the same teenage troublemakers. Everyone in town treated the cry wolves’ members as heroes for the next couple of days afterwards. It was the first time Cindy and Jane ever said hi to the boys, which made the boys feel like they were on cloud nine. But Warren only saw revenge.
As the kids walked by Warren stepped forward “Well, if it isn’t the losers who ratted us out to the cops”
Brad laughed and jumped in “Yeah, cry babies. They also put on boring skits for the seniors. I bet your next idea will be just as dumb as all the other ones. What boring shows are you thinking about doing now?”
Martin leaned back on the car and laughed.
“We don’t have anything to say to you” Bobby yelled out as he walked by “It was your fault you got caught in the hardware store you shouldn’t have been in there in the first place.”
Kyle agreed and yelled out “Our ideas don’t suck, in fact we’re going to win the talent show on Saturday. I bet your not even it in”
Warren stepped forward as the four kids stopped walking. Warren looked at each of them “We don’t care about a stupid talent show. Were better then that. We would never be seen wasting our time with that garbage”
Kyle looked at Warren “To bad your not going to be there, you would’ve seen us on stage winning top prize”
Brad laughed “Oh please. You’ll probably end up in last place”
“You want to bet?” Sam asked.
Warren stared at Sam “I like that idea. Let’s see what you got. Lets put it on the line. Lets have a bet”
“No problem” Sam said, “What’s at stake?”
“Lets see” Warren said and thought for a moment “You have to come in first place and if you don’t win, you have to wear a sign saying Cry wolves Losers and walk up and down Main Street all day”
“Not a problem.” Sam said, “When we win you ‘ll wear signs saying High School Geeks and have to walk up and down the hallways of your high school”
Warren laughed. “You really think you can win? I don’t think so,”
Cindy laughed behind him.
“You don’t have to worry about us.” Kyle said “Oh its on”
Warren looked over to Kyle “We got better things to do then care about a pointless talent show. Were going into the forest to check out the mysterious lights”
Sam spoke “Mysterious lights? Oh please, what are you talking about?”
“Oh, you haven’t heard?” Warren said “Some of the high school kids went out into the forest a few days ago and saw some mysterious lights in the sky, they came running out of there like scared little puppies.”
Kyle disagreed “I heard they went out into the forest to party, got caught and told there parents they where chasing strange lights in the sky. It’s was probably nothing more then a helicopter”
“Maybe a new runaway was build at the airport in the city and airplanes now have a new flight path over our town.” Bobby said
The three other boys nodded.
Sam looked at Warren “You see, nothing mysterious about it, probably just stars in the sky. There’s always a rational explanation for everything. Even lights in the sky”
Warren looked back to Sam “Or maybe you geeks are afraid to check it out for yourselves, where not. While everyone else in this town is wasting the weekend away with a pointless variety show where going to be checking out the lights, because were not wimps. We’ll figure out what it is and become famous”
Sam laughed to himself “You won’t find anything, you’ll be wasting your weekend away”
“We’ll see about that little kid. Now, get out of here. I’m getting bored of you” Warren turned away from Sam and went back to leaning on his red muscle car. The other teenagers quickly followed behind.
The cry wolves’ kids turned and walked away back down the sidewalk.
A minute later Kyle turned to the others “Man those guys are losers, always getting in our faces. It’s there fault they got caught in the hardware store”
Sam looked over to him “You don’t have to worry about them. We’ll win the talent show, not a problem”
Kyle looked over to Sam “What’s up with the stories of lights in the sky?”
“Make nothing of it.” Sam answered, “There’s nothing out there. I heard the same rumors going around town. People have said there something flying around the forest casting a huge light over the trees. Its nothing more then a helicopter looking for the areas they need to spray because of insect going around the country”
Timmy agreed “Your right. I bet its nothing more then a helicopter with a bright searchlight. Those losers are wasting their time heading out into the forest when it’s closed off. They’re going to be hit with the poison gas if they’re not careful.” He looked over to Sam “You really think they’ll wear a sign saying geeks in their hallways at school after we win?”
