Boy Gone

by Mark Wayne McGinnis

  That drew a moment of silence from the group.

  Scotty, studying the faces around him, couldn’t argue with her on her point. Why were they chosen, when there probably were far more intelligent, talented, capable kids to choose from back on Earth?

  “I guess we’ll find out. I think we’ve arrived,” Ernesto said.

  Standing up, they gazed out together toward an approaching green valley. A mile or so wide by several miles long, it lay nestled between two long, towering, rocky cliffs. Beyond the valley, two bright stars, one red and one bluish, were just beginning to peek over the horizon. Scotty noticed the temperature within the Romper was becoming uncomfortably warm.

  “Bunch of buildings down there,” Tori said, pointing a finger toward the center of a lush-looking valley with its high wind tussled grasses. “The first sign of civilization since we arrived here. Maybe this won’t be so bad.”

  Ignoring the buildings, his attention was focused instead on the towering, inward-facing cliffs. Studying the surface on the right, he noticed black holes, too many to count, and he was pretty sure they were entrances to caves. Then he was sure—the early morning sunlight exposed clusters of erect figures, standing within several of the dark openings. Perhaps alien residents observing their arrival?

  “Rompers!” Tiffany shouted way too loud for the confined space.

  Scotty had just noticed them too … dozens of them. More of the same quasi-transparent crafts were now descending into the valley below.

  “Look at them all … more abducted kids,” Courtney said.

  Multiple handfuls of dark standing figures were silhouetted within each Romper. “Sure hope there’s a few black brothers aboard a few of those,” Ernesto said.

  Scotty marveled at the sight—so many fast-moving, teardrop-shaped craft were descending from various directions. Sunlight sparkled off their reflective surfaces.

  “Oh wow … that’s really pretty,” Tiffany said.

  They watched as six preceding rover crafts descended down—disappeared on the other side of the tallest of five building structures. Suddenly, their own Rover craft banked left abruptly, coming around to what looked to be a four-story, pre-fab-type, building. Below lay a football-field-size cement pad. Mid-center were two ginormous, angled up, open metal doors. The Romper descended straight down.

  It was a huge subterranean cavern. So large, in fact, he wasn’t able to see where it ended in any direction. Scotty watched as the Rompers preceding theirs now began flying in single file. They moved in the direction of what looked to be some kind of large parking lot that was quickly filling up with more identical-looking craft. One by one, the forward positioned Rompers took their turn; first slowing—hovering in place a moment—then descending straight down into what appeared to be pre-determined landing slots. Scotty estimated there were about a hundred of them, lined-up in perfect symmetry. Glancing back, he saw a line of Rovers following along behind their own—plus others just now descending through the open doors.

  Their Romper landed with a muffled thump sound. Immediately, when the side door slid open, throngs of children could be seen, moving toward a tall bank of distant windows built into the side of the cavern.

  “I don’t like this, something’s not right,” Ernesto said.

  “You know, you don’t always have to be so negative,” Courtney replied.

  “Really, Missy? Well, I’ve got news for you. That’s not a Wal-Mart over there. Just sayin’ … we should be prepared for the worst.”

  Scotty was with Ernesto on that. He felt it too. Once they entered that structure he wondered if their lives would ever be the same.

  “You guys can stand there with your thumbs up your butts. I’ll go first,” Tori said, stepping outside and quickly moving away from the Romper.

  By the time he caught up with her, the others too were running, catching up behind them. Side-by-side, Scotty and Tori exchanged a quick glance as they followed behind a bunch of kids—kids that didn’t look all that different from them. They moved like cattle, or sheep, in through a tall, wide, metal archway. Scotty was struck by the fact that once again no one was giving them directions. No adult telling them to either do this or do that—go this way or that way. Like he’d done when stepping onto the yellow circle back in the forest, these kids were making decisions on their own; handling circumstances remarkably well … considering. That’s when it struck him. Maybe he and the others had been pre-selected. Not because they were the brightest, or the most athletic, or anything like that. But because they were, on the whole, more level-headed than most other kids. Perhaps emotionally better equipped to deal with such craziness, like being abducted. He thought about Thomas. The Vallic sure judged that one wrong and the poor kid paid, losing his life. Scotty quietly said, “Note to self—no emotional outbursts going forward … ”

  “Huh?” Tori asked, staring at him.

