BRAINSTORMING

The fight delays were coming in on David's notification faster than the rain was coming down. Just as he was about to turn off the Rideshare App and call it a night, a request came through. He quickly circled back around the airport towards the arrival area to pick up a passenger named Shamira. David admired her picture as he turned in without realizing the message saying that she was waiting at the departure dropoff, not at arrivals. A few minutes larer, Shamira called to let him know her exact location. David swooped around the airport terminal again and made it there in 60 seconds flat. He apologized to her as she got in the backseat. They both felt a sense of eeriness immediately. Shamia had jet black, frizzy locks and natural green eyes. Strangely enough, David did too. He looked at her bronze hands as she put the seatbelt on. She was not wearing a ring. "Nice weather we're having, you think?!" David said jokingly as he drove carefully towards the highway onramp. "Yeah!", Shamira laughed. "The sky is apparently upset again. Aliens dropping down unsuspecting." "What!", David looked back at her and somehow it seemed he knew what she was about to say, before she said it. He started seeing flashes of some sort in his mind, but none were clear.

David struggled to keep his SUV on the road, and then the back left tire blew out. Once he was able to make it to a safe stop, he asked his rider if she was alright. Shamira was still dressed in a superhero costume that she had worn that day to work for job promotion."Yes, she answered. I'm fine. I guess you should cancel this trip. I can request another ride?", she said sadly. David paused for a few seconds, looking at her in the rear view mirror. There was something oddly familiar about her, and he wanted to find out what it was. "How about I leave this car here and we both catch an Uber and go out for a drink? Or better yet, can I invite myself to the party you're going to?" He asked confidently.

Shamira told him that she was a bit reluctant to attend the party at her job anyway. So they agreed to just skip it and check out a local bar to hang out at for the rest of the night.

The jazzy lounge they found on the beachfront was cozy. It had a peaceful atmosphere. Not too busy, with just a few patrons enjoying a masquerade dance under the night sky. Shamira had a sigh of releif. "This is perfect. I really didn't want to see my coworkers again at another stuffy event. David smiled and asked her what was she doing at the airport. Wondering if she was coming or going somwhere? Shamira went there a few times a week just to people watch. So she told him it was her hobby.

Atter hours of talking, David and Shamira discovered they had so much in common. Then suddenly something sent shivers of fear through their souls. They looked up at the same time and instinctively they knew they were the decendants of something only descendants would know. Shamira jumped out of her seat. "What was that?", she whispered. David looked around and gestered at her to sit back down. " I don't know. But I need to find out what it is. Sometimes I feel like I'm turning into something. Or something is living in me." David explained. She scooted into the chair gritting her teeth as she spoke. "I think I'm an alien!" David took a sip of his drink, with a mocking tone said, "What if you are a vampire and I'm a werewolf? Shamira shook her head and laughed out loud. They exchange numbers and made plans to get together for lunch a few days later. David wanted to know more about her alien theory, and Shamira was concerned about his state of mind. And his drinking.

David was finishing his burger and fries by the time Shamira made it to the cafe for their first lunch outing. "Well it's about time! I thought you stood me up?" David complained. "No! I had to wait for the delivery guy before I could leave." Shamira said, as she picked up the menu. "And I have to get back to work. My break is almost over." David was in bewteen jobs and Ubering for the time being. He worked at his own pace and didn't care to hear about her work problems. As Shamira was about to order, she had a flash of light hit her mind. "Did you say something? She asked David. "No! Did you hear me say something?" David asked. Shamira yelled, "Yeah!" And gave him a crazy look. He put his drink down and told her about his flashes and hearing her mind also. But neither could understand the words. Only hear the sound of each other voices in their heads, and feeling the emotions.

After that day Shamira and David chatted everyday for the next three months. Learning that they were both adopted from the Caribbean. Not knowing their biological families. Living in small towns, being home-schooled and feeling like they were hidden away from the real world. Wondering what drew them to Los Angeles in the first place. It was like they had always been best buddies. Like they've known each other for a lifetime. But still, no answers to the mystery of their twisted thinking. Shamira knew it could be more of them out there. Whether alien or werewolf, they felt like it was more of them. David convinced Shamira to quit her job and and drive for the rideshare company. Together they tried to make contact with others just like them. People flocking to Southern California for some strange reason. David felt something huge was drawing near. And it was something that needed to be stopped. Shamira believed there maybe pods of aliens popping out to take over the world. David thought more down to earth about them having bad blood from sick vamps and stuff.

Needless to say, they never met anyone as strange as they were, combined. But evetyday they got together to discuss their issues.

David and Shamira's friendship lasted three years until David passed away at twenty-eight from Leukemia. The illness was the only secret he kept from her. He never mentioned his treatment at the Cancer Center. They just enjoyed talking about their X Files theories and eating out. David didn't have any kids and Shamira only had a parakeet. They acted like they had all the time in the world. But time had ran out. Shamira had no family to console her through the grief of loosing David, and she became bedridden just a few weeks later. She decided to not continue her treatment. You see, Shamira was also suffering from a terminal disease that she never mentioned. They chose to discuss illness as if they were aliens, werewolves or vampires. That's how they coped.

Shamira missed her soul tie too much to bare life without him. She died knowing that she had a true friend. David was her only friend, and she loved him like a brother.