“No, not really” Sam answered “But I wasn’t excepting them to. However, seeing us win will silence them. They will be to embarrassed to say anything to us ever again.”
The other kids nodded and smiled.
A long line of military vehicles made there way along Forest Road headed towards the main highway. The General needed to move the vehicles out of Springbrook Gardens. He couldn’t risk leaving them in town and having kids snooping around and finding out the true secret. He planned on setting up Operation Stand Ground outside of town. A few hours ago while driving along the highway on his way in he noticed a large open patch of land located just off the main highway. It was the perfect place to set up. He knew everything had to be hidden from the public eye; there was no way the town’s people could ever know the truth.
While at the meet and greet the soldiers wore the usual green military uniforms, but the real silver uniforms were hidden away. They had figured out a log time ago the alien radar couldn’t see though a special made silver material. So the general had uniforms made up in the material to mask the soldiers from alien detection.
If the town’s people saw the silver uniforms they would’ve started asking questions. The best way to avoid people from snooping for answers is to make sure they never ask the first question. By controlling what people see you can control their thoughts. Don’t give them anything to question.
It was his job to make sure everything on the outside to the public eye look nice and innocent. The less people knew, the fewer questions they would ask. The more questions they asked meant the more people he would have to detain in a holding cell.
He made sure rooms were booked at the Springbrook Gardens Inn for the scientists. He couldn’t risk having any of them hanging around at Operation Stand Ground and seeing the construction of the supergun and other laser weapons. They would start asking questions and warn the aliens. So he lied, telling them they could stay at the Inn and live in comfort, a so-called nice gesture on his part.
While he was in town the General noticed an empty grey building at the top of Main Street. He had a message sent to the scientists to meet up in the empty building and look over a map after the scientists finished deciphering the pin pointed location of the saucer landing. The scientists needed to be close to the area a day before to study the location with their equipment to find the exact spot. No pointed in wandering around the forest all night trying to guess where an alien saucer was going to land, when they could figure out by deciphering the hidden messages sent by the aliens.
For many years he would head to a saucer landing somewhere in the world along with the scientists to collect information from the visitors. He would have to stand next to the scientists pretending to care about the alien creatures while the scientists talked with them. Afterwards he would fake interests when talking with the scientists about how nice and innocent the aliens are, but in his eyes it was all a lie. He knew the truth. He knew one day the aliens would attack earth. Now the weekend of the attack had arrived, but he had the drop on them. This brilliant moment has been hand delivered to him. A chance to send the weird looking freaks back home once
and for all.
He knew the people of Springbrook Gardens had no idea of his true intention. The chance to speak to them in front of the microphone and have a photo opportunity was brilliant. It truly won them all over. He hand them in his hands. They had no idea of what was to come.
He looked up at the dense trees overhead. He knew the aliens had to be close by. They were pesky like that. They couldn’t be seen in the air because of their cloaking device, but he knew they were up there watching everyone.
Soon the supergun will bring down the mother ship. Crash it right down to the earth. The General wanted the aliens to know once and for all humans were in charge and an alien attack on earth was not going to happen. He had never seen the mother ship, but he knew from reports from abductees it was massive, the size of Springbrook Gardens in fact. When the supergun is fired it would knock out power to the mother ship, bringing it crashing down to the earth right on top of the entire town. The town would be wiped out, right off the map, but it wasn’t on any map to start with. The loss of the town would be a sacrifice he could make. The town being completely isolated in all direction was a perfect gift. No one would ever know.
Either way if the aliens attack earth or the military attacks first the town will be lost, but with the army attacking first and winning the rest of the world will be saved. Massive collateral damage for the town, but it would be worth it.
Brad leaned back on the car and turned to Warren “Hey man, what’s the idea of us agreeing to having to wear a sign if those loser win the variety show?”
