The Rinjin are staring at me again. This time the entire pack climbed up a tree, and a dozen beady eyes watch my every step.

I’m in no mood for shenanigans today. I slept poorly, and all I can remember are those bright, blue eyes.

They had me waking up feeling hot and bothered, and I want to savor that moment for as long as I can. Those eyes make me feel… safe, in a strange way.

And with all the changes in my body, I really need to feel safe right now.

I stand still with a bucket of smelly Luba food in my hand, waiting for the Rinjin’s next move. I’m not going to fall into another pit, thank you very much. Fool me once and all that.

The leader of the Rinjin pack scampers down the tree, a stick in hand, and he jabs it firmly into the belly of a hive filled to the brim with stinging Nebbits.

My heart leaps.

Oh god no.

Standing still is exactly what the Rinjin wanted me to do! The flying insects all buzz out of their home, angry as hell, and they focus all of their painful attention… on me.

Shit!

I drop the bucket and break out into a run, heading straight towards the nearest Silo. The Rinjin snatch the bucket up right away, their nefarious plan working like a charm.

Unfortunately for me, I’m nowhere near fast enough to outrun a nest of angry Nebbits. Their poisonous stingers drive into my scalp over and over again, and hot tears stream down my cheeks. I cry out in pain, my adrenaline surging, and in the distance a boulder loosens and tumbles down the hill.

Holy crap — I think I did that?!

No time to dwell on that though. I run into my parent’s Silo and burst right through the front door, giving my mom quite a scare.

“Oh baby, what have you gotten into now?! Come here, quickly!”

She rinses my hair in the sink, using up all of her daily water-rations for me.

“What did I tell you about messing with the Nebbits?” She tuts. “They’re bad news!”

“You think I did this on purpose?!” I complain. “I’m not a child anymore, you know. Nor am I stupid! It was those damn Rinjins. They’ve got it out for me.”

“Sure they do, honey.”

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

“Of course I believe you!”

She doesn’t mean a word, I’m sure of it. My parents, as kind as they are, still treat me like a little kid. I’m an adult now, and it’s time I stand on my own two legs for once.

“What on Earth have you been doing to your hair?” She asks. “What are these? Green highlights? Where did you even get this stuff? Did Larry smuggle it in for you? Or have you been using some of the plants? I told you that’s dangerous, you know!”

“Mom!” I say. “Stop it!”

I don’t want to explain my dreams, my symbols, my changing body to her. I’d rather run through a field of stinging Nebbits — naked.

“I’m just trying to protect you, dear.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I mumble.

She’s right — my parents are looking out for me, but this feels like something I have to figure out on my own.

“I’m going to coat your head in Blethwax, and that should counteract the Nebbits’ venom. You’ll have to let it sit for a while, though.”

“Great.”

I let the wax work its magic and stare out the window. My head throbs painfully, but it slowly subsides. My parents are talking to each other in their living room, but I barely hear their voices. A lot of thoughts are competing for my attention at this moment.

I need to take some time to simply think. I’m at a crossroads right now: My contract renewal with the Galactic Aid Corps is coming up. I have to make a decision on how I want to spend the rest of my life.

When I was young, I thought I’d stay here forever.

Now, with all of these changes, the Rift, these dreams? I’m not so sure I can commit.

In fact, I’m not sure of anything anymore.

“Oh, it’s healing nicely!” My mom says, jolting my attention back to the room. “I’ll help you rinse it out.”

“What about your rations?”

“Never mind that, we’ve got plenty.”

When the wax is finally rinsed out I thank my parents profusely before slipping out the door. I pick up a rock and hold it tightly in my palm, in case the Rinjin show their faces once more.

Luckily, I make it home without any incidents.

I crash down in my bed, ready for a night of deep, blissful sleep… but the Anshi have different plants. The songbirds are settling into a night of avian lovemaking, casting disturbingly graphic shadows on my walls.

A poignant reminder of my own sex life. Or lack thereof.

I’ve had a few boyfriends here and there, but seasonal aid workers don’t stick around. For them, it’s a boost to their resume, while for me, it’s a way of life.

Perhaps I should spread my wings as well. See what life is like on Earth, or on Corlis Station.

Or hell, on New Exon. Even though I’m sure they won’t have a ‘half-blood’ like me.

So many choices… and my time is running out.