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Should I continue with this story so far?

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Written by: C. Lee Battaglia

Prologue 1

In the lab O.S.C, Outer Space Communication, things were looking pretty glum for Henry Charleston. Henry was a young man that had just finished college with a master’s degree in exploration science. But instead of being out in outer space exploring he was stuck in a lab staring at a computer screen for hours on end looking for “outer-space life forms. Henry didn't even believe that such things existed.

“Outer-space life forms? Really? My job is pointless. I'm wasting my life,” Henry said to himself.

After another fruitless day, it was time to clean up and head out the door. But out of the blue, there was an unusual beep on Henry's computer. As Henry lifted up his eyes to look at the monitor, and without interrupting the packing of his briefcase as he prepared to leave the lab for the day, he saw millions of dots moving into the earth's atmosphere and spreading to all continents, including North America.

Henry gaped with a mixture of fear and curiosity. Instinctively, without hesitation, he pressed down the “code red” button prominently placed in the middle of his desk. Were these aliens coming into the atmosphere?

This was the very first time this button had ever been pressed in the tiny lab. Immediately he ran to his boss's office to break the news. Incredulous about the prospect of the dots being aliens, Henry jokingly asked if he should expect a raise. Not finding humor in the question, Henry's boss responded, “You can have your raise if you're still alive in twenty four hours.”

Henry, confused, asked, “Uh... sir, what do you mean?”

His boss had a very distinct smile on his face as he said, “These aliens might not be friendly, and can't you tell by all these aliens coming into the earth’s atmosphere? Guess why these aliens are coming to earth?”

Henry never knew his boss's name so he just called him sir. I know what you are thinking, why would his boss not tell his name to his employees?

It is because Henry's boss was a very secretive man.

“Oh, I never thought about that... but sir are you sure these aliens don't want to communicate with us?”

“No, I don't think they want to chit chat and have a tea party! There are thousands of them... it’s going to be an invasion!”

Chapter 1

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Jake, happy birthday to you,” sang everyone.

It was the best day ever. I was finally sixteen! My parents let me get my driver’s license and gave me my dad’s old beat up jeep for my birthday. But the best part of turning 16 is that I am now allowed to date!

My three best friends are at my house to help me celebrate. Ty, Sara, and Cindy have been my closest friends since 5th grade.

“Hey Jake, how about you take us for a ride in your Jeep?” Cindy asks.

“Sounds good to me… who else wants to come?” I ask.

“Let’s all go,” says Ty.

“Let me just make sure that it is cool with my mom,” I say. “Hey mom can I go hang out with my friends?”

“Sure, but be home by 10:30 because it’s a school night and you need your sleep,” she says.

“We will. Thanks!” I say grabbing my new keys as we walk out the door.

“Are you guys ready for my awesome driving?” I ask.

“Yeah, just don’t kill us…” Ty laughs.

“Ha, Ha! So anyway where do you guys want to go?” I ask as I turn on the radio.

“Let’s go see a scary movie!” Ty says.

“Sounds like a plan!” I say.

As we drive down the road I suddenly remember that my dad took the Jeep hunting yesterday.

“Oh, no!” I moan.

“What’s wrong?” Sara asks.

“My dad went hunting with my jeep yesterday and I think he forgot to take the guns out of the trunk. If we get pulled over I am in major trouble because I don’t have a license to carry a gun.”

“Well, we could always turn around and take them back to your house,” says Cindy.

“If we do that then we will miss the beginning of the movie. I will just be extra careful so we don’t get pulled over.”

*

The movie ended at 9 and we all left the theater laughing but a little freaked out. Ty and Sara get in the back seat of the jeep and Cindy gets in the front seat next to me saying, “Wow that movie was really good but scary.”

“Yeah the zombies really pop out when you’re watching it in 3D,” I remark.

All of a sudden Ty screams, “STOP THE CAR!”

“BAM!”

“Did I just hit him?” I ask.

“YES!” They scream.

I get out of the car to see what happened and find a man lying in the road. I get closer and nervously ask, “Are you okay?”

Without any warning, he jumps up and starts walking towards me. “Harrisss!” He groans. He is of average height but through the dim streetlight I can see his inhumanly blue skin, blood-red eyes, and huge bat-like wings. His hands are stretched out towards me like the zombies we had just seen in the movie. He approaches as if he wants to eat me so I yell to Ty to get the gun out of the back of the jeep. Ty runs to the back and gets me the gun. I aim and “BAM!” I shoot the monster in the neck. He falls backwards, bleeding out onto the ground. The girls are in the car holding on to each other and looking at the scene in absolute terror.

“What was that?” Ty asks.

“I have no clue, but I don’t think it wanted to give me a hug,” I respond.

“Where did you learn how to shoot a gun like that?” Sara asks.

“My dad taught me.”

As the shock wears off and we begin to realize the gravity of the situation Ty says, “Cindy you should call the cops.”

