Shock (Jia)

JIA POV

  Samantha hums quietly as she pushes me through a silent office building. The ride here in the helicopter was only about twenty minutes long so I know I am still in California or a state over. Being close to home feels safe for some reason. I think that if I had flown far, I would be freaking out more.

  "Are we the only ones here," I ask softly and her hum cuts off.

  "For the moment. The others are flying in from much farther away. They were picked up late last night. There should be two other women who are being offered the opportunity and two more agents like me arriving in a few hours," she answers and I am surprised she gave me so much information.

Every time I tried to ask her what this was about on the helicopter ride she told me she couldn't answer any questions. She had said her boss was in charge of disclosing the details and it was against the law for her to tell me all the details. She also stated she didn't even know all the details.

"Can we all receive or... I mean accept the opportunity," I ask and she chuckles.

"Yes. There are five spots open. You three would be the last... I am hoping you all accept," she says after a brief pause and I glance back at her.

She smiles at me, but the sadness in her eyes unnerves me a little. It's as if the thought of us not accepting makes her upset. What happens if I don't accept the offer?

"Have others not accepted," I ask and she nods slowly.

I can tell I am getting close to the truth and she is beginning to close herself off so she doesn't tell me too much, but I have to know something.

  "How many were asked," I ask and she shrugs.

  "I am not privy to that information. I was given your file and yours alone. I know there are two others coming today and I know where they are coming from, but that's it. Like I said before I don't have clearance for all the information. I do know others have been asked during this selection and they have either not qualified or refused... That's enough questions for now. You need to rest. I can see the fatigue on your face. There is a bed in here. You can rest and when the others land I will come get you," Samantha says as she stops in front of a door.

  She opens it and I am surprised to see what looks like a break room.

  "Is this just some random office building," I ask as she pushes me in and she laughs.

  "The building belongs to the government. Different agencies use it at different times. Right now it is mostly vacant. But it is cleaned regularly and equipped with basic needs," Samantha says as she parks my chair next to the couch.

  She begins to pull it out into a bed and I stop her.

  "Wait. It's better for my port to sleep at an angle. Umm, leave it as a couch and just prop me up with some pillows, please," I say and she gives me a big smile.

"No, problem," she says before doing as I asked.

She gets me moved and covered up with a surprisingly soft blanket, before turning off the light and leaving. Almost immediately my eyes close. Exhaustion hits me like a mudslide and I am asleep before I can worry about another thing.

***********************

  "Jia, Jia, it's time. The others have arrived," someone says as they gently shake my shoulder and my eyes flutter open.

I feel like I have been yanked from a coma my body is so heavy and weak. Why am I so sore?

"What," I whisper trying to comprehend why I am being woken up.

The nurses normally just let me sleep.

My heavy lids manage to lift a little and a vaguely familiar face appears.

  "Jia, it's me Samantha. The other candidates have arrived. Let's wash your face a little and get you ready," she says and the helicopter ride immediately comes back to me.

I groan as I remember the bouncing and muscle jarring. That's why I feel like this. Take a weak sickly body on a helicopter ride that requires muscles to stabilize your body and wind up like me.

"That was real," I mumble and Samantha laughs as she comes back with a damp paper towel.

"Yes, it was. I am going to wipe your eyes and mouth. You have some crusties and some drool residue," she says and I immediately feel hideous.

"Okay," I say to give her permission, but nothing else.

I feel like Gollum from The Lord of the Rings and I am sure I look like him too. Just give me a stupid ring to obsess over and I got the part.

"There we go. You are good to go. I am sorry. I just didn't want you meeting the others with a well-slept face," Samantha says as she steps away and throws the paper towel in the trash.

"Thanks," I whisper.

I am grateful for her kindness but this whole thing is still weird. She is a stranger. I am dying. I am in some government-owned building about to be offered some top-secret opportunity... Maybe they are going to use us for science experiments. As that idea explodes in my mind every zombie movie I have ever watched begins to play in my head.

"Jia, you have watched too much TV lately," I mumble to myself, and Samantha's eyebrows furrow.

  "What," she asks and I shake my head.

  "Nothing. I am just trying to figure out what all this is about," I explain and her eyes light up.

  "You won't regret coming, Jia. I promise," she says and I go silent.

  I used to trust other people, but when you get abandoned by the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally you put up walls.

  "Alright, let's get you in your chair," she says after she realizes I am not going to say anything else.

I nod and we work together again to get me in the chair. This time is harder with my sore body, but I try not to be dead weight. When I am in the chair she pushes me out into the hallway and just stops. She doesn't say anything and we just wait. After about ten minutes another asian girl in a wheelchair arrives and her chair is quickly parked next to mine.

"Evening Sarah. I see your trip out of the country was successful," Samantha says and Sarah sighs before replying.

"It went perfectly. Have we heard about Ireland," Sarah asks Samantha, but I keep my attention on the girl beside me.

