The Game of Undesirables

Chapter 2

My child self stared out the window, in complete denial of what  I had just seen. This can't be happening, I thought. It has to be a nightmare. I closed my eyes and shook my head. Wake up, I told myself. Wake up!

Of course, it was a nightmare, of sorts. But this one couldn't end-- I couldn't just wake up shake it off like it never happened. This was real.

Tears ran down my face and blurred my vision. I tried to will myself to move, but my body was frozen . . . at least until I saw my father move. His head turned and faced the window we stood behind, and I felt my heart leap into my throat. He was still alive. There was still hope.

"Aria! Wait!" My mother choked from behind tears as I pulled out of her grasp and dashed through the door, collapsing at my father's side.

"Daddy!" My tears fall onto his face. He looks up at me and his eyes widen.

"Aria, no--!" His voice was cut short as a gunshot echoed and I felt the pain of the bullet cutting into me.

I woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily.  The worst nightmares are the ones that are just memories being relived.

When I came out of my room, there was a pot of coffee freshly brewed and a plate of pancakes on the table. A news anchor was ranting on the television about some people who claimed they saw a U.F.O. a few nights ago. I laughed out loud at the absurdity of it and greeted my mother good morning as she walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning. Sit down and have some breakfast."

I took a seat where I could see the T.V. and made a plate. Watching the news story, only out of curiousity, I wondered what would make people either want to create a story so profound or make someonw crazy enough to believe something like that actually happened. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I took a bite of the pancakes, still warm and buttery.

My night hadn't been very restful. When I wasn't awake tossing and turning I was reliving my nightmarish memories in my dreams. The dark circles under my eyes sort of made it obvious.

Despite how ridiculous the story sounded, it sent chills up my spine. I wasn't a believer in extraterrestrial life, but I knew it wasn't impossible, either. So many videos of of U.F.O.'s and pictures of crop circles and claims of abductions and things of that nature always came and went so quickly you never knew what to believe. Just as long as they leave me alone, I really don't care, I thought.

"So, do you have anything planned for today?" Mom asked from across the kitchen.

"Not really. I was just going to look around town and see if there's anything new. Maybe go see a movie later. I'm meeting up with Olive when she gets back. Why?"

"Just wondering. A nap is already sounding good to me, and I've only been up for about half an hour. I didn't get much sleep last night."

I can only nod because my mouth is full. She gave me a hug from behind on her way to the living room and wished me a nice day, adding in her daily 'I love you'. I smiled and told her I loved her, too, setting my dish in the sink and making my way to my room. 

I got changed into jean shorts and a flowy, dark red tank top, slipped into my sandals, stuffed a black hoodie into my bag, and put my bag on my shoulder. I wasn't very fussy about my appearance, so I combed through my hair and put on simple makeup, including a bit of sunscreen so I didn't get burned up, and I was ready. 

The streets were suprisingly empty for a Saturday. A single bird sang it's lonely song in a tree nearby, and a neighnor's dog barked and pulled against it's chain as I passed by.

My mind kept falling back to the news story on the television. I knew that out of the millions of galaxies billions of planets and stars out there that the odds if life on another planet were pretty good. I just never put a lot of thought into it before. I guess I never really wanted to.