the tail, pulling out his portable TV once more.
"Who is he?" Matt whispered as he started the engines. "Your son?"
"Could be, I don't know. Nor do I care."
"What?"
"I am responsible for him now. Stósh, his mother was treating him badly."
"So he'll be living with you now? Are all the papers signed?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"You know, that you get custody of him."
"I need papers for that?"
"You need papers for everything, mate."
"Stósh, no... I bet Scerén has to sign them as well... I don't want to go back to her..."
"I don't think you need to... just call her and she can give the allowances over the 'net."
"If she bothers with it. As I said, she treat him badly. She wishes he had never been born."
"She's his mother..."
"Well, she wanted a girl, he's a boy. Simple. Isn't there a form she just needs to put her name under and we don't never talk to each other again?"
"Are you going for adoption or mere custody?"
"Sorry, I have no idea about that..."
"Well, if you are his father, you can get custody, she just needs to agree. If you are not, she needs to agree to you to adopt him, much more forms. Either way, you'd become his father, at least for the law."
"Why is everything so stólan complicated with you humans?"
"I think it's 'cause we hate simplicity."
"Seems that way."
"Or 'cause we love to torment each other, I don't know. How old is he?"
"I am not quite sure, maybe about three in Earth years."
"Only three? He looks like... eight... or nine..."
"We grow much faster than humans."
"That could be a problem, too... I don't know."
"I wonder why I had come here..."
"So this is your home...?"
"And now it is yours as well. Get your suitcase and wait a moment."
"Okay."
I leaned over to Matt. "I want to thank you. That was so... I don't know a word... you're so much of a friend, and I don't know how to give it back to you."
"Nah, that was nothing."
"It was something. Something big. I really owe you one. Here, for the inconvenience."
His face froze. "If you're trying to give me some money, Nílan boy, then I'll take that as an offence. Really."
I moved my paw back into my pocket again. "Sorry... sorry..."
"I'll take over at Sue's for you tonight."
"You would...?"
"And get the money for it, of course." He smiled. "Now get out, your son is waiting."
"He's not my son."
"You said, maybe he is. Anyway, see you, probably Sunday."
"Scánkalantesh, Matt."
"Bye, mate."
And I got out. He drove away. I joined Daniel and we went up. Three floors, fourth door on the right. "Home, sweet home. Human phrase."
I opened, we got in, he frowned. "This is it?"
"I am sorry, really, it was meant only for me."
"It is... good. Almost perfect."
I took his suitcase and put it next to the couch. "You'll sleep on the couch until I get you a mattress."
"No. I'll sleep on the floor."
"Oh, you want to argue? No way, couch for you."
He smiled. "If you insist..."
"I do. Now it's time for you to take a shower. Take the clothes off."
Suddenly he lost his smile and shook his head.
I stepped closer. "Won't hurt. Come on, a shower, change the clothes, you'll feel better. I mean, at the moment you look and smell horrible, no offence."
As he was still silently refusing I just grabbed his shirt and pulled it up, tenderly, but firmly. And I was shocked. "Dan..."
"Yes... yes, she hit me... sometimes, when she felt like it... she said I deserve it... and I do, I am a bad boy." He closed his eyes and sobbed.
Bruises and scars, they were visible, even through the fur. Over his back, over his stomach, probably even over his arms. Holes in the fur, but at least no open wounds. And his face was alright. The physical injures will heal.
But would the psychical heal, too? I laid my paw onto his back. "Calm down... you are not a bad boy."
"I stole food... I tried to run away... I did so many bad things... it was right of her to punish me."
"Boy, if you really believe that, then... listens, you're not a bad boy. I bet you stole food because you where hungry. And of course you tried to run away from her. Hey, do you know what? You never have to see her again! It's over, do you hear me, it's over. She won't be able to hurt you again. Now take off those old, stained clothes and wash it off. Wash it all off. The dirt, the pain, the memories, everything. Let it become past. It is over. I promise."
He looked at me, he stared deep into my eyes. Then he hugged, squeezed me. "Thank you... thank you..."
He was very long in the shower, about one hour. I didn't mind, it was alright. I opened his suitcase and was surprised. Then I was surprised that I was surprised. The suitcase was almost empty, two more pants, girl shape, and one shirt, ripped, plus a small pad and a pen. Of course I was curious about it, but I decided not to look into it. If I wanted him to trust me, I shouldn't look into his private things.
I was intending to visit the laundry shop soon anyway. Although the amount of shirts in my possession had been decreased over the last weekend, there were a lot of dirty clothes I needed to get cleaned, so I can get the clothes of the boy cleaned by that occasion as well.
Now he had been that long in the shower that I started to worry. It knocked on the door, no answer. I knocked again. But then I got distracted by a very forceful knock on the main door of the apartment.
"Scán? Scán! Open, I know you're in!" It was Sín.
I went and opened. "What's the matter...?"
"Could you come over? It's pretty urgent... I think Maí is about to go completely insane, two days without you... who's that?"
I turned, and Daniel was just coming out of the bathroom. His eyes went wide, and he went back in immediately. I think he was embarrassed, naked in front of a girl.
"Wow... what a long... tail..."
"Shut up. He's my Sahín now."
"Interesting..."
"You stay away from him, yeah?"
"Oh, no worries... I can behave. Maí can't at the moment, so get over to her, will you? For me, do me the favour... I can take care of the boy. And no, not with snuggling. I promise."
I thought. Well, I knew, girls in heat can become very inconvenient if they had to keep themselves under control, to say it as harmless as possible. I really should go over to Maí, and I knew that Sín really knew how to behave.
"Give him some clothes and keep him busy or let him sleep if he needs to."
"No worries. Now go over before Maí rips another blanket, will you?"
I came back at least four hours later, it was already dark outside. Sín was sitting on the couch, alone, watching some humans making themselves to twits on TV.
"Where's Dan?"
"Still in the bathroom."
"Still? What do you mean, still?"
"That I gave up getting him out of there after half an hour. Oh, and you need to buy new sausages, I think I ate them all."
"Could you... well, get back to your sister... she's sleeping."
"I bet," she said and stood up. "Sáshkal." She shoved herself through the small gab between me and the doorframe and closed the door.
"Dan...? Are you alright? Dan?" The bathroom door was locked. "She's away, Dan, the area is clear." What was wrong with the boy? Was he just ashamed to be naked in front of a girl? Or was he really fearing Sín? Well, although that wasn't rational, I could understand that. "Come on, Dan."
Slowly I heard movement in the small room. I was afraid, maybe he had hurt himself, only by accident, I had no idea. Bathroom can be very dangerous. But now the key moved in the lock, and I sighed in relief.
"What's up, boy?" I said, trying to sound understanding.
"I... I am so sorry... so really sorry..." Suddenly he banged his head against the doorframe. "Stupid boy, stupid, stupid, stupid."
I put my arms around his chest and old him tightly to prevent him from hurting himself. "Not stupid, no, you're definitely not stupid."
"I just... I just couldn't go out again... I was too scared... I am so stupid..."
"Nah. Get some clothes on, or not, I don't know, but now it's time to sleep. And I'll lock the door, nobody can come in, really."
He put his paw onto mine in front of his chest. "I don't want to be this way..."
"Don't worry, I completely understand."
"But... I don't think I could even tell her sorry..."
I stroked over his chest and dragged him to the couch. "I said stop worrying. Now lie down, and sleep. It will all sort out." Tenderly I forced him to get onto the couch and covered him with a blanket. I didn't know why, but I was urged to kindly lick his forehead and say him good night.
For me there was the floor again. But I didn't mind. I didn't mind at all.
Now I knew, I had to be much more than just a teacher for this boy. I had to be something that Nílans usually don't even know, a rather human concept. I had to be there for the boy, as a mother is there for her girl.
I had to be a father.
Next morning the boy was still asleep, of course. He had thrown the blanket off himself, I covered him again, patted his head and used the bathroom.
Oh, I didn't want to make the boy fat. But he was just too skinny the way he was, maybe only half of the weight I had that age. That was definitely not healthy. I figured the boy really needed some more food in his life. And fun in general.
