Almost Human

I blink my eyes open. I'm not in the medical trailer. I'm in a tent. But it's not the women's sleeping tent and I'm not on a cot either. I'm on a full size air mattress. I look over and see the beautiful blond man, Xan, sitting in a folding chair reading. He feels my stare and looks in my direction.

"You're finally awake," he says rising from the chair, "I was beginning to worry. You've got to be thirsty." He grabs a bottle of water from a small cooler.

He sits by me on the air mattress and helps me sit up. I'm so unbelievably sore. But I am thirsty, he's right about that as he opens the bottle and puts it to my lips. The water is refreshingly cool.

"Better," he ask.

I simply nod my head as I look into his blue eyes. There's something so familiar about him.

He gently pushes my hair away from my face. "I didn't think I would ever see you again, Eleanor. I've thought of you, every day, wondered how you were, where you were."

He sees the confusion on my face. "Don't tell me you don't remember me..." He lifts my left hand, "We met the day this happened," and he kisses the scar in my palm, turns my hand over and kisses the scar on the back of my hand.

"Xanthus," I say in disbelief. It can't really be him.

Xanthus smiles at me. I could never forget that smile. "You haven't forgotten me," he says smiling brightly.

"Never," I say amazed as I touch his beautiful face, "I just thought I'ld never see you again."

He hugs me tightly and I hug him back.

"Are you hungry," Xanthus ask me.

I nod, "A little."

"I'll go to the mess tent and get you something," He volunteers.

He goes to stand up, but I grip his arm tightly. I don't want him to leave me; partly because I don't want to be alone and partly because I'm afraid I'll never see him again.

"It's alright," Xanthus assures me. "I'll be right back. I'll have Vala sit with you while I run over so you won't be alone... And I hope you don't mind, I had your things moved here to my tent."

I look to the corner he indicated with a nod of his head and see my duffle-bag, carry-on and tote, "I don't mind."

He smiles that devastatingly handsome smile at me as he touches my cheek. "You've become an even more beautiful woman than I imagined." He gently pulls at my lips with his own lovely well shaped lips. Then he gets up and walks to the entrance of his tent. He pokes his head out and hollers, "Hey, Vala!!!"

"Is she awake," ask Vala as she steps into the tent.

"Yes," answers Xanthus, "and she's hungry. I'm going to the mess tent to get her something to eat. Will you sit with her for me?"

"Of course," answers Vala pleasantly.

"I'll be right back," Xanthus tells me and steps out of the tent.

Vala sits in the folding chair. "Xan is really taken with you."

I look at her. I'm still touching my lips, remembering the way his kiss felt and wanting him to kiss me again.

Vala continues, "I've known Xan his whole life. I've never seen him instantly attached to anyone before. Well once, but he was just a kid. When you're a kid, you can instantly like or dislike somebody. But as an adult, Xan is usually extremely slow warming up to new people."

I tell Vala, "When you called him Xan, I thought Xan was short for Xander or Alexander, not Xanthus... I thought... I thought I'ld never see him again."

"You know Xan," ask Vala looking very serious.

I nod, "But I haven't seen him in many, many years."

Vala ask me curiously, "Eli, wouldn't happen to be short for Eleanor, would it?"

"I know it's typically a boy's nick name, but yes, it is," I confirm to her.

Vala leaves the chair and sits on the edge of the air mattress next to me. She looks at my face real close. Then a look of recognition spreads across her face, "It's you, the little girl he saved from being trampled by the crowd. All he talked about for the longest time was finding you."

"How do you know him," I ask Vala.

"We're cousins. I'm his older cousin," shares Vala, "Our mothers are half-sisters. I helped raised Xanthus. I was at the Barstow Revolt too."

I nod my understanding. "He said he thought of me every day. I thought of him too, but I didn't know what to do about it. And every time I mentioned him, my mother would get angry, tell me to forget him... But I couldn't forget him."

"Xan's been told he needs to forget about you more than once," shares Vala, "But here you are."

I look down at myself, "Here I am, all naked and bruised under here. My mouth feels like I was licking a dirty side walk and my body feels like I got bounced off the side walk, twice."

"Gorilla guys," says Vala with a shake of her head, "they don't know their own strength. Yet they usually aren't violent. They're usually very gentle. I've known Gary for several years and this is totally out of character for him. But he's been different since he started hanging out with Barlow."

I look away from her as I try to see through the tent's walls. "So what's going on out there today?"

