ALIEN'S ANGEL
by Trisscar Swordmaid
Disclaimer: I do not own Signs or the characters from the movie, like everyone else here.
Author's Note: I am so sorry this took a lot longer than it should have! On 2/21, I was typing up the chapter of 2.5 and my computer got hit by lightning!! We lost everything on it. Even my story. It sucks, I know, but I was able to retype it on my old-10-year Macintosh. We just got our new computer yesterday (3/1), an iMac OS X (10). It's wicked cool, considering that I can burn CDs and make my own DVDs. Sorry about my constant rambling. ^^
Again, I'm pretty sure this chapter will have those strange grammar mistakes in them. But, we're getting Microsoft Office for Mac and it'll come with Word. Everything will be good then. Anyway, please R and R!
Also, thanks to Leah Phoenix, DemiDevil, and earthworm for reviewing.
Quick Overview: In chapter two point five, we finish Rebecca's flashback and find out the relationship between her and the alien.
Chapter Two Point Five
In Rebecca's dream, her ears could distinctly pick out noises that were unfamiliar and definitely inhuman - purrs, hisses, and clicks, which faintly reminded her of insects. However, as her stomach churned, she wondered in her dream if she could possibly be only half asleep, meaning the sounds could be real. Even as she slept, an uneasy instinct fell over her like a nightmare.
Rebecca jumped awake, her eyes trying vainly to adjust to the dark. Just as she forced herself up, though, a sharp pain surged through her arm, as if a keen object had pierced the skin. Panic overpowered her as she lost all sense of balance and tumbled over to one side with a yelp, her head making hard contact with the cupboard beside her bed. All consciousness left her body immediately, her mind falling into a vast, black void while her thoughts swam in confusion.
The intruders had gathered around her bed while she was asleep. but when her body told her to respond to her surroundings and to sit up, one alien no other choice but to stab her with its claws, bewildering her even more. Red blood now stained her clothes and formed a puddle at her side; she was losing a lot of blood. Her breathing was shallow and labored, although her heart was in no direct danger. She would live.
In the silence that followed, the intruders conversed in their strange language, discussing what needed to be done next. Another alien, obviously the leader of the five, reached down and lifted the girl into its arms, holding her close, almost protectively. It nodded to the one beside it, laying the burden of cleaning up the mess they had made on its shoulders.
Then, followed by one other, the alien left the room, carrying the girl, and climbed out of a window, walking steadily into the backyard, taking its place where no trees could block its view of the sky. The other alien stood next to the leader. Without any warning, a dull light, the same hue as their skin, washed over them, and they appeared to fade into the light, dematerializing in a way, disappearing completely from sight a moment later.
Rebecca awoke to a tingling in her right arm. Her vision was foggy, preventing her from seeing exactly where she was. However, she could tell that she was on a soft bed, like one in a hospital. Her head lolled to one side, her eyes blinking repeatedly, trying to focus on her surroundings. Figures bustled busily around in the room she was in.
Looking down at her numb arm, her heart skipped a beat and she became nauseated. A blurry, small tube was inserted into a vein in her arm and a dark liquid was being injected into her blood stream. She managed a small groan and peered upward, even though sight wasn't one of her stronger points at that time. A large container was hanging above her head, a thin tube connecting it to the needle-like object in her arm. Her mind cried silently as she realized what was clearly happening. She, Rebecca Lyn Burke, was the recipient of a blood transfusion. But to make matters worse, she had no idea who's blood she was receiving or if it was human blood.
At first, Rebecca was convinced she would die, since the blood was probably not compatible with her own. However, she became aware that her breathing, heart beat, and everything else was functioning properly, including her bladder because she really needed to pee. Since vision wasn't much of an option, though, she relaxed and listened to the activity around her.
