The Simpleton: An Alien Encounter Read online

  The fast-approaching star took on a different shape. Not a star at all, it was a being—a Pashier! Cuddy watched as she glided toward them and noted she was beautiful. Her glowing form slowed, then stood suspended, only mere feet from them. Her eyes held steady on Tow’s, and Cuddy knew they were silently communicating. They loved each other—no doubt of that. Eventually, her eyes turned toward Cuddy and he felt like he was being drawn into her. In an instant, he knew who she was, and what she was trying to communicate to him. Not knowing how to properly respond back upset him. She raised her palms in a gesture he understood … all in good time, Cuddy. She took another tentative step forward and he then knew her name was Soweng. Thank you, Cuddy … we all thank you. You are very special. Know this … we have waited an eternity for you. Thank you for what you are about to endure and the sacrifices you will soon face. Know all is worthwhile, and that, in the end … it is just.

  Glancing down at Rufus, her bright smile returned. When she turned back toward Tow, they held each other’s gaze for a long moment. Cuddy knew what was being communicated was strictly private, just between them. Eventually, she turned away saddened, as was Tow, and didn’t look back. In due time, she merged into the universe—once again—a distant star.

  He heard Tow’s voice alongside him. “We have no right to ask this of you, Cuddy.”

  He didn’t need to explain; Cuddy knew what he wanted. “How will I know what to do … when the time comes?”

  “Soweng passed that knowledge on to you directly. It will come to you when the time is right. All Pashier instinctively know the Shain ritual of the rejoining.”

  Cuddy held up an arm and studied his softly glowing hand. “Am I a Pashier, Tow … have you changed me?”

  “Yes … I have changed you. You are no longer human, but you are not a Pashier, either. You are something else. You are something new.”

  “Will I come here … when it’s time?”

  “Would you like to?”

  “I think so. Yes, maybe I would.”

  “Then we shall see … won’t we?”

  The spinning universe around them had suddenly quickened. Now, the great leaves that formed the heritage pod were rising off the deck and curling inward—slowly transforming back into the same, organic, pod-like shape as before. The fountain of sparkling light now flowed inward, instead of outward. As that whole order of events reversed themselves, Cuddy felt a release within his own heart and, along with it, the weight of his physical life’s reality returning back. The sadness, the new sense of loss he felt, was profound. In that very moment, he understood why Tow rarely visited the heritage pod. It was far too painful.

  Chapter 18

  When Cuddy returned home, Momma was walking back from the mailbox at the end of the drive. Distracted, she glanced up as Cuddy approached, but quickly brought her attention back to the sheets of paper in her hands. He fell into step beside her, noting she’d torn open several envelopes and was reading what looked to be a bill of some sort. He saw the words Final Notice stamped in red at the top of the page—surprised he knew what it said. I can read …

  “Hi, Momma … what’s that?”

  “It’s a bill, what’s it look like?”

  “Where is everybody?”

  Momma didn’t answer right away, then said, “Your brother took the car without permission … so I don’t know where he is.”

  Cuddy saw Jackie’s bug still parked in front of the house. “And Jackie?”

  Momma looked up, irritated. “Um … she took Ellie out for a ride. That poor horse needs exercise. Didn’t I ask you to let her out into the corral this morning?”

  “Sorry, Momma.” He looked off toward the horizon and thought he saw Jackie on horseback about a half mile off in an open pasture. He had been debating with himself what he should say to Momma. He didn’t want to break his promise with Tow, but keeping secrets—not telling her—seemed even worse. “Momma, can I talk to you?”

  At that very moment, a wailing sound could be heard off in the distance, carried aloft by the warm afternoon breeze. Cuddy knew it was coming from town; from the big metal cone atop the firehouse. Momma stopped reading and looked up, then hurried up the porch steps and flung open the screen door. Cuddy followed her into the house and into the kitchen, where she made a beeline for the little Sony TV, sitting on the counter, and turned it on. Again, Cuddy was surprised by his ability to read the screen’s words. Bold white letters, atop a blue and red banner at the top of the screen, read:

  State of Emergency — Two Nuclear Reactors Venting

  A familiar-looking news reporter—his hair whipping around in the wind—stood with a microphone to his lips. In the distance, a large, concrete, hourglass-shaped structure dominated the background. Momma, momentarily, brought a hand to her mouth then reached for the TV’s volume control.

