Artificial Heart

The grief, the worry, was always worse at night. In the quiet. Watching the twinkling stars. Wondering if she was up there—her little sister.

‘I hope you’re there. I hope you’re with him. I hope you’re happy. Wherever you are.’ Renee took a drink of wine, then put down her glass. A tear ran down her cheek as she stared up at the sky in her lawn chair, hands folded upon her chest.

No matter how cold it had gotten. No matter the sandflies and mosquitos. Renee was outside every night, watching, waiting, hoping, dreaming.

Prisha.

She hadn’t been able to get a straight answer from anyone. She didn’t know who to ask. The last time she’d seen her sister was at Scott’s friends’ home. Prisha had been well then, though worried and uncertain, before Scott’s two deranged friends kidnapped Renee and imprisoned her in their basement.

She’d protected Prisha. She was proud of that.

They hadn’t hurt her. They hadn’t even asked her any questions. They’d given her food and there’d been a bed and a toilet—thank God!—and that was all. It was as though they were holding her for something—or someone. Some kind of fucked up cult leader or conspiracy theorist who would torture the right answers out of her.

But they hadn’t come.

The police arrived first. Well … more like a Goddamn SWAT team. Renee had looked above at the sound of shouting and screaming and smashing. Dust spilled down onto her head at the movement of many heavy feet. Then there came the crack of gunfire—or tasers. Renee didn’t know the difference. Pop. Pop. Pop.

Then silence—temporarily.

Her rescuers had been fast and furious, slamming through the basement and snatching her away in their arms like she weighed nothing more than the air in their lungs. Then there was sky. Then there was freedom.

They asked if she was okay. If she was hurt.

‘Is Prisha okay?’ was her first response. ‘Did they get Prisha?’

Eight and a half months later and she was still yet to receive an answer.

Renee shivered as she thought back on the whole terrible episode. She’d thought she was going to die. She’d thought she would never see her children again. She’d even blamed Prisha for being such a stupid, over-sexed risk taker. How dare she put Renee in such a predicament!

She still felt bad about. Sometimes she felt awful about it. And now, she had no idea where her little sister was. If she was suffering, happy, alive.

She preferred to hate Scott. He’d come to see her a week after the incident, pale-faced and contrite. Renee had almost slapped him. Then she’d learned he’d lost his job and pity stayed her hand. She’d slammed the door in his face instead.

Things had calmed since that first meeting, particularly with all the news going on in America. They’d managed to become friends, sitting together drinking coffee as they surmised about all that might be going on. There was no real evidence to suggest that it had anything to do with Prisha, but Scott and Renee knew better.

Rumours of a huge man in a cloak with a ravaged face. A woman that could leap buildings. Government involvement. Cover ups. Conspiracies. Car crashes and helicopters. People had phones; there had been so much footage. Scattered though it all was.

Now, eight months later, things were different. She hadn’t seen Scott for several weeks. All the news had died down. Any conspiracies were slowly fading back into the nothing.

The world was forgetting Prisha and Alf.

Renee never would.

Another tear ran down her cheek which she quickly wiped away.

She finished her wine.

Sleep was surprisingly heavy that night, heavy enough that when she woke she was having difficulty separating dreams from reality.

She’d dreamed she was back hiking in the bush. Prisha was calling out for her. Renee screamed in return, ‘I’m coming!’ She raced through the trees, leaves slapping her face, climbing over branches and stumbling over rocks, but she couldn’t find her. No matter how close Renee thought she was, her sister’s voice always seemed to take a sharp turn, coming from somewhere further away. Fainter. Closer. Fainter. Closer

It was like her sister was playing a game.

Renee was furious with her and she still felt that fury now as she gazed into the darkness of her bedroom. Shaking her head, she got up to get a drink of water.

The clock ticked loudly in the gloom. A bird was chirping from a tree in the neighbour’s backyard. There came rustling from the bushes outside. Renee was standing by the window, halfway through her glass, when there came a gentle knock at the door.

She froze. She snapped her eyes to the clock. It was just after two in the morning. The bird had stopped chirping, the sound of crickets replacing its song. She jumped at a second knock, this time a little louder. Renee’s heart was racing.

A third knock.

Throwing open a drawer, she grabbed a knife. She picked up her phone, thumb hovering it. She stared at the door.

