Alton One: Chapter 14

The wheels of the truck sqreeched; the engine roared.  The truck shot forward, and the tired screeched again as Jim took a left turn.  Mike ran alongside the pickup, grabbed the rim, pulled himself up with all his might, and flipped himself into the bed.  "PICK UP THAT KID!" He screamed. 

The vehicle roared forward.  He worked his way to the front, leaned to the driver's.  "PICK UP THE KID. THERE'S A KID.  PICK HIM UP! PICK HIM UP!"

"WHAT!" Jim shouted.  "What was that!"

"Pick up the kid, Donna.  There was a kid.  We need to pick him up.  PLEASE!  GO AROUND THE BLOCK AND PICK UP THAT KID!"

Seconds later the truck took an abrupt turn, and Mike was tossed across the cab, and just as he regained his balance, Jim sped up and he was flung to the tailgate, where here smashed his head hard.  The vehicle took another sudden turn, left again, this time onto Columbia, and this time Mike braced himself good.  The pressure of the turn tried to yank him from the truck, but he held on tight, as though for dear life.

As the truck was gaining speed Mike saw the boy taking the turn from Columbia onto James.  And just then the truck crashed into something, yet thankfully Mike was already holding on tight.  A large silver object crashed to the ground on in front of the truck and burst into flames. 

Mike jumped from the bed and ran after the kid. He cut across the lawn, down the end of the Goodman driveway, and back onto James.  The boy was about two blocks ahead and still running hard.  Mike figured he couldn't be more than eight or nine years old. Mike ran hard, hard as he could, and was quickly gaining on the kid. 

"GO AWAY! GO AWAY!" The boy screamed frantically, as Mike passed him, grabbed the boy around the waste, and hugged him tight.  "LEAVE ME ALONE!  GO AWAY! GO AWAY! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!"  He writhed and pulled, trying to get away.  Mike was too strong. 

Mike heard a screach as the truck came to an abrubt stop alongside the the boy and Mike.

"GET IN! GET IN!" Shouted all the folks in the truck

"Quick, get in," Jim said.  "They's more commin!"

Mike looked back toward Lance's house.  He saw nothing, but trusted his friends.

"Come on, boy.  We have to get in the truck."

The boy continued his efforts to escape Mike's grip."

Mike picked him up, and heaved him into the bed, and jumped in behind him.  He held on to the boy to make sure he didn't try to jump out.  Mike forced the boy to the ground, and as he did he looked back toward Lance's house -- one more look.  As he did, as the truck took a sharp right, Mike saw, or thought he saw, two silver objects, elongated objects, the size of coffins, zooming close behind.