Chapter 5
„Permanent Retirement"
[One week later, Gas Station, Middle of the Desert]
It took some time, but Ben was finally able to leave his bed. He wasn't at 100% yet, but he felt better more or less. Animo's death made Ben more appreciative of the life that he was given. He vowed to himself to do his best so something like that wouldn't happen again.
Now, He and Gwen stood before the counter of the Gas station with a window showing all sorts of ice creams. Ben was still unsure which flavor to pick. Gwen on the other hand was already going a little bit overboard with it.
Max stood in front of the AMT to get some extra cash. He was unaware that a pick-up truck was parked right behind him. In a reflection, Max noticed someone coming behind him. It was a man wearing a green trucker hat, and a blue sleeveless shirt with a t-shirt beneath it.
„Out of the way, Grandpa!" -Man said as Max turned around."I've got a major withdrawal to make!"
The man shoved Max to the side. Tripping, he fell before another man. A much smaller man with a bad haircut, bad teeth, and who wore blue trouser suspenders. He grinned at Max before kicking him in the face.
Ben turned his head to see if Grandpa was coming, but instead, he saw a man with a chain hook attached to his pick-up truck. Glancing around, Ben noticed that there were no cameras around. With a small smile, Ben quietly left and activated his watch.
The trucker hat man took his chain hook and connected it with AMT. He gave a thumbs-up to his partner. His partner nodded and stepped on the gas. But nothing happened. He stepped on again, and again nothing. It was as if the car battery died out.
„Hey! What are you doing?!" -Trucker hat man asked.
„Dunno, man!" -His partner replied. He looked ahead and scream. There was some sort of crab creature in front of him.
The creature had a light orange crab-like appearance with pincers for hands. It had six legs and wore a silver and black neck brace with a green hourglass symbol on it.
„Excuse me, kind Sir." -The creature said in an elegant tone."But it seems like you two are trying to steal money from that AMT. Now that would be considered a crime, you know"
„What the fuck are you?!" -Trucker hat man demanded.
„Where are my manners? The name's Brainstorm!" -Brainstorm introduced himself with a chuckle."Now, how about We try to avoid any violence?" -Snarling, Trucker hat man took his chain hook and began spinning it."No? Very well…"
Suddenly, Brainstorm's head split open and revealed a massive brain. Green sparks appeared around his brain before shooting out and encasing Trucker hut man in a green electric orb. He couldn't move at all.
„Now… Do you think We can speak like civilized hu…I mean, beings?" -Brainstorm corrected himself. Trucker hat man's partner got out of the car with a crowbar, but was hit in the back of his head by Max."Why thank you, citizen!"
„No problem, Brainstorm." -Max said with a small smile."I'll call the police…."
[Later, Rust Bucket.]
„So, where to now, Grandpa?" -Gwen asked, digging her spoon into her ice cream.
„I thought it would be nice to visit my sister…" -Max said with a big smile. Both Gwen and Ben froze.
Aunt Vera was extremely overbearing with her family and had a habit of unintentionally causing undue stress on others with her good intentions. Young Tennysons knew it all too well. They still remembered her last visit and how sore their cheeks were for a week.
„Just for a few hours, right?" -Ben asked and Max didn't reply."Right?"
„Maybe for a day or two…" -Max said and chuckled upon hearing his grandkids groan in annoyance.' It'll be nice to see Vera again…'
[Retirement community, later that day.]
As soon as Ben got out of the Rust Bucket, he had to shield his eyes from the scorching sun. Why would old people live somewhere this hot? It was like nothing was bothering them anymore.
„Man… It's hot…" -Ben muttered. He glanced at the neighbor's window and saw an old man glaring at him. He looked like he was hissing at Ben, then unnaturally twisted his neck. After that, the old man dropped the blinds.'What the fuck was that suppose to be…?'
„If you remember, Aunt Vera is a pincher. So get ready…" -Max said with a laugh.
„Max!" -Vera called as opened the doors of her home. She rushed and gave Max a big hug.
„Vera!" -Max greeted back and returned the hug. Then they both turned to Ben and Gwen."Come on, greet your Aunt, you two."
