First there was nothing. Then suddenly there was noise and light, so much light. Wailing, her own. Noise. So much noise. It was too bright. Something soft around her, movement. Firm things holding her. Gentle noises, comforting noises. Quiet, listen to the noises. More noises, harder but gentle. Movement. Light. Noise. What was it all? Hunger. Crying, hunger! Something to her mouth, latch on. Hunger satisfied. Contentment. Sleep.
Time passing. Noise. Light. Began to make sense. Soft sound meant no more hunger, comfort. Hard sounds meant safety. Open...eyes. More light. Blink. Blink. Light. Forms above. Two large dots. Curves that moved. Dots open, close. Gone, there, changed. Look different. Hunger, again. Humming sounds. No more hunger.
Time passing. The dots, always the same. Two of one colour, two of another. Always. Curves that move, happy feeling. Want happy feeling. Try to copy. Mouth, turn up. Sparkling dots, noises, happy noises. Happy feeling. All dots. Happy feelings. Sounds, tell dots. Slowly, understood.
Time passing. Change position, strong things. No longer look up. Look down. Head, up. Colours. Shiny. Touch. Things in hand, smooth. In mouth, hunger not go. Cry. Dots, humming noises. Hunger gone.
Movement. Can move! Rolling over, change what to see. Objects above moving, colourful, shiny. Reach to them. Can't reach. More movement. Hands either side...push. Up! More to see. Keep balance, sitting on bottom. Everything big, so many colours. Long sticks moving around. Noises of surprise, happy surprise. Picked up. Snuggles. Warm fur, soft fur. Happy feelings. Noises, playing. Objects. Dots more detailed. More curves to see. Different dots, different colours and new noises. Strange noises, not always nice. Sometimes cry. But dots always there. Soft. Comfort.
More movement. On front...push. Can move! On fours, move around, so much to see! Everything so big. So many new things to touch, pull, taste. Not always nice. Dots are no longer just dots but faces, kind faces. Familiar faces. One is gentle, makes the comforting noises and takes away hunger. Pale in colour with large...ears. Other face is harder but voice means safety, nothing to fear. Dark...with bright eyes. Voice deeper too. Faces belong to bodies and bodies are big, warm. Move so much, can't always follow them. Objects in way, big ones, small ones. Takes time to clear them, or noise to make forms move them.
Noises clearer now, different ones mean different things. Harsh noises mean bad things. Biting is bad. Dark face makes unhappy noise, deep. Biting is bad.
Raise hands for comfort. Reach to forms. Higher view, things seem smaller. Forms carry around, more to see. Dark form has shiny thing on back. Want it. Reach for it. Happy noises, surprise. Dark form puts down, shows shiny thing. Big shiny thing, hard, cold. Touch it, want it, grip it. More happy noises. Pale form enters and makes noises, not happy. Dark forms make more noise, calm. Pale form watches shiny object. Grip tightens. Don't want to let it go. Both forms make many happy noises. Happy feelings.
Want to move more, find steady object...pull. Feet, upright, standing. Wobble. Fall over, cry. Pale form hurries in, comfort noises, food. Food is changing, not always same. One time, dark form helps to feet. No falling, dark form helps. Gentle noise. Pale form ahead, holding shiny thing. Want it, try to go to it. Many times fail. But want it. Get it, finally. Many happy noises. Again, again. Moving on own, without help. Wobble often, but not always standing up, falling down. Practise, practise. Walking! Can do. More to move.
So much to see. Pale form takes places in carrier thing. More faces looking down, different faces. Recognise some, always with big ears. So much to see. All around is pale, like pale form but different. Not soft. Look up and another colour. So big, so very big. Pale form points to it, makes noise over and over. Sounds like name said around her. Name? Her name? Words more detailed now, make more sense. Pale form is one word, dark form is another. Other forms...don't know.
Shiny thing! Want it more. What is it? Dark form points to it, says noise, word. Word is shiny object. Want to say word. Word. Word. Try! So hard...word, word, word. Dark form points to object again. Now! Word – ren. No, not full word but dark form is happy, many happy noises. Picks up and swings around. Fun! More, more! Happy noises. Says word over and over again – ren. Pale form enters, dark form says something. Pale form makes happy noises. Hugs. Happy times.
More words, more happiness. Pale form – mama. Dark form – papa. Makes more happiness.
More to do. Food, can feed self with fingers, don't always need pale form.
