Abduction

By R.L. Samson

“What a day!” Rachel wrote in her journal while seated cross-leg on the cool, dry floor with her back against the refuge cave wall. “Today, the crew was chased by malevolent aliens for the sole purpose of capture and torture. They succeeded in stunning Zar-ra, and I took several hits to my torso. Fortunately, I was not harmed permanently, but my shoulders and chest still felt seared where the bruises were located.” Rachel smirked, for she fared better than her attackers.

After a thoughtful pause, she continued with her writing, “This war has changed me. I have discovered capabilities unknown previously drawing from inner strength that I never knew I had. Love makes one capable of extraordinary courage and sacrifice. Even the two least trusting gentarians, Pel-ban and Arana-hiz, now see me in a different way. I am hopeful that their change in attitude towards me will make my job easier in the future. We shall see.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jul 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886933505

R.L. Samson

R.L. Samson attended Wittenberg University 1974–1976 and transferred to Capital University where she graduated in 1978 with a B.A., cum laude, with a course study major in accounting and a concentration in finance. From 1978 through 2020, she worked in the financial institution industry. As of January 16, 2020, she retired from her accounting career and began her writing career. She has been married for 46 years and raised two daughters. From the time of her youth, she had an interest in outer space and the hope of life outside of Earth.

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About the Author

R.L. Samson attended Wittenberg University 1974–1976 and transferred to Capital University where she graduated in 1978 with a B.A., cum laude, with a course study major in accounting and a concentration in finance. From 1978 through 2020, she worked in the financial institution industry. As of January 16, 2020, she retired from her accounting career and began her writing career. She has been married for 46 years and raised two daughters. From the time of her youth, she had an interest in outer space and the hope of life outside of Earth.

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my family, husband, Tom, and daughters, Mildred and Kimberly, who have supported me in all my endeavors and two of my language teachers Mrs. Bailey (junior high school English and linguistics) who provided encouragement giving me confidence in creative writing and Ms. Jackson at Wittenberg University, my freshman writing teacher, who taught me technical skills on a higher level.

Copyright Information ©

R.L. Samson 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Samson, R.L.

Abduction

ISBN 9798886933499 (Paperback)

ISBN 9798886933505 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023910051

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

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Chapter 1

Leaving Home

Dear Journal; How the hell did I get HERE? Rachel wrote. She emphasized ‘HERE’ with capital letters. And why not? Here exceeded anything her imagination had ever conceived in the past and this, unfortunately, was reality.

She looked through the transparent barrier and stared at the guard who sat on the other side. The young male with short, copper colored hair had leaned his chair against the wall, and his long shanks stretched outwardly. He appeared to be studying something on a devise similar to the one she was using for her daily journal, a thin, twelve inches, squarish computer, a portable devise that captured the handwriting of the user and saved it into the system. The writing implement was shaped like a ball, fitting perfectly in the palm of her hand for control, and having a short wand with a point projecting out of one side. With it, she recorded characters onto the screen.

Her eyelids hung half-masked from the grueling day as she rested her head upon the pillow. In a mutter she begged, No more nightmares! but fatigue took her where she wished not to go. The scene was vivid as she relived, again, the recent events in her sleep.

And how, dear reader, did she ‘get HERE’? This is the adventure of Rachel Walker, and it started a few weeks ago…

While perching on a branch of an old maple tree outside the bedroom window, a couple of robins chirped in proclamation of the new day as the first morning rays of sunshine graced the horizon. The light reflected off the large oval mirror above the oak dresser in shades of red and gold which filled the room with a brilliant display. Rachel yawned and slowly opened her eyes. Sluggishly she stretched her body. Exhausted from the previous night’s activities caused her to doubt the arrival of dawn in spite of all the signs. She gazed at the clock for further proof.

No, too early! she moaned. After fluffing her pillow, she repositioned herself and returned to the dreamworld.

Two hours later her alarm clock sounded, and the DJ announced, Good morning, Charleston. It’s eight o’clock. And now for some music by… She turned off the noisy irritant and complained, Okay! Okay! I’m awake! Damn it! I’m awake! She maneuvered herself out of bed. Eight o’clock is too early! she mumbled as she stumbled into the bathroom. Gradually, the cool shower revived her. Afterward, she dressed, dried and brushed her long, golden, wavy hair, and ambled down the stairs toward the kitchen. The aroma of fresh coffee and baking Danish rolls filled the air.

