Secrets Beyond the Moon: Strangers from the sky

by NB Blackbell

  Minutes after arriving back at the hideout, they walked into the warehouse. Jasper wished for a moment she could blink and suddenly be home. I wish, she thought to herself. She smiled at the people as she sauntered by them. Mike came towards them. "Great, you're back. I was just on with John again, and I told him where you were. We discussed how long it would be before you all would be hitting the road. They really need you back as soon as possible. I told him that my people will prepare for you to leave right away. The women are packing you some food and water." Rick cleared his throat. "I'm going with them, Mike. I'm going to bring Carla with me. She's the only family I have left."

  Mike looked concerned but shook his head. "Okay, John is training a few people to come down here and help us. You will be missed." They turned and walked towards the office. "So, how was the search?" asked Mike. Jasper hurried to catch up to them. "It was good. I'm not sure if we found anything to stop the aliens, but once we go through it, you never know. Perhaps it will help us all towards putting an end to them." When they sat down at the table, Mike pushed his glasses up onto his nose. "Let's hope that's what happens. I look forward to hearing from your people and having them come down to help us. I had one of my guys grab extra flashlights for you, in case you need them. I wish that we had met in better circumstances, but I suggest you all hit the road soon." Rick got up. "I'm going to get my stuff and tell Carla what's happening. I'll meet you out by the van. I promise I'll be a big help, Guys." Jake stood up and reached out to shake Mike's hand. "Thank you for being so accommodating. If there's a way to put an end to all of this, I'm sure, as a team, we'll all figure it out and send these bastards back home where they belong."

  They packed the van with their belongings and findings and prepared for the trip home. Jake decided he would drive first. Jasper climbed into the passenger seat. "It's such a long drive home. I've decided I'm not a fan of road tips." Jake's forehead wrinkled as he looked at her. "This is not a road trip. You need to go on a real road trip. Open the windows, turn up the tunes and make it fun every step of the way. This trip was a straight there and straight back trip. It put us in danger. It's not like we have a choice about anything. So, this wasn't fun for any of us, and definitely not a road trip."

  Jasper peered out at the moon, "It's almost full. Tomorrow night it'll fill the sky with light. It's too bad we couldn't put it on pause, I really miss the sun. This will be the most light we'll have in the sky for a bit. Why do you think they have no sun in this world?" Jake shrugged. "I would assume it's because its light is from the fire of the sun. The light it lets off makes it hard for them to see well. Just like the green fog helps them see better. Didn't you notice that the light in the ship was green?" She thought about it for a second. "Yes, it was. I never gave it much thought. I wish there were a way to switch it to benefit us. You know, turn it red. I can't imagine there's a way to do that, though." Jake shook his head slightly. "I don't think so, but keep it in mind. You just never know with everything going on. I've seen so many weird things happen. I'm over being shocked." Jasper nodded. "I agree. That ship was huge. We could live in it. There's just that much room. I really hope the stuff we found helps us fight them. I would give anything to go home."

  Nick leaned forward and peered up into the front of the van. "Anyone want some water?" Jasper looked back at him and took one for herself and for Jake. "Thanks." Nick grinned, "No problem. Let me know when you need me to drive." Jasper lifted the bottle up to her mouth and took a drink. "Nick healed himself today. Wouldn't it be amazing if he could heal others? It's an amazing gift to have. Billy suddenly has amazing strength. He opened the hatch to the ship, and inside, he opened the massive drawer. He didn't even struggle to open it. I thought that was impressive." Jake glanced over at her. "It's absolutely awesome. Mine is odd. I have this perfect picture of everything painted in my head. Every detail is there when I need it. I have never felt this smart. I wonder if when we go back to our world, whether we'll still have these gifts; if we get back to our world, that is." Jasper frowned, "You can't think like that. Of course, we'll get back to our world. Perhaps it's time to start looking at this situation differently instead of seeing it as an end to our world. We can begin looking at it day by day and concentrate on the missions at hand. We have forty-four hours till we get to LA. Wow, it's a long drive." Jake smiled. "Yes, it is. Nick, can you drive for a while?" Jake pulled over to the side of the road so that he and Nick could trade spots. "I'm going to get a few hours of sleep."