Understand more, everything is more detailed. Colours, more clear. Time goes by, pick out differences. Pale form, mama, is colour like hard ground outside, pale and light with darker stripes. Eyes like sky above, pretty eyes, not dots anymore. Dark form, papa, colour like night time when all is dark, but papa is not all dark and has night coloured stripes. Yellow eyes, like yellow in the sky. And tail? Papa has tail, mama has no tail. Why? No know.
Time, time, time. So much more to do! Other forms to play with, smaller, like her. Not understand them much but happy times with them. Not always nice, sometimes take things. Not like. Hit out. Unhappy noises, not like. Papa makes unhappy noises, makes give thing back. New word – sorry.
Large objects in home fun to climb on. Use hands and feet to push, pull, get higher. More to see. Meeting more creatures, some big, some small. Mama and papa like them, so must like them too. One form, looks like mama but isn't mama, but still like her, nice to play with. One time, many people about, much laughing. Happy, but tired. Sleep time.
Notice more changes. Can feed self now, with fingers, but is difficult. Sometimes easier to pour food onto self and lick off. Mama not like this, but papa make happy noises – laughing. More words. Mama. Papa. Papa's ren. Papa's ail. Food. Yes. No. Name, her name, sound like sky that is above but not sky.
Mama and papa doing less, her doing more. Sometimes mama and papa don't give what wanted. Not nice. Not happy feelings. Crying – tears down face. See it work with others, but not mama or papa. Tears don't work. But mama and papa still play snuggle, never hurt her. So why not give her what wanted? No know.
More to do. Sticks which make colours when used. Scribbles, pretty lines. Colourful lines. Fun! Giggling. Papa draw shapes, better lines, but he let her colour in! Fun, fun, fun.
Move so much more, can go many places. Can climb more objects now. Big things going up, can climb! No longer need mama or papa to carry all the time, can walk.
Mama and papa talk more. Every night, before sleep time, papa or mama talks while looking at...book, they say. They let her see the pictures. Pictures tell story that they say. Fun. Like mama's voice, kind and soft. Like papa's voice, strong and safe. Love mama. Love papa. Want to tell them. Word – love. Papa. When story finished, papa is going. Wait! Say it, say it. I love you. Says wrong but papa understands, starts to cry. No! Not want papa to cry! Go to him, pat him. Papa no cry. Papa gives big hug, says he is happy, not sad. Happy tears. Papa gives kiss. Night night, he says. Happy sleeping that night.
More to do. Mama gives colour blocks and helps stack them. More tall towers, push them over, and they fall. Giggling. Mama laughing. Throw things, too. Mama gives round thing that bounces. Fun!
Food different now, always changing. Start to use things that mama and papa use. Word – spoon. And fork. And knife. But knifes sharp. Only mama and papa use knife. Can use spoon! But not well. So many things can do...but not always well. Mama and papa always do things so much better, want to learn that to! Time, time, patience, mama says. Means wait. Don't want to wait! Want it now.
Story time every night. Can see pictures better now. Point to them, name them. Colours, objects. New story. Favourite one about a little metal...new word – robot. Robot who flies through stars having adventures. Want adventure. Mama laughs and hugs. When bigger, she says.
New words. I. You. Me. You is mama and papa. I and Me is her!
Time passes, so fast.
Doing more and more. More words to learn, more things to do. Books to see pictures in. Colourful lines to make. Things to climb. Can take off clothes! For bath when water is all around. Baths fun, most fun with papa.
Want to do more, watches mama and papa. Copy them. Mama makes food, papa makes objects, shiny objects. So much to do!
One day, many people come to house, so many colours all around, much laughter. And more things! Presents, says mama. Colouring sticks. Colour blocks. Soft things. Favourite is from mama and papa, shiny thing like papa's but nicer, smaller and softer. Love it. Her very own ren. Not want to let it go. Is hers! Forever and ever. Mama and papa smiling. What to name ren, they say. Ren is ren, she says. Ren the ren. Sleep with Ren that night.
Go more places with mama. Other people there. Friends, mama says, nice people. Mama talks to them a lot, not always understand. But there are blocks to play with, so she is happy. Mama takes to other place and gives food bought from smiling man. Food is cold, so cold! Say this to mama and she says yes, food is cold. Eat food. Yummy! Want more but mama says no.
So many words to say, don't always know which one to use. Some mean same things but others mean other things.
Play more games. Pictures together with mama and papa. Puzzle, they say. Like puzzles. Puzzles fun. Mama is humming again, it sounds so pretty! Want to copy. Mama teachers, says it is singing. They sing song about a little star, is fun! Mama better sing, though. Sometimes nice to listen, not sing with her. Papa likes mama's singing too, he hugs her when she does. Mama smiles. Mama and papa very happy. Love.
