by Mark Gimenez
She froze.
Max wasn't mowing. The mower was mowing. By itself.
The big red mower rolled from one end of the yard to the other, turned, then rolled back. Without anyone pushing it.
She now saw Max standing atop the playscape deck. He waved to her. Next to him stood little Norbert. His finger was pointing down at the mower. He was moving the mower with his finger.
"Oh, my gosh."
Max slid down the slide and jogged over to her. He gestured at the mower.
"Pretty cool, huh?"
"How … how is he doing that?"
"Alien."
"Is it fun?" I asked.
The grass was mowed, Mom had taken two ibuprofens, and Norbert and I were lying on the playscape deck and gazing into the sky.
"Is what fun?"
"Traveling through space?"
"It used to be, but now there is so much traffic."
"Really? There's traffic in space?"
"Oh, yes. There are many life forms in the universe."
"Cool."
"Max, we will be leaving soon."
"Leaving? When?"
"Tonight."
"Norbert …" I didn't know what to say. He was my best friend. "So your father's made his decision?"
"Yes. He will inform our government upon our return."
"Dang—I didn't get to see your spaceship."
"It's smaller than I thought it'd be."
"We are smaller than you think."
Norbert's spaceship did not look like Han Solo's Millenium Falcon. It looked like the neighbor's mini-Cooper. It was almost dark, and we were standing at the door of the mini-storage unit on South Congress. I expected something bigger for getting around galaxies.
"Shall we take a spin around the neighborhood?" Norbert said.
He used a remote to open the doors. We climbed in and sat side by side. It was tight but comfortable. I felt the ship rise off the ground. There were no controls.
"How do you steer this thing?"
"With my thoughts."
"Think fast."
Norbert smiled. "I enjoy going fast, too, but my father would not be pleased if I wrecked our spaceship. Our insurance premiums would skyrocket."
We floated out of the storage unit and suddenly shot into the blue sky and hovered above Austin.
"Wow. So where have you taken this baby?"
"Many galaxies. All of your planets, from Mars to Pluto."
"We took the Suburban to Lubbock one summer."
Everything suddenly became a blur and then we were hovering again. I could see land and a beach and an ocean. It was still sunny there.
"Where are we?"
"California. That is the Pacific Ocean."
We flew up the coast real fast—
"Canada."
—then turned right. The stars seemed so close. And the moon.
"Next stop, the East Coast," Norbert said. "There is not much to look at in between."
"You sound like the lady across the street who moved from New York."
"Okay, there are the faces in the mountain."
I pointed. "That's Mount Rushmore! We read about that in school."
"And Chicago."
"That's the Cubs Stadium!"
And suddenly we were over the Statue of Liberty. It was night now. I noticed many flashing lights darting past like shooting stars.
"Other visitors," Norbert said.
"They're from outer space, too?"
"Oh, yes, many life forms visit Earth. It is much like humans visiting your zoos."
"At least I got to see New York before Earth is taken over."
Norbert nodded. "I thought you might enjoy this."
"Can we go to Boston?"
"We are there."
We hovered over Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. They were playing a game under the lights.
"My dad used to go to baseball games here, with his dad. He said he would take me one day."
"I know."
"Norbert, can I ask you something? Personal."
"Of course. You are my best bro."
"When your mother's existence was … well, you know … did you get real angry?"
"No. Our species is not given to displays of emotion."
"But inside—were you mad inside?"
"Yes. My mind was in great turmoil."
"How did you get over being mad?"
"Time. It has been fifty years now, so the anger has passed."
"Do you still miss her?"
"Every day." He patted the side of his head. "But she is always with me."
"Let's go home."
Norbert and his father came over that night for a last dinner. Mom made spaghetti and bison meatballs, and we played Scrabble. I had a hard time concentrating knowing that A, I would never see Norbert again, and two, in a few months we would all be slaves. But I still ate dessert—pecan pie and vanilla ice cream. I mean, you're never too depressed for dessert.
After dinner, we all said good-night. While Mom and Mr. Nordstrom were talking, Norbert pulled Scarlett aside.
"Scarlett, I do not think it would have worked with us. First, I am much too old for you. And second, you are much too big for me."
She laughed then bent down and kissed him on his forehead.
"I'll never forget you, Norbert."
