I groaned without opening my eyes.
I felt comfortable enough around the machine to get whiny.
“It’s such a long walk back to my room.”
“Would you like me to carry you, mistress?”
Now I opened my eyes.
The offer was tempting.
“Carry me how?”
His hand extended to the floor to grab my shoes.
He set them on my stomach, and then his arms went into a forklift position.
He shimmied them under me and lifted.
Once I was up, his hands flattened against my hip and shoulder to hold me securely.
Then he zipped off towards the elevator.
It was 30 miles per hour again.
My hair blew.
It was kind of fun.
My steed set me on the bed in the tiny room.
It felt pretty comfortable.
“Thank you.”
“You are very welcome, mistress.”
A panel similar to the one beside Elentinus’ door lit up red.
“If you require my assistance again, just press the button.
This also controls your door.”
I managed a sleepy smile.
“Do you have a name other than ‘Domestic’?
Like something that identifies you, specifically?”
“I am Domestic 946, mistress.”
He said the numbers in the alien language.
It sounded like ‘sha-kang-shoon.’
“I’m going to call you Kang.
That was the village next to the one I lived in back in
Botswana
.
Can you be my Domestic, Kang?
Will you be the one to come whenever I need something?”
“That would be most acceptable, mistress.”
He backed out and closed the door.
There was some hidden light source in the room that kept it from being pitch black.
I didn’t really care.
I tossed my shoes on the floor, got under the blanket, and went to sleep.
***
I probably only slept about four hours, though.
I woke up to pee and realized how hungry I was.
(I was also vaguely aware of the fact my pubic hair had disappeared, but didn’t let it compute).
In my half-asleep stupor I thought it would be fun to order room service.
I met Kang at my door.
“Can you get me something to eat?”
“Of course, mistress.
What would you like to eat?”
“Um…a tuna fish sandwich?”
“That food is not available here, mistress.
Would you like a fish donut instead?”
That woke me up.
“Ew.
What the Hell?”
I considered for a moment.
I’d had a thing called vetkoek in
Botswana
that I would probably describe as a meat donut.
Sounded disgusting, but tasted delicious.
“Okay, fine.
I’ll try it.”
He zipped off and I waited in my doorway.
A minute passed and I heard footsteps.
I looked down the hall.
The lights had been dimmed from what they were earlier, but I could still make out Elentinus’ silhouette.
I wasn’t sure what to do.
Even if he hadn’t seen me yet, if I tried to hide in my room he’d hear the door slide closed.
I stood there frozen with my head down and my arms crossed below my bosom.
Elentinus stopped in front of his door and looked at me.
I kept my head lowered and peeked up at him.
His hair was a little mussed.
“Were you waiting for me, my dear?”
“Oh, um…”
I had the urge to lie and say that I was.
I don’t know why.
Whore had brainwashed me into feeling like I had to please the guy.
Kang sped down the hallway just then holding a plate with a metal cloche covering it.
Elentinus chuckled when he stopped beside us.
“Ah.
I see.”
He lifted the cloche.
There was a big fluffy white pastry with some weird seaweed-looking garnish.
Elentinus leaned down to sniff it.
I didn’t have to lean down.
A delicious aroma wafted up to me, making my mouth water.
“Cre-ann fish pastry.”
He looked impressed.
“What made you order this?”
“I love food.”
Um, yeah.
I probably needed to sleep a few more hours before I’d become articulate.
“I mean, I love trying new things.”
“This is a fine start then.”
He replaced the cloche.
“I’m pleased to see you have an appetite.
It’s most encouraging.”
The silence that lingered after he spoke was about to get awkward.
I hated awkwardness.
It’s the sort of thing that would vex me all night.
“Um, you know when you get a new cat?
Some cats will hide under a chest of drawers for, like, the first three days.
Other cats will go out and explore and try to sniff everything.
Either way, they both just want to feel safe in a new environment.”
Elentinus took my hand and got a little bit closer. I managed to look into his eyes.
“What a lovely analogy.
When you have a new pet you want them to know that they’re safe and they’re loved.
You want them to be happy.”
He looked down at our hands.
“But…they are still your possessions.
A rare and cherished animal must be closely guarded.”
I swallowed.
“I want you to be happy, but some fundamental things in our marriage will be…resolute.
I almost hesitate to behave too friendly to you.
If you object to any of my wishes later, well, it can’t be tolerated.
You have to serve your purpose regardless of my desire for you to be happy.”
“I…I can compromise.
I just don’t know how much compromising you want.”
He smiled.
It made his eyes look kind.
“Just the fact you’re open to compromise pleases me.”
He released my hand and pressed the button to open his door.
“Good night, my dear.”
After he left I went into my cell and dropped onto the bed.
I rubbed my face with both hands.
How was I going to get to sleep after hearing that?
Kang rolled in with my plate.
I fumed.
“I can’t eat now.
Can you get me something that will help me sleep?”
“Of course, mistress.
Will you please assume your sleeping position?”
My brow twitched, but I did what he asked.
Once I was lying down under my blanket, his hand extended out and sprayed something on my face.
I flinched and sputtered, but in two seconds I was out like a…
***
I woke up in full panic mode.
This was the part where I’d expected everything to be a dream and thought I’d be back home.
I curled in on myself to go over all the insanity in my head.
I tried to figure out, once again, what the Hell was really going on.
What explanation could there be?
No good answers brought on another session of tears.
Then I bucked up.
I summoned Kang and had him give me therapy while I stayed huddled up in bed.
I needed to have all the information Whore gave to me regurgitated nice and slow.
“How the Hell is that possible?”
He told me how.
“But why?
Why me?
Why the Hell did this have to happen right when I’d finished my tour and was just starting to get my life straightened out?”
There weren’t any answers so I let myself cry again.
I tried to fuel my tears with more revelations of misery.
“Everyone I ever knew is dead.
Is that what you’re telling me?”
“Yes, mistress.
Humans cannot live 2,080 years.
If they had somehow lived there is a 96.8% probability they would have been become brain-dead hosts to the Instajant parasites.
Only 368,046 humans are left.
Most of humanity was culled during the Instajant invasion.”
“What the fuck!” I said through my tears.
“Can you get me that damn vaccine?”
“You have already been vaccinated, mistress.”
I wiped my nose on what I’d figured out to be toilet paper.
“Of course…of course you did.
Probably during my brain surgery, right?
Or when you were fucking up my ovaries or some shit?”
“All your required treatments were performed during one procedure, mistress.”
“Fuck you!”
I continued sobbing loudly.
Okay, I wasn’t really angry at him.
I wasn’t even that hysterical.
I wanted to get on with whatever I had to face here without any baggage holding me back.
I needed catharsis, and emotionless robots made handy punching bags.
When my swollen eyes and raw throat finally needed a break I went after my cold fish donut.
“Can you get me some water?”
“Of course, mistress.
How much water would you—“
“Like a two liter or something.
And some hot coffee, too.”
“That beverage is not available here—“
“Well I need coffee, damn it!”
I started gesturing at him with one flailing arm.
“Go into your Earth database thing.
Figure out what coffee is.
And bring me the fricking equivalent.”
“Of course, mistress.
I am very sorry you are distressed today, mistress.”
I froze and looked at him.
“You don’t have emotions, do you?”
“No, mistress.”
“I’m not distressed, Kang.
I’m frustrated.
I was just taking it out on you so it didn’t come out with Hor-Denay or Elentinus.”
“That is a very wise strategy, mistress.
However, you must refer to my master as ‘Lord Elentinus’ until you are married to him.
Then you must refer to him as ‘husband.’”
“Oh my God.
Get me coffee now, please.”