Taking a deep breath after she managed to calm herself, Sam turned and followed the corrugated metal wall of the building, creeping slowly as her head darted this way and that, looking for any sign of movement. Nearing the corner of the building, something ahead creaked slightly. Though it was likely just part of one of the buildings disturbed by the breeze, or Will and Jack having already made it through the building and exiting the back, Sam was not about to assume anything. Raising her crowbar in one hand, she reached into her pocket with the other.
Flipping the compact open with her thumb, she admired the black and crimson eye shadow before reaching out to use the mirror to peek around the corner. There, in the deepest shadows, just outside the back door, was a man. Or was it a man? It could be any number of alien invaders. She didn’t know how to tell. Lucky for Sam he was looking the opposite direction of her mirror. Jerking her hand back she motioned to Tammy that someone was there, but what could she do? If she screamed now, the man would be right on top of them. If she didn’t then it was likely Jack and Will would run into him any second.
Deciding to go back the way they had come, to put some distance between them and the man before alerting her brothers, Sam began creeping back along the wall of the building once more only to freeze when footsteps sounded from behind them. Spinning, she couldn’t see anything behind them but nearly screamed when someone out of sight began talking. At least it was like talking, only a language she didn’t understand. Though Sam was focused, trying to listen, Tammy began gesturing excitedly, pointing at herself and then back towards the back of the building. Sam realized immediately what it was her friend was trying to tell her. She was telling Sam that those talking behind the building were like her. Her kind. Not that it meant squat. Trust was earned, especially now, not simply given. Sam had no intentions of climbing out of one cage just to get into another.
* * * * *
Will watched as Jack carefully opened the front door of the big metal building and poked his head inside. An instant later he pulled the door open wide and walked in, Will was sure to follow. Inside was dark, with only a few high windows and semi-transparent panels on the roof above that let light filter in. Later in the day it was probably brighter, but for now the building hid in the shadows of the taller silos around it. Looking about, Will could see that it had been some type of a store. There were displays with pictures of animals, and empty pallets strewn about the floor. Across the room was a counter that still held a cash register along with a collection of various bottles and other items. Though the building was like nothing he could ever recall seeing before, it was the smell inside it that really got his attention. Something between the smell of a cow pasture the day after a rain and mildew, the building reeked, causing him to pinch his nose with his free hand.
The further they walked into the building the stronger the smell got and it was so strong that pinching his nose just wasn’t enough. Will could actually taste the stink as they crept slowly through the metal building. Keeping alert for anything that might be useful or any danger, Will noted the silver metal pipes that connected all the charred outlets on the walls and the lights up above. Even here the alien’s weapon had burned up the wiring, but the buildings had managed to remain. Climbing atop a stack of three pallets, Will hopped over a toppled display to finally witness the source of the stench. There, on the floor, lay several huge bags that had split, spilling their contents onto the floor. Though the spilled contents were covered in green and white mold, the labels explained the smell in an instant. Manure. Will pinched his nose harder.
He didn’t know what kind of people bought manure, or who actually collected it to sell it, but he thought they must have been born without noses. The stuff was so putrid, he thought he could actually feel the stink in the air as bile rose in his throat. Stepping away and bumping into Jack, Will nearly retched, hurriedly rushing away from the mound of spilled poop.
Deciding the building was safe, Will tucked his pry bar through his belt loop and pulled his shirt up over his face.
“Let’s take a look at the bottles on the counter and over there in the corner,” Jack whispered, pointing.
Will nodded. No way was he talking and letting more poop air in his mouth. No way. No how. Crossing the room to the corner Jack indicated, Will began sifting through the shelves of animal care supplies looking for anything of use. There were animal nail clippers, bottles for feeding kittens, several different kinds of flea and tick medicine, and a pair of leashes. One labeled for small dogs and one for medium. In the past weeks they had found several reasons to tie things up, like doors, and as such, Will collected both of the leashes and retraced his steps with his nose firmly pinched to join Jack.
His eyes on his older brother, Will followed as Jack motioned him through a door behind the counter. Entering what was probably a storage room, they crept slowly across the nearly empty space. This room too had piles of empty pallets and torn and ruined bags of what was probably once some sort of animal feed, but now everything was gone. Will figured it was probably rats that ate it all. Rats or squirrels. Grandpa had told him squirrels were just rats with fluffy tails to make them pretty cause people didn’t like setting traps for pretty things. It made sense really. Will wouldn’t want a rat in his bed, but a squirrel didn’t seem so bad. He supposed rats and squirrels were kind of like humans and Tammy. Close enough to be in a group together, yet different enough to be treated differently by some people.
With nothing of interest remaining, they made their way to the back of the building quickly. Wanting to be as far away from the stink as possible and able to breathe again without tasting his shirt, Will let Jack pull the door open, but rushed out before him, relieved to take a breath of fresh air.
