Chapter 1

Ripp Grunt stood alone on his front step, his face in his hands. Why did everything have to go wrong for him? He sighed to himself, wanting to cry. He didn't know how much longer he could live like this, constantly fighting with his older brother, Tank, and father, General Buzz. Not for the first time, he wished he could just leave.

A small smile came to his face as he imagined that. He would leave his annoying family and change his last name. He would be a millionaire and would live a wild, crazy life filled with pretty girls and parties, and everyone would be envious of him. Then Tank and General Buzz would recognize him from the TV and come beg for his forgiveness.

Ripp's fantasy ended when his brother Tank walked outside. Tension crackled in the air as the two brothers stared at one another, their glares full of malice. Ripp could remember a time when they loved each other, when they did not fight one another constantly, but that was a long time ago, before the death of his mother, Lyla.

"It's time for supper," Tank said in a clipped tone-the tone Tank always used when talking to Ripp. Ripp nodded and followed his brother inside.

"The world hates me," Ripp muttered to no one, gaining no response.

Angela Pleasant burst into tears, but Lilith didn't care. Lilith Pleasant hadn't cared much for her twin sister in years. Angela had always been the favorite, the good child. Lilith had a feeling that if she had been given so much love and attention as a child, she might be a good child too.

But no. Their father and mother had both favored Angela since birth. They gave her everything. They taught her to walk, and talk, and even potty trained her, while Lilith had had to figure those things out on her own, watching her sister. At first, she had hoped her parents would be proud of her, but soon she realized they never would be.

She wasn't Angela.

Lilith put her hand up, preparing to slap her sister again, then stopped when their father, Daniel, rushed into the room.

"What's going on in here?" demanded Daniel Pleasant. He turned to Lilith, his arms crossed. "What are we going to do with you, Lilith? You're always causing so much trouble! What on Earth did your sister ever do to deserve such ill treatment?"

"It's always Angela, Angela, Angela! Why don't you ever think of me?" Lilith yelled at her father.

"Lilith!" her father scolded.

"Maybe if you cared about me as much as you do your precious Angela," Lilith spat out the name with a cruel sneer, "I wouldn't be so hard for you to handle! I hate you!" Lilith turned and ran out of the house as fast as she could.

For a long time she simply ran, with no thought as to where she was going, only of where she was leaving. Somehow, she found herself in Woodland Park, the most scenic spot in all of Pleasantview.

"The world hates me," Lilith muttered to no one as she sat down on a park bench.

Cassandra Goth inwardly rolled her eyes at Dina Caliente, her father's new girlfriend. Sure, Mortimer deserved love, and she didn't expect him to remain faithful to her mother's memory forever, but did he have to fall for someone his daughter's age? Especially one of the Caliente sisters. Cassandra hated to say it, but the only word she could properly use to describe them was sleazy. That's why Cassandra hated situations like this.

Sitting straight, she recalled her promise to her father that she would be polite at dinner tonight. Still, did Dina have to look around the Goth's big dining room as though she were imagining herself the queen of it all? And did she have to lean toward Mortimer that way, no doubt exposing half of her volumptuous bosom to him?

Cassandra picked at her lobster thermidor, which had smelled so good while it was cooking. Despite her lovely new hairstyle and gorgeous formal gown, she felt outclassed by Dina, who was beautiful without trying.

She sighed. At least in two days she would be married to Don Lothario, and Dina Caliente wouldn't matter to her anymore.

"This lobster is wonderful, Morty," gushed Dina.

Morty?

"Why, I'm glad you like it, Dina," Mortimer responded in his low, gruff voice. "My daughter is becoming a wonderful cook these days." He smiled in Cassandra's direction, and for a moment she felt a little less awkward. She even managed a smile.

"Thank you," she said to Dina, "I'm happy that you're enjoying it."

"You cooked this? Darling," Dina purred, "I would have assumed this was the work of a master chef!"

Cassandra could see past the chummy compliments, but she played along. "Why, thank you, Dina. I could teach you, if you like."

"It is good, Cassie," remarked her little brother, Alexander, who had been sitting quietly, listening to the adults. The poor boy! He was so well behaved, but Cassandra could not help feeling sorry he had no other children to talk to. Perhaps she should have called that little girl he was always playing with. They could have taken their supper to his room and played while she, Mortimer, and Dina had their awkward dinner.

