Page 6 of Grulen

With a heavy sigh, she zipped her hoodie, popped the hood, and grabbed a flashlight.Grumbling under her breath, she opened her car door.The cool night air smelled fragrant.Her nose wrinkled when another scent registered.

Ugh.Is there an open septic tank nearby?

All-encompassing pain spread from Morgan’s shoulders throughout her body.Back involuntarily arching, she shook uncontrollably before falling to her hands and knees.Nose bleeding, hair awry, she drunkenly raised her head and peered behind her.Four large orange beings with three bulbous black eyes aimed weapons at her.Her eyes widened and a broken gasp left her rasping chest.

One spoke in guttural tones.She shook her head groaning with pain.It…he gestured at one of his companions who stepped forward and grasped her upper arm.Effortlessly he lifted her to stand unsteadily.Claws.They have fucking claws.And they stink.

Another placed a collar around her neck.What am I?A fucking dog?

She struggled weakly as they led her into the treeline.They spat harsh words at her and she increased her efforts.The first one backhanded her and the world went black.

When Morgan regained consciousness, her body screamed at her.A cold metal floor thrummed underneath her as she catalogued her injuries.Tentatively, she touched her tender swollen jaw and cheek.Dried blood flaked off under her nostrils.A headache pounded behind her eyes and her left ear felt like a hammer had struck it.Her muscles ached like she’d worked on the silks every waking hour for a week straight.Her stomach churned as she slowly sat up and took in her surroundings.

She estimated a hundred people, mostly women, filled a large low-lit area.A single section remained clear.The reason became clear when two women moved there.One stood guard while the other dropped her pants and squatted.Morgan’s lips twisted.Guess that’s our litter box.Fucking wonderful.

An older black woman sitting near her said, “How ya feelin’, sweetie?Most are thrown in here screaming or in shock.I worried because you were bloodied and unconscious.”

“Like I went ten rounds with a bus.”Morgan grimaced and rubbed her arms.

“Who got ya?The orange or the gray dudes?”

“There are gray ones, too?”

“Yep.”The woman extended a hand.“I’m Faith Roberts from Atlanta.Bastards picked me up at my boyfriend’s cabin.”Her face fell.“They killed him when he shot one.”

“I’m sorry about your boyfriend.”They shook hands.“Morgan Calloway.I was driving from OKC to Spokane when my car broke down somewhere in Wyoming.How long have you been here?”

“Three days.”Faith pointed at a group across from them “They were here when I arrived and said they’d been picked up four days prior.You were one of the last.”

Morgan fingered the contraption around her neck.

“What’s with the collars?”

Faith’s brown eyes hardened.

“They’re pain collars.The aliens use ‘em to control us.”

“How do you know that?”

“Orange one explained it then demonstrated it.”Faith nodded at a burly guy.“Dropped the man to his knees.After he recovered, he said it felt like a thousand needles spiking into his neck and electricity coursing through his body.He was pretty shaken up.And pissed.”

“You can understand them?”

“Y’all can, too.They implanted us with translators.”She tapped behind her ear.“Hurt like a bitch when they did it.”

Morgan fingered her own aching flesh near her ear.

“I’m not dreaming, am I?”

“No, sweetie.We’ve been abducted by aliens who stink like an outhouse that needs relocated.”

“Why?”

Lips pursed and eyes shadowed, Faith said, “They’re going to sell us as slaves.And since we’re mostly female, I suspect it’ll be even worse for us.”She patted the younger woman’s arm.

Tears leaked from Morgan’s eyes.

Elbows resting on her bent knees, Morgan raised her weary head when the hum of the ship changed.She scanned the cargo hold and frowned at the condition of her fellow hostages.Jim, the big guy Faith had pointed out on Morgan’s first day, leaned bare-chested against the wall.His long legs stretched in front of him with his shirt wrapped tightly around his right knee.One of the orange aliens—Durelians she now knew—had struck the man with a shock stick when he fought to keep them from taking a woman from the cargo hold two days ago and his limb twisted wrong when he fell.

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