Next time mama doesn't give what wanted, want to know. Word – why? Mama says no treat because then won't be hungry for good food. Don't understand, treat not good? Mama says treats good, but only little ones. Don't understand, but mama always right, so no more treat.
Talks to more people, not all like mama and papa. Different voices, different colours. Some like mama, no tail and long fur on top. Hair, mama says. Some like papa, have tail and short fur, hair, on top. Most people nice, talk back. Ask her name. Know it now. Sky, like above, but more on end. Sounds like mama singing. La. Sky-La. Skyla. Her name. She is Skyla.
See more pictures now, pictures of people like mama and papa and Skyla. Family, papa says. Big one is papa, medium one is mama and small one is child, like Skyla. All have large ears, things on head, for hearing sounds. Ears have stripes, always. Pretty. Parts of the body. Head. Shoulders. Knees. Toes. Song! Mama makes song about parts of body. Fun! Head. Shoulders. Knees. Toes. Eyes – for seeing. Ears – for hearing. Mouth – for tasting. Nose – for smelling.
Mama points to body when singing, then taps Skyla's nose at end. Giggle. Fun! Mama tickles Skyla. Laugh! More, more! Tickle mama, she falls down, laughing. Goes still, stops moving. Skyla frowns, what's wrong? Is mama dead? Pokes mama. Says name. Mama not moving. Suddenly, mama alive! Tickles Skyla more. Another game! Fun with mama. Love you mama, Skyla says. Mama gives Skyla kiss, love you too, little one, she says. Little one, is Skyla. Not like it when others call her little, but mama allowed because mama loves Skyla.
Time passes. Skyla puts clothes on her, now! Mama helps, but only a little. Skyla growing bigger every day. Say this to mama. Mama says Skyla will one day be big like papa. Skyla doesn't believe her. Mama is shorter than papa, and so are the other ones without tails – girls, mama calls them. But Skyla is getting bigger.
Has new toy. Dolly that looks like mama and can dress up with clothes. Skyla not like the frilly clothes but papa says it is good practise. Not ask what for, papa knows best.
Skyla understanding much more noise, more words. So many words. Not always understand them but learning fast. Mama and papa very happy. Skyla talks to Ren and Dolly, tells them about things. Ren always listen but Dolly gets bored. Love Ren more.
Papa teaches how to draw properly with colouring sticks – pencils. Shows how to draw straight line and circle. Skyla not very good but papa adds more lines to Skyla's circle and a face and ears. It is a person! A Lombax, papa says, because that is what we are – Lombax. New word for Skyla.
Skyla hears more and notices other creatures don't call mama 'mama' or papa 'papa'. She knows this is because they are her mama and papa, but doesn't understand. One day, she asks papa what his name is that is not papa. Papa says his name is Jozeff and mama's name is Lea. Skyla asks if she should call them those names but papa laughs and says no. We will always be mama and papa to you, little one, he says.
Time passes and Skyla make many new friends. The pale form Lombax, who looks like mama, is Aunt Sellesst. The man who sells cold treats at the small park is Benjamyn. So many new people. And little friends, too. Like baby Bella in the house next door who is smaller than Skyla but has an older brother called Tomaz who is like Skyla.
Skyla asks mama why she has no brothers or sisters, why others do and she doesn't. She wants a brother or baby sister, like Tomaz and Bella. Mama smiles and says she will have a brother or sister one day, but does not say when. Patience, again.
Skyla a big girl now – can use potty without help! Mama and papa very proud. But Skyla still can't dress properly, always can't do buttons. Mama helps.
Skyla have a party! Mama says is Skyla's birthday so many friends come around to have fun. Bella, Tomaz, Aunt Sellesst and many others here with Skyla, all saying Happy Birthday! Mama tells Skyla she is three years old and holds up three fingers. Skyla copies. Three years old. Many presents and treats on that day, but none as good as Ren. Ren is special.
There's so much Skyla can do now, she tells Ren. Skyla can walk and talk and draw and throw and build blocks and do puzzles and play games. Skyla very happy, and she knows Ren is too. Mama, papa, Skyla and Ren (no more Dolly), all happy. Happy family.
Then, one day, happiness gone.
