Chapter 11: Chapter 11
“EXPLORATION”
Ben sat alone, leaning over in a chair at the graveyard. He fought to hold back tears, while constantly wiping his eyes. Ben stared at Gabriel in the open coffin propped up in the center of a field of headstones and grave markers. Surrounded by empty chairs, the funeral employed minister, Reverend Andrew, finally walked up to the podium and began reading a disingenuous prepared speech.
“Gabriel Meaux was a proud man living alone in the swamplands since his wife passed away. He was... fifty-six years old and had one daughter, who used to work for the... Science Exploration in California. Mr. Meaux had a bit of misfortune last week.”
Reverend Andrew then squinted to read the paper to himself. He finally flipped pages over and read from another prepared sheet, “Gabriel Meaux will join his wife... Her name was ‘Ruth’, and she was buried here a long time ago. We hope they will both rest in peace.”
The minister looked at his watch, then turned to walk back to the main office of the small funeral home building. Two men with shovels walked out looking around at the empty chairs, then began digging and lowering the casket.
Holding back emotion, Ben got up and walked towards the grave. He leaned over Gabriel’s body and mumbled, “I’m sorry Mr. Meaux. I truly loved your daughter. This is all my fault, and I owe you my life. You were a great man. And I will do everything I can to help finish what you started.”
When Ben stood back up, he heard a crying voice from behind and spun around. He looked carefully at the trees and motionless tombstones nearby but saw nothing. He finally walked out towards the open graveyard and slowly looked around.
Quazum was squatting down, motionless, next to a tombstone and appeared invisible next to the white bonding composite shape. Quazum continued quietly crying as he watched the gravediggers next to the open coffin. Temperatures were in the upper eighties as Ben walked over and studied the open field of gravestones.
“Quazum?” asked Ben softly. “Quazum, I know what you’re going through. I just want to talk to you. I might be able to help you. I’m here for you.”
Workers looked at Ben talking to the open graveyard filled with tombstones and laughed to themselves. They then continued digging.
“I promise you, Quazum. My life is now dedicated to one life. I have one mission.” Ben looked around waiting for a response as gravediggers looked on. “Please. I just want to help you.”
Quazum sat motionless staring at the coffin while the workers continued digging. Ben finally turned and walked out to a taxi cab that was waiting in front.
“I think that man is seeing things,” mumbled the first gravedigger.
The other man laughed and responded, “The crazy old man thinks we got ghosts running around the graveyard.”
“I’ve been digging these graves for twenty years, and I ain’t never even heard a ghost!”
Quazum finally got up and quietly moved across the graveyard and lines of tombstones towards the men digging. He then walked up to the men quietly and began to change colors, becoming slightly visible again.
“Hello. I just want to say goodbye to my Grandpa.”
The gravediggers stopped and stared, looking at the possible moving figure. Things were quiet before they began hearing the strange sounds of crying close to the body.
The first man immediately began screaming and pointing towards the coffin. “Aaahhh!!! It’s a ghost!”
The second digger lifted his shovel and began swinging in the direction of Quazum. “Get out of here! Go!”
Quazum took off across the graveyard changing colors again as the gravediggers looked on in shock. They watched the partially invisible figure moving across the lawn before going out of sight.
As Quazum rushed into a wooded area, he quickly climbed a tree and hid out of sight. He was afraid and sad, and continued crying and wiping his eyes. The gravediggers swung shovels and poked at various grave sights as Quazum remained motionless regretting the commotion he started.
The reverend hurried out when he heard the screams and looked around the empty graveyard. He then began yelling at the diggers, “You didn’t see a ghost. There are no ghosts, at least not in my graveyard.”
Quazum remained in the tree looking on as the diggers got back to work. When a slow-moving spider crawled across a web in the tree next to Quazum. He slowly moved closer and reached out to the small spider. As the spider began crawling up his finger, Quazum grabbed it and dropped it into his mouth.
At the Science Exploration Agency, Dr. Palmer was standing in front of scientists with a huge computer screen flashing solar video and explorer video taken from the previous mission with Lacy.
“This area of the Quazmopolis moon has the smallest range of temperatures, only reaching highs of one hundred forty degrees. It could be an area more natural for supporting life.” Palmer looked around the room noticing the same group of uninterested scientists. “Do we have any questions?”
“What’s different about the cactus plants this time?” asked Chris. “Why do you think they’ll grow now?”
The group of scientists mumbled their approval of the question before Oliver added, “New Arid Cacti plants we’re testing are surviving temperatures in a range of two hundred degrees.”
Dr. Palmer then walked up and pointed to computer images. “The new satellites have now detected unexplained motion. I believe there may already be a tiny form of life on Quazmopolis, which may not be visible to the human eye.”
“But you have to take into consideration the winds and rolling rocks.”
