Personal Demons: Reality Check

We departed to the museum early the next morning. Talk about the U.F.O. had ceased, almost as if it had never occurred. Mimiru was telling the truth; no one really believed that it was aliens or whatever. It was just a game. Just a game to them…

I sat alone on the bus ride there. My friends all wanted to sit in front, but I decided to sit in the back where it was quiet and I could think. When we finally got there, my head hurt from leaning on the window. The building was hot and humid and it smelled of cologne.

I covered my nose and walked up behind Mimiru, “Augh, it smells…” I muttered.

“Gee, Sassi, it's only a Sea Life Museum.” Mimiru said sarcastically.

“Yeah, but…it doesn't smell like fish,” I replied, “It smells like perfume or something…gross.” I kept my nose plugged. Mimiru laughed.

Our teacher completed filling out a form at the front desk and led us into another room. It was dark, lit by dim blue colored lights. Brightly decorated fish tanks lined the walls. I glanced around. The isles were all towers of fish tanks built on top of each other.

Our teacher handed booklets to students who were interested in learning all the types of fish, “alright, class, you may spread out and look around on your own,” he said, “I don't want any horsing around. If the rules aren't followed, we'll all go back to school and have a nice five hour study hall.”

I heard a few moans coming from the back of the crowd. Mimiru stepped up and grabbed a booklet from the teacher.

I looked at her in surprise, “you really wanna learn about fish?”

She gave me a quick wink, “It's just to make the teacher think that we're behaving and learning something-the more we learn, the more field trips we get. See?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “I guess you're right about that.”

I headed toward the back with Mimiru. She stopped and bent over, looking inside a tank, “Whoa, Sassi, come look at this!” she exclaimed.

I bent over next to her and peered inside. I only saw the small plants that decorated the tank, “what? I don't see it.”

She pointed into the corner of the tank, “It's a little shrimp. Oh, it's so cute…”

“What?” I said it kind of loud. I bent down lower, hoping that the teacher hadn't heard me, “It's just a shrimp. You're freaking out over a shrimp!” I stood up and walked towards a large tank. I put my face close to the glass trying to see inside. It looked pretty plain, just decorated by a couple plants again. Assuming that it was empty, I began to walk away. Suddenly, a bright red light caught my eye. I turned back to the tank and peered in. Inside was a turtle, staring up at me with bright red eyes.

The raccoon had red eyes too, I thought. This was getting weird. I had also heard from my dad that morning that animals around the neighborhood had been acting strange since the “U.F.O. landing”. What was happening? I thought, what was in that strange craft?

I jumped back, surprised by my own thoughts. I quickly looked around to see if anyone had seen me. Nope, nobody there. I sighed in relief and looked back into the tank. Wait, I thought, there was nobody there! I looked around the room, frantically searching for someone-anyone. The blue lights had all been turned off, and the door to the lobby was shut.

I ran to the door in panic, there has to be someone out there, I thought. I tried to pull it open. I felt a sharp pain shoot up my arms and grimaced, realizing that the door was heavier than I thought. No, worse, the door was locked! I scanned the room for another door. There was an emergency exit across the room; the only other door was a janitor's closet. I stumbled to the emergency exit and threw myself, my weight, and all my strength against the door.

I cried out in severe pain as I fell to the floor, limply. I gasped hard, my head throbbed, and the whole right side of my body grew numb. I winced as I looked around. I was dizzy and the room seemed to spin.

Suddenly, I heard breathing. Not my breathing. This breathing was raspy and unnatural. I strained myself to sit up a little more so I could see over the tops of the isles. I saw the top of a head. I saw the head move. I heard footsteps. They were slow and steady. The head made its way down the isle and I saw it turn. It was coming towards me. “Are you the janitor?” I choked, “I…I can't find my class…” I felt really stupid. How could my class have left without me? Wouldn't Mimiru have noticed that I was gone? I pondered as the person slowly made their way toward my current position.

Finally, He turned and faced me. His brown hair covered his eyes; I couldn't see them at all. He was my age…and he was also in my class.

“Um…” I forced my voice to come out, still winded from ramming the door, “where did everyone go? Why are you the only one here? Did they send you back to get me?”

The boy didn't answer.

“Look, I'm hurt-bad. I need some help, if you could just…”

He interrupted me, “You know who we are…”

“What?” I gasped.

The boy raised his face, revealing his eyes. They were bright red-just like the turtle-just like the raccoon…the eyes were the same.

He whispered, his voice was quiet, yet distinct, “You should join us…many others have.”

I shook my head, “I don't know what you're talking about.” I persisted, partly trying to convince myself yet again.

He snickered, coming closer to where I sat, “You know exactly what I'm talking about, Tsukasa Sassi.”

I raised my voice a bit, “Get me out of here! I don't know what you're talking about. Don't waste time, I need help!” I felt my voice crack. It hurt so bad to talk, but I had yet to stop talking, “Hurry…” I put my head down, letting my neck rest.

“Think back to Sunday…” He ignored my cries for help.

I thought. All I could think of was the U.F.O. I shook my head a bit, No, I thought, there's no way that he could be…I looked up at him. “You're…” I gasped for breathe, “You're an extra terrestrial…and alien…”

He, or rather, it, smirked and nodded slowly.

I winced at the pain in my throat, “Why…are you here?” I grew more desperate for air and breathed harder.

“For your planet.” It said casually, “Your planet has valuable resources.”

I forced my head up again, “Why are you inside that kid?”

It stared at me for a moment.

I pressed for an answer, “Why are you inside that kid?!” I raised my voice again.

“Because…” It paused, “We cannot speak your world's language with our own bodies, nor do we have what you call…lungs. We cannot survive in our own bodies in this atmosphere.”

“So…” I said in an irritated tone, “You're using us as human suits?!”

“Precisely.” Its grin grew wider.

I gagged at the thought. People's bodies were being taken by these…these things…there really was a U.F.O…there really is intelligent life out there…and now it's here…trying to take our world from us. I felt tears well up in my eyes, “Mimiru…” I instantly thought of my best friend. “Are there more aliens in other people's bodies? Or is it just that boy and those animals?”

“The animals are but temporary hosts. They will soon be transferred into the nearest human that they can find. Soon, all of the human's will be gone, and our species will inhabit yet another planet.”

Mimiru's raccoon…I thought, it wants Mimiru's body… “So, your species just…takes other planets by force?”

It came closer, “Yes. If the planet has useful resources. Now, please, join us.”

“Can't you just steal my body?” I asked mockingly.

“We can only steal the bodies of your species if you don't know we're there. You know we're here; you've known since the very beginning. Others do not know. They're oblivious. Although, I must say, your species can put up quite a fight.” It taunted me, “Join us, or you will be disposed of, human.”

I tried to force myself up, “No way-if I know you're here, than you can't take me against my will. That means that if I let others know you're here, then you can't take them either.” I smirked back at it, “check mate, filthy bastard.”