Chapter 121: [38] Close Encounters of the Bus Kind 38 [From Beyond Arc]

Close Encounters of the Bus Kind

[38]

The presentation of the reason why everyone needed to get together on a Sunday night for something important fell on Eva more than Gina and that seemed like the best call. Nadia had the suspicion that their schoolwork went similarly.

Eva explained it as a brief stargazing event that ignited Duman’s interest immediately. He lamented that his daughter hadn’t mentioned this to him before. Eva responded that it was kind of a last-minute thing with her classmates, and she put a lion’s share of the blame on Gina for the timing. Nadia could tell there was an absolute cornucopia of adjectives bouncing around inside Eva‘s head to describe the situation concerning Gina, but she was clearly fighting her petty side to keep it simple.

Duman’s offer of a telescope had to be politely rejected as Eva assured him that there would be plenty of looking devices at this particular evening event. He wanted photos, especially of his daughter gazing at the stars. Eva took a moment and then guaranteed that she would get him something but also cautioned that delicate sky photos had already been arranged and there were a lot of procedures and she warned they might not be that interesting. That didn’t bother him too much, he just wanted a photo of Nadia at the event.

When Eva was finally released from dealing with Nadia‘s father, she slumped down and rubbed her eyes. She seemed ready to vigorously chew out Gina for putting her in this position but, as soon as she turned to look at her neighbor, Gina bounced over and wrapped Eva up in the biggest hug.

Nadia recognized the reaction on Eva‘s face. She had one like it when she was Paul. It was sometime late in senior year. He just wanted to spend lunch period with a particular teacher who had come back from a writer’s conference. But Britney Clement, a wide-eyed, exuberant blonde who liked to play pranks, hopped in front of him and wanted to thank him for something last period. He had been burned by jokes and insincerity all through high school. He always laughed it off, but it still hurt.

She hugged him like an old friend meeting up. Immediately, his mind envisioned that she had been put up to this situation as a bet. She had definitely done wilder things on a whim. This was just one more of these chaotic turns.

It wasn’t till college, when Britney chilled out from her overzealous persona that he later discovered that she had the biggest crush on him. And she wasn’t the only one. All told, Paul eventually pieced together that half of the girls in his history class actually had a secret fan club about him. And the whole time he thought he was a social pariah.

Eva looked emotionally torn in countless directions amid that hug. Nadia could pick out a flare of annoyance, but also a flash of curiosity. She could see Eva wanting to run away and hide in the corner but also linger in this moment. There were so many unexpected things going on with her face and body language that she could only come to one conclusion: Eva had a crush on Gina.

It was a silly notion. He’d only been a girl for less than 48 hours. No way that the language and code and demeanor of female friendship made any sense to him yet. This didn’t have to be anything romantic. There were a myriad of platonic connections. Granted, she was in a very not platonic situation, but that was exceedingly complicated. But then perhaps a great many romantic situations were.

Nadia told herself to be mindful of this intuition but not to rely upon it as sincere truth. It was just a feeling and a guess but looking at the way Eva acted around her neighbor gave gradual but increasing reinforcing credence to this notion. Additionally, there seemed to be an air about the other girls, like a secret unspoken. That didn’t necessarily mean anything, but she took it all into consideration. She guessed that Erin probably knew more about that sort of situation than she did but, considering the minefield of admissions and uncertainty between them she didn’t want to add even more. Eva and Gina just looked cute together and it was funny to see Eva so flustered by her neighbor’s closeness.

It wasn’t long before people took the leftovers away from the table to be wrapped up for whoever wanted them, and toothpicks were set out. Duman provided a quick lesson on how to toothpick in the Turkish way with polite etiquette. Fortunately, Nadia didn’t commit any faux pas here, but it wasn’t as though the actions were that complicated, just polite table decorum. Audrey had the most difficulty with it, but Nadia noted that she had animal instincts inside going against her.

Because of the change in evening plans, it was arranged that Gina‘s mom would stay until she was good to drive and ferry the group to this star viewing. Gina provided a slightly different explanation of events to her mother, leaning heavily on cryptid sightings and paranormal possibilities instead. Her mother still made sure that they would be getting back early enough for class on Monday though. Camouflage gear was also considered but ultimately rejected.

One addition to the group was made when Nadia elaborated on the structure of the lockup with its fences: Leslie. When contacted, she was naturally reticent for a myriad of weak reasons, with the strongest stemming from her fear about when and if Eva would share her telepathy curse with others. A couple quick nudges from Eva got her to finally agree though.

The rest of the group had ways of getting back home while burdened by leftovers. Audrey and Marisol hopped in the back of a relative‘s truck and fanned the biggest waves. Sasha barely resisted using her skills on stray young men walking on the sidewalk before her uncle arrived to pick up her, Thessaly, and Tatiana. Elsa and Odessa took an Uber courtesy of Odessa. And then it felt lonely again.