Good morning, Rachel! Welcome to the adult world, my little graduate! said Kate, a plump woman with straw colored hair. Only a little gray showed around the temples to betray her age of almost a half century. Her face beamed as a greeting for her daughter’s arrival.

Oh, Mom! she responded while rolling her eyes.

Miss Rachel Louise Walker, treat your mother with respect! her father Les reprimanded in a soft, but firm voice. The lanky, gray haired man bit into a roll and resumed reading the local newspaper, the Charleston Daily Mail.

Sorry, Mom! she said sheepishly. Redirecting the conversation, she continued, I need to start packing.

Would you like coffee and a roll? Help yourself, Kate mentioned. By the way, how was last night?

Almost everyone attended one party or another. I arrived home at approximately four o’clock, but I guess you knew that since you always hear me coming through the door. And relax. I drank only one beer which I sipped throughout the entire evening, and I started it when I first showed up at Mark’s party. I drove my friends home safely.

I thought you hated beer! her mother spoke. She scowled in disapproval of her underage daughter drinking alcohol.

Yes, but everyone drank, she rationalized. She imbibed rarely except to conform with the behavior of her companions. As with many teenagers she experienced insecurity with every relationship, especially those less intimate, worrying about whether to risk disapproval by being herself or put on a façade to guaranty acceptance. With her closest friends, she felt comfortable enough to express her deepest thoughts and emotions without fear of rejection. She spent hours on the telephone with them solving the world’s problems with idealistic solutions and insights. Even her long-term association with her boyfriend made the romance comfortable.

How did you like my graduation ceremony? The speaker bored me.

The production was typical, Kate replied. After a moment pause, hesitant to speak on a forbidden subject, she reminded her daughter, It is not too late to sign up for college.

We have discussed this too many times. I grow weary of school. I wish to make my mark in the world now, she scolded while wagging her finger at her mother for rehashing the old argument.

You’ll make a bigger mark with a college degree.

Mom, you promised not to talk about this again. I have made up my mind, she warned in a raised, firm voice. This time her arms crossed her body, as if to say the debate was over, and she glowered at her mother.

It is your life, of course. You are free to make choices, Kate said as she relented to her daughter’s decision for the sake of family harmony. I love you no matter what.

Wanting to avoid any further uncomfortable discussions the young woman mentioned quickly, The bags remain unpacked. Talk to you later.

Do you need help?

No, thank you! I can manage, she replied as she ascended the stairs carrying a cup of coffee and a roll.

Later, on that humid summer day, Rachel loaded the last of her luggage into a ten years old, blue Mustang, a high school graduation present from her parents. For the first time, she was prepared, with some reluctance, to reside on her own as an adult. Childhood ended only yesterday. Part of her wanted to continue with the only life she had known. Mostly though, she desired independence.

She heard her mother weep faintly. Her father appeared stoic, but Rachel thought she detected moisture in the corner of his eyes. While restraining her own tears, she hugged her parents good-bye and attempted to console them. Please don’t worry! Wade found me a nice, furnished apartment in a safe area of Columbus. Besides, as in the past, he will watch over me. I promise to call you when I arrive. I love you!

Shortly after seven o’clock in the evening she embarked on her journey. The eighteen years old West Virginian left her childhood neighborhood reflecting in her rearview mirror, gradually fading from sight. She entered the interstate, crossed the Kanawha River, and looked over her right shoulder at the gold dome of the state capitol just before rounding a curve and ascending the mountain. Her destination laid many miles ahead. Upon arrival in central Ohio, she intended to meet her brother Wade. He and his girlfriend planned to help her settle into her apartment and tomorrow show her the city. With no mishaps, she expected to reach there an hour before midnight. She was excited about the prospects of a new life and imagined what adventures that new life might hold, daydreaming to while away the long, lonely trip.

As luck or fate dictated, halfway between the towns of Athens and Logan, Ohio, on route 33, she heard an explosion. The left rear tire flattened quickly. Her daydreams ceased as she struggled to control the car, slowing it to a stop beside the road. In frustration, the teenager pounded the steering wheel with both of her fists.

Stupid car! she growled. I ran over a nail or something, and of course, I have no spare tire. Welcome to adulthood! Quickly, she discovered her cell phone battery needed recharging. She slammed the car door in retaliation while muttering, Damn inconvenience!

