Chapter 8
Alicia was so terrified, she felt like she was either going to pass out or vomit.
"Do you think they have weapons?" she asked Morgan.
"No. Like I said, they'll probably use hand-to-hand combat..or they'll read our minds."
"We forgot our hats," Bo said.
Alicia asked, "What hats?"
"So that the aliens can't read our minds."
Alicia took deep breath after deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Merrill looked back at her for a second while he and Graham boarded up the windows.
"You OK?" he asked her.
Alicia shook her head no and gave him a half-hearted smile.
Morgan and Bo stood on both sides of Alicia, and she had her arms draped around them. Graham looked at them and then started talking as he hammered.
"Did I ever tell you what everyone said when you were born, Bo?"
Bo shook her head.
"You came out of your mama and you didn't even cry. You just opened your eyes and looked around at everybody. Your eyes were so big and gorgeous, the ladies in the room gasped. They literally gasped. Then they go, 'She's like an angel.' They said, 'We've never seen a baby so beautiful.'"
Graham stopped hammering and picked up Bo, while Merrill kept working.
"And you know what else happened? When they put you on the table to clean you up, you looked at me and smiled. They say babies that young can't smile..you smiled."
Alicia and Merrill looked at each other, wishing that they could've experienced that moment with the daughter they never even got to hold.
"Let's go down now," Graham said.
They headed down the stairs and stood in the hallway by the front door. The sound of a dog frantically barking filled the air.
"We forgot about Isabelle," Alicia said.
The barking became more frenzied, and then it stopped. The only thing audible in the air was the emergency broadcast noise.
Merrill took Alicia by her waist and pulled her into his arms, wrapping them completely around her shaking body.
"Should we turn off the lights?" he asked.
"They already know we're here," Graham replied.
Suddenly, they heard something walking on the front porch in heavy steps. Alicia closed her eyes and began saying the Lord's Prayer to herself. She held on to Merrill for dear life. There was scratching and creaking at the front door.
Morgan looked at Graham with watery eyes.
"Dad.."
"Do you know what happened when you were born, Morgan? You came out and your mama kept bleeding. The doctors rushed you out of the room before I could even see you."
There was a loud thump above them, and all five of them looked up.
"They're on the roof," Merrill said.
Alicia couldn't even concentrate on listening to Graham. She looked up at Merrill, who looked at her. He kissed her forehead. Then they heard glass shatter.
"They're in the house."
Noises came from everywhere upstairs and then Merrill came to a realization that made his heart stop.
"The attic door."
Graham looked at Alicia and said, "Stay with the kids."
He and Merrill sprinted up the stairs and Alicia took Morgan and Bo in her arms.
"We'll be fine," Alicia said, "We'll get through this."
She was saying it more for herself than for the kids. Time seemed to melt into an eternity as Alicia listened to Merrill and Graham struggle to keep the invaders from coming in.
"Look," Morgan said, pointing to the door.
A set of long fingers were reaching underneath the front door, and were the same color as the hardwood.
"MERRILL!! GRAHAM!!" she screamed.
They ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. They put the furniture against the doors; anything to keep from them from coming in.
"This is going to do nothing," said Merrill.
Graham replied, "We have to go to the basement."
"There's no way out of there. Should we make a run for it out the back door?"
"They're right outside the door."
Suddenly, they heard creaking coming from the attic trapdoor.
"They're coming," Merrill whispered.
"Into the basement," Graham said, "now."
They filed into the basement and stood in the center of the room.
"We need something to wedge against the doorknob," Graham said as he got to the bottom step.
Merrill frantically looked through the various items on the shelves, trying to find anything that would stop them from coming in.
"They'll read our minds without our helmets!" Morgan cried.
"You're scaring your sister," Graham said.
"I'm already scared," Bo replied, clinging to Alicia's leg.
Graham's eyes were widening with fear as he said, "Merrill.."
"I'm looking."
Morgan put his arm around Alicia and whispered, "They'll know our secret thoughts.."
"Merrill!"
"Got it!"
Merrill found a digging pick on a top shelf and grabbed it. As he swung it off the shelf, it clipped the lightbulb, which shattered and left the room in complete darkness.
Alicia cried out, "Merrill, where are you?"
"Over here!"
