ACE RANGO: BEDTIME STORIES ARE SO BORING
By Jose E. Cepeda
INTRODUCTION
It was in the summer of 1944 that invaders struck our planet without warning. They came from the distant heavens in huge invasion fleets, bringing a wrath of hate, destruction, and death. They had carefully crafted up diabolical and sinister plans for the conquest and colonization of Earth. Some called them demons or banshees from another galaxy. To most people, they looked a lot like ugly lizards from someone’s worse nightmare.
The lizards had been studying our planet for years by monitoring our radio signals, waiting for the most opportune time to strike. They didn’t have to wait long. The world was at war, with nation against nation. At first, it seemed that the lizards had the advantage with their superior technology and advanced weaponry. Slowly, the tide of battle turned in favor of the humans, who put aside their differences by banding together to fight a common foe. Eventually, Earth built their own space fleets and took their fight to stars. Thus was born, the Star Corps.
Men, like Captain “Ace” Rango, and women, like Lieutenant Maria Rodriquez, joined the Star Corps to repel the lizard invasion. These dedicated crews spent so much time in deep space combat that they lost touch of daily life on Earth.
While their patrol cruiser was in dry dock for repair and resupply operations, Ace and Maria were granted shore leave. Now they were about to find out how much life had changed on Earth during their absence. Ace had a family obligation to visit his spoiled rotten niece; he would rather fight a hundred lizards instead.
***
“I didn’t know that you had a niece.” Maria was surprised. Lieutenant Maria Rodriquez was wearing her space dress uniform. She sported it well which earned her extra looks and drew nods of approval from the gentlemen on board her bus. One poor man that glanced at her too long too long received a whack from his wife.
The patrol couple was on their way to visit his brother as they rode a crowded forty-passenger bus in downtown Denver during the winter. They had been in outer space so long that they missed Earth’s simple pleasures of being under a big open sky, feeling the warm sun rays on their faces, breathing in fresh air, and walking on its surface with real gravity. This was a welcome escape from shipboard confinement of crammed spaces, recycled air, and artificial gravity. It felt good to be on Earth once again.
“You never asked,” Rango slyly replied. Captain Jason Rango was attired in a formal space uniform, which was standard Star Corps policy for shore leave. He was glad to escape for a few days from his command to spend some time with Maria. She was everything he dreamed of in a woman; attractive, smart, and fun to be with. Maria brought real meaning to his life and purpose to his heart.
Their bus drove past numerous charred, burnt, and pulverized buildings laying in ruin. Broken windows, shuttered store fronts, and missing roof tops were a common sight, as the two continued their conversation.
“What other dark and sinister family secrets are you keeping from me?” Maria winked and teased back.
Over their many adventures together, they had grown closer. For a while, they had harbored a secret shipboard romance from the crew. Finally, Rango proposed to her during an awkward moment when they both faced the possibility of a violent and horrible death. She was actually crazy enough to say “yes,” when her very future was highly doubtful.
Their weathered bus drove past a large recruiting bill board: “Join the Star Corps Now and Stop the Lizards.” On the sign was a picture of man and woman dressed in space battle gear. Underneath the picture was the quote, “They did their part. Do yours.”
“Let’s set a date,” Rango suggested. He was all business and considered marriage to be the next logical step. Rango came from a seafaring family. He remembered how his favorite uncle deeply regretted losing his true love. Being a deep sea fisherman, it was ironic that this uncle never made the Big Catch.
“If you want her, then go for it. Focus on your objective. Plot a course and set sail. Don’t let another friendly gentleman will snatch your prize.” His uncle’s words echoed in his mind, as Rango looked out the bus windows at the snow covered trees. It was nearing December, as Jack Frost painted icicles on the tree branches. Spring and summer weddings are always good.
“Don’t push it,” Maria gently resisted. “Good things take time in their own way.” For now, engagement was enough to her. She had no desire to rush into planning a wedding date. There was plenty of time for that. She remembered how her Mother deeply regretted marrying at such a young age and missing out on the whole courtship experience. Maria had taken her Mother’s advice to heart. She wanted to savor each moment and take things slow and easy. The enchantment of courtship can be a good thing.
“Why not?” Rango pressed. They were both in love and now she plays hard to get?
“Don’t go jumping the gun until I say I’m ready,” Maria said firmly.
“Excuse me. I thought you were ready?” Rango was confused. He thought it was a done deal.
“You don’t seem to understand,” Maria countered in a sweet soft voice. “When things are right, it will happen.”
Rango began to realize that he might never truly understand women. Just when you think you understand them, they shift directions on you, like the winds on the high sea. If life was about timing, then he felt out of synch.
Their dented bus came to a complete halt in front of a large Denver bus terminal. Since the Great Lizard War began, public transportation greatly increased as fuel for privately owned vehicles became scarce. America’s love affair with the automobile was put on hold. The bus doors hissed open, and everyone began to step off. An unfamiliar voice called out to Rango.
