Artificial Heart

Prisha thought she was smart but today she wasn’t. Of course the car wasn’t there. Her sister was gone—with the car. Duh. And she didn’t have keys to drive it anyway. Prisha raked her fingers through her sweaty hair. Which meant Renee was okay and had gotten home and wasn’t lost or lying in a ditch somewhere.

Thank God.

She continued along the road. Every now and then a car passed. She could have hitchhiked but Prisha knew there was a petrol station not far ahead.

About fifteen minutes, she arrived. She stood on the threshold, kicking the dirt off her boots before stepping inside. Prisha’s eyes fluttered. The air-conditioning made her want to lie on the floor and die.

‘You’re looking cooked and overdone,’ the woman at the counter said with a smirk. ‘Exciting hike?’

Prisha suddenly realised she still had her stick. She leaned it up against a shelf. As for her precious “space” blanket, she kept it tucked tightly under her arm. Prisha gave a wobbly grin. ‘Extremely. The most exciting damn hike of my life.’

The woman gave her a quizzical look but didn’t ask further questions.

‘I’m a bit stuck, though,’ Prisha said quickly. ‘My sister kind of left me alone and there’s no way to get home. I was wondering if I could use your phone …’

Her sister didn’t answer. Unsurprising. She often didn’t have her phone on her. Prisha briefly thought about ringing up her friend Natasha but thought better of it. She was a new mum and way too busy.

‘No luck?’ The woman asked as Prisha handed it back over.

Prisha shook her head. ‘Can I try in fifteen minutes or so?’

‘No problem.’

Prisha smacked her lips.

‘Want some water?’ the woman asked.

‘I have no money.’

‘That’s okay. You look as dry as a leather boot. I’m not going to have you collapse in my store. Too much paperwork.’ The woman grinned.

She handed over a bottle and Prisha drank deeply. ‘Thank you.’

The woman’s eyes darted over her. She seemed to want to ask more questions but a customer entered and Prisha wandered away, drinking her water.

Prisha waited until they were done before returning.

She cleared her throat. ‘Tell me, has there been anything strange going on. Anything unusual?’

‘Like what?’

Prisha shrugged. She could feel the heat rushing up her throat. ‘Like bright lights. Anything weird in the sky?’

The woman’s eyebrows bunched together. ‘Not as far as I’ve heard.’

They can’t see you? Only when I want to be seen.

‘Right. Right.’ Prisha nodded.

‘We’ve had the police in though,’ the woman said.

‘The police?’

‘Yes. Apparently a woman went missing on a hike a few days back. They’re investigating.’

‘Oh? Really?’ Prisha said with disinterest. ‘Does that happen often?’

‘Rarely.’

‘Hmm …’ Prisha shrugged. ‘Can I use your phone again?’

After three rings, her sister picked up. ‘Hello?’

‘Nay! Where the hell are you?! Are you okay? Why’d you leave me like that?’

‘Prisha?’ Her voice sounded strange, deep, almost suspicious.

‘Yes! I’m using a phone from the petrol station.’ She shuffled away from the counter as a customer approached. ‘Can you come pick me up? You’ve got my phone, right?’

’Prisha.’ Her voice was a croak. ‘You’re all right?’

‘Yes, I’m all right. I’ve got to tell you something. Something incredible! When can you pick me up?’

There was silence on the phone.

‘Nay?’ Prisha frowned. She pressed the phone hard against her ear.’Nay? Are you … are you crying?’

‘What the hell is wrong with you?!’ her sister exploded. Prisha yanked the phone away.

‘Wrong with me?! What the hell is wrong with you?! You left me! With my phone and everything!’

’Are you fucking kidding, Prisha? You expected me to wait for you all that time? What the hell happened to you? Where’ve you been?’

‘What do you mean, “all that time”. We were camping!’

’Days ago, Prisha! Days ago! Where the hell have you been for the last four days?’

Prisha froze. ’What do you mean, four days?’

‘You’ve been gone four days! I’ve been worried sick!’

‘Hang on.’ Prisha pulled away the phone. ‘What day is it?’ she asked the woman at the counter.

‘Thursday.’

‘Th-Thursday?’ Prisha’s skin turned cold. Apparently a woman went missing on a hike a few days back. She fumbled the phone. It hit the counter. ‘Sorry!’ She quickly picked it up again.

‘Are you there, Prisha?’ came her sister’s strained voice.

‘It’s … it’s Thursday.’

’Yes, it’s Thursday! You’ve been missing four days! I called the police! I’ve been so worried! They sent people out! You’ve been on the news.’

‘On the news?’ Prisha’s throat went dry. ‘I thought it was Sunday.’

There was silence on the phone. How could so little have happened in four days? It was impossible! She tried to think back. She was unconscious. Could she have been unconscious for that long?

What the fuck?

‘Are you sure you’re all right, Prish?’ Her sister was sniffling. ‘What happened? Did someone hurt you?’

’No. I-I don’t think they did.’ More silence. Prisha bit her lip. ‘I don’t really know. Can you come get me?’

‘I’ll call the police. They’ll get there much sooner.’

‘Don’t call the police!’

’They’ll want to talk with you anyway, Prish. For God’s sakes, they’ve been looking for you. You’re a missing person!’ Her wracking sobs echoed loudly down the phone. ’I’m so glad you’re okay.’

