Chapter 2

Jo struggled up from the depths of a nightmare. She was warm and cosy, obviously in her bed, it was soft and comforting.

The memory of the evening before rushed back into her mind. She opened her eyes and gasped, she was blind, she couldn’t see a thing. Everywhere she looked it was pitch black.

She reached out with her hands and close to her sides she felt a soft, squidgy substance. She was lying on it too!

She was almost too afraid to reach up above her. Tentatively she reached up with one hand. Above her was soft and squidgy, and she couldn’t see it.

She was in a coffin!

Her heart raced and she felt a cold dread. Whatever had happened last night? She was being buried alive!

“Help, I’m here I’m alive. Please help me, get me out” she screamed.

Sobbing with fear she banged on the lid of the box. It didn’t make a sound. She tried to calm herself and felt round for any way out, anything she could lever up, so she could free herself. Nothing.

She went quiet and far away, in the distance, she thought she heard a whooshing, throbbing, pulsing noise. Could she hear it or could she feel it through the strange material she was lying on, and in?

“Oh my god” she screamed “they’re going to cremate me. Let me out, let me out, I’m alive. Help, help”

Then all sense drained out of her and she screamed and screamed.

There was a puff of air from somewhere above her head, a sweet taste on her tongue, and before she could scream again, she disappeared into the blackness she had struggled out of five minutes before.

The next time Jo woke up, she was still lying on the strange material, but above her was light. She lay quietly for a few seconds before she dared to let her eyes look round the strange room she was in.

It was all grey. Was this heaven? It was certainly bright enough to be.

There was a grey curtain on either side of her, like in a hospital ward “Ok” she thought “I must have been in an accident and they’ve brought me to hospital

Excuse me” she said “I’m awake. Where am I, what happened?”

The curtain to her right moved, and Jo was plunged straight back into the nightmare. Before her was one of the grey alien creatures that film makers loved. It had a large round head, big eyes and wrinkled grey skin. A floating robe of some kind fell from around its neck, down to the floor. Its arms were long and thin with very long fingers and it said, “You are properly awake. Don’t be afraid we will not harm you. We are here to help”

Jo gasped, it spoke English. Or rather she heard English because its mouth hadn’t moved. She said, “Your mouth didn’t move! I must be hallucinating”.

The creature put it’s head on one side and Jo thought she heard a giggle.

“No you’re not hallucinating. , We communicate telepathatically. It makes it alot easier than having to learn all the languages in the universe”.

“I’ve definitely lost my mind” thought Jo “I’ll just go back to sleep and when I wake up properly this will have been a bad dream”.

So she firmly closed her eyes and tried to ignore what the creature was saying. Where upon, it immediately poked her in her chest and said, “No more sleep. We have a lot to do before we reach Scerior”.

Jo’s eyes sprang open “Scerior? she queried “Where’s that?”

“Up, up, up, no more questions. Be a good girl and we’ll get along well”.

“Why am I here? What do you want from me?”

You are not doing as you are told. Please behave or the General will be angry”.

“The General? Is that your leader?”

The creature grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the box. It was very strong considering how fragile it looked. Jo realised resistance was futile. Especially when two more looking exactly like the first joined it.

“Come” it said “We have tests to do to make sure that you are healthy and carrying no disease”.

“Tests?” queried Jo “You’re not going to experiment on me!”

“No, no. Just simple blood tests similar to those you have on Earth” said the creature, “Which one” Jo thought “They’re all the same” Then she asked “How do you know what we do on Earth?”

“My dear, we know everything that occurs on Earth. We have been watching you for millennia”.

“Watching us for millennia” Jo thought “Are these the aliens that people talk about abducting them, then releasing them?”

“Come” said a creature, pulling aside the curtain to one side of the cubicle, As Jo stood up she stumbled and one of the creatures steadied her, asking if she was alright.

“No, I’m not alright. I’ve been abducted, thought I was going to be cremated. I feel sick and terrified, and have a headache I don’t even know who you are!”

“We are the Escorii. I am Tchu, this is Tjai and next is Tsu. We are here to look after you. Do not be afraid of us we will do you no harm”.

“Don’t worry; eventually you will know us, as we have learned to know the Sceriae”.