  They drove for a few hours, talking about what life used to be like and what they missed the most. Jasper sat with her back, leaning against the window. "It sounds like we have a lot in common. How come we never ran into each other before?" Nick shrugged. "I don't know… maybe we just kept missing each other." Jasper smiled. "Well, at least we know each other now, and I'm glad we do." She turned around and looked out the window. "I miss my puppy." Jasper sat up straight and asked, "What's that smell?" The air smelled burnt like something was burning. Just as she looked over at Nick, the van came to a stop. Nick's eyes got big. "What the hell!" He leaned forward and saw smoke as it poured out of the hood of the van. Nick slammed his hands down onto the steering wheel. "Damn it! What are we supposed to do now! Any of you know how to fix a broken-down vehicle?"

  Nick jumped out and opened the hood. Smoke fumed out, nearly choking them before they could get out of the way. Jake cleared his throat. "It smells horrible, almost as if the oil has dried up… might be that the van has seized up due to lack of oil. If that's the case, we won't be able to get it going again." He looked at Jasper. Do you think using the powers of your mind you can fix this?" She shook her head. "I don't know. I can try." She shut her eyes and hoped with all her heart, the van would work. It felt different this time, though. She opened her eyes. "I don't think so." The six of them stood back, looking at the van. "What do we do now?" Jasper asked as she leaned against the vehicle. Nick opened the van door and started to hand the others their bags; "We'll walk guys till we find a new way home. We are forty-one hours from LA, a lot more walking. We don't have time to waste, though. Let's get going."

  Jasper walked next to Nick. She was deep in thought as he reached down and took her hand. "You all right? You look like you're lost in thought." She glanced over at him. "Yeah, I'm good. I just think it's a long way home. There has to be a better way to get there. I have no idea what my limits are when it comes to using my mind to make things happen. I've tried to wish for another red van but no such luck. It seems what I wish for has to be held by my own two hands. I definitely can't hold a van. So, I'm not sure what would help. Any idea?" Nick shook his head. "No, but perhaps we should find a place to camp out for the night. We've been walking for over an hour, and I would like to make sure we're heading in the right direction, at least." They came upon an underpass. "This will work," said Jasper. "We can stay out of sight much better, not that there's much out here with us." They found a place to sit. Rick pulled out the map and traced their steps.

  "We're heading in the right direction. We still have a long way to go." Billy glanced over at Jasper. "So, how about some food?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her. She started to laugh,” Okay. Let's see what I can do about that." She closed her eyes and thought about being hungry. 'Hmm,' she thought, burgers would be incredible right about now. Her nose filled with the aroma of beef covered in melted cheese. That's it! She thought as she opened her eyes slowly. Everyone's eyes widened as they reached for something to eat, Billy grinned. "Thanks, Jasper."

  After the burgers were gone, Jake gazed at the group and asked. "Any idea on how we're getting home?" Billy sighed. "We could get a different car." Jasper piped up. "It has to be red and hold six of us." Carla and Rick sat firmly, both wearing gas masks to protect them from the toxic gas. Jasper took a deep breath. "We have to find one soon too so we can get these two off the streets. Carla, is your sister's daughter?" Rick nodded. "Yes, she's been with me since my sister died a few years back. Not that she needs to stay with me,
she's twenty-two, but we're family, and family sticks together." "Did your sister go missing?" Jasper asked Rick nodded. "Yup, one day she was just gone. I wonder if the aliens got her. I really don't know, but I hope she's still alive. I don't want to get my hopes up, just to have them crushed again."Jasper leaned against Nick. "I think all we have left is hope. I don't care how many times it gets crushed; we need to set it back up and keep on going. That's the only way we're getting out of this alive. I'm going home after all this is over."

