Short Story: Alienated

    Underneath an Arizona night sky, amidst desert canyons and rugged yellow dirt that rippled for miles, Jannette lay on the hood of her boyfriend’s 2005 Ford pickup truck.  It was the year 2034, and being stuck in the desert with an ancient truck and no gas was the least of her concerns.  Shit had gotten real within the past year.  She lay gazing at the sky above her, one headphone stuck to her ear from an old CD player that played the same one album over and over.  Taylor Swift 2006.  She had found it tucked into the cushion crevices of the backseat, and it became her only source of entertainment.  She missed her old iPhone with her hundreds of various songs, but cell devices were too risky these days.  Even radio was dangerous.  The world was completely without communication as far as she was concerned. 

     At least the sky was still beautiful, with its thousands of stars and galaxies.  Jannette remembered the days when humanity dreamed of traveling beyond the stars.  There was no such dream any longer, but it was still beautiful.  

    Jannette heard an approaching set of footsteps from her free ear, and she tugged her headphones away abruptly.  She sat up to see that Nick had finally returned from his trip, his gasoline jug apparently full.

    “You’re back,” she said, relieved.  His steps were slow and shuffled, and he looked exhausted and dehydrated, dirt caked all over his skin and hair.

    “I found gas.  We can get going now.”  He proceeded to fill the truck with the fuel, lifting the container to drain out every drop.  Jannette slid off the hood and walked towards him, holding out her water bottle.    

    “Here,” Three days ago they had run out of gas, and Nick had set out in search of a gas station.  She couldn’t go with him because they didn’t have enough water to last them both the journey, but she did save him the last few sips of hers.  She knew he would need it.  He took it and drank from it greedily.

    “We can fill up more fuel when we make it to the station,” he said once the water was gone.

    “Was anything left?” she asked, referring to supplies.  Not many places had food or water anymore.  Some stations were even dry on gas.  Jannette couldn’t wait to get out of this desert.

    “Nah I didn’t see much.  Already stripped clean.”

    “Well, maybe there’ll be something later down the road.”  

    “Maybe,” he screwed the cap onto the fuel spout and took out his keys.

    “I should drive,” Jannette held out her hand for the keys, “You need rest.”  Nick handed her the keys and went for the passenger side.  They didn’t say much after that, and soon Nick was fast asleep.

    Jannette drove in the darkness, keeping herself aware of the road before her and the surrounding area.  They had placed tape over their headlights so it wouldn’t be so bright, with just enough light to see maybe a foot or two ahead.  She hoped it would be enough to not be seen.  Every once in awhile if Jannette thought something was out there she would kill the lights completely, choosing to drive slowly.  It was safer to travel during the day, but time wasn’t on their side.  They had to keep moving.

    It was some hours later before Nick woke up, yawning as he stretched.

    “Morning sunshine,” Jannette said as she continued to drive.  It was morning now, and the dashboard read 7:13.  Jannette wasn’t sure how accurate the time was on this truck, but she guessed it was somewhere around there.  Not that time mattered anymore.  

    “Morning,” Nick rubbed his eyes groggily, looking around their surroundings.  “Where are we?”

    “We’ll be in New Mexico soon.  Another hour or so I’m guessing.”  Nick nodded.

    “We should take a break and stretch,” he said, “Then I’ll take my turn driving.”  

    “Yeah sure,” Jannette began slowing down towards the curb and brought the truck into gear.  “I gotta pee,” she said as she swung the door open and stepped outside.  Nowadays, finding a bathroom was a luxury they rarely had.  There was a large rock a few paces away, where she could perhaps get a little privacy.  Glancing back behind her, she saw Nick stretching, minding his own business.  She crouched behind the rock and did what she had to do.   She couldn’t help but think how great toilet paper would be right now.  Another luxury lost.

    Once she had finished she returned to the car.  Nick was already waiting in the driver’s seat, looking at the map.  

    “There’s a town up ahead.  Shouldn’t be far.”

    “Will it be safe?”  Jannette wasn’t too sure about towns and cities; they usually had more surveillance.

    “It’s barely on the map, and we need supplies.  We’ll be careful.”  Jannette nodded.  He was right.  They wouldn’t make it much longer without finding water and food, something only found in populated areas.  Well, at least previously populated.  There weren’t many people around these days.  Not after the Invasion.    

    When the aliens attacked, no one had seen it coming.  The entire earth was surrounded, and the battle didn’t even last a week before all the major cities were nuked.  It was a Sunday when the United Nations announced surrender.  After that, the world went dark.  The people that had survived went into hiding.  Others were taken, and no one knows where.  The past few months were only about survival.  

    Jannette felt Nick’s hand cover hers, holding it there.  She turned to see him looking at her.

    “We’ll find the safe haven.  I know we can make it.”  Of course, he was talking about a rumor.  A rumor at least two thousand miles away and was their only hope.  Jannette could only hope that her family was heading for the same rumor.  She offered Nick a weak smile.