Warren laughed to himself. “Oh don’t you worry. Those losers won’t win, I’ll make sure of it” he smiled
Cindy laughed “What? Common now, tell us, what evil little thing are you planning?”
Warren smiled “In time you’ll see. I’m gonna make sure those little punk kids losers don’t win. In fact it will be the worst day of their lives”
The other kids laughed while leaning on the car.
A few blocks down the road the kids where lit up from the setting sun. They past under a tree and lost there shadows.
Bobby turned to Sam “When I get home I’ll grab my comic books I have on the military and get some tips on how to act for the show”
Kyle looked over to Bobby “They made comic books about being in the military?”
Bobby shook his head “The comic book isn’t about the military completely. It’s about the military battling evil aliens in a ghost town out west”
Kyle’s eyes lit up “Cool, I loved to see that. Can you imagine how cool that would be to see aliens in real life? I’d love it if aliens tired attacking our town, the military would shoot them down. I would be standing on the sidewalk cheering them on. Then I would get into a jet plane with rockets and shoot them down as well. I can see myself now, flying in a jet taking out the alien freaks. No one messes with earth. Makes me want to watch my favorite movie called The Earth Destroyed”
Bobby quickly looked over to Kyle “Oh, I love that movie. I love the part where the aliens make themselves look like world leaders while their stealing earth’s water.”
Kyle nodded in agreement. “And how the hero flies in a spaceship and uses a gold laser cannon to bring them all down. That guy was so cool. Never once did he show any sign of fear. That’s what I want to be like”
“Just let the aliens from that movie try to attack earth” Timmy said, “I wouldn’t just stand back, I’d be the superhero of the town and save everyone. I wouldn’t show the least bit of fear either. I could stand right in front of an alien and not be scared at all”
“Yeah me too” Bobby called out “Not only would I be a hero but I’d have a cool looking superhero’s outfit as well. I’ll have a cool looking cape and mask”
The other kids laughed.
Timmy looked over to Bobby “I could see you now in my mind, fighting evil aliens with a cape”
Bobby added, “With my cape on I would be the bravest man on the planet. I would stand up to the aliens and stare them down. Tell them take off and go back to Mars”
As they approached the corner of Elm and Smith they passed by huge Victorian
Houses. The kids had known each other all their lives. Sam lived next door to Kyle as Bobby and Timmy lived right across the street side by side. Kyle and Sam always thought Bobby and Timmy’s houses where cooler because their backyards faced the forest. Throughout their youth the four of them went into Timmy’s backyard and made their way into the dark forest. It wasn’t easy with the bushes being so intense and thick. If they wanted an easier way in the forest they usually walked for a few minutes along the edge of the forest line to a spot nicknamed “hole in the tree” a small opening within the dense bush they could crawl through. All the kids in town knew that was the place to sneak into.
At any point in the day or night whenever they quickly needed to talk to each other right away they would hold an “emergency meeting”. They always met in Bobby’s backyard.
Bobby created the famous “emergency meetings” a few years ago. He called the other guys one night around eleven saying he had something really important to tell them and it couldn’t wait until morning. In a hurry Timmy decided they should all meet in Bobby’s backyard where they could hear the news at the same time. They had to sneak out of their backdoors in order not to be seen by their parents. It turned out Bobby’s big announcement was he was going to the city in a few weeks for a major comic book convention. The other kids looked at him and just shook their heads. They thought they where going to hear something major, something that affected all of them. Ever since then the guys have agreed only to call an emergency meeting in Bobby’s backyard when the requirements were met. One, it couldn’t wait until morning. Two, it was something everyone had to hear at once and not on the phone and three, it was really big news, really big.
Kyle looked up the pathway towards his house and turned up the driveway. “Ok see you guys later”
They nodded and said goodbye back.
They walked to the next house and Sam made his way up his driveway.
