I wouldn't have even known anything was different if it wasn't for my late night need for water and my inability to see anything without my glasses. I awoke early in the morning, around four or so, to the shattering of the glass I'd set so poorly on my nightstand. It was so quick and so sudden that I thought it might be part of my dream, but I happened to reach over for my phone and realized it, too, was on the floor. Most of my usual nightstand items were either knocked over or blatantly on the floor. What had happened? Was it a freak earthquake that lasted less than a tenth of a second? Anything else seemed so impossible in my sleepy state of mind. It took an unfortunate minute or two to figure out something bad must have happened near by. Jumping out of bed and yanking on a robe and slippers and my glasses, I ran through the small cabin and out into the backyard.
Brisk, cold air hit my bare legs and caused me to pause, but as I scanned the back yard and as far as I could into dense woods, nothing was really sticking out at me. I walked around the edge of the mowed lawn, looking for any sign of distress or answers, but nothing came. Wonderful. Definitely wasn't awake enough for this shit. I turned finally, dew soaking my slippers and coating my feet and ankles, trying not to be disappointed about the lack of activity. A snap not far away from me caused me to whip around and I was almost taken down by a small group of deer. I jumped to the side fast enough and could only lay on the ground, mouth open in awe at the normally cowardly animals rushing so brazenly at me. What in the hell could have scared them so much? Once they disappeared into the woods on the other side of the backyard, I laid flat on my back in the grass. It took me a minute to realize what I was seeing in the still somewhat dark sky was a thin plume of smoke.
My eyebrows scrunched and I slowly stood, keeping my eyes on the pillar of smoke. I turned in what I hoped to be it's direction and started off. It was difficult to keep an eye on the smoke and make sure I didn't trip and fall to my doom, but eventually, the smell of smoke was in my nose and it was easier to follow. The further into the woods I went, the more dense it became so I had no way of seeing the ship before I physically can into it after moving through some brush. Grunting quietly, I took a small step backward, stabilizing myself on the edge of the space ship.
A sleek black design was highlighted by the small fires dotted around the accidentally made clearing and the faint sunrise barely peaking over the horizon. It wasn't particularly massive, not like a man-made craft, but the sheer size told me it's inhabitants probably weren't small. The initial thing I could compare the size to was a two story cottage. A part of the. Side was ripped out by something, probably rock and trees, open wires crackling and flashing. What was I even supposed to think? Or do? There was a definitely alien space craft crash landed on my property. Then I suddenly remembered the potential inhabitants and grew worried. What if they were hurt? What if they weren't friendly? What if they weren't friendly because they were hurt?
A crack in the woods behind me startled me into turning around. More deer? Doubtful. I squinted as best I could into the soft light of the fires, but I wasn't seeing anything out of the usual. Another, quieter crack just to my right and I turned in time to see a faint haze near by. Confused, I tried to look for it again, but in doing so I spotted a weird glowing green liquid. Cocking my head to the side, I moved towards it supposed spot on a tree, but then it moved. I startled back, pulling my hand back and tried to force my eyes to fix what it was seeing. There's no way it moved...? I tentatively reached for it again, but a low growl had me yanking my hand back quickly.
Abruptly, something crashed to the ground and gradually it came into view. It was almost like it was using some sort of invisibility shield... What ever it was, it was massive, at least six, probably seven feet tall with heavily muscle-bound appendages. I saw the source of the green liquid and it came to me that it was probably its' blood. I couldn't move for a solid minute and in the very quiet woods, all I heard was it's haggard breathing. It was injured... it could be dying. I slowly turned and went back towards my house. My brain was so hazy, unsure if what I was about to do would be for the best, but the oath I took shouldn't extend to just humans. I didn't realize I was running until I just about slammed into the shut door, chest heaving from the strain of not so nimbly running through the forest in the dark. I snatched the bag that was sitting ready on the table near the front door and went straight back into the woods.
A little dizzy, but awake, I arrived back at the crash site and immediately spotted the downed creature. How much time did I have? All I knew was human anatomy, but I touched my first two fingers just under the jawline of its helmet. Still warm and after moving a few more inches, I found a heart beat. It was slow, but steady. Not conceringly slow, but enough to make me yank open the bag and move down to his wound. What I could only assume was blood was very slowly seeping out of its gash, seeping at intervals even with its heart beat. The first thing I needed to do was try and stop the bleeding. I ripped open packages of gauze and shoved them against the open wound, keeping pressure.
About an hour later, I was still holding pressure. It hadn't moved in quite some time, but I was keeping an eye on its breathing. I tentatively lifted the gauze for the umpteenth time and finally, the bleeding had stopped. I wasn't sure if I should do anything stitch-wise outside like this, in the middle of a clearing, but I also was sure I couldn't move it. Instead, I grabbed another pile of gauze and taped it in place. I rummaged through my bag. I didn't have much in the way of stitches, but what I did have would suffice until I could get back to my house. Just as I was about to put the needle to its skin, a clawed hand wrapped around my wrist and squeezed until I dropped the needle. I looked up to meet the mask right in front of my face. It seemed to be sizing me up, then looked down at its side. Finally, it let go.
I pulled my arm in towards me again, rubbing my wrist.
"You still need sutures," I said softly, but with a clear stance.