The Darkest Hours

By Byron Perry

A collection of tales that dives into the worlds of various characters as they endure life's toughest circumstances. Showcasing to the reader, even in the darkest times a slither of light is only moments away. These stories aggregate issues from kidnapping to alien invasions and everything in between.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781665511834

Book preview

THE

DARKEST

HOURS

BYRON PERRY

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2021 Byron Perry. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  12/28/2020

ISBN: 978-1-6655-1184-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-1183-4 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or

links contained in this book may have changed since publication and

may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those

of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Part 1

Namuh

1954

1955

1957

1958

1961

1969

1970

1971

1972

Part 2

Mermaids Exist

June 7, 1979

1980

1981

1982

1997

2001

2002

2011

Part 3

The Will

Present Day

Twenty-Nine

Years Earlier

Twenty-Two

Years Earlier

Fifteen Years Ago

Three Months Ago

Present Day

Part 4

Holy Ransom

Sunday Night

Forty Minutes Later

Two Hours Later

Part 5

Me Again

Ten Years Later

PART 1

NAMUH

Far away in the Nectar galaxy, there was a planet named Namuh, which was a spitting image of Earth. Despite the similarities, Namuh had evolved 215 years beyond the Earth. In fact, this was where the problems came from. Inhabitants of Namuh, called Namunians, had achieved their full evolutionary progress. They were in a cycle of retrogressive evolution, arising from the planet’s natural resources being exhausted. Namuh was predicted to end in the year 2026, prompting Namunians to try to save their planet or find a new one to inhabit.

1954

NEWS ANCHOR. This is Elsa with Channel 5 News live from Moffett Road, Yonges Island, South Carolina. Here is a two-and-a-half-mile long dirt road with only woods for the first one and a half miles. If you travel to the end, you finally come to a home. This is where several residents have reported seeing a tall hairy creature running away from barns and tool sheds and into the woods. He has been taking tons of equipment and tools with him. Wait, there’s a report coming in … breaking news from the city of Hollywood, just ten miles from Yonges Island. Rick, take it from here.

NEWS REPORTER. Thanks, Elsa. We are live from Hollywood, in the neighborhood of Pineland, where several residents have reported multiple attacks on loved ones and friends. Victims were found today. After leaving their homes last night, they did not return. They were found when residents went to visit friends after not hearing from them for a couple of days. Victims are said to have scratches and bites covering their bodies or fang markings on their necks and wrists. Their bodies have been drained of blood. Investigators have been called in and are doing everything to find answers. They believe some of the attacks were caused by a wild dog or big cat, but they have no explanation for the blood loss of some of the victims. That’s all we have here so far. Back to you, Elsa.

NEWS ANCHOR. Thanks, Rick, such a tragedy. Hopefully in the coming days, investigators can locate the animals and keep them from hurting anyone else. I’m Elsa, and this is Channel 5 News reporting. Back to you in the studio.

After several months of investigating, more attacks, and sightings of the creatures, investigators finally received the break they desperately needed. A witness called in claiming to have pictures of the hairy creature. Police invited the witness to their station so that they could review photos in an exchange for a reward.

Investigators spent several days examining the photos and comparing the type of equipment that had been stolen from the residents of Yonges Island with the materials stolen from murder victims’ residences in Hollywood. Investigators assumed that there was a connection between the three creatures and that it was likely they were working together.

With a visual of the creature, officers were ordered to survey Moffett Road 24-7, set traps throughout the woods, and capture the beast alive. Officers were given tranquilizer guns containing Thorazine. They also had bird shot and ammunition in case of emergencies. The officers called the stakeout Operation Bigfoot, referring to the abnormally large footprints left at every crime scene.

What officers didn’t know was that the creature stealthily watched their entire setup. For the next two weeks, he was one step ahead, avoiding all their traps. Officers decided to change their surveillance times from late at night to early in the morning.

At dawn the next morning, officers were preparing to begin their standard surveillance when they heard rumblings coming from one of the resident barns. Officers hastily approached the barn as the creature that they called Bigs was exiting. They locked eyes with the creature. As the officers stood in awe of how much bigger and fiercer he looked in person, Bigs ran into the woods, hoping to lose them.

