Banished To Earth Book One (38)

   “It’s kinda like found footage shaky, shadowy…” Trudy hesitated, “hard to watch.” She leaned forward, snatched the remote, and quickly turned the volume down.

   “Thank you said Beth, let our baby sleep.”

  “Yeah, she don’t need to hear all this.”

    The screen lit up. The nightmare started….

   “We don’t need to be out here, it don’t feel right. You heard what they said.” The disembodied voice quivered in the darkness.

   “And that’s why we’re here. This is the job, rookie. You got it? You got it? A man yelled, as grey and black blurred across the screen.”

   “No, I didn’t, it was too fast,” another man yelled. There, over there, by The Channel Six news van.”

  “Got it.” A wall of dull white suddenly filled the screen, then slid forward until an open field appeared. Everything was gray.

   “Lights, Gary, turn on your friggin’ light. I can’t air this.”

    “Where are they?” He didn’t notice the bloody grass by the van.

    “Don’t know, don’t care. Gary, this is our story now.”

       “We’re live, Frank.”

   “Oh, why didn’t you tell me?

  “Uh, still live.”

  “Just turn on your friggin light!”

    Everything lit up. The back of the van slid out of the shot. A neatly dressed man, wearing a suit and tie, stepped into frame. “We are live shooting near Barker’s High School football stadium. Reports of strange atmospheric conditions, and even stranger reports of, get this, creatures in the area, have been called in.”

   “Run,” Gary, the cameraman, yelled.

     Frank turned to his left. His face bleached white. A massive talon swept down, followed by an ear-splitting screech. It knocked him out of the shot.  

 

139

    White noise filled the screen. It stayed that way for several seconds, then the world was on its side. A man’s face filled the screen. Eyes, the reporter's eyes, stared wide and lifeless at them from above the mantle.  

    The van was gone, replaced by screams. Something swiped across the screen. The reporter's head rolled out of view.  

    The grey distance stubbornly revealed shadowy images of men running. A massive black serpent slithered into view, wings sprang from its’ head, then darted toward a tiny human figure stumbling through the darkness. The snake slung its mouth open, bared its fangs, struck and impaled the helpless runner. A quick jerk of its’ huge head, and the figure was gone. Wolfed down into the snake’s nether regions.”

   The video continued to play until the menu screen came up.

  “It didn’t stop,” Chase said. “It didn’t stop.”

  “You mean the camera?” Tucker asked.

  “Yeah, everything else was out. But not it, why?”

  “It’s just a camera.” Beth mused, “It just shoots pictures.

  “Exactly.” Chase jumped up. “When I was in my SUV. My doors wouldn’t open.”

  “It’s not a camera.” Said Tucker. “Not a gun either.”

  “But it could be,” Pry said. “The Transit Authority knows all about Earth. It knows this world, its people, and its technology.”

   “They judged us.” Said Tucker, “and our stuff too?”

 “So, they don’t like SUVs or streetlights?” Beth wondered aloud.  

140

     “Guess not,” Chase added. “They must see them as a potential tank or maybe a car bomb. And the streetlights, too much electricity running through them? I'm guessing.”

  I’m no chemist or whatever,” Said Trudy, “but the metal in a camera and the metal in a gun, or tank or fighter jet, or even in a car door, has got to be different.”

   “Harder,” Tucker added, “a lot harder.”

   “At least we still have lights,” Chase said.

   “Tom fancied himself a prepper. Got an automatic generator hooked up to the house and enough propane to last ‘till next spring. Got a whole arsenal downstairs too.”

   “I saw no guns when we arrived,” Pry said.

  “That door on your left, the one closest to this room, well, that’s what Tom called his ready room.”

  “Ready for the zombie apocalypse,” Beth quipped.

   “Or anything else that might pop up. Too bad he won’t ready for his girlfriends husband.”

   “You mean he’s…”

   “As a door nail.” Trudy exclaimed without a hint of hurt in her voice.

   “Your husband was a fool.” Said Tucker.

   “Well, he’s a dead fool now.”

  They all looked at each other, somewhat shocked by her callous attitude. But they let it slide, bigger fish to fry.

  “All his guns.” Tucker continued. “Pretty sure they’re about as dangerous as a baseball bat.”

  “Looks like you Hunters don’t know everything after all,” Chase said.

   “We know what they want us to know, nothing more. Still cain’t figure out why you and Pry are so lost in the dark.”

  Tucker saw the same look on Chase’s face he saw when he was lying to Silhouette.

141

   “You do know.”

  Pry reached out and grabbed Tucker’s hand. Her pleading eyes crushed his accusation.

  Chase did not respond; he sat like a stone, and was just as silent.

   “Okay then. Ah, Trudy, I’d like to have a look at those guns, maybe I’m wrong about ‘em, sure hope so.”

  She and Beth looked at Chase. He pretended not to notice. “Mind if I tag along?” said Beth.

    Tucker and Trudy got up. He hooked his finger toward her. She rose a bit quicker than she intended and followed them out, leaving Chase and Pry alone.

  A few uncomfortable moments squeaked by like the rusty hands of an old clock.

    “Chase, it is time.” Pry whispered.

    He sucked in a deep breath. “Don’t know that I'm ready, but. You’re right. It’s time….”