28
May
Becky almost panicked. Caleb was no where to be found when she went in to the house. She looked for him everywhere.
“This isn’t FUNNY!” She yelled.
Her relief was palpable when Caleb and a little friend came through the back kitchen door.
“Just where have you been!?”
“What? At the bakery. Why do you care?” Caleb used a mocking tone mostly to show off in front of William.
“Excuse me?”
“Sorrryyy.” He seemed to mean it.
“I asked you a question Caleb. Who’s your friend?”
“It’s just Billy.” Caleb sort of pointed in Williams’s general direction and walked out of the kitchen.
Becky looked at William. He wasn’t staring, exactly, but he was certainly taking her in.
“Aren’t you the preacher’s kid?” She asked. “From the Presbyterian Church? I think I have seen you there”
William nodded.
“You don’t talk do you? I think I heard that about you. That’s ok. Talking is over rated anyway.” She smiled.
William smiled too.
“Caleb has homework to do. So, I am afraid you will have to run along. Do you need me to call your folks?”
William shook his head and smiled as if to say he was fine on his own.
“Ok, as long as you’re sure.”
William headed out the way he came in.
“It was nice meeting you Billy.” She closed the door after him.
-MRC
27
May
As the sun sets on the small island, a young man buries his mother on a small plot of land. Reunion Island no longer means anything to him. His whole family line would end with him. The land no longer provided him with anything and the island economy was falling very fast. He would have to leave the only home he ever knew to find his destiny elsewhere.
The small bundle of belongings included very few items; some clothes, a bible, a root from his dying vineyard, and something of his mothers. She had worn the locket her whole life and took very good care of it. She left explicit instructions NOT to be buried with it. She wanted her family to keep it. He had no idea why. It was old and, as far as he knew, worthless.
-MRC
26
May
PAGE TWENTY
Near the Aborigine’s village, JONAS awakens perched high on a rock outcrop overlooking the inhabitants. The village priest is making something in a cooking pot. He makes many chants and flails his arms around the fire. The villagers seem eager but stay at arms length of the priest while he makes magic. Even the dogs hide in shadows of stones.
PAGE TWENTY ONE
KITTY, in full secret agent mode, sneaks by the Sisters of Mercy near the front of the convent. Passing through one wall after another until she reaches the main yard. She heads for the aborigine’s village closer to the edge of the Desert. She is no longer wearing her habit, but instead wears her X Men uniform.
It is a little warm for it but she doesn’t complain. The habit is much too heavy for spy work. The Great Victoria Desert is inhospitable to most and KITTY is certainly not going to complain. She nears the edge of the encampment and sees a group of Aborigines circling what appears to be the village priest. There are very few places to hide, so KITTY has to move from boulder to outcropping to tree with great care. The priest is busy making incantations and making lots of arm movements. JONAS sees KITTY from his perch but is focused on the priest and lets her be.
-MRC
It’s a long drive from Albuquerque to Otis.
“I should have flown to Roswell.” Thinks Eric.
That gives him an idea. It had been years since his last trip to Roswell.
“Vee? Any chance that old Hank is still around?” Eric speaks into a child’s play phone.
After a delay, Vee comes back. “Old Hank? Does he know you call him that?”
“Yes, Vee, he does. Not everyone is sensitive about names and such.”
Another delay. Eric is aware he’d have to deal with Vee this way, but he has the time and isn’t about to beg.
“Why, yes. Indeed. “Old” Hank is still in Roswell. Why?”
“Thanks Vee. That’s all.” He hangs up the plastic receiver.
Old Hank is truly old; very old in fact. Eric and Hank made their acquaintance just a couple years back at the turn of the millennium. It seemed that Hank wanted to mess with the Roswell locals by “resurrecting” himself and scaring the pee out of anyone and everyone he could.
Eric didn’t have to expel Hank as it turned out. While Hank was frightening a small gang of bored kids, he inadvertently prevented a murder. Eric let him off the hook for a “good deed.”
After another hour and a half on the road, Eric spots the unassuming signpost.
“Prosecutors will be shot.” Said the small sign.
Eric turns onto the invisible road and vanishes from public view. Alien technology has its perks.
-MRC
24
May
I wanted to repair the damage I caused to Cora’s downstairs window. She told me not to worry about it. That it could wait until morning. But I felt bad and insisted.
I approached the lower half of the house as I would any part of a house; without worry. It’s just a house. The moment I opened the door at the base of the stairs, I got that creepy feeling. You know the one that runs right up your back and down your arms? I got that in spades.