"What did you do today, Alex?" she asked, turning her attention to the one person at the table who wouldn't make her feel awkward.

Alex chewed thoughtfully. "I got my math test back today. I made an A, but I missed one question."

"Good work, son," Mortimer commented. He took another bite of lobster thermidor.

"What about your History test?" Cassandra asked. He had been so nervous for his last History test that Mortimer had to help him study.

"I didn't get that one back yet," he said. "It wasn't so bad, though. Dad showed me how to remember stuff, and it helped me out a lot." He smiled. "Then I got invited to play with the Newson twins tomorrow."

"Oh, that sounds fun," Cassandra enthused. Alexander nodded, then excused himself from the table. Cassandra wasn't far behind, leaving Mortimer and Dina alone.

Ripp had just sat down to supper when the phone rang. It was Ophelia Nigmos, his friend from school.

"Hey Ripp," she chirped in a friendly tone, "Aunt Olive and Johnny and I are headed to Pleasantview tomorrow for Aunt Olive's doctor's appointment. Johnny and I were gonna hang out in Downtown Pleasantview while we waited. Wanna come?"

"How long will you be away?" Of course Ripp wanted to go. Ophelia and Johnny, his two closest friends, were the main reason he even still lived in Strangetown. But Ripp didn't know if his father would allow that. His father didn't really like his friends.

"Not long. Just a day." That was one day Ripp didn't have to spend with his father and older brother.

"I'd love to." Ripp smiled at the thought. "Let me ask my dad."

"Okay. Call me back later, 'kay? Bye!"

"Bye," Ripp said, but Ophelia had already hung up.

"One of your friends?" demanded General Buzz as Ripp sat back down.

"Ophelia," Ripp said. "She wanted to know if I could go to Pleasantview with her."

"Pleasantview? A bunch of soft, sentimental drama queens, those Pleasantview folk. And if Pollination Technician #9 and his ilk don't leave them alone, they always will be. Is it just you and Ophelia?"

"And her aunt, Olive." Ripp paused a moment. He knew his father wasn't fond of Olive Specter. He was always suspicious of her because none of her husbands ever lived very long. Ripp never understood his father's suspicions; Olive had always been very kind to him. He also knew if he mentioned Johnny, the green-skinned son of Pollination Technician #9, his father would never allow him to go.

"Willow Nigmos was good folk," General Buzz grunted. "Shame she couldn't've lived to raise her child instead of that Olive. But go on, son. Pleasantview's a nice place for a visit, but I wouldn't want to stay."

Ripp was elated. For once, his father was doing exactly what Ripp wanted him to do.

"Aw, I wanna go too! Can't I go, dad?" Buck Grunt asked their father. Buck was the one member of his family that Ripp actually got along with, but he really didn't want to take him.

"No, you're going to study. I don't think it matters anymore whether or not Ripp studies." Ripp stared down at his plate, pretending he could not see his father's pointed look. "I found that 'D' report card you hid in your room, Ripp."

Why are you treating me like this? Couldn't you have been nice to me for one whole supper? Is that so hard? Ripp wondered, but he said nothing. Instead, he simply stared at his macaroni and cheese as his father droned on.

"…and I don't see why I'm letting you go to Pleasantview with grades like that, but I've about decided that if you don't care, I don't care."

Then why are you wasting time talking about it? But truth was, Ripp didn't care. Ripp just barely scraped through school and his job, while Tank soared through both. General Buzz had often commented that if Tank could do well in school and hold down a real job, something must be wrong with Ripp.

"Here, I'll get the kitchen," Ripp muttered as he rose and began to clear the table.

Angela Pleasant bit back a sob. She knew why Lilith was so spiteful, why she struck out at her family and especially at Angela. She was sure she wouldn't be happy either, if the roles were reversed, but it still hurt that her own sister hated her for what wasn't even her fault.

"Lilith!" she called, running down the street. "Lilith, where are you? Come back! I'm sorry," she whispered, tears flowing freely down her face.

"Angela? What's wrong?" someone called. Angela was in such a state that she barely even recognized the voice of her boyfriend, Dustin Broke.

"Oh, Dustin," she sobbed as he wrapped his arms around her. "There was a terrible fight at home, and Lil has run away. I went looking for her but… I don't even know which way she went!"