  “Nothing … tell you later.”

  “Oh crap! Look! Didn’t I tell you this was a bad idea?” Ernesto said.

  Chapter 33

  Scotty, along with throngs of other kids, entered into what would best be described as an immense arena: an arena with no seating, no large overhead TV screen, and no sports-playing field in the middle. Just a massively large, basically circular in shape, open room that had been dug and chiseled into what seemed to be solid subterranean rock. A raised platform, positioned in the center of the space, had vague figures standing upon it. Ernesto had noticed them when they entered. The ambient light within the chamber was relatively low, which allowed the ones on stage to be barely noticed: Seven faintly glowing Vallic aliens. One was instantly recognizable, not by his facial features, which were pretty much indecipherable from the others, but by his towering, brooding, stature—his overall unnerving presence truly radiated darkness.

  Oh God, not him … not that Horran guy, Scotty thought.

  Then, as if the alien leader had tuned specifically into Scotty’s mental wavelength, out of what could easily be hundreds of other kids there, the ghostly form raised his head and looked directly at them—at him. Scotty wondered if Horran could actually see, or maybe sense, the fear his presence was provoking within him. Nah, how could that be?

  “This way,” Tori yelled, above the noise. Waving a hand over her head for them to follow her as she plowed deeper into the crowded mayhem. How does she know where to go? Scotty glanced back, making sure the others were still in tow. He heard different languages being spoken within other groups congregating nearby. Did that mean these kids were from all over? That the mass abductions truly were an international operation?

  “Hey! Hold up … maybe we’re supposed to be right here,” Tori’s unique, high-pitched voice exclaimed.

  It took Scotty a second to find Tori amongst the other kids. Locking onto her, she gave him an exasperated expression back. “I think we’re supposed to stand right here. I don’t know for sure, but that’s what I think. Look around you … it just makes sense.”

  Scotty looked at the spot she was standing on, then at the children around her. How in the world did she figure out that this was the exact place where they were supposed to stand? But join her they did. Scotty, Ernesto, Tiffany, Courtney, and Trent squirmed around the increasingly bossy girl, clueless as to why.

  “What are you doing?” Scotty asked Ernesto, who was repeatedly rising up on his tiptoes, first looking left, then right, and then behind them.

  “Need to seriously punch a dook.”

  Scotty frowned and shook his head.

  “Squeeze a steamer … bust a grumpie … drop the kids off at the pool!”

  Scotty still didn’t get it.

  “He has to take a crap, stupid,” Trent said, bewildered by Scotty’s ignorance of crude slang expressions used for going to the bathroom.

  “I suggest you hold it in a while,” Tori said, keeping her eyes forward, on the Vallic aliens standing on the platform.

  For the first time, Scotty took in the myriad of faces around him. Liste
ned to them talking amongst themselves. Everyone standing near him seemed to be American. Not far to the left was another large cluster of kids. Hearing their accents, he guessed they were from either England, maybe Australia—he really couldn’t tell the difference. So, he thought, maybe everyone in here has automatically gravitated to a particular area, one occupied by kids from their own country; small, separate, nation clusters, distributed evenly around the arena? There’s still enough room for ten times as many kids in here, Scotty figured.

  Like a constant buzz emanating from a giant beehive, low murmurs—from too many kids talking at once—suddenly grew into distinct, louder voices. Heads spun around, as if given a silent command to do so, to get a glimpse of who was entering through the arched entranceway.

  “It’s the adults,” Tiffany said.

