Afraid of the Dark

by Chris Hechtl

  “Yeah!” Quincy said excitedly. “See I saw this thing on Animal Planet in 2011 about sea horses. How they have them in their skin and some sort of thing that lets their skin mimic textures too. I heard that octopus and cuttlefish have the same ability. If they do, why not the aliens?” he asked, practically bouncing.

  Torres turned a now amused but exasperated look on Jen. “Now you're in for it,” she murmured. Jen didn't even hear it; she was off thinking hard with a thousand yard stare.

  “I'll have to check. There could be divergent issues here of course, they are aliens. But we've found a lot of convergent issues. Four legs, eye structures, ear and nasal structures...”

  “Oh boy,” Torres said as Jen wandered off towards the labs. She turned and punched Quincy in the arm.

  “Ow! What was that for!” he said rubbing at the now sore bicep. “What'd I do? I just asked!”

  “Yeah you dummy, she's a busy lady. You distracted her.”

  “I don't think the aliens have the ability,” Tom said quietly. They turned to look at him. He shrugged.

  “If they did how would we know?” Quincy asked. “How could you see them?” he asked. “You wouldn't know they were there until it was too late.”

  “Now that's not a pleasant thought,” Torres growled. She glared at Quincy and shook her head. He shrugged.

  “Now you know what keeps me up some nights.”

  “Hell, going to keep me up too now,” Tom said looking around. “Shit man, thanks for sharing,” he said disgustedly.

  “You're welcome,” Quincy said deadpan. He shrugged off Torres and waved. “So, since we can't go hunting are we going to the shoot house?”

  “Shoot house?” she asked.

  “Or the range.”

  “No wait, shoot house?” Tom asked, hand on her arm. She looked up at him and then to Quincy. Most of the attention of the group turned on him once more. He shrugged.

  “I heard Gabriel and his IT whiz kids came up with a better shoot house. Virtual one and they were working on a laser tag one. Or at least trying to, I'm not sure how far they've gotten. Me I'd prefer a paint ball one but they didn't go that route.”

  “Why?” Someone asked.

  Quincy turned to Ursilla and shrugged. “Why not? Good training aide. Good way to get people to integrate as a team and try new tricks without getting killed. Or work out signals and stuff,” he said.

  “Ah.” The others nodded. The boss had been big on using shoot houses before but now only the noobs joining the militia saw them.

  “So you think we should go see if we can um... play test for them, boss?” Tom asked eagerly. Torres tried hard to give him a putdown look but couldn't muster the proper voltage.

  “I suppose,” she said, fighting a grimace. The big guy practically bounced as he punched Quincy in the other arm.

  “Dude, I get the flame thrower!” he said breaking into a trot to the IT section.

  Quincy rubbed his now sore other arm and shook his head as the group broke into muttered discussion. Torres gave him another glare then snorted. “Okay, not bad,” she said.

  “Thanks boss.”

  “Don't let it go to your head. As distractions go, this shouldn't be that bad.”

  “Hey it might even be fun boss. Bunnies or something,” Ursilla said with a grin. “Me I'm glad we've got a day off. Or at least a light day.”

  “Dark day you mean,” another person said, glaring at the skylight.

  “Which is why we're indoors,” Torres said. “Lead on troop, let's go blow up virtual ET since we can't do it for real today.”

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “Did you hear about Sovereign of the Sea?” someone said. Jen turned suddenly, pale as a ghost.

  “What about it?” she asked, eyes wide. Shane caught her sudden look and came over as people looked at her in sudden confusion.

  “We, ah we were talking about that ship that went down, the Sovereign of the Sea,” a man said. Jen's hands found his and clenched. He used his free hand to rub her back. She turned and practically threw herself into his arms.

  “Any survivors?” he asked over her shoulder.

  “I...” he took in Jen's look and grimaced. “I... I don't think so. The ship got hit with one of those giant worm things. It tore a hole in the hull after it wrapped itself around the entire ship. It turned the boat over onto its side. People got out in the rescue boats but well...” he shrugged helplessly as Jen cried.

