Copyright 2012 By Teel.
This is a roughdraft of a novel in progress.
Please do not re post or re print without permission.
-14-
Behind the counter of the taco joint there was an old small television set. It was mounted on a wood shelf just above the large colorful menu food sold by the restaurant.
The TV was place there so the workers(Who were all cousins of the owner) could keep up with the latest sport events instead of calling in sick and staying home to watch them.
Right now the TV was showing the local news.
On the news a man who usually did the weather report was out live on location. He was at an apartment complex a couple a blocks away from the taco shop.
He was standing there talking to a couple of people while behind him in the background a bunch of dim wits were waving at the camera and making faces.
“So tell us about this monster you saw out...”
“Hey listen to what's on TV.” Said Alan to them. He pointed to the TV set behind the counter over the menu.
“...So I was walking my dog and I smelled something that made me feel kind of sick. My dog started barking and I saw this thing running away from the complex.”
“And what did this monster look like?” Asked the newsman.
“It was like a gorilla with green rubber skin...also it had large eyes.”
“And how about you young lady. Your mother said you saw something.”
“Yes...I look out my window because I heard a noise and I saw a big green monster. I was scared.”
“I bet you were young lady... and you sir. You said you saw something?”
“Yeah I did. I saw if for a few seconds when I was looking for a parking spot last night. Some jackass took my spot.”
“And you saw a creature that looked like the green creature they saw?”
“Yeah and I saw a creature like that before.”
“Really? When and where did you see that?”
“Just a couple of days ago. I took my niece to the carnival that was down the street and some guy was charging a dollar a piece to see this monster from space in a box in the back of his truck.”
The reporter was not quite sure if this man was pulling his leg.
“Monster from space?”
“Yeah. There was a sign on the side of the man's truck and it said it was from outer space. It sure was strange to see it walking around...”
The newsman got a signal from the camera man to sign off.
“Thank you sir for your story and now back to you Dave...”
The news was then replaced by a commercial for a pizza restaurant.
The three of them looked at each other at the table.
“Mr. Kaligari...Tell me the truth. Did you really find that thing in a wreck?”
“I swear I did...But it was dead... At least I thought it was dead.”
“Wow... I never thought I would meet an alien.” Said Alan. “Why do you thing it was just lying in there? You think it was faking. Playing dead?”
“I can't imagine why it would do that. I always treated it right even though I thought it was dead. I would wash the dust off of him and kept him cool so he would not rot.”
“Yes you always kept it cold. Maybe it was in a coma.” Said Fred. “The cold kept it in a death like state.”
“Yes you told me yesterday that the motor that kept the cooler going was not working.”
“I forgot.” Said Kaligari. “Last night I was going to get more ice but I got drunk instead. I forgot to get more ice...The ice in the box was all melted away this morning.”
Kaligari looked like he was going to be sick.
“All this time he was alive. I was pouring ice over him and keeping him from waking up... I didn't know he was alive... I would not have kept him from living.”
“Don't beat yourself up.” Said Fred. “How would you know? What would any of us know about creatures from outer space?”
For a while that sat there trying to decide what they should do next.
Kaligari found it hard to think because of the guilt he felt. He wished he had taken the alien to a doctor of some sort to check him out.
“Hey look.” Alan pointed out the window of the shop to the parking lot. A news van was driving up to Kaligari's truck.
The newsman they just saw on the TV got out of the van and walked up to the truck. He was looking at the sign on the side of the truck that told of the space alien inside.
“I guess I should talk to the news people.” Said Kaligari. He got up and went out to talk to them.
Fred fallowed him out.
Alan went to the counter and asked for a to go box so he could take the left over nachos with him.
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