The Arrivals (2) "I--I already talked to the police." "You--you did?" "Yeah, I did. I told them everything I know..." Adrian remained looking lowly towards the ground. "Well, I'm proud of you because of it. If someone was threatening Lucas, or if you knew of some activity that was taking place in his life that was questionable, you may have given the police the info they need to put whoever killed him behind bars." Adrian's focus was on his interlocked hands. Crystal saw this and sought to change the subject. "Let's talk about something else. You know, you've never told me what your major was." "I'm--I'm an English major," said Adrian as he raised his head and looked upon the brightness of Crystal once again. The two ate lunch on a surprisingly lighter and more vibrant note. Crystal talked about her desire to run a chain of franchises. She was a business major. She said that she would like to one day own a chain of franchised restaurants. "Who knows? Maybe I'll be running this place one day," said Crystal with a smile. "Maybe," said Adrian, who had also put on a small smile. They talked about their family. Adrian mentioned that he didn't have any siblings but he had cousins who would visit from time to time when he was a child. Crystal had siblings, but they were all younger than her, and all in elementary or middle school. They even talked about what they wanted in a relationship. Crystal mentioned that she was looking for someone who could basically be her best friend. Someone who she could rely on. Adrian didn't have any experience answering a question like that, but he managed to say that he would like to meet someone who was caring and compassionate. The latter end of the date had really gone rather well, compared to the dramatics of the early goings. When the bill came Adrian had pulled out his wallet and paid for the whole meal. The two walked back to the bus stop that Adrian had embarked off of and they talked until the shuttle arrived to take Adrian home. The two were holding hands. "You'll call me this time, right?" said Crystal. "For sure this time, I'll call you," said Adrian. Adrian began to drift away when Crystal called out. "Wait." He turned towards her and ran right into a kiss on the cheek. It was innocent, but he felt it nice. "Good night," said Crystal. "Good--good night," said Adrian who had placed his hand on his jaw. She smiled and walked towards the dormitory. Adrian stared after her for a time and then boarded the bus, heading for home. Adrian made it home at around 6:30. He entered into his dorm and immediately plopped onto his sofa, reflecting on the day that was. He had been having such a wonderful time with Crystal that he had completely forgotten about Detective Ashley questioning him earlier in the day. He didn't seem to suspect anything, thought Adrian. Perhaps I'm in the clear. His time spent with Crystal had really been the highlight of the last few days, a bright shining beacon that stood amidst the dark clouds that had so overshadowed him. He reflected on how close he came to telling her some of the truth, how he wanted to at the very least tell her that Lucas was an alien. But she'd never believe me, thought Adrian. No one would. I'm alone in this world, and in this situation. Whatever happens as a result of what he did, he discovered that spending time with someone as compassionate as Crystal may prove to be the right thing to do at this point. If this is indeed the end of my life as I know it, I want to spend it doing something that will bring me happiness. tap--tap--tap There was a gentle knocking at his door. Could it have been Detective Ashley? Is it possible that they found some evidence needed to incriminate him in the case? Adrian's heart sunk so low that it met with his intestinal juices, and he quickly scampered around the dorm looking for a way out. He swore under his breath. This building didn't have a fire escape, and he was four stories off the ground. Whatever would he do now? tap--tap--tap Adrian tried to take control of his emotions. If it was indeed the detective then maybe there was just another question that he wanted answered, or maybe he wanted me to clarify something. Yeah, that's it. If I was a suspect he would have hauled me off earlier in the day. His emotions had largely come into check after reasoning the matter out within himself. He drew himself up and headed for the door. He unlocked it and Casey stood on the other side with a backpack strapped along his shoulder. "Casey?" "Not Casey, Lucas." Adrian's heart dipped to the bottom of his frame once more and he stood staring at Casey with a look of fright. Casey is an alien? And he's coming to exact revenge on me for what I did to Lucas? I'm doomed. He'll drag me off to some alien planet and I'll be tortured in the most extreme and sickening ways. His people will look on in laughter, mocking my cries, taking joy in my sorrows. There's no escaping the reality of the situation now. This is it. I'm doomed. "Wha--what are you going to--" "--It's me, Adrian. I'm Lucas." Silence engulfed the space about the pair and a curiosity began to take hold of Adrian. "You're--Lucas?" Casey nodded with a smile. "But--he's dead," said Adrian as he began looking this way and that searching for an answer. "There was a funeral. Someone killed him. Is this some kind of a sick joke? Why are you digging through fresh wounds? Do you like Crystal or something?" "Just let me in and I'll explain everything," said Casey. Adrian thought better of this. To even entertain such a thought was beyond ludicrous. But