  “The media said the aliens were picking them off. Those things that look like the loch ness monster. People in the water and even in the rafts. They were just ripping them...” another guy said. The first shut him up with a glare and then cut his eyes to Jen. “Oh, ah, sorry.”

  “It's okay,” Shane said softly.

  “It's not okay, its not fair! They were safe!” she sobbed, hands clenched against his chest. He sighed, rubbing her back, eyes closed.

  He could hear people moving away, but a few remained. He opened his eyes, feeling the stinging tears but ignoring it. “Our...” he cleared his throat; there was a catch in it. “Our parents were on that ship. Jen's and mine. They liked to go on cruises together now that they are all retired,” he said. They could have gotten off. It had been two months since they had left. Two months since the invasion... what port could or would have taken them?

  “I'm sorry,” the man said, patting him on the shoulder then moving off.

  “Me too,” another said awkwardly patting Jen's back and then moving on. Jayne came over and patted her shoulder. Jen pulled her close for a moment.

  “What's wrong with mom?” Nick said sounding concerned. They turned.

  “Oh Nicky,” Jen said, crying again. He felt for his son, the kid was trying to be strong, but he didn't know what to think. The kids, hell they all had been through so much.

  “Come on; let's go find your sisters. We need to have a talk,” he said softly, voice roughening a little. Jen took the boy by the hand. He looked up at them. Together they walked through the crowd.

  Chapter 38

  Shane nodded as they flipped a door open. He jerked as a car alarm went off down the street but didn't look, focusing on what was in front of them.

  “You sure its there?” Mirta asked, looking at the thing.

  “I don't need glasses,” Jimmy growled. “I saw what I saw,” he growled. “Just be ready to do your end,” he said spinning the pitch fork like a bo staff and then holding it ready, point down to where he expected the thing to come out.

  Mirta hunched her shoulders; she had coke bottle glasses on. It wasn't her fault and she hated being tormented about it. She felt a hand on her shoulder and bit her lip as she looked at Shane. “Eyes on the prize folks,” he said pulling a firecracker from a pocket and lighting it. “Fire in the hole,” he said, dropping the firecracker into the opening.

  There was some skittering then a muffled pop. Something snarled and the metal trailer skirt dented suddenly, making Mirta and Eddy flinch back.

  “I don't have all day for this,” Shane muttered, pulling another firecracker out and lighting it. He dropped it, then pulled another and lit it and dropped that one as well He tossed in a couple of fingernail sized snappers for good measure.

  “Shit!” Jimmy growled stepping back suddenly as the firecracker came out the opening. “Damn!” he said as it went off. The second went off and they heard a loud squeal.

  “We've got a smart one here boss,” Jimmy said.

  “Yeah and we're burning daylight,” Shane said. He looked around and then pointed. “You...” the guy stopped and pointed to himself. “Yeah you, Rob right?” Shane yelled. The guy nodded. “Get a tarp,” he ordered. Rob gave a thumbs up and ran off.

  Jimmy and Ed exchanged looks. Mirta adjusted her glasses. “Are we going to um, try to net this thing boss?” Mirta asked. Shane shook his head and shaded his eyes as he looked towards the sun. She looked at what he was doing then watched as he angled himself to put the hole in the shade.

  “
I get it now,” she said suddenly, smiling a little. “Smart.”

  “It will be if it works,” he said. “Personally, I doubt it will,” he said shaking his head.

  “If its stupid and it works it ain't stupid boss,” Jimmy said.

  Shane nodded and turned to Eddy. “Go get that spotlight. We'll stick it in and crowd this sucker out.”

  “Right boss,” Eddy said going over and picking up a giant flash light. It was really a portable flood light, rigged up by Jesse's crew. They had used their last Gabe party popper yesterday; the alien Hell-Hounds had torn it apart. It sucked; it would take a week to get more.

  After a rather smart Gremlin had started smashing the lights some now sported wire mesh screens on them to protect the now precious lenses. He tested the light and then set up near the rear of the RV. “Ready?” he asked.

  Another guy came running up with the tarp. Shane quietly told them what to do and they set up. At a nod they shaded the opening and then he pointed to Ed. Eddy flipped the light on and they heard an angry squeal. He ducked as a bone came flying out the hole he was standing near.