“Hi, Ace. Can I get your autograph?” A thin elderly gentleman eagerly asked, as he approached the couple. He was dressed in a tattered suit with sewn on patches and worn out shoes. The tired and hungry look on his face revealed a poor man that was simply down on his luck. He handed Rango a wrinkled newspaper with his photo on the front page. The newspaper headline read: “Ace Rango Does it Again.” With each new lizard kill, Rango’s celebrity status grew.
“Sure. Who do I make it out to?” Rango took a pen out of his uniform pocket.
“Make it out to Mark Cunningham,” the senior man happily replied. “I’ve been following all your exploits, Captain. Truly amazing lizard kills. You’re the best. You’ve been an inspiration to all of us. I use to serve in the Star Corps, before they threw me out for a bum leg. I can’t go blaming them. I wasn’t much use to them after the lizards shot me up so badly. You keep up the fine work you’re doing. Continue to make us proud.” He patted Rango on the back.
“To Mark it is,” Rango smiled and signed the winkled newspaper with a personalized message. “To a special Star Corps brother in arms. Signed, Ace Rango.”
“Give the lizards hell, Ace.” The old man proudly urged, as Rango handed him an autographed newspaper with a crisp twenty-dollar bill attached. “God bless you, sir.” He gave Rango a snappy salute. “It’s been a long time since I saluted and wore a uniform.” He smiled. “It sure feels good to do that again. It’s just like the old times.” He paused to wipe a tear from his eye. “I miss the service. Thanks again.” He stuffed the money in his coat pocket, tucked the newspaper securely under his arm, and walked off whistling. Lady Luck was smiling on him. Ace’s signature would gain him enough money to live good for a while through the cold Denver winter.
“You did the right thing, back there. But don’t let your Good Samaritan deed all go to your head, Skipper.” Maria gently punched him in the arm.
“Don’t call me skipper. I’m your fiancé now,” Rango shot back.
“As long as I’m in uniform, you’re my Skipper,” Maria teased back. “Got it, Skipper?”
“Of course, Lieutenant, if you want to play it that way,” Rango retorted.
“Yes, Sir.” Maria saluted him, grabbed him in her arms, and gave him a big long passionate kiss. People started clapping. Their big kiss in public drew unwanted attention to the couple. Nearby men, women, and children stopped to take in the moment. It was as though they were being treated to free live Broadway performance.
“Stop that. This is the first time you’ve saluted me, called me Sir, and kissed me in public.” Rango was embarrassed. Was he being ambushed? On the bus she was standing up to him, now she had changed direction like the wind. What triggered this? Was it his generosity to the old man?
“You’re my commanding officer, remember?” Maria gave her sweetest peaches and cream smile. That was the type of smile that drew out the best in Rango. “There’s a first time for everything.”
A police officer came around the corner and assessed the situation. “There’s nothing here to see folks.” He waved his billy club to the watching audience. “Please move about your business folks. There’s nothing more to see around here.” He winked at Rango. “Sorry, sir. I hope these fine folks aren’t disturbing you. It’s just that it’s not every day they see two Star Corps officers kissing in public.” He smiled.
“Of course, Officer, please excuse us.” Rango was a little embarrassed at the unwanted public attention.
”I’m just glad to do my part. I really appreciate the great things you Star Corps folks do for us.” The police officer tipped his hat. “Keeping Earth free from those lizards is a big job indeed.”
“Where can I get a decent taxi cab around here, officer?” Rango inquired as he looked around.
“A cab? You and the pretty lady wait here a second.” The police officer nodded then walked off.
Minutes later, a weathered yellow cab with peeled off paint, windshield cracks, and numerous dents and scrapes on its body pulled in front of the Star Corps couple. It looked like it had come out of a war zone and was ready for the scrap heap. “Did you folks call for a cab?” A husky and unshaven taxi driver yelled out.
“We did.” Rango replied as he opened the rear cab door to let Maria in. They seated themselves inside the rear of the cab. The cramped backseat provided the perfect opportunity for the two lovebirds to huddle closer together. They looked into each other’s eyes and were lost in a valley of wonder and rapture.
“Where to, Pal?” The taxi driver asked breaking their trance. He flipped a red handle which started a fare meter started ticking. Rango reached into his coat pocket and handed him a written address to his brother Ray’s house. “Aurora? Yeah, not a problem.” As cab sped off, the driver looked back at Rango. He stared, and did a double take. “Say, I recognize your face. You’re Ace Rango, the lizard killer. Sure, Ace, great job you’re doing up there. My wife won’t believe me when I tell her my cab was graced by the likes of Earth’s number one space ace. He glanced back at Rango. “I guess folks tell you this all the time? Am I right? I never had a celebrity ride in my cab. I guess I can change more for a ride now. Right?” He laughed adjusting his rearview mirror. “Ace Rango was here, yes, sir.”