  Now that’s interesting, Scotty thought. Unlike the kids, who were roughly within a narrow age range of nine to twelve, the adults were all ages. Some youngish—maybe in their twenties—and some older, with grey hair or bald. Strange. A part of him wasn’t thrilled to see them here. Almost as if they’d encroached into something intended only for kids. But Scotty knew that was silly. It wasn’t as if anyone of them was given a choice.

  There were tons more adults than children. Enough to completely fill up the arena. As they filed in, Scotty was surprised at how little attention they gave the kids. And something else too; he had the distinct impression all these grownups had been around here longer. Studying their overalls, it was evident they weren’t as new here as the kids. Most had worn areas and some stains, even small tears in the fabric.

  “Geez … they won’t even look at us,” Tiffany said, sounding more insulted than hurt.

  Scotty knew what she was saying; none of the adults made eye contact with the children, or even offered a sympathetic glance in their direction.

  Horran was on the move. A hand raised over his head to get everyone’s attention, he walked the outer circumference of the raised platform. When he spoke, his voice was deep, thundering out over the watchful crowd and just as loud as if he were speaking into a microphone.

  “I am Horran. I am the shepherd of this operation … and only that. I am not your commander, your boss, your chief, or anything else. Those that need to be told what to do will not last long here. You will learn the language of the Vallic. You will exclusively speak the language of the Vallic—or not speak at all. Your religious views will remain private, never to be discussed here. Not ever. There will be no time for any cultural, religious, racial, or even regional mindsets. The punishment for separatism will be swift.”

  Horran let that sink in.

  “Too much is at stake for those residing on Earth. For the Humans there.”

  Moving to the center of the platform, he continued, “Some rules you must follow: Do not take it upon yourselves to either direct or command someone else. Be mindful of another’s unique place here. Not every individual here thinks or acts or responds in the exact same way. Those in this room are accountable only to themselves and those back on Earth. Not to others here. Half of you will not survive the week.” Again, Horran let that sink in. Scotty noticed it was only the children in the room who abruptly stood taller. Quizzically, they looked around—as if they couldn’t possibly have heard right. The adults, seemingly unaffected, evidently had heard the same talk before. But Scotty had heard right. The large alien just said it, plain as day, that half of them were going to die.

  Horran continued, “We are not looking for gratitude.” Scotty and Ernesto glanced at each other. Gratitude? Ernesto mouthed, wide-eyed.

  “Getting in front of the gamma ray this far has been a challenge. With Earth, we believe, things will be different. Understand, in an attempt to save your species, Humans still on Earth, hundreds of Vallic have already perished. Sacrificed their lives … for you. Hundreds more will perish when they reach other star systems, repeating a similar pattern of what we are planning here—saving endangered, intelligent, life forms. Those other worlds are also standing in the path of certain destruction. It is now our destiny to help these alien civilizations as much as we can. And to do so indefinitely, if necessary. You should know that it is us, the Vallic people, who are fully responsible. We are to blame for that fast-moving gamma ray burst now traversing the cosmos, causing cataclysmic destruction in its wake. Leave it to say, it was an interstellar experiment gone very wrong. Our technological arrogance, and subsequent insensitivity, will remain a Vallic disgrace; a burden we must shoulder for eternity. I apologize for all the Vallic, and I apologize that you were singled out to save Humankind on your planet. Not a second thought will be given about terminating any of your lives if you do not willingly serve the greater good of this operation.”

  Horran stood quiet, then took a step backward, rejoining the six other glowing, nearly transparent, Vallic forms.

  A female Vallic took a step forward, assuming the spot Horran had just vacated. “I am Seve, some of you already know me.” Taking an additional step forward, she lifted her hands up in front of her torso, facing the mesmerized crowd. Following a momentary bright-blue flash, Seve was no longer just a faintly glowing alien. She was now in Human form—and she was a Human that Scotty knew quite well.

  Chapter 34

  How? How was it possible that Seve was actually Ms. Keeler? She’d been an elementary school substitute teacher for his class no less than seven times over the past year. Both pretty and smart, he’d always preferred her to his regular, full-time teacher, Mr. Ashwhile—more commonly referred to (behind his back) as Mr. Ass Wipe.