Yes, all the sausages were out. The fridge was generally pretty empty, I hadn't had the time to visit the supermarket since the day of my arrival. I tried to keep quiet while I took out a plate and filled it with the last stuff which was in there. I felt like a tea, so I also boiled some water. I went back to the living room and arranged stuff so that the lad, when he woke up, wouldn't need to move to get his breakfast.
I changed my pants, the last clean pair on the floor. So I needed to go shopping, make the laundry and take care of the lad today, before I will be going to work. Wonderful day. Stósh, I was so glad Matt had took over for yesterday. And what he did for me anyway. I really owed him so much...
The boy jerked and opened his eyes.
"Good morning," I said.
"Umm... I'm naked..."
I was surprised this were his first words in the morning. "Well? Here are some clothes from your suitcase." I handed him the girl-shaped pants. "Are those uncomfortable in the crotch...?"
Without lifting the blanket he pulled the pants over his feet up to his waist. "Mum said it's all that's available..."
"You should start to question what your mum said to you, really." I lifted the plate up to his muzzle. "Breakfast?"
It as not much, and he ate it quickly.
"Well, in the evening, I have to work, but until then, we have loads of time for everything you want to do."
He eyed me, perhaps waiting for the hook or that I say it was a joke, although it was not that unbelievable or great what I had just said.
"For example we're getting you clothes for you, I mean... with those pants important things could get damaged, really. And this shirt... you can't wear it."
He had never been to a mall. Not even to anything similar. Well, two week ago I hadn't either. Strange... two weeks... and it was as if it was usual. Yes, as if it had been always that way. Maybe because I hadn't ever had the time for resting and thinking yet. And... wow... two weeks already? It was Friday of the second week... so... two weeks on Earth?
Why didn't I have any emotions about this?
"Just go around, Dan, you can get whatever you want."
And the boy thought and looked around. He didn't feel comfortable with everyone staring at him. They didn't stare at me that much anymore, I was like a known phenomenon and human get used to things very fast. But Daniel had a different fur colour, was about half my size and had this long tail. Much stuff to wonder and to whisper about. I wished the would stop that, just let us be, the boy was already insecure enough.
I dragged him tenderly to the clothes' shop. At the moment he wasn't wearing a shirt, because he couldn't wear the stained nor the ripped one. Maybe another reason for the people to gossip, but the ripped shirt would have been worse.
And the female shop assistant appeared like out of the void. "Heya, you again. Come to get the pants?"
"I'm here for the boy."
"Oh, hi, cutey." She kneed down. "Well, what can I get for you."
"He doesn't understand you."
"Oh..."
The pants would get send to us in some days. For our special needs they needed to add some changes, a tail hole and another button, and they were probably all too stupid to get just some scissors and a needle and do it in some minutes right in the shop. At least the lad was wearing a proper shirt now, a bit too big, but he'll grow into it soon. It showed his favourite cartoon character, he really seemed to like it.
Right now he was eating like crazy, shoving in more and more fast food. Seven burgers so far, uncounted ships, drained down by soda. Now he seemed to get full. It was strange, I thought his stomach couldn't be used to this amount of food. His entire life his mother had took his food away, he had never eaten more than his body needed to keep itself over the edge of starvation.
Well, it was good to see him eating, though. He ate more and more of the stuff he had never been allowed to taste before. And that was right.
While I was eating, I wondered if I should visit a doctor with him. Bruises on his back and stomach, many holes in the fur, and the skinny shape in general. But I didn't think he would accept that, not that soon. Plus, I would have to find somebody trained on Nílans, and on Earth, I figured that would be rather impossible. And he had still this strange fear of girls, only Nílan girls, but still.
I knew that because one just sat down to us. She was a younger girl, maybe came with her mother, she wore wide and baggy clothes and smiled upon us. Suddenly Daniel started to feel very uncomfortable, I saw him inching away.
I wonder where she did just come from. She had a very dark shade of brown fur, eastern colour, just like Maí and Sín. But they couldn't be related, I would have known that.
"Nice to see some fellows around, 'specially of your kind, eh?" She smirked and turned to Daniel. "Are you alright...?"
"No..." And he really started to cough, holding his paws in front of his muzzle. "No, really..."
Perhaps it was because he had eaten so much in such a little time, or maybe it was just the appearance of the girl, but somehow his stomach tried to threw out what he had shoved in. Of course. Why hadn't I said a word?
"Come on, little boy," I said, helped him up and went quickly to the men's restroom, fortunately close and empty.
Didn't sound good behind the door. "Had been a bit too much, lad." He didn't really answer. "You're not used to it. Easy next time." I waited some more minutes. It wasn't a pleasure for me to listen to him puking into the toilet bowl.
"Is he sick?" the girl asked behind me.
"No, he just ate too much... oh, wait, what are you doing in here? This is only for boys."
"Why?"
Good question. "It just is. Do us a favour and wait outside."
Obviously unused to this treatment the girl grunted, turned and left the restroom.
"Kás," I heard the boy shouting. "I ruined the new shirt..."
"Oh, don't worry about that. We've got more in the bag." I opened the paper bag. "What about the yellow bird this time?"
He slowly opened the door, shirt off again. One thing more added to the laundry list. He went to the water bowls and washed himself. "I am sorry... I am only embarrassing you."
"What makes you think that? I'm not embarrassed of you at all."
He took the shirt I was handing him. "I know I'm embarrassing you..." He went to the exit door.
The girl had really waited in front of the restroom. She leaned against the wall and looked to us. "Well, if the boy's sick, my mum could take a look over him. She's nurse at the local hospital, y'know."
What a coincidence, I thought. What a strange and big coincidence. But the lad was not ready for getting examined by a girl, at the moment he was trying to get away from this girl. "He just ate too much."
"Oh, well, anyway, I can tell you, my mother and I would really appreciate a soon visit of you." She gave a pretty special look.
"Well, scín, without wanting to sound rude, but I have to deny." As polite as possible.
But not polite enough for the young girl. Obviously she hadn't expected me to disagree with her. She turned and began walking away. I caught her arm as she went, but she just yanked it away and disappeared out the door.
I sighed and turned back to Dan. "So what do you-" I stopped as I realised he wasn't there. "Dan? Dan, where'd you go?" I asked, looking round frantically.
I spotted him under a table, hiding from a very young human kid who'd come to say hello in her own way to him. She was only little, about five years old. Her mother came over and lead her away.
"Sorry," she said. "Didn't mean to scare your kid."
"No! He's not-" I began, but she had already gone.
I sighed and grabbed Dan's hand. "Come on," I said with a smile. "Let's get you home."
"She had a stick and poked me..."
"That was a harmless lollipop. Now come on."
"Okay, Dan, I need to take care of some stuff. I'll be back in about one to two hours, no worries. But then I'll have to go to work. I know you can stay here alone. I don't want you to think I'm mean or anything. I need to do that."
"I understand..."
"I hope you do. Really. Well, I'll lock the door."
He switched on the screen, said nothing and watched a dog beating up a cat. I know it really bothered him what happened at the mall, but somehow I couldn't find anything what should bother him. But I really had to go to the supermarket, and do the laundry, no way around that. So what could I do? I couldn't think of anything to cheer him up. So I left him there.
The worst thing about emotions is that you can tell yourself thousands of logical reasons and still feel bad.
"What's up, Scán, ya seem pensive."
"Hmm... I am..."
"Try to get a good mood. I'll open now."
Somehow it wasn't like last week. Well, there were the tips, the people and the loads of human ladies trying to seduce and persuade me, just like last week. I don't think they were interested in me but in the ability to say 'I slept with an alien'. I told them a thousand times I'm not in humans, but they seemed just to get encouraged by this. Oh, well, it brings money into my wallet, so what?
But the party mood refused to come into my mind. People had a good time, chatting, singing, pouring their poison into their throats. I had a... not bad time, just a rather neutral time serving that poison. My thoughts were at the lad, I couldn't help it. What was he doing right now? Was he alright? Was he bored? And somehow... somehow I was always afraid he would just hurt himself on purpose, I didn't know why.
I was terribly tired as I left the building after a hard night of smiling, the phone numbers of seven human girls and two boys in my pockets, yawning. I tossed them into the next bin. I moved through the deserted and dark streets, I knew the sun would rise soon, that single, small, yellow sun, the big difference between me home and here. The night was warm and the sky not clouded, nights I used to like to spend outside. Sometimes I had just avoided the girls to be a night alone, just me and the stars.