The first thing I noticed was how dark it was. Even with my candle torch it was difficult to see any details. So, when I opened a second door imagine my surprise when I saw small streams of light coming from the ceiling.
“What the hell is that?”
I brought my candle torch up to shine a light on my discovery. There was a long handle dangling from what appeared to be a trap door. I looked directly below the trap; a series of pillows lined the floor to muffle anything that might fall on them. Anything or anyone, that is.
“What the hell?” I reiterated to myself.
-MRC
PAGE ONE
A particularly stormy October night in the Pacific Northwest. The rain is falling in buckets on a nearly black street. The road is deserted except for one car, in the distant horizon. Even it’s headlights barely break the dark and wet.
CAPTION: OCTOBER 30, 1938
CAPTION: SOMEWHERE ON THE NORTH CASCADES HIGHWAY, WASHINGTON STATE
In 1938 the North Cascades Highways was actually called the North Cascades Highway. But it was not listed as State Route 20, rather is was Highway 16. If any signage is used be sure to make it 16.
CAPTION: 6:00 PM
A closer look at the car shows that it is a 1936 Oldsmobile L-36 Touring Sedan. The tires kick up a large spray of fresh storm water into the air battering the sides of the vehicle. Inside, barely visible by dashboard light are two occupants. A man and a woman in their mid 50′s. Both look terrified. A single crucifix on a rosary swings wildly from the rear view mirror.
NADINE: BE CAREFUL BEN.
BEN: NOW ISN’T THE TIME, NADINE.
Ben’s knuckles are pure white on the steering wheel and he fights for vision of the road in front of him.
PAGE TWO
Just ahead of the speeding Olds is a small Gas Station.
BEN: THEY HAVE POWER.
NADINE: HOW?
BEN: HOW SHOULD I KNOW, NADINE. JESUS!
NADINE: REALLY BEN, YOUR LANGUAGE. AT A TIME LIKE THIS. . .
The car pulls in to the little service station. A man, dressed in overalls hurries out.
This station is fictional but could have been this way. A small building with small signage indicating the name of the owner and what sort of gas is pumped is somewhat visible under the single street lamp in the dirt parking lot. No other buildings are around it. It is an isolated place just outside the town of Sedro Wooley, which still has power. There are two pumps to dispense fuel.
ATTENDANT: NASTY NIGHT. FOLKS NEED A FILL UP?
Ben does his best to smile.
BEN: YES. AND HURRY.
ATTENDANT: YESSIR. DON’T BLAME YA. HAVEN’T SEEN A STORM THE LIKES O THIS IN A LONG TIME.
ATTENDANT: IT REMINDS ME OF THE STORM OF ’27. .
Ben, with impatience on his face, looks squarely at the old man.
BEN: DAMMIT! JUST FILL IT!
NADINE: PLEASE.
NADINE: (UNDER HER BREATH) BEN, HE DOESN’T KNOW.
Ben looks at the dash. The radio isn’t on. He attempts to turn it on.
BEN: DAMN! STILL NOT WORKING.
Nadine looks at her husband.
NADINE: DO YOU THINK HE’LL BE THERE?
BEN: TONIGHT? HE’LL BE A BUSY MAN I AM SURE.
PAGE THREE
The attendant finishes filling the tank. Ben sees this and starts the car.
ATTENDANT: THAT’LL BE $2.20. WANT ME TO CHECK THE OIL?
BEN: ARE YOU CRAZY? I AM NOT PAYING ANYTHING.
The car begins to speed off.
BEN: (NEARLY SCREAMING) WHY SHOULD I? WE’RE ALL GOING TO TO DIE TONIGHT ANYWAY!
NADINE: (SOBBING) JUST GO!!
The car speeds away from the bewildered old man and into the blackness of Highway 16.
ATTENDANT: WHAT THE HELL. . .?
TEXT: CONCRETE MARTIANS: BASED ON REAL EVENTS
PAGE FOUR
CAPTION: CONCRETE, WASHINGTON
CAPTION: TWO HOURS EARLIER
The sheriff has his hat off and scratches his head. The bewilderment on his face tells the story. The long sledgehammer in his hand drips contents of the recently shattered moonshine stills. The remains of which smoke, steam, and run their contents across the clearing in the pine woods.
There are several photographs of stills in woods available. The brothers still set up is pretty small.
