Alien Grace

By Homer Bryan

This initial journey into the realm of Christian fiction is the result of a dream I had that just stuck with me. I thought this could be a book or a movie or both. It came to me in two scenesthe first and the last. That is, I knew how it was to start, and I knew how it was to end. I sat down and wrote the beginning, and every time I sat down to write more, God supplied. It was a very unique experience. I felt as though I was reading the story rather than writing it. God is faithful.

A retired high school special-education teacher, Homer Bryan, has mostly written poetry prior to this endeavor. He is a Vietnam veteran and has been active in church and various ministries most of his adult life. He is blessed to have been married to his sweet wife for forty-seven years. The Lord has also blessed him with three children. Their spouses and seven grandchildren are all precious. God is faithful.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512792263

Homer Bryan

The author is a retired high school educator. He served his country for three years in the army which included a tour of duty in Vietnam. He is a member of Loving Faith Fellowship in Church Hill, Tennessee. His wife, Brenda, and he have been married for fifty-two years. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

Book preview

Chapter 1

School’s Out

It was last lunch at Hopewell High. Ms. Biggs spotted three young men sitting in the cafeteria. She prided herself in knowing every student. There were a few freshmen that she had not gotten to know yet, but these clearly were not freshmen.

They sat gazing around, not eating. The one in the middle was taller than the other two. He was seated rather casually with his left arm resting on the empty chair beside him. She made her way to their table.

Hi, I’m Ms. Biggs. You guys must be transfers.

That’s right, the tall one responded.

Welcome to Hopewell High, where are you from?

Out of state, he replied evasively.

Are you all three from the same place?

That’s right. You might say we’re brothers, He looked at the other two, and they smiled back at him.

What state… She was interrupted by a bell signaling the end of lunch.

We’d better get to class. It was nice to meet you, Ms. Biggs.

She watched them walk to the restroom. Her curiosity had been sufficiently aroused. She walked into the guidance office and inquired if there had been three new students enrolled from the same place. She kept her eyes focused on the restroom as the office was separated from the cafeteria by glass. A quick check showed no new enrollees that week and none from out of state in the last month.

Ms. Biggs hurried to the principal’s office where she spotted the security officer. She related her concerns, and the two of them hurried to the restroom. The tardy bell rang just as they arrived, and the three men were coming out.

The tall one looked at the other two and said, It’s time.

Meanwhile, John, the custodian, had just finished policing the stands in the football stadium. Upon returning to the main campus, he noticed two of the busses had already arrived. He knew where they would be hiding to catch a smoke before they made their run. He headed their way. He enjoyed sneaking up on them and pretending to be the principal. He could mimic his voice rather well, he thought.

What are you guys doing? he asked, in his best principal voice, as he rounded the corner of the dumpster.

What he saw sent shock waves through his somewhat fragile nervous system. Both men were lying face down on the ground. Their cigarettes were smoked out independently beside them. Neither man was breathing. He tried the office on his walkie talkie, but there was no response. He tried his cell phone which was turned off, but it wouldn’t come back on. After a moment’s hesitation, he ran for the school building.

Just outside the building he saw rows of long, clear containers. Inside each container was a student. He walked cautiously to the door and looked inside. He saw a young man pointing toward teachers, students and administrators. Each one he pointed at fell immediately.

John ran back to the containers and began opening them. The students began to revive. He told them to help him open the others and then run for the busses. He asked if anyone had a driver’s license. Some of them did, but they didn’t want to drive the big bus. They wanted to go to their cars. If we don’t drive the busses, these will go back to the containers or be killed, John replied sternly.

One girl stepped forward and said, I’ll drive. Where’s the key?

I’ll get the keys, John answered. Just get everyone on the busses."

When John returned with the keys, the students were all seated, but from all he was hearing, full scale panic had set in. Susan, the girl that had volunteered to drive, was on the second bus trying to calm everyone down and having some success. A young man, named George, was standing about half way back following her cue. John handed Susan the key and said, Just follow me.

When John got on the next bus, he shouted, Calm down and listen. I don’t know what’s happening, but we’ve got to get out of here, and we’ve got to do it as quiet as possible. They quietened down for a short while as John drove out of the parking lot.

One young man, named Juan, sat right behind John. He was somewhat more calm than the rest, and he began to talk to the custodian. Do you think they’ll see us leave?

