Chapter
6
Erased
“Shit,should we even make a run for it?”
Andrew,clutching his stomach, eyed the cruiser.
“Youknow what, I’d rather make a run for it then stand here with mythumbs up my ass doing nothing.” Ronald said.
Iwasn’t too sure. A car driving down the interstate would be apretty obvious target… if we’re even a target.
Loudhelicopter type swishing sounds radiated throughout the ambiance. Iglanced up and saw this duel propeller helicopter vessel cruisingoverhead. I stood petrified… that thing, that modified, somewhatperverted version of a helicopter isn’t human technology… it’salien.
Twohatches opened in the bottom frame and two ropes zipped down from theholes. Not a second later, two darkened figures, slipped down therope and landed about fifteen feet away.
Ifelt an arm grab me and yank me behind the car.
“Shhh.”Ronald said with his index finger pressed on his lips.
“We’llinvestigate this area, seems like some activity has occurredrecently. Lead way south to see if you can catch any vehicularactivities.” I heard the alien tongue say… his accentindescribable, yet they spoke English, our native tongue.
Thehelicopter sounds lightened until the sound was completely gone.
Ronaldnodded at me.
Herose. “Excuse me.”
Irose too.
Thetwo strangers, stood stiff, upright, and bodies covered in a glossyblack suit. Their heads veiled in a black visor, mirrored our smearedimages.
Theone on the left bowed. “My name is Elemich Spraggins, Heir S.SCommander. We traced a signal to this location. We wanted to makesure the activity was safe.”
“Andwhat sort of activity are you surveying?” Ronald said.
“Unrulyactivities done by your kind.” Elemich pointed specifically atRonald. “The so-called Military Militia run by this North AmericanContinent.”
“It’scalled the United States of America.”
Elemichcrossed his arms. “I could care less what your kind call this largeland mass."
“Whatthe f*ck are you doing here, what the f*ck are you?” Ronald said.
Elemichremoved his veil. His eyes an unnatural shade of light blue, hishair, a sheen of golden brown, and his complexion youthful andperfect… it looked… like a human. Or am I mistaking them asalien? Could it just be a big hoax?
“Boo.”
“We’reno different then you.” Said the one of the right. “What were youexpecting? Green-fleshed extraterrestrials?”
Ronaldscoffed. “What the hell is this huh? Some new kind of Hollywoodbullshit real-time TV show? Dressed like Men in Black f*ck-heads,funded by a third-world country to try and take over us? Where arethe cameras at?” Ronald aimed his M4, his eyes centered at Elemich.“Speak.”
Elemich’sbrows slumped as he shot an angry look at Ron. “Primal indeed.Can’t feel the loss of control without losing all traces ofself-stabilization.”
Theone on the right nodded, “Indeed, self-inflicting an unjustifiedwound.”
“Quitf*cking talking, get the f*ck out of here and leave us alone.”Ronald demanded.
“Yourbut a stone in the wake of a storm,” on Elemich’s side, a long,sheath, held some sort of weapon. He grabbed the hilt and pulled outa sleek, gloss-black great katana.
“Ronald,relax.” I whispered.
“Thechild is right. No need for harsh actions without a purpose.”
“Indeed.Your rash action isn’t going to save anyone or anything.”
Myeyes met with Elemich's, “W-What do you mean?” I said.
Elemichstared and then pointed at me. “Your humanity, your civilizations,the kin that roamed these lands.”
Ronaldtook a step forward. “What are you getting at? Saving what? Savingfor what reason?”
“Thereisn’t anything your kind can save. We’re here to do the job yourrace was supposed to bear.”
“Enoughwith your non-sensed bull shit. I’ll begin right here, with my feetplanted on this pavement.” Ronald stomped his foot and then spit onthe floor. “I’m going to make the first stand.”
Elemichtook a step forward and outstretched the blade towards Ronald. “Yourmove, your grave. Your action will not set the course to anyultimatum.”
“Ourtechnologies aren’t advance enough to generate a space craft likeyours, but we at least know how to arm ourselves with somethingbetter than an ancient artifact like that piece of shit you havethere”—
“Refrainfrom your redundant and elongated sentences that don’t meananything. Step down. NOW!”
Ronaldpulled the trigger and left an earsplitting gunshot ring to gnaw inmy head.
InstantaneouslyElemich deflected the bullet, sending it through the lounge window.
“Whatthe f*ck?” I heard Ronald whisper.
“Finished?”
“F*ckno!” Ronald bellowed.
Hethrew the gun on the floor, pulled a combat knife holstered on hisboot, and hurled towards Elemich. Ronald swung down at Elemich, whocountered with a parry. Ronald heaved forward, knocked Elemich down,ducked, rolled, and then drove his knife in the side of Elemich’spartner.
Ronaldpulled the knife out and then belayed his neck. Ron, throwing thebody down, dodged Elemich's swing.
Elemichstood motionless, the katana by his side, his eyes dead-locked at hisfallen partner.
“Itake no prisoner’s.” Ronald hissed.
Elemichconnected eyes with him. “Congratulations. You’ve drawn firstblood. I’m quite impressed.”
“Don’tthink I’m going to let you by pretty boy.”
Iwould have never expected this kind of action by Ronald… but thenagain, I guess I didn’t know him that well. I rose my gun, aimed,and did an action I never knew I would have done… I pulled thetrigger, and watched the bullet slit through Elemich’s head.
Ronaldglanced over at me with a smirk. “F*cking right. Teamwork. Now…”he paused and glanced down at the Elemich’s body. “Let’s getthe f*ck out of here.” He connected eyes with mine, his face grave,with specks of blood dotted over his face. “Now.”