Casey was smiling the whole time, and there was something about that smile that seemed familiar, eerily so, and so against his better judgement he decided to give Casey the time of day. He walked away from the door and Casey stepped inside and placed his backpack on the floor along the wall. "Firstly," said Casey, "let me say that I'm glad I ran into you. I was genuinely heartbroken when I had to transfer to Summit University and never see you again." "What are you talking about?" "I told you, I'm Lucas. I just uh--ran into a pretty bad predicament I guess," said Casey with his hand on his head. "But it is me." Adrian shook his head. "You expect me to believe the word of some dude who I don't even know, and who for all I know was putting the moves on my girlfriend? What are you really after, Casey? You want me to step aside so Crystal can be all yours?" Casey sighed. "Ok, you want proof, I'll give you some proof." Adrian reflected on what Casey had just said and it sounded shockingly familiar to a conversation that he had with Lucas when he proved to him that he was an alien. "Think back," said Casey as he paced about the room, "to when you and I first met. I was having a meeting with the rest of the journalism team, was I not?" Adrian was looking lowly towards the ground. He hesitantly raised his head. "--Yeah, but how did you--" "--And then, remember our first night out? Where did I take you? To a recital that I was participating in, right?" Adrian shook his head. "Wait a minute, this doesn't make any sense. How could you possibly know these things?" "I told you, I'm Lucas. What about the time when I proved to you that I was an extra terrestrial. Do you need more proof than that?" Adrian's mouth was gaped wide open. He placed his hand on his head and said he had to sit down. For his own part, Casey was too busy smiling it up. "It's--you. I mean--you're really Lucas. I can't believe it's you--it's really you!" Adrian rushed towards him and embraced him tightly. All the guilt that he had been feeling over killing Lucas was now suddenly gone, in one instant. He felt as one liberated from the shackles of a fate and tormentor that showed not the slightest bit of compassion. "I'm so sorry--' Just then Adrian caught himself and stepped away from Lucas, shaking his head vehemently. "I mean--I'm--I'm so glad you're still alive..." Lucas tilted his head ever so slightly and looked at him quizzically for only a moment. "Yeah well, it'll take more than that to get rid of Lucas Slaughter," he said with a wry smile. "Or should I now say Casey Hudson?" Lucas laughed. Adrian got closer to him and placed his hands on Lucas' shoulders. "You have to explain to me what happened. You just have to. You--you can't imagine the kind of life that I have had to live because of what happened to you." "Sure thing. Got anything to drink first? I could use something cold." "Ri--right." Adrian went to the fridge and pulled out two sodas. He gave one to Lucas and he immediately began drinking it standing up. Adrian hadn't opened his drink and had placed it on the kitchen counter. He was too entangled in thought, and excited by what this new turn of events meant. Lucas put the can down on the table and began. "Ok, now we both know that someone tried to kill me. The thing is though, they never penetrated my alien flesh." "I don't understand," said Adrian. "Remember when I showed you what I really looked like that night? What I was wearing then, and what all of my people have to wear, was a suit that was based off of biotechnology and that's made in the image of a human being. Our suits are telepathically linked to us. What I did was, I made the suit appear transparent so you could see what I really look like." "So--you're saying that the murderer only pierced the suit." "Exactly. Our technology is of such a highly advanced nature that we were able to replicate the workings of the human body using bio tech. When the murderer slit my throat, it did indeed bleed, but that was an imitation of human blood, it was a substance that the highly advanced of our species developed to be placed inside of the suit, in case we scrape our knees, elbows, you know, so that we can fit in with everyone else." "I see," said Adrian. So I only penetrated a protective covering. Thank God. "But there was a funeral though, and I assume an autopsy. So how did you manage to stage your own death?" "Well, when the body was found, it was the bio suit. I had already left my dorm and took the things that originated from my people that would baffle the people on this planet. I just left the clothes you know, the shoes, things like that. Even the funeral was staged. Now, there were some who were my human friends that came, like from the journalism team and whatnot. But the people who were grieving as my parents, were also alien, so too were my other family members." Now Adrian understood why Detective Ashley said that he had a responsibility to catch the killer on account of Lucas' grieving parents. "I see," said Adrian, who had his bent toward the ground. He then raised it up again. "But why did you have to fake your own death? Why couldn't you just, remain Lucas and go somewhere else?" "Well," said Lucas as he cocked his head, "it'd be quite strange if I ran into the murderer again, don't you think? If something like this happens, it's always best to just fake your death and assume another identity. Us Merridions, we always have a contingency plan for things like this." "Is that your home planet, Merridion?" "Yeah," said Lucas with a smile. "You know, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that I was an extra terrestrial, so I kinda broke the rules of what the Contingent wants when I told you. As long as you don't tell anybody, we should be cool." "You--you mentioned earlier on about there being more of you. Just how many Merridions are on this planet?" "Hmm...I can't say for sure," said Lucas as he stroked his chin. "Oh, wait a minute, I'll give you this." Lucas went to his backpack and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. "Put them on," said Lucas. Adrian did so. "Notice anything different?" "There's--there's an orange aura about you." "Those glasses allow you to see someone who is from Merridion, even if they're wearing the bio suit, which they should be wearing. It'll give you an idea how many of us are down here." "Ok," said Adrian. "Cool." He placed them on the kitchen counter. Lucas sighed. "It just boggles my mind why someone would want to kill me or anyone of my kind. We take extreme pains to be as receptive as possible, and embrace anyone we come across. Mind you, this isn't the first time that this has happened, but it is something to have to experience it for yourself. To know that someone would go so far as to try and kill you." Adrian remained silent. Now, seemingly, he was faced with a newfound dilemma: Lucas finding out that it was he himself whom tried to kill him. "Well, we most definitely should pick up where we left off, don't you think?" "Yeah--most definitely." "Here's my new phone number. I still have yours, so no problems there. Whoa, look at the time. I should really get going. I have class in the morning. I'm glad I was able to talk with you again and continue our friendship." Lucas smiled, picked up his backpack, and headed for the exit. "And don't worry, I won't put any moves on Crystal." Adrian smiled. The effect that finding out Lucas was still alive had on Adrian turned out to be a lasting one. Because of it, he was able to focus more in class, answer questions when called upon, ask the teacher questions when something was presented that he didn't fully comprehend, focus on doing his homework, and just basically command his life again. He was--to be sure--only worried about two scenarios which he contented within himself that he would just have to find a way to live with: the police finding some evidence that would incriminate him in the case involving the faux death of Lucas; and Lucas himself finding out that it was he whom tried to kill him. The latter scenario did not overtly concern him, because he could foresee no possibility of this happening. But the former was a very real threat, and one in which caused him apprehension from time to time. Four days had elapsed since he talked with Detective Ashley and the detective had not requested to speak with or tried to get in contact with him again. In each of those days he would contemplate scenarios whereby he would be charged with the murder of Lucas Slaughter, and at the end of those days those scenarios would not come to fruition. He would at times think within himself that this could just be a case that the police never solve. Those things do happen, he thought once. Maybe this would be one of those times. There was--admittedly--another thing that concerned him, though it had diminished to a degree after the burden of knowing that he hadn't taken a life was lifted. It was something that Lucas shared with him. He would sometimes wonder what was the purpose of the Dorridions, and why they were seemingly so interested in Earth. Did some calamity from the skies make their planet uninhabitable? Were they simply benign beings who wanted to share their advanced technology and knowledge with mankind? Was it possible that they were planning to infest the planet with their numbers and then overthrow the world's governments from within? These things he would puzzle over from time to time. One thing that he neglected to do however over these last four days was use the sunglasses that Lucas had given him, so he could see for himself just how many Dorridions were on planet Earth. Truth be told, he had decided within himself that life was going far to good for him, and he didn't want to feed any paranoia that might come about as a result of using those sunglasses. He kept them in a safe place however, in a shoe box at the top of his closet. He did not completely forsake the idea of using them, and he would at some point, when the opportunity presented itself. He had not forgotten about Crystal either during this period of rebirth. Spending time with her during his state of sorrow had been the highpoint, so after four days had elapsed since he had dinner with her he decided to get in contact and see if she had any free time. He searched through his cell phone for her number and gave her a call. She answered almost immediately. "Hello?" "Hi, Crystal. It's me, Adrian." "Oh hi, Adrian. I thought you had forgotten about me again." "Yeah, I apologize for taking so long but I was trying to catch up on some of my school work and whatnot. I kinda got behind." "Oh ok. Well, that's understandable," said Crystal. "Listen, I was wondering if you were available later on today, say, three-ish?" said Adrian. "I thought it'd be nice if we could play put-put golf together." "Well, my last class ends at 2:30 and I'm pretty caught up on school work, so yeah I'm free. I promised Casey that I'd show him around town today though, so would you mind if he came along with us? I won't feel right if I give him the cold shoulder."
Copyright © 2007 Michael Harris |