Gray daylight
Part 1
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mr. Collier,
Stephen Akers-Timothy Collier
Mary McKenna-Carly Collier
Not your children.
Don't worry. We know what you are. Trying to start a family of your own- very admirable. We approve. This is simply a preliminary greeting. We would like to establish a mutually beneficial relationship. How about a gift to start? Keep an eye on the evening news. Channel 7, 9:00PM. Make sure you have a pen. Attached is the key. Follow instructions. Destroy this letter upon reading.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dale could feel his skin crawl. He didn’t understand. He took too many precautions to keep it a secret. He was good at taking children. Making them disappear. Never once was he a suspect. With shaking hands, he ripped the letter into pieces, tossing the shreds into the living room fireplace. He glanced at the clock on the mantle.
8:55 PM.
Dale never felt so small. So afraid. So confused. He went to the kitchen to grab a pen and paper, his head pounding like a drum. He turned on the light and jumped. Someone was in the kitchen. It was Timothy, making a feeble reach for the top of the refrigerator.
“Timothy, go back to bed!” Dale yelled.
Timothy bowed his head and pouted. “Sorry dad, I just wanted some chocolate milk.”
“Tomorrow.” Timothy sulked back to his bedroom. Blissfully unaware of the monster that Dale truly was.
Dale returned to the couch.
8:59 PM.
Unsure of what to expect, he flipped the television on.
“Tonight: Echoes of the Presidential Campaign; President Clinton goes face to face with the public looking to win approval for his new budget plans. In Russia...” before the news anchor could continue, the screen went blue.
Dale jumped, holding his pen so firmly in his hand that it was staring to make a mark on his fingers. A loud beep pierced the silence of the living room. It was followed quickly by a phrase that popped up on the screen.
GRAY DAYLIGHT
Dale began to write frantically.
INDIGO
RODEO
ALPHABET
011643960
With another loud beep, the channel snapped back to the news.
It was a code. Dale reached into his pocket and unfolded the key attached to the letter. He placed it alongside his writing, his eyes darting back and forth, etching words as fast as he could, eager to solve it. To understand. When he finished, he dropped his pen. He stared at the words on the page.
Dale was unable to fathom what he was looking at. He ran his fingers through his hair, digging his nails into his scalp. He did this for several minutes, letting the realization sink into his brain.
alexa hager
massapequa ny
tuesday
enjoy
Dale smiled. It looked like Timothy and Carly were about to get a new sister.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mr. Collier,
Stephen Akers-Timothy Collier
Mary McKenna-Carly Collier
Not your children.
Don't worry. We know what you are. Trying to start a family of your own- very admirable. We approve. This is simply a preliminary greeting. We would like to establish a mutually beneficial relationship. How about a gift to start? Keep an eye on the evening news. Channel 7, 9:00PM. Make sure you have a pen. Attached is the key. Follow instructions. Destroy this letter upon reading.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dale could feel his skin crawl. He didn’t understand. He took too many precautions to keep it a secret. He was good at taking children. Making them disappear. Never once was he a suspect. With shaking hands, he ripped the letter into pieces, tossing the shreds into the living room fireplace. He glanced at the clock on the mantle.
8:55 PM.
Dale never felt so small. So afraid. So confused. He went to the kitchen to grab a pen and paper, his head pounding like a drum. He turned on the light and jumped. Someone was in the kitchen. It was Timothy, making a feeble reach for the top of the refrigerator.
“Timothy, go back to bed!” Dale yelled.
Timothy bowed his head and pouted. “Sorry dad, I just wanted some chocolate milk.”
“Tomorrow.” Timothy sulked back to his bedroom. Blissfully unaware of the monster that Dale truly was.
Dale returned to the couch.
8:59 PM.
Unsure of what to expect, he flipped the television on.
“Tonight: Echoes of the Presidential Campaign; President Clinton goes face to face with the public looking to win approval for his new budget plans. In Russia...” before the news anchor could continue, the screen went blue.
Dale jumped, holding his pen so firmly in his hand that it was staring to make a mark on his fingers. A loud beep pierced the silence of the living room. It was followed quickly by a phrase that popped up on the screen.
GRAY DAYLIGHT
Dale began to write frantically.
INDIGO
RODEO
ALPHABET
011643960
With another loud beep, the channel snapped back to the news.
It was a code. Dale reached into his pocket and unfolded the key attached to the letter. He placed it alongside his writing, his eyes darting back and forth, etching words as fast as he could, eager to solve it. To understand. When he finished, he dropped his pen. He stared at the words on the page.
Dale was unable to fathom what he was looking at. He ran his fingers through his hair, digging his nails into his scalp. He did this for several minutes, letting the realization sink into his brain.
alexa hager
massapequa ny
tuesday
enjoy
Dale smiled. It looked like Timothy and Carly were about to get a new sister.