Abductions of the 7 Kinds
The Orange
The fading sunlight glistened from the horizon as Daniel made his way home on a quiet strip of sidewalk in an otherwise unremarkable sector of suburbia, Colorado. If he didn’t make it home for dinner, his mother, hardly five feet two inches, would throw a fit the size of a linebacker. She had a personality that could put fear in grown men. Daniel was a big boy but he was no exception. He hurried along panting heavily until he approached something strange.
Sitting on the sidewalk in front of Daniel was an orange. Although there is nothing inherently strange about an orange, this one was an oddity for a few reasons. Firstly, it seemed to be perfectly spherical, similar to the plastic ones you would find in an artificial fruit basket used as a table ornament. Secondly, its color was a uniform bright orange that almost illuminated, creating the aura of an exceptional specimen of a fruit. Lastly, it sat there, an inanimate remnant of a form of life that could not talk, yet it beckoned to Daniel as if it had a voice. It was as if it was waiting for him.
Daniel picked up the orange. It felt cold like he got it from a fridge. The good thing about oranges is that the skin was not meant to be eaten, so all he would have to do is peel off the outer layer and the inside would be a delicious treat, free of the germs from the street. Fortunately, Daniel had washed his hands before he left his friend’s house. His fingernails were clean and ready for picking away at the skin. “Always wash your hands after you play,” his mother would say. “You never know when someone might offer you a meal.” She may have been preparing him for this very moment.
Piece by piece, the skin from the orange came off effortlessly. After it was all gone, Daniel held it with the tips of his fingers on his right hand and licked his lips. He could almost taste the sour and sweet citrus flavor before he even took his first bite. But before he could open his mouth and indulge in the tantalizing snack that appeared on his path, he realized something. He couldn’t move.
Fear spread through Daniel’s plump and rigid body. His sudden paralysis affected every ounce of his being except his eyes. His eyes saw, what was once a delicious fruit, transform into a glowing orb. His eyes saw the night around him expand, cloaking the houses of suburbia in darkness. He looked down and his terror grew more potent as he witnessed his legs changing into tiny cerulean nodules of light before dissipating into nothing. He looked up and was blinded by a bright yellow light that seemed to come from a craft hovering above him. As his body vanished into the light, Daniel had one fleeting thought that stood out amongst all others. “This is what it feels like to be a fish.”
A.M. The Great
Under The Moon
A woman seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, standing at the end of the bar to the left of him. She was a beauty; unlike any he had witnessed that night. She looked like she was Indian and seemed to be the only person in the party who didn’t have a cup in her hand. Her face was flawless and symmetrical, with pouty lips that made his heart skip a beat. Her straight, black hair was kept on the right side of her head, flowing over her right shoulder until it curved at the ends, resting on her right breast. Her outfit was a green, short, and sleeveless body-hugging dress that accentuated her curves which were all the right proportions. She wore a silver necklace that had a leaf shaped charm with a black gem in the center. Jerry couldn’t believe his eyes. She was also wearing a petite version of the same black and green Foamposites as him. In his mind, this was a match made in Heaven. He approached her confidently.
“Well, you seem to be the star of the night,” said Jerry loud enough for her to hear him over the music.
She turned her head slowly and looked at him stoically, the reflections of the chandeliers dancing in her eyes.
“I prefer to be the moon.” Her voice was sensual but not soft. She spoke with the confidence of a woman who knew her worth. “Nothing shines brighter in the night sky.”
“You’re right about that.” He smirked and winked at the woman. “My name is Jerry by the way. What’s yours?”
“Praya.” She looked emotionless.
“Praya. That’s a pretty name. Doesn’t really sound American. You look like an Indian princess. Are you an alien?” Jerry chuckled, amused by his attempt at a joke.
Praya rolled her eyes. “Everyone here is an alien.” She hardly blinked with her response, much less smile.
“Ok,” said Jerry. “I guess you’re right. No one is from here except the Native Americans. Where’s your man? He left you here by yourself?”
“Why? Do you want to have me?” Her words were accompanied by a blank stare.
Jerry couldn’t believe what she just said to him. He was so shocked by her response that he didn’t know what to say.
“Well, uh, uhm, uh.” He stuttered trying to think about how to play this without coming off as desperate. “You, you don’t have a man?”
“I do now,” said Praya finally cracking a slight smile.
Not sure what to make of her response, Jerry decided to play along.
“If I’m your man now then you’re coming home with me tonight, right?” He smiled broadly hoping that she would consider it.
She sighed as if she was getting bored with the conversation and stepped a little closer to him. She looked into his eyes and said something that Jerry thought he would never hear from any woman this quickly.
“No need. You are in my home. You should come with me to my room.”
A.M. The Great
A Rare Coin
Nolen was immediately on alert when he saw this man. Sandals on a winter morning in New York City didn’t seem like a good idea. It seemed as if he wasn’t wearing any clothes underneath the overcoat but who was to say. The man approached Pedro who was at the booth closest to the entrance. Nolen was curious to hear the conversation. He got up, went to the door, and opened it, leaning on the frame to observe.
“Yes sir.” Pedro was responding to whatever the man had asked. “You can find them towards the back on aisle 7. While you’re there, take a look at Nolen’s version. It’s just as good and you can get two of them for about three dollars more than you’d pay for one of the other brands.”
The man walked away hurriedly towards aisle 7. His stride reminded Nolen of a penguin rushing towards the ocean. Nolen knew his store well, so he had an idea of what the man was looking for. He turned his head around to peer at the monitors behind him. He was right. The man was grabbing socks.
“Never a shortage of weirdos in the city eh.” Nolen chuckled softly with his deep baritone voice.
Marissa laughed gleefully at the joke. Pedro remained silent. Within a few minutes, the man returned to Pedro’s booth with 2 boxes of the 6-pack Nolen’s white socks.
The man’s voice was like an overly excited voice actor on a commercial for children’s toys. “You have done me a great act of kindness by informing me of this deal!” Nolen had to cover his mouth to keep from bursting out laughing.
“For sure,” replied Pedro. “That will be $13.04 with tax.”
“Thank you!” He handed money to Pedro who bagged the socks and handed them back with some change. The man then reached into his pocket and handed Pedro something shiny.
“Thanks a lot sir.” Pedro smiled as he took the trinket.
“For your troubles young man! A rare coin indeed!” With those words, the man abruptly exited the store as if he was late to an important meeting.
“What a nutcase.” Nolen put his hands on his stomach as he laughed heartily.
Marissa joined him in laughter, but Pedro’s attention was taken by the golden coin in his hand. It wasn’t long before it got Nolen’s attention.
“Hey buddy.” Nolen made a gesture to Pedro signaling him to follow. “Come see me in my office.” He turned around and went back to his chair as Pedro headed towards him and through the door. “Close the door behind you.”
“Sure.” Pedro closed the door and walked up to Nolen’s desk. “What’s going on sir?”
“You’ve worked here for about a year and a half now. You should know our policy on tips.”
“With all due respect sir, I don’t think this coin qualifies as a tip. It has strange symbols on it. It’s definitely not US currency.”
A.M. The Great