Renee jumped back, dropping her phone as a sharp white light blazed around the doorframe. Then the light shut off, leaving her slightly blinded. Something shifted in the lock. The door opened.

‘I’ve called the police!’ Renee screamed. She scrambled for the phone but accidentally kicked it away. It slid across the floor.

‘Nay?’

Renee froze. She looked up. A familiar, heartbreaking figure stood in the doorway.

‘Prish?’ It couldn’t be. Surely, she was dreaming.

The figure rushed over. She pulled Renee into her arms. She felt like her. She smelled like her. This can’t be real. This can’t be real. Renee grabbed her sister’s face. Prisha’s dark eyes gazed back at her, alive, real. Renee’s eyes turned hot. Her chin shook. Bursting into tears, she hugged her tight and sobbed into her shoulder.

’Prish. Prish. Prish. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.’

‘Hi Nay. Sorry I took so long.’

Renee was sobbing big ugly sobs. ‘You’re okay,’ she croaked. ’I hoped. I dreamed …’

’And I’m glad you’re okay. I was worried after they took you … I’m sorry.’

‘It’s not your fault.’ Renee pulled away with a shaky smile. ‘I was okay. Just scared.’

Prisha nodded. ‘Good. We were watching you. From afar.’ Prisha pointed above.

‘We?’

Prisha smiled.

‘He’s with you,’ Renee whispered, mouth trembling. ’You’re together.’

‘And not just him.’

‘Who …?’ She turned at the sight of a figure stepping through the door. It was tall and broad, hooded and cloaked, similar to what the rumours described, to what she’d seen on Prisha’s phone.

The unbelievable, impossible Alf.

He kept his face hidden beneath his hood. She stared for a couple of breaths before she noticed he was holding something. A squirming something. Wrapped up in a blanket.

Renee frowned. ‘What is it?’

Prisha gazed back without answer. Renee looked at the bundle, then at Prisha, then at Alf a good three times before her jaw dropped. ’No.’

‘Yes,’ Prisha said.

’Oh, Prish.’

Renee didn’t think, simply holding out her arms. She hardly noticed Alf, the wondrous mysterious alien that had changed so much and caused so much chaos as he handed the baby over.

‘Your niece,’ Prisha said.

’A girl. Oh my God, Prish. But how—how is this possible?’

She had smooth dark skin like her mother and a full head of hair. She was babbling and cooing and sitting up in Renee’s arms. Chubby-cheeked, bright-eyed. Healthy. She looked cheerful and so very much loved.

‘What’s her name?’ Renee asked, her throat dry.

’What do you think?’

Renee looked at her sister, who smiled. Renee’s eyes flooded with tears again. ’Oh.’

Prisha chuckled. ‘Renee the Second.’

Renee kissed her niece on the forehead as the tears dripped down her chin.

‘She’s so beautiful. I’m so-so happy for you, Prish. Even—even if I don’t understand it.’ She looked at Alf, who kept his distance, face lowered, unmoving. Then Renee frowned. ‘But it’s strange. You must have … but even if …’ Renee shook her head as she tried to figure it out. ‘It’s only been eight months. She’s no newborn.’

‘No. The baby stages are fast.’

‘What?’

‘She grows fast, super fast. Just like the pregnancy was.’

Renee’s eyes widened.

Prisha smiled. ‘Again, it’s a long story.’

Realisation dawned. An alien. She was holding a part alien baby. My niece.

‘Wow.’ She looked at Prisha, then over at Alf. ‘Alf.’ She gave a crooked smile. ‘It’s nice to meet you—finally.’

Prisha translated for her.

Slowly, he raised his face and Renee stifled a gasp. His robotic red eye was the first thing she saw. The metal in his face, the second, as it gleamed against her kitchen light. The third was his normal eye. It was shining.

She’d seen the photos. She’d heard Prisha’s description. But none of that came close to depicting reality. To seeing it all in the flesh—and metal. He was wearing a mask that covered the lower half of his face. It did not help his intimidating visage.

He said something in a gravelly, monotone voice. The hair on Renee’s arms stood up.

‘He says it’s nice to meet you too,’ Prisha said.

Renee’s smile shook. She looked at her sister. ‘What happened? What’s going to happen? Are you happy?’