But tonight wanted to be in this apartment, those three small rooms the humans had given to me. I wanted to be with the boy Scerén had given to me. I wanted to be on the couch, or on the floor, or anywhere. Sleep...
As I arrived at where I wanted to be, I saw the screen was still running, showing two cartoon animals chasing each other. Daniel was had fallen asleep on the couch. I switched the screen off, spread a blanket over the boy and washed myself quickly. Then I got rid of my clothes, wrapped myself into the other blankets and waited for the sleep to grab my mind.
I didn't have to wait long.
A loud scream crossed my dreamless sleep and made me open my eyes wide. I looked around quickly, the boy was not on the couch anymore, so I pushed myself up. On shaky feet I went to the kitchen.
Dan was running around and bumped into me. I could see a small flame over the shove, but the automatic system took already care of it and sprayed foam over it.
"Dan... Are you alright?"
He just sobbed and held his left wrist. I guessed he had burned his paw by accident, so I lifted him softly and carried him to the bathroom. There I let cool water run over his injured paw.
"Hey, young boy, did you want to fix me breakfast...?"
The fur on the back of his paw was burned, not only a bit. I didn't have anything for first aid in the house, except for the small emergency bandage in my bag. I told Dan to keep the paw under the water and got the blue piece of cloth. Well, in difference to humans, the medical colour for Nílans was blue, whereas white was usually supposed as the mourning colour. I've seen many humans on Scánish taking that wrong... awkward situations, especially with other colours like red and green.
"I'm so stupid... I'm not worth anything, can't even make you breakfast."
"Shh, shh. Hey, it's okay, how often did you cook before, eh?"
"How often did you burn your food to ashes...?"
Clever answer. Oh well, I saw his last remnants of self-esteem fold themselves into nothing. This boy was three and already broken. That thought suddenly snuck into my mind. The boy's problem that his mother had destroyed all his self-esteem, and now he was trying to impress me, I don't know why, but all the little failures, maybe just small incidents nobody would put much meaning in, all those failures made him feel worse. He thought it hadn't been his mother, it was him. He was really a bad boy.
And I saw, as I bandaged his paw carefully, that I had to something, anything, before he hated himself so much that he got the sudden idea that he didn't deserve to live. Maybe it sounded improbable, but I had known a little girl on Scánish who... well, suddenly decided it would the best for everybody if she just cuts her wrists. After a night with me. I had felt so guilty. And I wanted to avoid the picture in my memory. She had told me so many bad things before and actually had felt that bad we never came to business. Oh, kás, now I was thinking about that again...
But what could I do?
"Come on, Dan, it's not so bad, really. I'll clean up, and we'll try it again, together. Don't worry."
He nodded wordless, I finished the bandage. It won't help. I knew it that won't help him. So what would help him?
There was no doubt he needed that English course, but from someone who knew Nílan. I didn't have the time nor the abilities to teach someone a language. And everybody else available would be a girl, which brings more problems. So what could I do about it?
Nothing much, but I tried to explain him many things. I knew he was able to read, but only human letters, he never came to learn how to read Nílan ones. Actually his mother hadn't cared at all about his education, she never answered him any questions. Kás, I need to get over thinking about his mother. She had screwed him up. Yes, I was mad at her.
I got him movies, let him roam around in the neighbourhood, I tried to make him feel welcome and comfortable, I told him that often as well. But it all made him not really happy. There was no smile on his face. So what to do?
After another week I decided it would be the best to get him to a school. The problem was just, without English it was impossible for him there, and wouldn't the other kids tease him for being Nílan? That would be even worse for his self-esteem, that's for sure.
"Matt?"
"Hmm..."
"Do you remember that boy I picked up."
"Oh yeah. Something wrong?"
"Definitely."
"Tell me."
Okay. That was it. I sighed and opened the door. The old woman looked at me, very confused. "Can I help you?" she asked after she found her ability to speak again.
"Umm... yeah... I am here 'cos of my... my..." Oh, screw it. "My son."
"Oh?" the woman said. "And?"
"Well, this is a school, isn't it?"
"Oh, yes it is. But... I assume your son is also... different. Well, I am sorry, sir, you should... umm... try to... Oh, you know, the Burton School has already two Nílan girls, wouldn't your son feel much better there?"
And I understood immediately. "Oh, I thank you so much, Miss. I won't come back ever again. Bye." And I closed the door again. Stupid human.
What was the matter? Only because he was Nílan. Hey, what was the problem? I really doubted he would just run around and bite all students or anything. I didn't know what the woman had been afraid of. And I was angry. Very angry. So I stepped out of the school, ignored the bell and all the children's surprised gasps, their tries to touch me and so on. This was not the place for Daniel, definitely not.
Burton School. Not heard yet. Oh, well.
This time I knocked more carefully. I opened the door and looked inside. It was strange, there was a woman, looking almost the same as the other one. A but older, glasses on her nose, checking stuff on the computer screen, taking notes. As I entered, she put the screen away and smiled upon me. "What can I do for you?"
Almost the same, yes. "Well, I've come for my son."
"Oh, your son? Thought it'd be different with your kind."
Surprise. "To be honest, I just figured it is much easier to say that instead of explaining it all the time."
"I can imagine. Well, the principal isn't in at the moment, but you can wait for a moment if you like."
"Okay..." I sat down. And waited. The woman went back to her work again. Sometimes she took calls. The room was nice, not as small as the other one, big windows, with a view to the sport square where a girl's class was jogging. And there I saw the Nílan girl, quite young, maybe three Scánish years. I still had problems to measure time in Earth standards, but that wasn't the point.
Someone tapped my shoulder. "And you are?"
"Umm, Scán. Pleased to meet you, scín." The principal was a woman. Why did it surprise me?
"Let's get into my office."
It was a nice office, small and functional. "It's about a boy, he's my responsibility."
"I understand. Well, it's not really a problem, you sign some papers, and next week he can start."
"It is a problem, it definitely is. He had some problems with her mother, she really... well, let's say he's a kind of psychical wreck right now. Hard to say that. And he can't speak English, I can't teach him. A friend told me I should just get to a school and ask."
"Well, you did. We've got a teacher, she'd been on Scánish for quite a time, and I think she can give him some courses. If he's able to."
"I think he is..."
"Wonderful."
I was very surprised how quick it had worked. Just without a problem, some words, and it was done. "What papers do I have to sign?"
The woman reached into her desk and put one single sheet into my sight. "It's simple," she said. "Name here, and here... umm, have you got custody for the boy?"
"Now that's complicated..."
"I see. He's your Sáhin, and his mother just gave him over to get rid of him?"
"You know a lot about us."
"It was in a book... anyway, the thing is that you don't have official custody. Either you adopt him or you go to his mother, and let her sign one or two papers."
"I know that. But, can he still take the lessons in English?"
"Of course. Let me see..." She looked at a schedule, pinned onto the wall. Or rather, it was the wall. I couldn't understand the system, it were just some names and then only colours everywhere. "Miss Martins has some free time Mondays and Thursdays, three o'clock. I'd say, two hours every day. Would that be right?"
"Perfect." I couldn't help but smile. That was going much more smoothly than I had expected. I can't say what I had expected, but not something like 'okay, when would it be convenient?'. My experiences with humans in charge had been a bit more inconvenient, especially when papers were involved. Humans liked paper, can't say it often enough. "Can I use the pen?"
"Of course."
I took her pen and a piece of paper lying around and wrote my phone number and my address. She looked over it. "Oh, there. Of course. However, Miss Martins will call you soon."
"Thank you."
"So, that'd be clarified. Take the paper with you and give it in when the boy has his first day here. We're an open school, and we really like to have Nílan citizens here." She stood up and reached out her hand. I shook it immediately.
"Thank you, scín, thank you so much."
"You're very most welcome."
And with a smile, I left the office and the wonderful school.
"Scerén, my dear. Actually, I never wanted to talk to you again, but I need a sign from you. Just a sign, so the humans can accept that Daniel is now my responsibility. ... No, I must come over, it must be an actual sign. ... Well, the alternative would be, a lawyer would look into your house, and I am sure they will agree with me that you treat the boy horribly. ... Yes, it's their business. If you want a daughter, give me the sign and you won't ever hear from me or Daniel ever again. Deal? ... Fine." Irately I closed the phone and sighed.
