Stars, Stripes, & Strange Blinking Lights

5

Bailey rode ahead, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what this guy's deal was. He was off—real off. Stiff, formal, like someone who didn't know how to relax or blend in. She kept thinking back to that old rumor she'd heard a few summers ago, about government folks coming in at night, dumping all kinds of chemicals into the fields. People said that it made folks sick, maybe even messed with their memories. Typical small-town talk, but this guy—he was giving her that same kinda vibe.

Either way, she wasn't about to let him find that thing in the sky before she did. If he was lookin' for it, maybe they'd be better off working together, even if she didn't trust him. Not yet, anyway.

Bailey rode up a little farther and hopped off her bike near the fence, leaning it against the old wooden posts. She glanced back, watching the man as he followed—awkwardly. He moved like he was figuring out how to walk for the first time. The way he carried himself made her uneasy, but at the same time, she wasn't sure if he was dangerous or just... odd.

"C'mon," she called, stepping into the field, pushing aside the tall stalks of wheat. "I ain't got all night. Keep up, but don't get weird on me."

The guy followed, not saying much. Bailey walked backward for a bit through the field, keeping him in her sights. The moonlight barely lit up his face, but even in the dim light, she could see he looked serious, like he was thinking way too hard about every little thing.

"So," she started, trying to get a read on him, "what'd you say your name was?"

The man hesitated, like the question caught him off guard. "Zarin."

"Zarin?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Ain't never heard that one before. You from around here?"

"No."

Bailey's eyes narrowed. "Figured as much. Where you from, then?"

There was another pause, and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "Not... here."

"Clearly," she muttered. "So you're a scientist? Doin' research on wheat?"

Zarin looked down at the wheat, like he was trying to remember what it was called. "I am... researching the local flora."

Bailey stopped in her tracks, her boots crunching softly against the dirt as she stared him down. "The local flora," she repeated slowly. "You sure are fancy with your words, ain't ya?"

He blinked at her, not reacting to the teasing in her tone. Bailey tilted her head, not sure what to make of him. She was used to people in town—easy to read, predictable. But this guy was all kinds of strange.

She kept walking, her gaze still fixed on him, as questions bubbled up in her mind. "So, if you're out here studyin' plants or whatever, why'd you show up right after that thing fell from the sky? Bit of a coincidence, don't ya think?"

Zarin hesitated again, his eyes darting around like he was looking for an escape route. "I happened to be in the area."

Bailey let out a short laugh, "Lemme tell ya somethin', Zarin—nobody just happens to be in this area. We're in the middle of nowhere. If you're here, you got a reason. So what is it?"

Zarin blinked, clearly struggling to come up with an answer. "I am... conducting research."

She let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "You really expect me to believe that? You're standin' in a wheat field, lookin' like you don't know what wheat even is. You're not foolin' me."

Zarin looked down at the wheat, almost like he was trying to remember what it was called. He didn't say anything, just stood there, awkward as hell.

Bailey shook her head and kept walking, not taking her eyes off him. "Look, I don't care who you are or why you're here. But if you're after whatever fell from the sky, then we might as well work together. No point playin' games. Just be straight with me."

Zarin's expression didn't change, but she could tell he was thinking, trying to figure out how to respond. The guy was too weird to be from the government. Hell, he was too weird to be from anywhere she knew.

She stepped forward through the wheat, her boots crunching softly against the dry ground. "So, what's really goin' on, huh? You one of those people who sneaks around at night, messin' with crops? Heard all kinds of stories about government types dumpin' chemicals in the fields. You doin' somethin' like that?"

Zarin looked genuinely confused, his brow furrowing slightly. "No, I am not involved in any chemical activities."

Bailey raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Uh-huh. You sure talk like a robot, y'know that? Real stiff."

"I am not a robot," Zarin said, like he didn't quite get what she meant.

She chuckled, pushing deeper into the field. "Well, whatever you are, we'll find out soon enough. Once we track down that thing, we'll see who's tellin' the truth."

She couldn't make up her mind about him. On the one hand, he seemed clueless—like he didn't know how to talk to people. On the other hand, there was something off about him that kept her on edge. Maybe he was hiding something. Maybe he really was one of those government types. Or maybe he was just plain weird.

She pushed forward through the thick rows of wheat, the tall stalks brushing against her arms. The field stretched on endlessly, the golden tops of the wheat swaying gently in the night breeze. The air smelled earthy, like dirt and crops, but there was something off—something about Zarin's nervous energy that made her want to go faster. She glanced back at him, catching the way his eyes darted around like he was trying to figure out an escape.

"You nervous or somethin'?" Bailey called over her shoulder. "I should be the one freakin' out. A woman alone, out here in the middle of nowhere, with some weirdo I don't know."

Zarin stiffened, his expression unreadable. "I assure you, I am not a threat."

Bailey let out a half-hearted laugh, but kept walking. "Yeah, that's what all the creeps say. 'Don't worry, I'm harmless,' while they're hiding bodies in the corn or somethin'."

"I believe you are heading the wrong way," Zarin said suddenly, his voice tight.

Bailey stopped in her tracks, turning around slowly. "Oh yeah? And how would you know that? You been out here before or somethin'?"

Zarin gestured off to the side, his movements deliberate. "This way would be... more efficient."

"Efficient," she repeated, giving him a skeptical look. "We're not lookin' for a gas station, we're in a wheat field. You're bein' all cagey, and it's makin' me think I'm goin' the right way."

Zarin shifted uncomfortably, his gaze flicking between her and the direction she was heading. "There could be obstacles ahead. It is safer to avoid them."

Bailey let out a short laugh, crossing her arms. "Obstacles? What, you worried about a gopher hole? You're actin' like there's a damn minefield up ahead. If you don't want me goin' this way, it's probably 'cause there's somethin' you don't want me to see."

He didn't respond, but the way he stood, stiff and quiet, told her she'd hit a nerve. She kept walking, determined now, picking up her pace through the wheat. The stalks whipped against her legs, but she didn't care. The more Zarin tried to steer her away, the more convinced she was that whatever had fallen was close.

"You keep tryin' to tell me what to do," she called over her shoulder. "But I'm not turnin' back. I'm seein' this through."

"There are... unknown variables," Zarin pressed, his voice growing more urgent as he tried to keep up with her. "It is unwise to continue."

She stood still for a second, just long enough to let the tension build between them. Then, without a word, she turned on her heel and sprinted deeper into the field, her heart pounding in her chest. The wheat stalks whipped against her, the ground uneven beneath her boots, but she didn't slow down. Whatever Zarin didn't want her to find, she was getting closer.

Behind her, she could hear Zarin's footsteps stumbling after her, his voice panicked as he called out, "Wait! Stop!"

Bailey didn't stop. She pushed harder, her legs burning as she tore through the field, grinning to herself. Whatever was out there, she was going to find it—and Zarin wouldn't stop her.