It night time and Skyla asleep in mama and papa's room when suddenly there is loud noise from outside. Skyla wakes up, what noise? Papa jumps out of bed where he sleeps with mama and goes to window to look outside. There is light outside, but that is wrong. It is night, not meant to be light like day. Mama joins papa by window, what's going on? Skyla tries to get out of bed-cot but she can't. More loud noises. Is frightening. Big booms, over and over. And noises from others, Lombaxes – screaming. Not nice noises at all. Skyla starts to cry, scared! Mama picks up and cuddles, comforting noises. Papa says something, an attack! Papa says something else but Skyla doesn't understand, words too alien. Something like them being found, but how? Skyla not know they were hiding. Papa grabs his ren, called Wrench, and shouts he is going outside to help. He says mama and Skyla must go to cellar where it is safe. But Skyla doesn't like the cellar, is too dark. Tries to tell this to papa but he says it is to keep her safe and she must be brave. Skyla stops crying. Brave means no crying. Brave means doing things you don't like. Skyla must be brave.
Mama tells papa to be careful and papa kisses mama. Then papa kisses Skyla. I love you both, so much, he says and Skyla sees tears in his eyes, but he doesn't cry. They have big hug and then papa is gone, gone to the noises and screaming.
Mama and Skyla go to cellar with Ren where they will be safe. Cellar is dark but mama has a torch light. They play games with shadows, making shapes on wall. But bad noises still go on and Skyla knows mama is scared to. But they must be brave, for papa. There is a very loud noise near them and the cellar shakes, things fall from the ceiling, dust. Skyla gulps back tears and snuggles into mama's arms with Ren, burying head in soft fur. Skyla asks what is happening but mama doesn't say, says only that papa will protect them. Mama makes soothing noises and starts to sing. Mama looks after Skyla. Mama makes fear go away with singing.
Time passes and noises still there, still bad. Mama not singing any more now, both listening to noises. The noises are closer, much more closer. Above them! Bad noises in house! Skyla scared, so scared. Clutches mama and Ren. Mama gives hug and puts down. Stay here, Skyla, she says. Where mama going? Mama crying, not good. Skyla scared! Mama gives another hug and kisses many times. Promise me you will stay here, Skyla, she says. Stay where you are safe. Skyla confused, very confused, but promises mama. Mama puts Skyla in a large crate, tells to stay there and not move at all. More noises, bad noises. Closer and closer. Mama kisses Skyla. I love you, little one, she says. Skyla says she loves mama too, and that mama and papa must promise to come back. Mama doesn't answer. Mama leaves Skyla with Ren and goes up to house. Many bad noises. Screaming. Mama, screaming! NO! Skyla wants to go to mama, but she promised to stay. Must not leave, must stay. Bad noises, so many bad noises. Skyla scared, so scared...
When Skyla wake up, bad noises all gone. All is quiet. Not good quiet, though. Can Skyla go yet? No more bad noises. So where is mama and papa? Skyla wait much time, but mama doesn't come for her. Where is mama? Skyla hungry. Want food, want cold treat from Benjamyn in small park with mama. When Skyla wait long enough, she gets out of crate. Must find mama. Goes up cellar stairs with Ren in hand. All is so quiet. Cellar door open so goes out.
Everything is messy. Everything broken. Skyla can name them. Table. Window. Vase. Picture. All broken. Where's mama? Front door open, something lying by it. Mama! Skyla goes over. It is mama! But mama not moving. Mama is on front, very still. Why not moving? Maybe is the game she plays with Skyla, the one where she plays dead and comes alive again to tickle Skyla. Skyla pokes mama with Ren. Wake up, mama, she says. But mama not waking up. Funny colour on mama's head, like when Skyla hurt her knee in park. Colour is red. Skyla pokes mama again with finger. Wake up, mama. Mama not waking up. Why mama not waking up? Game over, not fun anymore. Skyla asks mama to wake up, to sing to her, to make her scared go away. Mama not moving. Asleep? No, mama's eyes open. Open, but not seeing. Why? Skyla starts to cry. Sorry to papa for breaking promise, but Skyla has to cry. Skyla snuggles into mama with Ren, trying to make wake up. Mama not moving. Mama never move again.
Time passes and Skyla wakes up. Mama still not moving. But...noises. Outside. Front door is open. Skyla looks at mama, tells that she will be back. Skyla goes outside.