The cab driver read Rango’s annoyed face as a signal to change the subject. “A lizard ship crashed in Aurora last week. I was there when it happened. I got my first good look at them lizards, really close up. He paused to reflect. “The Army came over and captured them on the spot and had them arrested. Yes, sir, they did.” He laughed. “Thanks to you Star Corps folks, they rarely attack us anymore. It’s not like the bad old days anymore. You help keep the skies safe for us.”
Rango and Maria stared out the windows, as their cab raced down the cold Denver streets. The diabolic work of the lizards was such a sorry sight to see. The side streets were still littered with smashed cars, twisted metal, broken chucks of concrete, and over turned power poles. During their initial invasion, the lizards had ravished much of the Earth with major cities taking on direct hits. It was only after Star Corps was created that the Earthmen were able to repel the invaders. Rebuilding and recovery was a long and slow process.
The taxicab drove past more signs of a post lizard invasion. Large rotating radar dishes could be observed, mounted high up on key buildings throughout the city. Sonic gun emplacements were also scattered strategically about the city along with giant searchlights. Maria saw signs posted along the route, pointing the direction to the nearest public air raid shelter location. Rango spotted some soldiers on lookout towers scanning the sky with their binoculars, looking for traces of potential lizard infiltrators. Lizard commandos were occasionally dropped behind enemy lines for intelligence gathering. Earth’s defenses were far from perfect.
The taxicab pulled into a military checkpoint. A long yellow-striped pole in front of the cab blocked further access. They were warmly welcomed by five soldiers who immediately surrounded the taxicab with rifles pointed at the passengers. Rango thought the soldiers looked awfully young and nervous. They acted like new recruits spending their first day on the job. Maria was nervous, thinking that one of them might accidently discharge a round. Finally, someone in charge stepped forward. “Papers please” the guard demanded, as he peered into the cab. “State your business please.”
The taxi driver rolled his window down. “I got Ace Rango with me here. He’s all the papers I need.” He boldly pointed to Rango and Maria behind him. “Ace wants to visit his brother. You guys have a problem with that?” Rango rolled the window down and smiled. All five faces broke into friendly smiles, as they recognized Rango.
“Ace Rango. It’s really you in the flesh.” The sergeant of the guard immediately rendered Captain Rango a snappy salute. “Allow them pass through. Sorry, Sir, for the inconvenience. Keep up the great job, Sir.” “What did I tell you boys? You never know who’s going to show up at our checkpoint. So, keep your eyes peeled and always look you best. Private Larson, check your uniform. You look like crap. Private Henderson, I saw how you looked at that female officer in the cab. I’ll have none of that behavior here. I’ll have no complaints about check point 17. Do you boys hear?” “Yes, Sergeant,” came the response in unison as they quickly lifted the gate and allowed the cab to speed through.
The taxicab drove past the remains of an old lizard food processing plant. Now, it laid in decay and ruin. Years ago, these huge plants existed all over captured territory on Earth. The lizards once used these abandoned structures to herd in captured humans for massive food processing. Humans were efficiently slaughtered, processed, packaged, and shipped off to a faraway lizard world for interstellar consumption. These lizard food plants were like Nazi concentration camps but were far much worse. The lizards showed no compassion and mercy to their captives. There were unspeakable evils committed in these death plants. Finally, Earth rebel groups rose up to knock them out and burn them to the ground. Rango shuddered to think about it. Those were horrible times indeed.
“Can you drive by the lizard ship crash site?” Rango asked. The driver nodded and took a detour to the wreckage location. Rango had the cab driver wait while he surveyed the scene before him. The lizard ship had crashed on top of an elementary school. Looking through the burnt out remains, Rango observed a lizard ship with a newer design that was sleeker, faster, and better built. He had not yet faced this new version in combat. This would mean a very long protracted war ahead. “I’ve seen enough, driver.” Rango climbed back into the cab. “Let’s go to my brother’s house.”
The night had chased away the day and painted stars in the sky. The taxicab plowed through the snow covered streets and eventually came to a screeching halt in front of Rango’s brother house. He hit a red lever which turned the meter off. “Thanks for the big tip, Ace. Happy hunting.” The driver flashed a big grin, then sped off into the night. His cab had left a long trail of gray smoke to linger for a moment in the cold Denver air.
“Here we are.” Rango winked at Maria, then gave a hardy knock on a door of a large, two story brick house. The dwelling badly needed major repair, but that was probably the least of his brother’s concerns. Everyday life on Earth was a struggle to exist. Like so many of the houses in the neighborhood, seeing a building in despair was considered the norm. The planet wide devastation inflicted by the lizard invasion created a shortage of building materials. The couple glanced at the worn out cars parked along the street. At a closer look, they were actually abandoned and sadly left to rust away.
A heavyset man in his forties appeared at the doorway. The weathered look on his face revealed many years of worry and concern that had taken its toll. He belted out a huge smile and hugged Rango. “It’s good to see you again, Brother. It’s been a long while.”
