Mark McGinnis - The Simpleton

Using both hands, Cuddy rose to his feet and stood next to his brother. When he looked out the window, he saw they were up in space. When did that happen? He felt his heart rate increase. We’re in space… does this make us astronauts?

Kyle leaned in closer and said, “Hey… snap out of it! If you haven’t noticed, we’re up shit creek, little brother. Orb’s not sounding too confident we’re going to pull this endeavor off.”

Cuddy noticed more trails of bright red plasma fire crisscrossing the blackness of space. For us to survive this, Cuddy, you will need to assist me.

Cuddy stared at Kyle, then the orb. The request had not been a verbal one… it was instructing his mind. He knew what the orb was asking, but he’d been unable to conjure up those mental powers—whatever they were—ever since the alien altercation with Momma at the ranch.

How?

I will bring the enemy into your field of vision.

Sluggish in its response, Cuddy felt the Revenge change course. It took several moments before a Howsh ship came back into view.

I am here with you, so calm your mind, Cuddy… do not question your capabilities… do what must be done to save those you care about… to save your world…

Cuddy liked the tone of the orb’s mental voice, found it comforting. He concentrated on the fast-moving enemy vessel visible out the forward window. Nothing seemed to happen for several long moments when, all at once, one of the stubby wings on the other spacecraft began to glow. As the wing disintegrated, red hot embers trailed away into space. Next, the back of the fuselage began to glow—first yellow, then red—and then, here too, red hot embers erupted like a Fourth of July sparkler. The Howsh ship was adrift in space.

“Are they… dead?”

“Yes, the hull has been breached. I am not detecting any signs of life,” the orb said.

Beyond exhausted, Cuddy wavered on his feet. It reminded him of being underwater, when he and Kyle were swimming down at Long Pond as kids. Submerged beneath the surface, where it was so quiet only the faintest of sounds made their way into the watery depth.

Cuddy was aware of the other enemy ship, now approaching from directly ahead. He saw that the orb was bringing the Revenge back down into the atmosphere. Red plasma fire filled his field of view, but darkness was closing in around him.

“What are you doing? Do something, Cuddy!” Kyle yelled.

Cuddy fought to stay awake—needed to stay awake. But he was tired and so very weak. Cuddy drifted into unconscious just prior to his body hitting the deck.

Jackie was still fuming. Who did Cuddy think he was? Who all of a sudden made him the boss? It wasn’t so long ago he had trouble counting to twenty. Now he’s dictating where she can and cannot go!

She arrived at the hospital only to find the parking lot was a total madhouse of activity. Hordes of people coming and going. A hell of a lot more people than lived in the little town of Woodbury. She glanced over to Rufus sitting in the passenger seat. “This is crazy, huh Rufus?”

Having given up, she was now looking for a place to park several blocks out on a side street. She was surprised to see her father was there—slowly walking—arm-in-arm with Momma Perkins. She spotted the old Maxima up ahead. Jackie lowered her passenger side window and pulled up alongside them.

“Dad… Mrs. Perkins… what are you doing here?”

Momma gave a little wave. Her father glanced over to her with a surprised expression. She saw him remove his arm from hers—obviously using her for support. She saw him attempt to stand a little taller.

“What’s it look like we’re doing?” he said. “Are you daft? We’re walking to Dotty’s car.”

“I can see that, Dad… but why are you out of the hospital? You just had surgery… not to mention a heart attack.”

Her father stopped and looked at her. “I’m well aware of what I’ve been through. Heart attacks aren’t something one easily forgets. Dotty’s taking me home. It seems my daughter has been too busy to make time for such trivialities.”

Jackie rolled her eyes. Then saw that there were two cars now waiting behind her—wanting to pass but the opposing traffic was pretty much non-stop. “Any word on Sheriff Bone’s condition, Mrs. Perkins?” Jackie asked.

“Oh, he’s got a few broken bones. Two ribs and he has a cast on his left arm. His wrist I think. Also has a concussion. Other than that, he’ll live. Already making a fuss about getting back to work.” Looking concerned, Momma asked, “Any word about my boys?”

Jackie shook her head. “No. Sorry.”

The two of them had arrived at the Maxima. Momma used a key fob to unlock the passenger door. She opened it and held it wide for her father to lower himself into.

Jackie felt guilty. She should be the one driving him home. The car behind her honked—then the one behind that and the one behind that one all honked their horns. She held her left hand out the driver-side window and flipped the lot of them the bird.

Momma was making her way around her car.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you back at Dad’s farm.”

“Okay, dear… we’ll see you there.”

She spun the dial determining only two local radio stations were still broadcasting—both so filled with static, it was nearly impossible to hear what was being said. She glanced in her rearview mirror and saw the Maxima was there, three cars back. She spun the dial again and hit pay dirt. She recognized the announcer’s voice as that from the local CBS affiliate all-news station.

“…the amount of damage… the devastation along the eastern seaboard is nothing short of catastrophic. Death tolls are estimated into the millions. With that said, there are population pockets… even within Manhattan itself… that were, miraculously, bypassed. Moving on to Washington D.C.… there too has sustained much damage. But I’m reporting that the White House still stands… I repeat… the White House still stands. As does the Capitol Building. The President of the United States is said to be safe and conducting business from an undisclosed safe bunker location. The Naval Station at Norfolk, in nearby Virginia, has been completely destroyed. As were the bases at Newport, Annapolis, Charleston, Kings Bay, and Jacksonville. It is apparent that the alien attackers’ primary targets were… and still are… primary U.S. and worldwide military installations. Let’s quickly turn our attention to the events going on over Europe and Russia. We go now to Peter Colten… our on-the-ground correspondent in St. Petersburg, Russia. Peter… what can you tell us?”

“Yeah, Simon, what we’re getting, and this is from multiple eye witness accounts… is that two alien crafts had entered the Russian airspace. The Russians were ready for them… deploying a substantial number of their MiG29k jet fighters. All of which were quickly destroyed. Then came what seemed to be an almost endless rampage of Russian surface to air and sea to air missiles… unfortunately, these too had zero effect on the alien crafts. The aliens began strafing the ground with their energy weapons… just as they had done along the eastern seaboard in the U.S. and then to other countries in Europe and China. As the attack ensued, much of Moscow has been turned to rubble. But here’s the really bizarre part, Simon… reportedly a third spaceship engaged the enemy, identical looking to the other two alien crafts… From which point an aerial battle ensued. Eventually, the battle continued up in space.”

“So how do things stand now, Peter?”

“Simon… one alien spacecraft has definitely been destroyed. That has been verified. The other one was either destroyed or at the very least incapacitated in high orbit over Earth.”