Hegrabbed the katana from the ground and hauled towards me. “Get inthe car, get in the car.”
Hedidn’t have to tell me twice. I clicked the safety, lodged the gunin between my belt buckle.
Wejumped inside the car. I turned the ignition, slapped the Drive, andgunned it around the gas station.
Iswerved and jerked the wheel to the right and skidded down the pikestraight to the interstate.
“Whatthe f*ck Wes, this isn’t a f*cking four-wheeler bro.” Andrewyelled.
“Dude,relax, I know what I’m doing.” I replied.
“Ihope so.” Ronald added, his hand secured on the oh-shit strap overthe door.
Myeyes remained glued to the road. Occasionally slipping sight at therear-view mirror… I felt paranoid, awfully paranoid. My heartached. I felt guilty, I killed a man, I killed an alien—not only analien, b-but a defenseless alien, what-what the f*ck was I thinking?
Icringed.
“Kidare you ok?” Ronald asked. “If you feel guilty… it’s natural,but you’ll learn to live with it”—
“Seriouslyman, is he ok, what the f*ck, shit, I’m not ok, this is someserious shit.” Andrew said.
“Shutup Andrew, I’m asking Wes here. I know what f*cking happened.”
Isighed. “Guys. Relax.”
“Ok,I’ll relax as soon as you hit me up with your concern.” Ronaldsaid.
Itook a deep breath. Set that unnatural, blistering feeling aside, andfocused on my words. “Before that incident, I-I managed tocommunicate with my-my parents, they’re in Naples, Florida, rightnow. The thing is as soon as I lost the signal, an error messageshows up on the phone and those things spit out of the ship.” Iexplained.
“Didyou manage to get any information at all?”
“Heseemed awfully calm… too calm, it isn’t like him Ron, I-I mean,”I hesitated, shook my head, and then hit the steering wheel. “Healso said that they’re to remain inside their hotel room… he evenasked me if I had transportation, and then he said something aboutall forms of travel are suspended until further notice.”
Andrewgroaned. “This can’t be happening… this can’t F*ckING behappening.”
Theground trembled. A forceful heave shook the car and the hiss of thewind intensified.
“Ohshit.” Ronald whispered.
Anotherrumble occurred.
Iglanced into the rear-view mirror and saw nothing but barren road.
Continuoushissing booms slammed against the right side of the car, not enoughto damage or anything, just enough to make it jerk to the right alittle.
“Thoseare aftershocks.” Ronald said.
BeforeI said a thing, my eyes opened wide at our first hurtle thatspontaneously presented itself… a collapsed bridge, not just abroken down bridge, but also an airliner wreckage fumigating theatmosphere with smog.
“Thisis unbelievable.” Andrew muttered.
“Noshit.” Ronald replied. “I told you man, this is like some movie,like a god damn f*cking MOVIE, F*ck YOU.” He yelled.
Istopped the car.
“Howare we going to get pass that?” I said.
“We’llhave to find a way around it”—
“Thisis a car man, the tires can’t take an off-road adventure.” Andrewsaid.
“Okso we’re going to stay inside the car, eating Doritos and drinkingsoda, and sit here like sitting ducks?” Ronald said.
“Soundsgood to me!” Andrew said.
“Yeahwell f*ck you.” Ronald said.
“Guys,instead of talking crap why don’t we try and get our wits togetherand find a way around this obstacle.”
“He’sright.” Ronald said. “Drive closer to the wreckage. Lets see ifthere’s any road left on the far left, we’ll have to cut acrossthe median.” He unbuckles his seatbelt and points to the left. “Yousee that steady incline over there, we could just go over the humpand get back on the interstate.”
Isaw the incline he spoke of. I steady the gas, drive through themedian, and veer back to the road. The wreckage wasn’t too far off,around fifteen-or-so feet from our position. My eyes couldn’t bendweary from this phenomenon… my heartbeat wrapped around a grievousaurora of perpetual shock and awe that left me fending with nothingbut my own grief…
“Kidsnap out of it, you’re getting too close to that, go over there,towards the incline.” Ronald said as he snapped his fingers infront of me.
“S-Sorry.”I said.
Isteered left and get off the road. The ground was rough, the carwobbled like jelly. I pushed on the gas harder until I cleared theincline with a peel out full of debris clattering beneath the car.
Ihit the road that connected to the broken bridge, went straighttowards the now steep decline, and rolled down the hill.
Imanaged to steady the car as it sped down the hump. I veered rightand hit the other side of the interstate.
“Therewe go, see, the car handled it.” Ronald said.
Andrewsnickered, “Right, yeah, watch we’ll have a flat here prettysoon.”
“Dude,quit thinking so negative.” I said.
Ihit the gas and zoomed through the median. I jerked the wheel leftand got back on course towards Montgomery.
Aboutforty minutes later…
Thegargantuan crossroads of branching highways appeared in sight. Thistime however, there weren’t any wreckage blocking our course.
Inudged Ronald’s shoulder. “Hey Ronald we’ve made it toMontgomery, want to take a break or something?” I said.
Ronaldyawned and shook his head. He peered out the window. “Yeah.” Heturned to the dashboard and stared at the clock. “It’s a quarterpast six, might as well take the next exit showing some hotels and wecan stay the night.”
“Ok,”I glanced at my rearview mirror and caught sight of Andrew nibblingon a Snickers. “Hey dude can you keep your eyes peeled on the nextexit with a hotel.”
Hegroaned and rolled his eyes. “Yeah ok.”
Ronaldunbuckled his seatbelt and straightened.
Ipeered out the window to see that the cruiser far out to the eastremained in its same location.
Thecourse of action Ronald and I took earlier… how would that changethe destiny to our humanity?
***