#okun

Edward Okuń, My i wojna (We and the War)

Milton smiled. He had no idea how this was the man he had fallen in love with, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Brack was chaotic, uncontrollable, loud, and everything Milton wasn’t. He was a wonderfully passionate man with such a big heart Milton couldn’t help but be charmed. 

“I imagine it has something to do with your tendency to overwork yourself, not sleep, not eat well, and generally run yourself into the ground. But what do I know? I’m just your doctor. Which means,” he leans over to adjust Brack’s pillow. “I have to take care of you. And you just have to deal with it.”

Third of Five was on Earth. They had been abducted from their Cube, which was subsequently destroyed. The Collective had fled.

Third of Five had been left behind.

They could not hear their voices.

There was a human, a strange human with long hair, that was with them. It didn’t matter how many times Third of Five told them they would be assimilated, they didn’t seem to believe it.

They watch the human for a moment. The human didn’t appear aggressive, not in the way Third of Five was used to.

Third of Five became... curious. Why were they being kept there? Some species kept prisoners, particularly after a victory in battle. They don’t know why that idea makes them feel like they should attack, before the human has the chance to attack Third of Five.

But Third of Five doesn’t attack. The human had been in there with them for a little while and had not attacked. Perhaps they weren’t a prisoner like that. Perhaps they would just be kept there. Or maybe they would be broken down for their parts. They were broken. They’d been damaged in the fighting.

In the Lemon Orchard

By Edward Okun

“Musica Sacra” (1915) by Edward Okuń (Polish,1872–1945), oil on canvas; private collection