Don R. Budd 53,319 Words
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A muscular man walks across a living room to his chair dressed only in gray gym shorts. There is a stack of Muscle/Fitness magazines on the table next to the chair where he stops. The remote is on top of them. He picks up the remote. Then he turns toward the large screen, plasma television. There are shelves next to the television with bodybuilding trophies. He turns on the television. An older man in a blue blazer appears on the screen. The background is a series of smaller screens with images from around the world.
"For those of you just joining us, reports of multiple vehicle accidents have been flooding our station since just before sunrise," says the Newscaster on television. "The police report the drivers of many of these vehicles are not in their vehicles. Just their clothes remain. Air Traffic Controllers from around the world also report pilots disappeared. Many of the planes have already crashed. We're awaiting word from the White House. Please, stay tuned.
Scenes from around Los Angeles shows accidents on the freeways and LAX airport.
"We're receiving reports over the A.P. and Reuters lines that these accidents are happening worldwide all at the same time," continues the Newscaster. “Just a moment, please. We're switching to Washington. The President is about to speak. Here is President Frank Brown.”
On the television, the image changes to the President, a young, African-American man, at his desk in the oval office. The President has a very dignified appearance.
"Fellow citizens, at 6:20 a.m. eastern standard time, an unknown alien race abducted our people," claims President Brown on the television. "How they did it is at present unknown. However, they seem to have the ability to take our people without their clothes. I know this is a horrific incident, but stay calm. I have been in contact with foreign governments to plan a response. This will take time, so stay calm.”
The man turns off the television and walks to the kitchen.
Soon the man sits at the table as he eats. The telephone rings and he goes to the telephone by the kitchen.
"Hello?" asks the man.
There's a pause "Oh, hello, Steve. What’s up?"
There's another pause.
"Yes, I was watching it on the TV," says the man without emotion. "I turned it off when Brown was on. I can’t stand to listen to him talk. He’s so arrogant. I can’t stand that. People even claim he's the messiah. The French President challenged him to walk across the English Channel.”
There's another pause.
"I can’t believe he would blame this on aliens," continues the man.
There's another pause.
"Right, who would believe in aliens?" asks the man.
There's a pause.
"How can you accept such a story?" asks the man with shock. "I thought you were rational," says the man.
There's a pause.
"I am rational! Everyone knows there are no aliens," yells the man into the phone.
The man looks at his watch.
"Steve, sorry to have to cut you off, but I have to run. Bye."
He hangs up and returns to his breakfast. He quickly finishes his meal as he carries it to the kitchen. He returns to the bedroom. Soon he returns dressed in gym shorts and a tank top. He carries his wallet and keys.
The phone rings again, the man sighs heavily. He goes to the phone by the kitchen. He picks it up as it rings again.
"Hello?" says the man.
There is a pause.
"Steve, I told you I have to run," says the man. "What's so urgent?"
There is another pause.
"Steve, listen, I have to go to work," says the man in a frustration tone. "I'm late at it is. Good-bye."
The man hangs up and goes out the front door of his apartment.
He goes to the bus stop and waits for the morning bus; however, many others are also waiting. People begin to mumble about the lateness of the bus. Some decide to walk to another bus stop; the man eventually follows their lead. The next stop has the same problem; no one seems to have seen a bus go by for any of the routes.
Instead there are accidents all over the streets. There seems no way for a bus to get through; the man decides to walk to work. He hurries down the sidewalk. The further he goes, the more accidents he finds. Some of the cars are on the sidewalks and he has to dodge them.
People are crying and screaming about the accidents. No one seems to know what to do about the accidents. The police are nowhere to be seen. The man turns the corner and heads up another street. He runs into people as they crowd the sidewalks. He quickly excuses himself and runs on.
He rushes down another street and comes to a gym. He rushes to it and opens the door.