This time, I'll go by train.
"A, Dan, this letter is A."
"Sounds strange."
"This is a human language, of course it's strange."
I could see his almost paranoid eyes perking as someone knocked at the door. "Stay calm, it's only Matthew. I told you he'd come." It was the very best solution that had come into my mind. I mean, I couldn't get one of the girls to look over him, could I? No way. So I got a human, who can't speak one single word Nílan, to watch over a boy, who can't speak one single word English. Maybe not the best decision I've ever done, but I couldn't see the poor lad alone in that tiny apartment for one day, or more.
Of course, Sue was getting angry. I was missing again, and that only for a small sign. But, even if she had fired me, the boy was worth it. I may not be his actual father, and I may be Nílan, but I had the same feelings a human father had to his son. Although, since I only new that feelings from tales and movies, I wasn't quite sure about that. And Sue didn't fire me.
I stood up from the floor, went to the door and opened. Yes, Matthew.
"Scíshki," the human said, of course awfully pronounced. He was trying his best, he was trying his best...
"Hi." I let him in.
"Oh, that's the boy?" he said, took some steps and squatted down. Daniel was staring back, not really scared, just surprised by the friendly face and the hand the man offered him.
"Shake the hand..." I had to help him. After some moments, Daniel did so. And he smiled. Weakly, but he smiled. Stósh, I was so relieved...
"So, Matt, my train goes in about an hour. Here's some money, maybe you can get him some toys or anything. He hardly get out of here. Here's the dictionary. And the matches."
"Matches?"
"Yes... umm... for the boy, I started praying again. Not really praying... it's just getting some stability into his life."
"What have I gotta do?"
"Before dinner and breakfast just give him a match and close your eyes. It's not much. And thank you so much for this. You do so much for me..."
"Nah, it's not much..."
"It is. I owe you big. If there's anything, anything, let me know."
"Umm... get me together with a nice Nílan chick?"
I could only smile. "I'll try my best. So. I'm off then. Be a good boy."
Daniel had stood up. Matt stroked the lad's head. "I think we don't need much words..."
"Let's hope so," I said, took my wallet and waved. "Have a nice day. If something's wrong, call me."
"I know. Now go."
I smiled once again and left.
I sat in the train and tried to read the book I had bought in the station. Oh, a nice shop, again a shop assistant who couldn't believe a furry guy was buying something there, and so on. I had even to stand next to people for photos. People touched me. I tried to be happy.
Now I couldn't read. I read some lines, then my mind trailed off. Off to Daniel. My boy. Couldn't help but think that way. I was supposed to take care of him. And with that sign Scerén had to do, it would be official. Finally. On this planet, it meant fatherhood. I was very sure, no Nílan male had ever been a father before. Father was a human word in our language.
When a boy gets older, they get responsibility of an older male, a Sáhch. That was not fatherhood. The Sáhch just teaches and trains the boy, the Sahín. He trains the lad sex. What a girl likes, where he has to touch, the right buttons to press. Because males had only one task in the Nílan society: Providing pleasure. And, due to the stupid biology, babies. Simple.
Now I had a child of my own. It was different. Or not. I've never been a Sáhch before, I don't know how they feel about it. I couldn't just stop thinking about it. Neither the book nor the eternal desert outside the window could distract me. And the pillow was annoying.
I could stop thinking about the boy's future. I didn't know what was supposed to come. With a that small job in the bar I will surely be able to pay food and rent, but nothing much more. I wanted to give Daniel more than I ever had in my life. Much more than just a toy for girls. And I didn't I could do that right now. But I only could do that here, on Earth.
I want him to be happy. No matter what I'd need to do for that.
Of course, the Canberra station was very big. Too big for its purpose, that was usual with humans. Size equals beauty, I had learned that quickly, from the train stations on Scánish, the only human buildings that were left after the uprising of 32. As I left, it was 61 AW, the sixty first year after the war.
I still need to get used to the new numbers. A year on earth has three hundred sixty five days, not the four hundred fifty seven on Scánish. Twelve instead of ten months, and one has thirty, not forty two days. Strange. And I was sixteen suddenly, not thirteen anymore.
My mind was trailing off while I was looking for a cab. I could have walked, I am not that lazy, but I wanted to be back home as soon as possible. Such a long trip, only for some letters on a piece of paper. And if she thought she could get me into her bed again, she was wrong, definitely wrong. I won't even enter that house again, a house she just got because she had the boy. Maybe I should tell the people, so she'd lose the house again. Would serve her right.
The cab driver couldn't stop talking to me. He just wanted to tell me how much he liked my folks, how swell Nílan food is and so on. I was a bit surprised, because the greatest culinary achievement of 'my folks' were fried pieces of meat with hot sauce. The rest was an invention of clever girls who knew humans paid more for something that looked like more work. Maybe some girls had brought money from Scánish and opened a restaurant here. Would figure. In the northern continent the human society was build, there money existed, a government was formed and so on.
"Wait here, I only need a moment."
"No worries, mate," the man said and leaned back in his seat.
I made the steps to the house. There was still the chair, but it was dawning, Scerén was not out here. I went to the door and rang the bell. Nice house. I wish I could get it.
Earlier than expected, after the third ring, she appeared, wrapped in some dry towels. "Scishkí, Scán, come on in."
"No." I lifted the paper and a pen. "Your name here and here, and I'm away, as well as the boy."
"You know..."
"I know a lot of things. Sign here."
Obviously she was angry. She made the sign and looked into my face. "Me just wanted to tell you, me's breeding again, 'cos of the night as you got the boy. Thank you." And she slammed the door shut.
Fine by me. I didn't care at all if she was breeding or bleeding or anything.
It was dark in the desert as I got home. I had a good feeling, about everything. At first I wanted to call home to make sure everything was fine. But I knew everything was fine. I had that feeling, that made me feel to good like never before.
Now I needed to send the papers to the Exchange Programme, they would do the stuff humans do with papers, which was still a mystery for me. And afterwards, Daniel was my son. My son. I turned those words in my mouth around and around. They were strange. But they sounded also right.
I really looked forward to them to become true.
It was in the middle of the night as I came home finally. I went upstairs, to my door and pressed my ear against it. Cartoons, very quietly running inside. I thought Matthew would have got the lad to bed earlier. Or rather, to the small mattress in the corner.
I shoved the key quietly into the lock and opened. Aww... Matthew was sitting was watching some crappy drawn girls beating up a monkey. And Daniel was asleep in his arms. It was such a lovely view.
Matt moved his index finger in front of his lips and let the boys head slowly slip to the sofa as he stood up. Daniel moved a bit in the sleep. Matt pulled a blanket over his chest.
"Everything's fine," he whispered. "Spend some hours in the mall, and then we discovered we both liked cartoons, so... I hope you don't mind, we had junk food for dinner."
"Nah, that's okay. Thank you again."
"Remember the Nílan girl. That wasn't a joke."
"Knock next door and tell the naked girl you've got a cock."
"Hah."
"Not a joke. Two seconds later you're in the bed with her."
"Will do. But not now. Need to sleep."
"Thank you."
"Yeah, yeah, bye, mate." He took his jacket and left into the corridor.
I was so grateful and he just left as if it was nothing. I closed the door carefully and went over to the couch. Somehow I couldn't stop looking into the boy's face, that cute and innocent face, that had seen so many bad things, just because his mother was stupid and insane. It wasn't his fault. This innocent face deserves better.
I switched the screen off and adjusted the boy's blanket. Time to finish this day. I got rid of my clothes, got onto the mattress and was asleep within minutes.
I got waked by a smell. It doesn't happen often that I get waked my a smell, but this time the scent of fried and slightly burnt meat was just too good to leave me sleeping. I opened one eye and saw Daniel squatting down in front of me.
"Made breakfast."
"Smells good..."
"Almost not burnt, but I think it's edible." He smiled.
I sat up. The boy had made some sausages, cut them in half pieces and fried them, but the result looked strange, even if I looked away from the black stains. I took one from the plate and put it into my muzzle. "Great." Daniel smiled widely.
"Matthew also showed me how to make hot chocolate."