  “… the Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee nuclear power plant has had its share of problems over the years. But nothing like this. Both reactors … Sequoyah Unit 1 and Sequoyah Unit 2 … are currently operating within states of emergency, venting caustic radiation into the atmosphere.”

  Momma said, “Oh my … that boy needs to get away from that place.” She turned the channel and another reporter, with a slightly different perspective of the Soddy-Daisy nuclear power plant shown in the distance, was saying something similar to the guy beside him. Momma continued to switch channels. Each station broadcasted the same news but this one had a blonde female reporter, wearing bright red lipstick, who urged:

  “… it’s very important that everyone stay indoors. If you are outside … stop what you are doing and find shelter immediately. If you are driving, keep your windows rolled up and stay clear of the Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee area.”

  Momma looked up and out the kitchen window. “Kyle’s out there … and Jackie!”

  Cuddy said, “I’ll go fetch her.”

  “No … you’re not leaving this house, boy!”

  “But Momma …”

  “I said, no!” She hurried to the hallway closet, sliding hangers left and right until she found what she was seeking—a bright yellow rain slicker. “Don’t just stand there, help me on with this!”

  Cuddy, grabbing ahold of the rubbery coat, held it open for her as she slid both arms into the sleeves, then tightened the belt snugly around her waist. She fumbled, reaching an arm back over her shoulder, so Cuddy lifted up the oversized hood so she could reach it. When she pulled it over her head, Cuddy almost laughed at her appearance. She rushed for the door, shouting, “Get out of the way, Rufus!” as she swung it open and hurried outside. As the dog ran inside, she said, “Close the inside door, Cuddy, right now!”

  Cuddy did as he was told and returned to the kitchen. Like Momma, he spun the TV dial several times, finally coming to rest on CNN. Wolf Blitzer’s bearded face dominated the screen. As Wolf continued reporting on the reactors’ dangerously reduced coolant levels, Cuddy found he easily followed what was being broadcast.

  He thought about current events now taking place, and had a new respect for the abilities of Tow’s AI orb. In a matter of several hours, the hovering robot had breached the facilities’ network somehow, riling up nationwide excitement. He wondered if the AI had miscalculated; if the radiation was more dangerous than anticipated. But he didn’t think the AI orb made many mistakes. As he gazed up at the colorful skies out the window, he wondered if the marauding Howsh ships would actually be thrown off the hunt. Leaning sideways to get a better view of the open prairie, he saw Momma waving her arms above her head, yelling something unintelligible into the wind.

  Eventually, Jackie, riding atop Ellie, trotted into view. Leaning forward, her head was angled to better hear what Momma was yelling. Strands from her whipping ponytail had strayed into her mouth. As Momma turned back, she raised an arm and pointed off toward the west. Cuddy silently acknowledged to himself that he knew where west was—as well as east, north, and south.

  Jackie swung a long slender leg up and over the saddle, then sl
id to the ground. With Ellie’s reins in her hand, she hurried toward the barn as Momma headed toward the porch. Cuddy, sitting in the kitchen, heard the door smack open as a gust of wind pushed its way into the house.

  Momma rushed in, untying her slicker and pushing the hood off her head. Glancing at the TV, she asked, “Any more news?”

  “It’s a disruption of coolant flowing into the reactors. The overheating instigated the emergency venting into the atmosphere.”

  Momma simply stared at Cuddy for several beats with her brow furrowed—as though she was seeing him for the first time that day. As her eyes searched his face, Cuddy could see her, almost imperceptibly, shaking her head.

  “Cuddy … do you understand what you just said, or are you parroting what one of those reporters said?”

  “Um … I think both. The guy with the microphone explained that the disruption of coolant flowing into the reactors would cause emergency venting into the atmosphere. Made sense to me.”

  As the front door opened, another blast of wind found its way into the kitchen. Jackie, coming around the corner, halted when she saw Momma staring intently at Cuddy. “What … what is going on?”