    “Yeah.  Of course we’ll make it.”  Somehow, she doubted her own words.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    One hour later they were in New Mexico and approaching a small, rundown town along its border.  They had parked the truck around the bend of a cliff nearby and now lay crouched at a distance from the town, staring.  Jannette nervously scanned the skies and the ghost town before them, hoping nothing came into sight.  

    “I think it’s safe,” Nick said after 10 minutes of staring, “I’ll get the car and go in.”

    “No, I’m coming,” Jannette stood up to join him.  He stopped and turned towards her.

“You need me,” she didn’t let him interrupt her, “I’ll stay in the truck in case shit goes down.”  Nick nodded and didn’t argue.  Although Jannette wanted to think it was an act of bravery going with him, honestly she didn’t want to be stranded in the desert alone.     

    The thought terrified her.  

    “Here,” Nick handed her the keys and went for the passenger’s side.  Once they were both inside, Jannette started the car and drove towards the town.  Every minute closer made the town seem so much bigger, with so much more places for the aliens to remain hidden.  Every building was a trap.  How she hated the loud engine of the truck and the wheels kicking up a cloud of dirt.  They were in plain sight.  A roaring beacon for all of them to see.  

     The gas station was the first building along the town’s entrance.  There were only a handful more of vacant establishments, but it made Jannette feel at the center of prying eyes.  When she came into park she could feel her hands clamp into a sweat.

    “Listen,” Nick’s voice was low. “If something happens, don’t wait for me. Just go.”

    “Don’t say that!” Jannette whispered harshly.  “We’re in this together.  You’re coming back.”

    “Of course.  I’m just saying in case.”

    “Just hurry up and let’s both get out of here.”

    “Alright,” Nick opened the passenger door and walked out.  Jannette watched him fill up the truck with more fuel and then proceeded to fill all the empty containers they had collected.  She also kept a watchful eye on the surrounding area for flying scouts.  The tiny alien machines were practically silent, but they were never far from a larger ship that was ready to harvest any human seen.  

    Once Nick returned to the truck with the last container of fuel, he stopped by the passenger door and stuck his head into the window.

    “I am going check the buildings for more supplies, can you hand me the duffle bag?” he pointed to a green bag in the back seat.  Jannette reached back for it and handed it to him.

    “Be careful.”

    “Be back in a jiffy,” he responded, trying to lighten the mood.  It didn’t work, but Jannette smiled anyway.  He grabbed the duffle bag and began a light jog into the gas station.  It wasn’t long before he disappeared from sight into the building.  Jannette resumed her lookout of the surrounding area, using all her windows and mirrors.  She wished they had binoculars or something.  The scouts were small and difficult to see from a distance.  The only thing that gave them away was their flickering light that went off every few minutes.  Something that was much easier to see in the darker hours, but it flickered much like the firefly that just caught her eye in the rearview mirror.  

    It hovered a few feet away from the truck and then flew in a little closer.  Jannette’s eyes widened as the realization hit her.  

    “Shit.”

She swung open the door and bounded towards the gas station, cursing at her own stupidity.  

     “Nick!” She pushed open the door into the station, “Nick! Where are you?”

    “What happened?”  He was in the back of the store, in the middle of collecting canned foods.  It was dark, but Jannette could still see the alarm on his face.

    “Scouts,” she said, panting.  He immediately stopped what he was doing and headed towards the window.  

    “You were supposed to stay in the truck!” he said angrily.  Jannette was about to argue, but when they looked out the window two speed chasers were already in sight.  

“RUN!” he shouted.  They ran for the truck, which seemed to be much farther away than what Jannette remembered.  Jannette had picked up more speed than Nick, who was still carrying the large duffel bag full of food.

    “Leave it!” she yelled.

    “No, we need it!”  Jannette already got into the driver’s seat and started the engine, and Nick was still a few paces away.  The speed chasers were gaining distance.  

    “Just drop it!” Nick didn’t listen to her and went towards the back of the truck, slinging the bag into it.  The aliens began to fire on them with dozens of laser shots shooting everywhere.  The back window shattered and Jannette flinched, ducking her head.

“HURRY!” she screamed.  Nick grabbed open the passenger door and Jannette reached out for him, trying to pull him in.  

    Nick’s head jerked just before he got into the truck.  Blood exploded out of his ear.  He had a momentary look of shock on his face before he fell.  Jannette screamed.  More shots fired.  The passenger door remained wide open while it was being torn to shreds by the shooting.  Jannette looked at Nick’s body slumped on the ground, and then to her rearview mirror.  The speed chasers were not far.  

    Sobbing, Jannette shifted the truck’s gear into drive and slammed on the gas.  She didn’t bother to shut the passenger door, just let it hang there, drilled with holes and flailing wildly.  The aliens continued to chase her, picking up speed to her slower truck.  She didn’t know why she kept driving.  She knew there was no point.  She knew she couldn’t outrun them and she knew there was no safe haven to hide.  She knew humanity would never win back Earth and that eventually they would all die.  So why did she keep driving?  

     To that, she had no clue. 

~Alyxandra Sarik