  Nick leaned his head against hers. "I like your positivity." As Jake sat looking out at the moon, a voice spoke to him through his head. It was from Christie. Jake, are you there? Mommy wants to know you're okay. Jake smiled to himself. He answered her in his head. I'm all right, we're on our way home. We have a complication, though. Tell your mommy our van broke down but not to worry. It'll just take us longer to get there. Oh, and tell your mom I love her. Okay? Christie, are you there? Moments later, she answered, Okay, I'll tell Mommy what you said. Make sure you guys are safe, okay? We'll see you soon. Jake looked at Jasper.

  "I just heard from Isabel." Jasper's eyes widened. "How?" He smiled, "By Christie. They wanted to know if we were okay. I told her what happened, but that we were safe, that way, they won't worry about us." Billy interrupted them. "So, what's the little girl's superpower?" Jasper responded, "She can tell if someone is a part-alien. Plus, I think I remember her telling me she can detect others around by their heartbeats. I'm not sure how that works. I'll have to ask her again once we get home. I can't believe I have a niece. It's just hitting me now. Isabel must've been in such a shock to find out she had a child after all this time. I just can't imagine. Life is different now, and I have to wonder how this will affect us all once we get our world back." Billy leaned back against the side of the underpass. "Well, if we get home, I'm going to put my man strength to work for me and see if I can make some real money." Jasper shook her head, "Oh, Billy, you're something else. I meant how much of our world will be there and what will people remember about all of it. I even have to wonder how many people will get to return and live a life like they used to." Jake leaned back with his arms folded behind his head. "That's a good question. I guess we'll have to see when that happens. My worry is how they will perceive half-aliens once this is over. I don't think I'll be telling anyone about it; well, not anyone I don't trust, that is. I definitely won't ever look at the moon again the same. In fact, I'll always wonder if the sun will bother to rise again in the morning." Jasper looked up at Nick. "We need to find another van. I don't want to be out here, wondering how long it'll be before we run into them." Nick pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. "Don't worry. We'll figure out how to get home. We should start walking again and see if we can find another vehicle. At this pace, we'll never make it home." They all got up and gathered their stuff. Jasper looked up at the moonlighting the sky. "At least it's bright tonight. Perhaps it'll show us the way. If we find another van, does anyone know how to hot wire it? I've only seen it done in the movies, and I'm pretty sure they didn't really do it." Jake gazed back at her. "You're probably right. We'll figure it out then.

  Meanwhile, let's just walk. It's quiet out here, which gives us a chance to think. If we're lucky, one of us may come up with some excellent ideas that will benefit us all." Jasper laughed and continued walking.

  Chapter Fourteen

  After walking for about six hours, the group came upon a town. Jasper got excited and roared, "Look! We actually made it somewhere. Maybe we'll find a car here or at least a bed to get some sleep. We're so far away from home right now. I really just need a little hope." The town was small. It looked like it held about ten thousand people. It wasn't huge, so there was hope that it wasn't monitored like the bigger cities. As they walked down the sidewalk towards the centre of the town, Jasper glanced around frantically. "Can you hear that? I can hear the stupid hovercrafts from here. How far away do you think they are?" Nick paused. "They sound like they're getting closer. We're wearing red, though, so we should be okay. Right?" Jake frowned as if in doubt, "Yes, that's right. I still get uncomfortable every time they come near us."

  All of a sudden, Jasper got a sharp pain right behind her eye. She grabbed her face and blurted, "Oh my God, that hurt. Felt like I got jabbed in the eye." She took a seat on a nearby bench and laid her face in her hands. Nick shook his head and looked over at Jake. "I hope that isn't a migraine. Those things are nasty." Jasper heard a buzzing in her head and then a voice. We know you are there. What the hell! Jasper thought to herself. She stood up and looked around. The voice continued, I can feel the half-alien in you, and I will find you. You were bred for us, not for them. You're supposed to fight for us, not against us. Now you'll die instead. Jasper's eyes widened as she asked, Who are you, and why can I hear you?

