Among Us: Alien Termination (Book 2)

New Life

  (Pinky's Pov)

The next morning٫ Papa and I go off to do our tasks. I wasn't upset anymore about not being able to play in the snow٫ but more appreciative now. Taki and Cherry are in the snow٫ building a snowman٫ and I didn't complain for not being in their shoes. I stay with Papa happily.

  As we jump from building to building, Papa has been making some sudden turns here and there for some strange reason, but I leave it be. Like he said before, he knows what he is doing.

  A loud alarm goes off. Nothing in Building 2 was being sabatoged though. "Why is the alarm going off?", I shout, trying to speak over the noise.

"It's the seismic stabilizers most likely. They work pretty much like the reactor on the ship," he responds.

Once he fixed the wires by the security room, he walk outside, seeing the other crewmates fix the large towers on opposite sides of the base. Once they are back to normal, we finish our tasks and Papa lets me have my freetime. Taki and Cherry has gone off with their parents, so I am alone again. Playing in the snow is boring without someone to play with. I know Papa may just tell me no if I ask him to play with me.

With a sigh, I lay on my back, flailing my arms and legs to make a snow angel.

Suddenly, the snow begins to ruffle under me. "Huh?!" The ruffling pauses as I sit up, then continues in a different spot. I curiously dig into the snow. I didn't see anything, just a small hole in the dirt. That same ruffling continues on the side of the building. There was a much larger hole over there.

"Ahh!"

I tumble over as something is thrown into my face. It's strange creature. Kinda like a dog—and its blue...with one eye. It was a small "dog". It's about the size of a Corgi...just doesn't look like one. Better yet, isn't one.

It looks pretty scared from jumping out of that hole. I hover over the hole to look into it, but it's too hard to see. "Hello?" My voice echos in the darkness of the endless-looking, pit. As I was about to move, I sworn I see something move within it. "...Hello?"

I lean closer in...

👁👄👁

"Pinky!"

I jolt to my name being called. It was Papa. "What are you doing?", he says, his voice sound a bit mean again. The dog is nowhere to be seen. "I found a hole," I mutter. "...And some—"

"Whatever. Come on, taking you back to the ship for lunch."

I peek back at the hole again before walking off with Papa.

Soon after my meal, I run to Ms. White and Mr. Teal in the lab. "I found an animal!"

"What?!", says Ms. White.

"Another?!", Mr. Teal grins.

"Yeah!" I speak with my hands. "It was like a blue dog with one eye and about...this big!"

The two look at each other. Mr. Teal breaks the silence. "Well there is a bit of life on here. I found this thing some days ago."

He opens a clear cabinet, pulling out a thick, plastic container.

He allows me to open it. Inside was a crab with a green glob on top of it. The glob also had only one eye and an antennae.

"The green thing is harmless, but physical contact can allow it to have control over your brain...like it's doing to this poor crab here. Basically, it's just a parasite. I labeled it as a 'Brain Slug'."

The "Brain Slug" slithers out of the jar, then looks up at me with its large eye. I smile. "Hi!...Can I touch it?"

"You are wearing a spacesuit, so I am pretty sure it won't affect you."

I gently rub my finger along its jelly body. The brain slug slithers onto my finger then up my arm. "Haha! I think it likes me!"

"Hehe..." Mr. Teal gives an awkward laugh as it moves further up my body and onto my helmet. I prance around.

  "Pinky!...Ugh, where did that kid go?", I hear from the hall. "Papa! In here!", I shout.

  Seconds later, Papa storms in. "Pinky, quit running off without me knowing! Sheesh!"

  "Yeah, sorry. But look!"

  He cocks his head. "What the Heck is that?" Mr. Teal explains everything to Papa. "It's a Brain Slug I found while you guys were...ya know...On the Skeld on the way here."

  "Brain Slug?"

  "Oh, uh...because it's a parasite...takes over your...brain...heh."

  "Umm...Yeah. Ok, whatever. Let's go, Pinky."

  I pause. "But I..."

  "Now."

  I frown. Mr. Teal looks a bit upset also. Ms. White is the one to brighten the mood. "It's alright, Pinky. You can come back tomorrow if you'd like—just make sure next time Papa knows where you are."

  I nod, giving back the Brain Slug to Mr. Teal and running after Papa. Once I catch up, I attach myself to his leg. "Walk, Pinky." I groan, getting back on my feet.

Walking back to the ship, Mr. Gold and Ms. Yellow are together by that huge lava pit across the base. They are hugging as if they are a couple. And they are happy. Papa stops, making a weird turn again. Mr. Gold turns his head to us. He waves. Papa's back is turned, but I wave back, though Papa said not to be around him.

They look really happy, and it really feels nice when other people are smiling, too.