First Chapter Madness - The Greys

Are aliens real? Maybe not, but madness is

1986

A blanket of clouds blocked out the night sky, save for a few stars that twinkled through the gaps, winking at Ben Forrest as he lay on his back, gasping for breath.

He lay in a farmer’s field, the smell of cow shit tickling his nostrils. Wearing nothing but a ratty t-shirt and soiled underwear, Ben tried to move but groaned as the aches dug in deep, like clawed hands piercing his skin.

In the distance, he could make out lights dancing in the air, bobbing up and down as they moved in closer.

“Please, no more,” Ben moaned, squeezing his eyes shut as tightly as possible.

Turning his head away from the approaching lights, he squeezed his eyes shut, feeling tears leaking from the corners.

“Ben. Ben Forrest. Can you hear me?”

While distant, the voice sounded familiar.

“Ben. Please, baby, where are you?”

“Mom?” he groaned, his dried-out lips splitting open. Licking away tiny droplets of blood, he tried again, this time louder, “MOM.”

With the last of his waning strength, Ben raised his right arm, wincing as pins and needles shot down from his fingers to his armpit.

“Is that someone there?” another voice asked.

Ben wanted to look, wanted to see his parents, but fear took hold. It wasn’t until he heard footsteps getting closer and could hear his mother repeating his name over and over that he dared to turn his head and open his eyes.

A cacophony of sights and sounds washed over him, dulling his senses as lights blinded him and the crackle of police radios buzzed in his ears like mosquitos looking for a fresh-blooded host.

Ben felt it all begin to fade away as he slipped back into darkness. Before becoming engulfed in the black abyss, he felt his body rise from the ground, just as it had three days prior.

***

He awoke in a room that was not his own. Gone were his favorite books, the Pittsburgh Steelers posters that hung on the wall, and the pile of dirty laundry that always seemed to appear, as if by magic, in the corner of his bedroom. Instead, all he saw were bare, pale green walls and an array of medical equipment that somehow connected to his arm.

The machines beeped and hummed, creating a weirdly haunting tune that relaxed him. The aches and pains from earlier were now gone, replaced by a numb sensation across his entire body, one that was not entirely unpleasant.

Ben tried to raise his head, but the room began to spin, the walls warping as though reflected in a funhouse mirror.

He closed his eyes and sank back into the pillow, hearing snippets of conversation reach his ears.

Serious physical trauma…molested…lucky to be alive…needs more tests.

The words sounded terrible, but Ben comforted himself by imagining that they were talking about someone else. With that thought, he drifted back into dreamland.

***

He flinched as he felt something cold press against his chest. “Leave me alone, please.”

“Is he awake?”

“Seems like he is coming out of it. Perhaps try talking to him.”

“Ben, baby, it’s Mommy. Please look at me.”

His eyes fluttered open, but he snapped them shut as a blinding light blasted his retinas. “Too bright.”

“Cody. Shut off the damn lights.”

“Mom?”

“I’m right here, my baby.”

Ben felt a soft hand on his cheek, and he turned his face into it, savoring the warmth. “Is it really you?”

“Yes, it’s Mommy, and your dad is here, too.”

“That’s right, son. I’m here.”

Opening his eyes, Ben caught his breath and fought to hold back the sobs that threatened to break loose. “Am I home?”

“Soon, baby. You are in the hospital right now, but you are safe,” Melanie Forrest said, fighting back the tears.

“I’m thirsty,” Ben said.

Through narrowed eyes, he watched as his mom placed a straw against his lips. He sucked on the end and savored the cold water as it slid down his throat, tiny slivers of ice chips arriving with the fluid.

“Take it easy, champ,” Ben Senior said. “You don’t want to make yourself sick.”

Melanie pulled the cup away and set it on the bedside table. Reaching up, she pushed away the stray locks of dark hair that spilled down onto Ben’s forehead, fussing with him as though prepping for a family photo.

Ordinarily, Ben would have been embarrassed at the attention from his mom, but it felt right. He not only needed it, he craved it, as it made him feel protected.

“Do you feel up to talking?” a strange voice asked.

“Can you give him a minute to get his bearings?” Melanie snapped.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but time is of the essence here. I’m sure you want us to catch the person that did this to your boy.”

With a sigh, Melanie turned to her son and took his hand. “These nice police officers need to talk to you for a minute.”

“Don’t leave me, Mom.”

“I’m not going anywhere, kiddo.”

Ben looked up at the police officer standing behind his mother and suddenly felt very small. The cop looked like a giant with a buzz cut, his hand, the size of a shovel, holding open a notebook.

“How are you feeling, Ben?” he asked in a deep voice.

“I’m…” he glanced at his dad, not wanting to feel like a helpless kid, “…okay.”

“That’s good. I’m Officer Melkin, and this is my partner, Officer Jones,” the cop said, nodding at a man by the door with a matching haircut. “Are you up to talking to us about what happened?”

“I…I guess.” Ben swallowed hard, feeling his throat dry up again.

Pulling up a chair beside Melanie, the cop sat beside the bed, the plastic seat groaning as he lowered his sizeable frame onto it. “What can you tell me about Friday night? The night you went missing?”

Ben frowned, trying to focus on how things had gone down just seventy-two hours earlier. “I was going to hang out with my friend, Kenny.”

Melkin consulted his notebook. “Kenny Pike?”

“Yes, sir.”

“When did you leave to go to his house?”

“Right after dinner. About six at night.”

The cop scribbled in his pad, tapping his pen against the binder as he continued to speak. “How far is it from his house to yours?”

“Not far, especially if you cut across the field.”

“I should have driven him,” Melanie interrupted, clutching at her blouse.

Melkin ignored her and continued, “A five-minute walk?”

“Maybe less,” Ben said. “I run and try to beat my best time. I use the timer on my digital watch.” He held up his right hand to show the cop his watch, but it was gone, replaced by a plastic band containing his personal details.

“How much time do you think passed before someone grabbed you?”

Ben shook his head, confused by the question. “What do you mean?”

Melkin shot a glance at Ben’s parents before switching focus, hoping not to upset the boy. “Did you meet anyone on the way?”

“Not until after they took me,” Ben said, a look of fear on his face. His eyes darted between the cop and his parents, and sweat began to form on his brow.

“They?” Melkin asked, leaning in close. “There was more than one? Can you describe them?”

“They were grey and ugly. They had really big eyes, and they showed me things I didn’t want to see.”

The police officer looked confused. “Were the men wearing grey clothes? Is that what you are saying?”

“No. Their skin was grey, and they were not men.”

The sound of the pen rattling against the notebook intensified as the cop began to appear agitated. “Okay, Ben, let’s try something different. Where did they take you? Can you remember anything?”

Turning to look out the window, Ben pointed up at the sky. “They took me up there using a bright light. Yes, I remember all of it, but I wish I didn’t.”

“I think that’s enough for tonight,” Cody Forrest said, going into protective father mode.

Melkin raised his hand in a call for quiet. “Just one more question, sir.” He leaned in close and whispered, “It’s okay to tell me what really happened, Ben. I want to help you.”

Tears brimmed in the boy’s eyes, threatening to spill. “I told you already. Aliens took me, and they put something in my chest.”

The adults in the room avoided eye contact as Ben spoke, but they all looked scared.

“They told me that they’ll be watching me. The grey things are going to come for me again.”