Hours had passed and, finally, she heard soft footsteps approaching. Eyes closed, she concentrated on the sound until she noticed that someone was leaning over above her, whispering something to her in a kind tone. She didn't recognize the language but she felt calm inside and at ease immediately. It was as if the person had said, "Everything's alright now, you're going home. You'll be safe," and her brain seemed to interpret it that way, too. A faint smile carried on her lips as she felt a sudden urge to sleep, and she did. The last thing she remembered was two arms lifting her up.
Rebecca woke up to the sound of bird's chirping and the sun shining on her face. She looked around suspiciously, seeing only her room and everything that was supposed to be there. She was later happy to find her parents and brother safe in bed, asleep. But had the events in the night been real or was it just a dream?
She discovered the answer sooner than she anticipated. Within days of her "abduction", she noticed that she was hardly short of energy and that she had become more swift, agile, and fleetly. She surprised herself as well as her family by running long distances in the morning, and after an hour or so, never breaking a heavy sweat. She could outrun everyone she knew - her Gym couch, classmates, and adults, without much difficulty. But she had always disliked running before.
Then, as a week went by, Rebecca was more quiet. She didn't talk much because it hurt her throat. She assumed the the blood had altered her vocal cords in some way and that made it hard for her to talk in her native language, English. Instead, she began to whisper to herself in clicks and purrs, understanding every word she said while the ones around her were baffled. It seemed like she had learned a new tongue overnight!
The thing that was the most disturbing, however, was that her skin developed a sensitivity to water. Her flesh would tingle and burn, although it didn't do any real harm to her body. She wept when she bathed in water - hot or cold, it didn't matter. It was painful and sometimes a rash would appear, although it would always be a small one, unnoticeable. To her, it left a scar. Either she could refuse to have any with water and surely die, because she had to drink water in order to live, or she could accept the liquid and be in agony. It was a lose/lose scenario. So, she learned to endure the pain in silence.
After a month, nevertheless, Rebecca and her mom went to the mall, shopping for clothes. Everything went by peacefully until they stopped for lunch, when Rebecca tossed her food into empty space and began to shout in the foreign language of hissed, clicks, and purrs, angered and distressed by something or someone no one else could see. She acted hysterical, crying and screaming at the same time. Her mother rushed her to the car and they left immediately.
However, she had many other episodes like the first one and each time, it was even more harder to pacify her. Once when her parents decided she was emotionally distraught enough, they finally took her to a behavior mental health center, where a psychiatrist and therapist diagnosed her with psychosis. She was prescribed to take Seroquel, an antipsychotic. Another month went by of taking medication and she made no improvement. Her psychiatrist then concluded that she should spend some time away from home, far way, to shelter her from any images or surroundings that might have been disturbing her. She was sent out of Tyler to stay with her grandparents in the small city of Van.
She was welcomed by her grandparents and was invited to make herself at home. But the problem didn't only continue, but increase as well. Rebecca would disappear for long periods of time, day or night, and no one would be able to find her until she came back on her own. Her grandmother once gathered enough courage to search for her in the surrounding belt of trees and found what she was looking for, although it wasn't something she'd expect. She saw her granddaughter talking with a tall stranger, vanishing from sight one minute and reappearing in another place the next. Their plan obviously wasn't working.
In reality, Rebecca alone knew the reason why she left at peculiar times. It was true that she had been seeing things, although it wasn't really more the one thing, nor was it a thing in the first place. The same alien that had taken her away and returned her was following her since the moment she had arrived home and was monitoring her actions, how she managed with the new blood, and especially how inhuman she was becoming. She and the alien were on talking terms and Rebecca allowed the alien to help her learn more about what she was becoming and what all she could do with the new blood. This alien taught her how to move in the shadows, leap onto a roof top with one bound, run like the wind, and even read minds. She had to admit that she owed the alien a lot, considering how much she improved since her lessons began.
But, the alien wasn't just "the alien" anymore, at least to Rebecca. She learned the alien's name in its own language and she translated it accurately to English, the results adding up to the name Aasim, which meant guardian and protector, to Rebecca's mild surprise.
So, Aasim was now a teacher to the girl, as well as friend.