  “Got a live one,” he said. Mirta grinned as he used his right arm to block another bone. The grin faded when she realized it looked a lot like a child's skull. She looked away and toward the action.

  “Play the light,” Shane ordered, sticking his own flash light into a hole. He played it around the inside of the bay. “Come on... come on...”

  Suddenly there was a whirl of red angry flesh as the Creepling burst out into the shade. He dropped the light into the opening and Eddy pointed the light so it couldn't retreat.

  “Got it,” Jimmy said, forking the Creepling into the dirt. It creeled and hissed, hands clawing at the metal. Despite its size it was a hell of a fight to hold onto the handle of the pitchfork.

  “Got it,” Mirta said, swinging her machete at an angle to cut into the neck under the chin. She grimaced as she caught a vertebra and stopped. She stepped on the blade and felt it grind against bone. The thing wouldn't die though; it was shuddering as it sprayed blue blood. She spat as the bone crunched between vertebra, found the weak spot and cut through.

  “Finally,” Jimmy said as the thing shuddered one last time and then was still. He rested against the handle. “That it?” he asked.

  “Checking,” Eddy said, using an endoscope to look inside.

  “You know where that thing's been right?” Jimmy teased again.

  “Screw you paper boy,” Eddy said as he concentrated. “I think... no we've got two more. In the bay inside the luggage. Just saw the eyes.”

  “Shit,” Shane said shaking his head. He looked around.

  “That won't work again boss,” Jimmy said.

  “Don't bet on it,” Shane snarled. He pulled out a K bar and punched it into the side of the trailer. He heard rustling inside. Eddy was right, they still had customers.

  He sawed the knife through the siding until he had an opening then grinned as claws swiped at him from the now jagged hole. “Not today,” he said dancing back from the grasping hand. He watched as eyes filled the hole and listened to the long hiss. After a moment of staring eye to eye he used the K bar to mirror sunlight at the hole. There was a squeal and the Creepling's eyes were gone.

  “Yeah, you pissed her off boss,” Jimmy said, pulling his pitchfork out and using it to get under the Creepling they had killed to flick it away.

  “We going to stand here forever?” the guy's asked, holding the tarp up. Shane looked at them and pursed his lips.

  “Just be ready to drop it and back away when they come out,” he said. He pulled an M-80 out of his pocket and lit it. “Time to pull out the big toys,” he muttered tossing it into his new hole. “Fire in the hole, lights!” he said.

  “Got it,” Eddy said turning his light on and angling it towards where he saw the aliens. The entire trailer shook as the bomb went off. “Camera, action? Shit boss, someone's still not playing by the script,” he said, playing the light around the bay.

  “Yeah,” Shane sighed. He looked over to where Mirta was wiping her blade off and picking out a hook. “What are you up to?” he asked.

  “Your Hollywood reference got me thinking,” she said hefting the pole. She set the blade down at her feet. “Ever see how they used to pull people off the stage?” she asked.

  “Loony toons,” Jimmy said nodding and grinning. Shane snorted and waved. “By all means,” he said. He watched as she approached the hole, changed directions and then angled the hook inside.

  “Tell me when I'm getting close,” she said.

  Eddy on the other side checked his scope. “Left, left... up a little, turn it... in front of you to your right, no you're other right, move fast...”

  She swung and then pulled when she felt resistance. There was an angry squeal and the hook pole shook her like a rag doll. She stubbornly dug in and pulled. “Come out of there you bitch!” she snarled. They could hear claws skittering on metal as she pulled. Suddenly a Creepling was out in the light. She swung the pole so it was away from the hole and the others and out into sunlight. The Creepling creeled and she watched with grim satisfaction as Jimmy speared it and Shane lopped the head off.

  “That's two,” Eddy said. “One more I think,” he ducked as something came flying out of the hole he was facing. He turned to watch a Creepling trying to glide but it was too close to the ground. Ground effect could only get it so far. Another team saw it and a shot gun blast knocked it from the air before gravity could. A pair of guys ran up and quickly dispatched it.