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter” said the Escorii “We will give you a drink, to clear your headache and sickness, and it should help with your fear”.

A strange feeling tumbler was placed in her hand and the Escorii said “Drink”, “What is it. How do I know it won’t harm me?”

“Oh, so silly, if we had wanted to harm you we have had plenty of opportunity, now drink it”

“Oh well” thought Jo “If it was poison it would get her out of this nightmare”.

It tasted lovely, and was cold and refreshing. She emptied the tumbler. Her headache disappeared and she felt able to cope with anything.

The Escorii escorted her through the curtains. On the other side, everything was bright, and really rather beautiful. There were soft couches made of the same substance that the ‘coffin’ had been made of. On the walls were pictures made up of beautiful colours, like thousands of strange flowers, and water ran down from some ‘pictures’ like waterfalls that didn’t splash onto the floor.

It was breathtaking. But even more amazing was the other young women, who appeared from behind other curtains like Jo had done. Each were escorted by three Escori. Some were struggling, some were crying. All of them looked very frightened.

They looked at each other and then ran into each others arms.

“What is happening?” some asked.

Others queried “Where are we. What is going to happen to us? Is this a spaceship?”

Jo held the hand of two of the girls who had been crying, “Try and stay calm” she said “We need to have our wits about us if we are going to survive this”.

“Survive this” gasped one girl “Survive what? Are they going to kill us, torture us, eat us, what?” she was getting more and more hysterical.

“We must try not to antagonise them or bring ourselves to their attention until we know what this is all about” advised Jo “I’m Jo, what are you called?”

The less hysterical girl said “I’m Sophie”.

“And I’m Sue” said the other.

“Look, my Escorii said we have to have blood tests etc to make sure we have no diseases. So it looks like we must be going to another planet”.

“Blood tests” choked Sue “Are they going to experiment on us?”

“My Escorii said they wouldn’t harm us and somehow I feel that I can believe them” Jo crossed her fingers as she said this thinking ‘I hope I can believe them’, As they stood there looking round at each other, Jo counted thirty young women. All of them were slim and good looking, with long legs and attractive figures. They were either blond or brunette, no red heads and all were white. The ones closest to her all had blue eyes. She couldn’t see the others eyes.

Suddenly a door at the other end of the chamber opened and more Escorii entered carrying platters of what looked like food. Jo’s stomach rumbled and she realised that she was famished.

“How long was it since I’ve eaten?” she thought

The Escorii moved across the chamber to a large table covered in a snowy white cloth, “Eat” said one of Jo’s Escorii; she didn’t think she’d ever be able to tell them apart. Jo went to move towards the table but Sue caught her hand” Don’t it might be poisonous to us”

“Well if it is we are in big trouble, because if we don’t eat their food, we will starve” and Jo continued on towards the table. Other girls were making their way to the table and when they got there they all had lots of questions.

“What do you think it is?”

“Minced up people?”

“Rats?”

“Fungus?”

One of the Escorii giggled. ‘Ah, that’s Tsu’ remembered Jo “Tsu is it alright for humans to eat this?”

“Yes Jo, it is alright for anything to eat this, including Escorii. We will all eat together, ok?” And Tsu held out a flat platter to Jo along with some things like chopsticks, but with flattened ends. Tsu started to put food on to ‘it’s plate and Jo followed suit.

There were so many different colours. Some of the food was in chunks, some minced, and some in long sticks. There were also little dishes with what looked like sauce in them. Jo tentatively tasted a chunk of something pink. It tasted delicious, like coconut and spices and melted in her mouth. The other girls had watched Jo and quickly followed her example, realising how hungry they were. At the end of the table there were ewers filled with a pale liquid and round the ewers were tumblers, Jo filled her plate and poured some of the liquid into a tumbler. She tasted it and discovered that it was like a medium sweet wine.

“Yes it is” replied Tsu “But don’t drink too much, as it is like alcohol”.

‘Gosh ‘Jo thought ‘food and wine. We are being spoilt’

Jo, Sue and Sophie, made their way to a group of seats set round a low table.

“Everything is so comfortable” murmured Sophie”. They are certainly looking after us well”.

‘Yes a bit like prize dogs or horses’ sprang into Jo’s mind.

Shutting the negative thought out she concentrated on her food.

