Page 24 of Pet: Genesis

Remus takes my silence as his chance to think about a decision he’s making, and I see the moment he finally makes it. He steps away from me, no longer interested in talking down to me, before calling out his command.

“Come.”

Remus is taking me someplace. My eyes travel out the glass window of the machine we’re in. The world flies by me so quickly that I don’t have the time to take it in. I shift my gaze to Remus, and he is focused on the scenery in front of him.

Where could he be taking me now?

I use the silence to study the creature that is Remus. He’s as emotionless as he always is. I can never tell what he’s thinking, let alone what mood he’s in. He never lets it show. If he weren’t so keen on speaking his mind, I’d never know when he was “pleased.”

My stomach dips as the machine we’re in begins its descent out of the sky. I’ve only ever seen airplanes when I was young. They would fly through the air at high altitudes, blasting up the runway just to be able to take off. And yet, the Leviathan have invented a technology that allows a car-like craft to effortlessly glide through the air at low and high altitudes. It’s another reminder of how advanced their society is.

“How did you make this possible?” I find myself asking the question before I can think of the consequences, my curiosity getting the best of me. I keep staring out the window as the clouds pass by before I finally look over to Remus. I don’t expect him to answer or even acknowledge that I’ve spoken, but he does.

“We learned to travel on the energy that the stars provide. Or, in simpler terms, solar energy,” he says.

His answer does nothing for my question, and he realizes it, smiling before launching into an explanation.

“We learned eons ago that to keep moving forward and conserve our planet, we had to learn how to use our resources—all of them. Your people came to a similar conclusion regarding harnessing the natural energy given to them. Whereas they built ships to travel using the wind, we built ships to travel using the energy light provides in its purest form. Where your people focused on building physical objects in mass and volume to do their bidding, we learned to manipulate matter.”

My eyes widen as he speaks. Manipulate matter? I can’t imagine that he’s being serious, but his face gives no indication that this is a joke. He takes my silence as a lack of understanding and continues a more in-depth explanation.

“Light is nothing more than a plane. Our ships take that light and use it to travel at the speed it allows. Not on this plane of existence where you can see it physically, but the massive amount of energy it releases when harnessed properly. We are not only able to intensify the speed but bend the space surrounding our ships, taking us weeks, days, or even hours, depending on how far the destination is. It all works as one entity, advancing our way of life.”

I take in what he says, my fascination for his race growing by the second. He wasn’t lying when he told me about feeding off my essence. Why would he start now? The thought of his feeding sends an involuntary shiver up my spine. I hate the feeling it gives me. I hate when he does it, and I hate what it entails. Remusseems to be in a conversating mood, so I tread lightly with my next question.

“Why haven’t you killed me yet?” I ask.

Now, I’ve caught his attention. He turns his head, his purple gaze studying me closely before responding.

“Because I do not wish for that at the moment,” he says.

I shake my head, ignoring the discomfort settling in my stomach at his admission that I am only alive currently because of his personal feelings.

“No... I mean, you take a piece of my life each time you... feed. So, how much longer do I have to live?” I clarify.

The corner of Remus’s mouth upturns slightly, and a breathy laugh escapes him.

“The fluid you drink daily keeps you as youthful as you were yesterday or last month, which gives me plenty of room for feeding,” he says.

That must be why I feel refreshed when I drink the strange drink. I frown, looking down at my hands.

“What’s in it?” I ask.

Now, he frowns.

“I think you’re getting too bold with questions, Pet.” I immediately close my mouth, going back to my brooding. Even though I’m set on remaining silent, my mind keeps wandering back to his race. Remus himself is terrifying, but that doesn’t keep the questions from rolling around in my head about his race. They are a mystery—a complete mystery.

How did they come here? Why is Remus so different than the rest of them? How did they even discover our planet? How could we have never discovered Remus and his people if they’ve always been out there? But most importantly...

Why are they still here?

The way Remus talks about the Earth sheds light on his hostility toward humanity. If he’s nobility, why would he stay on the “most primitive” planet he’s conquered?

The questions become too much to keep in my head, so I try again.

“Why are you still here if we are conquered?” I ask.

Silence stretches over us.

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