“Maria, this is my brother Ray Rango, and this is my niece, Aspyn.” Rango happily made the introductions. “Ray, this is my fiancée, Maria.”
“So, you’re Maria. My brother considers you an angel.” Ray expressed as he hugged Maria. “Did he tell you that?” He laughed as he watched Maria blush. “You’re an angel alright. My brother’s always been the romantic type. Come on in, folks.”
‘Maria, I would like you to meet my niece, Aspyn.” Ray said as a cute six-year-old little girl hung from the stairway banister casting a Cheshire cat smile.
“So, you’re Aspyn?” Maria expressed, as the child’s angelic face, shiny brown hair, and sparkling brown eyes caught her attention. She bent down to give the little munchkin a quick warm hug.
“Can you tell me a story tonight?” Aspyn asked shyly and innocent like. “Can you? Please?” She displayed her best sugar coated smile. “Pretty please?”
“Aspyn, where are your manners?” Ray butted in. “Allow these fine folks to get settled in first and grab some refreshments before we discuss bedtime stories. You go upstairs and get changed into your pajamas. Do you hear?” Aspyn worked her way upstairs, like a little monkey while the adults entered the large living room. Ray took their coats and treated the couple to some hot cups of coffee. They all sat around a cozy stone fireplace. Ray added another log to the fire. “Maria, you can use my spare bedroom, and your fiancé can sleep on the couch. Is that okay? He waited for Maria to nod. “Good. It’s settled then.”
They spent the next hour catching up on lives and reflecting on major events since Rango’s last visit. Ray stirred the fire with an iron poker as a log fell out of place. “I know you Star Corps folks are doing everything you can to stop the lizards from reaching our planet. Unfortunately, some of them always manage to get throughout our defenses. Aspyn’s school got knocked out last week.”
“Sorry to hear about that. We saw the wrecked school on the way here. It’s a shame. Where does Aspyn go to school now?” Rango inquired, leaning closer to the fire place. Its comfortable warmth felt so good.
“Aspyn doesn’t go to public school anymore,” Ray said. “The government doesn’t have the money to rebuild many of our schools. She’s being home schooled at Mrs. Davis’ house. He pointed across the street. “That’s her new school now, thanks to those damn lizards.” He paused. “Sorry for the cussing, but I have a real grudge against those lizards.” For a second, the light of the fireplace flames revealed a sparkle of hate and sadness in his eyes.
“Sounds like times are tough,” Rango sympathized.
“You’re telling me, Brother?” Ray sighed and displayed a dejected look. “Ever since the lizards invaded the Earth, it has been difficult for life to get back to normal. You folks have been living so high and mighty in outer space that you have forgotten how tough it is here on Earth. Prices for everything are sky high. There are shortages of everything. Almost everything is rationed out, which includes gas, oil, and food. I was lucky to get some heating oil for the winter. I can’t even buy a pack of cigarettes. The government says that we need to support the war cause. The military gets first priority to the resources. Civilians get the scraps. Why a good carton of cigarettes around here is like a bar of gold.” He paused and lowered his eyes. “I had to sell Dad’s gold watch last week just to buy food.”
“I can lend you some money, until you can get back on your feet,” Rango offered. His brother was a bus driver for the city until he was recently laid off. He was hoping to be recalled. So far, it had been a long wait.
“Only if it’s a loan. I don’t take too kindly to charity,” Ray expressed. “Times really are tough.” He paused and looked down. “Ever since the lizards killed my wife, Renee, things have never been the same.” He paused to allow a little venting. “Damn lizards. I hope we kill them all.” “Sorry for that slip. It’s hard to raise a daughter all alone. I still miss her so much. Excuse me for a second.” He turned away for a moment to dry his tears.
Aspyn danced down the stairs to break up her dad’s sad moment. She had a blue ribbon around her hair and was dressed in pajamas with prints of rocket ships, stars, and planets. Aspyn made her way over to her uncle and jumped on his lap. “Can you tuck me in, Uncle?” she eagerly asked and gave Rango a hug. “Can you?” She gave her most irresistible sugar cream smile.
Ray laughed as his jolly spirit returned, chasing away his troubled past. “Would you kind folks like to do the honors of tucking in Aspyn?” Ray became animated. “When she heard that you were coming, she got very excited. It’s not every day we get Star Corps visitors.” He paused. “Aspyn dreams of following in your footsteps.”
“Does she now? Why not?” Rango replied. Aspyn took that as a clue as she waltzed back upstairs to her room to get ready.
“Charm and enchant her with your adventure stories,” Ray encouraged. “Besides, a little bonding with your niece couldn’t hurt. Right, Brother?” He patted Rango on the back and departed for the kitchen leaving the two lovebirds on their own.
