Short fiction stories

The ballad of old petee

The sun was beating down on the back of my neck, I turned and looked at the greeting sign to the town.

Welcome to Canyon Creek, it read in big black letters. Above the words was the Montana flag.
I breathed in a breath of fresh air and exhaled. "I'll stop in town to see if anyone knows how to get to Meager Gulch." I said to myself. As I stepped past the sign I immediately saw an Inn. I decided that I could book there tonight and leave early in the morning. I stepped up to the Inns doors, and then an old man ran out screaming about something, but I don't know what. I stepped inside to see the Inn keeper shaking his head and talking to someone. "Why can't they ever throw old Petee into jail, for disturbing the peace far too many times?" "I don't think he needs jail boss, I think he needs a mental institution!" The two men laughed at the joke, and I stepped up to the Inn keeper. "Uh, Hello my name is Jeremy, I would like to stay here for tonight." "Alright, you're room is 105 here's the keys." The Inn keeper reached over the counter and got the keys to my room. I took the keys and went to my room I sat my luggage down on the floor and sat on the bed. I grabbed my bag and searched through it until I found my map. I pulled it out carefully making sure not to rip it and searched through it for a place to eat. The closest place was a steakhouse and tavern called Marysville House. I decided that would be a great place to eat so I grabbed a few more items and headed out. Once I arrived there, I ran into someone unexpected. "Berry?" I asked confused but excitedly. "Jeremy! What are you doing here in Canyon Creek, that's a bit far from home." Berry exclaimed. "Im trying to find my way to Meager Gulch. And my home towns only 2.7 billion miles away." I said. "Well come on, let's eat and don't worry about paying, I'll cover it." Berry offered. "Berry you don't have to, I mean I know you've been my friend since back in PreK and I've done so much for you, but really you don't have to." "No, I insist. Now come on I'm starving." I quickly picked out something to eat and when the waiter came over I told them my order. They nodded and retreated back into the kitchen. "So Jeremy, where are you staying for tonight?" "Canyon Creek Inn" I replied. Berry looked at me and then said "did you hear about old Petee?" "No." "Well I heard he was trying to contact extra terrestrial life inside the room 105." Berry said with a hushed tone. "What, that's my room though!" I exclaimed. "Well then, look for prof that he was, and if you find anything show me. After I finished eating I went back to the Inn, but for some reason all the lights were shut off. I found my room and went inside, but the window in the far back of the room was opened. "What the, I don't recall leaving that open... maybe it was the wind, maybe old Petee didn't shut the window all the way, and the wind blew it open." I thought to myself. I went over and shut the window but then I saw someone standing in the kitchen. I looked a little closer and saw it was old Petee. "Shh... you're the only one who believes me, so follow me, I need you to see this."  Old Petee said as he crept towards the window. I followed him all the way until we reached a cave. We entered the cave and immediately I was hit with a wave a nausea because of a foul stench. "Back this way." Old Petee urged. I walked faster and then I saw it, a group of aliens. They looked almost like people, except you could tell the weren't. One of the aliens that had black eyes approached me. "Jeremy, we need you back, we need our ruler back!" Then all the aliens started chanting we need are ruler back, I guess it was too late, I thought I was safe here but apparently not. I will be heading back to Neptune now, and see you all next time on... the writing zone.