However, Rebecca's curiosity reached its limits one time as it took a sharp turn and she had asked Aasim if the alien species had any specific gender. The answer was sincere. Aasim's kind were like humans - some were male, some were female, although there were no significant physical evidence or differences, since the males and females were so alike. Aasim was male. Rebecca was indeed embarrassed at her foolish question and apologized, not bringing up the topic again. Still, Aasim was sympathetic to her and simply took her question as pure curiosity, as it really was.
As time passed, her disappearances did reduce in number, but she would stay hidden for even longer amounts of time. Her grandparents felt that she wasn't safe with them so, after some discussion with her parents, they concluded to send her to stay with her aunt Patricia, her dad's sister, in Pennsylvania. Rebecca knew better this time, remaining silent, her disappearances coming to a sudden halt, hiding the fact that her friend was like a shadow, always with her. All the adults knew was that the young girl was now safe for good.
Rebecca had several months to get used to Pennsylvania and her elegant aunt before school would start. She remained patient, waiting for the day that she would be able to return home, to where she really belonged. She knew she would have to wait a long time until then, however.
(End of Flashback)
She stood, waiting, her eyes fixed on Aasim, watching his every move. He stared back at her with his large, black distant eyes. Time seemed frozen, but Rebecca knew better than to believe that. The pain in her arm finally subsided, leaving her content. Then, tearing her gaze away, she headed towards the kitchen, mumbling to herself, "Aunt Patricia should be home soon. I better get something ready to eat."
Rebecca went to the sink and washed her hands thoroughly, even though the water burned her skin, then grabbed two sets of silverware from a drawer and placed them neatly on the kitchen table, one at either end. She carefully lit the two candles that sat in the middle, the sudden aroma of vanilla floating through the air.
Then, she went to the refrigerator, removing a to-go box from their recent visit to T.G.I. Friday's. Taking a plate from the dishwasher, she used a fork to lift two salmon halves and some rice onto the plate. She covered the plate with plastic wrap and slid it into the microwave, setting the timer and pressing "start". The hum from the microwave told her that it was warming the food. She then sat down at the table, clutching her arms gently, her cheek resting against the cook surface of wood, her face wearing a simple but wistful expression.
A few minutes went by and Rebecca was brought out of her thoughts by the single beep from the microwave. The food was done. Pushing herself away from the table, she forced herself onto her feet, then to the microwave. She took out the food, ignoring how hot the plate was, then removed the plastic wrap. Taking another plate, she dished out one salmon half and some rice, and placed both plates on the table.
Going back to the refrigerator, she took out a pitcher of iced tea, pouring out two cup fulls. Her hands jerked away from the glasses, however, when some rustling in the living room caught her attention. Raising her voice, she shot a stern statement at Aasim, who only made a witty reply, the noise persisting. She had said, " You better not make a mess in there or bother Tigerlily." Rebecca shook her head, rolling her eyes.
Another infuriated hiss confirmed her beliefs. She turned to see the alien standing in the doorway to the kitchen, eyes blazing. "I told you," she accused, noticing a large scratch on his leg. "That cat doesn't like to be pestered, especially by others that don't look or smell familiar to her." She didn't even bother to lash at him in his own language, knowing that he could understand English well enough. She quickly finished her job by setting the glasses on the table, then sat down in her seat.
The door knob rattled a minute later, indicating that someone was at the door. Rebecca looked up, seeing Aasim disappear from sight, his skin shifting colors again to blend in with the wall. The door opened slowly afterward, revealing a portly lady in her mid fifties, dressed in church clothes. Rebecca's aunt sniffed the air appreciatively, then said, "Well, it smells like you decided to prepare dinner, hmm Rebecca?"
She only nodded, watching as her aunt entered the kitchen, setting down her Bible and a small bag in a corner. "Let me wash my hands, then we can say a prayer and eat," Patricia said. Rebecca lowered her head as her aunt sat in front of her. After Patricia's painfully long prayer, they began to eat. However, Rebecca just picked at her food. She felt like she would throw up instead.
