The Last Night Chapter 7 Before Dawn

  Chapter 7

  Before Dawn

22

   A U -shaped couch hugged an oak coffee table and faced the bay window. The same bay window Wyatt usually sat to drink his first cup of coffee. It struck Ariel as the perfect place to try her experiment.

    “What are you going to do?” Wyatt asked after they gathered by the window.

  “Remember when I touched your cheek.”

  “Never forget it.”

  “Didn’t hurt did it. No damage.”

  “Hurt my feelings! Your hand sank right into my face.”

  “It did what?” Forrest stepped back, turning away.

  “Wyatt closed his eyes, and I made something happen.”

  “Something really strange.”

  “Wyatt we must force the issue. Remember it didn’t hurt you. I want to touch both of you like that.”

  “And hope we don’t die, or fuse together or who knows what.”

  “That’s not going to happen. I won’t let it.” 

 “Maybe we should wait for your Mama.” Forrest said.

  “No.” Ariel interjected. “She’ll never go for it. We need to do this now.”

  Wyatt looked at his father, “I’m game.”

  “I trust you Ari.”

   “Thank you, that means everything to me. Okay stand shoulder to shoulder right in front of the window. I want to see if anything changes.”

  “Sounds, not so good. But okay.” Wyatt joined his father and faced Ariel, just before they laid their arms over each other’s shoulders and closed their eyes.

  

23

   Ariel drew close to them closed her eyes, walked forward until she bumped into the window seat, jerked around to face Wyatt. 

He spun around, saw her and inched his right hand out. She took it. Her face blossomed with joy.

   “It worked.” Wyatt said. They embraced and kissed forgetting his father was just inches away.

    “Don’t think nothin’s changed, but us.” Said Forrest, beaming at his son’s joy.  “That’s probably very good.” 

   They loosened their embrace and turned toward the window, same moonlit beach, same shining swaying surf. But as they watched, a new light appeared beneath the waters, far out to sea. A blue glow that grew and darted about beneath the waves in a most erratic manner, defying the laws of physics. Clearly unimpeded by the water, it whizzed about like some sort of giant hummingbird fish.

  “And there it is.” Forrest stated flatly. “Been there all along I’m guessing.”

  Ariel rolled her eyes up, shrank into Wyatt’s chest. “oh no!”

   Blue haze clung to the vaulted ceiling, swirling undulating, a living thing ripe with other living things. A dark pulsing mass of childlike silhouettes climbed over each other, clawing their way toward her, unable to break through the fog. But they weren’t children. Even through the blue haze she recognized them as greys.

  “It’s alright Ariel,” said Wyatt, “think we have the upper hand.” He reached toward the ceiling. Even though it was high above their heads, the greys fell back and shrank away from his hand. “See.”

   Ariel pulled away from Wyatt and balled up her fist and swung at them. The blue haze receded into nothingness, taking its’ captives with it.

  Forrest leaned over and kissed Ariel on the cheek. “Sweet girl, you’re a genius.”

  “No Forrest, just tired of being scared and powerless.”

 “Not sure what this means but so far so good.” Wyatt turned his attention toward the window. “Now let’s get a better look at that light out there. It’s gotta be a ship, A USO.”

  “Sunup still a ways off.” Forrest said, “We got time to check out our new world.”

   “That what you think it is?” 

24

  “I sure do, sweetie.”

  They separated as they made their way toward the patio doors. A few moments later they were walking down the red brick steps their eyes fixed on the USO growing brighter and closer to the surface with every step they took.

  “I think it senses us.” 

  “Yeah Ariel, it’s not scared of us that’s for sure.”

  “Doesn’t feel like home.” Forrest mused aloud.

  “You scared Pop?”

  “Nah, been on my way here my whole life. Not going to run away now.”

  Wyatt tugged Ariel’s hand.

 “Don’t do that.”

  “What, protect you.”

 “How ‘bout stand with me.” She chided.

 “Kids come on, not in front of the company.”

  They rolled their eyes just before a massive featureless silver cylinder dropped out of the sky and stopped a mere ten feet above the beach just a stone’s throw away. It blocked out the stars and moon, casting a great shadow over the entire area. 

  They said nothing but slowed their pace. Easing toward the building size craft with deliberate caution. 

  “Are we being stupid?” Wyatt asked.

 “Probably,” Said Ariel, “but…”

     The cylinder swung around and slid up to them in an instant. White light poured out of a ten foot by five-foot opening that suddenly appeared at the end of the cylinder, which was now only twenty feet away and saturated their bodies with a soothing irresistible warmth.  

  The steps dropped away from their feet. They were flying. The ship was gently sucking them inside. All they could do was smile as the great vessel swallowed them whole.