My family and everyone else in the city was dead. After the war, they said no one has survived, but I believed none of what they said. My insignificance no longer bothered anyone except me. My parents believed I deserved to marry and to own a home. Considering that everyone that was killed was because of aliens, I would be foolish to say they don't exist. In truth, they have been taking the best away, the smartest. After all, I am sure I will die if they find me.  

As dirty and empty as the weapon in my hands was, it held so much of my past that no one could know me better than it. Even if I cursed myself every day for not enjoying my past as much as I should've. So, please, when people tell you that your past is not important, you know they are small-minded. What you do in your past will affect your present and what you do now will affect your future.

Knowing nothing about my future was a concept I cherished because I am always prepared to surprise myself with the unexpected. My parents would be proud right now, and I would be telling them to stop cheering.

Despite the mud on the ground and my dingy boots, my stink was undeniable whenever I went somewhere. As for the ground, it was muddy, my footwear did not look good, and my bag was filthy. I can tell if I have been somewhere or not, but I can never understand why none of the aliens were able to catch me by now.

As I stand on a hill overlooking all of the destruction in the city, I see a huge half-glass ball – protection force. That is where the aliens are, protected by an outside force, afraid of the diseases and contagious brains we carry. 

My mind should have gone blank and I should have run, but I knew they had seen me. What bothered me so much was the fact I knew they kept an eye on me. Why, should you ask? I have no idea, but maybe my dumb mind has attracted them. Maybe the girl who never lives in the same reality as the others have attracted their attention.

A man had said, “Save yourself.” when he had seen me standing there, but I was tired. I was tired of running away with the same clothes for a month. I kept seeing people taken away, who never returned. What about me?

The voice inside my head asked, “What about you?”.

“Why haven't you taken me yet?” I asked. I threw my gun away and watched it fly away, thudding to the ground. 

My mind began to race, and then some of them appeared, invisible to my human eyes but evident to my senses. They were finally here to see what they could do to me. “Alyssa, it is your turn.”

“Are you going to kill me?” I asked, breathing heavily.

The alien stayed quiet and a funny sound came out of its mouth which looked like a chuckle.

 I could not understand. “What?”

“You amuse me.” It said.

The wind passed over the strands of my hair and the sunset rays kissed my cheeks with warmth.

“Tell me, Alyssa, what is the difference between a biological child and an adopted child?”

There was only one thing I could see in my head: my sister and I. My parents adopted her because my mom was unable to conceive at the time. She was two years older than me. After a little, they were able to have me, but we were connected so deeply, it seemed impossible she was not blood-related to us. 

I glared at where I thought the alien was. “None. They are loved the same way.”

There was silence again and then the alien became visible to me. From that moment on, I realized how many people had failed to answer this question because they did not know how to love. 

It was just… too sad.