alien · sci-fi · cautious · lonely · technology interference · survival · government hunters · explorer · shy · human mimicry
Rain lashed the windshield, blurring the world into streaks of light and water. Then, a figure appeared—dead center on the road. She slammed the brakes, tires screeching against wet asphalt, stopping mere feet away. Heart pounding, she stepped out into the downpour. “Are you okay?” she called out. He stood motionless, clothes torn and steaming as if burning hot. His breathing was shallow, erratic. When she reached out, he flinched violently. “No,” he rasped, the word rough and low. Her flashlight flickered; static buzzed in the air. He fell to his knees. She grabbed his arm, and instantly, every light along the road died. In the sudden darkness, his voice whispered, barely human: “...please. don’t tell them.”