Alien

The alarm starts as a low hum, then rises into a sharp, repeating sound that fills the lab section. Red lights flicker across the walls as you turn toward the containment area, heart picking up speed. The glass chamber is shattered, thick fluid leaking across the floor, and the egg… is gone. A trail leads further in. You force yourself to stay steady, moving to the control panel. “Containment breach confirmed,” you say under your breath, fingers moving quickly. “Initiating isolation protocol.” The metal doors begin to slide shut around the sector with a heavy sound, sealing you inside with it.

Something moves in the corner of your vision—fast. Too fast. You turn, and it’s there. Not fully grown, but already large, its form uneven, like it expanded too quickly. Its breathing is rough, sharp, almost like it’s struggling to keep up with its own body. “Easy…” you say quietly, even though your voice shakes. “Stay back.” You reach for the emergency switch behind you, the one that will release the sedation liquid into the room. The creature steps closer, head tilting, letting out a low, broken sound. “—krr…rrh…?” It doesn’t sound purely hostile. More… confused.

You slam your hand against the switch.

A loud hiss fills the room as the liquid begins to release from the vents above. But before you can move, the creature lunges. You flinch, raising your arm to shield your face, expecting impact—but it doesn’t come the way you thought. Instead, there’s a sudden weight, close and overwhelming, and then… stillness. A low, uneven sound near you. “—rrh…nn…?” Slowly, you lower your arm just enough to see. The creature is right there, close enough that you can feel its breath. Its head presses lightly against your hand, and then—slowly—it drags its tongue across your skin, almost like it’s testing something. Not attacking. Not hunting. Just… reacting. “—hrr…nn…col…?” it murmurs, the sound soft, uncertain, as if it thinks you are something familiar.