The Aliens Return

“What was that?” A woman sat up suddenly in bed, a flash of light from the house next door lit up her frilly pink nightgown, and the foam curlers she had twisted awkwardly in her hair.

“What was what?” the man lying next to her grunted, rolling over to go back to sleep. The woman prodded him with a bony finger.

“Wake up,” she urged. “Something’s happening next door.”

“Mmmmhmmm,” came the man’s sleepy response.

“I, said, wake, up,” and each word was interspersed with a new jab of her finger.

“All right, all right, I’m awake,” he said, rolling onto his back. “What’s wrong?”

“They’re here!” the woman announced in a mysteriously hushed voice.

“Who’s that, dear?” the man was humouring her now, and she knew it.

“The aliens! I knew they’d come back.”

The man mentally rolled his eyes. He knew better than to do so where she could see him. “And why would they do that?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she replied, her eyes peering through the darkness to the house next door. “But they were here thirteen years ago, and they’re here again now. Let’s go,” she said, swinging her legs out of the bed.

For the first time that night, the man looked alarmed. “Go where?” he said.

“Why, over there,” she replied, astounded. “We need to see what’s happened. And I think we should call the police. They need to know what’s going on.”

The man was getting out of bed now, his legs tangling awkwardly in the covers as he rushed to his feet. “Now, now, dear,” he said, his voice placating. “How about we wait and see before we call them.”

The woman sniffed impatiently. “Fine!” she answered. “But hurry, before they leave.” And pulling a faded dressing gone on, she rushed from the room.

***

“And say you saw what, ma’am?” a bored official stood, pencil in hand hovering over a small note book, waiting for the woman’s story.

“There was a flash of light,” she said.

“A flash of light,” repeated the bored voice.

“And so I rushed next door, to see what had happened.”

“You rushed next door,” he was writing mechanically.

“Yes, and I knocked on the door, and that man,” she spat the word, “answered the door.”

“The man answered the door…”

“Yes, and so I asked him if everyone was ok. And he said that everyone was fine.”

“Everyone was fine…” repeated the policeman. He stopped, and re-read what he’d written. “He said everyone was fine, ma’am?”

“Yes,” the woman answered defiantly.

“And on this basis you decided to call the police.”

“Yes!” replied the woman.

“And why is that ma’am,”

“Because he didn’t know who Aoife was,” she replied.

“I beg your pardon?” said the official.

“He didn’t know who Aoife was,” she repeated.

"I see,” said the official. “And who is Aoife?”

“Why, his daughter, of course!” replied the woman astounded.

“I see. So that man,” he gestured towards Richard, “didn’t know who his daughter was?”

“Yes,” the woman answered with a firm nod.

“And from this you deduced that…” his voice trailed off encouragingly.

“That she had been abducted by aliens, and his memory had been modified.”

“I see,” said the police officer a third and final time. “Well, thank you very much for your help.” He closed his notebook with a snap. “We’ll be sure to be in contact with you when we know more.”

“No!” cried the woman. “You have to believe me.” A crowd of people had gathered around them by this time, awoken by the flashing lights, and the sounds of voices. “She’s been abducted, tell them!” she turned to her husband. “Tell them!” her voice was desperate, pleading, but her husband was shuffling away from her.

***

Around the corner, Hercules and Achilles looked at each other. There was nothing else that could be done, that much was clear. A wave of their hand, and a white van appeared. Another wave, and they were garbed in dark trousers and white scientists coats.

***

A white van pulled up to the side of the road, and two men wearing white coats, and carrying butterfly nets hurried forward. Held tight in one of their hands was a jacket, with long, trailing sleeves.

“All right, all right,” they called as they approached. “Everything’s under control, move along, now,” and the crowd began to disperse, pitying looks in their eyes. Her husband took a momentary step towards her, before the police officer rested a hand gently on his arm.

“Best not, sir,” he said. “It’s all for the best, really.” And the man nodded once, and moved back away from his wife, who was shrieking now, that there were aliens, and that they had come again, and that if they didn’t stop, and listen to her, they’d come again, and they’d all be taken, one by one! The man stood and watched as she was loaded into the car, her cries ringing in his ears, as it slowly drove away.