The Tilt of the Earth — Chapter 3
The image of the lanky, faceless, alien who seemed as tall as a palm tree burned into Miranda’s head. Those red beady eyes glowing like marbles on fire were scanning from left to right. Miranda dared not look through the peephole again to see if it was still there. She felt her heart race like it might before a training exercise. But this was real. Hunter was motionless by her side.
“Good boy.” She patted Hunter’s head and felt the warmth of his body, maybe even the beat of his heart which brought some comfort.
She eased away from the door. Fingers on her right hand, she flipped the safety switch on the lazer she had picked up and now pointed at the door. She motioned for Hunter to stick to her side as she backed away from the blue door that used to open into the peace and calm of her little backyard on the edge of the lake.
“We gotta get outa here.” Miranda whispered. She grabbed the heavy black backpack hanging over the dining room chair and slipped it over her left shoulder. I knew I’d need this someday. Miranda was always steady in the storm. Calm and focused until she solved the problem, handled the emergency, dealt with alien knocking on her door and then she’d have a panic attack, privately. Or cry. But always in private.
She tucked a strand of wild blond curly hair over her left ear and adjusted her gas mask onto her face. She slipped back into her jacket and nearly tip-toed over to the side door by the kitchen which led to the garage. The garage that contained her sleek, shiny new mobile.
‘It’s just like a BatMobile.” She laughed to her dad the day the molten-silver lightening mobile arrived. She remembered sitting in her dad’s lap in what used to be Arizona. He’d read her stories of caped crusaders and other old world stuff back when she was young.
She kept an eye on the blue door that seemed to shake in response as the alien pounded again and yelled in the unmistakable voice of Penny. “Miranda? Ya there?”
Miranda felt shivers up her spine as she opened the door to the garage. Safely there, she steadied her finger and then tapped her video watch on, phoning her dad. “Dad. We have a situation.”
“You all right, honey?” Her dad’s usually handsome and tanned, stern but relaxed face was strained. His silver crew cut reminded her he was the top general of an army the world had convened to defend against the alien presence.
“I think there was an alien on my back door. Just got a peek but it’s been banging on the door. Tall and lanky with no face. Red glowing eyes. It was calling my name. Twice. And sounding just like Penny.”
Her dad switched into general mode. “Ok, get into your mobile and drive to the base. Bring Hunter. I have got a lot to tell you.”
“I will. But I’m gonna check out back before I leave. See what’s going on.”
“Roger that, Platoon Leader.” Her dad was no longer the mild-mannered and sweet-tempered father who brushed her blonde hair when she was five. He was her commander.
Miranda eased over to the garage door that led to the side yard and a row of palm trees she could hide in. She could taste her escape. She motioned for Hunter to go ahead as she stepped back out into the haze and grit that seemed to just hang in the air like it belonged there.