"Not much," answers Vala, "Construction's on hold while the company investigates. They don't like for construction to be on hold. So they'll interview you and them, and get construction going again in a couple of days."

"What about police," I ask, "I'll need to talk to them too, right?"

"Construction companies are self-policing," explains Vala, "they're expected to police themselves, the actual police usually only get involved if someone dies suspiciously."

"So they haven't been arrested," I asked distressed.

"Not by the police, no," answers Vala. "They've been detained by gorilla guards."

"Thank you," I say gratefully. I'm having confusing feelings. I feel awful. I feel dirty and ugly. My body hurts and aches in ways I didn't know were even possible. And yet I want Xanthus. I want to climb on him and ride him long and hard. But after what happened yesterday, will he really want me?

"Would you like a shower after you're finished eating," ask Xanthus.

I nod vigorously, "Yes, I would love a shower."

"So, what have you been doing with yourself," I ask Xanthus as I eat. "I know you work for Capital Construction and Vala mentioned that you're a floater yesterday. That was yesterday, right? I haven't been out of it for a couple of days, have I?"

"No, it was just yesterday," Vala informs me, "You've only slept overnight."

"You two talked about me yesterday," ask Xan.

"Actually, it was the four of us," I tell Xan, "Terry and Susan were with us eating dinner. Susan asked about you and Vala called you Xan. I thought it was short for something like Alexander. It didn't occur to me that it could be Xanthus."

Xanthus nods his understanding. Then he shares, "The company has invested quite a bit of training in most everyone here. I'm a master mason and carpenter. The company bends over backward to make those of us with a lot of training and special skills happy. Floaters often have families and don't want to be dragged around from work site to work site all year."

"You have a family," I ask concerned. But it's not like I should be surprised. He's beautiful. I can't imagine any woman not falling hopelessly in love with him.

Yet he shakes his head, "No, I don't have a family, just a huge Sheppard/St. Bernard mix named Harley. I own a little property. Some abandoned homes in an isolated cul-de-sac just outside of Barstow. I got them dirt cheap because they'd been empty for years, which means they need a lot of repairs. Good thing I can do most of it myself. I took the house with the most potential for myself. I've got one of the others completely repaired, remodeled and rented out. My tenants are looking after Harley for me. But even when you're doing it yourself, you need money for supplies. The company calls me when they need me at a site and I go do the work they need done and earn enough money to keep me and Harley fed plus money to repair the other houses. I've got another that's almost ready for tenants."

"That's good," I respond impressed and relieved he doesn't have a family, not that I don't believe Xanthus isn't capable of anything he puts his mind to. After all, this is the man that as a boy just a couple of year older than myself, saved my life.

"What about you," ask Xanthus, "What have you been doing with yourself?"

"Mostly avoiding my mother," which is very true, but I keep to myself that I'm doing research for my master's thesis.

"Avoiding your mother," says Xanthus surprised and amused.

"Yes," I confirm with a sigh, "My dad is my best friend, but my mother and I aren't close. She's never happy with me," also true, "Nothing I do is ever good enough for her," also true, "And she's always trying to fix me up with some friend's son, and I wish she'd just stop."

"You've got a meddling mother," states Vala partly amused and partly sorry for me.

"She must not like your current boyfriend," says Xanthus.

"I don't currently have a boyfriend," I share, "After the last lying, cheating, S-O-B, I decided I needed to take a break from dating. That was a couple of years ago, and it's just driving my mother nuts that I won't let her set me up on any blind dates, not that it has stopped her from trying. Nothing like showing up for family dinner and your mom has a guest she would like you to meet."

Vala giggles, "You poor thing," she sympathizes amused.

Xanthus is smiling amused himself as he says, "Well, I'm glad your mother has been unsuccessful in this endeavor of hers."

I return his smile as I say, "Me too." It would be devastating if I had gotten married and then Xanthus and I found each other. I am so glad that I haven't dated much and that none of them ever worked out. I never thought I would be glad for that, but I am.

"So, you probably have a lot of guys pursuing you," says Xanthus.

I shake my head, "Naw... I'm too short and thick... Most men, no matter what they look like or how big of a slob they are, believe they deserve a swim suit model... I think it's something their mothers have put in their heads, that no matter how imperfect their baby is, he deserves perfection."

Xanthus looks at Vala who responds, "A lot of human men think like that. They're eager to bed her, but they wouldn't find her good enough to commit to."

