Jim Thorn - Invasion

“A radio… local news reports…” Maya trailed off, not sure what to tell Reno and how to break the news to her children.

“That’ll have to wait, Maya. We’ve got big problems right here.”

“Iknew this piece of shit wouldn’t last,” Reno said.

With wrench in hand, Maya climbed under the hood. But even she knew she was fooling herself. After a few more minutes of checking seals and hoses, she stepped back from the truck and grunted as she threw the wrench to the ground. Her hands had been covered with oil and gunk. She pushed her hair away from the front of her face and wiped the sweat from her brow using her forearm.

“Damn radiator.”

Reno nodded. “That’s what I thought, too.”

“What’s that mean?” Aiden asked.

“It means this hunk of crap isn’t going anywhere,” Gerald said.

It was the first time he’d spoken in quite some time. Maya glared at him before looking at her son.

“Unfortunately, your father’s right.”

“Can’t we get a radiator out of another car?” Laura asked.

Maya looked up and down the highway. There weren’t any vehicles in sight, and she pointed that out to her daughter.

“And even if there were, we don’t have the parts, tools, or time.”

“Maybe we’ve got more time than we think,” Reno said. “We don’t know if that Donna woman was being honest. And the fact that they sped off without us doesn’t make her trustworthy in my book.”

“Maybe not, but she was right about the time.”

Reno narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that?”

“I told you, someone broadcasting over a local radio station, saying that the cities are gone, people should hide. The aliens,” Maya said, waving her greasy arm at the horizon, “are moving north. I saw flashes in the sky last night where Fort Campbell used to be. I don’t want to be on this highway when they arrive.”

“Jesus,” John said. “So, it really is getting worse.”

“And it seems like Cincinnati is our best choice,” Reno said. “Donna was right, I guess.”

“Then let’s all jump into our truck and get going,” Aiden said.

Maya turned and chastised herself for overlooking such a simple solution—until she looked at the cab and did the math.

John, Reno, and Gerald looked at each other, then at Maya. No matter how she imagined them getting into the one truck, it wouldn’t work. The old maintenance trucks had had their beds removed, with tanks of fertilizer or insecticide mounted to the frames. It was impossible for anyone to ride in the back and impossible to fit all six of them in the cab given the toolbox that had been welded to the truck’s frame.

Laura leaned over and whispered into Aiden’s ear, explaining why his solution wouldn’t work, and Maya felt her heart break as she saw the realization bloom on her son’s face.

Aiden shook his head. “There’s got to be something we can do. There has to be a bigger vehicle somewhere around here that we can take, or some way to find the tools we need to fix this one. Maybe we can take off those tanks or rip out the toolbox so we can all fit?”

“I wish we could, but the truck mods are welded. There’s no way their coming off.” Gerald’s voice began to crack. “The aliens are coming. Your mom heard it on that radio inside. We don’t have time to waste with all that. By the time we find a vehicle or get this one fixed, that stadium is gonna be closed and then we’re all going to be in trouble.”

“So, now what?” Aiden asked.

Maya looked at John, Reno, and then Gerald last. She couldn’t look at Laura or Aiden because she knew she’d fall apart. “It means that two of us are going to have to stay here.”

Aiden’s face turned pale, and his eyes darted between his parents.

“No way,” he said. “There’s got to be another way. We can’t leave anybody behind.”

“We don’t have a choice, son,” Gerald said. “It’s just the way it has to be.”

“But we haven’t even tried finding another car yet. And, Mom, are you sure it’s the radiator? What if it’s something else that you can fix?”

Maya shook her head. “It’s not, hon. I’ve been working on cars since I was your age. I know this is something that we can’t fix. I wish it were that easy.”

Aiden started to cry, and his sister wrapped her arm around him. He buried his head into her chest.

And as the four adults looked at each other once more, the question hung like a pregnant thundercloud.

Who was going to be left behind?

Maya wanted to be anywhere but there in that moment. With everyone staring at her, expecting her to make the toughest decision of their lives for them, all she wanted was to be alone. But she knew this was her responsibility, as the person who had been put in charge of the group.

Then Reno looked around at the others.

“Well, we’ve got a choice to make. The kids are going, but—”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Gerald said, interrupting him.

Reno smiled for a moment before shaking his head and continuing. “Two of us are going to have to stay here. How are we going to decide?”

“One of you,” Maya said. “I’m not leaving my kids and they’re not staying here.”

John shrugged. “We could draw straws, or whatever we can find that would work.”

“Are we in second-fucking-grade or something, here?” Gerald asked.

“I don’t hear you coming up with any better ideas,” John said.

“No, you know, I’ve got an idea.” Gerald pointed back and forth at Reno and John. “How about you two stay?”

Maya stood back and listened, sharing a glance with Reno after Gerald’s suggestion. Reno licked his lips and was about to respond when John jumped in.

“Screw that. Why are we automatically assuming that your name isn’t on the chopping block?”

Gerald snorted a sarcastic laugh, then turned to Laura and Aiden. “There’s two reasons for you right there, dumbass. If you think I’m leaving my children behind, then you’re crazy. And if we’re going that far, Maya’s name should be on the table, too.”

Maya felt her chest tighten, and her mouth went dry.

I’d die first, you son of a bitch.

She couldn’t trust Gerald with their safety. Although, he had kept the kids safe when all this had hit the fan. She didn’t agree with his decision to take them from her mother, but she understood that what he did and how he treated their grandmother was done under extreme duress.

“That’s ridiculous,” Reno said. “Maya’s name shouldn’t even be considered.”

“Why?” Maya stepped into the middle of the men, all of her certainty about the situation beginning to slide away. She glanced around at them before glaring at Reno. “Why shouldn’t I be considered?”

“Come on, Maya,” Reno said. “Don’t be like this.”

“Like what? I’ve done things over the past few weeks that are unfathomable. What makes me any better than anyone else?”

“Because everything you’ve done has been to save your kids,” Reno said.

“Yeah,” John said. “You didn’t fuckin’ kidnap ‘em like this guy.”

“Maybe we should be leaving your fat, worthless ass behind,” Gerald said. “Who the hell are you anyway? We don’t know if you’re really a cop, and so what if you are?”

“He’s saved my ass more times than I can count,” Reno said. “So, watch what you say.”

“Yeah?” Gerald asked, stepping toward Reno. “Or what?”

“Don’t get up in my face, man.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

“Dad, don’t,” Laura said.

“Stay out of this, Laura,” Gerald said, never taking his eyes off Reno.