Main: The Boy who feared the Unknown.
[THE PHILIPS RESIDENCE: 2:45 AM – THE NIGHT OF THE SLEEPOVER]
I should be asleep right now but the constant buzzing of my cell has me fumbling around in the dark across my nightstand. I prayed it wasn’t M. Today marks the anniversary of my mother’s death and it’s the one time a year when he stops drinking long enough to pay his respects. I keep busy usually but with everything going on in Alexandria, I’m finding it hard to sleep. I spend my days and nights mostly surveying the city through hacked traffic cams looking for random petty crimes. It’s tough being the normal guy in a club full of altered human beings. After four rings I finally answered.
“Hello?” I mumbled groggily.
“You awake boy? I’m headed home.”
“Dad, you’ve got the key. Remember I tucked them in the overhead visor.”
He scoffed.
“I haven’t been home in a week. Is it crazy that I’d like you to be there to greet me?”
“Why would I want to do that? It’s late.”
He fell silent on the other end of the phone. I knew what he wanted but the longer I could stall him the more likely he’d be to drop it. He sighed then adjusted the phone.
“I’m sorry I keep putting this off Allen.”
“You’re not concerned with visiting Mom, Dad. Caring isn’t what you do.”
He paused again, “Still...”
I politely hung up the phone and rolled back onto my pillow. My father is a hauler for a parts manufacturer named Avalon. They were just a basic naval company that produced nautical equipment but recently Dad’s been hauling weapons. Usually small ammunitions and gauges would keep him gone for a few days but he’s returning almost after two weeks. His job is becoming more classified. My friends are pretty quick to point the finger at Avalon but blaming them for the week of the 25th still seems like a stretch.
I could feel sleep creeping up on me. Just as I accepted its embrace the phone rings again. This time, still being partly alert I manage to mute the phone. For a moment everything was fine until my cell vibrated wildly. I snatched the phone of the counter top and glared at the number. To my surprise it wasn’t Dad…it was Rachel.
“What…!?” I groaned still groggy from lack of sleep.
“A-Allen! It’s Rachel.”
“W-what are you doing? Why are you whispering? Speak up.”
“I can’t. We found the kidnappers at the docks. They have pictures of us!”
I paused, “Hold on a second, who’s at the docks? And what pictures?”
She said nothing.
There was a muffle on the call and a faint voice in the background.
“Rachel? RACHEL!” I yelled frantically.
“I’m here,” She spoke calmly; “I found Ross’s cameras.”
I shook my head, “That’s impossible the FBI took his gear. He told M that they came to his house.”
“I’m looking at them right now. Also, there’s an eerie amount of pictures and files here. Whoever took his gear was keeping tabs-not only on us, but everyone.”
“You’re not making sense. What do you mean everyone?”
“I don’t think we’re the only ones with abilities.” She replied.
YOU ARE READING
Louisiana 7 - Origins
Science FictionOn August 25th a radical act of nature forced the world to stand still. On that day the world witnessed a government’s lack of preparation as it abandoned its own ailing people. Now, five years later those left behind are determined to pick up the...