  A hovercraft came zooming across the sky. The hum grew louder as it approached the six. The group froze in hopes that they wouldn't be spotted, but the craft started to shoot at Jasper, hitting her in the side; then turning and aiming for the rest. The bullet tore her open, and she began to bleed. Nick grabbed hold of her, then ran towards an old garbage bin. He placed her body down behind it and held his hand over the bullet wound, hoping to heal it. "Come on," he said. "I know I can do this. Don't you take her from me now, I only just found her." His eyes filled with tears as he continued trying to close her wound. Jake and the others flew across the parking lot and hid behind an old truck. They could see Nick from a distance trying to help Jasper. Jake whispered in his head, Is she okay, Nick? Nick didn't answer him, he was too busy and too upset to reply. The hovercraft circled for a bit then continued on. The hum got further and further away from them. Nick picked up Jasper and motioned for the others to follow. "We need to find better shelter. Perhaps one of these houses will be open, and we can hide out there for a bit."

  Jake ran alongside Nick. "Is she's going to be okay?" Nick gazed over at him, "I'm not sure yet. I tried to heal her, but I'm not sure if I can even do that or not. We'll know more once we get inside." Jake opened the door of a big white house while the group piled in. Nick laid Jasper on the couch. "Jasper, stay with us, stay with me," Nick uttered as he touched her wound with his hand. He closed his eyes, silent tears filled his eyes. "Please heal her, I don't want to lose her." He opened his eyes and looked at her lifeless body as she lay there, not breathing. Suddenly, she gasped for air. Nick's eyes widened as he grabbed her hand. "Jasper, are you all right?" He reached down and noticed that her wound was healing, "Oh, thank goodness. He leaned forward to hug her but kissed her instead. His lips lightly touching hers, he whispered, I thought I lost you for a second." Jasper pulled herself up to a sitting position.

  "They spoke to me." Jake crouched down and wrinkled up his forehead. "The aliens?" She looked at Jake and replied, "Yes. They said they knew I was half-alien, and that I was bred for them. I'm supposed to be fighting for them, and if I choose not to, then I will die like the rest of them. He spotted me because I answered him. That's how he was able to shoot me even though I was wearing red." Nick paused. "But how did he know you were around to start with?" That question stumped them all.

  They looked around the house. It was very inviting. Jasper stood up, and breaking the silence, said, "We should take shelter here even if it's just for the night. I think we need to know the answer to that question before we go home. I don't want to put anyone in danger." She lifted up her shirt to look at where the bullets had hit her. "Wow! It's as if I never got shot." She gazed at Nick. "Thank you, I think I'd be dead if you hadn't saved me." Nick grinned. "Well, we can't have that, can we? I'm going to explore the kitchen. Why don't you see if you can find some clothes not covered in blood?"

  Jasper smirked, "Good idea." She headed up the stairs and towards one of the rooms. The others went in their own direction in search of some kind of comfort. Jasper entered the first room. As she looked around, she noticed paintings on the wall. They reminded her of travelling, something Jasper had always wanted
to do. She hadn't had the chance to travel yet. She stopped in front of one painting. The painting was of a small street in Italy. It held such detail she almost felt as if she was there. I wish, she thought to herself. She walked over to the closet and opened it. It was filled with women's clothes. Jackpot! She thought. She grabbed a shirt out of the pile, Oh, wait. I better grab something red. She searched through the clothes till she found a red outfit then walked towards the bathroom. After getting cleaned up and putting on a new shirt, she headed back downstairs. Jake was sprawled out on the couch, Billy in the chair, and Rick and Carla were over in the corner talking. She went straight to the kitchen. "Nick, did you find anything to eat?" Nick stood at the counter, "Not really. Everything has gone bad. That's what happens without power." She shook her head, "Yeah. Well, at least I can get some food."