Mr. Nordstrom said, "Max, would you like to walk us home? So you may say goodbye to Norbert."
"Sure."
I walked outside with them and across the yard to their front porch. I expected Mr. Nordstrom to go inside but he didn't. Instead, he sat on the front steps.
"Please sit, Max."
I sat.
"Max, why did you risk your own existence in order to preserve Norbert's?"
"You mean, why did I save his life?"
"Yes."
"Because he's my friend. I didn't want him to get hurt."
"But your existence could have been terminated."
"But I care about him."
Mr. Nordstrom nodded. "And he cares about you."
He stared for a moment at the stars in the black sky as if longing for home. Then he turned to me.
"Max, are you crying?"
"Uh, allergies."
He nodded.
"Max, you saved my son's existence. And by so doing, you have saved your world. For now. We will not conquer Earth and enslave Earthlings … at least not for twenty of your years. Then Norbert and I will return and see what humans have done with their planet. And what kind of man Max Dugan has become."
I wiped my eyes.
"I'll be a good man. Like my father."
"I know you will be.
"I'm going to miss you, Norbert."
"And I shall miss you." He smiled. "I had an awesome time on Earth, dude. You taught me how to have fun, how to enjoy my existence, how to love."
Not my sister again.
"You're really coming back?"
"Yo, dog. I'll be back."
He gave me a fist-bump and said, "CUATU, dude."
"What?"
"See you around the universe."
"May the force be with you."
"Max," Mr. Nordstrom said, "if there is ever anything I can do for you—"
"Well …"
"Max," Mom said, "what are we doing?"
I had asked everyone to come with me to the Nordstrom's house. We knocked on the door. Norbert answered and invited us in. Mom looked around and said, "Different."
"My father is in the communications room."
We followed Norbert into the room with the big TV screen. His father was speaking static to the machines. When he saw Mom, he spoke to her in English.
"Ah, Mrs. Dugan. Please, sit down. I almost have access."
"What language was that?"
"Ours."
"Ours who?"
We all sat down on the couch. Mom, Scarlett, Maddy, and me.
"Mom," I said, "remember how Dad was supposed to call us that night on the video link?"
> She nodded. "He never called."
"He did."
"What?"
"He called. The call didn't come through to us, but it was recorded by the government."
"NSA," Mr. Nordstrom said.
"Do you work for the NSA?" Mom asked, kind of suspicious like.
Mr. Nordstrom smiled. "Not exactly."
"You're saying …?"
"The call was in the NSA's computers," Mr. Nordstrom said.
"And you …?"
"Accessed it."
Mom's face changed. "You really are … from …?"
She pointed up.
"Yes, Kate. We really are."
Mr. Nordstrom spoke again in his language, then the screen suddenly flashed to life, first with static then clear. Brown mountains. Dirt. A bleak landscape. Helicopters landing and taking off. Soldiers. An Army base. In Afghanistan. Mom suddenly gasped; her hands shot to her face.
"Daddy's on TV!" Maddy screamed.
She ran to the screen, stood on a chair, and kissed his image. Which filled the screen. We all stared at his face. He was so handsome. So manly. So alive. Scarlett stood and stepped over to the screen. She reached her hand out slowly and touched Dad's face. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Scarlett Dugan sat down on the floor and finally had her big cry. We were all crying now.
A voice from off-screen: "Captain Dugan!"
Dad was in full battle gear. He faced the camera and smiled. Manly voices and the WHUMP WHUMP WHUMP sound of helicopters filled the background. Dad's voice was loud. I loved his voice.
"Kate, Scarlett, Max, Maddy—I don't have much time. We've got some guys in an ambush, we've gotta go get them. But I'll call you tomorrow night, okay?"
From off-screen: "Captain, the chopper's ready to lift off!"
"I gotta go, guys."
He turned to leave then turned back. His face was different now.
"Maddy, you're my little doll, the sweetest person I know.
"Scarlett, you're a beautiful young woman. I'm so proud of you.
"Max, I believe in you. Believe in yourself.
"Kate … I know it's tough, but you're tough. You can make it. You have to, for them. I'll always love you. I'll always love all of you."
He stared at the camera a long moment, then turned and jogged off. The camera turned and caught him running to a helicopter and jumping in. The chopper lifted off the ground and flew away into the blue sky.
twenty-four
Norbert and his father left that night. I don't know when they left, but when I woke the next morning they were gone. I walked over into their backyard. The swings hung limp. I peeked in the back windows. The house was vacant, as if they had never even been there.
