by Beth Bowland
Aaron continued to run out of the amusement park and through an open field, thinking if he could locate the pond, he could find his way back out. He turned and found the animals gaining on him, so he continued to run across the field looking for a place to hide. He spotted a house in the distance and ran toward it.
His chest felt as if it would collapse inward from his heavy breathing. His foot caught against a rock, causing him to stumble. He could hear hooves and large paws steady on his trail. Aaron quickly got up and continued to run toward the house. He approached a small picket fence, but he did not stop to find the gate. Instead, he dove headfirst over the top and went into a roll before staggering back onto his feet.
The house was old and rundown, and boards covered several of the windows. The dilapidated front steps sank in the middle. The railing lay on its side on the ground. A small light turned on inside, and the front door swung open by itself.
Aaron ran straight in, not hesitating to see who had opened the door, but slamming it shut behind him once he was safely inside. He could hear the tigers and other animals from the carousel clawing the front door, and their noses sniffing for him beneath the door. Aaron stood with his back against the door for a few moments as his eyes adjusted to his surroundings. Someone was there inside the house with him and moved into another room as he watched the glow of the light fade from the adjacent dining room and into another room. There was a thud and then a shuffling sound. Aaron slowly made his way into the dining room before stopping. Whoever it was carried some sort of lantern.
“Hello?” Aaron called out. “I’m sorry for coming into your house, but I was being chased by some … um … wild … well, I was being chased.”
He listened for some type of response. None was given, only the glow coming from the next room. Moving forward slowly, he paused between each step to listen. He eased around the corner, feeling along the wall for a light switch. His fingers found a small round knob, which he pressed, and the room lit up. Directly in front of him sat Mr. Kessler in a tattered leather armchair, holding a lantern.
Mr. Kessler smiled. “Well, you’re a lot tougher than I thought you to be,” he said as he turned off the lantern and placed it on the floor. He laid his cane across his lap and leaned back.
Aaron looked at the man’s eyes; they were normal. He swallowed and leaned back against the wall, keeping his gaze on Mr. Kessler, but unsure of what to say.
“Nakal is determined to win this game and will do anything to accomplish that,” Mr. Kessler said.
“Why, is he so determined to have my family?”
“Perhaps the closeness of your family reminds him of his real family,” Mr. Kessler answered.
“But his real family abandoned him. That doesn’t sound like they were very close.”
Mr. Kessler remained quiet for a moment before answering. “That was just a story he’d made up.” He gestured for Aaron to have a seat.
Aaron shook his head. “I’d rather stand.”
“As you wish,” Mr. Kessler said. “Well, here is a little information about Nakal that the council members don’t think I know.”
Aaron eased near the couch and sat on the arm of the chair, keeping his body turned toward the entryway in case he needed to run.
Mr. Kessler leaned forward. “Did Nakal tell you where he was from?”
Aaron shook his head. “Not really. When he first arrived he mentioned he was from a small town south of Albuquerque, New Mexico.”
“Nakal is from a town called Roswell, or well, perhaps I should say he landed in the town of Roswell when he was thirteen years old.”
Aaron’s eyes widened. ”Landed? As in a spaceship?”
Mr. Kessler nodded. “Oh, yes. It was national news back in 1947. Although the crash was witnessed, the government explained it away as hearsay, conspiracy theories, and a weather balloon.”
“What actually happened?”
“Well,” Mr. Kessler started, “it’s been said that there were three bodies found on the crashed spacecraft. Two were dead, and one was alive. Nakal survived; his parents did not. You see, Nakal became acquainted with the council members by accident. He was a troubled youth. Before he arrived on Earth, he’d been in and out of trouble, and he actually stole something from one of the council members that was very precious. He was caught and since the council members are always trying to make their games more exciting, they decided to incorporate Nakal and his family into their game. The council sent them aboard a spacecraft to Earth.”
“But,” Aaron interrupted, “why did they have to come by spacecraft when they could’ve just walked through the dimension, like I did through Zion’s building?”
“At that time it was the only way to get them here. The interconnecting dimensions were only discovered by the council twenty years ago.”
Aaron thought for a moment, allowing this information to sink in. “Hold up! If Nakal was a kid way back in 1947 that would make him over seventy-five years old now.”
“Yes, that is correct,” Mr. Kessler said. “You see. Nakal is from the planet Venus, hence the rotten smell, because it’s full of sulfuric acid. Also, it’s a hot planet, so I’m sure he’s been whining about the cold. Our atmosphere has a different effect on non-Earth persons, depending on where they’re from. I’m thinking the effect on Nakal has made him ageless, but for Zion’s people, the atmosphere causes them to age. Of course that’s just my opinion. I could be totally wrong.”
Aaron sat on the chair, feeling as if his legs were going to give out at any moment. “How do they survive if it’s so hot?”