"Oh, what's that?"
"Try it," he said and handed over a steaming cup.
I drank and had to admit it was bitter. Just bitter. Chocolate... wasn't that this stuff humans are so keen on? With sugar? Yeah... Nílans can't taste sugar. So bitterness was left. Did Daniel know that? I drank more. Somehow it was reviving, if bitter or not. Waking me up. "Thank you."
"It's Saturday, so you need to go to work earlier. Can we go to the mall before?"
"What time is it?"
"Two in the afternoon."
"Okay, just let me get dressed on..."
He was different. It was so weird, the day before he was a little scared boy not daring to get further away from me than one metre, and now he was running around like a child of his age should do.
He wanted toys. That had made me blink, I was surprised, and I still was as we were in the toy shop in the upper floor. He said he'd seen something in there, and now he was running through the aisles, and was happy as I would have been if I had been bathing in Sráme. Well, at that age, at least.
The boy was a miracle to me, really. Yes, you can stay stuff like 'brain still in development', or other things. I've learnt some things over human children in the last years, I've learnt they are growing more slowly. A Nílan child grows with the double speed, and their brain develops even faster. While a human brain had the time to grow, to learn, to build up everything it needs, the Nílan one was building connections within some weeks, not months, and destroying them immediately. The result, as far as I understood the biology books, was that the child's mood, the child's character could change entirely within some days. To be honest, I couldn't remember anything like that. As I was a child, everything I did was just logical, at least in the moment I did it. Afterwards, it's all just ridiculous.
One thing I can say: I love biology.
"Stósh, yesterday it's been here..."
"Take your time," I said generously. Somebody had been so awfully smart and had put some seats into the shop, for the parents. And this person was also a psychologist. He'd known how to build all the aisles and advertisings in a way to keep the children interested and the adults away from the toys, but in control of the kids. And this chair was just wonderfully comfortable.
I turned my head as I heard some words in Nílan.
"... yeah, yeah, whatever you want. It's your pouchday." A girl ran off. And another girl sat down next to me. "Scishkí. What are you doing here?"
"My Sahín..." I just answered. Oh, it was nice to see immediate understanding in her face. Every human I need to explain the words. Not her.
"Children are a burden," she said and sighed. "But they're worth it."
"I noticed that, yes," I said and smiled.
Daniel appeared and showed me something. He noticed the girl next to me and became silent again. He didn't look at her, just to me, and kept a distance. I was a bit disappointed, that hadn't changed at all.
"That is it?"
"Yes..."
"Do you want something else? Really, you can have whatever you want." It was good to see the light and the warmth in his face as he went off again.
For a while I watched him moving, looking for something interesting. And I could watch the young girl moving, in another aisle. Both didn't know the other one was there. Somehow the girl's shade was familiar.
"Do you have another daughter?" I suddenly asked.
"Oh, yeah, why?"
"I think I met her."
"Yeah, she stays in the memory. Is it the fur?"
"Just a sudden idea..."
"It is the fur. There must be a western flow in our family." Suddenly she turned around and lifted her shirt. "See the stripe on the back?" I could see the very interesting beige line leading down her back. "And that's not the end, touch it."
I shook my head. I mean, there was a girl in front of me exposing her back to me, at the entrance of a shop for children. "Umm... scín, this isn't necessary, really..."
"A shy male... this planet is certainly strange, yes." She let her shirt fall down again. "Ktésca, my dear, make it quick, we need to set the rooms up for the party!"
"One moment, Mum!"
I could see Daniel's ears perking as he listened. But he seemed to have found something of his interest. He grabbed into the shelf. At that moment, the girl did the same, on the other side of the shelf. I could see the facial expressions as their paw touched each other, the moment where both didn't know what was there, what were they fingering. At the same time, they bent down to look.
The girl smiled. "Scishkí."
But Dan's reaction wasn't that friendly. As he saw who was looking at him, he fell backwards, against another shelf, stood up quickly and ran. He ran past me, out of the door, I wasn't able to stand up that fast. I just could watch him running, to the hall, into the men's restroom. Of course. The only place here where no girl could ever come in. He was learning quickly.
The mother was smiling upon me. "Children are wonderful, aren't they?"
"Sorry, scín, I must take care of him."
"Umm, here's my number. Call me. When you need to train the sahín and if you're lonely and so on..."
"As you just saw, he's far away from any training," I said, took the paper anyway and paid the toy. "Have a nice day, scín."
I knocked at every door. "Daniel?" It was the third it opened slowly.
"I'm sorry, Scán, so sorry, so terribly sorry... I screwed everything up..."
I hugged him. It seemed appropriate that moment. He hugged back. "There's nothing you did wrong..."
"Come on, there is... I... don't know what it is, when a girl appears I'm just so scared..."
I looked deep into his sad eyes. "As I was your age, lad, I had a terrible scare of spiders. They're not dangerous at all, but I couldn't help but scream when I saw one." I smiled as smoothing as possible.
"This is different."
"Not a tiny bit. Trust me."
He smiled back. I was so relieved. "Thanks, Scán."
"You can call me dad, Scán sounds as if we wouldn't know each other at all."
"Do you want to be my dad?"
"I couldn't imagine a better son." I licked over his forehead and stood up. Something caught my eye. Not the cleanest loo, honestly. "They're so much smaller here..."
He turned his head and watched me letting a spider crawl onto my paw. I am still scared of spiders, and I am not afraid to admit it. But spiders on Scánish were huge creepy insects of up to five centimetres.
"See, you can get over it..."
He hugged me tightly. "Thank you... daddy..."
I lifted him up. "Look, I haven't forgotten your fluffy bird." Then I noticed all the male humans staring at us, at the scene, unable to understand one word. "What are you staring?" I asked, because I was in such a good mood. "Never seen a father talking to his son? In a public toilet?"
"Not yet," somebody said who considered himself as very funny.
"Zip up, human. You don't need to show everyone how pathetic you are." Well, I don't consider myself as funny, but somehow I needed to express my mood. The others laughed though.
My sahín entered, my son came out. But... something that bothered me for a while... why did it have to happen in a stupid public toilet?
"Do you know what pizza is?"
"It is a round piece of dough with fermented milk and mashed vegetables."
"Wonderful. Have you eaten it yet?"
"No."
"Hi, Sue." I started working immediately with putting the chairs down. No waste of time. Sue looked not very happy about my working times recently.
"I hope you haven't got anything for next week. Only Thursday, got that?"
"There's nothing I should do."
"Matt told me about the boy. Or rather, he started to mention him and couldn't stop. Very annoying. But I can understand if you..." Her voice trailed off. Maybe she had prepared a speech or something, but some thoughts kept her from speaking on, I could see that. All her movements had frozen.
I made some steps closer. "Sue?" I put my paw onto her back and was relieved as her body came back to life with a sigh. "You alright?"
"Yes, yes. Clean the tables, I'll open in a bit."
It was good to know that Scerén's treatment had at least taught the boy independence. Maybe not complete independence, but he could be alone for some hours if he got cartoons and food. First thing even more important.
As I adjusted the blanket I noticed he was still too skinny, but it had gotten better. And the scars and bruises were disappearing and healing. The fur will grow.
I switched the bird off. The same bird which was lying in the boy's arms. He was embracing the fluffy toy tightly.
Every time I looked at my son - yes, my son - I felt a warmth in my mind. When I saw he was fine, I felt better. So much better. I can't describe it properly, at feelings my language abilities fail me. Amazing abilities, being a male I'm naturally stupid. Ask every girl.
The mattress for me, again. I didn't mind. I could have carried him over, but he looked almost perfect on the couch. Before sleeping I thought a moment, what was to do. Not much, actually I just needed to wait for the people from the Exchange Programme. As far as I knew Daniel didn't even have an identification card yet, they wanted to send me everything. I wondered how they had let him onto the planet, without an ID or passport. They told me I will be registered as his father. I could have been just someone with custody for him, but I had insisted on being his father. Here on Earth, a child needs a father, not a Sáhch. I just wondered when it will be finished, so Daniel could go to school.
At first he'd need the English lessons. How long would that take? Will he accept the teacher? I had no doubt he was smart enough to learn the language, and to learn it quickly. I would help him. And Matt.