In the process of walking to find Merrill, Alicia lost her flip-flop because Morgan had been standing on the front of it. Before she knew it, she felt a numbing but sharp pain on the sole of her right foot.
"Shit!" she cried.
"What is it?"
"I sliced my foot on the glass."
"Don't move!"
Graham yelled, "Merrill, help me with the door!"
Morgan turned the flashlight on and pointed it at Alicia's foot. There was a deep, vertical slit that was oozing a profuse amount of blood.
"Uncle Merrill, she's bleeding really bad."
Merrill and Graham were busy holding the door, with the aide of the pick. Whatever was behind the door was pulling and tugging at the doorknob. Finally, it lessened. Merrill ran to Morgan.
"Give me this flashlight and go find another one."
He took the flashlight and dashed to Alicia.
"Let me see your foot, baby."
Alicia hopped to a corner of the garage and sat down with Merrill. She showed him and he sighed heavily.
"Damn it. That's gonna need stitches- and we're not getting out of here anytime soon."
Graham said, "There are towels over here. Wrap her foot in them..at least it'll suppress the bleeding."
He tossed Merrill the towels, who wrapped Alicia's foot in them. Then he looked at her and tried to calm her down with a little humor.
"I told you not to wear those stupid shoes all the time. Anything you wear on your feet that's less than $10 is inexcusable."
She let out a small laugh, which was a relief to her. Merrill put the flashlight on its end so it was facing up, and put his arm around Alicia.
"What's happening out there?" he asked.
Graham replied, "I can't even imagine."
A loud banging noise startled everyone. Merrill and Morgan aimed their flashlights at the door. It was shaking and the doorknob was rattling.
"They're just making noises," said Graham, "They're not trying to get in."
"Why are they doing that?" asked Alicia.
"They're distracting us."
"From what?"
Morgan added, "The book said they're probably very good problem solvers."
"Morgan, if I hear one more thing about that book.."
Graham extended his hand and said, "Morgan, give me your flashlight."
Morgan obeyed his father and handed it to him.
"Is there an air vent in here?"
Merrill stood up and helped Graham investigate.
"I feel air."
"So do I."
"It's getting stronger over here."
"I'm close."
Their flashlights met in the same place- where Morgan was leaning against, an air vent.
"What?" asked Morgan.
Alicia saw the fingers before Graham and Merrill did.
She scrambled toward him and screamed, "MORGAN!!"
During the next 60 seconds, it was a frenzy of screams and panic as they freed Morgan from the creature's grip. Alicia grabbed a flashlight and aimed it at the vent. She saw Merrill, who had piled about three 25-pound bags of dog food against the vent. He slid down out of exhaustion and rested against the bags. A can of soup rolled near his feet, and he placed it on top just for reassurance. Alicia's foot was stinging and throbbing unbearably, but she limped over to his side and he put his arm around her.
"Are you OK, baby?"
"Yeah. Bo, where are you, sweetie?"
Bo ran over to the couple and sat in Merrill's lap. She had the other flashlight in her hand and aimed it across the room. The light revealed a discolored and suffocating Morgan, who was gasping for air as he rested on Graham's legs and chest.
"We don't have his medicine," Graham said.
Alicia, Merrill, and Bo huddled together as they watched in horror.
"Don't be scared, Morgan. We'll slow it down together. Feel my chest. Feel it going in and out. Breathe like me. Breathe like me. Stay with me. Stay with me. I know it hurts. Be strong, baby... It'll pass."
Graham then closed his eyes and talked his thoughts out loud.
"Don't do this to me again. Not again."
He looked at Merrill and Alicia helplessly. Then he closed his eyes again and his face turned hard.
"I hate you..I hate you."
Those words cut at Alicia's heart like a knife. This was the same man who had help bring her closer to God..saying that he hated his own creator. She closed her eyes as tears seeped through her eyelids. She felt a drop of warm liquid on her shoulder and looked above her shoulder. Tears were slowly running down Merrill's face as well. His eyes were closed and he was saying something to himself. Suddenly, Morgan started to breathe easier.
"There we go... We don't have to be scared at all... We know it'll pass. We believe it... Don't be afraid, Morgan. Feel my chest... Breathe with me. Together... The air is going in our lungs... Together... We're the same. We're the same."
About five minutes of silence passed, and then Merrill spoke.
"We should save the flashlights."
