by Paul Moxham
“We passed through a bunch of towns that were empty of people,” Kenneth said, a thin smile appearing.
“No, I mean it’s a ghost town. As in, ghosts live there.” The lieutenant darted his eyes around and dropped his voice to a whisper. “The townsfolk fled the place about a week ago. Said they saw strange lights and heard strange noises.”
“Well, we’re going there anyway. We’re looking for someone who lives there,” Molly said. “We need to ask him if he knows where our parents are.”
“Well, there’s a group of people over by the relief center who came from Boise. Maybe the person you're looking for is there,” the lieutenant said.
“But there are thousands of people over there!” Derek cried out. “Can you help us?”
The lieutenant hesitated. “It wouldn’t matter. I’d have the same chance of finding your friend as you. Granted, most people register when they get here and put down their names and addresses, but the size of the compound is so large they could be anywhere. We’ve also had a huge influx of people from California.”
Kenneth sighed. “I guess we’ll just have to go to Boise then.”
“Well, I could help you there,” the lieutenant said. “I’m taking a convoy up north to check on things and we’ll actually pass close to Boise on the way, though we’ll be going a different way back.”
“Great! We’ll go with you,” Molly said, smiling for the first time in a while.
“But how will we get back?” Kenneth asked, turning to Molly.
Derek clutched his sister’s hand. “I’m sure we’ll find a way. Anyway, you don’t have to go with us.” He ran both hands through his dirty hair. “Is it all right if just me and my sister come?”
“I suppose so,” the lieutenant replied.
Kenneth threw up his hands. “Okay, I’ll come. After all, you’ll need someone to protect you.” He slapped the lieutenant's Kevlar-clad shoulder. “Our backpacks are still in the truck. Will you be using that one or another one?”
“Let’s go see.” Lieutenant Davidson led the way back to the trucks. Reaching them, he saw that the backpacks had been thrown off the vehicle.
Kenneth saw that soldiers were in the process of filling the truck with crates and assumed it was them who had tossed the packs on the ground.
As Lieutenant Davidson had a word with one of the men, Kenneth tossed a backpack to Derek.
Suddenly, one of the men dropped a crate from the back of the cargo bed. It struck the ground hard and part of the top slid off. Kenneth bent down to help the man with the crate but paused in astonishment.
The entire crate was filled with assault rifles. Not the cheap civilian knockoffs they’d made do with so far or even military ones. These were clearly extraterrestrial.
The man shoved Kenneth aside and, with the help of another man, carried the open crate into the truck.
At that moment, the lieutenant rejoined them. “I’m sorry, but it seems like the convoy isn’t going ahead as planned. Something came up.”
“Is that why you’re loading those crates?”
“You know I can’t discuss operational details with civilians.”
“But how are we going to get to Boise then?” Molly whined.
“I don’t know. Look, I’m truly sorry, but you’ll need to leave this area.” The lieutenant escorted them to the entrance of the military compound. Standing by the checkpoint, he dipped his hat at the teens. “I hope you find your parents.”
Without another word, he spun on his heels and marched away.
Kenneth walked past the checkpoint. To his right was the main entrance to the relief center. A large tent had been set up, with signs indicating where to register. Thousands of people milled around. “So, shall we go in and register?”
“We could get some water first,” Derek suggested. “I’m thirsty.”
The three of them joined the throng of people and were soon lost in the crowd. They had to join hands to avoid becoming separated.
They finally spotted the drink tent, but the line was so long that Derek didn’t feel like waiting. It was clear to Kenneth as they made their way to the side of the field that doing anything here would take a long time.
Though the field next to where he was standing looked like a tent city, it was clear that at least half the population would be sleeping under the stars.
Even finding a place to sit took a while. Staring at his watch, Kenneth discovered it was nearly noon. Thinking back to the crate of guns, he wagged his finger at the teens. “Did you see what was inside the crate that fell on the ground?”
