A Strange Encounter.

Source

"She has changed since she started seeing that wierd boy next door," single dad Adam thought as he watched her drag her weary pale body upstairs to her room.

"What about dinner?" he called out.

"Already ate and before you ask, i am okay."

He sighed as he sat down to eat his dinner alone. Something was definitely wrong. Anne was usually a bundle of energy and more than an armful. He would welcome her rebellious attitude over this strange person who has taken the place of his daughter.

A few months ago, she had called his attention to their new neighbours. He had gone over with Anne to welcome them. The whole incident could best be described as creepy. The couple acted wierd. They kept glancing at their seventeen years old soon before answering any questions. One could almost think they were scared of the boy. The boy was handsome in a strange out of this world way. His smile was a tad too friendly, exposing too bright teeth.

His voice sent chills down his spine. It was unlike any sound he had ever heard. It had a slight hissing sound to it too, reminding him of the sounds a snake would make. Come to think of it, he never walked normal, it seemed like he was always twisting around, never in a straight line.

Anne had shared his concerns over the strangeness of the visit.

"Dad, i think he is an alien. He acted so strange and did you notice he had no idea about most of what we talked about."

"See, he could just be dumb. No alien would be that dumb, they are supposed to be super intelligent."
"He could be from a very primitive race that preys on life." she joked.

All of a sudden, she started going over there against his advice.

He didn't understand how this relationship had started. He had been gone for just one day due to work emergency to see his daughter changed. He had caught her sneaking across the yard to climb over the fence into the next compound.

She had come back in the early hours of the morning walking like a zombie with a detached look on her face. She had ignored his summons, walked past him and slammed the door in his face.

She had looked normal a few hours later but was quiet. He had noticed she had taken to wearing long sleeves and jeans instead of her favourite sleeveless tops. She kept late nights and ignored him only clinging to her new found love.

He had gone over to warn the boy away from his daughter but had come back more confused than ever. His parents acted like scared rabbits and cleared out of the room as soon as he came in.

The boy had acted unconcerned and smiled all through his rantings. In annoyance, he had lifted him by his collar and made several disturbing discoveries. His body was cold as ice, unusual for a human. The smell of him was like that of metal, hot metal and most of all, instead of soft human skin, he was rock hard.
Adam let him go as him he held on to hot coals and crawling, he scrambled for the door.

He had seen something scary as the boy turned his back, it looked like a tail! The thought was hilarious. There was no such thing as aliens. Everyone knew that.

But Anne would not listen. She said he was crazy. He shouted and cursed at her till he was blue in the face. He resorted to begging, all to no avail.

He was ready that night as she crossed the yard. He followed behind, keeping out of sight. Then he saw him. The boy was looking different...he looked old if that was possible.

Anne walked right up to him and placed her hands in his. He watched the boy lift his hand and saw a knife in his hands.

His lips kept moving forming words in a language that could not be of this world. Adam saw his eyes flash blue as he turned his head towards Anne. He must have conveyed a message because Anne lifted the sleeves of her blouse. He cried out in distress but the sound was drowned out by the sound of a mighty wind. Anne's lower arms were covered with wounds in varying states of healing. She streched out her arm towards the thing.
Adam tried to move but found he was stuck in one place, unable to move a muscle.

He cut her arm and immediately, a green light enveloped them.

Adam watched in wonder, this kind of stuff only happened in movies.

"He is draining her life force," he thought.

With great will power, he moved a step at a time till he was within reach. He pulled his daughter out of the circle and they both fell together. By the time he looked up again, the boy was gone.

That was the last they heard of him. He was never seen again.

Wonder what happened to his parents? They unravelled the whole mystery when the police canme calling. H e was the result of an experiment.

They were private space scientists who had successfully attracted an alien into their home. All their children were gone, all used to satisfy the alien's hunger. They kept moving frequently to avoid being discovered. They were slaves to his bidding.

Anne never recovered completely from the attack afterall, she had been touched by an alien.

Written for twentyfour hours short story challenge hosted by @mctiller.