Graham nodded, and with that, the flashlights went off.
* * * * * * * *
Both Merrill and Alicia couldn't sleep. Bo drifted off first, and they picked her up and placed her on a blanket. Then they curled up together in front of the dog food bags.
"How's your foot?" he whispered.
"It hurts like hell..and it's still bleeding a little."
Merrill traced Alicia's lips with his fingers.
"Why are you doing that?" asked Alicia.
"So I know where to kiss you."
Alicia suddenly felt the inviting sensation of Merrill's lips on hers. They kissed until their lips were swollen. Then Merrill ran his fingers along her neck and the top of her chest.
"We made it through the worst part," he said, "Now we just have to wait it out until morning..or until we get signal on the radio over there."
"I really thought..I really thought that Morgan was going to die."
"I didn't. I had faith that he wouldn't."
"I wish your brother would think the same."
"Don't even joke about that. I can't believe those words came out of his mouth."
"You know what? Let's not think about anything that happened tonight. The non-wedding, the fight.."
"You smacking the hell out of me. I had no clue you were capable of hitting that hard."
"I was pissed."
"I know. But like you said, let's forget about everything that happened tonight."
"OK. But can you do me one last favor?"
"You know I'll do anything for you."
"Will you sing me to sleep?"
"Since when have you needed me to sing you to sleep?"
"Merrill, I've seen alien fingers three times today. Alien fingers. Alien fingers. And not ET happy phone home fingers..malicious, throat-grabbing fingers. I don't care if you have to hit me in the head with a frying pan. I need to somehow get some sleep."
Merrill snickered and said, "Fine. What do you want me to sing?"
"Our song."
"'Uptown Girl?'"
"Pleeease?"
He sighed and cleared his throat, singing in a tone that was barely above a whisper.
"Uptown girl, she's been living in her uptown world, I bet she never had a back street guy, I bet her mama never told her why, I'm gonna try for an uptown girl.."
Alicia lifted her head and kissed him.
"God, I love you so much."
"Ditto."
"That didn't mean stop. Keep going."
"..she's been living in her white bread world, as long as anyone with hot blood can, and now she's looking for a downtown man, that's what I am.."
Alicia was so terrified, she felt like she was either going to pass out or vomit.
"Do you think they have weapons?" she asked Morgan.
"No. Like I said, they'll probably use hand-to-hand combat..or they'll read our minds."
"We forgot our hats," Bo said.
Alicia asked, "What hats?"
"So that the aliens can't read our minds."
Alicia took deep breath after deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Merrill looked back at her for a second while he and Graham boarded up the windows.
"You OK?" he asked her.
Alicia shook her head no and gave him a half-hearted smile.
Morgan and Bo stood on both sides of Alicia, and she had her arms draped around them. Graham looked at them and then started talking as he hammered.
"Did I ever tell you what everyone said when you were born, Bo?"
Bo shook her head.
"You came out of your mama and you didn't even cry. You just opened your eyes and looked around at everybody. Your eyes were so big and gorgeous, the ladies in the room gasped. They literally gasped. Then they go, 'She's like an angel.' They said, 'We've never seen a baby so beautiful.'"
Graham stopped hammering and picked up Bo, while Merrill kept working.
"And you know what else happened? When they put you on the table to clean you up, you looked at me and smiled. They say babies that young can't smile..you smiled."
Alicia and Merrill looked at each other, wishing that they could've experienced that moment with the daughter they never even got to hold.
"Let's go down now," Graham said.
They headed down the stairs and stood in the hallway by the front door. The sound of a dog frantically barking filled the air.
"We forgot about Isabelle," Alicia said.
The barking became more frenzied, and then it stopped. The only thing audible in the air was the emergency broadcast noise.
Merrill took Alicia by her waist and pulled her into his arms, wrapping them completely around her shaking body.
"Should we turn off the lights?" he asked.
"They already know we're here," Graham replied.
Suddenly, they heard something walking on the front porch in heavy steps. Alicia closed her eyes and began saying the Lord's Prayer to herself. She held on to Merrill for dear life. There was scratching and creaking at the front door.
Morgan looked at Graham with watery eyes.
"Dad.."
"Do you know what happened when you were born, Morgan? You came out and your mama kept bleeding. The doctors rushed you out of the room before I could even see you."