TEXT: I CAN’T BELIEVE I AM STILL DOING THIS.
TEDDY: HOW IS IT THAT YOU BOYS WERE SIMPLY UNAWARES?
TEXT: UNAWARE, MY FOOT.
TEDDY: PROHIBITION ENDED FIVE YEARS AGO.
The two “boys,” Harold and George have their “I dunno” faces on. Their aloofness informs the old sheriff of their intentions. Play dumb at all costs.
HAROLD: IT WERE FOR PERSONAL USE, TEDDY. WE AIN’T SELLIN NUTHIN OR NUTHIN.
GEORGE: RIGHT. THAT’S RIGHT. YEAH.
Teddy, having known these two, and having had previously warned the brothers about their little operation, isn’t playing games.
TEDDY: SEE. FELLAS. I GOT NO CHOICE THIS TIME. I GOTTA TAKE YOU IN.
TEXT: AND THEN CLEAN OUT MY RIG. PEEW.
TEDDY: I WISH IT WEREN’T SO, BUT I WARNED YOU BOTH, MANY TIMES.
TEXT: MORE TIMES THAN I CARE TO COUNT.
George breaks into tears as the sheriff place him in cuffs.
I need reference for the sheriff’s uniform as well as his tools and car. Most likely he is a deputy rather than the actual sheriff.
GEORGE: DANGIT, HARRY! YOU SAID WE’D BE OK.
TEXT: CRYING? SERIOUSLY?
Harold doesn’t try to run. He has no where to run to. He lets the sheriff load him into the car unmolested.
HAROLD: SHUT UP, GEORGE.
PAGE FIVE
The three men in the police car head for town on a narrow wooded road.
TEDDY: WHY WERE YOU OUT HERE TODAY ANYWAY?
The brothers just look blankly at each other.
HAROLD: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? DON’T YOU KNOW?
The sheriff looks at the men in the rear view mirror, Harold continues.
HAROLD: BIG STORM’S A BREWIN. COULD CAUSE SOME FLOODIN WAY I HEAR IT.
TEDDY: FLOODING? NOT LIKELY.
TEXT: WHERE ARE THEY GETTING THIS STUFF?
As the car exits the forest road and turns onto the main highway, from a high vantage point it is clear what the sheriff was talking about. Hanging over the small town of Concrete, Washington, a large black curtain of clouds was making its slow march towards the mountains. Just in time for sunset.
There are many photo references available for the town and the surrounding mountains.
PAGE SIX
Sheriff Ted and his cargo stop in front of a small, rundown house.
TEDDY: OUTTA THE CAR FELLAS.
The brothers look at each other, dumbfounded.
HAROLD: YOU AIN’T TAKIN US TO JAIL?
Teddy just stares out the windshield. The darkness looms ever closer.
TEDDY: I WON’T TELL IF YOU WON’T.
Without a second thought the brothers clamor out of the car and run to their house. A woman, probably their aging mother, stands at the front door holding a rolling pin.
TEXT: GOOD RIDDANCE.
TEXT: MARTHA’S PUNISHMENT WILL BE MORE THAN ENOUGH.
The sheriff speeds off towards town.
TEDDY: HAHAHA!
There seems to be small crowd in front of the general store. Teddy aims his police car towards it.
The town of Concrete has changed little since 1927. So all current reference is still pretty up to date. The main street is especially accurate as it is still the same.
PAGE SEVEN
As the black clouds continue their steady death march over the town, Main Street, Concrete, such as it is, is a bustle of activity. Teddy and his police car attempt to drive up in front of the general store.
CAPTION: 4:30PM
He parks on the street and starts to get out of the car.
TEXT: THE HELL. . .?
A citizen nearly runs into Ted.
JOE: OOPS.
TEDDY: JOE, WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?
JOE: BIG STORM HAS EVERYONE RILED UP.
Joe is determined to get into the store. The sheriff follows tightly on his heels.
TEDDY: SERIOUSLY? THIS A RUN ON SUPPLIES?
JOE: YUP. DONCHA WANT TO BE PREPARED?
TEDDY: UH, SURE.
Joe disappears into the store. Several other folks clamor out, bags stuffed with supplies. Canned goods, breads, and other assorted items.
TEXT: PREPARED FOR WHAT? IT’S NOT LIKE WE NEVER HAVE RAIN.
PAGE EIGHT
Ted works his way into the General Store. It’s crowded but manageable. He makes his way to the counter where he sees Dotty, the owner, furiously filling orders. She sees the sheriff. Her concern plays out over her face.
