Last of My Kind
By Evan Drake
© 2019, Evan Drake, All Rights Reserved
Chapter 1: Not Dreaming

The first thing Shane saw as he opened his eyes was dark metal rushing toward his face. He acted on pure instinct, landing neatly on all fours instead of letting his face break the fall. Surprised by his quick reflexes, but not willing to complain, he took several deep breaths, relishing in the feeling of air entering his lungs after what felt like a long time. It surprised him that he felt this way. He wasn’t a sleepwalker, and he had never woken up feeling like this before.  

He shivered as the icy cold metal of the floor against his hands and feet jolted him awake, chill bumps sprouting along his arms and legs. Unfortunately, awake or not, he had just woken up, so his arms weren’t very good at holding his weight. His limbs gave out, dropping him face-first on the metal floor.

Now that he thought about it, why was he falling toward the floor in the first place? And why was the floor made of metal? The last thing he could remember was going to sleep in his bed at home, his home with wooden floors.

Shane quickly pushed himself into a sitting position and pressed a hand to his temple, running a hand through his wet hair as he tried to sort out his thoughts.

What the hell did I do last night? The last thing I remember is coming home after throwing back a few drinks with my friends and flopping right into bed. I didn’t have that much to drink if I can remember coming home, and I don’t do drugs…well, not anymore. Wait a second, why am I wet?

Shane looked down at his body and saw he was not only wet but naked. The first thought that came to mind was that he was kidnapped by some psycho who did strange things to him while he was unconscious. After making sure he still had all ten fingers, he ran his hands over every inch of his body. He was covered in a strange slimy liquid that reminded him of syrup, but his body was as it was before he went to bed. The knowledge brought him little comfort. Even if the psycho hadn’t done anything yet, they could return any minute to get started; he needed to find a way out, now.

He couldn’t even begin to describe the room he was sitting in. It looked like a massive circular chamber of some sort. The walls were lined with what appeared to be those stasis chambers used in sci-fi films. The pod looked very similar to a tanning bed which is exactly what Shane hoped it was. But tanning beds didn’t sit up-right, and Shane was naturally tan so he had no reason to use a tanning bed. The surface of the pods were smooth and bore no markings or labels of any kind. The only thing was a thin strip of light at the top of each one which Shane realized was the only source of light in the room. The pod behind him was open, small droplets of the mystery liquid still dripping from the lining which reminded him of the inside of a coffin. The lining was wet and soft to the touch. Shane could see the impression of his body from laying inside.

How long was I in there?

He approached another pod, wiped the thick layer of dust covering its small window, and pressed his face against the glass. He couldn’t see much through the orange liquid inside the pod, but he could see enough to tell that it was empty. He moved on to the pod next to it and checked it as well. It was also empty. He walked around the room, checking every pod within his reach. With each empty pod he inspected, the knot in his stomach tightened.

The last time Shane got high with friends, he spent the whole night running through the streets convinced that pixies wanted to steal his teeth. After learning what he had done, (and seeing the video his now ex-friends posted on the internet) he had a hard time taking aspirin without feeling paranoid. But this was different. Whenever he had gotten high, his senses felt dulled, like he was experiencing the world through a filter. He wished he was high now. That one of his friends had slipped something into his drink and he was tripping balls. But he knew it was a lie. He felt in full control of his senses. He could feel the goosebumps on his skin and cold metal floor underfoot. He could smell the still, stagnant air surrounding him. He heard nothing except for a gentle symphonious hum that he assumed was coming from the pods. This wasn’t a dream or a delusion. It was real.

Panic tried to overtake him. He shook his head clear and took several slow deep breaths to calm his nerves. Panicking wasn’t going to solve anything. No one was around. If they were, someone would have noticed he wasn’t in his pod anymore. So why hadn’t a security team stepped in yet? Were they toying with him? Was it an experiment? Were there people watching him, right now, writing down their thoughts and waiting to see what he would next?

 Are you down with your little episode? the voice in his head asked irritably. Because you need to figure out how to get the hell out of here.

Shane nodded to no one. He needed to find someone, anyone. So long as they gave him the answers he sought, he didn’t care if he had to talk to the damn janitor. 

