The Last Invasion
The Interrupting Cow
The calendar didn't lie, it couldn't lie, it was a calendar. But it didn't seem possible; time had slipped through his fingers like water, gone in an instant never to return. It would be three months in a few weeks; three months had passed in a flash. Casey sighed as he tossed his calendar on the bed, flopping down beside it. From his position he could see out the window where the sun was shining brightly in the spring air, warming the budding trees and flowers.
In a few months school would finally be out, he'd finally be able to graduate from the hell house Herrington High. He'd have a long summer break before packing off to college; maybe he'd spend some time with Zeke, Stan, Stokely and Riva. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, no more Gabe, no more Delilah, and most importantly, no more flag pole. Casey outright grinned, he could finally start over.
He lost himself in thoughts for a while, his eyes finally sliding over to the nightstand where an envelope leaned against the lamp. The smile began to fall some as he rolled over and plucked it from its position, sitting up to tear it open. It was from his parents, he could tell from the little hearts his mother drew by his name on the address. Note to self, burn envelope before anyone sees it. He finished ripping it open, scanning it over quickly, his smiling starting to vanish to be replaced by a frown.
They sent their love, of course, and wished they were back home, but it seemed the job would require another move from the couple. This time they were moving to Indiana, closer to home, but no cigar. They then promised they would make it home for his graduation, along with well wishes. Odd, when his parents had first left, Casey had been overjoyed to get away from them for a while, but now. Well, now he actually missed them, having looked forward to their return.
He briefly wondered if Zeke ever felt the same way, ever wanted to see his parents for more than a brief few moments. He sighed, well if Zeke did, he never showed it and would probably avoid the question at all costs. Oh well, it didn't matter; they'd be home eventually. The letter fell from his hands on to the bed, slipping off to the floor, where he left it, unnoticed.
Eventually, Casey pulled himself from his daydreaming to glance at the clock on his nightstand, cursing when he saw the time. He was supposed to go to Stokely's for the traditional Friday pizza party they had every few weeks. He sprung from the bed, grabbing the jacket from back of his computer chair and taking the stairs two at a time. "I'll be at Stokes', Uncle Matt! See you later!" He yelled, not waiting for a reply before leaving.
Briefly he wondered if he could catch a ride with Zeke, but then realized the boy would be driving to Stokley's from work. He sprinted down the sidewalk, past Riva's house, remembering that the alien girl had spent the night with Stokely and would already be there. Stan, of course, was already at Stokely's, the two were practically inseparable. Zeke often made comments about the two along the lines of feeling nauseous.
Casey raced along the sidewalks silently; the only noise he made was his steady breathing. Luckily, he was a fast, steady runner; you had to be when you wanted to escape your tormentors. Even Coach Willis had commented on it, all the months ago. Of course, it wasn't actually Coach, which made Casey wonder, was it Mary Beth that actually make the remark? Could she control each and every person she infected? The boy pushed the thoughts away with a shutter. It's been months ago, but the memories were as vivid as if it had all happened yesterday.
He tore around the last corner, coming upon Stokely's house the same time the pizza delivery guy did. Casey skidded to a stop, panting to catch his breath as he walked towards the door where the deliveryman stood, two boxes of pizza in his arm. "Hey, you're Casey Connor! The alien dude!" The pizza guy said, his face lighting up with recognition. Casey blushed, "Uh, yeah, I am." He hated when this happened.
Stan came to the door, a child latched onto each leg, and one hanging off his shoulder, giggling madly as he struggled to stand upright. "Oh, hey Casey. Come on in, I'll get the pizzas," he said, saving Casey from a long, awkward moment. The boy hurriedly ducked in, heading to the living room where Zeke was sprawled out on the couch, Riva perched on the free end, and Stokely cursing at the television, which wasn't working.
"Hey Case," Zeke said boredly, dropping his head over the edge of the couch to look at the blue-eyed boy upside down. Casey offered a wave and dropped into his usual chair, watching Stokely fiddle with the remote control. Charlie, one of Stokely's younger siblings, popped up beside him, grinning, "Hi Casey!"
"Hey Charlie. What's up?"
"Not much," he said with a mischievous grin, leaning forward. He motioned for Casey to do the same, and the child whispered giddily in his ear, "I took the batteries out of the remote control. Stoke hasn't figured it out yet." Casey snickered and the two glanced over at the girl as she growled and threw the remote to the ground. She shot them a glare upon hearing the giggling, "Charlie! Get over here!"
Charlie shuffled over to his sister, offering his best innocent smile. "What'd you do to this remote?" She asked, picking it up off the floor and waving it in his face. "Me? Do something to the remote? I'm hurt you could say such a thing!"
"Empty your pockets."
"I think I hear Stan yelling for help."