Everything tasted lovely, and the wine induced a warm glow in her. All around her was the chatter of young women, still very frightened but getting calmer by the minute. One girl said “I wonder what meat this is ‘cos it’s certainly very nice”

An Escorii frowned at her and said! It is not meat; we do not eat other species”

Jo and Sophie looked at each other, with raised eyebrows. ‘Well that’s reassuring to know’ thought Jo. She could see a lot of the girls thinking the same.

“Now that you’ve finished eating” said an Escorii who appeared to be some kind of leader “Please return to your cubicles, as we have to get on with some tests”

Some of the girls stood up straight away and some continued to just sit there. Jo looked round and thought that they didn’t really have much choice, there was nowhere to run. So she stood up and moved towards her cubicle, with Tsu, Tchu and Tjai following her. She realised that she felt strangely calm and wondered if it was the wine that had done that” Well” she thought “I suppose it’s better than feeling terrified”

At the other side of the chamber one of the girls who hadn’t eaten or drunk anything was saying “No, no” and striking out at her Escorii. The Escorii picked her up, pinned her arms to her side, and carried her into her cubicle. All of a sudden her shouts and screams stopped. Jo hesitated, looking at her Escorii who said “Don’t worry, they haven’t hurt her. Only an injection to calm her”

Jo continued on to her cubicle, as the other girls did the same. Inside the cubicle Tsu patted her arm saying “Sit down on the couch. You are a very sensible girl. I promise nothing will hurt you”. Her mouth twitched, which Jo took to be a smile.

“I don’t know why but I trust you, please don’t lie to me. I’d rather know the truth”.

Tsu tutted then giggled “We Escorii never lie. We don’t know how. Now please take off your Earth clothes. We have to incinerate them in case of disease. Then we will take some blood from your arm”.

Jo thought’ I suppose it makes sense’ so she asked “What shall I put on instead?”

Tsu held up a lovely cream and pale green kaftan “You will have a cleansing shower first, then put this on”.

“What about bra and knickers?” asked Jo

“We do not wear such things” replied either Tchu or Tjai

Jo shrugged and stood up to take off her clothes, looking at the Escorii she said

“Turn away then. I don’t like being watched”.

Two of the Escorii tutted and one giggled “Don’t be shy in front of us. We are all female”

“Oh, that’s a relief” Jo laughed and she pulled off her top and slipped off her skirt” Can I take my underwear off just before I shower?”

“Alright” said the Escorii “Now sit back on couch and give me your arm”

Jo was very frightened but she did as she was told and held out her arm. Tsu said “I will hold your hand and Tjai, who is the nurse, will take your blood. It will not hurt, Jo”

Tjai placed a strange machine onto the vein on the inside of her elbow. Jo felt something touch her skin and blood went through a tube into a phial that Tjai held.

“That’s it” Tjai said “Good girl. You are a very good patient” Tsu giggled and patted Jo’s hand.

“I didn’t feel a thing. It was easier than giving blood on Earth” Jo was smiling at Tsu feeling so relieved.

“Now Jo we must look at your insides with a camera machine”. “What like an x ray?”

“Yes except it shows everything, not just bone” replied Tjai “Now, lie down on the couch and just relax”.

Tsu wheeled a machine in that stood over the couch, which now stood where the ‘coffin’ had been.

“Oh, it’s like an MRI scan” said Jo.

“Mmm, similar” Tsu answered.

The machine was switched on and blue lights ran up and down Jo’s body. She could hear some of the other girls in their cubicles, either calmly, or in one or two cases sobbing hysterically.

“Are they alright?”Jo asked Tsu.

“They are only having the same tests as you. They are very silly, and may regret it in future!”

Jo looked at Tsu but thought it best not to follow up on that statement.

“Right” said Tchu “Now finish getting undressed and follow me”.

Jo did as she was told, feeling very self-conscious and followed Tchu through the curtains on the other side of the couch, into a corridor. Slowly from other cubicles stepped other girls all looking nervous and embarrassed.

“Don’t worry” Jo said “I think all the Escorii here are female”.

“Yes” said Sophie, waiting for Jo to catch her up, “Mine said that they are female”.

“Not that we could tell” said another girl.

“It’s not as if we had a choice” said another.

