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CARLTON CASEY: ALIEN INCIDENT
by
Nick Hill
Chapter 1
Things aren’t looking good. Again. My left eye feels like a pie is hanging off it. Can barely see what that madman is up to. My arms are aching. My back can barely hold my legs up anymore and I swear the bottom half of my body is going to rip in half and fall to the floor. These chains are tearing up my wrists and I’m feeling lightheaded.
“Not talking much anymore, Carlton?” “Heh, I was just wondering why.”
That creeps gonna pay; I don’t know how I’m gonna do it, but he’s gonna get his. He pops me in the mouth hard. Swallowed a tooth. “So Carlton how is your family dental plan anyway? Hope I didn’t knock any fillings loose.”
The madman who’s got me hung up like a scarecrow is Fred Wade. He’s Vinny’s father. He’s a complete psycho who has clearly lost his mind. I knew he was messed up, but I had no idea he was this sick. Wish I had known this before. I should have realized it when he was following me around and popping up mysteriously in the same places as me. This old and cranky bastard is going to be a very happy kid killer because I know he can’t stand me. Unfortunately, that kid’s gonna be me, Carlton Casey.
“Carlton, did you ever say hi to your dad for me the other day? Where’s he been anyway? Why, come to think of it, I haven’t seen him in a long time.” That old geezer, I’ll kill him! I suddenly regain some strength, mainly because of rage. My father, you see, he died when I was 11 and Mr. Wade knows exactly what happened. “Oh Carlton, my bad. I did see your father the other day at the cemetery! As a matter of fact I just happened to walk my dog right on top of his grave. And wouldn’t you know it but the dog had to go to the bathroom! That dog peed so long on his grave, there were puddles. I also notice the nice tombstone he’s got there all cracked up and discolored. Guess you were just too poor to buy something nicer.” “No! I’ll kill you! I swear!” I screamed and shook my arms, struggling to break free. “Carlton, I am so, so, sorry! Did I upset you?” He turned his face towards me. “Carlton, no, no, no! Stop the tears, please! I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m terribly sorry your father got so mad at you that awful night that he went drinking and crashed into a pole, killing himself.” I went into a rage—thought I would almost break these chains down. But I just ended up cutting my wrists up even more.
I saw Mr. Wade mixing some chemicals up and shaking them in a glass bottle. Is he going to poison me? “You know, it didn’t have to be this way. We could have both been immensely wealthy. But you-you had to get greedy. Didn’t want to let me in on your secret, even though I asked you nicely many times. Ah, doesn’t matter now anyway. I have that alien wristband and as for the tiny powerbox that your ‘bad crew’ is running around with, I’ll have that soon as well. I had this whole thing planned for quite awhile, but you-you came to me! I didn’t even have to trap you!” He’s bluffing. He’s full of crap. I’d tell him that too if I wasn’t losing consciousness. Okay, wait. I know he’s got my wristband but not the box, but I can’t see what he’s up too…man I am so done…
“My son Vincent’s a good boy, you know Carlton? He told me all about your little group and what happened in the woods. And, in case you can still hear me, which I seriously doubt with all that blood on my floor, I told my son that he could have everything from that crash if he let me in on it. I told him he’d be the coolest one in school and that he’d get any girl he wanted, even that VJ girl.” Son of a—he’s the reason the old man knew. That’s why he kept following me around and asking all those bizarre questions. Vinny! I hoped big time this was just some twisted, evil dad who was doing this, all on his own. He and Vinny aren’t like each other at all. Mr. Wade was dark and twisted and Vinny was a caring individual who was socially slow. But how could Vinny turn on us? Why….
“….like I did to her. You hear me Carlton? I just admitted it! Oh, please don’t mention that to Vincent, I think he was in love with her. But it doesn’t matter Carlton because I really don’t care what Vinny thinks and this is for his own good too. Who needs any more women around here when it took me 30 years to silence his mother for good? Carlton? Carlton? 15 year old boys never last too long when they’re stressed out, especially when they lose so much blood. Carlton? Carlton Casey?” I keep drifting out. If I do it too many more times I know I won’t ever wake up again. Have to clear my head. I already lost a lot of blood, but the bleeding seems to have stopped. My muscles are jelly and my arms are starting to lose all feeling. How long have I been hanging here? I’m so thirsty. I really don’t want to open my eyes because he’ll just torment me some more. I can still hear out of my right ear, at least. The left one is caked with dried blood, but I can still hear his voice.