The couple went upstairs and stood at Aspyn’s doorway, surveying her bedroom. The young child was sitting crossed legged on her bed with her worn out stuffed rabbit by her side, which was missing one ear. On one wall was a crookedly pinned newspaper reflecting some of Ace Rango’s former glories. On the opposite wall was a child’s hand drawn picture of a rocket ship flying through space. A stack of space travel books, crayons, paper, and small rocket ship model rested on her bed stand. On her yellow lampshade, there were cut out stars and planets decorated with sparkling glitter.
“Please come in, Uncle,” Aspyn invited sounding all business-like. “Are you going to tell me a story?”
“Yes, we are,” Rango replied, as he sat down on Aspyn’s bed. Maria sat down in a comfortable rocking chair with a soft pillow at the corner of the room. He was amazed that his niece took a strong liking to him and outer space.
“What kind of story?” Aspyn eagerly asked.
“Would you like an adventure story?” Rango threw out. “Is that okay?” He reflected how fast his niece had grown up. If he was lucky, he visited his niece only once a year. Time flies.
“I love adventure stories, but it better be good,” Aspyn insisted. “I hope it’s not boring.” She had been raised on many good stories and tonight she felt she deserved a special treat from her favorite uncle. She crafted up a challenge. “Both of you must tell the story. Okay? Please? Pretty please?” She displayed a tender smile that would make Sugar Plum Fairies proud.
“You’ll like this story,” Rango insisted, “and it won’t be boring.” His little coercing niece was a rough customer. Tonight, he was up to the mighty challenge of a six year old. He would have to call upon the great gods of storytelling and craft up his finest tale. He felt like a magician about to enchant with a trip to a faraway world. He glanced back at Maria, like she was his partner in crime. She winked back as if daring him to conjure up his best story yet. She would join in to help him out.
What kind of story would be proper and fitting for a young child? He had so many great and hair raising adventures to tell. Rango stood up to remove his dress uniform coat and hung it on knob of the bed’s footboard. He thought for a few seconds, as he loosened up his necktie. His face lit up and a big grin manifested itself. The wind of imagination had blown into the room granting him the perfect tale to tell.
“Let’s see. Where do I begin? Oh, yes. Maria and I had just landed on the planet Zono,” Rango explained.
“Planet Zono? Is that far from here?” Aspyn wondered.
Rango stood up and walked over to the bedroom window. “Zono is way out there.” He pointed to the stars. The snow was gently falling in the night. The gentle wind blew the snowflakes, like tiny fairies dancing in the air. The white frosted window displayed the handiwork of Jack Frost.
Maria stood up and walked over to the window to join her fiancée. “It’s more like in that direction, Skipper.” She corrected and pointed to a group of stars to the right. The two paused to look at each other’s eyes and held hands. To Maria, it seemed to be the perfect romantic moment. They were like a Mom and Dad telling stories to their child. Could this a sample of what married life would be like one day?
Rango loved the moonlight reflection and sparkle from Maria eyes. He could lose himself in those eyes forever. For the moment, the couple was lost in the magical embrace of a lover’s charms.
It took the sweet and youthful voice of a child to burst their romantic bubble. “You mean way out there?” Aspyn imagined the great distance, as a smile lit up her angelic face. One day, she would travel to the stars like her uncle. The couple took that as clue to return to their seats.
“Where was I? Oh, yes. Maria and I were on the planet Zono conducting a rescue mission.” Rango conjured up his best storytelling face as he sat down on Aspyn’s bed. “Star Corps was sending us out to rescue an Earth ambassador. The nasty lizards had shot down his spaceship. Our job was to find him and bring him back to Earth. That’s when the trouble began. We landed on a desert like planet that seemed so void of life. We desperately searched everywhere for the Ambassador’s ship.”
“Finally, our determination paid off,” Maria joined in to continue the story. “We found his wrecked ship by a large dark mountain and went inside. His ship was totally deserted - not a soul in sight.” She paused and winked back at Rango to continue the story.
“That’s when we found the ripped and tattered clothes. They were all stained with blood,” Rango emphasized with his hands. He pretended to be afraid, and then looked at story telling partner to continue the story.
“We’re so lucky to be alive to tell what happened next.” Maria dramatized, as she got off her rocking chair and walked over to Rango. She stood behind him and placed her loving arms on his shoulders. “Should we really go on with this story, Skipper? After all, she is a little girl.” She winked at Rango. “Shouldn’t she be covering her ears?”
“I’m a big girl, Maria. I can handle it,” Aspyn crossed her arms and pouted.
“Can you now? If you promise to be a big brave girl, then I will continue.” Rango winked back at Maria.
“I promise, Uncle. I cross my heart and hope to die,” Aspyn pleaded.
“Very well. We will continue,” Rango replied. His niece would grow up into a smart and beautiful young lady one day. “Maria’s right. Had it not been for our quick thinking, we would be in the stomach of the flying spiders of Zono.” He emphasized with deep conviction in his voice.
“Flying spiders?” Aspyn questioned with amazement in her voice.
“Flying spiders that eat little girls for breakfast,” Rango relied as he pounced on Aspyn and tickled her tummy. The laughter of a small child echoed in the room. Rango cried out in laughter too. Maria watched the two have their fun, such a moment was priceless. What did she have to fear? Rango was a good catch.