"Pockets!" She grabbed the collar of his shirt and jammed her hand into his pocket, pulling out two batteries. One eyebrow rose accusingly, and Charlie gasped, "How'd those get in there!" Stokely swatted at him, sending him giggling into the kitchen.
Stan appeared with the pizzas, placing them on the table, and began to pry the three kids off his body. They were seven year old triplets: Josie, Jake, and Jeff, all Stokley's younger siblings. Then there was Charlie, ten, and Lucy, thirteen, who was probably out with her friends. Stokely walked over and began tugging Jeff off Stan's left thigh. Finally the three were off and sent upstairs to watch some Disney movie, along with Charlie.
"Be glad you're an only kid," Stokely muttered dryly to Casey as they dug into the pizzas. Casey shrugged, dangling a piece over his mouth, slowly lowering it in, and talking between mouthfuls, "I don't know. It gets lonely sometimes."
Zeke and Riva were back on the couch, eating their pizza quietly. Zeke glanced at the alien beside him and grinned, "Hey Riva, want to hear a joke?"
"Okay," she replied hesitantly, setting her slice down. She hadn't done well with jokes, not completely understanding their purpose, though Zeke sat her down one day to try and explain them for over two hours.
"Knock-knock."
Stokely groaned, "Don't you have anything better than knock-knock jokes?" Zeke smiled, "You'll like this one. Ok, Riva, knock-knock."
"Who's there?"
"The interrupting cow."
"The interrupting co-"
"MOO!"
Riva blinked at him, Stokely rolled her eyes, Stan and Casey snickered, trying desperately not to laugh, even though Zeke was cracking up. "I'm not sure I understand," Riva said slowly, watching as the boys all burst into laughter. Stokely sighed and caught Riva's eyes, "Don't worry about it Riva. They're all morons."
"But he didn't finish the joke according to the knock-knock joke pattern."
"Like I said, don't worry about it. Let's put a movie in, I got The Terminator and Star Wars."
They put in a video, finally quieting down to watch the show. Though, half way through, Zeke muttered "Moo" and the boys were sent into laughter all over again, leaving Riva with a blank expression and Stokely rolling her eyes.
A/N: This is actually a really pointless chapter, but I had fun writing it. I just wanted to convey the idea that the "alien destroying group" have a monthly ritual of getting together to have pizza and movies. Also, the fact that a lot of time has passed since the last chapter. Thanks again for the reviews!
The Interrupting Cow
The calendar didn't lie, it couldn't lie, it was a calendar. But it didn't seem possible; time had slipped through his fingers like water, gone in an instant never to return. It would be three months in a few weeks; three months had passed in a flash. Casey sighed as he tossed his calendar on the bed, flopping down beside it. From his position he could see out the window where the sun was shining brightly in the spring air, warming the budding trees and flowers.
In a few months school would finally be out, he'd finally be able to graduate from the hell house Herrington High. He'd have a long summer break before packing off to college; maybe he'd spend some time with Zeke, Stan, Stokely and Riva. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, no more Gabe, no more Delilah, and most importantly, no more flag pole. Casey outright grinned, he could finally start over.
He lost himself in thoughts for a while, his eyes finally sliding over to the nightstand where an envelope leaned against the lamp. The smile began to fall some as he rolled over and plucked it from its position, sitting up to tear it open. It was from his parents, he could tell from the little hearts his mother drew by his name on the address. Note to self, burn envelope before anyone sees it. He finished ripping it open, scanning it over quickly, his smiling starting to vanish to be replaced by a frown.
They sent their love, of course, and wished they were back home, but it seemed the job would require another move from the couple. This time they were moving to Indiana, closer to home, but no cigar. They then promised they would make it home for his graduation, along with well wishes. Odd, when his parents had first left, Casey had been overjoyed to get away from them for a while, but now. Well, now he actually missed them, having looked forward to their return.
He briefly wondered if Zeke ever felt the same way, ever wanted to see his parents for more than a brief few moments. He sighed, well if Zeke did, he never showed it and would probably avoid the question at all costs. Oh well, it didn't matter; they'd be home eventually. The letter fell from his hands on to the bed, slipping off to the floor, where he left it, unnoticed.
Eventually, Casey pulled himself from his daydreaming to glance at the clock on his nightstand, cursing when he saw the time. He was supposed to go to Stokely's for the traditional Friday pizza party they had every few weeks. He sprung from the bed, grabbing the jacket from back of his computer chair and taking the stairs two at a time. "I'll be at Stokes', Uncle Matt! See you later!" He yelled, not waiting for a reply before leaving.
Briefly he wondered if he could catch a ride with Zeke, but then realized the boy would be driving to Stokley's from work. He sprinted down the sidewalk, past Riva's house, remembering that the alien girl had spent the night with Stokely and would already be there. Stan, of course, was already at Stokely's, the two were practically inseparable. Zeke often made comments about the two along the lines of feeling nauseous.