Disclaimer: I do not own Signs or the characters from the movie, like everyone else here.
Author's Note: I am so sorry this took a lot longer than it should have! On 2/21, I was typing up the chapter of 2.5 and my computer got hit by lightning!! We lost everything on it. Even my story. It sucks, I know, but I was able to retype it on my old-10-year Macintosh. We just got our new computer yesterday (3/1), an iMac OS X (10). It's wicked cool, considering that I can burn CDs and make my own DVDs. Sorry about my constant rambling. ^^
Again, I'm pretty sure this chapter will have those strange grammar mistakes in them. But, we're getting Microsoft Office for Mac and it'll come with Word. Everything will be good then. Anyway, please R and R!
Also, thanks to Leah Phoenix, DemiDevil, and earthworm for reviewing.
Quick Overview: In chapter two point five, we finish Rebecca's flashback and find out the relationship between her and the alien.
Chapter Two Point Five
In Rebecca's dream, her ears could distinctly pick out noises that were unfamiliar and definitely inhuman - purrs, hisses, and clicks, which faintly reminded her of insects. However, as her stomach churned, she wondered in her dream if she could possibly be only half asleep, meaning the sounds could be real. Even as she slept, an uneasy instinct fell over her like a nightmare.
Rebecca jumped awake, her eyes trying vainly to adjust to the dark. Just as she forced herself up, though, a sharp pain surged through her arm, as if a keen object had pierced the skin. Panic overpowered her as she lost all sense of balance and tumbled over to one side with a yelp, her head making hard contact with the cupboard beside her bed. All consciousness left her body immediately, her mind falling into a vast, black void while her thoughts swam in confusion.
The intruders had gathered around her bed while she was asleep. but when her body told her to respond to her surroundings and to sit up, one alien no other choice but to stab her with its claws, bewildering her even more. Red blood now stained her clothes and formed a puddle at her side; she was losing a lot of blood. Her breathing was shallow and labored, although her heart was in no direct danger. She would live.
In the silence that followed, the intruders conversed in their strange language, discussing what needed to be done next. Another alien, obviously the leader of the five, reached down and lifted the girl into its arms, holding her close, almost protectively. It nodded to the one beside it, laying the burden of cleaning up the mess they had made on its shoulders.
Then, followed by one other, the alien left the room, carrying the girl, and climbed out of a window, walking steadily into the backyard, taking its place where no trees could block its view of the sky. The other alien stood next to the leader. Without any warning, a dull light, the same hue as their skin, washed over them, and they appeared to fade into the light, dematerializing in a way, disappearing completely from sight a moment later.
Rebecca awoke to a tingling in her right arm. Her vision was foggy, preventing her from seeing exactly where she was. However, she could tell that she was on a soft bed, like one in a hospital. Her head lolled to one side, her eyes blinking repeatedly, trying to focus on her surroundings. Figures bustled busily around in the room she was in.
Looking down at her numb arm, her heart skipped a beat and she became nauseated. A blurry, small tube was inserted into a vein in her arm and a dark liquid was being injected into her blood stream. She managed a small groan and peered upward, even though sight wasn't one of her stronger points at that time. A large container was hanging above her head, a thin tube connecting it to the needle-like object in her arm. Her mind cried silently as she realized what was clearly happening. She, Rebecca Lyn Burke, was the recipient of a blood transfusion. But to make matters worse, she had no idea who's blood she was receiving or if it was human blood.
At first, Rebecca was convinced she would die, since the blood was probably not compatible with her own. However, she became aware that her breathing, heart beat, and everything else was functioning properly, including her bladder because she really needed to pee. Since vision wasn't much of an option, though, she relaxed and listened to the activity around her.
Hours had passed and, finally, she heard soft footsteps approaching. Eyes closed, she concentrated on the sound until she noticed that someone was leaning over above her, whispering something to her in a kind tone. She didn't recognize the language but she felt calm inside and at ease immediately. It was as if the person had said, "Everything's alright now, you're going home. You'll be safe," and her brain seemed to interpret it that way, too. A faint smile carried on her lips as she felt a sudden urge to sleep, and she did. The last thing she remembered was two arms lifting her up.