* * * * *
Tammy heard the yell of surprise, though didn’t recognize the voice. She knew they were supposed to run, but Sam hadn’t moved yet, and she didn’t know what to do. Then another yell came. This time it was words, though it wasn’t English, or even human for that matter. Tammy knew the words. They meant ‘stay back’, and she knew why they were yelled. Jack and Will had exited the building and run into whoever Sam had seen. Tammy found herself in a dilemma. She wanted to run. That was the plan. But she couldn’t make herself do it. She had friends behind her, friends who had run into another of her kind. For all she knew this other person might be the last she would ever see. She didn’t want anything to happen to either party. She had to act, there was no other choice. Turning, Tammy ran back the way she had come towards the rear of the building just as three more figures appeared from amongst the silos. More. There were more. She hoped she hadn’t made the wrong decision.
Racing around the corner well ahead of Sam, she witnessed what could only be described as a standoff. Jack had Will behind his back for protection and was yelling at a man who yelled in return. It was futile, as neither party could understand the other, but Tammy could understand both. Knowing she needed to calm them all down somehow as even more figures appeared from behind the silos, she began to speak as both Jack and the other man stepped towards each other as if to fight.
Tammy again was at a loss. Neither man was paying her any attention, yet others were closing in fast. Looking around she counted at least a dozen others racing towards them as Sam rounded the corner beside her.
“Stay back, we don’t want a fight!” jack was yelling.
“You are not welcome here, go away!” the other man shouted.
With her heart pounding in her chest Tammy began stepping forward to intervene. If she could put herself between Jack and the stranger, maybe both of them would calm down. Neither wanted to fight, but because they couldn’t understand one another that was exactly what they were about to do. Striding forward, confident that it was the right path, Tammy thrust her body between the men yelling in her native language to stop, but the stranger did not heed her words. Instead, he grabbed her by the shoulder and thrust her backwards, into Jack.
Stumbling backwards,
Tammy tried to get her feet beneath her, but instead she somehow managed to trip over her own feet, falling to the ground upon her bottom. It didn’t hurt, and really wasn’t overly aggressive, Tammy supposed. The man had simply not wanted her in his face. Not that it mattered now. All those who had rushed towards them from hiding places unknown were upon them, and Jack showed no intentions of backing down.
Chapter Four
Jack didn’t know what the man was saying. He didn’t even know what he was saying, not really. Everything was happening so quickly it was all a blur. He was scared and angry at the same time. He knew it was his job to keep them safe, but safe meant protecting them. Protecting meant defending, and this time it meant a fight. He was tired of running. Tired of being afraid. As Tammy fell at his feet, he finally snapped, losing his temper, something he couldn’t recall doing since he was little. This time, however, was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Like an ocean of adrenaline was released within him, his headache vanished only to be replaced by something similar to a brain freeze. Balling his fists as he took a step forward, even the strange sensation in his head relented and the world seemed clearer than it had ever been before.
Like time had slowed, Jack witnessed everything in perfect detail as the man’s comrades grew steadily nearer as if in slow motion. His heart pounded in his ears, a steady rhythm that seemed to make his thoughts more clear. Breathing seemed to take minutes and every breath felt like a thousand. Reaching out to protect those he loved, Jack pressed his hands to the chest of the man who had shoved Tammy and let his anger loose with a shove of his own. In that instant two things happened almost instantaneously as the man flew backwards with unbelievable force and Jack felt the world shift around him as his legs collapsed beneath him.
His vision clearing, he watched the man land some thirty feet away in a heap of flailing limbs. The man’s companions rushed both towards Jack and towards the man. In seconds they would be upon him, likely beating him to a pulp. Jack wasn’t worried though. He was confused. Things weren’t making sense.
On the likely attackers came as Jack rose to his knees, trying to get back on his feet, but his legs wouldn’t comply. With his head swimming from the effort, he collapsed again, taking his head in his hands as the headache returned with a vengeance. Closing his eyes against the pain, he was surprised that it faded to a high degree with them closed. He could hear them coming, their footfalls coming nearer. His brief display of defiance, no matter how unusual, was over.
“Don’t come any closer!” Jack heard Will shout.
Opening his eyes, he witnessed his little brother placing himself between him and the oncoming companions of the man he had shoved. Swinging his small tire iron, Will brandished the thing like a sword and much to Jack’s surprise, every single member of the opposing group came to an abrupt halt, their eyes on Will as if he were the magnificent warrior he thought himself to be.
After a moment, seemingly decided that they could better the small boy with little effort, the men began moving again.
“Don’t you come any closer,” Will shouted again as Sam rushed up to join him. “I’ll go for the knees, I swear I will.”
The men froze again, the confusion on their faces a direct reflection of Jack’s own. Though his head was pounding and the world threatened to be yanked out from beneath him, Jack knew that something here was not as it seemed. Something was wrong. His gut feeling had been right all along. He should have just driven them away. Jack’s vision went black as he collapsed to the ground on his face with a sudden exhale of air.