“Please allow your uncle to finish his story.” Maria came over and whispered in Aspyn’s’ ear. “Or he will keep you up all night.” She gently rustled the child’s brown hair and radiated a motherly smile. “You’ll never get to sleep.”
“Sorry, Uncle. I won’t interrupt again.” Aspyn sheepishly apologized as she sat cross-legged and hugged her stuffed rabbit.
“Okay. There we were on the planet Zono.” Rango continued. “The pieces of bloody clothing were all part of a very long trail. We took a small squad armed with sonic rifles and sonic hand grenades. We were armed to the teeth. We followed the trail, which led us to a dark and mysterious cave.”
Aspyn’s eyes lit up. “I know where this story is going, Uncle.” Though her eyes, one could see the reflection of a bright little girl with storytelling skills. “You ran into a giant spider web?”
“Of course,” Rango conjured up an amazed voice. “Spiders always lead to spider webs.” He tapped Aspyn on her nose. “You should be telling this story not me.”
“No, Uncle. It’s your story.” Aspyn insisted, “You tell it.”
“Only if you insist,” Rango teased back. “And only if there are no more interruptions. As we entered the cave, we came across a spider web. It was huge.” He extended his arms to emphasize its large scale. “Naturally, we looked around for the Ambassador and his crew.”
“We found them wrapped inside thick silk cocoons lined up along dark and sticky cavern walls,” Maria interjected. “The cocoons were hanging upside down.”
“Were they still alive, Maria?” Aspyn wondered.
“Yes, they were,” Maria continued, “They were all barely breathing. Life was draining out of them. I suspected they were being preserved to serve as future meals.”
“I ordered them cut down immediately.” Rango waved his arm like he was holding an imaginary sword.
“I applied immediate first aid in a desperate attempt to save them.” Maria dramatized the story.
“While Maria was trying to relieve them, a giant spider started to approach us,” Rango recalled. “I quickly drew out my sonic pistol and fired a sonic bolt at the monstrosity. I blew it to kingdom come.” He smiled. “That was close. Once the Ambassador was freed, he warned us that it was all a big trap.”
“A trap?” Aspyn played along with a surprised look.
“We looked all around us,” Rango explained. “A huge angry spider raced to the front entrance to block off our only means of escape. A furious spider appeared from behind a set of rocks and positioned itself ready to strike. At a nearby hole, an evil spider stuck his ugly head out with a very hungry look. He displayed a razor sharp set of teeth and he stared at us with eight sets of eyes.
“Sounds like you were totally surrounded, Uncle.” Aspyn tried to sound scared.
“We were, my dear child. We were almost ready to abandon all hope,” Rango exaggerated.
“What did you do, Uncle?” Aspyn played along with a worried look.
“What would you do under those circumstances?” Rango challenged. “You attack and start blasting away.” He tickled Aspyn. As she started giggling, Maria gave out a horrible scream.
“What is it, Maria?” Rango was both surprised and confused. “It’s only a story.”
“It’s not about your story. It’s about your coat pocket.” Maria corrected as she was visibly shaken.
“What about my coat pocket? What did you see?” Rango grew concerned. Aspyn stopped giggling.
“An ugly looking spider creature crawled out of your coat pocket. It jumped on the floor and raced out the door.” Maria explained.
“Seriously?” Rango couldn’t believe it.
“An alien spider creature?” Aspyn’s eyes grew wide in disbelief. “Here in my house?”
“Tell me it’s only my imagination.” Maria wanted reassurance.
“A spider creature you say?” Rango explained. “I did have a creature in a protective glass case in my coat pocket.”
“Why on Earth would you be carrying a creature in your pocket?” Maria was astonished.
“I was planning to drop it off at the space science lab after we left my brother’s house,” Rango elaborated.
“I can’t believe you would bring a creature into your niece’s bedroom.” Maria was upset.
“I was going to show it to Aspyn later to impress her. Kids love creatures,” Rango explained.
“Oh, you impressed your niece, alright. You let a creature run loose in her house. Aren’t you going to go track it down?” Maria pointed out the door. “I feel like belting you good. How could you?”
“Don’t worry, Maria. We’ll find it and take care of business. It’s no big deal,” Rango reassured.
Ray poked his head through the doorway. “I heard a scream. What’s going on?” Rango explained the situation and the two brothers departed to track down the creature.
“Well, did you two gentlemen take care of the creature?” Maria inquired as she descended the stairs and entered the kitchen. Like a protective mother hen, she insisted that Aspyn remain in her room, until the house was declared safe. She anticipated that the two brothers had resolved the issue at hand.
“Negative. We searched everywhere.” Rango was frustrated.
“Do you two gentlemen even know where to look?” Maria replied sarcastically. “Why does it always take a woman to find things?” She immediate bent down to look under the couch. What she saw made her eyes grow wide in terror. She let out a chilling scream, jumped to her feet, and backed away shaking.