The Escorii at the front stopped by an opening and started to escort the girls inside. Jo followed and found herself in a large wet room. Warm water came out of showers up above and from the sides came a scented liquid. She stood under the water, and the scented liquid sprayed onto her body. It stung at first but wasn’t unpleasant.

“Hair too please” said the first Escori.

The girls had relaxed slightly and were enjoying the shower. They helped each other to wash and rinse their hair. When they had finished the water switched off and hot air blew onto them, drying them. They hurriedly dragged their fingers through their hair. Jo’s long blonde hair took some drying, so it was still a bit damp as they were ushered out of the showers into a room where Kaftans were laid out.

Jo’s Escorii picked one up and slipped it over her head. It was soft as silk and rippled round her as she moved. All the Kaftans were cream but with different colours swirled through them. Jo’s was the cream and green one that she had already been shown. It made her feel beautiful and sexy in a way her tank tops and short skirts never had.

Tsu giggled and said “Oh, you are perfect” and Tsu shushed her.

They were then led through another door which led back into the chamber they had eaten in.

“Well what happens now?” asked Sophie

“I expect we’ll find out soon enough” answered Jo

There was a bit of a scuffle by the door and three Escorii brought in the girl who had been hysterical. She was sobbing quietly, and the Escorii held her tightly, “What on Earth has happened to her?” murmured Sue.

“Same as us” Jo replied “Although I didn’t see her in the showers”.

“Maybe she’s the sensible one, and we are the fools, going along with everything”.

“Well, she’s the one in hysterics” Jo said acerbically “Not us!”

At that moment two large doors at the end nearest to Jo swung open, and the nightmare returned!

Through the doors came three huge figures, seven foot tall with large heads and strange copper coloured skin. All the definitions of their bodies stood out, huge shoulders, enormous biceps, strong legs. From their shoulders scales stood up around their necks and muscles rippled everywhere.

There was a hush, some girls just gasped, some fainted and Sue started to scream. Jo grabbed hold of her, put her hand over her mouth and said “Shut up” in a fierce voice.

The girl who had been hysterical before struck out at her Escorii and tried to run. She screamed and screamed. Her Escorii tried to quieten her, but she had got an insane strength from somewhere, she picked plates and dishes up and hit them with them.

The giant figure in the middle nodded to the one on his right and he moved faster than could be thought possible of something so big. He reached the hysterical girl, picked her up in one hand, and broke her neck with his other hand. He threw her to the floor like a rag doll!

More girls fainted and others sobbed as quietly as they could, jamming their fists into their mouths and staring wide eyed.

The killer strode back to the other two, and the one in the middle looked at him and shook his head. He shrugged his shoulders and said something in a strange tongue, which sounded like clicks and hisses. Jo dragged Sue and Sophie down onto a seat and kept her eyes on the floor whispering “Don’t antagonise them”

The middle creature spoke” I am Lord General Acorus. You will do as you are told and no harm will befall you. It is a pity about the girl but we cannot have hysteria on the ship, it causes problems. The rules here are, you will be polite to the Escorii at all times. They are here to help you acclimatise. Listen to them. Anyone who strikes another being will be punished. When you are given an order by the Sceriae obey it immediately, follow the rules and you will have a good life!”

Jo heard someone moving and she looked up. In front of her was General Acorus.

He put his hand out and lifted her chin. Sue sobbed pitifully and Jo continued to hug her to her. She looked into the General’s eyes. They were the deepest blue she had ever seen.

“What is your name girl?”

“Jo, Joanna sir” she whispered.

“You are a sensible calm, girl, and also you are very beautiful”

“Thank you sir” she gulped ‘oh my god, a monster thought she was beautiful’

“You should call me Lord not sir. Listen to your Escorii and you will do well”

“Thank you Lord”

He turned on his heel and with the other two following he left. As they went through the door, one of the other two put his hand on the General’s shoulder and said something and they all appeared to laugh.

Tsu put her hand on Jo’s shoulder and said “Oh how wonderful, the General likes you and approves of your behaviour” Tchu hushed her and a babble of noise broke out in the chamber as the girls all let out their breath. The Escorii picked up the dead girl and took her out of the chamber.

One girl said “Maybe she was the lucky one!”