„I can't believe you're finally here!" -Vera exclaimed as she hugged both Ben and Gwen.
„It's good to see you, Aunt Vera." -Gwen said with a forced smile. She nudged Ben, who rolled his eyes.
„Yeah, it's nice to see you, Aunt Vera." -Ben said a little bit forcefully. He sighed in relief as Vera let them both go.
„Well, you all must be tired from driving around." -Vera said with her hands on her hips."Please, come in and make yourself at home!"
Ben would prefer staying in the RV, even when it was so hot. But he knew Grandpa would drag him out one way or another. He had to play nice for the time being. At the very least Aunt Vera forgot to pinch their cheeks, so that was something.
Once they were inside, Ben had to admit that Vera's home was nice. It was simple and clean. But the smell was something else. Why did Old people's homes have that funky smell?
Later, Tennyson sat by the table and waited for the dessert. Ben and Gwen were hoping that maybe Aunt Vera made some brownies or cookies. Unfortunately, it was some sort of jello. But it was far from appetizing.
„Woah, Vera, that looks great!" -Max complimented his sister."Now, what are the brown chunks?"
„Pork chops and the white parts are cauliflower." -Vera explained and Ben gulped.
'Who puts that stuff in a jelly?' -Ben thought as he hesitantly took a bite. As he imagined, it was terrible. But he had no choice, but to finish his 'dessert'. Gwen had a similar thought and decided to be quick and get it over with.' You're too brave, Gwen…'
„So, Ben…How have you been?" -Vera asked with a gentle smile. She knew about his situation and was disappointed with his parents. They had no idea what kind of damage they did to their son's mental health.
„It's okay, Aunt Vera." -Ben replied with a sad smile. He knew that tone of voice too well. Right now, he didn't want to think about his issues. After all, he, Max, and Gwen had bigger issues. Come to think of it, they weren't any attacks from those robots that attacked him and the campsite."It's fun traveling with Grandpa and Gwen…."
„I'm sure it is!" -Vera said with a gentle smile. Gwen turned her gaze to one of the shelves and saw a collection of different ornaments."I think I see someone interested in my collection."
Gwen nodded, and both Vera and Gwen got up and walked up to the shelf. Ben let out a sigh of relief.
„I know that Vera can be a little overbearing, but I'm thankful that you two don't complain." -Max said quietly to Ben.
„Mind if I take a stroll across the neighborhood?" -Ben asked and Max gave him a wink."Thanks…"
[A few minutes later, a few blocks from Vera's home]
„Finally… Some peace." -Ben muttered to himself as he strolled across the neighborhood.
He was slowly understanding why the old people would come to live here. Unlike in a big city, like Bellwood, you could enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
„Man…What a smell!" -Ben said as he sniffed the air, He knew what it was. An apple pie.
The smell came from the house to his right. He saw a pie cooling off on the window. He also saw an elderly woman trying to swap a fly. It looked like the fly landed on a ceiling. The elderly woman stared at the fly for a moment before jumping and landing on a ceiling. Without hesitation, the woman ate the fly. Then, she landed back on the floor.
„What…the… fuck?" -Ben said to himself and looked around. There were a few elderly people who walked past him, not batting a single eye."Shit… I must be losing it from the heat."
Then he saw Aunt's Vera neighbor. The same one that hissed at him. He was driving a golf cart.
Suddenly, the sprinkler activated. For some reason, the neighbor made an odd effort to swerve around to avoid the sprinkler. Ben could swear that the man was panicking as if the water was like acid.
„Him again… Maybe I should see what he's up to." -Ben said as he activated his watch and hid behind the houses."Big Chill should be alright for this one. I don't wanna give the locals a heart attack."
Big Chill finally found the golf cart by the village dump. He saw how the neighbor took a rolled-up carpet with him and then look at the gate. Instead of opening the gate like a normal person, he elongated his legs and simply steps over it.
'Okay… This is getting weirder by a minute.' -Big Chill thought as he landed before the gate. As he watched the man push the middle dumpster out of his way, the dial on his chest flashed red."Shit!"