  Cuddy repeated what he’d said a moment before. “It’s a disruption of coolant flowing into the reactors … the overheating instigated the emergency venting into the atmosphere.”

  Jackie stole a glance at the TV, then looked at Momma. “That’s kinda weird, coming from his mouth … isn’t it?” They stared at each other.

  Cuddy said, “I’ve been trying to tell you things have changed. That I’m no longer simpleminded.”

  “I noticed something going on with you last night, Cuddy,” Jackie said. “I don’t think I ever heard of anything like this happening before. I hate to use the word miracle, but Mrs. Perkins … Cuddy’s—”

  Momma took a step closer to the table while reaching out a hand for support. “Tell me our street address, Cuddy.”

  “I think it’s Number Three Beacham Road, Woodbury, Tennessee.”

  Momma gestured toward the battered old telephone, mounted on the kitchen wall. “Our phone number?”

  He told her the correct number.

  Jackie looked excited, they both did. “You really have … changed, haven’t you, Cuddy?”

  Cuddy nodded. “Yeah … but that won’t be what will surprise you most.”

  Momma seemed overwhelmed. “As wonderful as this news is … it’s a miracle from God … we still need to think about what’s happening outside now. Kyle’s out there. He’s in danger.”

  “Sit down, Momma … you too Jackie. The thing is, it’s all connected.”

  Momma, ignoring him, said, “Maybe we should take your car and go look—”

  “Momma!”

  He’d never before raised his voice at his mother—not ever. Jackie quietly slid into the closest chair without saying a word. Momma, reluctantly, sat down too.

  “Okay, son … tell us what’s happening with you, but please hurry.”

  * * *

  Jackie couldn’t take her eyes from Cuddy. There’d been other times in her life when she was aware—at some deep level—that something monumental was happening. A specific pinpoint in time she knew she would recall later—perhaps years from then. The air in the kitchen turned suddenly electric. She found herself smiling with anticipation at what this boy-turned-man was about to say next.

  “I’m hoping that the changes you see in me, which you are experiencing first hand, will make what I say next somewhat more believable. I want you to know I’m not nuts; at least, I don’t think I am.”

  “Just get to it, Cuddy,” Jackie said impatiently. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

  “Several days ago, the day after Officer Plumkin took Rufus away, I was walking in the woods where a brook runs deep in the trees.”

  Momma let a stream of air out through her puffed cheeks.

  “Okay … I’m getting to it!” Cuddy said. “There was someone there, sitting on a rock. I surprised him.”

  “A man … woman … who was it?” Jackie asked.

  Cuddy shook his head, as though searching for some specific word. “Here’s the weird part. It was an … um … alien.”

  Jackie felt the smile leave her face. Okay, he’s crazy—from retarded, to sudden genius, to crazy as a loon.

  “Son … I know you probably think …”

  Cuddy nodded, his expression conveying an all-knowing yeah, I knew this was coming look. “He’s from a planet called Mahli. He’s a Pashier.”

  “Stop!”

  “Momma … it’s all true!”

  “Stop, son, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I can’t listen to any more of this nonsense.”

  As Jackie loudly cleared her throat, Momma didn’t acknowledge her. Instead, she reached out a hand and took one of Cuddy’s in hers.

  Jackie said, “I think I might believe him.”

  Momma’s condescending smile faded. Sitting back, she studied Jackie.

  “Let me at least ask him a few questions before we discount everything he’s saying, okay? I mean, think about the odds of having a bizarre reactor event take place right now, and the sky is … well, it’s like nothing we’ve seen before. And all of a sudden your son has made an amazing … miraculous really … mental recovery. Mrs. Perkins, I’m educated, a pre-med student. I like to think I have a fairly analytical mind.”

  “Go ahead, ask your questions, dear,” Momma said.

  “So … how did the alien get here, Cuddy?”

  “A spacecraft. It’s parked in a meadow deep in the trees. It’s called the Evermore. It’s damaged and Tow, that’s the alien’s name, landed there to make needed repairs.”

  “Okay, so what’s going on with our extremely colorful sky?” Jackie asked.