I went back inside our house and found Mom having her morning coffee at the kitchen table. A stack of white envelopes sat in front of her. Uh-oh. Bills. Mom stared at them like she had a mountain to climb then took a deep breath and opened the first envelope. She removed the papers and unfolded them and stared at them. But she didn't slump in her chair. She sat up. She opened the second envelope and removed the bill. She blinked hard then opened the third … and the fourth … and the fifth … and all of them until the bills covered the table.
"They're all marked 'PAID IN FULL.' How?"
I smiled now. "Mr. Nordstrom, I bet. They always had lots of cash."
"Did they really print their own money?"
I shrugged. Mom's face looked like someone had taken a big weight off her head. First Dad last night, now her bills paid. She would be better now. We would all be better now.
Things were better at school, too. Vic disbanded his posse and spent most of his time in the music room. I no longer sought solace in food. I got an 82 on my fractions quiz. I wasn't as mad now, and I'm seeing that therapist again. And I walked home each day.
Like that day.
I strolled down South Congress and waved at everyone until I came to Floyd T. and Rex sitting on the stoop outside Ramon's tattoo parlor. Floyd T. had finished the window. The red paint looked good.
"Hi, Floyd T."
"Max, my boy, how's the world treating you today?"
"No complaints."
"Good. Sit down. Something I want to talk to you about."
I sat.
"What?"
Floyd T. sniffed the air. "Old Spice."
"You want to talk about Old Spice?"
"You using your dad's aftershave?"
"Yep. But I'm not shaving yet."
Floyd T. nodded. "I like it. Smells good on you."
"Thanks."
"Do you like Rex?"
"Sure."
"Good. I want you to have him."
"But he belongs to you."
"Rex don't belong to no one, Max. But he's a good dog, and he needs a good home. And I'm … well, I'm homeless."
"But Floyd T.…"
"You show him the way to your school and he'll be waiting there each afternoon. Those bullies won't bother you if Rex is around."
"They don't bully me anymore. Norbert took care of that. And Rex belongs with you. But I've got a better idea. We only live a few blocks from here, and we need a lot of work done on our house, stuff my dad was doing … anyway, maybe you want to do that work and you and Rex could live in the man cave. Then both of you would have a home."
"A cave?"
"Well, it's not really a cave. It's the garage apartment. My dad called it our man cave. But it'd be a nice home for you and Rex."
"That's your daddy's place."
"A hero deserves a home. He'd want you there."
"Been a long time since I had a home."
"Might be a nice change of pace."
"Max, that's a mighty tempting offer, but I reckon you need to talk to your mom about that."
"It was her idea."
"Really?"
"Yep. We had a family discussion last night over dinner. The vote was unanimous. Course, Maddy's going to want you to cook breakfast for her on weekends."
"I like cooking."
"We need a man around the house, Floyd T., and I'm just a kid. And I want to be a kid for a while longer."
Floyd T. nodded. "Thing is, Max, I've never been a man around anyone's house. What's the man of the house do?"
"Fix stuff."
"I can fix stuff."
"I'll introduce you to Mrs. Cushing down the street. She's got a nice garden. She's a horticulturalist who likes old guys. But you'd probably have to shave and take a shower every day."
"I could do that."
"And brush your teeth and maybe get some of those whitening strips, like Mom uses."
"And that."
I stood. "Let's go home, Floyd T."
He stood and whistled to Rex. We walked down Congress Avenue, me and Floyd T. and his grocery cart. And our dog.
"Floyd T., do you like to play Scrabble?"
Coming soon
NECK & NECK
The Adventures of Max Dugan
- Book Two -
In fourth grade, Max Dugan saved the world from aliens intent on taking over Earth and humans for parts and labor. Fifth grade would prove a bit more difficult.
And a lot more dangerous.
Two million Mexican free-tailed bats hang out under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas. But Max Dugan discovers that something else is hanging out under the bridge: vampires. And not the kind of vampires his older sister, Scarlett, reads about in those silly teen romance novels. These vampires are real.
And they're not very nice.
Max Dugan definitely has his work cut out for him this school year—vampires and long division.
Learn more at www.markgimenez.com
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