DOTTY: THEY SAY IT COULD FLOOD.
TEDDY: WHO IS “THEY?”
DOTTY: YOU KNOW. THE RADIO PEOPLE.
TEDDY: OHHH. RIGHT. RADIO PEOPLE.
TEXT: HOW SILLY OF ME. JEEZ.
-MRC
21
May
William never heard the last words from Detective Nelson. He tried to listen to the conversation but got distracted.
“Nice work Billy. You deserve a treat. Your choice.” Mrs. Thompson showed him to the back where all the fresh pastry was cooling on racks. He chose a still warm Apple Fritter. The Thompson’s make their fritters with apples grown from a local farm so they taste really good.
“Caleb, you aren’t supposed to be here. I thought you left an hour ago?” Mrs. Thompson looked at the clock as she spotted Caleb, who had been playing with her son Jack.
“I forgot.” Caleb tried to look innocent. “Billy, walk to my house with me, ok?”
William didn’t care for Caleb too much, but he had Lego’s. William loved Lego’s.
He nodded at the suggestion and both boys headed out through the back door of the Bakery.
-MRC
20
May
The flight to Madagascar had been uneventful. But everyone was tired. It was the third leg of a series of flights. But after seeing the shiny new vessel, the small band of treasure hunters felt a second wind of energy.
The Novatech Mariner was a surprise to everyone. The 125 foot exploration vessel looked brand new.
“Just who financed this gig?” Wondered Geoff out loud. He had expected a similar sized ship but not this well appointed.
“I think it even has a chef.” Someone on the production crew muttered.
“Well, this is just too hard to believe. I want to double check.” Ross, the director, walked towards the pilot house.
Jeannie was unaware that this was completely out of the norm. She didn’t care at that moment anyway. She was scared to death. She had never been on a boat in her life. Just looking at the large craft sitting so pretty in its assigned slip at the Port of Toamasina made her queasy.
-MRC
19
May
PAGE NINETEEN
Top Half: a great expanse of outback desert. A morning sun brings a warm glow and long shadows to the landscape.
CHAIRMAN BUTLER appraises the view out his office window. The building resides on the outskirts of The Great Victoria Desert.
A land prosperous with untapped veins of Gold. Open pit mining has been an ongoing industry in the Goldfields region of Western Australia for nearly 100 years. Each new vein of Gold comes with a new set of problems with the native populations. Butler is nearing his final solution to his most recent problem. One masked vigilante shouldn’t be able to cause this much trouble for very long.
Bottom Half: Butler returns to his desk and addresses a small group of men seated throughout the large, ornately decorated room.
BUTLER: TODAY IS THE DAY GENTLEMEN.
BUTLER: OUR MAN IS FINISHING HIS TASK AS WE SPEAK. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLEAN EM OUT WITH VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE BY MID AFTERNOON.
(INSET)
The company agent that failed to kill JONAS the previous night is neck deep in sand. His head is covered with deadly fire ants. His screams are muted by the desert.
BUTLER: LAST NIGHTS FAILURE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY. THERE WILL BE NO MORE DELAYS, I ASSURE YOU.
-MRC
Arriving in Albuquerque, Eric heads right for one particular place. He uses Indian Guides for various information gathering. The Navajo Reservation is huge but far away from the airport so that isn’t where Eric is going. He has another way of getting information from his Indian Guides.
Coyote was there when God/The Creator made man and woman. He knows Lilith, Adam, Eve; everyone who was at that party. Eric knows him as well. If Lilith has been on the prowl in New Mexico, Coyote would know it.
The Rio Grande Zoo isn’t open when Eric arrives. But that’s ok. Coyote finds Eric in a quiet park near the entrance to the zoo.
“Problems Mr. Olsen?”
“You could say that.” He pauses. ”Lilith.”
“Oh my. You don’t say.” Coyote is being coy. He is always coy.
“My friend, I know your ear is always to the ground. I fear the worst in her. She could cause all kinds of trouble for all of us.”
Coyote simply watches a nearby road runner.
Eric changes tack. “You have a good thing here. Many of you. Lilith is jeopardizing that. The free meals could end.”
An appeal to appetite usually works on Coyote.
“Ah, the magic words. You know much too much my friend. About weaknesses.” Coyote smiles. “Otis. You will find her in Otis.”
With that, he turns quickly and fluidly towards the unsuspecting Road Runner.
-MRC