Officers, having previously mapped the coordinates of Moffett Road, split into groups and went in different directions, hoping to corner Bigs. After an hour-long pursuit, officers were finally able to surround Bigs. Officers stood with their tranquilizer guns raised as Bigs stood defensive, uncertain of his next move and knowing that he must not be caught.

In an instant Bigs made a decision to jump up into the trees to escape, prompting officers to fire thirty darts at the creature. Five darts hit the beast: two in the neck, one in the rear, one in the back, and one in the arm. Bigs continued to swing from the trees as the officers pursued, calling for backup. Bigs moved through the woods for thirty minutes as if the tranquilizers had no effect.

Officers were gearing up and taking emergency measures to ensure that Bigfoot would not escape when suddenly, the creature lost became unconscious and crashed to the ground. Officers collected Bigs and transported him to the Al Cannon Holding Facility in the city of Charleston.

Breaking News

NEWS ANCHOR. After more than a month of searching, police have finally caught a suspect for crimes committed in Yonges Island and Pineland. Police are referring to the creature as Bigfoot. Police are currently questioning Bigfoot on the murders and stolen materials, hoping it will provide details on whom it is working with and why. While we wait on more details, police are asking everyone to be alert and aware, stay inside as much as possible, and also limit traveling alone at night. If anyone has information that might be useful to the investigation, please call our crime line at 1-800-GET-THEM. This is Elsa reporting live from Channel 5 News. Thanks for watching.

At the Al Cannon Holding Facility, investigators questioned Bigs. They asked, What are you? Where are you from? and, Why are you here? But the six-foot-ten beast remained uncooperative. Investigators persisted by continuing to drug Bigs with Thorazine while using several military tactics—walling, the Reid technique, and the Judas cradle↓were all used in an attempt to break the stubborn creature.

After days of these tactics, Bigs implemented a strategy of his own. He appeared to have finally given in to their demands. Bigs explained to investigators that he was a Namunian from the planet Namuh, which was millions of miles away in the Nectar galaxy. Bigs continued by telling investigators that he had stumbled across Earth while searching for planets like his own.

Although astonished, investigators weren’t satisfied. They wanted to know if he had come alone. Bigs informed investigators of the many others who had traveled there with him. They wanted to know where they were and if they were the ones responsible for the multiple murders. Bigs refused to give up his affiliates’ whereabouts.

Investigators resumed torturing him, using the wall technique until the hairy beast blurted, I don’t know where they are. We have separate missions, but I can tell you how to catch them. Bigs knew the three creatures stood a better chance of surviving together, so he told investigators where the next attacks were going to be.

"In order to catch Number One, you must wait until the end of the next full moon. Number One cannot control its emotions during it, and it will have purged all energy on the mission. It will then be Number Two’s job to get both of them out of sight, so if you catch Number Two, you catch Number One.

"Catching Number Two is a bit more complex, and it requires some luck. More than likely, Number Two will be in a similar situation as Number One. The only difference is that Number Two can regain its energy by feeding.

Number Two needs to be in a dark secluded environment before dawn. It’s likely that Number Two will become greedy and overfeed, using almost every minute of nightfall before getting out of sight. There is a chance that Number Two will be caught by the sunlight. This will slow its escape and allow for a brief opportunity when it can be captured.

Bigfoot assured officers that he would release all information if his fellow Namunians were captured unharmed. Officers executed Bigs’ instructions precisely and captured Number One and Number Two. The officers nicknamed the captured Namunians Kali (meaning dark goddess) and Bledig (meaning like a wolf), before taking them to the Al Cannon Holding Facility, where all three Namunians were put in a cage together.

Now that the three Namunians were safely in custody, it was time to get answers. As Bigfoot began to explain the purpose of their mission, investigators received a call from the White House requesting that the creatures be transferred immediately to a new holding center off the grid.

Investigators acted quickly. They brought in two guards to subdue the creatures using injections of Thorazine, but Bigfoot anticipated such a move. He got in line to be first. Bigs strategically waited until both guards were in striking range before seizing them and allowing Kali to feed and regain its energy. The three creatures then forcefully broke free of the cage and escaped the Al Cannon Holding Facility.

Breaking News

NEWS REPORTER. Last night, the