I'm Human (14.5)
First: Chapter 1
Previous: Chapter 14
Ae woke up in a cold sweat, frozen as his eyes darted every which way. Forcing his head towards Oril's side, he finds her bed empty. As soon as his brain registered what was happening, his heart began to race, just as shadowy figures morphed out of the darkness of the room, grabbing and clapping at his arms and legs.
As he began to shake and began trying to free himself, the shadowy figure forms suddenly began taking shape and he started to make out the conscript service uniform, skin, and hair…however, their face remained blank, as if covered by a smooth layer of clay like skin.
Now he was fully panicking. He jerked his arm hard enough to free it from one of the figures, before throwing a punch to the figure across from him to his left which held down his other arm.
As soon as the hit landed on the figure’s face, they all froze, so did his resistance. But just as his confusion set in, the dark room of his dorm suddenly blinked new light, illuminating the familiar scene of his classroom when he was on Earth.
His attention turned back to his situation, only to find the figures gone and his bed turned into the utilitarian gray steel standard issued desk, lined 8 by 8, empty. In front of him the hollowgram projector floated imagies he could barely comprehend yet looked familiar, as if he was grasping for a rope just a few inches out of his reach.
He blinked, and as soon as his eyelids opened, sounds registered of a person speaking, followed by the classroom suddenly being filled with his fellow conscripts, while at the front, an instructor pointing at the projector’s images while he spoke what sounded like English yet Ae couldn't understand. Around him, his fellow conscripts sat at perfect posture, back straight, one arm on the lap, while the other laid idle on the desk.
Then the background noise he still couldn't discern suddenly rose to a fever pitch and his sight was encompassed by the images projected by the projector. As he leaned into focus, he started making out a shape…and the shape into a face and that face…into Oril's.
Just as his mind thought about that name, the scenery changed again. The classroom opened up into a clear morning sky clouds drifting ever so often as the sound of wind passed him. The grass under him was perfectly green as trees dotted the wide open field in front of him. A bit far from him, he could see a clearing…no, a farm…his grandpa’s farm! He remembers!
The memories flooded him all at once, nearly overwhelming. He stumbled back and propped himself against the old oak that seemed to have appeared randomly. Then, he is reminded again, this was the tree he used to play around as a child, an era oh so long ago.
He shut his eyes a bit longer than usual, and as he opened them, his eyes landed on a tan-ish brown feathered being. Oril. Their eyes met and Ae’s heart raced as if he was back in the hunting week. Oril’s eyes didn't exactly glimmer under the cool shade of the tree, but it really did seem like they glowed.
“Ae.” Oril said in a smooth voice, her eyes diving deep into his’s and—
Suddenly he jolted awake. He pinched himself to made sure he was awake, feeling the pain, he calmed down and began recovering thought. His body covered in sweat despite the cool atmosphere the room maintained. His mind raced in a confusing haze as they filled with past interactions with Oril.
Turning toward's Oril's side of the room, he could see her figure in the dark. She faced the wall as she laid curled in on herself, legs tucked into her chest while her wing arm things wrapped around them. Ae held his breath so he could hear his surroundings. The little coo’s Oril did occasionally in her sleep made themselves known just as he continued his regular breathing. Cute
He growled and flashed his teeth just for a moment as his mind and heart fought. His heart wasn't supposed to fight, its sole purpose was to pump blood, but yet, what was this feeling he was having?
He lets out a scoff as he rolls back on his bed, his back towards Oril. He was confused. Worried. Maybe even…scared.
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