Obviously Matthew and Daniel liked each other. Without being able to talk to each other. Yet.
I am thinking too much. I should sleep.
Again, he made me breakfast. But he let me sleep. I could guess were he'd leant to move completely soundlessly. It wasn't the smell that made me wake up, it was just the time.
As I woke up, the boy was sitting on the couch and... reading? I blinked. Yes, he was reading, the book I had bought for the trip. It was in English. Everything written we had in the house was in English. "Good morning..."
"Umm... goot mornink?" he repeated and smiled.
"Very good."
"Nah. I found your dictionary and thought it'd be good to learn. One paragraph yet." He grinned from eye to eye, showing his teeth. "In only two hours."
"Great."
"There's salad for you."
"Oh, is that why your paw's bleeding?"
"Yes. I cut it."
"On purpose?"
"No need for that anymore."
Somehow that had killed my cheery mood. I didn't know what to answer next. So I didn't. I stood up, stretched and left into the bathroom.
Sometimes I talk to the people in the bar, when it's calm, as this Sunday. Somewhere a festival was running, or a game or whatever. So the people decided to be there instead of a bar.
Those who find a way into the establishment were those who were to depressed to do anything else than pour poison into themselves. On those days I tried to talk to the people before their liver was completely destroyed. Who survived one night will come again the next, to try again at turn their liver into ruins. It was also a game they were playing with me. And Sue counted the money.
The strangest conversations can develop.
"Gimme another one!"
"Didn't you have enough?" It was a phrase that came like a reflex.
"I need another one!"
"Oh, why?"
"'Cos God hates me."
"Who's God, a friend?" I didn't know anything about that topic that moment, really. And I also wasn't very familiar with human names. "Your girlfriend?" Because many male humans often complained about those.
The guy was staring at me for a moment, as if I had said something that was just that absurd that his mind blocked it out. After two minutes, he made to move his mouth again. "You ask me who God is?"
I nodded innocently.
"Heck, God is... is... everything! He's our Lord, our Saviour... oh, wait, that was Jesus... However, even you aliens must know God, really."
"Oh, is that how you call your Scánish...? Or... no, explain..."
"Okay, see, there's this God guy, and he made the world."
"The planet?"
"No, the world. Everything."
"And where is he now?"
"In Heaven."
"Where did that come from? Did he made that too?"
"It was already there."
"Oh..."
"And he made the plants and the animals and the humans."
"And the Nílans?"
"Umm... they're not mentioned in the bible... umm..."
"You confuse me here, really. This man made the world. And then he left it and went to that Heaven place. So why do you mind him hating you?" This was obviously a religious problem. I doubted what he said. Earth was made like Scánish, from the eternal mothers, or mother, in this case, the Sun. I accepted all the other views, of course.
"Because I wanna get to Heaven as well."
"Aha. And so you need to make him like you?"
"Now you get it."
"And what do you have to do to make him like you?"
"Well, at first not to commit a sin."
"And that is...?"
"A crime against God, geez, don't you know anything?"
"This completely new to me, really. I am an alien, as you said."
"Even you can't ignore the existence of God."
"I can, if I doesn't know about him at all."
He shook his head. "Gimme a drink."
I mixed some whiskey and a lot of water, out of his view. "There you go. Now tell me, what makes you think he hates you?"
"Let me see... my wife threw me out, my car broke, I lost my job, my father died... yeah, that's pretty much it." He poured the drink down in one go.
"I see. Yesterday?"
"Over the last half year..."
"And those weren't coincidences because...?"
He thought. His slightly poisoned brain worked, if not very fast. "'Cos God had a reason to do that to me."
"A sin?"
"I cheated on my wife, I admit it!"
"Hey, hey, take it easy... and that's not enough of a reason for your wife to throw you out?"
"God hates me, though. I'll end up in hell."
"Aha..."
"Now don't ask me what hell is!"
"I won't and remain stupid." I sighed and started to make a load of beer ready, for table two. They're all numbered, how unnecessary.
"You now what? I'll go and look for a priest!" He actually stood up.
"You should go home. You're drunk."
"No!" He staggered in front of the table. "Okay, a bit. I'll find a priest, for God's sake..." He slammed twenty dollars onto the table and went into direction of the door, cursing all aliens and their stupidity.
I shrugged. Maybe I should learn a bit more about that topic, I thought. It seemed quite important.
A knock. As expected. I opened. "Scishkí," the woman greeted.
"You must be Miss Martins." I hold out my paw, for her to shake it, as humans do.
"We don't need to be that formal. Call me Veronica." She smiled. "Where's the boy?"
"Daniel, come here." I turned and watched the young lad walking out of the kitchen. He wiped his paws with a cloth.
"Scishkí, scín," he greeted politely, but a bit cold.
The woman squatted down. "Scishkí, Daniel. I am Veronica." She pulled something out of her handbag. It was a bar. Covered with Nílan letters. I was surprised. Sráme was unavailable here, no human could eat it and there were not many Nílans around to make a production useful. So where did she get that? And it didn't look like a bar I got at home. They were without letters.
She handed the treat over, Daniel looked at it, a bit distrusting. I could bet he never saw or ate Sráme before. I let her in and closed the door.
"He is allowed to eat it, is he?" Veronica asked as the boy was still staring down onto the bar.
"Of course he is..."
She smiled and pulled another one out of the bag. "And I bet you are, too."
"I love you!" I screamed out and gabbed the bar.
She made a wry smile, as if hoping that was just a phrase and not really true. It wasn't true. I was not in humans, at all.
"So... then let's start... is here a table?"
"In the kitchen... but there aren't any seats."
"Well, Daniel, you won't mind the couch, would you?"
"No, scín."
I sighed. "Relax, Dan. She won't hurt you. She won't, will she?" Oh... that'd been impolite.
"Hell, no..." she said, very surprised I had said that.
"Well, you two have fun, I'll be over at the girls. Having adult fun." Couldn't suppress that... "Bye, Dan, see you in the morning, as usual."
Veronica only smiled until I was away. It was thinking it was just the right thing to let them alone, taking the pressure off Daniel.
Things were going smooth. Daniel had accepted the teacher. That sounded a bit clinical, but it was true. There was no problem. In the night I came back, the TV was off, Daniel was asleep on the mattress, some paper where spread around in the corner. Notes. Homework. I could see, he had worked on it until he was too tired.
I could only smile. The boy was working hard, from the first day on, just to show me that he could do it. That was willing to do it. For me. He didn't want to disappoint me. It was important for me, so he made it important for himself. That was just too cute...
The days passed by. Thursday came. I had free on Thursdays, but I didn't want to disturb the learners. So I had made a call...
Okay... Pants were zipped up, buttons closed. Tail was okay... the fur trimmed and groomed, the shirt was clean - I had taken care of that before very conscientiously - the perfume smelled right, at least to me... I licked my paw and corrected some hairs in my face. Perfect. Perfect. I smiled into the window, sighed and finally made to ring the bell.
Tésca opened the door and smiled upon me. "Look, my date's here."
I bent. Maybe humans didn't, I did. "Scishkí, scín." She was dressed in a small skirt and a blue shirt, it didn't match very well, but on her it looked like perfect. In a human manner she had a small handbag, but a watch around her left wrist. No shoes, because no Nílan wore shoes, but a wonderful golden necklace. She looked just mind-blowing beautiful, and she took my breath with her as she turned to grab some keys from a table. I loved her eyes... yes, loved...
I reached her my paw, she laid hers over it and I kissed the paw. She giggled and turned to the house. "Ktésca, Shénkeisca, you know what to do, TV 'till ten. It's gonna get late! I love you!" She closed the door. "Shall we go?" She offered her arm.
I hooked my arm into hers. "Of course, my dear." She giggled again, we got into her car, and I was probably one of the happiest guys on the planet. Okay, maybe not that happy. But I enjoyed it. It wasn't the Nílan way of living, but who cares?
Not me, I could tell.
Restaurant. Maybe boring, but we were both a bit inexperienced when it comes to dates, so we had no better idea as going to eat something, and then watch a movie. And after the third try we found a nice place where the waiter didn't throw us out before we went through the door. We had steak, but I had my eyes only on her, and I think Tésca noticed that. Of course she noticed it. And I noticed she was eying me.