Derek shook his head. “I only remember the soldier pushing you aside. Why? What was in it?”
“The same weapon that the Seods are using,” Kenneth said.
Molly and Derek were shocked. They shared a disbelieving glance.
Derek was the first to speak. “Are you sure?”
Kenneth scratched at his jaw stubble. “The crate was also filled with straw, probably so the weapons don’t get damaged while being transported, but those were definitely silencers packed in there. I’ve seen too many of those damn things up close.”
“The military could have developed something that looked like a laser gun,” Molly suggested.
Kenneth shook his head. “No, not unless they knew that silencers existed a year or so ago. Which, I guess, is possible if the Seods do have a base on Earth—”
“George was pulling our leg,” Derek interrupted. “There’s no such thing as a base on Earth.”
“Then how did they get those silencers?” Kenneth asked. “I know I only saw inside one crate, but if all those other crates contain the same amount of silencers, then the army must be putting together a big operation.”
“They’re not losing any time either,” Molly said as she pointed at the military compound.
Kenneth gazed in that direction and saw she was right. A convoy of jeeps and trucks were heading out. “Well, whatever it is, the Seods are sure going to be in for a surprise when they come against those men.”
Molly stood up. “I say we hitchhike to Boise.”
“Hitchhike? But it’s a few hundred miles!” Kenneth said.
Derek also stood up. “Maybe so, but it looks like the only way. I told you we wouldn’t stop until we found our parents. Nothing’s changed.”
The teens strutted away. Kenneth hesitated for a moment as a million worries raced through his head. Then, slinging the backpack onto his back, he hurried after the others. “Hold on, you two. I’m coming.”
Chapter 5
Fortunately, Kenneth and the teens only had to hike for ten minutes before hitching a ride with some kind gentleman heading north to search for his niece.
They chatted with him for a while before they chanced taking a rest. Some time later, they were woken by the man. They had arrived.
The three climbed out of the vehicle, grabbed their backpacks, and explored the outskirts of Boise. It was just like the lieutenant had said—deserted. Nothing moved, not even an animal.
Everything was still and silent, just like a ghost town. Walking down one of the main streets, they saw that someone had come along and broken into every last shop. Everything had been picked clean, even in the arts and crafts stores. Broken glass lay scattered on the sidewalk, while piles of garbage littered the side streets.
“We’ll never find your friend at this rate,” Kenneth said as he searched around. “We need to get around faster.”
“Hey! What about those bicycles? It won’t be as fast as driving a car, but since that isn’t an option, it’s probably the next best thing,” Derek said.
“I wonder why there’s so many,” Molly said.
Kenneth surveyed the side of the road where at least fifty bicycles lay. He went over to them and propped one up. “It seems to work okay.”
“Maybe there was some kind of bike race going on when the invasion occurred,” Derek said.
“That’s a good theory,” Kenneth said. “Either way, they�
�re here, so let’s see if we can find three that are the right size for us.”
Five minutes later, they each found one that fit them quite well. They pedaled down the street.
“So, do you have any idea where this man lives?” Kenneth asked as they passed a sign for the town zoo.
“I think he was close to a golf course,” Molly said.
Kenneth braked. They were now in the center of town, certainly not where a golf course would be. “Well, where is that?”
“I didn’t see a golf course on the way into town,” Derek said, “so I say we continue east. I seem to remember that the place was near the mountains, so it will be on this side of the river.”
Kenneth rolled his eyes. “Well, that narrows it down. But I guess it will have to do.”
They made steady progress as they cycled through town. A while later, Kenneth pointed to a sign indicating that the Warm Springs Golf Course was just up ahead. “Look!”
They continued riding along the road until they reached the entrance. Kenneth stopped beside the clubhouse. He chuckled at the long grass on the fairways. “Imagine playing in those conditions. You’d lose a ton of balls.”
“Hey! I remember this course.” Derek turned to Molly. “Isn’t this the one they played on the last time we came here?”
