Chapter 6
The Moon
19
Stunned and silent they made their way home, Ariel and Wyatt’s home anyway. Forrest’s home was three hours inland. Someone would have to take him back. How he covered a hundred and sixty- eight miles on foot asleep in the dark was a question they already knew the answer to. He didn’t. Something brought him here, drew him here, the same kind of something that brought the greys to his bedroom, a portal.
Wyatt was behind them when they reached the door. He stopped and looked back at the moon. “I just had to see you in the moonlight…stupid,” he murmured and let his eyes rest on it a bit longer. His whispered words drowned out by the wind and surf. “Come with me Pop.” He said when they stepped inside, “You need some clothes.”
Forrest, still dazed and disoriented, nodded yes and followed them upstairs.
“I’ll find him something Wyatt, you call your mother. I know she’s worried sick.”
Wyatt grunted “She’s going to be a lot more worried when I tell her where he’s at.”
Ariel’s features darkened.
He tried to smile but his lips weren’t having it. “Yeah, first things first.”
Moments later when Forrest was getting dressed in the bathroom, Wyatt called his mom.
“Wyatt.”
“Yeah, uh he’s here.”
“Here? Where here?”
“Mom he’s with us in the beach house.”
“The beach!”
“Yeah, he’s safe.”
“Oh really!”
“Mom.”
“I’m leaving now.”
“Mom I said he’s safe, you don’t need to rush. We got him.”
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“And that’s exactly what I’m worried about. Forrest don’t need to be around her.”
“Mama, that’s not fair. She didn’t do this. I Did.”
Ariel was hovering nearby. She turned to go back downstairs. “Ariel, stay, please.”
“I thought you were talking to me!” Martha chided.
“I am, but we are all in this together. Family. Right?”
“Family, huh, you keep your father awake. I should be there by daybreak.”
“I’ll do that.” The phone clicked and he looked up at Ariel. Just then they heard the shower.
“That’s a good idea.”
“Yeah, it should wake him and…Wyatt, this is not your fault.”
“It is. I turned off the light. You, you look so pretty in the moonlight. I want to hold you so bad.”
Her eyes glistened. “I know. But you will. When we figure this mess out.”
“Think I’ll just stay up here until he gets through.”
“I’m staying too.” She shot him a quick little smile, but it only lingered a moment.
They did not speak again until Forrest stepped out dressed in a pair of Wyatt’s old cargo pants and T-shirt.
“Mama’s coming to get you but, goin’ to be a while. Hungry?”
Forrest’s eyes were fixed on Ariel. “Do you remember?”
She shook her head, “no but I can feel it. It was big. It was terrible.”
“You touched him?” His question sounded more like an accusation than an inquiry.
“I was stuck Wy. Your little wife helped me. It was bad. So many people, felt like the whole human race.”
Ariel groaned and staggered back on to the bed. “They, they exploded.”
Wyatt rushed past Forrest and dropped beside her on the bed.
“I can’t see that again.”
“You want have to, sweetie.” Forrest drew near but was careful not to touch her.
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She looked up at Wyatt. “I can’t remember them coming for me tonight.”
“But you have Daddy’s vision.” He started to ask her to share it with him, but changed his mind, “We triggered something. I trig…”
“Son you did a good thing. You saved her. Don’t feel bad about that. Besides, all this started a long time ago. Something or someone was bound to trigger it.” He turned away from them and studied the moon, “I. I don’t think we’re human.”
Wyatt remembered the black windows. “That’s a mighty big statement. But it feels true. It has always felt true.”
“I saw stuff to, when I was little.” Forrest replied, “It stuck with me. But.”
Ariel nodded in agreement. “The impossible is easy to push away, when nobody else sees what you see, knows what you know. We must be where we are. Until now where we are was what we are; in the only world they know. But reality cracked and broke out of its’ shell.”
“My sleepwalking is just me trying to be what I am, go to them.”
Wyatt slumped, “go home?”
Ariel glanced down. “Are you saying am a grey?” She whispered, “Were they just trying to get me back?”
“Don’t think so, but things are different now. Don’t know if we changed the world or the world changed us. But..” he hesitated. “it’s beginning to feel like it’s our time.”
“I’m tired of waiting,” Ariel declared as she slid off the bed, “for whatever happens next. We need to grab this thing and wring the truth from it.”
“Ariel!” Now Wyatt really wanted to hold her. “You’re exactly right. We don’t have to be leaves in the wind.”
She walked to the bedroom door. “All of us have to do this.”
“Do what?” Forrest asked.
“Close our eyes.” With that she headed down the steps with Wyatt and Forrest close behind.
