The moon gleamed in the sky, bestowing light onto the life rested on my lap. My vision took him in, from the structure of his face, then to his palpating chest, and down to the tip of his toes. I grasped his hand, touching his fingers which looked no different than mine. Let him be frail and crinkled; he would still be impeccable in my eyes.

As I caressed his face, there was a faint movement from him in reflex, but his eyes remained shut. He was shivering due to the cold night air, so I had to think quick.

Unsure of why, I wasn't ready to let anyone knew he had emerged, so I made sure no one was around. After rolling him onto a comforter, I dragged his body to the house. Using all the energy I had, I hoisted him up the small stairs leading to the door.

Settling next to the heater, I wrapped him in my arm and stroked his back gently to ease his cold. I swung in a rocking motion, closing my eyes as I recalled how my mother used to do it when I was younger.

"Alfie, I wonder if you can understand me," I mumbled.

When I opened my eyes again, I watched his eyelids unfurled, revealing the hazel colour underneath. Idle blinks were the only occupant in his vacant expression.

"What is it? Are you thirsty?" I asked him.

Deep down I was worried. Even though he seemed fine on the outside, I couldn't possibly know his condition inside. But I refused to let the feeling set me back.

Placing him gently down, I then ran to the kitchen for water. I cradled him, putting a cup between his lips to help him drink. But the liquid leaked out through the gap of his mouth while he only blinked. My eyes started to pool from the heartbreaking sight.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't let myself lose hope. I pulled him to my bedroom, and lay him down onto the mattress I spread on the floor. After wiping him clean, I dressed him in my clothes. He didn't move even once through it all. But I was willing to carry him, to care for him, even if he remained in the state forever. I just wanted him to live.

Precious, yes, he was so precious to me, even in his motionless state.

"I would make the best of every bit time God permit you by my side..." I paused, giving him a faint smile as I brushed over his hair, "Even if it's only minutes. I won't take you for granted," I said. My voice shaky due to the tears now threatening to break free.

Ma, he's here.

Unwanting my mother to hear me crying, I typed her a text message instead. I put the phone away on the instant I clicked send, giving the person mentioned my full attention.

I held his hand carefully, consuming the cold on my palm. After what felt to be forever, his shaking finally ceased. In spite of it, my worry refused to dissipate.

"Do you remember the song I used to sing to you, Alfie?" A hollow laugh attended my sniffles.

Humming the tune as a memory of the day I made the song for him harked back to me.

Spring had crossed path yet again with me. Beautiful flowers reveled after the cold winter and it was the blossoms of nature made for the watcher to wallow and beam by its beauty.

The majestic life in front of me had metamorphosed from green to a hue of light purple. Its solid roots peeked slightly on the surface, gripping the rugged soil in resilient.

"Hey Alfie, I won my school's poetry competition today!" I said with glee.

Belief was the prompt of the poetry, and the very thing I instantly thought of was Alfie. Who would have thought, it earned me first place in the event.

"Yes Charis... Congratulations! I know you could do it." I made a silly imitation of what I imagined Alfie would say to me if he could respond.

"Okay... Okay... You make me blush." And of course, I too answered to his 'praises' with enjoyment. "I'll read it to you okay."

Deep down I believed he was always listening to me. I told myself that every day.

'Dear, a folklore,

Sire of vigor,

Come defy once more,

From the ashes. . . to prosper.'

As I voiced the words, I picked-up a rhythmic symphony, and soon it became a song. Like a spell or an enchantment to me, I would sit next to him on days where I was taught that his kind were hopeless thus couldn't be helped.

I was pulled away from the memory by a gentle shake on my shoulder. At first, I was ecstatic, thinking it was Alfie who did it. But it turned out to be my mother.

"Honey, let me look after him. You should rest," she said.

A hint of sunshine was visible through the blinds on my window, announcing the arrival of morning.

"No, I'm fine ma, I want to be by his side," I answered.

When I gazed at him, he was soundly asleep by the rise and fall on his chest. His skin had turned smooth and firm, yet still pale. His thin lips were dry and chapped, an apparent sign of his dehydration.

"I tried to give him water, but he-" Tears pooled in my eyes, remembering how helpless I felt then. "He didn't know how to swallow. Or they were right? About pod men being mind-"

My lips pressed together briskly, restraining the sentiment of doubt. The ideas about pod men's inferiority were persistent to contaminate my mind. Hence, I inwardly battled which fact to believe.

Is it true that they are mindless?

As the thought lingered, my eyes fell on Alfie. The feeling I always had about him manifested, making me reason with myself there was more to them than what my teachers had told. All that had happened couldn't just be my imagination.

"Honey, no matter what-"

Shaking my head, I interjected, "No matter what happens, I won't give up on him."

A gratifying smile flickered on her face as she looked at me. "I know honey... I've raised a fighter," she said, patting my shoulder at it.

Nodding, I brought my eyes back to Alfie. "I'm sure I'm not the only one," I muttered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

Suddenly his fingers twitched.

To be continued...