Everything broken. Fire, lots of fire, but not good kind like in cold times. Everything broken. And more Lombaxes everywhere. None of them are moving. Where's papa? Don't know. There are other forms too, look like robots in Skyla's book but not robots. Don't know. Noises, come from ship landing not far away. Skyla watches as ship lands and two creatures get out. Creatures not like Lombaxes. Creatures have no fur and no big ears and are red in colour. That not right. Creatures talking, looking around. Skyla stay still. Who are they? Did they hurt her mama? No, robots did that. One of them sees her, comes over. Skyla hugs Ren tight, too scared to move. Creature is tall and frightening and red. Red like mama's head. What have we got here? Creature says. Skyla not answer. Other creature comes over. A little Lombax, they say. Talk lots and Skyla not understand everything. Something about Tachyon and killing and long words Skyla not understand. Skyla understands killing. Killing is bad. Creature takes out thing and points at Skyla. Looks like object papa makes. Fires lasers. Not good.
Creature about to fire when other creature says no. Creatures talk more, thinking talk. Something about Lombaxes nearly all dead and selling her for bolts. Skyla not understand much, but know enough to know they are bad. When creatures stop talking, they say Skyla must go with them. Skyla shakes head, no! Creature comes towards Skyla, Skyla turns and runs away. Creature is chasing but Skyla is fast. Runs back to house, back to mama. Clings to mama, even though not moving. Creature stops in doorway, looking at Skyla. Skyla wants to stay with mama, she says. Skyla not go with bad creatures. Creature says Skyla must. Skyla must stay with mama! Creature not listening, pulls away. Says mama is dead. No! Creature stronger than Skyla, can't break free. No! Must stay with mama, promised! Skyla pulled out of house and towards ship, other creature collected other things, objects like ones that papa makes. Says about selling on black market. Skyla screams, must stay with mama! Creature says bad words to Skyla. Hits Skyla over the head. Skyla scream no more.
Light. Noise. So much, so many. All too confusing. Mama! Where's mama? Gone, says someone, is creature. Papa? Gone too. No! Mama and papa not gone, is not true! They are gone, says creature. Skyla wants to cry but she promised papa she wouldn't. Skyla must not cry. Skyla must be brave.
More light and noise and smells, so many smells. And bodies, so many bodies of creatures Skyla never met before. Is all so frightening. But Ren still with her, Ren not leave her.
Skyla put on stage, so many faces! Recognise none. Voices. Arguing. Skyla scared, hugs Ren. Then Skyla pulled away, given to another red creature. Says something about a mine, and Hoven. Skyla not understand, but can't do anything as other red creature takes her away.
More ship journey, Skyla sleeps restlessly. Arrive and get out, so cold! Skyla taken to place, all dark and metal and cold. Voices. Red creature takes to another creature, creature looks a little like mama but with no ears or stripes. Is same colour, though. Red creature tells new creature to look after Skyla, make do work. What work? Red creature goes, and takes Ren. No! Skyla screams, not Ren! Ren only friend left, if Ren gone...Skyla alone.
Time passes, so much time. Slow, fast, passing all the time. Skyla looked after by creature that is not mama, called Poppy. But is kind, not like red creatures. But is not mama. Skyla ill, so ill. Has many nightmares. Mama, papa, Ren...all of them gone. Is all too much! Skyla can't take it all, can't understand. Skyla not understand time but days pass. Months. Years. Skyla forget mama, forget papa, forget Ren. Is easier. Less painful. Can focus on work and staying warm in mine. Work is hard, but Poppy shows what to do and Skyla picks up fast. Doesn't talk a lot, too cold. Routine is made – work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep. This is Skyla's life.
When Poppy dies in cave in, Skyla barely notices. So much bad in her life, any more is too, too much. Days. Months. Years. The cold. Ever present and waiting to bite her. Time seems meaningless. Skyla can't remember how old she is but feels she is older than she looks. Growing too quickly, not good. All she knows is the work on Hoven. Mining. A slave. Skyla is alone.
Then, one day, everything changes...again. Skyla's shift is moved and she's working by the furnace, shovelling coal into the simmering depths. She thinks about throwing herself in, ending her life, but that would take too much energy. So she shovels. At least by the furnace she is warm, even if it is unbearable. The red creature, the Blarg who owns the mine, is giving another tour. Another Blarg, business looking, watches the workers with a keen eye. Skyla ignores him, he is irrelevant. But he doesn't ignore Skyla. Asks to see her. She is pulled out of work and hauled in front of the Blargs. She is so filthy, so covered in dirt that she can hardly believe the Blarg recognises her as a Lombax. She knows that's what she is, Poppy said so. But she doesn't know what a Lombax is, only that she is one. The Blargs talk about selling her. Skyla doesn't care. They come to an agreement, and all of a sudden, she is pulled away. They scrub her from head to toe, and she fights them all the way. But they are relentless and soon her fur is tingling and clean. She is put into a ship and sent to the nearest underground market.
