Thursday March 21, 2016


"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Om looked up, handful of popcorn halfway to his mouth. "Al, we agreed this was a good decision. We need to see what happens, we're going to need allies, you know that." He tossed the popcorn into his mouth and crunched noisily. 

They were sitting on top of the baseball field fence, completely unobserved as the kids continued their mad scramble across the grass and dirt, pushing and pulling at each other in their bid to be the first to reach the ship. 

"But not all of them are going to be allies. Cassidy, Carter, Largent? You really think they'll be on the side of the angels? And don't get me started on Hall, that kid gives ME the creeps."

Om shrugged. "No, they're probably not all going to be on the good side of things, but the others will need someone to practice against, and that'll be good for them."

"You think they'll actually manage to form a team? Work together for the betterment of all? Did we do that when it happened to us?"

"It didn't happen to me, Al," Om said quietly, never taking his eyes off the rapidly fleeing children. "It happened to you."

"We don't know that for sure-"

"Shut up," Om cut Al off. "They're just reaching the ship..."

----------

Richard slid to a stop, his shoes skidding across the grass for several feet before slowing him enough and he stood there, staring at the ship. 

Up close it was even more enormous than it had seemed in the air. A light gray metal with intricate patterns all across the hull. As it landed, three ski like landing skids extended from the belly and toward the point, what Richard assumed was the front, a ramp had lowered. 

Up the ramp they could see into the interior of the vessel. Nothing but blackness, wirh somewhere a pulsating yellow light glowing deep within the heart of the ship.