She is staring at Samantha openly. She looks as if she is evaluating them as they speak with one another. There isn't an ounce of softness or vulnerability in her dark eyes. She reminds me of the black ravens that land on my windowsill at the hospital. They always seem to be scoping the window out looking for a way to break in. She is staring at them the same way. Suddenly she turns her black calculating eyes to me and I force myself not to look away.

"Well, let's see how Kim did," Sarah says before pushing open the thick wooden doors in front of us.

I immediately look away from the other wheelchair bound girl so I can look inside, but just like the break room I am underwhelmed. The room is an average office with a desk and some bookshelves. Nothing strange or revealing. It is like Samantha said, this building is just spare offices for government agencies. The only interesting thing inside is a third girl in a wheelchair already waiting.

  "Excellent. Zuri, I will leave you here now. Our superior will be with the three of you soon. Good luck," the woman behind the third girl says as we are pushed into the room.

 When my chair stops I look up at Samantha for reassurance but she only smiles and waves before walking away from me. My abandonment issues immediately resurface.

  "Wow. Just abandon us like that," I snap as the door clicks closed behind the three women.

  But before I can even look at my remaining companions to see how they are reacting to being left the door on the other side of the room opens and yet another woman wearing a suit walks in.

  "Hello ladies, my name is Laura Cummings. I work for the United States government. The three of you have been brought here to discuss an exciting opportunity," she says as if this is all perfectly normal.

  She looks at us like a teacher would after introducing herself to a classroom and I grow even more frustrated. I want to know what this is about. I want to know why I risked shortening what little time I have left.

"All of you have already been asked the important question so I shall continue then. Have you ever considered that Earth wasn't the only planet that could support life," she asks and everything I was annoyed with disappears.

My brain and emotions do another 180°.

What kind of question is that? Everything is so freaking weird.

"What," I say in a rather demanding tone, and Ms. Cummings looks at me with a completely calm expression.

  "Aliens. Do you believe in the possibility of aliens," she asks, and I feel my mouth plop open.

 Ms. Cummings sets her briefcase on the dark desk near the door she came in through and opens it. She pulls out a stack of papers and begins to separate them on the desk.

   "Aliens are real. The Earth is small compared to other planets that support life, and we are considered behind in every aspect. Technology. Physical ability. Intelligence. The other beings in the universe laugh at what we consider transportation and healthcare. I know this information is sudden and completely unbelievable, but it is true. Currently, the Earth is part of a treaty called The Harvest Peace Act. More than half of the planets that support life have also signed. Due to our standing in the universe, Earth is only required to participate in one of the treaty conditions. Every ten years, five women are to be sent to the Harvest's Mating Tournament. The idea behind the concept is to mix the different races of beings so harmony can exist. More than forty years ago, the universe experienced a major war. Many were dying, and Earth was going to be caught in the crosshairs. Luckily the quarreling planets held a meeting and came up with the Harvest Peace Act. If you all agree, you will be the last three of five women that will be sent to represent the Earth," Ms. Cummings explains, and shock overtakes me.

Aliens are real... I am here because of Aliens... This is like some crazy movie. But it is happening in real life. I was taken from my hospital room... because of Aliens. This is crazy.

  "You're crazy," I say aloud and Ms. Cummings continues as if I didn't say anything.

  "The governments of the world want to keep the existence of aliens secret, so the selection of candidates is strict. Only terminally ill women of age can be considered. The virginity rule is listed in the treaty. Women going to the mating games are basically prizes for the galaxy's strongest warriors. While the majority of the planets signed the peace treaty and stopped fighting, some planets did not. The allied planets are still at war with this small portion of beings. Earth is under the protection of the treaty because we send women to the tournament. Other planets under the protection of the treaty not only send women but also send soldiers to aid in the war. Humans are considered to be too weak to fight. So Earth is not required to send soldiers," she says and my mouth plops open again.

  "If you sign these contracts, you all relinquish your status as citizens of the Earth. You understand that you all will be saved from your current illnesses, and in return, you agree to marry a male that chooses you at the tournament. From that point on you all are a citizen of your mate's home planet. He is required by tournament law to provide for you. These men are considered to be the heroes of the galaxy. They are all wealthy and excited to be participating in the tournament... This contract is your ticket to life. Only death awaits you here," she says taking her time to look us all in the eyes.

She walks around the desk and picks up the papers. She hands each of us a pile of forms and a pen without another word. I take the papers, but I just limply hold them without taking my eyes off of her. The girl next to me flips through them eagerly, but my brain is still exploding.

None of this can be real. I must be having a very bizarre dream. Maybe I fell asleep next to my window as I was counting the bricks.

 

"What does this all mean," the girl named Zuri asks in an accent I don't recognize and Ms. Cummings looks at her as she closes her briefcase.

  "It restates all the information I have just told you. It also talks about the legality of leaving the planet," she says and I finally look down at the papers.