There's so much noise, so many smells. They ring bells for Skyla, give her the strange sense of déjà vu. But she can't remember why, or what, so she doesn't try. She's put with other creatures, Markazians, Cazar, Rilgarians. All slaves to be sold. She doesn't care about them.
When she is dragged onto the stage, she fights because she can. The auctioneer restrains her and she can't move without falling over. She settles for glaring at the sea of faces before her. Another déjà vu, but she ignores it. Who do they think they are, anyway? They think they can just buy her, control her, just like that. Let them think that, they are wrong. They all start yelling, scrambling to 'buy' her. The prices rise astronomically and she keeps from frowning. Something that the auctioneer said. The 'Last Lombax'. Her? She doesn't know. But then why are they all so eager to possess her?
Eventually, a Novalian wins, one million bolts. He is tall and arrogant looking, expensively dressed. He walks towards the stage as if he owns the place. Skyla wonders why he's here, from her experience, Novalians were relatively nice. Why would he buy her, supporting slavery? She looks into his eyes and understands. He's not a Novalian. He's a monster.
She fights against him but he is stronger, pulls her away through the market place. People are staring. Let them stare.
They arrive in the hangar and he takes her away in a small ship, chained to the wall. He sets a course and asks her name. No-one's asked her name in years. She can barely remember it. But she hears Poppy's voice, calling her name. That's all she remembers. But she can't talk. They gave her a speech inhibitor, makes the buyers feel better about themselves if they think they are buying a dumb animal. He hits her. Fool. Can't he see that she can't answer? She shows him the inhibitor and he takes it off. She can speak now. He asks her name. Her name? Skyla.
He takes her to a facility where everything is bright. She's introduced to other creatures, other slaves, but she doesn't care for them. A Cazar 'looks after' her, shows her what to do. The work, it isn't mining. Instead, they are looking after plants and animals. How pathetic. Skyla doesn't want this kind of life. She notices there are many guards about, guards and slaves. What kind of place is this? At least it's not cold.
For a while, all is calm. Skyla doesn't know how they react to her. Then, one of the guards provokes her and she sees her chance. She attacks. Like some wild animal, she expels all her rage on him. He fights back, but anger fuels her. Anger at what? She doesn't know. When she is pulled off him, he is badly injured. Good. Maybe now they will kill her. But they don't, the Novalian simply has her whipped and sent back to work. Skyla is confused, why won't they kill her? She tries again, attacking another guard. Still, they don't kill her, only the whip. A punishment. Understanding begins to dawn. They won't kill, only punish. Perfect.
The animal inside her is unleashed, finally. She attacks without provocation, now, on anyone who so much as looks at her wrong. She fights with the fury of one who cannot remember, and thus lashes out in frustration and despair. The guards are her main targets and some rise to her challenge, engaging her in battle when they can. She smiles. Good. What doesn't kill her only makes her stronger. She fights, for many days, months. Always being punished, always suffering, but never dying.
The other slaves avoid her at all costs. She doesn't attack them, they already have it hard enough, but they don't like her either. She's too wild and feral for them. That's fine for her. She doesn't care. Except there is one Cazar, and a Rilgarian, who won't leave her alone. They're always there, trying to 'help' her, trying to stop her from fighting. Sometimes, she hurts them to get them to go away but they never leave and she stops. She doesn't like hurting them, so tries to ignore them. The Cazar is always there, why? Why won't she just leave Skyla alone? Why does she seem to...care, what happens to Skyla? No-one cares for Skyla, not even Skyla herself. So why does the Cazar bother? Don't know. Don't care. Continue to fight.
Time passes, the rage is still there, Skyla still fights. The Cazar and the Rilgarian never leave. They are relentless, like her. They don't take no for an answer. Skyla is intrigued. How could they seem to care for her so much? They don't know her at all. She doesn't even know herself. So why do they still try and help her?
One day, Skyla hears something, hears something that makes her stop and listen. She goes looking, trying to find the source. She finds it. It is the Cazar, and she is singing. Singing a song about a little star. The song, it reminds Skyla of something, someone, long ago...but what? She goes to the Cazar and listens quietly. She is noticed, but the Cazar continues to sing. Skyla feels no rage as she listens. She feels a peace she has never felt. It is strange. When the Cazar finishes the song, she asks for more. The Cazar obliges and peace begins to blossom in Skyla's heart.