Casey raced along the sidewalks silently; the only noise he made was his steady breathing. Luckily, he was a fast, steady runner; you had to be when you wanted to escape your tormentors. Even Coach Willis had commented on it, all the months ago. Of course, it wasn't actually Coach, which made Casey wonder, was it Mary Beth that actually make the remark? Could she control each and every person she infected? The boy pushed the thoughts away with a shutter. It's been months ago, but the memories were as vivid as if it had all happened yesterday.
He tore around the last corner, coming upon Stokely's house the same time the pizza delivery guy did. Casey skidded to a stop, panting to catch his breath as he walked towards the door where the deliveryman stood, two boxes of pizza in his arm. "Hey, you're Casey Connor! The alien dude!" The pizza guy said, his face lighting up with recognition. Casey blushed, "Uh, yeah, I am." He hated when this happened.
Stan came to the door, a child latched onto each leg, and one hanging off his shoulder, giggling madly as he struggled to stand upright. "Oh, hey Casey. Come on in, I'll get the pizzas," he said, saving Casey from a long, awkward moment. The boy hurriedly ducked in, heading to the living room where Zeke was sprawled out on the couch, Riva perched on the free end, and Stokely cursing at the television, which wasn't working.
"Hey Case," Zeke said boredly, dropping his head over the edge of the couch to look at the blue-eyed boy upside down. Casey offered a wave and dropped into his usual chair, watching Stokely fiddle with the remote control. Charlie, one of Stokely's younger siblings, popped up beside him, grinning, "Hi Casey!"
"Hey Charlie. What's up?"
"Not much," he said with a mischievous grin, leaning forward. He motioned for Casey to do the same, and the child whispered giddily in his ear, "I took the batteries out of the remote control. Stoke hasn't figured it out yet." Casey snickered and the two glanced over at the girl as she growled and threw the remote to the ground. She shot them a glare upon hearing the giggling, "Charlie! Get over here!"
Charlie shuffled over to his sister, offering his best innocent smile. "What'd you do to this remote?" She asked, picking it up off the floor and waving it in his face. "Me? Do something to the remote? I'm hurt you could say such a thing!"
"Empty your pockets."
"I think I hear Stan yelling for help."
"Pockets!" She grabbed the collar of his shirt and jammed her hand into his pocket, pulling out two batteries. One eyebrow rose accusingly, and Charlie gasped, "How'd those get in there!" Stokely swatted at him, sending him giggling into the kitchen.
Stan appeared with the pizzas, placing them on the table, and began to pry the three kids off his body. They were seven year old triplets: Josie, Jake, and Jeff, all Stokley's younger siblings. Then there was Charlie, ten, and Lucy, thirteen, who was probably out with her friends. Stokely walked over and began tugging Jeff off Stan's left thigh. Finally the three were off and sent upstairs to watch some Disney movie, along with Charlie.
"Be glad you're an only kid," Stokely muttered dryly to Casey as they dug into the pizzas. Casey shrugged, dangling a piece over his mouth, slowly lowering it in, and talking between mouthfuls, "I don't know. It gets lonely sometimes."
Zeke and Riva were back on the couch, eating their pizza quietly. Zeke glanced at the alien beside him and grinned, "Hey Riva, want to hear a joke?"
"Okay," she replied hesitantly, setting her slice down. She hadn't done well with jokes, not completely understanding their purpose, though Zeke sat her down one day to try and explain them for over two hours.
"Knock-knock."
Stokely groaned, "Don't you have anything better than knock-knock jokes?" Zeke smiled, "You'll like this one. Ok, Riva, knock-knock."
"Who's there?"
"The interrupting cow."
"The interrupting co-"
"MOO!"
Riva blinked at him, Stokely rolled her eyes, Stan and Casey snickered, trying desperately not to laugh, even though Zeke was cracking up. "I'm not sure I understand," Riva said slowly, watching as the boys all burst into laughter. Stokely sighed and caught Riva's eyes, "Don't worry about it Riva. They're all morons."
"But he didn't finish the joke according to the knock-knock joke pattern."
"Like I said, don't worry about it. Let's put a movie in, I got The Terminator and Star Wars."
They put in a video, finally quieting down to watch the show. Though, half way through, Zeke muttered "Moo" and the boys were sent into laughter all over again, leaving Riva with a blank expression and Stokely rolling her eyes.
A/N: This is actually a really pointless chapter, but I had fun writing it. I just wanted to convey the idea that the "alien destroying group" have a monthly ritual of getting together to have pizza and movies. Also, the fact that a lot of time has passed since the last chapter. Thanks again for the reviews!