"You've been dating human men," Xanthus asks me with a very serious look on his face.

I shrug, "Yeah, I am human and my parents are human. I've never really met anyone else except for when I was little and I met you." My eyes start to well up with tears, "I'm not prejudice. Human men are what I've been meeting is all."

Xanthus gently caresses his thumb along my cheek, "It's alright. No need to get upset," he says softly.

"I haven't offended you, have I," I ask very concerned that is exactly what I have done.

"No, I'm not offended in anyway," Xanthus assures me in a soft tone. "It looks like you're finished eating. Did you get enough to eat?"

I nod as I say meekly, "Yes, thank you."

"I'll take your tray back to the mess tent," he says in a soft soothing tone as he takes my tray from my lap. "While I'm doing that, Vala will help you get ready for a shower. Then we'll both walk you over to the women's showers, okay?"

I nod, "Okay..." I feel like a helpless little girl as he takes my tray and steps out of the tent.

"Do you have a robe in your stuff," Vala ask me.

I nod again, "Yeah, it's in there somewhere."

"Do you remember where," ask Vala.

I shake my head, "No, I can't remember at the moment. My brain feels fried."

"That's understandable," says Vala in an understanding tone, "I'll drag your stuff over and help you find what you need."

Vala brings my bags over to me and helps me find everything I need. By the time Xanthus returns from the mess tent, I'm in my old flannel robe, flip-flops and I have all my personal hygiene stuff and clean clothes in a small tote bag.

Xanthus has a warm smile for me as he says, "Come on, let's get you that shower."

Being a person of short stature, I don't have long strides. But I hurt so badly, my steps are only careful little baby steps.

"Do you want me to carry you," Xanthus offers concerned.

I manage a smile for him despite my pain as I answer, "That's not necessary. It's not that far."

There are some stares as we make our way to the women's shower tent. And I notice that we seem to be missing some people. Town isn't a far walk so maybe they're there or taking a nap.

At the doors to the women's shower tent, Xanthus tells me, "I'm going to wait right here for you. I'm not going anywhere without you."

Vala walks me inside. There's no one else here taking a shower right now. They either took them last night or early this morning while I was still sleeping. Vala helps me into the shower. She winces at the sight of my badly bruised thighs.

As I'm showering, Vala tells me, "I'm so sorry they hurt you... It just doesn't make sense. There were thirteen service maidens here last night ready and willing to serve them. Forcing themselves on you just wasn't necessary."

"Barlow said something about wanting to be with me before I got comfortable and started sleeping around," I share with Vala as I'm scrubbing myself with excessive vigor.

"Barlow's a dumb-ass," responds Vala with a bit of anger creeping into her voice, "You are obviously not the sleep around type."

"I don't think he really cared about that," I tell Vala. "He wanted what he wanted and the fact that I said 'no' didn't matter to him." As evidenced by my badly bruised thighs and groin. My wrists are also bruised from Barlow tightly holding them down.

Vala has to help me dress. I chose what I think of as my lazy comfy clothes to wear: the flip-flops, a pair of soft loose capris and a loose fitting men's pocket t-shirt.

"Better," Xanthus ask me when we step out of the women's showers.

I nod appreciatively, "Much better. So what happened after I was sedated," I ask as we walk back to his tent.

"I didn't leave you alone," Xanthus informs me. "The doctor asked me to step out, but I wouldn't. He took several swabs to be tested for DNA, cleaned you up enough so he could laser shut a couple of pretty bad vaginal tears, and he took pictures of the damage to go into your medical file. Then he gave you a morning after shot. It's supposed to be more effective than the pill."

"Thank you for staying with me," I say very appreciative, "and for letting me stay in your tent."

"You're my Eleanor," Xanthus says taking my hand. "I just wish I'd realized you were you before Barlow and Gary hurt you. I would have gone with you to Barlow's tent so you could sign whatever he needed signed. Terry and Susan told me you were just supposed to sign something, that you were in the middle of a game of cards and said you'ld be right back."

"Excuse us, please," says an important looking woman in a suit with an important looking man in a suit as we reach Xanthus tent, "Ms. Richards, correct? Eleanor Richards?"

"Yes, that's me." I answer.

"We're conducting interviews regarding the incident involving you last night," the woman informs me. "If you'll accompany us to the administrative trailer, we'll conduct your interview there."

"Exactly who are you," ask Xanthus in a serious tone.