The words are all there in black and white, but I can't read them. I still can't believe what she is saying is actually true.

  "How will we be healed," the girl next to me asks in a thick Chinese accent and Ms. Cummings turns her way.

  "Their technology far exceeds ours. They cured cancer long ago. So you will be cured once you arrive. Before you ask, humans aren't considered trustworthy enough to be given the information. They consider us barbaric. They dislike almost everything about us... They do consider our women beautiful, though so all of you should do well in the tournament," she answers, and I look at the girl beside me.

She believes her. They both believe this crazy woman's story about Aliens. How can they really believe all this crap?

  "This is crazy," I say again to convince them not to listen, and Ms. Cummings has the audacity to sigh at me like I am the crazy one.

  "Signing these papers saves you. Believe it or don't believe it. You should sign and find out if I am lying. You won't lose anything if I am lying," she says and my mouth snaps shut.

She is right. What do I have to lose? The only thing waiting for me is a lonely death back at the hospital. If this is real... and that is a hard if, I will be liberated from my loneliness. I will be saved and given a new life.

"Okay... say I sign. What happens after,"  I ask and Ms. Cummings' eyes light up a little.

  "You would be processed immediately. I am the only human on this planet entrusted with a teleportation beacon. Once you sign, I turn it on and it sends your location to the medical center. They are aware of the condition of Earth's candidates and have prepared accordingly. Our harvest participants are sent to a medical facility before they join the other women sent by other planets. They transport you there the second we finish here. My agency then takes care of everything here. The hospital notifies your family, and their grieving process begins. It is not ideal for them, but unfortunately, your deaths are inevitable at this point. They will be grieving soon anyway," she says, and I look down at the papers again.

  "I'll sign," Zuri whispers, and my eyes shoot to her.

 

"You will not be disappointed," Ms. Cummings says to her before looking at me and the other girl expectantly.

As she looks at me my mind goes blank and for some strange reason I let go. I let my hesitation disappear. I have nothing to lose.

I quickly sign, as does the girl next to me. Ms. Cummings collects our contracts and walks back to her desk.

"This is my first Harvest in this position and I am truly excited to send you three on this journey. You will be so happy... I know you don't believe me, but when we speak again I will probably say I told you so," she says with a small laugh, but we stay silent.

  I feel like we are all processing the fact that we just signed away our lives to go live with imaginary aliens all to escape death.

Death... the scary thing every being has to do eventually. But I am so young.. why should I die before I have lived? Leaving now gives me a chance. I would certainly die if I stayed. I can feel it... and who would miss me? Dad? Would Mom? I thought she loved me. I thought losing me would hurt her. I thought my siblings cared about me.

"Right. Back to it... The center is expecting harvested women from Earth and will be ready for your arrival. Sending three at once is not common, but it isn't against the rules. You all will arrive unconscious. They will immediately place you in one of their machines that gives them a full-body readout. Depending on what they see will determine your treatment. I hear it is a speedy process, and it heals your body completely. You will look as if you were never sick. Even your hair will be back. Personally, I can't wrap my brain around a machine like that, but it exists. I have to link the teleportation device with each of your DNA, but once you all are logged in, you never have to do this part again. The teleportation system is on every civilized planet, and I understand they use it to travel as we do airplanes. Do you have any more questions before I prick your fingers and get you logged for transport," she asks, and Zuri shakes her head.

"You said your agency handles everything and our families grieve... Does that mean they are told we died," I ask and Ms. Cummings nods sadly.

"Until Earth's governments decide to disclose the existence of aliens no one can know what truly happened to you all," she answers.

I nod. I am okay with that answer. I was dead to them already.

Ms. Cummings takes a small black box out of her case. She holds it up to her eyes, and it does a scan of her face before popping open. We all watch intently as she pulls out a small orange device. The device doesn't look special in any way. There are three buttons on the top of the device, and they are all white. They aren't labeled just blank white buttons. The device isn't very big, and it's square. It has a small scene underneath the three buttons but nothing else.

Ms. Cummings walks over to Zuri and smiles.

"You signed first. You should go first," she says as she holds out her hand.

Zuri bravely gives the woman her hand, but the tightness around her eyes shows how scared she really is.

Ms. Cummings presses the middle white button, and a small needle pops out of the end of the square device. She pricks the girl's finger quickly, and the device gives a beep as the needle disappears.

"My device only has one location I can teleport people to. It is very basic compared to the teleporters they use," Ms. Cummings states as she stares at the small screen.

She seems to be waiting for the device to load. Finally, the device beeps, and she looks back up.

"Okay. I am going to press this button, and your body will be sent to the medical center. It was a pleasure meeting you, Zuri. My contact information will be given to you when you arrive there. They give you paperwork and a copy of the contract you signed. They will also guarantee you speak their language. They have a unique way of sharing information and knowledge. I wish you the best of luck," she says, and Zuri disappears completely.

I immediately scream.