“Do you have to kill Carlton, Dad?”
“Vincent, if he lives he’ll blame you for everything. You understand that?”
“Yeah but Carlton is my friend. He’s like my only friend” “You’re just pathetic, you know that? You’re always whining about girls and you never help me when I need you Vincent.” “But dad, Carlton was even hooking me up with VJ!”
“Oh you think so? Then how come I saw him kissing her a little while ago?”
“He was? Are you sure?”
“I’m positive Vincent! So much for your great friend, he’s a backstabber. VJ liked you but all he did was steal her away from you. He told her you were really a nerd and that he was so much more popular than you.”
“I can’t…I can’t believe it! Not Carlton!”
“Well smart-aleck you’d better believe it! Now enough nonsense about Carlton, did you get the box?” “No dad because I couldn’t find the twins,” Vinny said.
“I need that box. It’s the brains behind the entire operation. I need that piece! That’s the thing that’s going to make me the most powerful man in the world! You are worthless!”
I heard a smacking sound. He must have cracked Vinny in the face.
“But, I can’t find—”Vinny was interrupted. “Find them, kill them both, I don’t care! I want that device!” Daddy sounded pissed. I swear if Vinny touches those twins I’ll beat him senseless. I twitched. Great.
“Waking up again Carlton?” Well I guess I could stick this needle into you now, but I really had hoped you’d be dead already.”
I just don’t feel that good anyway. After all I’ve been through lately maybe it’d be easier to just die. “Carlton, I want you to die slowly now, you hear me? Carlton? Carlton Casey!” I did hear him. But then I drift off, remembering everything that had happened just days before, and it felt like I was living it all over again…
Chapter 2
“Carlton Casey, get off that computer and get your butt outside and rake those leaves!” “Dammit, Mom. Cant’ even….” “I heard that—now you’ll be out of those chat-rooms for the next two weeks,” she yelled. Great. Say goodbye to Tiffany from Trentown. We had a good thing going. Two days straight, we talked. Two days! She’s smoking hot too. I was about to get the boys up and head over to Trentown and meet her tomorrow. “Carlton, if you don’t get down here now I’m taking away your cell-phone too!” Holy crap! She knows how to bug me. I couldn’t even finish my blog or bother signing off the computer. Had to get downstairs. Can’t lose my phone this weekend. “Carlton, I am tired of having to threaten you all the time, just to get you to do your work. It’s always take, take, take from you and you never give.” “Alright, alright, I’m going already!”
Mom does the best she can with me. Six years ago I accidentally knocked over a large vase that cracked the glass table my parents had just bought. I had been running around the house acting like I was a mobster having a shootout with some other mob guys. Dad was watching TV and having some beer and he got all upset, yelled some things to mom and then he blamed me for wrecking things. The last I saw of him was when he shouted in my face. Then he grabbed his jacket and keys and then took off. A policeman came to the door a few hours later and told my mother that dad had hit a telephone pole while barreling down Jones Pt road, which was full of huge hills. The whole thing was a never ending nightmare, and the worst thing about it was that I no longer had a dad. Mom no longer had a husband, and I was the one who caused his death. Now, more than ever, I am haunted by that fact and it never ever leaves my mind.
Saturday morning. It’s freaking 10 o’clock and I’m raking leaves. Half of them blow away every time I get a big pile anyway. This is pointless. Leaves. My cell phone! “Yo-what up C.C.?” It was Toby. Cool dude. “What’s up Toby?”
“What time you going down there, CC?” “I’m raking.”
“Carlton man, put down that Rake, bro. There’s some fine girls gonna be here.”
“Don’t worry Toby, I’ll be there.”
“Okay C.C. You know the deal. Just hit me up when you’re done with the leaves.” Toby was one of my closest friends. Yeah he lived in the poorest area in town but it doesn’t matter. He’s gonna be whatever he wants to be when he’s older.
“Carlton Casey!” “Peanut and Jam Jam” “Where you guys going?”
“Don’t know C.C.” Peanut said. “Maybe we’ll help ya rake.” He added. “You will?”
“Ah, yeah, you gonna pay us?” Jam Jam asked. “There you go man! No one will do anything these days unless they’re getting paid for it. What’s this world coming too?”
The twins looked embarrassed. Cute little buggers. Nine years old, I think. Parents don’t care about them. They let Peanut and Jam Jam do whatever they want to and they can stay out until midnight! Even on school nights. My mom and I have seen them down at Wal-Mart, hanging out.