"I'm Roslyn Barnum," answers the woman in the suit, "and this is my associate, Corbin Connor. We're legal representatives for the company."

Xanthus takes my tote with my things from my shower from me and sets them just inside his tent. Then he retakes my hand. He looks at the two suits and says, "Okay, lead the way."

The two suits look at each other for a moment. Then the pleasant smile returns to the woman's face, "Right this way, please."

We follow them to the administrative trailer, me, Xan and Vala. It's not a big trailer, but it's basically been divided into three parts: the entry/waiting area where there's a desk, a secretary, a comfy sofa and a magazine rack; to the left is a smallish office and restroom; and to the right is a conference room. We're led into the conference room. Barlow and Gary are in the conference room. They're hand cuffed and flanked by gorilla guards.

Gary immediately focuses on my feet in their flip-flops. He looks at Barlow and says, "You said she was a chimp. She's not a chimp. Look at her feet."

"Just shut up and be calm, Gary," orders Barlow, "Shut up and be calm."

There are three more suits sitting and waiting at a large oval table. A camera has been set up to record everything.

"You may have a seat right here," directs the woman suit. Then she and her associate join the other three suits on the other side of the conference table. Xanthus, Vala and I sit across from them as indicated.

"I'm James Smythly," says a mature man in a very expensive suit. "I'll be conducting the interview. You're Eleanor Richards?"

"Yes, I'm Eleanor Richards."

"And you are, young man," Smythly ask Xanthus.

"Xanthus Champus."

Smythly looks through some things on a digital pad in front of him. "Yes, you carried Ms. Richards into the medical trailer last night, correct?"

"That's correct," confirms Xanthus.

"And you are, young lady," Smythly ask Vala.

"Vala Champus."

Again he consults his digital pad, "You're one of our service maidens?"

"That's correct," confirms Vala.

"Thank you both for accompanying Ms. Richards. We won't have to look for you later," says Smythly.

"Do I need an attorney," I ask.

"No, no," insist Smythly, "Not at all."

"Well, this seems a little one sided to me," I tell Smythly. "Your job is to protect the company, not me."

"Ms. Richards, I assure you, we have your best interest in mind also," Smythly says in an assuring tone.

Except I am not assured, "Still, I'ld like to call my father to come represent me."

"Your father," questions Smythly mildly interested.

"Yes, my father," I inform him firmly, "Attorney Daniel J. Richards."

"Oh shit," one of the young suits exclaims softly.

My father isn't just an attorney, he's is a very well-known attorney. I'ld really rather not involve him and have him learn what happened to me last night, but I don't like the fact that there are five attorneys sitting across from me and the police haven't been called.

"I'm not going to let you just sweep my **** under the rug," I inform Smythly, who has suddenly gotten very pale.

"What have I done," Gary asking no one in particular. "The daughter of Daniel J. Richards... He was key in negotiating our freedom. Without him, we might all still be slaves. I might still be a slave."

"Just be calm, Gary, be calm," Barlow says firmly. "It's her word against ours."

"I'm not listening to you anymore," Gary informs Barlow, "First, you were sure she was a chimp. Then you were sure once we got her alone, she'ld be happy to give us a good time. You said she was just playing hard-to-get, that she was probably one who just liked things a little rough. And to top it all off, she's the daughter of a man we respect highly and revere. And because of you, I raped her, and I helped you **** her. If the police are called, I could be put to death because she's human. You just go to jail."

"Shut up! You dumb ape! Shut up!" yells Barlow.

"Well, Ms. Richards, it looks like your interview won't take long at all," says Smythly. "And they will be punished with jail time. The company owns several private prisons and they're not cozy in anyway either. We'll take good care of you too. No need to involve your father," insist Smythly. "I'll need approval, but I'm sure we can arrange for you to be a well-paid life time employee of the company, but you won't be required to work just consult for the company from time to time."

"Right," I say sarcastically. I'm not buying that.

"I promise you, Ms. Richards," Smythly says earnestly, "it'll be a deal your father will approve of. But there's no need to drag this into an official court proceeding that would waste valuable time and money."

"I'll decide when I see what you come up with," I tell Smythly. I know he's worried about money not time. Capital Construction wouldn't be the first company my father bankrupted. Of course, this would be personal to my father so it could get very ugly.

Smythly nods to me solemnly, "That's reasonable, Ms. Richards. Now we'll get your interview out of the way."