Timmy and Bobby looked both ways and crossed the street and each went to their own house.
Kyle opened the front door and made his way in. Right away he could hear his sister in the kitchen whinnying away as usual to her mom about not being aloud to stay out late on Friday night. She was only a few years older then he was. Not much ever changed with her. Always wanting more and more and when she didn’t get it she whined.
He was about to head into the living room when his mom called his name. She asked him to come into the kitchen.
He didn’t like the idea because he knew he would have to listen to his sister yapping away. He slowly made his way in. One of the reasons why he wanted to learn to skydive is if he’s ever stuck on an airplane with her whinnying he could jump out of it.
“Kyle can you take out the garbage. I have to deal with your sister.” His mom said.
“And you will have to clean the dishes. Your name is on the list for cleaning tonight. Your dad is out working late; he’ll be home as soon as he can. I would like this place clean by the time he gets home.”
He nodded and started cleaning and had to block out his sister’s whining.
Bobby strolled into his house as his dad worked on his computer in the living room.
“Hello son. How was your day?” his dad called out from the other room.
“Great, had a fun time hanging out with the guys. We preformed for the seniors today” he said from the hallway.
“Good to here, proud of you. Hope they like the show”
“I’m sure they did”
“Did you see the military vehicles?”
“Oh yeah, they were really cool. Got a whole bunch of pictures as well” Bobby called out as he made his way into the kitchen where his older brother was drinking out of the milk carton.
“Look who it is, the wimpy guy who lives through his comic books” his brother said.
“I’m not a wim
p. I perform on stage in front of large crowds. What do you do?” Bobby didn’t know who was worse his brother or Warren. He was surprised his brother wasn’t in the Warren gang.
“I play football in high school. That’s good enough. I’m the brave one. I can stand up to anything. I don’t live through comic books”
“Well, not everyone has to play football” Bobby said without even looking at him.
“Only the cool kids” he brother said and walked away.
Bobby didn’t have time for his brother. He wasn’t going to let he’s brother bring him down. The coolest band ever, Fly by Night was coming to town and he had the variety show to think about. Nothing was going to ruin this weekend for him. His brother was always in a bad mood, its something he got used to a long time ago.
He thought about what Warren had said about the strange lights over the forest and it made him want to re-read his favorite comic book. He made his way into his bedroom lied down on his bed and picked up the comic book tilted “Evil aliens from Mars” he pulled the bed covers over his head and started to read with the help of a flashlight. He made sure to focus on how the military soldiers behaved when they arrived in town. He wanted to make mental notes so he could use the tips during Saturday’s show. The soldiers acted brave telling the town’s people not to worry, how everything was going to be all right. He knew the soldiers would do the job at saving the earth. He felt good reading until halfway through when the aliens landed their ships and started sneaking through the town abducted everyone one by one. He couldn’t understand how everyone around didn’t notice. He looked at one of drawings of the aliens and their creepy looking red eyes. A chill ran up his spine and he closed the book and turned bedroom light back on. He gave a quick look around the room making sure there were no aliens hiding in the shadows. He was pretty sure if he saw red eyes in the closet he would run out of his house faster then he could blink.
Sam stood in the kitchen and helped with the cooking of dinner.
“How’s the talent show coming along?” His mom asked as she turned the stove on.
He stood back making sure he didn’t mess the cooking of dinner. He liked helping out, but most of the time he got mixed up on what to do and got something wrong making a mess of dinner. He preferred to do the washing afterwards. It was easier to wash the plates afterwards then to cook the dinner “Great, we have all the lines memorized and ready to go”
“I guess you and your friends are looking forward to the military in town this weekend?”
Sam nodded quickly “Sure are. We had a great time today meeting the soldiers, asking questions and getting a lot of pictures.” He didn’t mention the old man grabbing him. He figured it was over and done with. What would be the point in bringing it up again? All it would do is stress out his mom.
His dad came home from work a few