Infatuation

by J.R. Blackwell
October 16th, 2005

“I don’t want to come home.”

Reggie’s wife began to cry, tears sliding around her cheeks.

Reggie smiled beatifically. “Don’t cry Carol, its alright, really. You’re young and awfully perky. You’ll find another husband in no time.”

“But I’m in love with you!”

Looking at her open red mouth and the slobber on her lip, Reggie wondered how this had ever been enough for him. “Please try to understand, I’m very happy here. I don’t want to go back to earth. I don’t ever want to leave my Asas side, the only reason I did now was because she demanded that I commune with you.”

“Commune? She?” Carol’s hands trembled. “Do you fuck it?”

Reggie’s mouth twisted with revulsion. “What? No! That’s disgusting!” He folded his hands on his lap, his narrow face turning intense and cruel. “I say “she” because Asas is the female of her species, you sick hag, a life giver. What she does is nothing so banal as fucking. I myself have not had a sexual urge in weeks, well, not till now but I blame that on the fact that you’ve made me upset.”

Carol wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “Oh Reggie, what have they done to you?”

Reggie shook his head. “These creatures are transcendent, utterly fascinating. Socially, they are far more advanced than we are. Not knowing one, you can’t comprehend. You know one and you don’t want to leave.”

Carols face went blank. “They’ve taken your mind.”

Reggie sighed, rolling his eyes. “No, that’s not it at all. Listen, I’ve only contacted you because Asas asked me to, she is concerned because of all of the messages I’ve been getting from you and the government. I haven’t had a lot of time to read them because Asas and I have been very busy, but those I have read have been very disturbing. Asas asked me to contact you because she is worried that if I don’t humans will send more people and those people would just fall in love and want to stay. Asas doesn’t think that it’s good for us, as a race, to be so infatuated and frankly, I agree. Of course, she’s going to keep me.” He sighed. “We have a very special relationship. They aren’t a cruel species Carol, they really are thinking of our best interests.” He paused and the blissful expression on his face changed for a moment. “Its possible that if they sent humans that weren’t receptive to social signals, autistics perhaps…no, it shouldn’t be risked.”

“Reggie, I miss you. Your mother is so worried, she asked me to-”

Reggie interrupted her, waving his hand. “This is all very unpleasant. Asas feeding time begins soon and I don’t want to miss it. It’s so beautiful, I can’t even describe. Don’t send any more messages, okay?” He stood and grinned at the screen. “Good luck finding a new husband babe.” Reggie pointed his finger at the screen like a cocked blaster and then the transmission cut.

Carol began to cry again, reaching toward the static of the dead screen. Light years away, Reggie ran joyfully to find Asas, the unpleasantness of the encounter with his wife fading quickly in the euphoria of new love.