The Yivian

I woke up in a dark cave. The only light I could see were coming from two flame torches hanging on the stone wall. I couldn’t think where I was, the last thing I remembered was going to sleep on my nice comfy bed, in my bedroom back home.
I stood up. Thank goodness for that. At least I wasn’t tied up. In front of me, I noticed a large, metal gate, the entrance to the cave I was being kept prisoner in. I went over to it, and shouted out: “Hello? Is anyone there?” After a moment or two, a figure appeared at the gate.
“Be quiet!!!” It thundered through the gate. “You are disturbing the Master’s sleep.”
“But who is the Master?” I asked the figure. “Who are you? And why am I here?”
But the figure only repeated: “Be quiet!!!” And it left.
I sat down. I just couldn’t understand it. What was going on? What was this cave? And who was the Master? And then my questions were answered. The figure reappeared.
“The Master is ready to see you now.”
The figure opened the gate, and I stepped through it. I came out into a long corridor where the light was a lot better. I could see the figure a lot clearer as well. It was thin. Almost skeletal. Wearing a long robe which was shabby grey. It had skeleton hands. I wasn’t too sure about the face. It was hidden underneath the hood that was pulled up. All I could make out were a pair of glowing red dots, which I took to be the figure’s eyes.
The figure led me down the long, winding corridor, until presently it stopped outside a long, golden door.
“This is the Master’s room. Please go inside.”
I opened the door, and stepped inside. The room was quite large. The walls were stone, like the cave I just come from. But instead of flaming torches, the light was coming from a large chandelier from up above. There were more of the skeletal things inside. Flanking the walls, one every metre or so.
There was no evidence that there was anyone else in the room apart from me and the figures, so I shouted out: “Hello? Is there anyone here?”
Then a large, booming voice rang out. It was female, and sounded quite child-like. “What is your name, young female Earthling?”
I was so shocked, that I stuttered as I replied. “Er… Erm… M-My name is Charlene Tyler.”
The Voice pondered my answer: “Hmm. Charlene Tyler. Such a pretty name for a pretty female.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“My name is Gebij Lopib from the planet Yiv. Out in the Hurew Galaxy. My family, the Lopib family, are criminals, and we have been banished to your planet, Earth. But my people, the Yivians, are air beings, and can’t live on your planet, where the living creatures are all solid beings. So we have to choose suitable candidates to take over, so we can live. My family, my mum, dad and older brother, have all found suitable candidates to take over, and they’re all up on the surface of Earth. I am the last one left down here.”
That was when I realised what was going on. This alien, a Yivian called Gebij Lopib, was going to take over my body, and use it to live on Earth. I thought about running away, but she was probably more powerful than me, so I decided to stall for time.
“So why did you choose me as your candidate?”
“Why? Well look at you. You’re slim, pretty. Why not?”
“How did you get me down here? Underneath the surface?”
“The Drones took you last night. While you lay sleeping in your bed. They drugged you, so you wouldn’t wake up, while they were carrying you down here. Now hush, you’re just stalling for time.”
That was it, I had to make a run for it. I turned and ran towards the door, but the Yivian shouted out: “Hold her!!!” The skeletal things, which I now knew were the Drones, came sprinting towards me. I fended them off as best as I could. But as I got to the door, two of them grabbed me and held me with such an iron grip, that I knew there was escape now.
The Yivian giggled with glee, then I felt a breath of cold wind, and I knew no more…

My mum, dad and older brother, Yepib, were all waiting for as I emerged to the surface. They all started cheering as they saw me.
“Yes, we’re all solid!!!” Mum cheered.
“I don’t like this body,” Yepib whined, prodding at it.
“Oh, stop going on, Yepib,” Dad scolded. “You’re the one who wanted it in the first place.”
“Yeah, well, I’m beginning to regret it now,” my brother mumbled. I couldn’t blame him. The body was very big, and the face had three of the things the Earthlings called chins.
“Well, I’m sorry, you’re stuck with it now. Don’t worry, you won’t have to live with it for too long. Once the body gets old and wears down, it’ll die, and then you can choose another one to live inside for another few years.”
“I can’t wait.”
At that point, a female Earthling came up to us. “Charlene, there you are. Where were you? I’ve been looking all over for you. I was so worried when I found you weren’t home. And why are you with these people?”
“Who are you?” Mum asked.
“I’m Charlene’s mum. Who are you?”
I smiled. “Ah, yes, poor Charlene Tyler. Who gave up her life, so I could have her body. I totally forgot she may have an Earthling family. I’m sorry, Charlene’s mum…” I pulled a Yivian gun from the pocket in the jacket Charlene Tyler used to wear, pointed it at the Earthling who was Charlene Tyler’s mum, and pressed the button. A green light shot out of the gun, and the female Earthling was blasted to nothingness. No evidence she had ever existed.
My family all started laughing. I joined in. Then I realised my mission. I had to look for the rest of Charlene Tyler’s family. I was going to enjoy it here, on this humble little planet called Earth.