Devil of Clinia

Aurora The Newfound Earthling

Immediately I speed walk away from wherever the heck I am. I try to find a good starting point, but honestly I don't know where to begin. The world around me isn't familiar, even though it is...in theory. How do you start a life with no background, no roots, or anything to balance yourself upon. Anything I see has a meaning, and people would live their lives without thinking about the fact they go through the same schedule every day, unlike me who's been tossed across the universe like a basketball of a comet. I try to locate a sign to at least tell me what street I'm on.

"34th Warner Way", it wasn't a sign, but I found a business with the address plastered on the glass wall. It was an appliance store with refrigerators scattered across the floor. Each one had its own kitchen scene with more appliances displayed.

I walk inside and I'm greeted by a man who I would guess to be about in his 60's, with short grey hair, a long mustache, and bright blue eyes. He hobbled towards me with a brown cane in hand. "How can I help you?" He stifled a cough. "Hello! My name is Aurora, and I'm new to the area, not really sure where I am, but I'm looking for a job."

He looked behind him, almost questioning why I would be interested in working here, and also if he really needed the work.

"Well let's get you started. I'll have Alayah come interview you. She's a new hire of mine."

The cough he attempted to suppress erupted and he pulled out a handkerchief from his left jean pocket.

"Rue come out to the floor please!" He called to the back.

Out came a girl with curled puffy space bun hair, dark brown eyes, and very tall.

I looked up to greet her, but when I looked up my face was essentially covered by where she was holding the clipboard above me.

"Hello! I'm Alayah, I'll be interviewing you today. You nervous?" She smiles. Her teeth are blindingly white and tall.

"A little bit. Not exactly from here, so I'm a bit new to it all."

"Oh me too!" She pulls the clipboard to her side instead of in front of her, "I'm from Kingston in Jamaica. Moved here a couple weeks ago." She smiled.

"That's cool! I've never been there. Heard it's a beautiful place." I reply. Glad she and I can bond over being somewhere we weren't used to. Except she moved to a new continent and I moved to a new planet.

I was interviewed after Alayah and I shared a nice conversation. "I'm gonna go over it with the boss and I'll let you know. Wait here." She gleefully walked to the back, out of my sight.

I crack my knuckles, or at least try to, but my hands got sweaty from my nerves so my hand keeps sliding.

I wait for what feels like eternity. Eventually, maybe about six minutes later, Alayah walks out with no expression on her face. "Well," she says, "you'll have to come back...on Monday because you are hired!" She jumps up and down, genuinely excited for me. I grab her hands and we jump up and down together. "Thank you so much!"

Considering I don't have any experience, we shall see how this goes.

Right as I'm about to leave, I stop myself. My hand is on the door as it's partially opened. "Oh, Alayah?" I walk back inside, gently shutting the door behind me. "Yes?" She turns around from the back and faces me. "I hate to say it, and I know we just met, but I don't have a home here. Do you know anywhere that has cheap housing, or like a support group of some sort?" I twirl the ends of my hair.

She looks at me and blinks a couple times as she thinks. "I know the perfect place," she puts her hand on her chin as if she were thinking, "You can stay with me! If you are comfortable with that of course. Like you said, we just met. It's up to you, but you could totally room with me."

I almost begin to tear up. She's so incredibly kind I can't believe it. While normally I'd be suspicious to this sort of thing, especially since where I used to be, there was always a catch, but I feel so safe and truly at home. I'm willing to risk it and pull my new life together. I finally have a chance and I'm gonna take advantage of it. This is all new, and I cannot believe the luck I'm having. I wonder how Mar is doing. She might not even be on the planet. Or maybe she is. Maybe some day I'll meet her again, but surely it won't be for a long while. For now I'm gonna focus on myself and live the life I was meant to live.

I'll have a roommate, and once I've worked enough and gotten paid I'll start paying rent, and eventually find my own place. I seem to also need to resume high school, and Joshua, my boss, offered to send me to Warner Prep. Maybe I'll find true love, or maybe I'll make more friends. The world is so limitless, and I feel so much freer now that my life isn't being played like a puppet or a pawn in a game of chess. I was a mistake before, but now, with no strings attached I can live.

I'm going to make the most of it all, because now I am a true earthling.