“Hello?” he shouted, “Is there anyone here?”

There was no response save for his own echo.

Shane could feel the cruel hand of panic slowly wrapping around his throat. Before he was too busy confirming his new appearance to notice, but now that the initial shock was wearing off, reality was sinking in. He was alone in a room filled with empty stasis pods. What happened to everyone that woke up before him? Was he going to suffer the same fate?

Shane forced the images of slasher movies out of his mind and approached the large metallic door. As he drew closer, he could make out the card reader on the side of the door, but something was wrong. The lights were blinking, and the door was ajar.

Shane once again forced the violent images of people being gutted and torn apart out of his mind. There was only one door, so like it or not, he was going this way. He squeezed through the opening, lost his balance and fell. Once again, muscle memory kicked in and he caught himself before he wound up kissing the floor. He swore loudly, his voice echoing through the hall, and explored the narrow hallway. There was very little light to see by; what few lights did work, were blinking irregularly. Shane moved slowly, keeping one hand on the wall. He was walking, but his breath came in hard starts as if he had run the entire time. The hall was quiet except for the sound of his panicked breathing and the wet sounds of his footsteps. He had no idea what worried him more, the idea that he was the only one there or that whatever got everyone else could still be inside with him. He shivered from the cold, and more than once, he stubbed his toes on something hard on the floor. The first thing he wanted to do was find some clothes, but without the slightest idea where he was going, he had no choice but to suffer through it.

As he traveled in the semi-darkness, he racked his brain for any clues that could explain how he wound up where he was now. He remembered his name, address, and phone number. He remembered the name of his friends, his parents, his closest relatives, and his pet bulldog. He remembered the name of his girlfriend and when and where they went on their last date. He even remembered what he had for breakfast and lunch the night before waking up in what he could only describe as a sci-fi style, military bunker. But the one crucial thing he needed to remember—how he got there and why—eluded him. He remembered coming home, slightly tired and a little drunk. His bulldog Pete greeted him at the door and quickly fell asleep in his usual spot at the foot of the bed. Shane kicked his shoes off and fell on the bed, not even bothering to change. That was the last thing he remembered before waking up in freefall.

His friends had to be playing a prank on him. They found some old bomb shelter and dragged his unconscious body inside. Stripping him naked and stuffing him into a stasis pod seemed a bit much, though. He could imagine them rounding a corner and seeing his friends smiling faces as they recorded his every move on camera. 

But no one came. No one to drag him back to the pod or to reveal the whole thing as a prank. It left Shane feeling alone. He didn’t care if it was a psycho, he needed to see someone so he would know he wasn’t alone.

Eventually, he reached a fork in the hallway, but there wasn’t enough light to see where the halls led, so Shane picked one at random and continued. When he reached another fork, he did the same thing. At each junction, he wiped the strange liquid on his body on the wall to mark the path he took. Soon, he found a door. This door had a knob and there was no card reader on the wall. Shane reached for the knob, praying for three things: One, that the door wasn’t locked. Two, that it wasn’t a broom closet. Three, there was nothing nasty waiting on the other side.

The door made an awful squealing noise on its rusty hinges as it swung open. Shane jumped back away from the door, fists raised, ready to go out swinging when the creature on the other side jumped out to devour him.

Nothing happened. No dark silhouettes stood in the doorway, and he heard no creepy sounds. Only a single flickering light on the ceiling. He cautiously approached the doorway and peered inside.

Turned out to be just a locker room. Fortunately, it was empty, but it was also a dead end. He was disappointed to be alone, but at least he might be able to find something to wear. Shane searched several lockers before finding a complete outfit inside one of the lockers. He threw the clothes on without hesitation. It was a little snug in places, and it felt strange since he was still wet, but he was warm and was no longer walking around barefooted. He also found a flashlight in one of the pockets. Its light was dim, but it still worked.

How convenient for you; you managed to find a set of clothes and a working flashlight. Almost as if someone wanted you to find it, his inner-voice said. Shane shook the thoughts loose again. Speculation was getting him nowhere, and if he was being watched, there was little he could do about it right now. It was play their game or wander the halls stark naked in semi-darkness.