  “Hello everybody. First of all, to our newest arrivals here, the children, welcome to the planet Hope. There are a number of logistical items we will be discussing after we take a short break. You’ll notice there are twelve temporary toilet cubicles set up along the back wall. Those that need to go can do so now, then hurry back.”

  With only a few exceptions, most of the kids within the arena made a fast dash toward the rear of the room, including Scotty and the rest of his Romper craft contingent. Lines formed and grew. From his spot, now just four kids back from the cubicles, he was able to assess the portable toilet units. Although not too different looking from any port-a-potty back on Earth, he was fairly certain he’d find a difference once inside. Doing one’s business publicly certainly must have progressed some within this futuristic society—one where spaceships and Romper craft were commonplace.

  When it was his turn, he studied the exiting Asian girl’s face—looked for clues on what he could expect to find inside. But she didn’t make eye contact. She simply trotted down the three little steps, brushed quickly past him, and scampered off into the masses of those behind him. Once inside, Scotty closed and latched the door and looked around. His nose was immediately accosted by the familiar smell of acrid chemicals laced with shit and urine. He involuntarily grimaced, noticing the all too familiar toilet seat. But instead of a hanging roll of white TP off to the side, it was a roll of something the color of moss. Scotty realized he wouldn’t be finding any super-futuristic kind of technology while in here.

  Twenty minutes had passed before everyone had returned to their former position within the arena. Scotty spent that time studying the seven beings standing up on the raised platform. They’d spent the same time pacing back and forth, periodically altering between both their physical and non-physical forms. It was an amazing sight. One moment a mere whisper of rustling blue energy and the next, in Human form, walking tall about the stage with a purpose. They too were dressed in overalls, similar to those worn by the abductees—only theirs were a darker-green shade of color. Horran was just as imposing in his Human form as he was non-Human. Tall and broad shouldered physically, his muscular chest and arms tautly stretched out his overalls.

  “Look, they walk right through each other … did you see that?” Tori asked.

  Scotty hadn’t noticed that she’d been standing next to him ever since her return from the port-a-potties. Nodding back, he
said, “Yeah … I didn’t understand what they were doing at first.” Continuing to watch the spectacle, he found it occurred when they were in their Vallic state, crossing within each other’s paths. Their energies, joined momentarily, became amplified; their co-mingled forms becoming brighter. The sight was dazzling. Some of the kids oohed and aahed, even clapped their hands when that happened.

  Seve was back, standing where she’d stood before the break. With her palms up, again facing all the onlookers, she said, “I am no longer Vallic.”

  The loud murmuring crowd settled down quickly and quieted down.

  “Relinquishing one’s congenital species—one’s very form of beingness—was beyond difficult. For me, growing up on Lorimar, on that beautiful world, being a Vallic, was all I ever knew; a world where billions of advanced, ethereal beings cohabitated together in tranquil harmony. It is amazing what can be accomplished when there are no wars, no strife, and no hatred. Creativity blossoms to unimaginable heights. Incredible advances in technology can result when existing in such a state. The Vallic routinely traveled to planetary systems light-years away. We began to alter the natural progression of things. Terraforming alien worlds we liked, or atomizing uninhabited worlds we did not like with bombardments of dark-matter projectiles. The Vallic pushed their advanced technology out to distant space … but there was a fine line that should never have been crossed.”

  Seve stopped speaking long enough for the six others on the platform to join her, three standing on either side. In unison, they all switched back to their Vallic energetic states.

  “Children, the grownups you see in this arena have been here for quite some time now. Like you, they were abducted from all across the Earth. Each was observed going about their individual lives and assessed for their viability as a candidate. But no one here was accepted if their unexplained departure would cause undo attention within the media. No one was acceptable if they were too famous, or overly temperamental, or had a mental illness, or suffered a physical impairment. They needed to be highly intelligent, and each needed to be an expert in their respective field. Please look upon the adults that are here now.”