Saucer in the Dunes

32 Visions

We walked for what seemed like forever through the overgrowth and bramble down the creek banks as close as we could get to stay out of sight. Sometimes we even walked in the creek. We trudged along until Jimmy announced the familiar site of the old bridge over Seven Forks Road coming into view. I'm sure we all breathed a sigh of relief. I know I did.

The beach was vacant, the sand disturbed by hundreds of footprints, some probably from that very day, but all had gone home or elsewhere for summertime entertainment. We all three took refuge on the beach for a little while. It felt safe and was near enough to home for us to lose at least some of our worries from the earlier day.

I dropped down in the sand beside Jimmy and Ronnie and kicked off my shoes and socks. We left our shirts on our shoes, and all went in the water. It felt good to rinse all the sweat and grime away.

"Man, you're crazy," Jimmy said, smiling at Ronnie, who was currently floating on his back, slowly moving to the other side of the wide bend in the creek.

"I know," he muttered.

"Those guys were mad, real mad," Jimmy exclaimed, obviously himself more relaxed.

"If we end up getting in trouble, it'll almost be worth it. There'll be other Summers, you know."

"Yeah," Ronnie groaned.

I'm not sure why I got so mad. I don't like being ordered around, not by army guys or anyone for that matter."

I thought of his dad and his mom and how he had grown up. I guess it would be hard to be ordered around by any man if your dad wasn't around. He was my buddy, and there were times like that when I really worried about him. Then suddenly, a thought formed in my head and came out before I could suppress it.

"Guys, what if that thing I saw, that teardrop thing, what if that is what caused the sinkhole?"

Ronnie splashed once and turned back to the shore. We all three sat just at the water's edge.

"What if it did?" Jimmy finally said.

"Then it's weird, man; it's from outer space, and I saw it. I saw it plain as day."

"Who else saw it?" Ronnie said suddenly.

"I don't know. Maybe no one."

"Who else knows what you saw?" He asked.

"You guys, that's it. I didn't tell my parents."

"You didn't?" Jimmy asked.

"No, you guys know I didn't. I told you."

"Then we have to find out if anyone else saw anything. That sinkhole up on the highway, somebody must have seen something. I mean, with the power going off and everything, someone must have. Gibson's garage is right there, and there is someone there all night for emergencies and to pump gas."

"Maybe Mr. Gibson saw it!" Jimmy chimed, stating the obvious.

"Yeah, maybe. I'll find out. But if not, then we have to find out who did. We need help. Is there anyone we can trust?"

"Like grown up's?" Jimmy challenged.

"Yeah, grown-ups, who else?"

Jimmy shrugged.

"No one, not really. Everyone I can think of would only tell us we were imagining things."

"My dad. We can trust my dad."

"I was going to say the Chief," Ronnie shot back.

"But we can trust your dad too. But are you sure you want to tell your father all that we did, all that we know?"