Rebecca woke up to the sound of bird's chirping and the sun shining on her face. She looked around suspiciously, seeing only her room and everything that was supposed to be there. She was later happy to find her parents and brother safe in bed, asleep. But had the events in the night been real or was it just a dream?
She discovered the answer sooner than she anticipated. Within days of her "abduction", she noticed that she was hardly short of energy and that she had become more swift, agile, and fleetly. She surprised herself as well as her family by running long distances in the morning, and after an hour or so, never breaking a heavy sweat. She could outrun everyone she knew - her Gym couch, classmates, and adults, without much difficulty. But she had always disliked running before.
Then, as a week went by, Rebecca was more quiet. She didn't talk much because it hurt her throat. She assumed the the blood had altered her vocal cords in some way and that made it hard for her to talk in her native language, English. Instead, she began to whisper to herself in clicks and purrs, understanding every word she said while the ones around her were baffled. It seemed like she had learned a new tongue overnight!
The thing that was the most disturbing, however, was that her skin developed a sensitivity to water. Her flesh would tingle and burn, although it didn't do any real harm to her body. She wept when she bathed in water - hot or cold, it didn't matter. It was painful and sometimes a rash would appear, although it would always be a small one, unnoticeable. To her, it left a scar. Either she could refuse to have any with water and surely die, because she had to drink water in order to live, or she could accept the liquid and be in agony. It was a lose/lose scenario. So, she learned to endure the pain in silence.
After a month, nevertheless, Rebecca and her mom went to the mall, shopping for clothes. Everything went by peacefully until they stopped for lunch, when Rebecca tossed her food into empty space and began to shout in the foreign language of hissed, clicks, and purrs, angered and distressed by something or someone no one else could see. She acted hysterical, crying and screaming at the same time. Her mother rushed her to the car and they left immediately.
However, she had many other episodes like the first one and each time, it was even more harder to pacify her. Once when her parents decided she was emotionally distraught enough, they finally took her to a behavior mental health center, where a psychiatrist and therapist diagnosed her with psychosis. She was prescribed to take Seroquel, an antipsychotic. Another month went by of taking medication and she made no improvement. Her psychiatrist then concluded that she should spend some time away from home, far way, to shelter her from any images or surroundings that might have been disturbing her. She was sent out of Tyler to stay with her grandparents in the small city of Van.
She was welcomed by her grandparents and was invited to make herself at home. But the problem didn't only continue, but increase as well. Rebecca would disappear for long periods of time, day or night, and no one would be able to find her until she came back on her own. Her grandmother once gathered enough courage to search for her in the surrounding belt of trees and found what she was looking for, although it wasn't something she'd expect. She saw her granddaughter talking with a tall stranger, vanishing from sight one minute and reappearing in another place the next. Their plan obviously wasn't working.
In reality, Rebecca alone knew the reason why she left at peculiar times. It was true that she had been seeing things, although it wasn't really more the one thing, nor was it a thing in the first place. The same alien that had taken her away and returned her was following her since the moment she had arrived home and was monitoring her actions, how she managed with the new blood, and especially how inhuman she was becoming. She and the alien were on talking terms and Rebecca allowed the alien to help her learn more about what she was becoming and what all she could do with the new blood. This alien taught her how to move in the shadows, leap onto a roof top with one bound, run like the wind, and even read minds. She had to admit that she owed the alien a lot, considering how much she improved since her lessons began.
But, the alien wasn't just "the alien" anymore, at least to Rebecca. She learned the alien's name in its own language and she translated it accurately to English, the results adding up to the name Aasim, which meant guardian and protector, to Rebecca's mild surprise.
So, Aasim was now a teacher to the girl, as well as friend.
