The boy struggled to free himself from the locker, his breaths shallow and rapid. His pleas for help mingled with the indifferent chatter of other students passing by, oblivious to his plight.
He lay on his back in the garden, eyes fixed on the sky. A streak of light flashed across the heavens, and he whispered a wish for a friend to protect him.
The boy approached cautiously, his heart pounding as he saw not a star, but a sleek spaceship. A panel slid open, and from it emerged an alien girl, her features human-like, clad in a shimmering suit with a blaster at her side.
The alien girl stepped forward, her stance protective. "I'm not here to invade," she assured him, her voice steady. As the stepfather approached, she raised her blaster and fired, the blue beam sending him crumpling to the ground.
He explained his situation, the words tumbling out in a rush. She listened, her eyes softening. "You're not alone anymore," she promised, wrapping him in a comforting embrace.
The boy hesitated, glancing back at the house that had never felt like home. The alien girl smiled, her offer enticing. "Come with me," she urged. He took a deep breath and nodded, his heart swelling with hope as they ascended together into the vastness of space.