There was a loud thump above them, and all five of them looked up.
"They're on the roof," Merrill said.
Alicia couldn't even concentrate on listening to Graham. She looked up at Merrill, who looked at her. He kissed her forehead. Then they heard glass shatter.
"They're in the house."
Noises came from everywhere upstairs and then Merrill came to a realization that made his heart stop.
"The attic door."
Graham looked at Alicia and said, "Stay with the kids."
He and Merrill sprinted up the stairs and Alicia took Morgan and Bo in her arms.
"We'll be fine," Alicia said, "We'll get through this."
She was saying it more for herself than for the kids. Time seemed to melt into an eternity as Alicia listened to Merrill and Graham struggle to keep the invaders from coming in.
"Look," Morgan said, pointing to the door.
A set of long fingers were reaching underneath the front door, and were the same color as the hardwood.
"MERRILL!! GRAHAM!!" she screamed.
They ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. They put the furniture against the doors; anything to keep from them from coming in.
"This is going to do nothing," said Merrill.
Graham replied, "We have to go to the basement."
"There's no way out of there. Should we make a run for it out the back door?"
"They're right outside the door."
Suddenly, they heard creaking coming from the attic trapdoor.
"They're coming," Merrill whispered.
"Into the basement," Graham said, "now."
They filed into the basement and stood in the center of the room.
"We need something to wedge against the doorknob," Graham said as he got to the bottom step.
Merrill frantically looked through the various items on the shelves, trying to find anything that would stop them from coming in.
"They'll read our minds without our helmets!" Morgan cried.
"You're scaring your sister," Graham said.
"I'm already scared," Bo replied, clinging to Alicia's leg.
Graham's eyes were widening with fear as he said, "Merrill.."
"I'm looking."
Morgan put his arm around Alicia and whispered, "They'll know our secret thoughts.."
"Merrill!"
"Got it!"
Merrill found a digging pick on a top shelf and grabbed it. As he swung it off the shelf, it clipped the lightbulb, which shattered and left the room in complete darkness.
Alicia cried out, "Merrill, where are you?"
"Over here!"
In the process of walking to find Merrill, Alicia lost her flip-flop because Morgan had been standing on the front of it. Before she knew it, she felt a numbing but sharp pain on the sole of her right foot.
"Shit!" she cried.
"What is it?"
"I sliced my foot on the glass."
"Don't move!"
Graham yelled, "Merrill, help me with the door!"
Morgan turned the flashlight on and pointed it at Alicia's foot. There was a deep, vertical slit that was oozing a profuse amount of blood.
"Uncle Merrill, she's bleeding really bad."
Merrill and Graham were busy holding the door, with the aide of the pick. Whatever was behind the door was pulling and tugging at the doorknob. Finally, it lessened. Merrill ran to Morgan.
"Give me this flashlight and go find another one."
He took the flashlight and dashed to Alicia.
"Let me see your foot, baby."
Alicia hopped to a corner of the garage and sat down with Merrill. She showed him and he sighed heavily.
"Damn it. That's gonna need stitches- and we're not getting out of here anytime soon."
Graham said, "There are towels over here. Wrap her foot in them..at least it'll suppress the bleeding."
He tossed Merrill the towels, who wrapped Alicia's foot in them. Then he looked at her and tried to calm her down with a little humor.
"I told you not to wear those stupid shoes all the time. Anything you wear on your feet that's less than $10 is inexcusable."
She let out a small laugh, which was a relief to her. Merrill put the flashlight on its end so it was facing up, and put his arm around Alicia.
"What's happening out there?" he asked.
Graham replied, "I can't even imagine."
A loud banging noise startled everyone. Merrill and Morgan aimed their flashlights at the door. It was shaking and the doorknob was rattling.
"They're just making noises," said Graham, "They're not trying to get in."
"Why are they doing that?" asked Alicia.
"They're distracting us."
"From what?"
Morgan added, "The book said they're probably very good problem solvers."
"Morgan, if I hear one more thing about that book.."
Graham extended his hand and said, "Morgan, give me your flashlight."
Morgan obeyed his father and handed it to him.
"Is there an air vent in here?"
Merrill stood up and helped Graham investigate.
"I feel air."
"So do I."
"It's getting stronger over here."
"I'm close."