Renee looked down at her niece with a smile as she gurgled and grabbed at her hair. Her big dark eyes gazed up at her. Despite her father, she looked completely human. Renee felt a wave of sadness that she’d already missed so much.

‘There is too much to tell you,’ Prisha said. ‘And it’s too dangerous to stay too long.’

Prisha looked over her shoulder, as though she expected an intruder to crawl in through the window. Prisha gestured towards the couch and the two sisters sat down. Alf took up position by the door. Renee stared at him a moment before turning back to her sister. Her niece laid her heavy head upon her shoulder. More tears welled in Renee’s eyes.

‘You’re not going to stay,’ Renee said. A statement, not a question.

‘No.’

Renee nodded. ‘I know.’ She sniffed and wiped her face with the back of her arm.

‘We’re safe—for now,’ Prisha said. ‘We’ve been here on Earth for the last several months. I’m sorry I couldn’t see you sooner …’ She chewed her lip. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you …’ She looked over her shoulder again.

‘I understand. Of course I understand! But why are you here? As you said, it’s dangerous. Not that I’m not glad, of course.’ She nuzzled her niece’s cheek.

‘It’s complicated. It’s our plan to leave.’ Prisha’s eyes were shining.

‘When?’

‘Now.’

Renee’s heart lurched.

‘Alf’s been working on the ship. He’s subverted the Atrionox controls. We can amass resources, information and technology now without them knowing.’

Renee blinked.

‘Sorry, too much information.’ Grinning, Prisha seized her shoulder. ‘We’re going into space!’

‘How exciting.’ Renee grinned back but her voice was flat. She quickly looked down at her niece, blinking rapidly. She pressed her trembling lips to her head.

’I’m sorry. For everything,’ Prisha choked.

Renee looked up. Prisha’s eyes were streaming. Renee’s throat swelled. They hugged, squashing the child between them. Renee pressed her face into her sister’s shoulder, then into her hair, remembering her smell, remembering her warmth. She couldn’t stop sobbing. Big, heaving ugly sobs that echoed around the house.

She would never hear her voice again. She would never see her smile or hold her again. This would be their last.

The baby squirmed between them. She started to cry. Renee pulled back. Alf approached and Renee handed her over. She watched, a little perplexed, as he gently folded her into his huge chest. Her niece relaxed.

‘And you thought you would never find yourself a man,’ Renee said, the corners of her mouth twitching. She chuckled. She started to laugh.

Prisha wiped her face as she joined in. ‘Well, I haven’t, have I? Not really.’

They were both choking and laughing together. Then they stopped. Renee touched Prisha’s face.

‘I’m very happy,’ Prisha said.

‘Good.’ Renee’s eyes pricked with tears again but she pushed them back.

Prisha looked over at Alf who was motioning that they needed to go.

‘What am I going to tell Terry?’ Renee said. Their brother knew Prisha was missing but nothing more.

‘The truth.’

‘He’ll think I’m crazy.’

‘So?’

‘He won’t believe it.’ A muscle pulled in Renee’s throat. ‘He’ll grieve.’

‘Hmm …’ Prisha looked down into her lap with a frown. Then her eyes jerked up. She smiled. ‘Where’s your phone?’

Prisha, Alf and her niece only stayed five minutes more, enough to record a goodbye message to Terry and to Renee herself.

Their final embrace seemed to last no time at all and Renee had to rip herself away. Her eyes were streaming. She could hardly see her niece as she kissed her goodbye. She looked up at Alf, who looked down at her without saying anything, though that warm dark eye of his said enough.

And then they were gone.

Renee gave a shuddering breath, suddenly feeling very very alone, suddenly missing her own children so much it hurt her hips. Her house seemed so ridiculously big and empty. For a moment, she just stood there. Then she raced to her rear door and hurried into her backyard, looking above, hoping to see something. Anything.

Nothing.

Renee looked down upon her phone and began to play her sister’s final message. Prisha smiled up at her as she waved and cried and laughed and blew kisses. ‘Love you forever, Nay!’

Tears dripped onto the screen. Renee played it over and over again. As it continued to play, she looked up at the sky, towards the great shining moon and the glittering stars.

‘Love you forever, Prish.’

The End.