Approximately five hundred yards from the road, an old white two stories farmhouse occupied the middle of a large field, a quaint home with a large porch surrounding the bottom floor. In the front yard, two old majestic trees stood with apples in the early stages of growth. The air smelled faintly of fertilizer, not a pleasant odor to the city girl’s nose. As the sun dipped below the horizon leaving a dark-hued sunset she started to walk briskly toward the residence, timid about asking a stranger for help, even for a telephone call at a time of need. The country landscape around her blackened quickly, and the stars and new moon generated very little light through the sporadic cloud cover.

She felt unnerved by the limited visibility and increased her gait toward the dwelling. For no apparent reason, a foreboding crept into her anxious mind. She paused for a moment and listened intently to the sounds around her. Nocturnal insects and creatures performed their nighttime overtures with only a distant train whistle adding to the song. Her eyes attempted to penetrate the darkness, but she saw nothing unusual. In spite of this, her uneasiness grew. She looked first to the right and then to the left, but still no ominous activities occurred within visual range.

Suddenly a twig snapped behind her only a few feet away. The noise startled her, and she jumped. Fear enveloped her. With adrenaline coursing through her veins, she raced toward the house as if it was a safe haven. Her heart seemed to pound in her ears. Fast footsteps treaded behind her making little noise above her heavy breathing. Terror chilled her throughout her body even to her very depths.

Her foot stumbled on loose stones with the porch just fifty yards in front of her. When she landed on the ground, immediately she rolled onto her back in order to face the followers. She resolved to fight for her life if she must. Her innate survival instincts surfaced in their full strength, and her senses keenly intensified. She looked into the eyes of the three pursuers who stood only a few feet away from her. Before she could react, she found herself gasping for air. She faded into unconsciousness.

Chapter 2

Inhumanity

Rachel’s eyes opened, but she was unsure of whether she was still unconscious or awake, a twilight awareness. The room spun, slowing as time lapsed. Seconds, minutes, or hours passed. How long, she did not know. The indistinguishable images of her surroundings appeared as if draped in a heavy fog. She rose gingerly from the floor and sat while leaning her back against a wall for support, and there she stayed without movement while she attempted to regain her bearings. Gradually her vision improved, but her head ached making it difficult to think.

A room with three sterile white walls and a transparent one with a clear sliding door became evident as an enclosure with her a prisoner. Including her, three women and two men, all young adults, occupied the cell. Each wore a sleeveless, light gray gown which covered the torso with a length that ended six inches below the hip joint. Rachel realized she wore no undergarments, and she felt immodest and quite vulnerable. A petite oriental woman sat in the corner with her legs outstretched and ankles crossed. The other woman, who reclined near her, looked like she originated from South America. A black man from Africa and a dark man, perhaps from India, represented the male prisoners, and both rested against opposite corners. After an attempt to communicate, she discovered quickly that no one, except herself, understood English. From appearances, their kidnappers wanted people of different races from around the world with herself representing both the white race and the North American continent.

She raised herself upon wobbly legs, just barely able to support her body, and leaned against the transparent wall. While peering into the hallway toward the right, she noticed a white door blocked one end and the other direction, a large window. Her jaw dropped in astonishment, for through the window she saw pitch black space and small twinkling lights. She realized that her captors imprisoned her on a spacecraft in outer space. Judging by the appearance of new stars and the disappearance of distant stars she guessed that the ship moved rapidly.

She felt sick in the pit of her stomach. Her thoughts raced with her plight and her family’s reaction to her disappearance. The weight of the situation bore down on her: helplessness. With the return of her memory, she began to recall earlier events especially the pursuers near the farmhouse in Ohio. I remember, she thought, a shock, maybe an electrical one. Tingling. Gasping. No air. Then nothing until now.

She peered down the hallway and saw a short row of rooms, three of which contained strange creatures inside. One of them looked almost human, while the others resembled animals. Across the hall from her cell, a being stood motionlessly on two large feet at the end of short legs. A protruding jaw and a receding forehead gave him a primate appearance. This extraterrestrial being supported his muscular upper body upon his knuckles with his long arms fully extended. Short, brown, curly hair covered his entire nude body. The large beast seemed content to stare at her calmly.

