After Humanity

A short story by James Lomax, currently undertaking his Duke of Edinburgh bronze award. Part five of 12

OUR friend Carlos has saved an alien slave from a massacre by him. He hopes to heal it, but first he must hide it. The next morning, Carlos told his squadron to patrol the perimeter with him. Carlos would do it for a few hours and then retire to his house to catch up on paperwork.

However, he was worried.

The S.T.A.R. officials-who had taken up residence until the enforcer numbers could be brought back up-had found out from a spy that some Gorgons were planning to attack Carlos, Benny and the five enforcers that had survived.

When the spy came to find them, they were gone. The officials had ordered a search of the area, including houses of enforcers. And Carlos was not there to protect it.

When the patrol was over, he dashed back to his house. Carlson told him that it hadn’t been searched yet, but the Gorgon was awake. This was fine. Carlos had made precautions, including chaining the Gorgon to its bed.

When he came down, it looked at him with those scared eyes again. It was also making little grunting noises and pulling at the chains. Carlos knew it wouldn’t understand, but he pointed at the bullethole. It didn’t understand, but it was worth a try.

As Carlson tranquillized it, Carlos set about looking for a place to hide it. It wasn’t hard, as he’d made a hole for the Gorgon to hide in, and he had ordered a new floor for his en-suite kitchen.

The more pressing problem was that of the mattress and medical supplies. Carlos put the mattress in his own bed, making it look a little thicker, and the medical supplies in his kitchen cupboard. He thought it was a great plan, but Carlson was sure they would notice the bed would be a little thicker. They didn’t.

Once the Gorgon was in the pit, and the false floor was on, it looked very convincing. And not a moment to spare, because right at that moment an official, Benny and a few enforcers came down the steps.

The official addressed him, “Captainenforcer Carlos, we are searching your house for three missing Gorgons. We hope you don’t mind.”

“No, not at all. I’m just putting in a new floor on the basement.”

Benny piped in, “Can I help?”

“…Sure. Could do with a helping hand.” The official and the enforcer went upstairs while Benny stared at the new floor.

“You’re doing it wrong. The floor should face West instead of North because of the size. Let me rotate it for you-“

“Wait!”

But Benny had already rotated it, revealing the pit with the Gorgon inside.

“What… Why… is there a slave… here?” he exclaimed with disbelief.

“It’s not what you think it is,” replied Carlos, trying to keep his friend quiet.

“It’s exactly what I think it is! You’re harbouring a fugitive. I’ll have to report you for this.”

“Listen to me! I’ll tell you why it’s here, if you promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

Benny looked at him with an expressionless face.