They put their hands in their pockets and looked like they were bored. “Guess you guys can split now—I have no money to give ya’s.” Jam Jam grabbed the rake. “I’ll help ya anyway, kay?” he said. “Alright, cool.” Shortly thereafter, Peanut started bagging the leaves for me. They’re pretty cool dudes. Quiet kids mostly, until you get them talking—then they won’t shut up for no one. “So, are the Raiders gonna be winning this year?” Jam Jam asked. “No way. The Steelers man, they’re the bestest team ever. They’ll be laying smack on every team they play,” Peanut answered him. They argued about football the whole time until I reminded them that it was still summer-time and that football hadn’t even started yet. “Yeah Peanut, forget football,” Jam Jam said. “You brought it up first Jam Jam,” Peanut said. “Punk,” he added. “Shut up Peanut or I’ll tell Carlton your real first name,” Jam Jam threatened. I know that little dude was about to jump his brother so I kicked the leaves and yelled, “Will you two cut the crap already? It’s Saturday, there’s no school for another week and we can do anything we want.” The little buggers looked so hopeless. “Well, Carlton Casey, we ain’t got nothing to do anyways. That’s why we’re helping you rake,” Jam Jam said. “Oh? Jam Jam, I thought you were helping me because you liked hanging out with me.” “Oh, we do like hanging out an doing stuff with you Carlton! We do. But this isn’t that much fun, ya know?” Jam Jam answered me. “I know Jam Jam, I know, I’m just….” Cell phone again. “Yo, Carlton, where you at?” “Still raking Toby. I’ll be up there in about 20 minutes.” I hung up. “Who’s that?” Peanut asked. “It was Toby.” “Where you going today Carlton?” Jam Jam asked. “Going up by Toby’s house. Having a summer party. Barbeque and all kinds of food and junk. Maybe play some basketball or something.” You should have seen the look on their faces. I knew what they were going to say next. “Can we come too?” Peanut asked. “Yeah, can we Carlton?” Jam Jam followed. “I don’t think so guys. It’s not my party, you know the deal.” They didn’t, ‘know the deal’. They were bored out of their little minds. Who could blame them for wanting to go. I pulled out my cell phone and hit Toby up. “What’s up, Carlton?” “Hey Toby, you mind if the twins tag along with me?” Their eyes perked up. “What’re you babysitting too now?” Toby asked. “Nah, man, they’re helping me with the leaves so I can get out of here already.”
“Come on Carlton, you really want to have to worry about them when Amanda is walking around?” “Amanda’s there?” “She will be, dog. Her and those friends of hers.”
Cool. I saw Amanda at JJ’s party two weeks back. I definitely have it in for her. I flip my phone shut. “You guys done yet?” Maybe I should help them with the leaves. Forget it. They look like they’re done anyway.
“Carlton, you have the twins doing your work for you now? You are so lazy,” Mom said. “What the hell am I paying you for anyway?” she added.
Mom. She’s funny. Dirty looks from the twins. Oops. “You shouldn’t be paid for doing what you are responsible for Carlton,” she said. “I hope you are giving some money to them for helping you.” Alright. Guess I’m stuck. “Uh, yeah, I’m giving them some,” I answered. “Well Carlton, I’m going to the mall and then to the grocery store. What time are you going to be home from that barbeque party?” she asked. “Eight or nine, I guess,” I told her. “Eight or nine? I don’t think so. You’ll be here no later than six. It gets dark then and I don’t want you walking through those woods all alone.” She made her point.
“But the twins will be with me and so will….” “6:00 and NO later. Otherwise you’ll be stuck home tomorrow with NO computer.” She left and the twins were practically jumping for joy upon learning that they were coming with me to the party. “What are you two so happy about?” I asked them. Peanut looked at Jam Jam and said, “Cause, we’re going with you!”
Chapter 3
“Carlton Casey are you gonna talk on that cell phone the whole way there?” Peanut asked. Stupid kid. “We’re walking through Forest Green now. Oh really? Well, I don’t know Jose, cause if we get caught—“Bad reception. I lost him. “Who was that Carlton?” Jam Jam asked. “My friend Jose. He’s at the barbeque and wanted to know how many beers he should steal for us,” I said. The twins looked at each other, not sure what to say about the beer I guess. I’m not sure in all of my coolness that I knew what to say either. My thoughts were interrupted though as Jam Jam raised his hand announcing, “One for me!”