The flashlight made it easier for Shane to see, but there wasn’t much to look at. The floors were metallic and had no designs. No surprise there, he thought. The walls were gray and bare save for the occasional faded sign that had arrows indicating what direction everything was in. As Shane followed the signs to the lobby, he began to see scorch marks, claw marks, and bullet holes on the walls, floors, and ceiling.

He had no idea what made those marks, but his imagination was doing a fine job filling in the blanks.

He was also starting to believe he wasn’t being pranked.

Shane entered what he assumed was the main lobby. Half the room was shrouded in darkness making it hard to tell. But one thing he could tell was that just like the hallway, the room had seen some combat. Chairs were flipped, laying in the corners, or broken into pieces. Holes of varying sizes decorated the walls like pictures, dark stains painting what remained. Light fixtures and loose wires dangled from the ceiling. What worried Shane the most about the grisly scene was that there were no bodies—plenty of empty shell casings and debris, but not a single corpse.

Before he could begin speculating again, he could hear the faint sound of voices. He almost started jumping for joy. Finally, he found someone! Now he could get some answers—

Hide, the voice in his head commanded. Something isn’t right. Think about the state you’ve seen this place in—do you honestly believe that anyone who comes down here is looking for you? Or planning to rescue you?

Shane quickly ducked behind a large pile of debris in the darkest corner he could find. He had just turned off the flashlight when he heard the horrible screech of metal against metal. 

It was risky, but Shane peeked from behind his hiding place. He saw the beams from flashlights and heard heavy footfalls. Someone walked into the center of the lobby and began looking around. Given the distance between them and the flashlight on their left breast, Shane saw the person clearly.

The person looked like a fusion between a human and a dinosaur. It walked upright, and far as Shane could tell, it had human hands since they were holding what looked like a very heavy military rifle. But the “person” was covered in scales instead of skin, had the head of a lizard, and a tail long enough that the tip dragged along the ground. From the waist down, he noticed the lizard-human’s legs reminded him of an animal’s legs and the feet were more like three-toed talons. The dino-human looked around the lobby as if surveying the place. 

Or looking for something.

Shane’s mouth dropped open in horror. What…the fuck…is that? There’s no doubt about it, I must be high out of my mind. There is no way I went to bed last night and woke up in the middle of some Jurassic Park fantasy. 

Part of him wanted to scream, but he couldn’t. Panic had seized control of his throat and placed an embargo on it. It was probably a good thing. He had seen enough sci-fi horror films to know what would happen if he was discovered.

Shane ducked behind his hiding place and rubbed his eyes. He then peered behind the concrete slab again. Two more dino-humans had joined the previous one. Shane noticed they were dressed in military fatigues. 

“This is the place,” the reptile-man said, his voice carrying a slight lisp, probably from speaking through a snout. “Let’s sweep the area.”

More lizard-humans stepped aside and several more entered the lobby. They were all different sizes and builds, but each one was a walking, talking lizard in human clothing. And each one wore military fatigues and carried a military-grade rifle.

One of the lizard people gave orders. “Everybody pair up and go in different directions. Make sure to radio in if you find anything.”

Shane ducked back behind the concrete slab again, his body trembling. There was only one thing they could be looking for, the pods or what was in them.

He didn’t dare move until the sounds of the lizard-people faded away.

When the coast was clear, Shane emerged from his hiding place. Holding the flashlight tightly in his sweaty palm, Shane headed down the hallway the lizard-people came from.

More than once he had to wipe sweat from his brow. He was careful not to make a sound as he crept down the hall. He didn’t dare turn the flashlight on, but, thankfully, it wasn’t needed as the lizard people had left a trail of flares for him to follow. If these lizard people were truly military, they wouldn’t leave the entrance unguarded. Unfortunately, there was no other way out that he knew of. He would have to be careful and try to find a way to sneak past them.  

Suddenly Shane could hear voices and footsteps coming toward him. He tried to sneak back the way he came, but he could hear voices coming from that end as well. Panic began to seize him and he did not attempt to stop it. Even if the lizard people didn’t kill him, they would want to know who he was and what he was doing down there, and  “I don’t know” wasn’t going to cut it.