“Good idea,” she replies as she nervously reaches for her cell phone.

*

The police show up a few minutes later and ask us a million questions. They finally load the monster into the ambulance and tell us that they will take it to a lab to study and try to figure out what exactly it is and where it came from. “Go home and try to get some sleep,” they tell us as we get back into the Jeep and head back. I drop everyone off at their homes and then head for mine. It is now 12:30 and my parents are up waiting for me.

“Where have you been and what have you been doing?” my dad asks sternly.

“Dad, you’re not going to believe this. We went to a scary movie and then on the way home I … I … I hit something.” I sputtered. “When I got out of the car to see what I hit, a … a … a monster jumped up and came towards me as if trying to kill me. My instinct was to get your gun out of the back of the Jeep and … and … and I shot it. I hit it in the neck and the thing fell to the ground bleeding. The blood was blue. It was the grossest, scariest thing ever. We called the police and they took the monster away in an ambulance. It took forever. They asked us a million questions. Only after they got the whole story did they let us go...”

“You expect me to believe that you hit a monster with the Jeep and then killed it with my gun?” My dad asked.

“I know it sounds crazy, I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't been there and seen it with my own eyes,” I explain. “You can even call the cops and ask them if you don’t believe me!”

“I will but in the mean time you’re grounded,” my dad finishes.

Chapter 2

I open my eyes in a daze and the clock says 10:37A.M.
“Oh crap I’m late for school.” I jump out of bed and yell as I struggle to get into my pants, “Hey mom can you make me some toast and write me a note to excuse my tardy?”

“It’s all ready for you,” she says.

“Thanks…” I say hesitantly in disbelief.

I pull a blue shirt over my head, grab the piece of toast and note my mother had ready for me, run out and jump into the Jeep. I back out of the drive way and speed to school.

My school’s name is Arrow Smith High, a medium size school in the outskirts of Denver, known for its basketball team.

When I finally get to school, I run out of my Jeep, fly up the stairs, and storm through the doors and down the hall to my classroom. “Sorry I’m late…” I gasp as I enter the room and stumble on the way to my desk.

“It’s okay Jake. Please get out your Math book and go to page 232,” says Mr. Zedong in his customary understanding tone.

I pull out my math book and try to concentrate on the assignment.

*

At the end of the math period it was time for lunch. I go to my locker and pull four dollars from the emergency cash I keep at school for days like this, when I forget or am too tired or late to pack a lunch. Lunch at the cafeteria today was mashed potatoes, meatloaf, salad, and a piece of cake for desert. The alternative was pizza or hamburger, which are available every day.

I’m not a fan of cafeteria meatloaf, so I grabbed a slice of pizza.

“That will be $3.25,” Says the lady at the cash register.

I pull the four dollars out of my pocket and pay.

“Your change is seventy five cents.”

Without thinking or saying anything, I take the change and put it into my pocket. I look around for my friends. They are at one of the far side tables. I walk over and sit down next to Cindy. “Did you get grounded?” She asks.

“Yeah… My dad thinks the whole monster incident is a lie,” I mutter. “As if I would ever think of making up such a crazy story,”

“I had nightmares about what happened last night,” says Sara as she moves her fork around the mashed potatoes without eating.

*

When school was over I asked Ty if he wanted to do homework with Cindy, Sara, and me.

“Sure,” says Ty.

So Ty goes to his car with Sara, and I go to my Jeep with Cindy.

Once we get to my house Ty and Sara were just pulling up to the driveway. As I arrive, an ambulance pulls out hurriedly, sirens blaring.

“What happened?” I ask worriedly.

I start to run into the backyard when I see a police officer coming my way.

“What happened? Is my mom okay?” I ask anxiously.

“Is your mother’s name, Marry Hanson?” The officer asks.

“Yeah… what happened?” I ask.

“She got shot by this man,” says the officer pointing to the man in his car.

In a mixture of anger and disbelief I ask, “Why did he shoot her?”

“His motive appears to have been theft. It seems he was after her purse and whatever else of value he could get. Your neighbor heard the gun shoot and called 911,” explained the officer. “It could have been a lot worse.”

“Thank you, officer.” I say looking into the criminal's eyes.

Author's Note

What do you think? Should I continue?

Reviews

[Audrey Wynters]

I see a lot of promise in your writing. I wrote stories like this when I was younger and the more you stick with it the better you'll get. Your use of words is impressive and you have a flair for story creation and story telling. I say keep writing it!

[Valkyrie Warrior]

You should totally continue!!! I love it so far!!

[C. Lee Battaglia]

Really? Okay I will! Thanks for the review!!!

[Valkyrie Warrior]

Great!!!! Your welcome, it was my pleasure :)

[C. Lee Battaglia]

Thanks for all the great reviews Lorha

[Valkyrie Warrior]

Your welcome! You can call me Lorna

[C. Lee Battaglia]

Lorna? alright I will

[Valkyrie Warrior]

:)................