  “Okay... I need a catchers outfit.”

  “Or a mitt,” Jimmy teased.

  “Whatever,” Eddy said. “Fire in the hole!” he said, tossing a rock inside and then closing the door enough so another Creepling couldn't get out. There was a squeal and the last alien rushed the last opening. It paused in the shade of the tarp confused.

  “Drop it!” Shane said as Jimmy swung. The guys holding the tarp dropped it and stepped back. It fluttered in the light wind and then fell on the alien. Jimmy aimed for the lump and speared it. He stepped on the end, feeling it crunch in.

  “Get in there!” Shane roared, waving as he moved forward. The two guys that had been stepping back stopped and moved forward but Mirta was there ahead of them. She pinned the pole down to keep the animal from struggling and catching Jimmy's ankles and then watched as Shane swung her blade hacking at the thing. Blue blood gushed and it stopped moving.

  “Nice,” she said spitting blood and wiping it from her face. She got back and watched as the guys checked to make sure. You could never be too careful with these things, they could regenerate after all. The only way to make sure was to cut the head off.

  “Clean house,” Eddy said coming around the trailer. “What do we do to keep them out a second time boss?”

  “No idea,” Shane said shaking his head. Someone had left the trailer on the side of the road during the invasion. He rolled his shoulders and looked around to see how the rest of his team was doing.

  “No casualties so far,” Jed said, giving him a thumbs up. Jimmy grimaced.

  “Not quite,” he said, sitting on a bumper and checking his boot. They all had steel toed boots, but his left one was now a torn up mess. Eddy came over and helped him pull it off. “Just a scratch,” Eddy said, looking at the blood. “Medic!” he yelled.

  A medic looked up and came over at a trot. Shane looked at the wound, noted it was minor and turned to Jed and Eddy.

  “How come your firework didn't go off Eddy?” he asked.

  “That's because I didn't throw one,” Eddy said, looking up with a grin. “I threw a rock. These things are smart. I figured it learned enough by what we were doing so I bluffed.”

  “Smart,” Mirta said nodding.

  “Not as good as you I admit. You got two,” Eddy said.

  “With a little help,” Jimmy growled.

  “Its a team effort,” Mirta said uncomfortably, hunching her shoulders.

 
“You did fine. Good job, all of you,” Shane said, glancing at each and then nodding. “I'm still not sure what the hell to do with this thing though.”

  “Use it?”

  “Its a freakin' Winnebago. An old one. Why bother?” Jimmy asked. “Not like we need another, we've got two already and they are modern. This is a piece of shit. Turd on wheels.”

  “We could use it in the wall,” Mirta said hesitantly. They looked at her. “You know, bury it or something. Use it as filler.”

  “Um...”

  “Or cut it up or something. There is a lot of sheet metal there,” she said indicating the thing. They each looked at it for a moment then looked to Shane.

  He looked at Mirta, then the camper and then shrugged. “Okay. We'll do it. We'll flip it on its side or something and fill it with dirt. I'll get Tina's crew to tow it back to base,” he said.

  “Cool,” Jimmy said smiling. “I wanna see the thing get flipped.”

  “Well too bad, you're going to be busy,” Eddy said, smacking the guy on the shoulder. “We've got more work to do.” He nodded to the medic who looked up and gave a thumbs up.

  “Scratches were mostly superficial. Not deep enough or long enough to warrant stitches,” the medic said straightening up into a kneeling stance. “You are fine. I cleaned and dressed them. You'll need a new sock and shoes though,” he said.

  “He's fine, he can drive,” Mirta said waving to the waiting SUV.

  Jimmy gave her a droll look and shook his head. “You're all heart you know that lady?” he growled.

  Eddy smiled. “Beer is on you when we get home remember that,” he said.

  Jimmy opened and closed his mouth and then glared at Eddy. Eddy grinned. “Remember our bet? First one to get hurt buy's the beer?”

  “Shit man its a scratch!” Jimmy protested spreading his hands apart.

  “A bet's a bet,” Eddy said, smiling sweetly.

  “Gotta own up,” the medic chuckled getting to his feet. “If you can find beer right now,” he said.