Nadia thought that Odessa, Eva, and Gina along with Luna, her, and Erin yesterday (and then Louise) was a massive group to deal with. But she slowly got used to it. Today’s was dwarfingly huge and she found herself clinging to the familiar sections of the group for certainty. Amongst the girls she felt like she finally got to properly know, Elsa seemed really sweet and she could sympathize with Tatiana. There was more to Thessaly and Marisol than she expected. And she wanted to spend more time with Audrey and Sasha.

The mnemonic LETS GO TEAM served so well with a group like this. A bunch of the restaurant staff recalled it and were grateful to have it.

With the smaller group, they were allowed into a rear break room to relax and watch television. Gina had returned Elsa’s cell phone with the battery practically topped off. Her own still lingered around 100% but one of the overhead lamps kept shorting out whenever she did her energy thing. This, of course, gave her an idea to try shorting out the security system for the lockup.

Otherwise, it was considered that Erin‘s telekinetic ability would likely be able to open things along with Leslie's ability to fly over. And Gina quipped that Eva could just talk the security system to death as a last resort. This didn’t visibly annoy Eva as much as Nadia expected it would. It appeared she was still riding the waves of that hug.

Nadia helped with cleanup, service, and a lot of other little small things around the kitchen and Erin even joined in to help with some of the larger items. Eva also chipped in with her precise, clean handwriting to compose several notes about inventory and expiration dates while dealing with other administrative tasks. Gina had a fun time organizing unusual meats in the freezer.

Eva requisitioned a large flashlight that wasn’t in use from storage as well as a length of nylon rope. Each of them was treated to an eventual, small supper as things started to wind down. At one point in the evening, Duman pulled his daughter aside for a quiet word.

Nadia didn’t feel nervous about this chat but still held her breath as her father turned over what he wanted to say in his head.

“You are an amazing young woman. And you have befriended absolutely amazing young people just like you. Young Miss Reeves is such a glorious compliment to you. I just wish that the world did not have to make your comfort and joy with one another into something complicated. May you always be happy together. Don’t worry about your mother. And I hope you see stars even more beautiful than you are tonight.” He warmly kissed her on the forehead and left it at that.

Nadia resisted the urge to cry for at least twenty seconds.

Leslie actually showed up a little early with her headphones securely fastened to her ears. She absolutely looked better than they first found her yesterday but still seemed tired and wary. It didn’t take long before she admitted that most of her trek here had been on foot. And she sheepishly admitted that a decent portion had been while floating, swiftly amending that she made it look like she had rollerblades on her sneakers rather than something more obvious. Leslie leaned into the notion that ever since whatever happened to them on the bus, she had felt healthier and more limber. So walking multiple miles this evening was no bother to her. It was a very healthy sports training thing.

Eva looked like she wanted to bonk her Captain on the head as much as so many other incidents with Gina. Leslie reiterated the notion that it seemed like everyone got a mysterious health boost from their encounter. They had either discussed that or Leslie had picked it up from her telepathy.

Nadia reflected again on the peculiar situation of Tonya. She still needed her glasses. Either she wasn’t affected by the aliens or perhaps she just put her glasses on out of habit. But if she was positively affected then it was peculiar that she didn’t say anything or just take them off at the time. Leslie had come to a point where she held everyone’s thoughts at bay through the meditation taught to her by Luna, but Nadia urged her to read what she was thinking about Tonya. She didn’t give much reaction to that memory and notion, but she did quietly nod.

Nadia found it quite remarkable that Gina‘s mom was just now finishing up her interactions with her friends, going longer than any of them with the same group. She kept the group’s secret when Nadia‘s dad wished them a lovely stargazing and hoped that earlier clouds wouldn’t impede their viewing.

Fortunately, it was a relatively clear night compared to the last few evenings of patchy clouds and heavy fog to assist their cover story. All Mrs. Ferris wanted to know was that whatever they were doing was safe. Her own daughter offered up a quick but unconvincing answer. It took Eva assuring her that all of them would be fine.

The trip was uneventful aside from when Gina blurted out, “Have I ever mentioned the ectoplasmic dildo theory?"

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Nadia I could just barely hear Eva mutter, “Oh, sweet Jesus, give me strength…” Erin‘s eyes widened and Leslie just put her head down.

Mrs. Ferris wore a concerned expression and inquired of her daughter if that was an appropriate subject. Gina did her best to emphasize the scientific nature of what she was proposing. Gina began by emphasizing the “atavistic energy” of all beings. Eva then stepped in and asked Gina to define “atavistic”. Moments later, Gina rephrased it as “spirit energy”.

She detailed the almost vampiric nature of some spirits as they drained electrical, electronic, and human energy. She briefly touched upon mythology with succubi and incubi and the connection between spirit bodies and physical bodies before planting the notion that ghosts can manifest physical objects in our reality.

After cautioning that this might or might not be considered like a tulpa, she cited several instances of “objects of an intimate nature being created by ghosts”. She beamed with enthusiasm about where in a separate reality or out of what material such a thing might be fashioned.

