WE EXIST AND WE ARE COMING
Lights, flashing lights. I looked up and saw that dreaded object. I didn’t see one, I didn’t see two. I don’t know how many I saw before I started to run.
“Help! Help!” It seemed the faster I ran, the faster they became. And the weaker I became. It’s like they were drawing their strength from mine and their speed from mine. I ran and ran until I came to a large wall.
Dead End.
It was literally spelt on the wall. I turned my back to the wall, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. “Help, help.” I mumbled. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the worst.
“Rise and shine, honey!”
I jerked back to reality.
“Sleep well?” my mom asked.
“Not really.”
“Don’t tell me about those nightmares again.”
I groaned and rubbed my head. I looked at my wrist. A hologram calendar appeared. “Oh no, today is Monday.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”
“I don’t want to go to school!”
“It’ll be fine. Call me if you need anything, okay?”
“Yes, mum.” I grumbled as I shuffled out of bed to hit the showers. There were two reasons why I hated school. One, the teachers. Two, there is this guy that always picks on me in school, Dylan.
School was cool. Our notebooks where holographic computers and so were our whiteboards. Only that the whiteboards where larger. Our wristwatch or bracelets were our phones. They were transparent and produce holograms when we communicate with others. For that reason, it was hard to talk to parents or friends outside the school while in class.
The teachers are picky and grumpy and always find reasons for me to get into trouble. There is no day that passes without them calling my name
“Alvin!” For the much younger teachers. “Mr. Atwater!” for the older teachers.
And anytime they do that, the jerk Dylan laughs and makes a joke that isn’t funny at all. “Oh no, Mrs. Cunningham. You are meant to say Mr. Tap water.” And the whole class will burst out laughing. My face will redden till it’s no different from a cherry, but that would never seem to concern anyone.
But today, I had my fill.
At recess, after getting my food, I slipped on the way to my table. The food poured on me. Dylan came over and extended his hand. As I was about to grab him to lift me up, but he jerked his hand backwards in mockery. The whole dining laughed. “I should have known.” I mumbled.
“What did you say, Tap water?” I jerked up to my feet.
“You know, you aren’t so bad for a fool, Tap water.”
“You aren’t so bad for a jerk either, blockhead.” Everyone in the dining was obviously surprised, because they all gave a resounding “ooooh!”
I shoved past him and said; “Don’t ever call me tap water.”
He grabbed my arm. “And what are you going to do about it?”
“Just try it again.” I dared him.
“Well, well, Tap water.” I turned around and gave him a pretty hard punch in the face. “Ouch!” Everyone in the dining expressed their shock.
“Hello tap water,” Dylan said with threat in his voice, “meet your arch enemy.”
Adrenaline rushed through me as I started to run.
I got to a wall. Similar to the one I saw in my dream.
“Dead end, tap water.”
Fear started to creep in. Then I decided to fight. He grabbed my collar and I slapped his face. The whole grade had gathered behind us shouting “Fight! Fight! Fight!” He left my collar and changed to a fighter’s pose. I mimicked him and crouched a little to emphasise my pose. He threw the first fist. I ducked and threw my fist at his face. I guess he anticipated the move because he used his left hand to hold my fist, as he punched my stomach repeatedly with his right hand.
“Stop that now! Mr. Mark, Mr Atwater, to my office now!”
“Tap water.” Dylan jeered.
“Keep quiet now!” The principal sneered. We trudged behind her into her office. Her office was more or less a building without a roof, so she could enjoy the open sky. I kind of envied her for that.
Before she could say anything, I and Dylan pointed at each other: “He started it!”
“Quiet both of you! You are both going to serve punishment.”
Dylan said; “I won’t do it.” I looked at him, stunned. Where did he get that ‘liver’ from?
“Excuse me?” the principal asked as she pulled her glasses further down her nose. I turned my wristcam on because I was expecting a show.
“I said I won't do it. Am not from around here.”
“So?”
I was also confused. How does you not being from around here correlate with the situation at hand?
“Well, I won’t serve the punishment.”
A light flashed on my face. Continuous flashing. I looked up. Then it dawned on me.
“Ma’am, please for your own safety-“
“Hush it, Mr. Atwater.”
Dylan had begun to morph. The principal screamed.
“Am an alien.” He said, stating the obvious.
Now, if you are thinking he had those dreamy cartoon voices, you are wrong. He didn’t even have a slimy skin. His eyes just became red, and more pointed at the corners. His fingers were no longer five, but three. He kicked off his shoes. There were only three toes on each foot. And his pupils were slits.
“I thought you guys didn’t exist.” I asked.
“Oh, we do. There are lot of us around you. We came to steal your technology and spy on your planet.” I pinched myself to check if I wasn't dreaming.
“Don’t hurt yourself too much. Allow us to do the damage. In the meantime, let me just sound this warning to you Tap water. We exist and we are coming to invade.”
With that, a beam of light engulfed him and he disappeared. I looked at the spot where he disappeared from. He left a watch like object on the floor. I picked it up and slipped it into my pocket. The principal, still dazed, told me that I could leave. She later announced that the school is closed until further notice.
It’s like no other kid in school knew what happened, because they were all confused at the principal’s state of shock and Dylan’s disappearance. I had originally thought of sending my footage to the whole school, but I had second thoughts. Who would believe me? I decided to be patient and wait for the right time to release it, which I knew would be anytime soon.
I thought this alien thing was going to be out of my reach, out of any kid’s reach for that matter. Little did I know the role I was going to play.
