This very short story was devised from a writing prompt selected by my local writers club. I’m also posting an impromptu video I made to see how long it takes to read the story. Four minutes. There’s sound distortion in the video and I didn’t intend it, nor do I know how to fix it. However – it seems to work well with the story!
Green Aliens
By Linda Jo Martin
“I’ve heard a rumor,” Shanté told Brett as they climbed the hill to the market.
“Not another stupid rumor.” He looked down at Titus Hole, wondering why there were so many rumor-mongers around these days.
“This is the weirdest one yet. I heard there are green aliens living up the creek.”
Brett let that thought sink in, then laughed. “Green aliens! I should worry? What will your crazy friends think of next? Bigfoot parties? So who did you hear that from?”
“A girl who lives up the creek. She said she met them in the woods and they live there.”
“Have her checked at Behavioral Health. There are no green aliens anywhere around here.”
“I don’t know, Brett. She seemed so serious and honest.”
“You’re gullible as hell.”
Shanté gave him one more sideways glance before veering away. “You never believe anything I say. Might as well find someone else to talk to.”
Brett stopped at Parrys to get an energy drink and said hi to Aaron who was restocking the soft drink shelves. Then he left, squinting at the summer sunshine, and headed up the creek to see if he could find anyone else to talk to. His friend, Jack, lived about three miles out and it was a great day for a walk – not too hot, with a slight breeze. He enjoyed the climb up the hill. Before long he was at the Eddy where he took his time scrambling down the bedrock. Two or three jumps off the tallest rock into the cool depth of Indian Creek, and he was ready to continue on to Jack’s place.
Jack was in his garage working on his BMX when Brett walked up. Jack glanced at him and said, “Green aliens.”
Brett plopped down beside him. “Why is everyone up this way talking about green aliens?”
“They’re out there and I’m going to find them.”
“Oh sure.”
“You can come too. Ride my old bike – it’s ready to go, soon as I get this tire repaired.”
“Right. I’ll go, but I do not believe in green aliens. This is just another stupid rumor.”
A girl walked into the garage. Brett had never seen her before. She had long black hair and wore RealTree camo shorts, shirt, and hat. She had a back pack – black. “Ready to go?” she asked.
“Just about. Five more minutes,” Jack said. To Brett he said, “This is Daisy. She’s from Oregon.”
“I’m visiting for the summer,” she told him, then left the garage to stand in the sunshine next to her pink mountain bike.
“We’re taking her?” Brett asked.
“She’s bringing food, so don’t knock it,” Jack said. “Besides, she’s the one who knows where they are.”
Half an hour later they were a mile into the woods on an old logging road, coasting downhill, covered with dust but having a great time.
“They’re down here,” she said. She got off her bike and hid it behind a clump of deer brush. Jack and Brett did the same and followed her down toward a tiny creek, and behind a hill, and past about three hundred pine trees – to a clearing full of marijuana plants.
“What the…” Brett said, his eyes big and round.
“This ain’t right,” Jack said.
Just then two guys that looked Mexican came out of a shelter uphill from the crop.
“They’re my friends,” Daisy said with a smile. “Green aliens. They use all organic fertilizers and growing methods. No chemicals.”
Jack and Brett took one more look at the green aliens, turned around, and ran back to their bikes as quickly as they could leaving Daisy to deal with the green aliens on her own.
In reality… if you find signs of marijuana growers in the forest… it is a good idea to stay away. See Marijuana – Danger in the Forest – something I wrote for Bigfoot researchers visiting our area.
Ha! Not the usual subject I’m used to seeing from you, but the story was enjoyable. It was great to hear your very own voice read it to me, too!
Well done, Linda 😀
Thanks, Kai… this was just a writers club thing. The prompt was to write about rumors in Happy Camp. I didn’t want to write about any real rumors in this small town, so I made something up. A great time for fiction!