The cell to the left confined a blue and gray, striped, scaly lizard with six legs and a large powerful tail. Its irises were pink with a few thin, straight white lines originating from the pupil, unbroken to the edge. The animal spanned approximately four feet in height and ten feet in length. As if in a hurry, he circled the room on his stubby legs. A gurgling sound emanated from his throat. He stopped for a moment, looked at her, and sibilated.

The cell to the right of the first creature held two large beasts, bear like in build, except with large, glowing tusks protruding from their upper lip and long red hair over their entire bodies. The six feet tall animals growled in bass voices. She heard sounds from the other rooms, but because of the viewing angle she saw none of the occupants.

Rachel sat in the center of the room with her legs straight and ankles crossed. Endlessly, or seemingly so, she stared through the transparent wall of her cell all the while hoping to awaken from this nightmare. Many monotonous hours later the door at the end of the hallway opened. Ten creatures, all with the height of five feet ten inches, four inches taller than her, entered the corridor and stared at them for a moment with their purple eyes, large round ones situated on the sides of their bulbous heads. Short skinny necks connected their heads to their plump bodies. With no visible nose or nostrils, they appeared to breath, making a whistling sound, through their small, lipless mouths. When talking, little movement occurred, and their voices sounded shrill. Their thin, pointy tongues protruded as a means to alter the sounds in their communication. Their hairless skin looked nearly transparent with a slight whitish tint. Tight, form fitting, blue uniforms, almost like a second skin, covered only their short torsos. Their appearance matched the three figures who chased her in the field on the way to the farmhouse. She wondered if they captured her for a scientific specimen or as an addition to a space zoo.

The door opened to the cell and in pairs they grabbed the occupants and led them into a long hall. Two placed their hands slightly above Rachel’s elbows. Her face paled, and her heart pounded in her chest. She squirmed against their hold, but their long, thin fingers tightened the grip. Her breathing shortened and became rapid. Even though she lacked knowledge of their intentions, her helplessness caused her to panic.

Upon arriving at a laboratory, another white room, two other aliens strapped her to a gurney and proceeded to examine her. They gathered samples of blood, skin, and hair. Next, they moved her into a tubular machine with a viewing monitor and studied her internally. From her vantage point, she saw her organs displayed on a screen. While one spoke, another one inputted information into a data gathering devise and the output appeared on something that resembled a computer CRT installed flat against the wall. They filled a tubelike instrument and injected her with a blue liquid shortly before returning her to the cell. She was afraid of what unknown evil purpose might exist behind the study of her body. Their rough touch during the entire process heightened her fear.

A short time after the five earthlings reentered the cell, one by one, they became ill. At first, Rachel felt a rush of cold inside her almost as if someone filled her digestive tract with frigid water. A few minutes later her stomach swelled, and she felt nauseated and excruciating spasms. She looked at the others and noticed that they fare no better. The oriental lady turned a bluish green hue. Slowly her eyes shut, and her breathing turned erratic. The African perspired heavily and started to convulse. In their corners, both the Indian and the South American regurgitated. Soon afterward, the room reeked of vomit. Different reactions may have meant dissimilar injections, or so she assumed. Rachel’s limbs trembled. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she drifted into unconsciousness.

Many hours later she awakened, but the resultant from the drug was a feeling of weakness. Everyone had regained consciousness except the oriental lady who was sprawled on the floor without motion. Even her chest did not elevate and deflate with breath. No one moved toward her to examine for vital signs. Impatient, Rachel had to know. She crawled toward the still body, picked up her wrist and checked for a pulse. She knew instantly that the woman had lost her life.

What are these people, or whatever, that they treat others like this? she thought. She felt an urge to cry, but terror restrained her. She avoided the thought of who would die next.

Again, the aliens entered the room, this time wearing gloves. They dragged the corpse into the hall. The earthling audience watched their captors open a hatch on the floor and dump the body through it. From the view through the window at the end of the hall, they saw the woman’s remains disappear from view in less than a second.

Rachel felt enraged by their cruel behavior and thought, What a horrible race they are, no affect! Dumped like garbage. How revolting!

The vile beings reentered the cell. Rachel and the other prisoners backed away from their tormentors. Their wide-eyed look and close huddle seemed to amuse the monsters as if they fed on this behavior from their prey. She understood her horrific future with them, and her mind snapped. She landed a fist