However, Rebecca's curiosity reached its limits one time as it took a sharp turn and she had asked Aasim if the alien species had any specific gender. The answer was sincere. Aasim's kind were like humans - some were male, some were female, although there were no significant physical evidence or differences, since the males and females were so alike. Aasim was male. Rebecca was indeed embarrassed at her foolish question and apologized, not bringing up the topic again. Still, Aasim was sympathetic to her and simply took her question as pure curiosity, as it really was.
As time passed, her disappearances did reduce in number, but she would stay hidden for even longer amounts of time. Her grandparents felt that she wasn't safe with them so, after some discussion with her parents, they concluded to send her to stay with her aunt Patricia, her dad's sister, in Pennsylvania. Rebecca knew better this time, remaining silent, her disappearances coming to a sudden halt, hiding the fact that her friend was like a shadow, always with her. All the adults knew was that the young girl was now safe for good.
Rebecca had several months to get used to Pennsylvania and her elegant aunt before school would start. She remained patient, waiting for the day that she would be able to return home, to where she really belonged. She knew she would have to wait a long time until then, however.
(End of Flashback)
She stood, waiting, her eyes fixed on Aasim, watching his every move. He stared back at her with his large, black distant eyes. Time seemed frozen, but Rebecca knew better than to believe that. The pain in her arm finally subsided, leaving her content. Then, tearing her gaze away, she headed towards the kitchen, mumbling to herself, "Aunt Patricia should be home soon. I better get something ready to eat."
Rebecca went to the sink and washed her hands thoroughly, even though the water burned her skin, then grabbed two sets of silverware from a drawer and placed them neatly on the kitchen table, one at either end. She carefully lit the two candles that sat in the middle, the sudden aroma of vanilla floating through the air.
Then, she went to the refrigerator, removing a to-go box from their recent visit to T.G.I. Friday's. Taking a plate from the dishwasher, she used a fork to lift two salmon halves and some rice onto the plate. She covered the plate with plastic wrap and slid it into the microwave, setting the timer and pressing "start". The hum from the microwave told her that it was warming the food. She then sat down at the table, clutching her arms gently, her cheek resting against the cook surface of wood, her face wearing a simple but wistful expression.
A few minutes went by and Rebecca was brought out of her thoughts by the single beep from the microwave. The food was done. Pushing herself away from the table, she forced herself onto her feet, then to the microwave. She took out the food, ignoring how hot the plate was, then removed the plastic wrap. Taking another plate, she dished out one salmon half and some rice, and placed both plates on the table.
Going back to the refrigerator, she took out a pitcher of iced tea, pouring out two cup fulls. Her hands jerked away from the glasses, however, when some rustling in the living room caught her attention. Raising her voice, she shot a stern statement at Aasim, who only made a witty reply, the noise persisting. She had said, " You better not make a mess in there or bother Tigerlily." Rebecca shook her head, rolling her eyes.
Another infuriated hiss confirmed her beliefs. She turned to see the alien standing in the doorway to the kitchen, eyes blazing. "I told you," she accused, noticing a large scratch on his leg. "That cat doesn't like to be pestered, especially by others that don't look or smell familiar to her." She didn't even bother to lash at him in his own language, knowing that he could understand English well enough. She quickly finished her job by setting the glasses on the table, then sat down in her seat.
The door knob rattled a minute later, indicating that someone was at the door. Rebecca looked up, seeing Aasim disappear from sight, his skin shifting colors again to blend in with the wall. The door opened slowly afterward, revealing a portly lady in her mid fifties, dressed in church clothes. Rebecca's aunt sniffed the air appreciatively, then said, "Well, it smells like you decided to prepare dinner, hmm Rebecca?"
She only nodded, watching as her aunt entered the kitchen, setting down her Bible and a small bag in a corner. "Let me wash my hands, then we can say a prayer and eat," Patricia said. Rebecca lowered her head as her aunt sat in front of her. After Patricia's painfully long prayer, they began to eat. However, Rebecca just picked at her food. She felt like she would throw up instead.