Chapter 14: Earl's Town

Maybe happiness in the apocalypse is a lofty, unreachable goal.

The truck shakes as it moves down a dirt road.

The night sky is starless.

The large floodlights show how desolate backroads truly are.

David and I sit close by, I put my arm around his shoulders.

"What's going to happen to Gunner?" Julie cocked her head, looking at Earl behind the wheel.

"The Barg? We'll probably kill him."

David gasped, a shiver went down his spine. He wanted to talk back to Earl, but he stopped himself quickly.

"Could you maybe keep him hostage? He's really smart. You shouldn't just shoot him. He actually could give real information on the invasion." Julie swallowed hard.

Earl sighed. "Maybe. We don't have any held hostage right now."

"If you kill him, I'll shoot you in the face," Julie promised.

Earl could've stopped the truck and killed the mother and son here and now.

"I want to get along with you, Julie. You to David. We need all the humans we can get. Let's just be at peace. You really shouldn't be on your own, anyway. We have fifty people in total. We are rebuilding America."

Julie frowned.

Peace? Peace with those who look exactly like him. Peace with those who don't come from the outer reaches of space.

Earl has one point though. Strength is in numbers. Maybe this new place can keep David safe.

Am I being selfish? Am I putting Gunner in grave danger?

We made our decision to seek out other humans. No turning back now.

The orange sun is bright upon us.

As Earl makes a turn into the woods, I see rows of wooden cabins. They decorate a large, sandy landmass. It was originally a summer camp I think, but now it was a sort of wild west looking small town. A town log cabin homes, of hard labor, survival of the fittest.

Along the sides of these cabins, were wooden fences that kept cows and chickens enclosed.

Once the pickup trucks came to a stop, I see families peeking outside from their admittedly nice cabins. Women and children stare from their windows.

David and I step down from the truck, I keep one hand on his shoulder, the other is clutching my shotgun.

"Hello everyone! Come out of your homes, it's alright! We have two special people joining our little homegrown community! Meet Julie, and her son David!"

Earl's voice echoed across the commune.

Men, women, children wearing hoodies, sweatpants and all manner of styles step out to their front porches, they clap looking at the mother and son duo standing directly in the middle of the small community.

David waves slightly with a blush.

Gunner groaned as he was held by the back of his neck by a large hairy man and forced to his knees in the middle of town, and a gun pressed to the back of his head.

"This as you can tell is a Barg! We all know to stay away from them. So, kids don't go messing with this weird, green abomination." Nodded Earl, looking at Gunner who was forced to kneel close by him.

"Kill him!" One man shouted from his doorstep.

"We won't kill this one, my good man. For I think we should keep one of these aliens alive. For study. For interrogation. But we do have another creature that does indeed deserve to die."

Mumblings could be heard, a few gasps.

Some sat on their front porches, some looked to their feet while others really wanted to see the death of another living creature.

From the bed of another truck, Earl forced another alien out and to his knees. He whimpered and shivered.

The Barg was completely nude. His red, scaly body is on display for the town to see. Of course, Barg aren't anatomically like humans-they had strange holes in their chests and stomachs for who knows what purpose.

Turning his head toward the cries of pain, Gunner narrowed his eyes.

"Astro." He whispered to himself.

"P-please don't kill me." Spoke Astro, feeling a large hand grip the back of his neck. Gunner understood his words, it was clear no one else did.

The big man who ruled this roost chuckled. "Speaking that Barg nonsense, huh?"

Earl pressed a pistol to Astro's head.

The gun went off with a bang.

The body of the Barg fell to the dirt.

A hole leaking blood covered the side of Astro's face.

Gunner's reptilian eyes went wide.

He felt his stomach flip.

He bowed his head in sadness.