Zach had been staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, listening to the dull hum of his apartment’s fluorescent lights. At nineteen, life felt like an endless cycle of work, bills, and exhaustion. He had dragged himself through another long shift at the local convenience store, and all he wanted now was to collapse into his bed and rot in peace. The notion of sleeping until the world stopped spinning sounded almost heavenly.

He sighed, rolling over to glance at the clock. 10:37 p.m. Great. A perfect time to rot in bed. Just as he was about to close his eyes, a loud, jarring bang echoed from outside. His eyes snapped open, heart racing. The noise had come from his backyard.

Groaning, Zach swung his legs over the bed and shuffled toward the window. His eyes widened. In his yard stood a giant rock, impossibly large and impossibly out of place. It looked ordinary at first glance — gray, jagged, planted firmly into the grass — yet there was something almost… unnatural about it.

Curiosity won over fatigue. Zach tugged on a hoodie, climbed the steps, and stepped into the cool night air. As he approached, a strange mist began seeping from the rock, curling around his feet like living smoke. He blinked, unsure if he was imagining it. Then, through the haze, he saw a figure.

It was a girl. Pale-skinned, with long, silvery hair that shimmered faintly in the mist. Her form was ethereal, almost as if she wasn’t entirely bound to this world. Zach instinctively took a step closer, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

Suddenly, the girl shrunk, transforming into a small child in an instant. Zach instinctively crouched and held her in his arms, surprised by how light she felt. Then, just as quickly, she morphed back into her original form. Her eyes were wide and unblinking, filled with an intensity that made Zach’s stomach knot.

She spoke — or tried to. The words were garbled, almost alien, but amidst the strange sounds, Zach could catch one word: “Lira.”

Before he could respond, she shivered violently from the cold night air. Without thinking, Zach carried her inside, setting her gently on the couch.

“Hey… it’s okay, you’re safe now,” he murmured, trying to steady his own racing heart. Lira’s eyes blinked slowly as if assessing him, shock and confusion flashing across her delicate features. Zach noticed her gaze linger on the familiar trappings of his apartment — the couch, the lamp, the small television set — and realized she had never seen a place like this before.

⸻

The next morning began like any other, except for one glaring difference: Zach was now responsible for an alien girl who apparently had no idea how to function in a human world.

After a rushed shower and minimal breakfast, he tried to teach her a few basic things about his apartment. “That’s the fridge. That’s the couch. That’s… well, don’t touch that,” he said, pointing to the stack of unopened bills.

Lira’s curiosity was insatiable. Every object she encountered seemed to captivate her. She pressed her small hands against the refrigerator door, traced her fingers along the surface of his microwave, and even floated slightly to examine the ceiling fan, which made Zach wince.

“Careful! Don’t… don’t touch that!” he said, grabbing her wrist before she could turn the dial. She blinked at him, wide-eyed, before giving a small nod, though it was clear she had no real understanding of his warnings.

By mid-morning, Zach realized he had his hands full. Lira had managed to knock over a small stack of books and attempted to “organize” them in a way that made no sense. He sighed, rubbing his temples.

“This is… going to be harder than I thought,” he muttered.

⸻

Work called, of course. Zach dressed quickly, muttering instructions for her to stay on the couch while he was gone. Lira nodded, her head tilted, floating slightly above the floor with curiosity and excitement. Zach left, though he could feel a twinge of unease. He knew Lira had no concept of human rules.

And, as expected, she didn’t stay put.

While Zach was at the store, she explored the apartment. She levitated, stretched, and prodded at every object she could reach. Books toppled over. The stack of mail slid onto the floor. Zach’s carefully folded clothes were now in disarray. She hummed softly, intrigued by the way objects moved when she touched them, unaware of the chaos she left behind.

⸻

Returning home, Zach found his living room in absolute disarray. The books were toppled, some mail had been torn, and the couch cushions were scattered across the floor. In the middle of the mess, Lira floated, tilting her head innocently as though nothing had happened.

Zach sank onto the couch, covering his face with his hands. “…Why did I let this happen? Why did I let her stay here by herself?” he muttered, more to himself than to her.

Lira’s eyes softened. She floated over, almost sheepishly, and rested beside him. Zach peeked through his fingers, seeing her small, alien smile, and couldn’t help but let out a weary chuckle.

“Alright,” he said quietly, exhaling. “I guess… we’re in this together.”

⸻

The day ended with Zach sitting on the couch, Lira curled up beside him like a small, glowing companion. Outside, the rock pulsed faintly, the mist curling around it like a living entity, as if the night itself was watching. Zach closed his eyes, exhausted, but for the first time that week, he didn’t feel entirely alone.

Tomorrow, he knew, would bring more chaos, more questions, and more lessons. But for now, he allowed himself a small measure of peace, the weight of the world slightly lifted by the strange, otherworldly presence of Lira.