They seem pretty organized. I’d say they will, but I think they were planning on using the busses to transport you all. I’m hoping they see us and think the plan is working.

As they pulled from the parking lot onto the highway, the three young men who had just completed their work inside stepped outside and stood watching the busses pull away.

Where are you going to take us? Juan asked.

The sheriff’s office, John answered confidently.

All along the highway into town cars were either wrecked or were sitting, unmoving, with their engines still running. When they pulled into the parking lot of the sheriff’s office, John drove slowly, looking in the window. He saw a strange looking young man putting on a policeman’s jacket. He hit the gas pedal and drove quickly away.

He headed east out of town. It wasn’t long before a police car, sirens blasting, lights flashing, came up behind them. He passed Susan’s bus and pulled alongside John. John looked over at the oncoming car and said, You’re no policeman. He turned sharply left and the police car ended up in a creek beside of a neglected corn field.

About a mile further, John turned right and after about one more mile he turned right again down a long, gravel driveway. Susan turned in a bit too sharply, and the back, right wheel dropped off in a very large ditch.

George jumped up and shouted, Everyone over to the left side of the bus, crowd over as far as you can. He moved some from the back to the front, and the bus righted itself enough for Susan to pull forward and clear the ditch.

Some of the students began to cheer as they returned to their seats. One boy, named Nathan, mumbled, Women drivers, however.

George overheard him and said, Hey, I didn’t hear you volunteer to drive.

Nathan only glared at him, feeling the sudden glare of the other students.

Susan hadn’t heard what Nathan said, but she heard George loud and clear. She knew he was taking up for her, and she was thankful. Who is that boy, she wondered. I’ve seen him at school. I think he may even be in one of my classes, but I don’t know his name.

Up ahead Susan saw John signaling her where to park. He had pulled the first bus on the other side of a large barn and wanted her to pull in right beside him. Susan took her time and watched her mirrors carefully. She didn’t want to mess up again.

After John was satisfied with the busses’ locations, he told the students to get off and stay beside the busses out of sight from the road.

When they had assembled, he asked some of the bigger boys to help him roll some bales of hay toward the end of the barn to hide the busses’ noses that protruded beyond the barn. This accomplished, he asked everyone to stay put while he went inside to check on his wife.

A few minutes after he went inside, the door flew open. His wife ran outside demonstratively throwing her hands in the air and pointing toward the children. All the while she shouted demeaning questions at her husband who she was certain had lost his mind, not to mention his job.

John had learned from past experiences that to say anything at all at such times was not only futile but would only add fuel to the fire. His quiet manner, however, accomplished the same affect. Still, he waited patiently for the storm to pass. Only, this storm, a category four at least, showed no sign of abating. He remembered his thankfulness at finding her alive, but his joy was at risk of being blown away by the storm.

Suddenly, her fury and frustration escalated to the point that she ran toward her husband and began hitting him on the chest repeatedly. He responded by wrapping her in his arms and speaking soothing words which he was not accustomed to speaking. He could, in fact, only think to say, Now, it’ll be okay.

George walked over to Susan and asked, What do you suppose he said to her that got her so upset?

I don’t know, maybe there’ll be two bus-loads of students for supper. She looked at him and smiled. By the way, thank you for your help back there.

George marveled at how Susan had managed to keep her cool through all that had gone on, and now, to maintain her sense of humor as well.

You suppose it’s safe to go over and try to help him out? Susan asked.

George nodded, and they slowly started walking toward the house.

John saw them coming, and he suddenly had an idea. Wait a minute, you don’t believe me. Ask the children. Do they look like they’ve been kidnapped?

She then turned and looked quizzically toward the children who had been watching the interrogation intently. She saw the two that had broken from the group and had begun walking their way.

When they reached the distraught man and perplexed woman, Susan spoke first. She turned to John and said with a smile, I know you said for us to stay put, but you looked like you could use some help. Then, she turned toward the woman and said, Hi, I’m Susan.

And, I’m George, her classmate added.

I’m sure this must be a lot to take in, Susan went on. What your husband is telling you, is true. Three strangers just started pointing at us, and that’s all I knew until your husband woke us up and freed us from a clear container. I have no idea what they intended to do with us, but in my book your husband is a hero. He could have left us and saved himself more easily.

