Chap 16
Images flashed before Alex's eyes. She remembered the explosion, pain, being dragged, bright lights, being placed onto something hard and cold. The man with silver hair and piercing blue eyes standing over her. Alex shot forward and immediately regretted the move as pain erupted down her right side and her head spun. She held her head to her hand and pushed the pain to the back of her mind before opening her eyes. Alex shielded her eyes from the bright lights as she glanced around the room; it was a small room, very sterile looking with steel blue reflective walls. Her eyes focused on the white metal door on the opposite side; she spun her legs over the table; pain shot up her thigh taken her breath away. Alex looked down and saw a sharp piece of metal sticking in the side of her thigh; someone had tied a tourniquet around her thigh, just above her wound. Nausea rose in her throat but she quickly swallowed it back down as the door opened.
"I see you're awake" The man with silver hair and piercing blue eyes said as he entered the room carrying a metal case. Alex watched as he walked towards her and pulled up a stool; he placed the case on the end of the table and took a seat in front of her. He stared at the piece of metal in Alex's thigh "I've managed to slow the bleeding but this has to come out."
"Who are you? What have you done with Draper?" She asked, trying to speak firmly.
"I am Keane of Raku and your man is being treated in the other room. Now please, let me treat this...what are you doing" Keane asked as Alex pushed herself to her feet, her body ached and her thigh throbbed as she collapsed to the floor.
"Please I wish you no harm" Keane said as he turned Alex onto her back "You need to take slow breaths, the air is much thinner here." Keane watched as Alex tried to steady her breathing, he placed his hand over the piece of metal embedded in her thigh.
A scream escaped Alex's lips as she grabbed Keane's arm "Stop please."
Keane looked back at Alex "How about I ask you a question and then you I?"
Alex frowned "Sounds like your trying to distract me"
Keane smiled "I am"
Alex stared back at Keane "You first, where am I?"
"You're on Aeron." Keane ignored the confused look on her face and continued "It's what you humans call a space settlement. I designed and built this place in order to save my people."
"Save your people from what?" Alex asked
"I believe it is my turn to ask a question." Keane replied with a smile. Alex nodded. "What is your name?"
Alex swallowed and tried to ignore the pain "Alex. Save your people from what?" Alex repeated.
Keane inhaled deeply "My planet was dying; many of my people were infected with an incurable disease." Keane lowered his head and cleared his throat. "In order to ensure are survival, I brought them here, to this wormhole."
"Were in a wormhole?" Alex asked in disbelief. Without warning Keane grabbed the piece of metal and pulled it from Alex's thigh.
"Son of a..." Alex swallowed; the nausea was strong and immediate as the pain shot back up her thigh. She could feel the blood dripping down her leg and soaking her jeans. Alex fought to stay conscious as darkness swam before her eyes. "Why bring them here" Alex asked in an attempt to distract her-self from the pain.
Keane gently placed a cold rag over Alex's wound and applied pressure; he felt her body stiffen and was surprised when she didn't cry out. "My plan was to stay here until I found a cure; you see, in here we do not require food or sleep. We do not suffer from illness and we do not age." Keane smiled.
Alex frowned "How long have you been in here?"
"I'm unsure as we no longer exist in space or time."Keane chuckled to himself.
"Is there a way out?" Alex asked
"Why would you want to leave?" Keane asked confused.
Alex tilted her head "I have to get home to my family."
"I'm afraid there isn't" Keane said as he reached inside his case and retrieved what looked like a small gun. Alex shuffled awkwardly and repositioned her-self "What is that." Alex asked as she nodded towards the small device.
"Calm yourself Alex; this is a laser which will seal up your wound; it will help you heal faster but it will hurt."
Alex looked down at her leg and noticed the rag was soaked with blood; she thought for a moment before nodding "Do it." She lay back and placed her arm over her eyes and clenched her jaw. Within minutes, Alex felt her skin burn. The pain was excruciating, her head pressed hard against the floor as sweat ran down her neck and back; she fought back the urge to scream.
"Just breathe Alex" Keane said as he placed the laser back into the case. Alex's leg burnt and throbbed as she dried the tears with her sleeve. The smell of burnt flesh sickened her.
Keane stood and held out his hands in front of Alex; she took hold, his skin was smooth and cold. He lifted Alex from the floor and sat her on the stool before turning back to his case.
"I can't stay here" Alex said softly, she felt exhausted and weak.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice. There is no way out of the wormhole." Keane answered.
Alex couldn't help but feel frustrated "You said you planned on staying here until you found a cure. You must have had a way out, otherwise why risk trapping your people in here." Keane didn't answer. "Let me help you find a cure and then we can find a way..."
"Enough!" Keane interrupted as he slammed the case closed. "There is no cure, there is no escape. In here we are safe, we are protected. My people can live without fear..."