Prisha was surprised by how steady her voice was as she gave her sister her location. Prisha’s hand was trembling as she handed back the phone. ‘Thank you.’

‘Exciting hike, huh?’ There was a rosy glow to the woman’s cheeks. Her eyes were glittering with excitement.

‘Yeah.’

On wobbly legs, she went and sat on a spindly chair in the corner of the shop. She stared at the shelves of chips and chocolates and magazines, uncomprehending. She’d left her bottle of water and her stick at the counter. She stared at them too, blinking slowly.

Her mind was strangely empty as she awaited police arrival. She suddenly remembered she had the blanket tucked tightly under her arm like an extra appendage. Resting it upon her lap, she stroked her fingers over it.

Prisha thought back but after five hours of hiking it was already hard to remember. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember every detail she could of the ship, of the alien, of the events, tucking them away in a part of her brain she hoped would keep it alive. She tried to remember what he’d told her.

‘2369 Eaglebay Sunset,’ she said under her breath. She closed her eyes as she tried to focus. ‘No that’s not right.’ She tried to think again and again, murmuring under her breath. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

She was an idiot. He should have abducted someone smarter.

Thinking of Renee, she wanted to cry. What had the alien done to her? She tried to remember between the moment of the attack and the moment she woke up on that hard bench.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Four days of fucking nothing.

Jesus Christ. It was like her brain was completely fucking empty.

‘Are you okay? Do you want something to eat?’ The friendly woman at the counter was standing in front of her. ‘On the house.’ She handed over a large bag of chips.

‘Thank you.’

‘So … the police are coming, huh?’

Prisha nodded as she ripped open the bag. A strong smell of vinegar wafted into her face. Her stomach growled. She should be much hungrier than this if she’d been gone four days. Nothing was adding up. Was there some kind of inter-dimensional time travel thing going on?

Jesus.

Maybe it really was like the movies.

This was all a bloody movie.

The woman handed over her bottle of water and Prisha drank. Her hand was trembling again.

‘You don’t remember anything?’ the woman asked.

Prisha shook her head.

‘Wow. Weird!’ Her eyes continued to glitter. She went back to the counter as another customer entered.

Prisha sat quietly on her seat, steadily eating through her packet of chips, eyes locked onto the window looking out onto the street. By the time she was done and licking her fingers, a police car had pulled up. Her heart lurched as a police officer climbed out.

Prisha hastily crumpled the chip back into her pocket. Gripping her blanket, she stood as he entered. He didn’t notice her as he went over to the counter and spoke to the woman behind. The woman nodded at Prisha. The officer turned. He smiled as he came over.

‘Prisha Rogers?’ he said.

Prisha nodded, unable to speak.

‘My name is Scott.’ He looked her up and down. ‘Do you need an ambulance? Are you hurt?’

Prisha shook her head. ‘I’m fine.’ She rubbed at her chest. ‘I just really want to get home.’

‘That’s what I’m here for.’ He flashed another smile. ‘Let’s go. I’ll take you to the station, ask you a few questions, and then you can go home.’

‘To the—to the station? I haven’t done anything wrong.’

‘I’m not saying you did. But we’ve used a lot of resources looking for you. And we need a report.’

Prisha shook her head. ‘I would just like to go home, please.’

He stared at her. Trying not to feel intimidated, Prisha lifted her chin. ’I am not under arrest. I would like to go home, please.’

She could feel the woman at the counter watching them.

‘All right,’ he said gruffly.

It was weird being in a police car. Extremely uncomfortable. The officer’s big hands gripped the wheel. Prisha was sitting in the back seat and there was a plastic shield between them. That wasn’t the worst of it, though. The car was filled with judgement. His questions smacked of judgement.

He kept peering at her through the rearview mirror. Prisha kept her eyes fastened upon her window.

‘What happened?’ he asked. ‘We sent officers out looking for you.’

‘Nothing happened. I got lost.’

‘You look pretty good after four days of being lost in the bush in this heat.’

Prisha didn’t respond. She felt his eyes boring into the side of her face. ‘I bet your sister was worried.’

‘I bet.’

‘You like your sister?’

‘Very much.’ Prisha frowned. ‘My disappearance has nothing to do with her.’

’It has something to do with her. Did you spend it with a boyfriend? A boyfriend you didn’t want her to know about?’

‘Ew! No!’

The officer laughed. He tried asking a few more questions but eventually fell into silence. Prisha watched the trees whisk by in relief. What if she told him the truth? What would his response be? She contemplated telling him, then decided against it. That would be dumb.

Eventually the trees were replaced with houses, the bumpy road with smooth dark bitumen. Prisha had no idea where they were. He’d better not be taking her to the station. He turned a corner and finally stopped.

‘Here you are.’

‘This isn’t home.’

The officer looked over his shoulder. His face was hard and unsympathetic. ‘I’m not a taxi service. Unless you want to make a report?’

Prisha shook her head.

‘Well, then, out you get.’

Prisha stared at the train station in disbelief. ‘I don’t have any money.’

‘Like I said, make a report. At the very least, tell me what happened.’

‘I got abducted by an alien.’

He frowned. ’Out.’

Prisha unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out. Moments later, the officer was gone and Prisha was left clutching the alien blanket to her chest.