As Shane looked desperately for a place to hide, he noticed a third hall slightly back the way he came. Since the voices were only coming from two directions, he immediately headed down the third hall. There were no flares to guide him this time, but he didn’t care. There was absolutely no way he was risking using the flashlight. Somehow he felt his way through the semi-darkness with amazing precision. Halfway down the hall, Shane discovered part of the ceiling had fallen, but he managed to find a small opening in the debris he could squeeze through. 

Shane found himself standing in another room similar to the one he woke up in. Unlike the last room, however, several of the pods in this room were open. His curiosity overrode his fear, and he approached one of the pods. He touched the inner lining to discover it was dry. Whatever was held in this pod had long since been released. He checked the other open pods and found them dry as well. He began checking the unopened pods. Just like the ones in the chamber he awoke in, they were full of fluid but contained no bodies.

Suddenly, there was a hissing sound nearby that made Shane’s heart jump into his throat, which was probably the only thing that kept him from screaming. Throwing caution to the wind, he flicked on the flashlight and pointed the beam at the source of the sound. 

One of the pods was opening. 

Shane gripped the flashlight and watched as the door of the pod slid open. Something fell out of the pod onto the floor. Shane shone the light on what the pod spat out and stumbled back in horror. 

There was a lizard-human on the floor laying in a puddle of the mysterious, yellowish fluid. It had a slender body covered in green scales and had a long tail just like the others. Despite the human qualities, the lizard-human still had a snout and no hair anywhere that Shane could see and a single row of spines running from the top of its back to the tip of its tail. The lizard-human looked up at Shane. The two froze for a moment as Shane’s brown eyes looked into the lizard-human’s amber-colored ones. Then as if someone pressed the world’s “resume” button, they both scrambled backwards across the floor until their backs pressed against the pods. Shane was the first to regain his senses. 

The lizard-human was a female. Her lack of hair and her narrow face and body didn’t tell Shane much since he didn’t know much about reptiles. But the large breasts that heaved up with her panicked breathing was proof enough for him. 

Shane found his eyes scanning the rest of her body, wondering what he was looking at. Normally, he would’ve looked away by now and apologizing profusely for his rude behavior, but he found himself transfixed. It wasn’t that she was naked that fascinated him. It was that he couldn’t believe she came out of the same pod he did. 

What was she? Why was she in the pod? Is this what those other reptile-humans were after? Why did her pod open now? His mind swam with questions, but he doubted the person sitting before him had any answers. Was this supposed to happen to him? The question suddenly jumped to the front of his mind. He was in a pod just like her. He was trapped in this facility just like her. So why wasn’t he covered in scales?

“Hold on, I think I heard something this way.”

Shane quickly shut the flashlight off and crouched low to the floor. He felt his way in the darkness until he found a gap between the pods’ and squeezed into the space as best he could.

“I’m telling ya, you’re hearing things,” another voice said. “This whole place is falling apart, so no wonder you’re hearing strange stuff.”

 “Nah, I know I heard something,” the first voice replied.

Shane held his breath as the partial beams of a flashlight shone through the debris blocking the door. He tried looking at the female, but the best he could see was a dark silhouette pressed against the pod.

If she isn’t moving then I guess I don’t need to worry about her selling me out, he thought. And at least she knows enough to keep quiet.

“Well, I can forget getting in there,” the first voice said. “That looks unstable. The boss’ll chew me a new one both figuratively and literally if I bring this place down on our heads.”

“See? There’s no way anything got through there. It was probably a rat or something. C’mon, ain’t anything here to see.”

Shane waited until the echo of their footsteps faded before turning the flashlight back on. The female continued to sit where she was and didn’t move.

Does she actually know where she is, or what’s happening right now? he wondered. I guess there’s only one way to find out.

He moved a little closer, and lowered his voice to a whisper, “Hey. My name’s Shane. What’s yours?”

The female continued to stare at him with wide, fear-filled eyes and didn’t respond.

“Okay, you don’t wanna give me your name, that’s fine. But we kind of need to get out of here. Can you stand?”

The female once again remained silent. Shane began to feel his cheeks burn. Could she even understand him? Those other lizard-hybrids spoke English, but it didn’t mean she did. He noticed she was shaking, whether from fear or cold he didn’t know. But now that he thought about it, did lizards shiver when they were cold?

