Etherium

The crash lit up the sky somewhere outside of the small town of Shaysville, Tennessee. Lucy Jindrak cleaned the counter of the diner. Her boss, Myra, watched the blaze light up the sky as the Weeknd's song "Blinding Lights" played on the radio. Myra''s husband, Red, ran out of the office.

"Ladies, stay here. I'll go see what that was."

"Be careful, Honey." Myra said.

They quickly kissed as Red ran to the site. Myra sat trying not to cry.

"He's gonna be okay, Myra. Nothing is going to happen to him."

A few minutes later, Red returned with a young man covered in soot. The man's clothes, covered in ash and burn holes, looked like a military uniform.

"Red, oh my god! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Can't say the same for our friend here."

Lucy ran to the stranger. The blue eyes stared back mesmerizing her.

"Hello." He said.

"Hi, I'm Lucy. Those people are Red and Myra. What's your name?"

He looked at the patch on the uniform.

"I guess I'm Cheever."

Red took him by the arm.

"He needs a doctor. I'm taking him to Doc Houser."

Myra and Lucy sat at the counter. "Cheever" looked at Red.

"I am alright. I just need to see an electrical outlet."

Red looked strangely at Cheever.

"Over here, Buddy."

Cheever touched the outlet and flew backwards. Lucy ran to him.

"Are you okay?"

"I am fine. It was what I needed. My etherium level has increased. I can walk fine now."

As he stood, the uniform's remains disintegrated. Red acted quickly, grabbing an apron.

"Whoa there, buddy, I don't know where you come from but here we cover the family jewels."

"What are these 'family jewels'?"

Red shook his head.

"You ain't from these parts, are ya?"

"I am from Etherium. My planet is similar to Earth except for the fact that we need more females. Our females.."

Cheever looked down at the ground. Lucy touched his arm.

"What about them?"

"Our females die giving birth. The males on Etherium are ill equipped to care for the offspring so the offspring.."

Cheever couldn't finish the sentence. Red and Myra look sadly at Myra's abdomen. Lucy rubs Cheever's arm.

"How did you get here?" Lucy asks.

"My ship actually meant to go elsewhere. I landed on your property by my miscalculation. I can see now that maybe it wasn't such a terminal miscalculation. You're awfully pretty, Miss.."

"Lucy. Lucy Jindrak."

"I wish I could introduce myself but Etherium Male names aren't anything but symbols. So, I guess you can continue to call me Cheever if it helps."

"Speaking of which, where is the guy you got the suit from anyway?"

"That remains a mystery. I entered this place where strange bottles of clear liquid were on some metal rack. A weird human whose face was naked of fur came out in this suit with the name on it. He saw I had no clothes on and gave me that. He too said something about 'family jewels'. If these jewels are so valuable, why do all male humans have them?"

Red laughed hysterically.

"It's a human thing. Come on, Amigo. Let's get you something to wear that doesn't show off your back end."

"My, what a back end it is!" Myra says.

"Myra Louise!" Red said.

"I'm pregnant, not dead."

Lucy laughed as she wiped down the counter. Jake Collins, local sheriff and his deputy, Wilson Bray, entered the diner.

"Well, hey there, Lucy Jane. You look pretty as ever."

"I'm not interested, Jake."

"I'm the only man in this god forsaken town who's interested in you, Lucinda. Remember that."

Jake reached his hand across the counter, grabbing Lucy's collar.

"Make one peep, I'll tighten my grip."

Lucy tried not to cry. Will cheered Jake on to do it again.

"No one's lookin, Boss. Do it again."

Jake took a hold of Lucy once more as Red entered the diner with Cheever.

"Let her go, Jake." Red said.

"What are you gonna do, Old man?"

Red reared back but Cheever stopped him.

"Allow me."

Jake laughed.

"What are you gonna do?"

Cheever took a hold of Jake's fist. He turned Jake's hand inward, The bones in Jake's arm cracked.

"You asshole!"

"If you touch her again, it won't just be your arm. Go."

Jake and Will scurry out of the diner. Cheever looks at Lucy.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Where did you..?"

"Never mind. Do you like the clothes? Red helped me not be.. What did you say, Red?"

"The word, Cheever, is Nekkid."

"Yes, that."

Lucy laughed.

"Do I look alright?"

Cheever's blonde hair was combed and styled for an evening out on the town. Red dressed him in a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

"Cheever," Red said.

"Yes?"

"Do you know how to drive a truck?"

"Yes."

Red tossed Cheever his keys.

"Take Lucy out to dinner. Don't be too late."

Cheever smiled and took Lucy by the hand. The two made their way to the Starlight Cafe. After ordering their meals, Lucy asked Cheever a question.

"What is life like on your planet?"

"Sad, mostly. The males there are lonely and the Earth women try to make life better but.. It's what Red calls awkward."

"Could you stay here?"

"No, sadly. My biochemistry is not made for this atmosphere. I must return home soon."

Lucy felt a sudden wave of sadness hit her. Cheever was the first "man" to actually see her since Ben passed away two summers ago.

"Could I go back with you?"

"You're asking me to leave the only place you've known to be with a stranger. That's unusual. It's sweet, but unusual."

"Cheever, my husband died two years ago. I haven't found a need to be anywhere since. I'd rather try something new than stay around the painful memories."

Cheever smiled sweetly.

"My mate too 'died'. She gave birth to my child, a son. He too.. Died."

Lucy looked at Cheever.

"I can't promise we're going to be all sunshine and roses but I can cook."

Cheever laughed.

"That's a real fine place to start,"

They walk hand in hand. As they pass the bar; Jake and Will stumble out, drunk.

"Lookee what we got chere, Jake. It's a big ol nobody thinkin he can break up our fun."

"I'd like to see him try it again."

Lucy looked scared.

"Cheever, don't. They just want to fight."

"It's gonna be a quick ending, Lucy, I promise."

Cheever's eyes went from blue to pitch black as lightning sparked from his fingertips.

"Jesus!" Will said.

"He ain't gon do nothin'," Jake said.

Cheever threw a bolt of lightning at Jake's feet.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Crap!"

"Try me." Cheever says.

Jake pulled a handgun from his holster. Cheever, with a point and flick of his index finger, heated the barrel until it melted. Jake cursed.

"Give up, Jake."

With one last move, Jake grabbed Lucy by her hair. Holding a knife he concealed to her throat, Jake laughed.

"You're going to let us go and I won't tell anyone you're a freak."

Without a moment's thought, Lucy stomped on Jake's foot and took off running for Cheever. Once safely in Cheever's arms, Lucy started to cry.

Cheever, sensing Lucy's fear, sent one last shockwave through Jake, killing him. As Jake fell to the ground, Lucy urged Cheever to get in the truck and drive back to the diner. Upon arriving, Myra and Red look worried.

"What the hell happened?"

Cheever, blankly, responded

"I killed Jake for hurting Lucy."

"Jesus, Dude, you gotta go."

Lucy looked at Cheever.

"We need to leave."

"My home planet.. You're sure?"

"I'd go anywhere with you."

"Alright.

Cheever prepared the ship. He and Lucy took off soon after saying proper farewells to Red and Myra.