Molly shrugged. “It could be.”
“I’m pretty sure it only took a few minutes to get here.” Derek closed his eyes in thought. “And I don’t think we went through town to get here, so it must be the other way.” He opened his eyes and looked in the direction they hadn’t ridden through. “Can you hand me the binoculars?”
Kenneth got them out of his backpack and the teen gazed through them. Craning his neck right, he saw the river. To the left sat a ton of houses built against the mountainside.
Most were two stories tall and one even had a massive barn next to it. Derek chewed the inside of his lip. The barn seemed so familiar. He waved at the others. “There’s a house up there with a barn. I think that’s the place.”
“Let me see.” Taking the binoculars, Molly smiled as she studied the place. “Yes, that’s the one. I forgot about that barn, but now it’s all coming back to me.”
Kenneth was next to study the building. It was on a slight slope and closest to the mountain range. A steep driveway led to the two-story house. It seemed very fancy. “Let’s see if he’s home.”
Hanging the binoculars around his neck, Kenneth climbed back onto his bicycle and pedaled away.
Even though the road started to climb as it neared the slopes, the three of them didn’t slow down. So close to their destination, they were running on pure adrenaline.
Kenneth braked hard at the bottom of the steep driveway. He climbed off his bike and tossed it onto the grass. He did the same with his backpack and the teens followed suit.
Kenneth looked through the binoculars at the house once more. No one was in sight. He did a three-sixty sweep of the area and still didn’t see or hear anyone. Turning back toward the house, he halted. Was it his imagination, or was that a face peering through one of the upper-story windows? He frowned and checked again, but the face was gone.
Derek tensed. “What’s wrong?”
“Just thought I saw someone by one of the windows,” Kenneth said.
“Why is that a bad thing?” Molly stepped closer. “Now we can find out if he knows what happened to our parents.”
She started to bolt up the driveway but Kenneth grabbed her arm. “Just stop for a moment.”
“What? Why?”
Kenneth reached into the backpack and pulled out the only weapon they had. After checking that the pistol was loaded, he put it into his pocket. “I want you and Derek to wait here.”
“Why?” Derek asked.
“I want to check the place out first,” Kenneth said. “There’s something about that face that’s troubling me.” He looked around. “Besides, why is your friend the only one here? If everyone left, why didn’t he?”
“But he might not open the door if he sees you,” Derek said. “After all, he doesn’t know you.”
Kenneth hesitated. “You’re right. Well, come with me then.”
“What about me?” Molly asked.
“You stay here,” Kenneth replied. “When I wave, you can come up. But if we turn and hurry back, get on your bicycle and start riding away. Got it?”
“Okay,” Molly said, sulking, and kicked the grass in annoyance.
As she sat down, Kenneth and Derek went up the driveway. With every footstep, Kenneth was alert. He studied each window in turn but didn’t notice any movement.
“So, what’s this guy’s name?” Kenneth asked. “And what does he look like?”
“His name’s Mike. He’s a short guy with blond hair.”
Kenneth crouched by the garage. He didn’t see a vehicle, so he prowled over to the door and rapped on it. A minute passed without incident. Then two minutes.
Derek looked at Kenneth. “Are you sure you saw a face?”
“Sure as I am of anything at this point.” He stepped away from the door and peered up at the windows on the second floor. As he studied them, a head appeared. “Hey, Mike! Is that you?”
The face in the window stayed still, the piercing blue eyes staring at Kenneth. It wasn’t until Derek also yelled up that he disappeared from sight.
The two waited for the man to open the door. Two minutes later, he did just that, but only a tad. “What do you want?”
Derek smiled at the man. “It’s me, Derek Richardson.”
The man frowned. “Do I know you?”
Derek explained. “My parents, Donald and Mary Richardson, were going to meet up with you three weeks ago.”