“What did you see, Maria?” Rango said anxiously.
“What do you think I saw?” Maria was both unnerved and upset. “It’s bigger from the one I saw come out your coat pocket.”
The creature darted out from underneath the couch and raced up the stairs. Aspyn watched in horror from her bedroom doorway as the creature raced up the steps towards her. She screamed as she slammed her door on the creature, causing it to bounce off its hard surface. It rolled on its back, flipped upright on its eight legs, and darted up a second flight of stairs.
“Did you see that? The spider creature is now the size of a small dog,” Ray expressed.
“What’s that?” Rango heard a horrifying cat cry echoing from the house’s upper level.
“That’s our cat, Little Guy,” Ray analyzed. “The cry sounds like its coming from my attic. Let’s go.”
“Aren’t you two going to take a weapon with you?” Maria insisted.
“I got a shotgun locked in the cabinet,” Ray said as he drew out a set of keys.
“I wish I had my sonic pistol handy,” Rango replied as he looked around for a substitute weapon. He grabbed a baseball bat that was resting against the kitchen wall.
The two, armed men raced upstairs to the attic. The attic door was opened, revealing a pitch back room beyond. Aspyn came up the stairs to see what was going on. “No.” Ray quickly waved her back down. ”You don’t want to see this.” Aspyn saw the horrified look on her Dad’s face and quickly returned to her room. The two brothers frantically looked about the disarrayed attic for any traces of the creature. They moved about a wooden floor that was stained with blood and littered with scattered bones and cat fur.
“Where did it go?” Rango questioned, as he looked under storage items and behind large boxes. Out of a dark corner, the creature leaped onto Ray’s back. Rango immediately swung his baseball bat, striking it off Ray. The creature sailed across the attic and landed upside down at the doorway. It quickly righted itself and scurried down the stairs.
“Are you okay?” Rango asked his brother.
“You knocked the creature off me just in time,” Ray replied checking himself over for possible wounds. Satisfied, he gave thumbs up. “I’m good. Thanks.”
“Anytime, brother,” Rango expressed. He heard loud barking coming from below. “What was that?”
“That’s my dog, Lobo. He found something.” Ray replied as he checked his shotgun. “It sounds like it’s coming from my basement. Let’s go.”
The two men quickly descended down the stairs, only to find the basement door wide open with darkness beyond. They switched on the light and carefully descended the stairs, anticipating a possible attack at any moment. They held on tightly to their weapons, as they searched about. Only a small light bulb lit the entire basement leaving much of the room bathed in shadows and darkness. Ripped boxes, over turned furniture, broken lamps, and scattered newspapers, all suggested a vicious struggle. Ray spied a familiar object, laying on the basement’s concrete floor -a chewed up dog collar soaked in blood.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ray saw a large, dark object move behind some large boxes. He pumped his shotgun and fired off a shot. The booming noise echoed. The creature leapt out of the way. The spread of the shotgun pellets ripped nearby storage boxes to shreds. He pumped another round and fired again. There was a loud roar as the shotgun pellets sprayed the room, hitting the basement wall. He heard the shattering of glass. The hairy, eight-legged creature scurried out the basement window and escaped into the cold and snowy night.
“Looks like Lobo chased the creature down here and got ambushed instead.” Ray analyzed, looking around.
“Unfortunately, your dog met his match.” Rango blamed himself. Now the creature was loose in the neighborhood. He felt personally responsible for stopping it and setting things right. Would the creature stop growing? What caused its explosive growth? They would need more help. Star Corps would have to be contacted.
“Aren’t you going to call the police?” Maria inquired, as the two brothers came out of the basement and into the kitchen.
“The phone’s in the living room. Help yourself.” Ray pulled out a box of shotgun shells and slammed it on the kitchen table. He started reloading his gun and stuffed a handful of shells into his coat pocket. “No spider makes a fool out of me,” his anger was growing. “Coming with me, Brother?”
“I got your back covered,” Rango replied and grabbed a broom and a large sharp knife. “Got a roll of duct tape? I’m going to make me a makeshift spear.”
“After I call the police, I’m leaving. We’re not safe here. What about Aspyn?” Maria expressed concern.
“Please, take Aspyn with you. Go to Mrs. Davis’ house across the street.” Ray pointed out the window. “You’ll both be safe there.”
“Ray and I will search the neighborhood for the creature,” Rango replied. “We’ll rejoin you at Mrs. Davis’ house when we’re finished.” He smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. We’ll be okay.”
Maria placed the call to the police. At first, the police stubbornly considered it a prank call. It was only after her persistence, begging and pleading did the Police finally respond. They reluctantly agreed to dispatch a squad car to check it out her story.
After they put their coats on, Aspyn lead Maria by the hand across the snow covered street to Mrs. Davis’ house. They were welcomed in and offered some hot chocolate. With steaming, hot cups in hand, they sat down by the living room window to wait. Could the Rango brothers find the creature in time and kill it? What was taking the police so long? Would the creature stop growing in size? The snow continued to fall.
