"They're out there," he told me. "Fields and fields of them. As far as the eye can see." I wasn't sure what he was talking about. He pointed to the horizon, and I looked, but all I could see were the tall corn stalks.
"Ben, there's nothing there, are you okay?" I waited for a reply but none came. I tried to find what he was looking at, but I saw nothing. I laid a hand on his shoulder and jostled him, but he remained unresponsive. He stared at the corn, just stared. I was beginning to get worried, not to mention a little freaked out. He began to back away, deliberately, never taking his wide eyes off the fields.
"Ben, seriously man, is this a prank or something?" I yelled, but again, he ignored me like I wasn't even there. His retreat became more rapid until he tripped backwards and hit the ground. He writhed and swatted at the air screeching, "They're here! They're here!"
I ran to him, knelt down and shook him by his shoulders.
"Ben! Ben! Are you okay? What's going on? Ben?" I screamed in terror. All of a sudden, he became unnaturally still and his mouth widened into a broad smile. His pupils expanded to consume his entire eye. Without moving his lips, he whispered, "They're out there."
His eyes closed and his mouth snapped shut. He looked like he was asleep, but he never woke up.
I didn't go back to that field.