The man smiled. “Of course. How could I forget?” The man opened the door wider and stepped outside. As he closed it behind him and moved toward the two of them, Kenneth studied him.
He was roughly five foot one, with blond hair, blue eyes, and an athletic build. Derek had told him that Mike was a plumber, but Kenneth thought Mike could have easily gotten a job as a model.
Mike smiled at the teen. “So, what brings you to Boise?”
“I’m trying to find my parents. Have you seen them?” Derek asked eagerly.
Mike shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t. Last time I saw them was just after your fifteenth birthday.”
“So they haven’t contacted you in the last few weeks?” Kenneth asked.
Mike eyed Kenneth warily. “Who are you?”
“I’m Kenneth. I’m trying to help Derek and Molly. We were at the military compound and they didn’t have a clue, so we came here.” He put out his hand, but the man didn’t take it.
“I’m sorry about Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, but I don’t know where they are. Now, if there isn’t anything else …” He sniffed as a figure raced up the driveway. “Is she with you?”
Kenneth looked back and saw Molly hurrying up the driveway. “Yes, she’s Derek’s sister.”
“Ah, I see.” Mike quickly took his hand out of his pocket. “I have something cooking on the stove, so if that’s all, I better get going.” He headed inside just as Molly reached the others.
Puffing and panting, Molly stared at the door that had just closed. “Wasn’t that Mike?”
Derek nodded.
“Then why is he going inside? Did he already tell you about Mom and Dad?”
Kenneth put a hand on Molly’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to say he hasn’t seen or heard from them in some time.”
Molly looked at Derek anxiously. “Is that true?”
Derek shrugged. “That’s what he said.”
“We tried our best,” Kenneth said, trying to comfort her.
Molly removed Kenneth’s hand from her shoulder. “We didn’t go to the national park yet.”
“Yellowstone?” Kenneth asked
“Of course.” Molly looked at her brother. “Didn’t they say they were staying in the closest town by the north entrance to the park?”
<
br /> Derek thought. “Ah, yes, I think so.”
“So that’s where we’ll look next,” Molly said.
Kenneth stared at Molly. “Sooner or later you might have to accept the truth that—”
“They’re dead?” Molly interrupted, looking defiantly back at Kenneth. “Is that what you were going to say?”
Kenneth hesitated, but since he wasn’t one to mince words, he told Molly how he felt. “Yes. It’s been three weeks, which is an awfully long time.” He threw his hands up at Derek. “Tell her it’s crazy going to Yellowstone just because that’s where they were staying at one point!”
Derek glanced at his sister. Seeing the hurt and desperation in her eyes, he pleaded with Kenneth, “It might be crazy, and it might only be a slim chance, but it’s all we have.” He walked over to Molly and put an arm around her.
Kenneth stared up at the sky as though searching for the right words. “Sooner or later you’ll have to move on.”
“What about your parents?” Molly asked.
Kenneth frowned. “What?”
“Don’t you love them?” Molly said.
“I’ll always love them,” Kenneth replied.
“Then can’t you see we’re just like you?” Molly said.
Kenneth didn’t speak as he ran away and plopped down on a patch of grass. The teens shared something between them before they came over.
Molly edged in beside him. “I won’t feel like I’m living a normal life unless I have my parents beside me. I’m just trying to get them back. Can’t you see?”
Kenneth wasn’t one to get emotional often, but he was close to tears as he spoke. “Molly, believe me when I tell you this.” He cut his eyes to Derek. “And this goes for you as well.” He hesitated and then took a deep breath to calm himself. “When will enough be enough?”
The teens shared a glance before Molly spoke. “Once we find our parents. And if they’re not alive, then at least we’ll know.”
Kenneth pointed at Derek. “Is that what you also think?”
Derek squared his shoulders without hesitation. “Now that our grandmother’s dead, it’s just them and us.”
Kenneth shook his head in annoyance. He stood up and paced back and forth. “Why can’t you get it through your heads that you might not ever find them?”