* * * * *
Sam was about two seconds away from a panic attack. Her head was pounding, Jack had passed out, her seven year old brother was defending them with a tire iron, and Tammy was shouting in gibberish. Not only that, but the men who had charged towards them to defend the man Jack fought, all froze in their tracks like they were afraid of Will. It wasn’t until then that she saw their feet. None of them wore shoes, and like Tammy, their big toe was jointed more like a thumb than a toe. Now things were making more sense as Tammy continued to speak hurriedly in whatever language it was that she spoke to the amassing group of would-be attackers. Looking around, trying to get a feel for the situation, Sam watched as the man Jack had shoved was helped to his feet and assisted to return to the fray. Crouching momentarily, she noted Jack actually snoring slightly. He was fine.
Feeling helpless, Sam did the only thing she could do. She waited and watched things play out. For many minutes Tammy shouted seemingly at everyone until one of the men spoke up, pointing first at Jack and then Will. It appeared they argued amongst themselves then for several minutes until the injured alien man returned and began adding his own gibberish to the conversation. Things appeared to get heated, and Sam watched on nervously. Then the man who had done the pointing turned his silvery eyes on Sam and pointed at her as well, shrugging his shoulders, before turning back to Tammy.
One second it was seemingly pandemonium and the next was crazier yet. Like someone had skipped ahead a track on a DVD, and a vital part of the story was missed, more than half of the would be attackers sank to their knees, pressing their heads to the ground as if in prayer, except all of them faced towards her. And Jack. And Will. Samantha felt sick to her stomach. She needed answers.
“Tammy?”
“Yes?”
“What the bloody heck is going on here?”
“A… mistake.”
“What kind of mistake?” Sam asked.
“A religious one?”
“Yeah, I can see that. Why?”
“It is a… misunderstanding.”
“I’m assuming we have a moment. Care to explain?”
Tammy’s answers were just as bad as the situation. Sure, she had just barely learned how to talk, but it was no excuse for being vague.
“They think you aw… Are the Starrr Children.”
“The huh?” Sam asked.
There was a delay in their conversation as the men Tammy had been arguing with seemed to have questions of their own, but after Tammy responded to them, she again turned back to Sam.
“It’s a storrry of our religion. A prophecy. It tells of thrrree children with abilities who come from the starrrs to save our race from extinction.”
“I see. Have you told them they are crazy?”
“I tried.”
Sam couldn’t believe her ears. They were like a crazy cult of aliens. Religious prophesies? Really? Could they be serious? Looking about, she already knew the answer. Most of those gathered still held their heads to the ground as if they had become permanently affixed. Others, obviously skeptical and apparently more intelligent, stood by, wary looks on their faces. Though she figured she would regret it, Sam simply couldn’t help herself.
“Why do they think we are Star Children?”
“The man Jack shoved said Jack’s hands never touched him. He was cast into the air as if by angels. The other men say that when Will speaks, they cannot move, as if held in place by angels.”
Yup. She regretted it. Lunatics, the whole lot of them. Sam shook her head. There was no stopping now. She might as well indulge Will, who was smiling like a wolf standing in a flock of sheep.
“Go ahead, Tammy. Lay it on me.”
Sam waited a moment as Tammy apparently organized her thoughts, or sought the right words. She knew it was all bogus. They obviously couldn’t be star people, they were the ones who lived here. If anything, the crazies surrounding them were the star people. In any case, Sam would indulge the whole lot of them if it meant they might be able to leave unharmed. Not like she had any other real options.
“The prophecy tells of three star children from far away who come to save our people. They have abilities unlike our people, and use them to save us from a dark future. One is telekinetic,” she said, pointing towards Jack’s still form. “The second is telepathic,” she added, motioning towards Will. “The third can teleport,” she finished, nodding towards Sam.
“Telek
inetic means that you can move stuff with your mind, right? And telepathic means to read minds?” Sam asked.
“In this case, telepathic means control minds.”
“And teleport means like move from one place to another?”
“Instantaneously. Yes.”
“And that doesn’t sound crazy to you?” Sam asked.
“Yes and no,” Tammy replied
Sam had the distinct feeling she hadn’t heard all that was to be said, though judging by the look on Will’s face, he was buying into the whole thing, hook, line, and sinker.
* * * * *
Will couldn’t believe it! A super power? Seriously? And mind control at that? He was like the leader of the mutants in his comics. All the possibilities were endless, but he knew he couldn’t be selfish. Not yet at least. With Jack out of commission, it was up to him to keep Sam and Tammy safe. Raising his hands he put his fingers to his temples and focused as hard as he could, silently commanding the men to clear a path for them to escape. Nothing happened. They still knelt on the ground with their faces in the dirt.
Trying another approach, Will pointed at one of them men and tried to tell him telepathically to sit up. Straining so hard his belly and head began to hurt, he gave up when the man failed to comply. Something wasn’t working. Maybe Sam was right. But then it struck him.
Children of the After: The Complete Series Page 27