Seriously? His inner-voice asked. Lizards also don’t walk on two legs while carrying military-grade weapons and speak English, yet you still think the general rules apply?

Realizing he was right, he took off his shirt and handed it to the female. It wouldn’t do much except keep her upper half warm, but it was still better than nothing. “Here. You must be cold.”

At first, the female didn’t move. Eventually, she inched forward, snatched the shirt from his hands, and slipped it on. She didn’t take her eyes off him the entire time, watching him intently as if he would try something. Shane remained at a distance. The shirt fit her better than it did him making him wonder if he was actually wearing women’s clothes.

She can remember how to put clothes on. What else does she remember? Does she remember her name which she refuses to tell? Can she tell me what’s going on here? Does she know why I’m the only ‘human’ here?

He once again buried the burning questions in the back of his mind. There was too much to worry about right now. Once they were safe, he could work out the remaining details.

After putting on the shirt, she rose and went to the exit. Shane followed. Although Shane had the flashlight, she twisted and bent her body with expert precision to squeeze through the debris blocking her path. For Shane, it was a little more difficult the second time, but he managed to get out.

They walked down the hall in silence. The female moved slowly, making almost no sound as she walked. Shane followed her cautious lead while also impressed that someone with claws could move so silently on metal. He wanted to ask where she was going, but at the moment, it seemed like a stupid question. One way or another, they couldn’t stay there, so, for now, their interests were aligned. 

When they reached the intersection, the female lifted her head and sniffed the air. Shane tilted his head in confusion, but he did the same. He couldn’t smell anything except the same musty air, he had been breathing since awakening. 

Before Shane could begin speculating, the female started down one of the other hallways. Shane took a moment to check the nearby sign and saw she was heading for the exit.

As they walked, Shane began questioning exactly what they would do when they reached the exit. He doubted the entrance would be unguarded. He got into a few fights before. He knew how to handle himself, but how could he stand a chance against an armed lizard-human? What if they were stronger than he was? 

His mind began to fill with images of what they would do to him and the female if they were caught. They were even darker than the imaginings he had when he first woke up. He quickly forced the thoughts deep down into his mind as possible. 

The breeze became stronger as they neared the exit. While the air was cold (especially being shirtless) it was refreshing to breathe. The air left refreshing goosebumps on his skin. It was dark out, but the lizard-humans had set up camp near the entrance. There were several lights, tents, and tables surrounding the entrance, so it was easy to see. 

Shane could only see trees surrounding them, and he noticed the ground was dirt instead of concrete or stone. But he could speculate later about why he woke up in an abandoned facility in the middle of the woods. He looked up at the starry sky and smiled. It felt like yesterday since he had last seen the night sky, but he couldn’t be happier. 

“Hey, what are you doing here?” a gruff voice asked.

The happy feelings vanished like popping a bubble. Shane froze and his entire body broke out in a sweat. He slowly raised his arms in the air and turned to face his captor.

This one was also a lizard-human, although it was a bit fatter. This one had light brown scales instead of the green Shane had seen so far. Shane didn’t see any breasts beneath the tight-fitting, hunter green top it wore, so he assumed it was a male.

Shane took a glance around and noticed the female was missing.

The lizard-human tilted its head in confusion at the sight of Shane. “What the hell—?”

 He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Something hit him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold. The female from before as standing over the unconscious lizard, holding a steel pipe over her head, poised for another blow.

Shane stepped forward and gently took the pipe from her. It was heavier than it looked and he wound up dropping it on the ground instead. He mentally cursed how lame he looked. The female didn’t seem bothered by his embarrassing display, only annoyed that he disarmed her. She huffed angrily and turned to walk away. 

“Wait, hold on a second,” Shane said. He crouched down and started undoing the unconscious lizard’s belt. The female still needed a pair of pants and he needed a pair that fit him better. The lizard looked to be about Shane’s size, so the female could take the old pair. It felt a bit dirty to give her a pair of pants that he was wearing while commando, but given their situation, there was no time to argue. In addition to the handgun, radio, and hunting knife, the lizard also had a set of car keys. 

He bundled everything into his arms and headed for the edge of the camp where he found an unguarded 4x4. He dumped everything into the backseat before climbing in himself and was about to start the engine when he realized the female was missing again. 

