Pod (30 page)

But I feel uneasy, like the tower could open any second. We’ll hear that awful sound and the floaters will come pouring out and this time we won’t be inside a parking garage or next to a hotel. We’ll be out in the open, sleeping on a blanket under the stars. A flash of light and we’ll be gone. I keep this thought to myself. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been looking for places for us to hide, just in case.

Mary hands me a cup of tea. The steam smells like oranges and feels warm against my skin. Aunt Janet pokes at the fire with a stick. Sparks spiral up into a star-filled sky. She leans back, arranges the blanket over her legs, closes her eyes. In the distance someone is playing guitar and singing “Amazing Grace.” It mixes with the steady drum of the ocean waves.

“Good night, Pirate,” she says.

Good night
. I like the sound of that.

I settle in for the first watch, my eyes locked on The Monolith.

It’s going to be a long night.

Like Mom used to say, never trust gifts from a stranger.

About the Author

Stephen Wallenfels
lives in the sunny desert of eastern Washington with his wife and, when the stars align, his Seattle-based son. He is the marketing and IT director at a large health club but also works as a freelance writer specializing in the health and fitness industry. Stephen enjoys any sport involving a ball and a racquet. He likes to camp, cook, and read—preferably at the same time.
POD
is his first novel.