The neighbor turned around and hissed at Ben. Taking a step back, Ben ran off to the golf cart. As he ignited the engine, Ben saw the neighbor standing in front of him. He put the cart in reverse, but the neighbor elongated his arms and wrapped them around the cart frames. The grip was too strong, so Ben shifted the gear to drive and hit the gas. He surprised the neighbor who didn't react fast drove himself and stopped to turn his head. Instead, the man it up as if nothing happened. The neighbor turned his head 360 degrees and screeched at Ben.
„For fuck sake!" -Ben yelled and stepped on the gas. He was hoping that he could get away, but unfortunately, the neighbor was catching up to him."Think, Ben! Think!"
Then it hit him. For whatever reason, the neighbor was scared of water. If he was lucky, then maybe he'd come across a sprinkler.
As he was running away, Ben noticed something off. All the elderly people kept staring at him with a blank expressions. Why didn't they react at all? A crazy old man was chasing him, going as fast as the golf cart.
Then, he noticed one of the sprinklers going off. Ben smiled as he drove toward it. As he passed it, Ben turned his head and saw that the neighbor suddenly stopped. He was glaring at Ben with murder intent.
„Now that was close…" -Ben said as he continued driving away.
After a while, Ben stopped behind the Rust Bucket and let out a sigh of relief. He noticed Max standing outside Vera's house with his arms crossed.
„Mind telling where did you get that golf cart?" -Max said in a somewhat stern tone.
„I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't." -Ben said after getting out of the cart."But you gotta listen to me. There is something off about Aunt Vera's neighbor."
„You mean Marty?" -Max asked as he glanced at the house next to them."Ben, he's just an old man."
„An old man that can elongate his limbs, turn his head 360 degrees, and can keep up with a golf cart?" -Ben asked seriously.
„Okay… That sounds off." -Max said, seeing how serious his grandson was."What happened?
„When We got here, Marty glared at me and hissed." -Ben began."Later, when I was on a walk, I saw an old lady trying to smack a fly. When the fly landed on a ceiling in her kitchen, she jump and landed on the ceiling, she ate the fly." -Max raised an eyebrow and rubbed his chin."Then I saw Marty again. So I decided to follow him. I followed him to the village dump and that's when he started to elongate his limbs to get over the gate. He heard me and turned his head around and screeched at me. I managed to lose him after he got scared of the sprinkler."
„That's a bit to take in, Ben." -Max admitted.'This sounds familiar… I just hope I'm wrong.'
„Please, Grandpa… I have a bad feeling about it." -Ben pleaded."We gotta check it out."
„Alright, Ben." -Max nodded."Good thing that Gwen is occupying Aunt Vera."
After picking up some tools, Max and Ben walked up to Marty's house doors. Kneeling over, Max took a good look at the lock. Ben on the other hand was making sure that nobody was watching them. Within seconds, Max unlocked the doors.
„You're pretty good at it, Grandpa." -Ben complimented."Guess working as a plumber has its perks."
„Uh, yeah, sure." -Max said as he opened the doors to a dark corridor.
The only light was coming from the living room. It was flickering, so it was probably TV. As they walked to the living room, they noticed that the TV was static. Max and Ben noticed that there were cornflakes scattered across the floor with a flipped bowl next to them.
„Hmm… That does look strange." -Max said as he glanced around the room. Ben flipped the switch and the lights came in. There was some sort of goo on the couch. It looked almost like vomit.
„That's gross…" -Ben said with a shiver. Max took a few steps and kneeled on the couch. He took a closer look at the goo and rubbed his chin."What is that?"
„I can tell that not vomit… But I'm not sure what it might be." -Max said as he turned to Ben.' It's an alien goo…'
„What should We do?" -Ben asked as Max got up.
„It's getting late… We should head back before Marty comes back." -Max replied as they both left the house.
„You're not thinking We should just go to sleep, right?" -Ben said while looking around."Especially not with a potential alien next door."
„We'll probably have to take turns." -Max offered."Let's inform Gwen and We'll formulate a better plan tomorrow."
„Agreed…" -Ben nodded and they both came back to Vera's home.