His first instinct was to look for her, but she could be anywhere and the other lizard-humans could return at any moment. The idea of leaving her was unpleasant, but what other choice did he have?

Just as he started the engine, the female came into view carrying a large duffel bag that was full to bursting. She threw the bag into the back seat with the things Shane gathered and hopped into the passenger seat. He put the car into drive and sped off down the road. 

He drove for what felt like hours. They had left the woods a while ago and since then it had been nothing but an empty stretch of highway. He feared to stop and get any rest. The lizards back at that facility had to have noticed that someone escaped and stole one of their vehicles. They would be out looking for it. 

And he did not want them to find it.

The only problem was he had no idea where they were or where they were going. He couldn’t even tell what country they were in. He assumed they were still in America, but who knew? 

They both shivered from the cold, still being half-naked. There were clothes in the back seat, but Shane didn’t want to stop until he felt he had to. His stomach was growling, and his lower back was beginning to hurt from sitting in one position for so long. It was doubtful the female was faring any better. 

If the female was bothered by their situation, she didn’t show it. She casually watched the scenery the entire trip. Not once had she said a word nor made any attempts to leave the vehicle. Shane made several attempts to spark a conversation, but she never took the bait. It did occur to him that she probably couldn’t understand him as she only acknowledged that he was speaking and nothing more. He took her silence as a sign she didn’t trust him, or perhaps she understood that her options were limited right now and staying with him was her best bet. Shane didn’t mind either way, but the silence was killing him. Long drives were boring anyway, and talking to himself was not an ideal way to pass the time.

The sun began to peek over the horizon, painting the sky with varying shades of red and orange. She yawned and stretched bringing to his attention that they had been driving all night. They would need to find a place to stop and rest for a few hours.

As if to answer his question, a dirt path appeared at the side of the road. Shane didn’t care where it led so long as it gave him a place to park where they couldn’t easily be seen. The road hadn’t been maintained in years if it ever was. The next hour—or what Shane assumed was an hour—was full of bumps and jolts as they rode over the uneven path. Eventually, it opened up to a small clearing with a shack smack in the middle. The shack looked as rundown and unkempt as the road leading to it. Shane carefully watched the windows for any signs of movement. The windows were boarded up and covered in too much filth to see inside. 

The moment Shane stopped the 4x4, the female reached into the backseat and took out the handgun they stole from the lizard guard. She checked to see how many rounds were in the clip, pulled back the hammer and hopped out.

Shane’s jaw dropped as he watched her silently approach the house and carefully inspect the windows. She knows how to use a gun apparently. The way she moves suggests she’s had some kind of training. What the hell is she?

She disappeared into the shack. After several tense minutes of waiting, she reappeared and waved him over. Shane gathered all of their belongings out of the 4x4 and followed her inside.

The inside of the shack was somehow worse than the outside. It consisted of one large room, part of which was the kitchen, and a partially barricaded door leading to what Shane assumed was the bedroom. If there were any doubt of whether the owner would return, those doubts were now laid to rest. Cobwebs and dust coated every inch of the place. What little furniture remained was broken down and piled into the corner with a rusted oil drum.

Shane once again blessed his luck and got to work setting up camp. It was freezing so the first thing he did was set up a fire. He filled the oil drum with a few loose branches he snatched from outside and lit a fire using the matches he swiped from the lizard guard. While he got the fire started, the female barricaded the front door as best she could using the old furniture and laid out the blankets for them to sleep on.

Once the fire was burning brightly, he searched the remaining pockets of the duffel bag, hoping to find something they could nibble on for the night. 

The female was more prepared than he thought. In the duffel, she had placed a pair of blankets, binoculars, a first-aid kit, a replacement battery for the radio, extra clips for the pistol, a hunting knife, and several ration packs. 

Shane would’ve kissed her if he thought she’d allow it. 

Before he started eating, he felt it best to change into something warmer. He stripped off the pants he was wearing and slipped on the fatigues stolen from the guard. At first, he was hesitant to undressing in front of the female, but considering that she was still naked from the waist down, it seemed silly to hide himself. The female didn’t seem to care either way, she never stared or made any remarks at Shane’s body. 

