Page 5 of The Royal's Bumblebee
“She’s so cute!” I finch. That was loud. A woman’s voice? It was very high pitch in any regard. It’s coming from my other side. “Is she your daughter?”
“No, she’s my friend.” Charlie answers, and I feel reassured about how close he is. Not touching, but present, and keeping others from touching me.
“What’s your friend’s name? Is she a juvenile? She’s so tinyyyyyy.” I hunch my shoulders and try to cower down around Hannah’s hand and tug her with my step. I don’t want to be near that voice. It hurts my ears. I also wish these Ucfeni would stop thinking I’m a child. I’m a woman. I’m just struggling right now and clinging to my sister as I walk through my own personal hell. Stimulus overload.
“No, she’s fully grown. Her name is Billie.Myname is Charlie. What’s your name?”
“Thank you.” Hannah whispers and I realise it isn’t aimed at me. I want to look to my right and see if he’s still there, but I’m more afraid of what else I’ll see, so I keep my eyes shut and keep walking forward.
“And I’m back.” I exhale deeply when I hear Charlie chuckle by my side. “She said she didn’t like my smell and turned me down like I’d asked her out or something. Weird huh?”
“Maybe you stink?” Hannah chuckled back at him. I sniffed to my right and he laughed at me. I was only trying to see if he smelt of anything. I sniff my shoulder, and can’t smell anything. I still want a shower though.
“Maybe I do? I mean, they were pretty adamant we weren’t allowed to freshen up much more than using a toilet before we left the discharge center. I would imagine weallsmell pretty stale from being still for so long.”
“And then you went for that mad run down the amphitheatre to talk to Alaric. You must smell of sweaty human.” Hannah snorted and I smiled. Not because I thought their teasing was funny, but my sister was happy. I like when she’s happy.
“Then my lady, allow mymuskto be a repellent if and when required. I’d offer to rub up against you—”
“Don’t.” I insisted quickly. I was serious. I didn’t want him to rub his sweat on me, but Hannah and Charlie laughed like I’d said something funny.
“I won’t I promise. Oh,hello?” Charlie chuckled and Hannah gently resisted my hold to get me to stop walking. “Erm, hi? That’s a littleclose,don’t you think?”
“I am Dalahan.” I turned my head towards the voice. It was smooth but distinctly masculine. Light and intrigued. “My cousin Ambassador Rerasha says you might like to get to know me?”
“D-did he now?” Charlie cleared his throat nervously. “I can’t imagine why?”
“I think you know. He was right. I would find youinteresting.” The new voice chuckled. “You smell alright too. Come here and let’s talk.”
“W-wow there now hang on?!!”
Pressure.
I felt Charlie stumble back into me and I snapped my eyes open in alarm.
Colours.
Everywhere.
Moving and talking and bright all around me.
I snapped my head left and right, forward and back, and realised that I was surrounded on all sides by huge Ucfeni like the Ambassador from earlier. Eyes gleaned down at me with curiosity and confusion.
“Billie, honey, it’s okay. You’re okay. You are my sunshine—” Hannah is trying to soothe me but I’m not listening anymore. I’m looking for a way out. There are too many people here. Humans like me in white suits, and Aliens with gleaming eyes. Bigbigsnakes with humanoid faces, torsos, arms, and big hands.
Spots.
Stripes.
Colours.
So many patterns and so many colours.
Moving. Confusing.Loud.“—you make me happy, when I am sad—”
I start to hyperventilate. I want to hide. I can’t hide here. It’s not safe here. I look around again for somewhere, anywhere, I can escape to. A curtain. A table. A door. Somewhere-
There.