"What kind of life is this for you or your people? It sounds like you're trapped in limbo." Alex interrupted.
Without warning Keane dove at Alex; he grabbed her throat and they fell to the floor; he pressed his knee hard against her wounded thigh. Alex felt the sickness rise up in her stomach as the pain shot through her body; she tried to pull his hands from her throat but she didn't have the strength.
Keane clenched his jaw and his body shook with rage "I didn't ask for your help" Keane spat. "How dare you judge us."
"Get off me" Alex forced the words out as the pressure built in her head.
Keane pressed down harder on Alex's thigh "You will learn to live with us or you will be banished from this place." The kind, caring man that treated Alex moments ago was gone; replaced with an angry, much scarier man.
"Father" A female called from behind them.
Keane quickly pulled Alex to her feet and leaned her against the table; she coughed and fought to catch her breath; she held onto to the table and steadied herself as Keane made his way over the young girl.
"Rhea, what are you doing here?" Keane asked as he placed a kiss on the girl's forehead.
Rhea was a little shorter then Alex; she was a thin, pale girl with similar eyes to Keane; her hair was white and ran loosely down her back. "I thought you might like a change of clothes" She spoke softly.
"How thoughtful Rhea" Keane said as he glared back at Alex. "Alex, this is my daughter Rhea."
Alex stared back, her injured leg shook under her weight. She could feel the rage burning inside her. Only a minute ago Keane had his hand around her throat and now acted as if nothing had happened.
"Alex" Keane said
Alex cleared her throat before answering "it's nice to meet you Rhea."
"And you Alex, I know you'll be happy here." Rhea replied.
"I don't plan on staying too long" Alex said as she stared back at Keane. Keane clenched his jaw again before taken the clothes from Rhea and placing them on the table.
"But your safe here" Rhea said.
"We should let Alex rest." Keane said before Alex could reply.
"Father, perhaps I should stay and..." Rhea said.
"No Rhea, that won't be necessary." Keane answered as he retrieved his case from the table and headed for the door.
"I could talk to Alex about Aeron and its people. It might help her realise this is a safe place." Rhea replied as she looked at her father with raised eyebrows. Alex hated the fact that they spoke about her as if she wasn't there.
Keane thought for a moment, perhaps his daughter could persuade Alex to accept Aeron as her home. He had to at least try. Keane nodded and left the room, within seconds another man entered and stood in the corner of the room. Looking at his uniform Alex guessed he was guard, there to protect Rhea.
"I hope you can forgive my father, I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you." Rhea said as she moved closer to Alex.
"I'd have to disagree." Alex said as she rubbed her throat. Rhea frowned and moved towards the opposite side of the room; she pressed her hand against a square panel and an opening appeared. Alex leaned to the side and saw a small room, the size of a cupboard filling with steam.
"Don't worry; it's just a cleansing room. It will help remove the dirt and..." Rhea stared at Alex's blood stained clothes.
"Are you ok?" Alex asked. Rhea snapped out of her trance and looked up at Alex.
"I'm sorry, it's just" Rhea swallowed "It's been a long time since I've seen so much blood."
"What happened" Alex asked without thinking. She saw the guard shuffle in the corner as Rhea moved closer to Alex and sat on the table beside her. "Please sit" Rhea said as she patted the table with her hand "You look like you're about to fall over." Alex stared back at the guard before pulling herself up onto the table.
"I assume my father explained why we left are planet?" Rhea asked
Alex nodded "There was an outbreak."
"Are planet was dying and with no cure in sight, my father built this ship and saved us." Rhea stared down at her feet "My brothers died from the infection; my mother never truly recovered from the loss of her two sons."
Alex slowly put the pieces together "It was her blood" she said softly.
Rhea nodded "I found her here; in the room my father built for my brothers, there was so much blood." Rhea closed her eyes tight and tried to shake the image from her mind.
"I'm so sorry" Alex said as she placed her hand over Rhea's. The guard took a step forward but Rhea indicated for him to stand down.
"I'm not sure why I'm telling you all this" Rhea said as she smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger" Alex replied.
"A stranger?" Rhea asked confused
"Someone you don't know."Alex smiled back.
Rhea smiled back at Alex "I'm sure we won't be strangers for long."
Alex frowned; Rhea was persistent like her father. "I have to find a way home; I need to get back to my sister and mother." Rhea slowly pulled her hand from Alex's and slid off the table. "I could be your sister." Rhea said.
Alex couldn't hide the shock on her face as she stared back at Rhea; she had just met the girl, how could she even consider her as a sister. "I'm sorry Rhea but I have a sister. Her names Kara and..."
"You have to get back to her" Rhea interrupted. Rhea was hurt and disappointed but she knew once Alex realised there was no escape she would accept Aeron as her home. They all did in the end.