“Or it could be a simple explanation of the satellite camera,” responded another young explorer after he raised his hand politely.
“I believe it may be a form of insect life that lives between the rocks, too small for the human eye. We just have to find it. And that is the purpose of this mission.”
Dr. Palmer continued rolling video taken from space onto the big screen. He zoomed in on a small motion in the colored rock, and graphics appeared on screen showing a small simulation of the movement.
“One scientist on the last mission claimed to have observed movement, a possible form of life. But nothing was found to support, or default, her discovery. I want to know what she saw. That is the true base of this new mission.”
“But no form of life we know could survive a daily climate change ranging more than one hundred seventy-five degrees,” replied Pilot Jenkins. “We spent a week performing tests, and we barely survived ourselves.”
“In addition to finding life, I want to successfully begin a permanent life on Quazmopolis,” answered Palmer. “We can do it.”
“But why? We’ll never even see anything in our lifetime,” said Chris before closing his laptop computer.
“And who cares if this cactus plant even does survive?” mumbled Oliver with a laugh. “So we create a desert full of cacti plants?”
Dr. Palmer walked back to the computer screen. “I’m glad you brought that up. With the untested technology, we’ll be able to turn sedimentary rock into a simple form of dirt capable of absorbing water from this oxygen based atmosphere to support life. So in a billion years, that moon may carry an intelligent form of life that we started.”
“Temperature variations may be increasing,” mumbled another scientist. “Couldn’t that just put an end to the life forms we create?”
“Do we want to risk everything in the hopes of just growing a plant?” asked Chris. “If there was gold on this planet or some way to turn a profit, I could see the value...”
“No offense doctor, but the media will be questioning everything we do.” Oliver looked over the documentation before asking, “Is this all just to be kept secret?”
“I want the media exposing every aspect of this mission. We are bringing life to one of the oldest land masses in this galaxy. It is a major milestone for the entire human race. What don’t you understand?”
Alice then poked her head into the conference room. “Dr. Palmer? I’ve got some information for you.”
“What is it? We’re in a meeting.”
“Well, it’s just that Lacy and her father were attacked at home in Back Bayou, Louisiana.”
“Who?” asked a surprised Dr. Palmer. “Lacy Meaux?”
“All we know is that the police went in to ask questions, and Mr. Gabriel Meaux, her father, responded with gunfire. He was shot and killed.”
“And Lacy? How bad is she hurt?”
“We don’t know. She was shot in self-defense by local police and is now in Emergency Care,” said Alice reading from her computer. “She has a fractured open skull, pierced by a bullet.”
“Oh God...” Palmer got up and walked out the door. “This meeting is over.”
Alice ran alongside Dr. Palmer as he walked up the long hallway towards his office.
“It’s a brand-new report. I saw it just minutes ago. It all happened over the weekend at the Meaux swampland. That property is owned by Lacy’s father.”
“Was Ben Thomas involved?”
“Ben?” Lacy looked down and studied from her computer screen. “Well, no. He’s not mentioned in the report.”
“Get Ben Thomas on the phone,” replied Palmer as he turned and walked into his office. “I want to talk to him.”
“I’ll see if I can reach him, but I don’t know...”
“Now!” yelled Dr. Palmer before closing the office door and walking over to his own computer.
Palmer touched icons on screen and spoke into the computer as he typed, “Get me news on Lacy Meaux and her family in Louisiana.”
The computer began reciting news as Palmer began pulling out files. “Attempted arrest was made with Gabriel Meaux on Saturday at his property. It is reported that Gabriel Meaux fired shots at police officers. Returning fire and bullet exchange took Meaux’s life. Police ruled the police shooting was in self-defense. No investigation is underway.”
Palmer continued typing and opening new documents. He read the fast flashing news from around Louisiana, then asked the computer, “Do you have information on Mr. Ben Thomas?”
“Ben Thomas was a one-time employee at Science Exploration, and most recently an employee of ‘New Used Cars’ dealership in Culver City.”
“Was Ben Thomas in Louisiana at the time of the shooting?”
“There are no filed reports of Ben Thomas in Louisiana.”
Dr. Palmer thought for a second before asking, “What was the last location of Ben Thomas?”
The computer paused before speaking up again, “Ben Thomas was documented last week at a service station in New Mexico. The transaction was for sixty-seven dollars and...”
“Where else?”
“Another transaction took place in Houston, Texas. Also for gasoline, this transaction was for fifty- four dollars and...”
“Any other documented transactions... In Louisiana.”
Computer screen was quiet as Dr. Palmer opened other files on screen searching overhead shots of Louisiana. He zoomed into satellite images around areas of the swampland before the computer spoke up again.
“Credit card also shows purchase at a small store in Back Bayou, Louisiana. Store is called Guns-R-Us.”