The clothes were baggier than Shane would’ve liked, but it was better than wearing tight clothing that restricted his movements. The old pants he gave to the female fit her perfectly cementing Shane’s earlier theory that he was wearing women’s clothes. The shoes, Shane kept. They wouldn’t fit the female anyway and judging from the shape of her feet, she didn’t need them. After dressing, the female kept squirming and the look on her face showed she was very uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong? Do they not fit you either?” Shane asked. Sadly, those were the only clothes they currently owned. He could probably search the other room in the shack for another set of clothes, but it was a long shot at best. 

The female didn’t respond, she instead kept fidgeting and pulling at the back of her pants. Shane frowned and went behind her to see what was wrong. There was a large lump in the butt of her pants where Shane assumed her tail was being smashed against her body. 

“Oops. Sorry, I forgot you have a tail. Here, hold still while I fix it.” Shane grabbed the knife from their belongings and approached the female. 

She took one look at the knife and hissed angrily. Before Shane could reassure her he didn’t mean to harm her, she grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. He released the knife, and in a fraction of a second, he felt the sharp, cold, steel blade pressed against his throat. 

“Wait, I’m sorry! I wasn’t going to hurt you—honest!” he said quickly. "It’s just that your tail is stuck in your pants and I was trying going to cut a hole in the back for you.”

It seemed his explanation worked because she released him, but she continued to give him a reproachful stare.

Well, at least I know you understand me, he thought as he rubbed his sore shoulder. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to help.”

She removed her pants then cut a hole in the back for her tail, never taking her eyes off Shane. Unfortunately, getting the pants back on was another thing entirely. It was obvious she wasn’t used to having a tail and had trouble getting the new appendage through the hole. It was like watching a small child try to get dressed for the first time. Shane would’ve found it funny if not for the six-inch blade just inches away from her.

After the eighth or ninth failed attempt, he decided he had enough. He kept his hands raised as he slowly approached her, making sure to stay within her line of sight.

She stopped struggling with the pants and stared at him with a bored look as if saying “Seriously?”

“You look like you need some help,” Shane said carefully. He knew he had to choose his words carefully lest she got the wrong idea.

The female sighed and turned around. He reached inside and began pulling her tail through the hole. It was a very awkward procedure. The female didn’t seem bothered by his actions, but it bothered him to be reaching into her pants, especially knowing she wasn’t wearing any underwear. If only Jill could see him now! He tried to only touch her tail, but his hands did graze her ass a few times. He couldn’t help but notice how her scales felt rough as expected but became smoother as he got closer to the base of her tail. He didn’t dare test how soft anything else was, however. 

When her tail was free, she let out a sigh of relief. That was the only sign Shane received informing him he had done a good job before she walked away again. Shane thought he was lucky to be allowed to keep his hands, so he decided not to mention her indifference.

She grabbed two ration packs from the duffel bag, tossed one to Shane, and then sat on the floor. Shane sat on the other side of the oil drum and tore his pack open. It was dry and tasted like something he couldn’t even begin to identify, but he didn’t care. To him, it could’ve been a gourmet meal prepared at a five-star restaurant. It felt as if he hadn’t eaten in ages. He noticed the female also ate with ravenous hunger.

When they finished their meals, the female stretched out on the blanket. Shane thought about whether they should take turns keeping watch, but he realized he was too exhausted to bother.

“Hey, um, could you please tell me your name?” he said sleepily. “I don’t know what to call you and I’d rather not refer to you as ‘lizard-girl.’ ”

The female laid on the blanket, silently watching him with her amber-colored eyes.

“Fine. If you won’t tell me, I’ll just have to give you one. I know, I’ll call you Sasha.”

Sasha was the name of a pet boa his college roommate once had. One weekend, they forgot to feed it, and it snuck out and devoured half the rats in the science labs before they finally managed to catch it. Unfortunately, they were forced to put the snake down because it “posed a safety concern.”

The female tilted her head in response, but she showed no dislike to the name.

“Okay, Sasha it is. As I said before, my name is Shane. Anyway, I guess I’ll see you later in the afternoon.”

No sooner had the words passed his lips, did sleep overcome him, and he was out cold.

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