“Well, they’re not built like us. They have clothes made from special materials, and I’ve heard they live deep within the volcanoes. The atmosphere is different than ours, but if you saw the landscape, you’d think it looked just like the Earth’s. There are clouds, something similar to the sun, but I’ve heard there is no grass. Anyway,” Mr. Kessler continued, “the spacecraft crashed when it reached Earth’s atmosphere. The government removed the bodies and took them to an Air Force camp in an undisclosed location. But eventually Nakal was housed at the secret military base out in the desert of Nevada.”
“Area 51,” Aaron said, his heart beating wildly.
Mr. Kessler shrugged. “That’s what people are led to believe, but actually there are several underground top secret military bases. They’re called communication houses, and they’re in constant contact with all alien life forms. In fact, our government oftentimes makes deals for special minerals or newer technology. We would have never made it to the moon if it hadn’t been for the technology that was traded after the Roswell incident.”
“Unbelievable.” Aaron slumped back against the arm cushion in disbelief.
“Nakal stayed in our government’s care until the council members decided to come get him and have him continue the game. Nakal declined at first, but they offered him a grand prize if he won—a family. Any family he chose, but he had to first successfully initiate the game, and then he had to win.”
“I can’t let that happen,” Aaron said.
“Your losing is inevitable. Nakal is determined, cunning, and will do anything to win.”
“I’ve won one round so far. It’s not over,” Aaron said, silently swallowing his doubt.
Mr. Kessler sighed, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs. “I’ve mentioned before, Aaron, that we could end this little situation quickly. You only need to agree to change places with me.”
“Are you crazy?” Aaron said. “Zion and D1 warned me about you.”
Mr. Kessler chuckled; then his eyebrows furrowed.
“What’s so funny?” Aaron asked.
“They warned you about me?” He huffed. “I should warn you about them.”
“What do you mean?” asked Aaron. “They’re on my side.”
Mr. Kessler’s lips formed a thin tight line, and his eyes narrowed. “Remember what I told you at the beginning of the game?”<
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Aaron nodded. “Yeah, you said to trust no one, not even you.”
“Exactly.” Mr. Kessler wagged his finger at Aaron. “Trust no one. Everyone can be used and manipulated during this game. Do you think your hosts are helping you just to be nice?”
Aaron’s shoulders slumped. “But I asked Zion and D1 why they helped, and D1 told me they get perks from the council members and oddlings.”
A smirk appeared on Mr. Kessler’s face as he slapped one knee. “And do you know what those oddlings are?”
Aaron shook his head. “No, he didn’t say.”
“Precisely.” Mr. Kessler stood. “A word of caution. The next time you’re at your hosts’ house, be sure to pay a visit to the attic.” He made his way to a closet door, which he opened, walked in, and closed behind him.
Aaron hesitated for a moment before going to the closet door. He pressed his ear against it, listening for any sound. When he heard none, he slowly turned the doorknob and peered inside. The closet was empty. He reached up and pulled the string for the light and found just an ordinary empty closet.
Aaron was unsure how Mr. Kessler had gone through the closet, as he did not find any special symbols. He closed the door and made his way back to the front entrance, but he stopped when he heard someone outside coming up the steps. He quickly hid behind a large dusty easy chair as the front door opened and a flashlight swept through the room.
“Who’s in here?” a voice bellowed. “Aaron, is that you?”
Aaron froze. His gut told him to remain silent and that the man was somehow tied to Nakal. He could hear the man moving about and pushing furniture around and saw the sweeping motion from his flashlight.
Aaron quietly peered around the side of the chair to see what the man was doing. He watched as the man moved a couch away from the wall, reached inside his coat pocket, and pulled out what looked like a piece of chalk. He eased up a little farther to try to see what the man wrote on the wall, when he felt an ominous thump. He froze. Moments later there was another thump. He was sure it came from the annihilators, and that meant Nakal was nearby. Soon the entire house shook.
The man dropped the chalk, ran to the door, and threw it open. “He’s not here,” he yelled as he waved his arms in the doorway.
Aaron lifted himself up to get a better view. He saw the annihilators sweeping their arms around, and everything that was touched disappeared. The continuous thumping and strong smell of burning metal was almost overwhelming, but being too afraid to move for fear of being discovered, Aaron stayed behind the chair and watched in horror as one of the annihilators swept the man into nothingness. His flashlight dropped against the wood floor, the sound echoing for what seemed like hours. Moments later, there was once again silence.
Aaron slowly stood. The front door was partially erased and one of the door beams clung onto the one nail. The odd odor of burnt metal permeated the entire room. He went into the other room to see what the man had written on the wall.
I’m closest to you.
Some say that I’m your twin.
Bring me into view and you will win.
“Closest? Twin?” Aaron whispered, but before he could read the statement again, the sound of footsteps came through the front entrance. Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial of liquid. He removed the cap, brought the vial to his lips, then hesitated.
“I sure hope being invisible for five minutes will help me.” He gulped down the liquid.
A searing surge of heat radiated throughout his body. Gasoline seemed to course through his veins as his mouth went dry, and his eyes watered from the burning sensation deep within his sockets. He watched his hands as they seemed to fade away into nothingness. His body heat skyrocketed to the point that Aaron felt as if he might faint. Moments later he was invisible.
