nodded. âWell, Len should be OK in a couple of hours. He just needs rest to get over the trauma, and heâll need to stay here, now his holo-emitter is broken.â
Len didnât say anything. He just shuddered.
There was a soft choking noise, but it wasnât Len. Amelia gazed at James coolly.
âWhatâs wrong with him?â said Charlie. âDoes he have a salt allergy too? I can get another bucket of water.â
âH-how â¦?â James stammered. âW-what â¦?â
âThatâs right, James,â said Amelia. âHeâs an alien.â
âA Lellum,â Derek added. âOne of the few to escape his dying home world. This little group tonight are almost all that is left of the whole Lellum race.â
James struggled to his feet, disgust twisting his face. âBut thatâs not ⦠you canât ⦠I wonât â¦â He clapped both hands over his mouth and stared again. He looked at Lenâs gelatinous grey body, the trails of silver slime that sparkled in the candlelight where Len had thrashed around, and the undeniably freaky sight of one of Lenâs eyeballs telescoping out of his head on its antenna and swivelling around to look at James.
James ducked his head, swore, then looked back again at Len. âItâs all true, isnât it?â he moaned. âEvery bit of it. Itâs all true â¦â
He drew in a deep breath, and Amelia braced herself. She wasnât sure for what â maybe James would scream. Or shout. Or get angry and attack Len. What she didnât expect was that he would sink back to the floor, roll himself into a ball and begin sobbing quietly.
âAre you serious?â Amelia hissed at him, kicking the sole of his shoe. âYou finally wake up to reality and this is all youâve got? Youâre the worst , James.â
âSo what now?â said Charlie. He was squatting in front of Len, looking at the alien with interest. âDo we just hang out here until Krskn comes to get us or what?â
The mention of the name was electric. A ferocious look of surprise flashed over Derekâs face, and Len writhed in another explosive sneeze. A wave of mucus flew out of his mouth, smothering Charlieâs whole lower body.
Charlie snorted at himself in amusement. âOh, man! Iâm saturated. Still,â he nodded at Len respectfully, âcool defensive reaction. I wish I had one. Hey, Amelia â imagine Sophie Tâs face if I could do this. Oh â hey!â He slapped at his arms and legs. âThis itches â it burns â ow! Hey, Len â ow! Youâre hardcore!â
Derek shook his head. âGet him out of here, Amelia. Take him somewhere he can towel it off his skin. Donât try to wash it, itâll only get worse.â
âGot it,â said Amelia.
Despite his cocky attitude, Charlie was beginning to look scared. âIt really hurts, Amelia,â he whispered.
She heard a sharp yelp outside the window. Was that Grawk? Derek looked startled, but only said, âQuickly, before he blisters.â
Amelia couldnât think about anything else. She rushed Charlie from the room.
Bundling Charlie through the library and out to the lobby, Amelia ignored all the gasps of dismay, even Maryâs. Her only thought was to get Charlie upstairs as quickly as she could and cover him in towels.
Sheâd forgotten to take a candle with her, but there was enough light from the candelabra on the reception desk for her to make out the twin staircases.
âCome on, Charlie,â she urged. âWeâll go up to the guest wing. Itâs not far.â
He only whimpered in reply, but let her drag him on.
At the top of the stairs it was pitch-black, but the linen closet was at the end of the corridor, and it would be faster to do it blind than run back for a candle. Amelia ran her hand along the wall and counted the doorways, Charlie
The Broken Wheel (v3.1)[htm]