"We're betraying our cultural identity," she said and sipped the wine.
"Oh? And why should we care?"
She giggled. "My mother could come and rip my tail off."
"As your mate I think I should protect you then."
"My mate? This is our first date. You're my boyfriend after the third."
"Ah. Didn't know that."
"It's all written down in a huge amount of books."
"Then let's hope we'll have a third date before your mother comes to rip your tail off. It'd be a pity. It's a nice tail."
"Does the... guests wish a dessert?" the waiter asked.
"What can you offer?"
"We have a variety of finest chocolates, or if you wish, ice cream with fresh fruits."
"Say..." Tésca started. "Say, did you know our kind has a congenital disability to taste the flavour of sugar?"
"I... beg your pardon, Miss?"
"What my nice companion tries to tell you, we start to spit with chocolate. I assume you don't have Sráme, no?" Obviously he didn't even know what that was. "We'll be having... sausages, what d you think, Tésca."
"Sounds right."
"As you wish... mister..."
As he was away I tried not burst out laughing. It wasn't helping to watch Tésca trying to desperately hold back her laughs as well.
"Maybe they had diced out who was gonna serve us."
"Poor lad... It isn't his fault."
"It isn't ours as well." She glanced at her watch. "Cinema's in one hour..."
"Enough time, enough time..."
We smiled at each other, taking a big dose of the other one's eyes.
The girlfriend-boyfriend system was the human way to find a mate for reproduction. Or, in other words, somebody proper for sex. Nílans didn't know such a system. It wouldn't work. Only one out of ten Nílans was male, a big problem for human thinking, I've noticed that. So nine girls need to share one boy, and that couldn't work with an obsessive system as the humans used. With us, it's just: You look good, come into my bed.
That meant, being a male, I could just go out and girl would tie me up. So I could have sex easily, without any effort. Just knock at the door next to mine. Many humans would ask now: Dude, why do you bother then with Tésca? Sex, sex, sex, every day.
Although even I couldn't deny a certain sex drive, a life like that wears the sensation down. I don't need to explain that being a mere sex toy leaves you unsatisfied in the end. Neither Tésca nor I wanted to get sex out of this relationship. We wanted love.
That was why I gave a kiss before leaving the car in front of my house. It was dark. And it wasn't a kiss, there were muscles missing. But it was a try. And the thought counted. She licked over my forehead, embracing my neck, the Nílan manner. We needed at leas fifteen minutes to leave each other finally.
A Nílan live? Ridiculous. Well... on Scánish maybe... We would give it a try, that's why we dated.
Stósh, why am I trying to justify myself here?
Did I mention things were going smooth? Very smooth. After two weeks Dan's English abilities were growing quickly, as well as his self-esteem. It was a pity I couldn't spend more time with him, I worked in the night and slept during the day, and on Thursdays he had his lessons. In the third week I had another date, cinema, no restaurant. I had the opportunity to meet her daughters again. Ktésca was a lovely little girl, same age as Daniel, and Shénkeisca was just strange. Always music on her ears, she usually sat somewhere and seemed not to care about anything around her. When I tried to talk to her I got either a grunt or a snappy sentence as a reply. Despite all the fur she seemed awfully human.
The fourth week, on Monday, Daniel's papers arrived. ID, birth certificate - which, in my opinion, was a bit senseless, because if he wasn't born why was he here then? - and the certificate that I had custody for him. Finally. And something that I had ordered, because I had the opportunity to let them do it. I wondered why it had taken that long, those tests didn't need more than thirty minutes in a laboratory nowadays. But maybe many human males need to do it, so the queue was a bit long, or whatever.
I couldn't open the envelope. I had looked forward to have it, to know it. I had ordered a DNA comparison. To make sure if he was my biologic son or not. But now... it had lost the meaning to me. It had no meaning anymore, and I was scared to open it. I was afraid it would have a meaning to me when I knew the result. I was just frightened it would change my relationship to him again. So I put the envelope away. There will come a time I will able to open it. But not now. I was scared of a letter. Pathetic.
Anyway, I did the rest of the paperwork.
"So... Dan... everything's set up. Next week you can go to school. If you feel ready for it."
The boy thought a moment. "I don't know..."
"Your English has improved a lot."
"I would pref... prefer? Prefer asking Veronica about that..."
"Of course." And since it was Monday, she'll appear in a bit. "You'll ask her." I spoke slowly and clearly. He was really learning quickly. I needed two Scánish months to learn what he learnt within one Earth month. Maybe it was his age, I don't know. "It's up to you."
"Good day, Scán. Finally got all the papers?"
"Yes. The Exchange Programme needed a while to make my son alive."
The headmistress's eyebrow rose a tiny bit, but she decided to take a closer look at the papers instead. She nodded, made some notes on her palmtop, and finally smiled. "Well, everything's clear then. When will he begin?"
"I wanted to ask something before."
"Go ahead."
"You probably intended to put him into the same classes as the two girls are."
"Of course."
"Not a good idea. He feels very uncomfortable when Nílan girls are around."
"Oh? Okay," she said and made some notes. She didn't ask why. I appreciated that, because I would have had problems to explain.
"Next thing would be sports. Of course I want him to train and so on, but you must see, he's naturally not able to keep up with the others."
"Yes, of course. I know that."
"Wonderful. So, next week, at eight?"
"Nine. Classes start at nine."
"Oh... well, on Scánish it was eight."
"God, who would want to start that early?" She smiled.
"No idea. Okay. Do you need anything more?"
"No. It's all good."
I stood up and shook her hand. "Thank you very much."
"Why are we here? I got clothes, school stuff... so what would I need?"
"Patience, my son, patience."
We went through the mall. After almost two months people were used to the sight of Nílans on their planet. Only a few heads turned now. We could ignore them completely.
"Kid's Paradise," Daniel read. "This is not a toy shop?"
"It is. But now you'll get something different." I lifted my paw. "Scín? Scín!"
A woman saw my rather impolite sign and moved towards me and my son. "Greet the lady," I said to Daniel.
"Scishkí, scín," Dan said.
"Umm... hi... yes..." Oh, one of those humans who didn't know how to deal with humans...
"My son wants a bike."
He turned his head. "A bike?"
"Yes."
"What is that?"
"She'll show you. Go with her. She'll tell you everything."
The woman blinked several times, frowned and nodded eventually. "Oh... 'kay..." She offered her hand. "Then let's go, little man."
Daniel took the hand and followed the woman, sending bewildered looks back to me. I tried to smile soothingly. As he was away I decided to sit down at the fountain. Next to Shénkeisca. I tapped her shoulder.
"You like to loiter here, don't you?" I said.
"Hmm," she grunted back and tried to ignore me.
I shook my head. As I said, no conversation possible with that girl. She was dressed in black, had her ears pierced several times and even some of her fur dyed black. In addition to her already dark brown fur it looked not scary, as it might supposed to do, it rather looked ridiculous. I knew Tésca wasn't happy with it, but she could barely tell an nine year old girl what to do and what not. Plus, Tésca wasn't the perfect little girl as well. She wore skirts.
I wondered if I should try another conversation. Stósh, I was dating her mother, shouldn't I try to converse with her then? The only proper talk with her had been at our first meeting, as she had tried to get me into her bed. So what now?
The problem solved itself. Two human girl arrived, nodded to her and they left. Just a nod and then they went. They were dressed in the same black, showing much skin and wearing a strange make-up. Oh, well, whatever.
I waited for my own child.
Strange, I haven't touched my own music for a while.
He hadn't decided for a bike that day. Maybe he wasn't really interested in it. It had been a sudden idea, it came from a human stereotype. All boys liked to have a bike. And so I thought it'd be nice for him to have one as well. Maybe when he gets older. To be honest, I wouldn't really know what to do with it. Even his school was only one mile away, he could walk that, no problem.
The next Thursday came. Daniel had worked a lot, Miss Martins wanted to do a small test. Just a test, to see if he was really ready for the school classes. If not, she had said that, he must get into the same classes as the girls, to ask them if he hadn't understood something.
"So... will you be alright?"
"Of course, Dad. No problem for mine. Me. Me." He made a small note. He always did when he had done a mistake. His small notebook was very full. Probably helped him to remember when he wrote it down.