"I'll help you find her. Come on, we'll use my neighbor's car," Dustin said determinedly. "We'll find her." Dustin led Angela to the back of someone's house, where he opened the door to the car.

"Shouldn't we ask first?" Angela pointed to the house.

"Nah. He always leaves the keys in."

That wasn't the point, but Angela was too worried about her sister to press the issue. She got in the passenger side and shut the door.

"What are you thinking about, Morty?" asked Dina as soon as they were alone. Mortimer sighed. He loved Dina, he was certain of that, so why did his heart still cry for Bella?

"I…" he started, then stopped. "I was thinking of the night Bella disappeared."

It was a warm night. Bella, Mortimer, Cassandra, and Don Lothario sat outside Don Lothario's small home. Cassandra hadn't been dating Don for very long at the time, and to Mortimer's annoyance, Don really seemed more interested in Bella. After dinner, Mortimer, Bella, and Don went upstairs to view the skies. Don showed Bella a new telescope he claimed was for Cassandra.

"Do you think she'll like it?" Don asked.

"Perhaps. Mortimer, will you go and get Cassandra? I don't know what could be taking her so long."

Nodding, Mortimer went to fetch Cassandra. When they returned, a white-faced Don Lothario was alone on the patio.

"Where's Bella?" Mortimer demanded. "What happened to my wife?"

"It was the aliens…" Don stammered, but Mortimer didn't believe him, not for a minute. Still, something in Don's face showed he was afraid of something…

"How awful for you," Dina purred, snuggling close to Mortimer. "I wonder where she went to?"

"Crap!" Dustin yelled when they saw the blue lights. "We're screwed." He pulled the car over and looked at Angela. "Bail," he ordered. "Now, before they see you and you get in trouble too."

Angela nodded. She opened the door and darted into the woods, and Dustin breathed a sigh of relief. Shrouded by darkness, the cops hadn't noticed her flight.

He heard the two policemen get out of their car and winced as their flashlights reflected off the mirrors and into his eyes.

"Matches the description," he heard one of them say. "Check the license plate." Dustin's heart pounded as the cop approached. "Hey, you're that Broke kid!" the officer exclaimed.

Of all the cops that could chase him, it had to be the same one who'd busted him two weeks ago for sneaking out? "Yes, sir," Dustin said carefully. He was screwed. The cop would take him in…

"The plate is a match," the second cop called to his partner. The first cop looked long and hard at Dustin.

"Care to tell me how you ended up driving a vehicle that was reported stolen earlier tonight?"

Dustin hung his head.

After hours of running, the exhausted Angela sneaked quietly back into her room. Maybe Lilith would come home soon. Maybe she already was home and Angela didn't know. She would find out in the morning. For now, Angela collapsed on her bed, and was asleep within minutes.

"Cassie?" Alex asked as Cassandra stepped outside, where her little brother was staring through his telescope. "Do you think Mom is up there?"

"In Heaven?" Cassandra asked, but Alexander shook his head.

"In outer space," he said. "I heard some of the teachers today. They said Mom was abducted by aliens."

"That's what Don says," Cassandra said softly. She trusted her fiance, Don, but she wasn't so sure she believed that her mother was abducted by aliens.

"Cassie, what's that?" Alex pointed at the sky. Cassandra followed his gaze and her eyes widened.

"Alex, get back! Come inside," she ordered, panicking. She grabbed her brother by the arm and yanked him with her as she ran inside.

"Cassandra, what is it?" Mortimer asked, disentangling himself from Dina. Cassandra was too frightened to speak, but Alexander wasn't.

"It's a flying saucer, Dad! Maybe they've got Mom!"

Cassandra hugged her brother close. "I doubt that," she said softly, but in her heart she wished it could be true…

"That's ridiculous, Alexander," laughed Dina Caliente. Cassandra glared at her. Mortimer crossed the room to peer through the blinds, which he quickly closed again.

"Everyone away from the windows," he ordered.

"Aliens in Pleasantview?" Dina laughed asked incredulously… A little too incredulously, Cassandra noticed.

"Cassie, I'm scared," Alex whispered, and Cassandra could do nothing but hold him close as the sound of the alien ship grew louder and louder, closer and closer.

"Ow!" cried a female voice—a voice the Goths knew all too well.

"Mom!" screamed Alex as he ran outside, into the arms of Bella Goth.