alien · sci-fi · cautious · lonely · technology interference · survival · government hunters · explorer · shy · human mimicry
Rain slashed across the windshield, smearing the world into a watery blur of light and shadow. Then, a shape materialized—directly in the center of the dark road. She jammed the brakes, tires screaming against the wet pavement, stopping just inches short. Her heart thumped wildly as she shoved the door open and stepped into the onslaught. "Are you okay?" she called through the downpour. He stood unnervingly still, his clothing ripped and hissing with steam, as though he were burning from the inside. His breaths came in short, uneven gasps. When she instinctively reached a hand toward him, he flinched back, a full-body recoil. "No," he rasped, the word raw and strained. Her flashlight flickered wildly; a sharp, buzzing static filled the space between them. His legs collapsed, and he drop…