I put on my jacket and took it off again. It was warm enough.
"You are... umm... nervous?"
"Nervous." I smiled. "Yes, yes, I probably am." I looked at my trembling paw. "And I have no idea why." The first and second time I haven't been that nervous. So why now? Maybe because it was the third date. She was my girlfriend now. What a strange concept.
At first, she was older than me. I was sixteen, she was twenty. A difference. But meaningless. Stósh, if we where humans, it'd be a relationship like in those soap operas I watched occasionally, although I hated them. Between two people who were almost children. But we were adults. She had two children. So it wasn't a romance between immature teens. It could become something serious.
I was happy. Happy. And I will be even happier when I was together with Tésca. I think that was the main part of love. That you feel better together with the beloved one. Better. Perfect. A perfect match. Was it right for me to feel that? Was it logical? I mean, actually I shouldn't be able to feel that way. Biology. So what made me feel better when I saw her?
For example now. She knocked, I sighed, opened the door, and she greeted me with a lick over the forehead. Daniel promised me not to run, but I could see he wanted to hide behind the couch. I just wanted that they both could see each other once.
I licked back, embraced her waist and pointed at Daniel. "This the boy I've told you so much about."
"S-Scishkí, s-scín..." Daniel stuttered, inching into a minimum safe distance.
Tésca squatted down and reached out her paw, slowly. "Hey, little one... don't need to be scared."
"S-Sorry, scín... I... I... can't..."
"We should go," I said. Daniel didn't feel good at all. It had improved, yes... or maybe it's the brown fur. If it was orange... anyway.
"Yes, yes," Tésca said and stood up again.
"You know, TV until nine, then everything off."
We left. I bet Daniel sighed in relief. This phobia was very, very strange, really. I wanted to let a psychologist look after the boy, but how would that look like to him? He would think I wouldn't trust him, or I wouldn't think he's capable of dealing with it himself. He knows he should stop it, but some old connections in his brain say: Keep away from girls. That was deeper than his cleverness, which was not deniable.
I could only hope it was getting better.
I came back in the night, as always. I was very, very cheery. And I was also happy as I saw Daniel sleeping on his mattress. And there was a paper on the couch. 'Got mark B+' he had written. I smiled.
Things had gone smooth. I had waited for something, but nothing came. I was a bit paranoid, waiting for the next bad thing to happen, but there was nothing. Friday passed by, Saturday happened, Sunday came, as always. Nothing special happened on those days. There's nothing I could tell about here because nothing special happened. Just the usual things in the bar.
On Sunday, a special guest arrived. A Nílan girl, watched by everyone, sat down at the counter. I turned and smiled. All the other guys started to look, a bit greedy. There was the rumour between the human males that Nílan girls were almost always horny and looking for somebody. That was wrong. Especially now.
Just before one of the guys made the step closer to the new flesh that had arrived I lifted my paw. "Don't spend any effort on this one, mates." I took her paw and kissed it. "This lovely girl belongs to me."
She smirked and would have blushed, if she had been able to. The other guys groaned in disappointment and went back to the females of their own species.
"Can I give you something?"
"So this is where you work?"
"Yes, I know, it looks like another pathetic bar with guests that lost in life. But only because that's what it is."
She grinned. "I'll be having a beer then, Mr. Nílan barman."
"This girl gets a beer!" I said and made her a beer. "Why are you here?"
"No apparent reason... just wanted to see you." The entire drunken community cheered as she kissed me.
"And the kids?"
"Are old enough to look after themselves."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Nothing. Really. Honestly. Just be here and drink a beer with my boyfriend."
"I am not allowed to drink here."
"Then I'll be drinking a beer in front of my boyfriend, ain't a problem." She sipped. "Wow... those guys really drink that all the time?"
"All the time. Two hundred litres on an average Saturday, really."
"One guy?" She sipped again.
"All of them. Together." There was nothing to laugh about but we laughed. It was just wonderful.
She leaned forwards. "They're staring at my tail, aren't they?"
"I'd say, legs."
"Interesting. Mind me to play with 'em?"
"What?"
"Y'see, as a medic I am always interested in biology..."
"You look for an excuse to take the piss out of humans?"
She tried to make an innocent face. "Maybe...?" She kissed me again. "Just don't want you to get jealous."
"I can't tell you what to do, scín."
"Okay," she said, sipped and smirked. Then she glanced at her watch. "Actually it's time for me to go... the girls need to be reminded when they've gotta switch the light off. Those working hours are pretty insane."
"Tell me about it."
She poured the entire glass down, burped cutely, stood up and put some dollars onto the counter.
"Nah..." I said and pushed the green paper back again.
"Oh? Then lemme give you something else," she said, suddenly pulled her shirt off and wrapped it around my head. I could hear the cheers of the drunken group, if not see the pathetic men drooling and the women roll their eyes.
"Sorry to disappoint you, I got no breasts!" she shouted into the room, kissed my muzzle and tipped my nose. "Sáshkal."
I smirked as she left. I smirked as she was gone. I smirked as Sue took the shirt off my head and asked me what happened. I smirked for the rest of the night. I smirked on the way home. I smirked as I entered the apartment.
"There's a shirt on your head," Daniel greeted me.
"I know!" I answered cheerily.
"Are you going to take it off?"
"Not at all!" Suddenly a thought broke through the pink fog in my mind. "Wait. Why are you awake? It's 2 AM."
"Couldn't sleep."
"Nervous?" I sat down next to him.
"Yes..." He sighed. "And a little bit scared."
"You don't need to be scared, really."
The boy didn't answer, but switched the channel and pointed at the screen. It showed a ghastly monster in front of some wooden desks and... students. The monster spilled fire and yelled at everyone, the distorted image of a teacher, obviously.
"Oh, come on, I didn't thought you'd believe anything like that..."
"They're similar," he said. "The teachers are always the bad people."
"Those are cartoons. Really. You don't need to fear teachers, they're usual humans."
"And the bullies, they will be beating me," he said, suddenly in English, don't know why.
"Bullies? Listen, my boy," I said and dragged him closer. "You got something every human is scared of, naturally."
He needed a while to process the words. "And that is?"
"Teeth," I said and pointed at his predator fangs. "Show them and they'll run."
He laughed shortly. "I do not think so."
"They do, honestly." I snapped at his paw playfully. "Come on, who wouldn't be scared of that?"
I made him laugh. Only rarely I could make him laugh.
"Oh, and if that doesn't work, tickle them."
"Tickle... tickle... I do not know that word..."
I demonstrated it. He burst out laughing and tried to get away, but I was quicker. He fell down the couch, we both laughed and I helped him up.
"Okay, okay..." he said. "I get it..."
I re-adjusted the shirt on my head. Although it must look very funny, I didn't want to lose it. The boy looked at it and smirked. "Are you... ermm... drunken?"
"No! Stósh, how can you think I was drunk?"
"Because you have a shirt on your head."
"There's a very rational reason for that."
"So?"
"Yes... It doesn't come into my mind right now, but there is."
"Oh, yes, I can guess."
"Fine." I really didn't know why I left it there. But I wanted it to stay. "You should sleep."
"I cannot. I am just too nervous."
"Okay. Let's watch some cartoons then."
"Okay..." I adjusted his shirt for the third time.
"Who's more nervous now?" he asked cheekily.
"Your paw's trembling."
"And you stroked over my head the fifth time."
I took a deep breath. "Okay. It's almost nine. You know where to go?"
"I'll be fine, Dad."
"I hope so, my son, I hope so."
"I should go."
"Yes."
"Then let my paw go."
"One moment." I sighed and licked over his forehead. "Now you can go," I said and let his paw free.
He made some steps, turned, grinned at me, spun around and ran the way up to the stairs. Finally he disappeared into the building.
No human could have been prouder. He had walked a long way up to here. And so have I. I've come here onto this planet without any plans at all. It had been a nice joke to me, since I haven't had much perspective on Scánish. It had gone easier than I had expected. But not as easy as I had wished.
I felt somebody tap my shoulder. As I turned, I got greeted with a kiss on the nose. Well, who was there, what do you guess?
"Hey... since the kids are away now, we got finally some time just for us. Wanna come with me?"
I hugged Tésca. "Of course."
Things had turned out a lot better as I had expected them to.