Scotland

Eric collapsed onto the ground right outside the gate, the airport feeling broad and bright compared to the cramped airplane he had spent hours in. “Oh, thank you! Ground, land, Space! Freedom to move my limbs without elbowing Fiona’s boob!”

“Hey! It was my boob you elbowed and I’m not whining!” Fiona growled as she walked up behind him, dragging both of their bags. “Your luggage, you mentally ill claustrophobe.”

“Mentally ill? You are aware we were packed so tight in there you were practically in my lap! Like a cat! An annoying cat!” Eric said, standing back up.

“Well if I had known you were afraid of flying I wouldn’t have invited you!” Fiona yelled.

“I’m not afraid of flying! I’m afraid of never being able to move my limbs again!” Eric shouted back. “And another thing, who eats coleslaw and baked beans before a plane trip?”

“I told you I’m sorry about the butt thing! I’m so sorry about my biological processes!” Fiona sarcastically groveled before him.

“Apologize to my nose, you red headed goblin!” Eric said, pointing at his face.

Ellie and Mickey watched the drama play out before them, not sure if they should laugh hysterically or muzzle them. “Reminds me of our first date,” Mickey said, leaning against the back of a chair near the gate.

“Second. The food poisoning happened on the second date,” Ellie said, a small smile on her face as she recalled the nostalgic horror of falling in love.

“Hey! You two knock it off! I know what you two are thinking! No romanticizing our stupidity!” Fiona said, pointing between her parents. “Lets get out of here and find Uncle Donnie’s truck.” The group began to move through the airport, Fiona out in front marching along with purpose, her parents and a weary Eric traveling behind.

“First time out of the country, boy?” Mickey asked, slapping Eric on the back, causing him to stumble forward.

“Yeah. Not much money in my family’s vacation fund. And planes never were my thing,” Eric said, trying to look more put together than he felt.

“Why are you here then?” Ellie asked, hoping she didn’t sound too rude. “I mean, if you were that uncomfortable…”

“Well, Fiona seemed nervous. And what was I gonna do, sitting at home while you guys did stuff about the thing I totally can’t mention? Hell no. I can deal with a little plane ride if I can somehow help out,” Eric said.

“Uh huh…” Ellie said slowly, giving her husband a knowing smile.

“By the way, you do know you have to ride one back, right?” Mickey asked.  Eric’s face immediately drooped, and his whole body shuddered from a full sigh.

“Leave the boy alone! Look, we’re in beautiful Scotland now! Rolling mist covered hills, friendly people…” Ellie said, gesturing widely towards the doors of the airport leading outside.

“Lakes full of lizards,” Mickey said, earning an elbow in his liver from Ellie.

“Ah, so Fiona gets it from you,” Eric said, smiling a bit as they stepped outside. The air was still the same air from back home. Eric knew it logically. Air was air. But the smell of it seemed somehow more ancient, full of history. He looked to Fiona, the wind slightly picking up her hair, and he felt she looked at home. “So, your uncle is going to pick us up?”

“Yup. Trust me, you’ll know which one he is,” Fiona said. It was then they heard a clanking, rumbling, roaring, sputtering calamity coming to greet them at the pick up area. A green truck possibly more ancient than the spaceship buried deep under Loch Ness was barreling towards them, and a man with a bushy brown and silver beard was already leaning out of the window and waving.

“Bless me, if it isn’t little Fiona, three years older and a young lass about to become a lady!” Uncle Donnie shouted out as a miracle occurred and the truck stopped when Donnie pressed the brakes.

“Hi Uncle Donnie!” Fiona yelled, throwing her bag in the back of the truck. Eric looked into the bed, seeing many farm tools, car parts and hay. Lots of hay on the bottom. “Is it safe for our stuff back there?” Eric asked nervously.

“Of course! Do I look like the type of man to do something half assed?” Uncle Donnie asked, leaning in close. Eric could smell the combination of farm, grease and meat on him.

“You have ground beef in your beard,” Eric said, pointing awkwardly. Uncle Donnie picked it out, examined it and popped it in his mouth.

“It’s lamb, son,” Uncle Donnie said. “Donnie MacAllen, by the way! Married to Ellie’s sister, Nel!”

“Ellie and Nellie?” Eric asked.

“Don’t!” both Ellie and Uncle Donnie yelled, causing Eric to back up against the truck. “The lasses hate the little sing song nickname for them, boy. I’m guessing you’re familiar with a female’s rage, knowing little Fiona.”

Fiona let out a deep, disgruntled groan. “Come on. Let’s stop annoying the native Scots, or asking for their commentary,” she said, pulling Eric into the dirty truck bed as her father and mother got into the front.

“I do suppose you two want some alone time, eh?” Uncle Donnie asked, lightly elbowing Eric in the side.

“Don’t!” Fiona and Eric both shouted.

Moments later they were off, rumbling across the countryside in a truck which was more memory than machine. Fiona lounged back, this ritual a familiar fact in her life. Eric looked at her long sweatshirt and pants, clearly trying to cover whatever scales might be peeking out on her skin.

“So do you feel any different?” Eric asked.

“Different like I’m turning into a big lizard beast?” Fiona asked.

“Well from what you said, the medicine is acting weird this tine,” Eric said. Fiona nodded slightly, her eyes drifting to the fields and woods they were passing.

“It does feel…intense. I’ve been having these dreams lately. Not nightmares, but…definitely not good,” Fiona said softly, her voice nearly overcome by the truck’s groaning. “I’m in the water, diving down like I usually do, but I’m hearing a…a voice. Something alien. Something old, and…and confused.”

“Makes sense, I guess. Spaceship and everything,” Eric said.

“I know, but I’ve never had weird dreams and heard voices before,” Fiona said. “My mom is hearing it too. Having the dreams. I bet my aunt and cousins and grandma are too.”

“What is the voice saying?” Eric asked, leaning in, somehow feeling the dream he had, the cold water and the terror of the Fiona beast coming at him.

“Who are you?” Fiona said slowly. “I try to tell it who I am, but…Eric, here’s the thing. When I try to answer it, I can’t. I can’t think. My mind goes blank. Who am I? Eric…I have no idea how to answer it at all. And the longer this scale problem goes on, the worse they get on my body, the more I feel like I…I want to say I’m it. The thing which comes after the scales. But if it wants me to say I’m the scales and not skin…yeah, Eric. Who am I?”

The truck rumbled down the road, its clanking metal the only answer to the haunting question.