The chair Aaron stood behind was violently shoved away. Nakal stood merely inches away from him, nose-to-nose but unaware of his presence. Aaron studied Nakal’s facial features as his thoughts went back to his earlier conversation with Mr. Kessler. Was it possible that Nakal was really over seventy-five years old?
Aaron held his breath as the arms of fear embraced him, but yet at that very moment felt the urge to touch Nakal, fascinated by the fact that an alien stood directly in front of him. He once again wished Parker were with him.
Nakal flinched. His nostrils flared as his pupils dilated and tiny amber electrical sparks flickered from his eyes. His eyes narrowed, and his shoulders hunched over slightly as he scanned the room. He then relaxed and sighed.
“He’s gone.” Nakal turned and spoke to his annihilators. “He’s headed to the planetarium. He’s got the clue and is going for the telescope.”
“A telescope?” Aaron said out loud.
Nakal quickly turned around. He scanned the room once again before he left the house.
Aaron released the breath he’d been holding. “I need to get to the new planetarium on the university campus,” he said out loud, hoping someone from his team was paying attention. A cooling sensation went throughout his body as he became visible.
He heard a thud over his shoulder and turned around to see a brass candleholder rolling over the edge of the fireplace mantel. Aaron went to pick it up, hoping his examination would reveal something to show him how to get back to downtown Bixie.
The candleholder held no clues, but as Aaron placed it back on the mantel his eyes noticed the hieroglyphic symbol. Mr. Kessler’s words came to mind. “It will be the one you want.” Aaron thought about the planetarium and touched the symbol.
A blaring horn startled Aaron as he opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of the street, the same busy street where he’d met Zion earlier—a few blocks from the police station and a couple of blocks past the municipal building where Zion lived. After the third horn blared at him, he ran to the curb.
A swarm of elementary school kids arranged in pairs walked by holding hands, slightly bumping up against him but seemingly not paying any attention to him. Aaron squeezed past them and headed toward the university.
“Aaron,” a young voice called.
He stopped and turned to see a young girl at the back of the line. She wore her hair in two braided pigtails with bright red ribbons tied to the ends.
The girl waved at him. “Don’t forget to check out that attic.” She giggled before turning back and clasping her walking buddy’s hand.
Aaron was torn, for he knew that Nakal knew where to find the telescope and was probably already at the university. Although Aaron wanted to discover the secret at his hosts’ house, he was currently behind Nakal by a point. He had to win this point or it would be over, and if he won, the game would once again be tied. He had his answer, and, not waiting for the light to change, he scurried across the street, ran past Zion’s place, and sprinted to the university.
The university was located adjacent to one of the town’s historical landmarks. On the campus, Aaron looked around for signs indicating the direction of the planetarium. He approached a group of students who were in deep conversation, grouped in a circle near one of the entrances.
Aaron cleared his throat. “Excuse me.” The group ignored him. He cleared his throat once again, this time a bit louder. “Hey.”
One of the guys turned around to face him. He was a huge hulk of a specimen. Aaron recognized him immediately—Stanley Harris, star linebacker at the school. He was nicknamed Quick Stop for his ability to quickly stop anyone who tried to get past him.
“Whoa!” The word seemed to tumble from Aaron’s mouth without his control. Stanley was huge.
“Yeah, wassup, twerp?” Stanley said, his face expressionless.
“Um, I was wondering,” Aaron stuttered. “Could you tell me where to find the planetarium?”
Stanley nodded to the right. “It’s right behind that building at the back of the campus.”
“Thanks!” Aaron started to run off but stopped. “Hey Stanley.
”
Stanley raised an eyebrow at him.
“Great season. I know you will get drafted after graduation.”
Stanley “Quick Stop” Harris smiled and continued his conversation with his friends.
Aaron continued to the rear of the campus. “Closest and twin?” he whispered.
“Hey, twerp,” Stanley yelled out.
Aaron turned but kept walking backward.
“I’ve heard that it also turns clockwise.” Stanley ran his hand across his face then shook himself before closing his eyes tightly. He turned around and continued talking to his friends.
Aaron ran as fast as he could toward the rear of the campus, running for the sign that stated the planetarium was directly ahead. He slowed once he neared the front entrance. He scanned the area for anything unusual before opening the door.
A sign greeted him in the lobby.
Due to necessary equipment maintenance,
the planetarium will be closed until spring semester.
Feel free to tour the viewing lab located down
the left corridor.
Aaron re-read the sign several times.
“Okay, well hopefully I can still access one of the telescopes.”
He eased down the hallway and stopped just outside the double doors that led into the viewing lab. He opened the door just a crack and peered through. The lights were on, but the room appeared empty. He opened the door wider and stepped inside. It was quiet. Even with all the people on campus, no one seemed interested in the lab.
Once inside the lab, Aaron easily spotted the row of telescopes located just off the lab in an upstairs room that most would consider a sunroom. The room was pretty much a covered porch. Four small telescopes were pointed toward the sky. Just as Aaron touched the doorknob to the door that led up the spiral staircase to the telescopes, an ominous thump sounded.
