Society for the Conservation of Sentient Beings

My eyes flew open. A white light shone into my eyes, blinding me. I felt panic building up inside of me. I couldn’t see anything. Then suddenly my vision cleared. I was on an operating table. Around me were vaguely humanoid shapes. The first thing I noticed is that they are blue. The second is that they don’t have mouths, but have slits that look much like gills on the sides of their heads. Their heads are also oddly shaped, as though someone had put them in a vice and squeezed them tight. They had four eyes, two on each side of their head.

I freaked out and let out a scream. I tried to sit up, but I couldn’t. My muscles felt like useless lumps of jelly.

‘It is ok, take a deep breath.’ I heard a voice. It sounded like it was coming from one of the strange beings closest to me.

‘W-w-what are you?’ I stammered. I heard a choking sound, which I think might have been a laugh.

‘My name is Ylod. Don’t worry, you’re safe. We won’t hurt you. What may I call you?’

‘Micheal.’

‘Micheal… That is an odd name.’

‘Not where I come from.’ I replied. ‘Where am I?’

‘All we will be explained soon Micheal. We need to run some tests, make sure that everything is as it should be. Then we can talk.’

Ylod ushered over another odd being. I was poked and prodded. I could see all kinds of instruments around me, not unlike what you would see in a hospital. I eventually was instructed to sit up, and move different parts of my body. After what felt like ages I was given a robe to wear, and slippers to put on my feet. I was also given a round red ball that I was instructed to put into my mouth. To my surprise, it dissolved instantly on my tongue. Hunger that I didn’t realize I was experiencing disappeared. Feeling much better, Ylod signaled for me to stand and follow him. We walked out of the room and into a hallway. The walls on both side were made entirely of some kind of glass. My jaw dropped. Outside, I could see that all of the buildings were floating. Darting around the buildings were what look like hundreds of space shuttles. Bright lights marked different paths which the shuttles generally followed. It was like a giant, floating city.

Ylod continued to usher me down the hallway. A door automatically opened to our right, and we entered. This room also has glass on one side. The only feature of the room is an oval shaped pod. As we walk closer, this flattened out seemingly by itself. Ylod motioned for me to sit down.

‘Where are we?’ I asked, sinking into the seat. It felt soft around me, like memory foam.

‘In Jjaggoo, the capital city of the planet Xlack.’ He said. ‘This is the headquarters of the Society for the Conservation of Sentient Beings.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘We found you on your home planet. Thankfully you were frozen, and we could reverse it. I’m sorry, I can’t say the same for the majority of your species.’

‘Sorry? What do you mean my species? Am I the last man alive?’ Ylod hesitated.

‘Yes… and no. We found others like you. You are the first we have awoken. But unfortunately, most of your species did not survive. We have reviewed the records that you kept. That is how I can speak your language. The dilemma was what you call global warming.’

I tried to think back to what had happened. My memory was clouded, but I finally remembered. I had always feared dying. So, I had myself frozen cryogenically, in the hope I could be brought back when there was a cure for death. Though I had never thought that I would awake to a bunch of aliens on a foreign planet.

‘So what now?’ I asked. I was at a loss for what to do.

‘The Society will help you accustom yourself to your new life. Our major objective is to conserve all sentient beings. We are thrilled that you are alive, and we hope that soon we can resuscitate a female so that you can rebuild humankind.’

I gaped at Ylod hopelessly.

‘You are probably tired. I will let you rest.’ Ylod headed towards to door.

‘On this?’ I asked, pointing to the seat.

‘Simply lie down, and it will shape itself to you.’ He replied, and then exited.

I lay down on my back. I sank into it. It felt perfectly comfortable. In moments I was asleep.

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