That’s right, George said for corroboration.

Well, I’m Martha, the woman countered, and I don’t know how you all are keeping so calm. What are we going to do?

As she finished her question, she turned, once again, to face her husband, feeling awkward for addressing the girl in such a grown-up way.

Susan sensed why she had turned away; but, undeterred, she answered her question anyway. "We must sit down and devise a plan for shelter, concealment and food, and we must somehow gather information about what is going on. Also, if our families are still alive, we need to find them.

Martha marveled at the matter of fact way that she dealt with the possibility of her family’s death. We can call, it occurred to her, turning again to her bedraggled husband. Did you call 911?

John was shaking his head. My cell phone was off. I figure they must be jamming all transmissions.

You probably forgot to recharge it again. She ran off into the house and returned with a cordless land line in one hand and her flip phone in the other. The look on her face made it clear that they were both just as dead as John’s. She studied the I told you so look on her husband’s face and the what’s it going to take look of Susan and George, then, went off again.

Well, pardon me. I have a little trouble accepting that there are aliens and body snatchers around wiping everybody out except me, my janitor husband and a mob of kids driving off in two big yellow busses.

I understand, Susan replied in a conciliatory tone. You didn’t see what we saw, and you didn’t experience what we did. It is true, nonetheless, as every one of those students will testify. I don’t know why we have been spared thus far, but I thank God that we have been.

George spoke up, at this point, I don’t think that we would be a primary target. They probably went after communication systems first and defense systems next. My guess is that both of those had been neutralized prior to their attack on the school.

Communication systems, Martha said thoughtfully. TV, let’s check it out on TV. She ran back inside and grabbed the remote, nothing. The radio, she said as she rushed toward the radio.

George, who had come inside with John and Susan, reached for the light switch, nothing. Don’t bother, he said as he flipped it up and down several times. I’d say you’ve got no power.

Look at the clock, Susan suggested. I’d say that’s what time your power went off. As I was saying, I don’t think they’re all that interested in us right now, but we must assume that they will come looking for us at some point. I suggest we conduct all our discussions indoors in the future.

Chapter Two

A New Beginning

It was determined that they could accommodate twenty students at a time in the house. There, they could get warm, be nourished and rest. When not in the house, they would be assigned locations in the barn or busses. Great care was to be taken during transfers as they would be visible during daylight hours from the road and the air.

Shortly thereafter, the cycles began. John and Martha had a large store of canned goods that they had put up for winter. However, they would begin by eating the perishables in the refrigerator and freezer. They always canned and filled their freezer with more than they could use because they hated to see it wasted. However, they were generous to share with friends and neighbors. Guests rarely left empty handed. Eventually, though, much of it had to be discarded. Each time they cleaned out the freezer or poured out the Mason jars to reuse, John spoke of down-sizing, but Martha would have none of it. Now, in this bizarre dilemma, they were both thankful for the abundance.

As each group of students came in, the bathrooms, they only had two, were priority number one. John decided that if the aliens left them alone he would need to get some of the guys to help him build a couple of outside toilets.

Martha eventually came to grips with the reality of the situation and became a regular trooper. Though she never said so, it became evident that she enjoyed having the kids around and preparing their meals. She set everything up cafeteria style, much like the lunchroom the students were used to.

Some of the students had smart phones, but they weren’t smart anymore. They had tried to call their parents or get on internet to no avail. With no phones to use for distraction, they were forced to communicate with the people around them. There was much to talk about. New friends and clicks formed practically overnight.

John watched as groups of students huddled around and talked excitedly. He remembered what it was like when he was young. He and his friends made up their own games to play. Perhaps, he thought, I can teach them those games. It might help take their mind off their families if we never find them, poor kids.

He later found some very large washers and drove some fence posts into the ground. The ones that showed the most interest wanted to know the rules. Make them up. It doesn’t matter what the rules are so long as you all agree.

Martha had complained about John being a hoarder and was after him to get rid of what she had disrespectfully called, That junk!

It seemed to John, however, that almost everything could be used and reused for something or other with the proper adaptations.

He went to his stash that he kept by the trash cans to make Martha think he was going to haul it off when he made a trash run. There, he found several useful items that he had known would come in handy someday.

He brought a wheel barrel load around and challenged the students to see what kind of games they could come up with. A couple of items,