let her do the cutting

Across centuries. Past decay. Fear and determination: She recognizes herself in the ancient footsteps, hand pressed to her chest.…

I spent this time tearing the crust off a slice one millimeter at a time, choking down tiny, rubbery bites and trying to ignore Jean’s internal monologue. They worried about leaving me by myself when I could barely eat. They worried about staying if I’d rather be alone.…

To be fair, the finer details of the deal hadn’t been exactly clear. The alien had shown her, through a series of amorphous charades, the promise of glorious experiences and eternal youth in exchange for sharing her body…