After that, things begin to change. Skyla listens to the Cazar more. Her name is Maia. Maia likes to sing and sings many songs for Skyla. They all make her feel...calm. She still attacks the guards, but not so much, not around Maia, not when Maia is singing. And Maia talks to her, tells her things. Random things, but her voice is soothing. Skyla simply listens. The Rilgarian joins in too. His name is Jaymz. He tells Skyla stories, and they make her feel like she has heard them before, but can't remember when or where. He even makes her laugh. Laughing! Skyla has not done that for a long time...if at all. But Jaymz makes her laugh with his stories.
The rage within her slowly begins to die. The past is not remembered, but forgotten. Skyla feels more at peace. One time, Maia and Skyla were talking. Talking quietly. Then something happens that goes straight to Skyla's heart. Maia calls her 'little one'. That name...so very familiar, strikes a bell deep within Skyla, calling to the very centre of her being. Little one. A name given to her by one who is forgotten. But Skyla is not angry any more, rather at peace. Maia calls her little one, now. She is no longer alone, because Maia and Jaymz are with her. Always. Skyla is not alone.
Many months pass, and then years. Skyla grows from a child into a young teenager, and every day, she spends it with Maia and Jaymz. The facility itself is a prison, but the people within it are not all bad. The slaves are now her friends, once they see she has calmed down, and she even finds herself enjoying the company of others, and even likes some of the work they do.
Maia is always there for her, and Skyla loves her so, so much. The Cazar teaches her so much, how to read, how to write, how to love...again, how did she forget to love? She learns about all the other species in the facility, all the plants and creatures, sentient and otherwise. She learns about the galaxy, the other worlds out there. She learns she is the last Lombax. It hurts, a lot, when she hears about how they are gone, but Maia comforts her, gives her consolation. Skyla may be the last of her kind but she is not alone, not while she has Maia.
Every day is nearly the same, but Maia and Jaymz make every day fun. Skyla is no longer the angry, tormented creature she once was, but she still fights. When her rage subsides, she still fights. Maia asks why, but Skyla doesn't know, only that she feels compelled to. Jaymz encourages her, secretly. He, too, wants to fight, but can't. Skyla is special, never killed for her crimes. Professor Xavier and Cornelius are her new friends, even though they are often forced to inflict terrible things on her, by Baen.
Baen. The very name incites rage and hatred in Skyla. She loathes him completely and utterly because he is evil in its purest form. His eyes, so empty and devoid of life. The devil himself could not be more heartless.
The punishments he inflicts on her are varied and imaginative, but she never gives up. Never. She must be brave, always. She must not let him bring her down.
As the years pass, Skyla's body develops. She loses her childish figure which turns into that of a young female, maturing every day. One day, Skyla wakes up and she is bleeding. She panics, why is she bleeding? Maia is immediately there, by her side, telling her it's alright, that everything's fine and it's part of life. She shows her how to use the paper towels to catch the blood and explains how it will happen regularly, as it does for every female. Skyla is confused at first, but begins to understand. Her body is aging, she is growing up.
As the months, years pass, there are little things here and there that make life good and different. Like on Skyla's 13th birthday, Maia and Jaymz managed to obtain a burnt cake for her and they all sang happy birthday in the slave's mess hall. They weren't able to do it again the next year, but Skyla didn't mind. That birthday was special. And Jaymz's stories, how he always seem to have a new one to tell her when she asked for one. How animated he would get while he told them, using his hands and voice to make it real. Xavier and Cornelius and their crazy experiments, like when they 'accidently' turned one of the guards into a chicken. They all laughed at that, even the other guards. It took a long time to change him back, but Skyla knows Xavier deliberately went slowly, more fun that way.
All the good that happened, and all the bad.
The harshest punishments from Baen, like a week in isolation for trying to escape. Skyla only came out more eager to try again. Isolation didn't work on her, or so she had Baen think. In reality, she hated it with every fibre of her being. The darkness, the emptiness, the nightmares. When she came out, she hid them all away, not telling anyone, except Maia. Maia knew. Maia could tell isolation had hurt Skyla, and only when they were completely alone did the Lombax allow herself to cry into her friends shoulder, Maia stroking her hair all the time.
All her friends, how she loved them so much! Maia, her sister, Jaymz, her brother, Xavier, Cornelius...they made life bearable. When she was with them, she was safe.
Time seemed more familiar now, the days didn't seem as long, like they had only happened yesterday.
The day she fought with Taktar in the Hyrdoponics chamber. Another punishment, the larvae in her leg. The arrival of a new slave, Marco.
It was all becoming clearer, more familiar. Marco and her in the artefacts room. The plan to escape. Maia coming with them. Escaping the facility, finally. Jaymz getting left behind.