The main theory was that such objects might be quite common and a gateway between our world and others. Furthermore, she said some speculated that upwards of 50% of normal such objects may have acquired supernatural properties because of repeated use and emotional investment. It was like spirits beyond and people using them were bringing these things to life.

Silence filled the car until Mrs. Ferris chimed in, “Sweetie, I won’t be mad, but have you been sneaking a peek at my private collection of books that I keep in the high drawer? The ones that sometimes have shirtless Riker and muscular Bigfoot. I know you’re growing up, but I’d like to have a few talks before you start exploring certain supernatural things."

This actually brought a bright and nervous blush to Gina‘s cheeks, even though she was talking about weirder stuff just a moment ago. She assured her mother that she hadn’t gone into anything private and, furthermore, she hadn’t diverted to searches like that either on Kindle Unlimited or the wider depths of the Internet. She emphasized that this was a peculiar but grounded scientific analysis of the interactions between different realms of reality. Her mother took a long look at her but accepted this. She did encourage her daughter to maybe talk more about the ghost parts than the more personal parts though. Nadia had to wonder how much Mrs. Ferris knew about her daughter’s long-term aspiration to nuke the moon but figured that broaching that subject again would just upset Eva.

Arriving at the place they had been dropped off Friday night, Gina confirmed with her mother that she would call her when their not illegal exploration of a supernatural nature was complete. And, if she didn’t call in two hours, to return anyway.

The main parking lot still didn’t look fun at night, but the absence of fog definitely took the edge off for Erin. When Mrs. Ferris left them, a ringing silence invaded their ears. Some cars still wandered to the main street and a bus just left for parts unknown. But it was so deeply and darkly silent in all directions. Eva handled the flashlight but mostly kept it off. They used the flashlights on their phones to bolster the dim bulbs above.

Before heading to the lockup section around back, Eva took Nadia aside and positioned her for a photo to share with her father. She made sure it was dark but Nadia‘s face was clear and there was enough ambiguity about where she was standing on the grass that you wouldn’t have known that a parking lot was just feet away. Eva assured her that she actually had decent recent images of her and Gina at a stargazing event which she could mix and mingle with these shots. She also took one with Erin nearby and them holding hands.

Suddenly, the wind whipped up and a coldness seeped into the night. Nadia thought that the farthest lamps seemed even dimmer than they had moments ago. Everything settled for a quiet moment, until…

*Click clack click clack click clack click clack…*

Footsteps. Sharp and even footsteps in the dark. They were far off but felt like they were everywhere. And they each heard them.

The five clustered together near the brightest spot in the parking lot and Nadia did her best to think about the shortest route to where the bus would be. Eva made sounds to push back the silence and urged that it sounded like it was just something knocking against a trashcan. Erin gave her a look, knowing how this had gone last time. Gina didn’t appear particularly perturbed by the incessant, creepy sound. She had thoughts of meeting another Liz in spirit form and had her phone out in the distant hope that it might capture something interesting. Leslie anxiously hovered but kept to the front of the group.

Doing their best not to separate, they followed Nadia‘s directions over to the left, which unfortunately led to a very dark and ominous hallway branching between sections of the parking lot. They finally got to a T junction with a buzzing but dependable light source.

*Click clack click clack click clack click clack…*

They halted and slowed as a dark but slight figure about Gina‘s height ambled with those regular heavy footfalls right into their path. A black hoodie covered its face and it seemed to gaze down at its feet. Its hands were tucked in its pockets and a pair of messy distressed jeans led to grimy, ruined sneakers. Gina frowned and took the first steps back. Eva continued to approach.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Eva pressed her words sharply like they were a sword, when really they were a butter knife.

“… Have you forgotten me already? You left me behind. Alone. In the dark. In the never-ending, cold dark…”

The figure raised their head and the hoodie slipped down. It was Gina. Gina with her eyes ruined, her face torn up with dried blood, and her jaw hanging by a thread.

Eva‘s mouth flashed open, and she squeezed a hand frantically to cover it. Her eyes lost their color and her skin turned pale as she slowly shook her head. She looked like she was made of sand waiting for the tide to take her away.

“No. Noooo. Please God, no.…sorry, I’m so sorry. I did all I could. I’m sorry…” Eva’s voice was so small and anguished.

The figure in Gina's shape curled a distorted smile and gurgled, “Too late. You’re going to die… You’re all going to suffer and die…For all eternity…”

Then, it let out an ear-piercing scream and all the lights in the hallway went out. 

 

 

 

 

[I have a question at the end of the chapter again to help with suggestions for where the story should go. I'm actually not that far ahead this time and I am wide open for possibilities for this particular story. Feel free to add an idea which doesn't show up in the options. Also, if you see any random typos or uncapitalized starts of sentences, please pass them along. I have to cut down on my editing due to release speed and my programs don't seem to be catching lowercase sentences. Thank you for reading!]

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