Their flashlights met in the same place- where Morgan was leaning against, an air vent.
"What?" asked Morgan.
Alicia saw the fingers before Graham and Merrill did.
She scrambled toward him and screamed, "MORGAN!!"
During the next 60 seconds, it was a frenzy of screams and panic as they freed Morgan from the creature's grip. Alicia grabbed a flashlight and aimed it at the vent. She saw Merrill, who had piled about three 25-pound bags of dog food against the vent. He slid down out of exhaustion and rested against the bags. A can of soup rolled near his feet, and he placed it on top just for reassurance. Alicia's foot was stinging and throbbing unbearably, but she limped over to his side and he put his arm around her.
"Are you OK, baby?"
"Yeah. Bo, where are you, sweetie?"
Bo ran over to the couple and sat in Merrill's lap. She had the other flashlight in her hand and aimed it across the room. The light revealed a discolored and suffocating Morgan, who was gasping for air as he rested on Graham's legs and chest.
"We don't have his medicine," Graham said.
Alicia, Merrill, and Bo huddled together as they watched in horror.
"Don't be scared, Morgan. We'll slow it down together. Feel my chest. Feel it going in and out. Breathe like me. Breathe like me. Stay with me. Stay with me. I know it hurts. Be strong, baby... It'll pass."
Graham then closed his eyes and talked his thoughts out loud.
"Don't do this to me again. Not again."
He looked at Merrill and Alicia helplessly. Then he closed his eyes again and his face turned hard.
"I hate you..I hate you."
Those words cut at Alicia's heart like a knife. This was the same man who had help bring her closer to God..saying that he hated his own creator. She closed her eyes as tears seeped through her eyelids. She felt a drop of warm liquid on her shoulder and looked above her shoulder. Tears were slowly running down Merrill's face as well. His eyes were closed and he was saying something to himself. Suddenly, Morgan started to breathe easier.
"There we go... We don't have to be scared at all... We know it'll pass. We believe it... Don't be afraid, Morgan. Feel my chest... Breathe with me. Together... The air is going in our lungs... Together... We're the same. We're the same."
About five minutes of silence passed, and then Merrill spoke.
"We should save the flashlights."
Graham nodded, and with that, the flashlights went off.
* * * * * * * *
Both Merrill and Alicia couldn't sleep. Bo drifted off first, and they picked her up and placed her on a blanket. Then they curled up together in front of the dog food bags.
"How's your foot?" he whispered.
"It hurts like hell..and it's still bleeding a little."
Merrill traced Alicia's lips with his fingers.
"Why are you doing that?" asked Alicia.
"So I know where to kiss you."
Alicia suddenly felt the inviting sensation of Merrill's lips on hers. They kissed until their lips were swollen. Then Merrill ran his fingers along her neck and the top of her chest.
"We made it through the worst part," he said, "Now we just have to wait it out until morning..or until we get signal on the radio over there."
"I really thought..I really thought that Morgan was going to die."
"I didn't. I had faith that he wouldn't."
"I wish your brother would think the same."
"Don't even joke about that. I can't believe those words came out of his mouth."
"You know what? Let's not think about anything that happened tonight. The non-wedding, the fight.."
"You smacking the hell out of me. I had no clue you were capable of hitting that hard."
"I was pissed."
"I know. But like you said, let's forget about everything that happened tonight."
"OK. But can you do me one last favor?"
"You know I'll do anything for you."
"Will you sing me to sleep?"
"Since when have you needed me to sing you to sleep?"
"Merrill, I've seen alien fingers three times today. Alien fingers. Alien fingers. And not ET happy phone home fingers..malicious, throat-grabbing fingers. I don't care if you have to hit me in the head with a frying pan. I need to somehow get some sleep."
Merrill snickered and said, "Fine. What do you want me to sing?"
"Our song."
"'Uptown Girl?'"
"Pleeease?"
He sighed and cleared his throat, singing in a tone that was barely above a whisper.
"Uptown girl, she's been living in her uptown world, I bet she never had a back street guy, I bet her mama never told her why, I'm gonna try for an uptown girl.."
Alicia lifted her head and kissed him.
"God, I love you so much."
"Ditto."
"That didn't mean stop. Keep going."
"..she's been living in her white bread world, as long as anyone with hot blood can, and now she's looking for a downtown man, that's what I am.."