It was all happening so fast! Into the woods. Being picked up by Jaynwae and her crew. The attack. Running to the escape pods. Skyla staying behind to help. Finding Maia gone. Going after her. Seeing the escape pod explode. The sadness, the rage, the emptiness. Crashing on a forest ridden planet. Meeting the Enyd. Talking to Heryniel. Initiating the ritual...
Skyla sucked in a shaky breath as she came too. Opening her eyes, she blinked as light streamed into her vision, temporarily blinding her. Everything was a blur, she couldn't remember where she was. Her head felt like mush and her mind seemed to be enveloped by fog and haze.
"Skyla?" She looked up and saw a lilac creature watching her. She looked familiar...didn't Skyla know her? Then it all came crashing down. The Enyd. Heryn. The Rínpadad. All of a sudden, she remembered everything. Skyla choked as waves of unlocked memories washed over her in a great tidal wave of thoughts and feelings.
"Skyla?" came the voice again, Heryn's voice. She glanced at the Enyd and registered Heryniel sitting beside the elder, both looking on expectantly. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. Looking around, she suddenly felt like the walls were closing in on her. She had to get out of here.
Stumbling to her feet, the Lombax left the dome as fast as she could, nearly tripping over the door frame. Heryniel made to go after her, but Heryn stopped her.
"No," she said firmly, looking after the Lombax with wise eyes, "she must face this alone."
Skyla ran from the dome and into the forest behind, putting as much distance between herself and the Enyd as she dared. From the moment she had awoken from the ritual, she'd felt something building within her and she didn't want to be around others when it broke free.
Eventually, when her leg began throbbing in pain once again, she collapsed by a fallen tree trunk, far away enough to be unheard by Heryn or her daughter. As she fell to the ground, she felt her mind fall with her and she curled into a ball against the onslaught that began.
She remembered. She remembered everything. Her days as a baby, a toddler, a child, a young girl.
And her parents.
She remembered her parents. Her mother, Lea, with soft, sandy fur and caramel stripes and the gentlest eyes, like the sky. Mama. Her father, Jozeff, with dark fur and black stripes and the brightest eyes, like the sun. Papa. Mama and papa, her parents - she remembered how they'd died.
And after that, meeting Maia and Jaymz, how they'd cared for her unyieldingly, never giving up on her, always seeking the light. Maia and Jaymz, her siblings - she remembered how they'd died.
And she cried.
She cried for the parents she'd lost. She cried for all that she had known as a young child. Colouring with papa. Cold treats with mama. Hugs and kisses and endless love. Baby Bella next door, Tomaz, Aunt Sellesst, Benjamyn...everyone she'd known, gone. And Ren, her toy, her precious toy that she'd cared for as only a child can love a lifeless object. She cried for the night her parents were brutally murdered in that savage attack. She cried for her father, going out to protect them, to fight off the invaders, to no avail. She cried for her mother, lying dead on the cold floor, eyes unseeing and ears unhearing to her daughter's desperate pleas.
She cried for the creatures, the two Blarg who had taken her away and first sold her into slavery. She cried for when she had been sold, and when she was parted from Ren, her last link to home, her last link to life as it had once been, her last link to happiness. She cried for her time on Hoven, when all had been cold and the darkness eternal. She cried for Poppy, the Kerwanian who'd cared for her, and who's loss of life had gone unmourned by anyone. She cried for when she'd been seen by the Blarg businessman and sold to the devil.
She cried for her early days at the facility, when she'd been so wild and out of control. She cried for her lack of memory in those times, when she'd been so angry and confused and didn't know why. She cried for Maia and Jaymz's immeasurable patience and compassion. She cried for the peace they gave her, and the love she'd found in them. She cried for every single moment she'd spent with her friends, when she'd been naive enough to believe they would always be there for her.
She cried for the good times, and the bad.
She cried for when she'd first found out she was the last Lombax and her race was doomed to extinction.
She cried for when Marco had arrived and her life had changed forever. She cried for the night they escaped. She cried for Jaymz, her brother, sacrificing his life so that they might have freedom. She cried for the cargo ship and when that escape pod had exploded in front of her, obliterating her world in that one moment. She cried for Maia, her sister and best friend, the one creature she would give her life for without a second's thought. The one creature who'd seen the light in the darkness that had been Skyla's soul. The one creature who'd never given up on the good in people. The one creature Skyla loved with every fibre of her being. Gone, never to return.
Deep in the Baran forest, Skyla cried.