Snatched

Karina & Silo

He wouldn't go away. He was there all the time. Just there. Like the furniture. Like an annoying fly that wouldn't stop buzzing around Karina's head. What was he up to?

He was sitting at the little table, looking at something on the small computer-like notepad he held between his hands. Probably reading. Bald. Bearded. Those queer yellow eyes. He was big. Too big. His huge shoulders made his head small.

Standing in the corner of the room, Karina looked towards the helmet sitting on another table. She touched her head. She'd obviously had another one of her blackouts. The last thing she remembered was the big bald brute trapping her with his enormous strength and that annoying redhead trying to talk with her. What was the last thing she'd said? He wants you to eat and sleep. He wants you to be happy.

Yeah ... right. He might be an alien but he was still a man and men only wanted one thing. She closed her eyes, trying to think. She couldn't remember much after that, only a blur of images mashed into a timeline that didn't make any sense. She did remember him though. He'd been there. She hadn't seen him but she'd heard his voice.

Everything is going to be okay.

'Silo. My name is Silo,' he'd told her the moment she'd woken and ripped the helmet from her head. 'And I'm not going to hurt you.'

Karina bit her lip as she glared at the helmet. He'd put that thing on her. He'd put that thing on her while she'd slept. And now she could understand his words. It was the last thing she wanted.

'You need to eat something,' he said without looking up from whatever he was reading.

Karina turned her glaring eyes his way.

My name is Silo. As though she cared! She remembered hitting him. She remembered trashing the room. And yet, it was as though none of it had happened. His room was back to normal and he seemed perfectly comfortable, unafraid, even bored. She began to wonder if she'd only imagined it. Karina had learned over the years that her brain couldn't be trusted.

She turned towards the window looking out onto space. There was no Earth to be seen. Only blackness. Any normal person would probably feel fear, but for Karina it was strangely comforting. She had no attachment to Earth. No friends. No family she could talk to. Earth was pain—and it was far away.

Karina turned at the sound of the big alien standing. She watched as he went over to the little kitchen she swore she'd mangled only the night before and pressed several buttons. Minutes later and he was picking up a tray of steaming food.

He turned towards her. 'Would you like it over there or will you join me?'

Karina turned back towards the window. She heard the alien sigh. She listened as he approached the bed and laid the tray upon it before returning to the little table and turning back to his reading. Karina's stomach growled. It smelled good, whatever it was. It had been a long time since she'd eaten and the smells were making her feel dizzy. Ignoring it, she kept her eyes fixed on the window.

'I don't understand you,' the alien suddenly said. 'How does starving yourself fix anything?'

Slowly, she turned her eyes to his. 'I would rather starve than be with you.'

The alien's eyebrows shot up. He didn't look angry or upset. In fact he looked relieved. Karina bit her lip. She shouldn't have spoken. She should have kept silent. He'd just broken down a defence.

Fool.

'That's fine.' He put down the screen. 'Then I'll eat it.'

He got up and took the tray back to the little table. He lifted the cloche. Karina tried not to watch but her eyes kept darting away from the window to the tray. Her mouth watered. Whatever was on the big plate looked like eggs. Her stomach seemed to twist in on itself. What time was it anyway? Was it breakfast time? It was hard to remember how long she'd been here for. Three or four days? Five or six? Karina licked her lips.