Officer Peter O’Reilly was on neighborhood patrol, completing his evening shift for the night. The police officer’s retirement was a mere ten days away. He parked his patrol car in a dark and secluded spot. “A good cup of coffee would hit the spot,” he thought as he opened his thermos bottle. Ah, a hot cup would warm up his cold bones. Behind him, large hairy tentacles quietly approached. O’Reilly was too distracted by his thoughts as he replaced the lid on his thermos bottle. Tentacles wrapped tightly around him, drawing him closer to sharp moving teeth as though he was being drawn into a sawmill. A shocking scream shattered the silence of the night. Blood spattered on the patrol car windows, covering them in dark crimson.
Officer O’Reilly’s squad car radio sprung to life with a flash announcement. “Calling squad car number five come in please. I know you’re not going to believe this, but there’s a complaint about a giant spider running around in your neighborhood beat. Come in please.” He would not have to worry about answering his radio or drawing his retirement check.
Two tensed up ladies peered cautiously out their living room window into the night.
“Maria, do you think that we’re safe now?” Aspyn asked as she drew closer to Maria.
“As long as we remain indoors, we’ll be okay. That creature’s probably roaming the streets out there looking for its next victim. We’re safe in here.” Maria reassured the worried child.
“Good. This gives me the creeps.” Aspyn sighed as she put her arms around Maria to give her a hug.
Aspyn got personal. “Are you going to marry my uncle? I want you to be my auntie.” She gave her best pretty girl smile.
“Let’s see what going on outside, shall we?” Maria replied as she changed the subject. She pulled back the living room curtains. In the snow covered street before them, they could see the two brothers breaking into a run towards them. They appeared to be signaling with their hands and pointed towards them. The thickness of the glass was blocking the outside sounds.
“What are they doing, Maria?” Aspyn wondered.
“They’re signaling for us to do something,” Maria said.
“I think they are asking us to turn around,” Aspyn interpreted as the two men approached closer.
Maria and Aspyn turned around just in time to watch in horror as a giant hungry spider pounced upon them. Two horrifying screams disturbed the silence of a snowy night.
“That’s enough of the story. There no more time for giant spiders.” Rango stopped. “It’s time for bed little girl.” He rustled her hair. Did he do a good enough job as a storyteller or did her truly bore his niece?
“I loved it, Uncle. That was a great story!” Aspyn was excited. “That was so good.”
“Glad you liked it,” Rango replied. He had scored a homerun with his niece. There were no second chances. Their shore leave ended tomorrow and they would be on their way to their next adventure. He glanced at Maria. Having a fine woman like her by his side made his adventures more bearable.
“That’s only because you were in it?” Maria lovingly tapped Aspyn on the nose and smiled at Rango. That’s what she loved about Rango. He was very imaginative and bold. Such moments like these were priceless. She enjoyed this moment because tomorrow they would be racing across the stars. They would be facing untold predicaments and risking their lives for the people of Earth. She sighed. That was the life of a Star Corps woman. She glanced at Rango. With a guy like him sharing her journey, she was willing to go anywhere and risk anything.
“It seemed so real. I felt like I was actually experiencing the story as you told it.” Aspyn smiled as the wonder of her eyes lit the room. “So how does the story end, Uncle?” She hated cliffhangers.
“You finish the story, Aspyn.” Rango patted her head. “That’s why God created you with a brain.”
“Tell me another story, Uncle.” Aspyn insisted.
“That’s enough, Young Lady. You have school tomorrow. Now give your uncle a great big hug,” Rango playfully suggested.
The door busted open. “Brother, I need your help.” Ray’s voice had a sense of urgency.
“What’s up?” Rango turned around.
“I thought I saw something creeping and crawling down stairs. Let’s check it out. Hurry!” Ray requested.
“Seriously?” Rango challenged. Aspyn was stunned.
“Just kidding, Brother. Did you see that look on your face?” Ray grinned. “I heard the whole story outside. Great story.”
“Did the three of you plan all this?” Aspyn asked in surprise.
There was abundant laughter and joy in the room as four souls shared a timeless happy moment together.
THE END
***
Joe Cepeda was born in San Jose, California but now calls Atlanta his home. He was raised on a steady diet of comic books, cartoons, B movies, super heroes, and sci-fi TV shows. He has a fondness for dinosaurs, monsters, aliens, armored warriors, and damsels in distress. He enjoys writing short stories and making his own films which he writes, directs, edits, and produces. Joe’s a military veteran with three grown kids which allows him time to pursue his artistic passions. He’s attending the Art Institute of Atlanta and helping other aspiring filmmakers realize their media dreams.
If you'll like to read more Ace Rango stories, then stay tuned for future adventures.
To see Joe’s sci-fi videos, visit his You Tube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Peanutman1954