  “Tow’s ship was chased across space by three other alien ships. They are called the Howsh and they want to kill Tow … destroy his ship. They’ve already destroyed his home planet … Mahli. Their sensor scans are causing the atmospheric anomaly.”

  Momma and Jackie exchanged a glance. “And the nuclear reactors?” Momma asked.

  “The alien has a robot that purposely caused the radiation to vent, giving Tow enough time to repair his spaceship. Radiation hides the Evermore from the Howsh’s sensor scans.”

  Momma shook her head and stared blankly out the window. Jackie, still on the fence about Cuddy’s tale, wanted to believe him, but it seemed so farfetched. She suddenly wondered if Cuddy was, in fact, highly delusional. Maybe the ginormous leap in intelligence had caused secondary, impactful, consequences.

  “It’s not like I can’t prove what I’m saying. If the spacecraft isn’t where I say it is—you can chalk it off to me being crazy.”

  Jackie smiled and said, “Well, at least you’ll be smart and crazy.”

  Momma’s stern look conveyed she didn’t appreciate Jackie’s comment. “No, I don’t want you … any of us, going outside in this …”

  “Mrs. Perkins, I’m sorry, but if you think these drafty old walls will protect us from radioactive fallout, you’re highly mistaken. I think we should go take a look.”

  When the phone on the wall began to ring, Momma reached up for it without leaving her chair. “Hello?”

  Jackie watched Momma. Showing growing concern on her face, Momma looked over at Jackie, and said, “It’s the hospital, saying you gave them this number if they needed to reach you.” She handed the receiver across the table.

  “Hello. Yes, this is Jackie. Okay, I’m on my way.” Handing the receiver back to Momma, she said, “It’s my father … I need to get to the hospital right away.”

  “We’re coming with you,” Momma said. “And then we need to find Kyle.”

  Chapter 19

  Kyle, leaving town, was driving much too fast on the narrow country road. With high winds buffeting the car, he twice veered off the road and onto the dirt shoulder. The second time, he barely managed to bring the old Maxima back out from a tailspin. He didn’t c
are—he only wanted to get home, though he knew he was going to catch hell for taking Momma’s car without her permission. Hell, he didn’t even have a valid driver’s license. Catching his reflection in the rearview mirror, he noted the crusted blood, now dried brownish, on the inside of his nostrils, and that one eye was already turning black and blue. Slowing down for a sharp turn ahead, he then pressed the accelerator to the floor when the road straightened out. With his fists clenching the steering wheel at ten and two, he took in his scraped red knuckles and smiled. At least he’d inflicted more damage than he’d received back. Fucking Tony and fucking Gary, after all he’d endured the past year! Kyle wasn’t alone when he stole the car—one year, seven months, and three and a half weeks ago. In fact, it wasn’t even his idea, it was Tony Bone’s. Tony said Dr. Howard never drove the old Mustang, just kept it up at his cabin that he never visited. Their plan was to take it for a drive for an hour or two, then put it right back, and no one would be the wiser. But Dr. Howard wasn’t as old and decrepit as they figured and had set up some kind of video surveillance system in the garage. The old codger, watching them take the car in real time, was on the phone to the sheriff within five minutes. They were friends. In fact, the sheriff was his best man at his wedding. That, apparently, went a long way toward the retired doctor reporting he only saw Kyle take the car, not the sheriff’s son Tony.

  Without knowing it, things went from bad to worse for Kyle. Held in jail, he found out old Dr. Howard was Judge Sorenson’s brother-in-law. Kyle thought back to that next morning. Nervously shaking in his cargo shorts and flip-flops, standing in front of the tall judge’s bench, he never had a chance. That shouldn’t have been a big surprise, since everyone knew the little town of Woodbury was as corrupt a town as it could possibly be. Hell—the cronyism that went on there was a well-known fact. After three minutes and the bang of a gavel, Kyle was sentenced to two years behind bars. Later, in low tones, the sheriff promised him he’d be out in one, but only if he never, ever, brought up the fact that Tony was with him on that fateful night’s joy ride. That he would do the time while Tony Bone skated—free as a bird.