Quazum quickly walked along the sidewalk next to big city streets, jumping into alleys and hiding from busy people. Wearing no clothes, Quazum continued changing colors trying to remain unseen. Some people noticed a strange movement, but Quazum remained still whenever necessary and was never confronted.
Approaching an old grocery store, Quazum peaked through the window. People were walking in and out and pushing carts with their big bags of food. Quazum moved carefully over to the side of the door debating whether to go inside. When the grocery doors opened suddenly, a scared Quazum jumped into the base of a shopping cart. Remaining unseen, he changed shape and color as the cart moved inside.
A group of workers turned to the open door seeing no one coming in or leaving. When the doors closed, Quazum remained motionless at the bottom of the cart.
“Did you see something?” asked Nancy, a female cashier, as she pointed at the empty cart.
“I didn’t see anything,” answered a co-worker. “What did you see?”
“It was like something invisible moving in the shopping cart right next to the door. I know I saw something.”
“I think you’re just seeing things again,” said the co-worker with a laugh. “Ain’t no ghosts ‘round here.”
Quazum continued sitting in the bottom of the empty cart and remained motionless. An older woman walked up suddenly,grabbed the empty cart, and began pushing Quazum down the aisle. He rode along patiently and remained quiet before the cart stopped. The woman then began checking the fresh produce before Quazum jumped out of the cart and climbed over the aisle to a section of cereal.
Nancy, the cashier, was immediately suspicious again when she noticed slight sounds. She closed the register and quietly walked towards the empty aisle of food. Nancy stared down the empty rows looking for any sign of motion when she noticed an unusual shelf of groceries sticking out in the aisle. She looked confused and moved closer to the unlabeled, unopened box sticking out from the shelf.
As she walked up the aisle, she stared at the protruding box located near a section of salts and seasonings. She stared at the unexplained motionless colors that looked out of place, then walked up closer to the shelf trying to read the strange colored marking on a box.
Nancy reached out to examine the strange shaped box and mumbled, “What are you? Are you some kind of ghost?”
Quazum remained motionless before finally speaking out. “My name is Quazum.” He then began changing colors to expose himself and reached his hand out nervously.
Nancy suddenly jumped up and began screaming, “It’s a ghost! I saw it! A ghost!” She then ran down the aisle back towards the check-out area. “We got a ghost in aisle six! A ghost in aisle six!”
In a panic, Quazum climbed up the side of the shelves again knocking over cans and boxes and hid out of sight at the top. Store employees and shoppers immediately ran over and stared down the empty aisle.
“What are you talking about?” asked a coworker. “I don’t see no ghost!”
“There was something moving! It was next to a cereal box! I saw it change colors and move!”
The shoppers continued looking before Quazum cautiously climbed back down the side of the shelf. Before heading to the door, Quazum changed color again and raced back down the aisle. He grabbed a box of salt, then continued changing to blend in. After finally jumping into an empty cart, Quazum rolled out of the store leaving shoppers and store workers in shock.
Ben walked into the local library. The place looked empty with one older librarian wearing reading glasses and sitting at a desk. Ben stepped up and asked politely, “Excuse me. I’m looking for some local property documentation that’s not available online.”
“What do you want to know?” asked the annoyed librarian.
“Just information about land, owners, and maybe other property of the same owner around the city?”
“Land in the Back Bayou? That’s all in files and the public computer section.” The librarian pointed to a faraway aisle, then adjusted her glasses, and continued reading from her book.
Ben looked around seeing the empty rows, empty desks and unused computers. “I see. Thank you. And don’t get up.”
The librarian didn’t respond as Ben walked over to an assortment of files. Under the entire Meaux family, there was just one name and one address. No other documentation could be found.
Before leaving, Ben walked over to computers and asked for information on the history of iguanian species, chameleon type lizards, and their process of giving birth.
A diversity of old photos and drawings of the evolution history of the reptile species began flashing on the screen. Ben typed in questions and began reading the complicated information. As the computer listed photos and drawings of squamate reptiles with their open eyes and ears, Ben studied the color-changing reptiles and their amazing way of becoming invisible to the human eye.
The computer spoke up, “Reptiles arose on earth in hot climates more than three hundred million years ago during the carboniferous period. Many reptiles possess ectothermic metabolism and have a stronger more protective coating of scales allowing the species to live in temperatures varying from extreme heat to freezing.”
Ben continued opening files and reading from an assortment of documentation trying to understand the species of life from Quazmopolis, and how a body may function in a different form of gravity.
“The historical number of reptilian species is estimated to be more than twice the number of mammal species evolved on earth. Fossils show modern birds, snakes, lizards and semiaquatic animals are the only form of reptilian life still living on earth today.”
Pictures and video continued flashing on the computer, and Ben studied dinosaurs and extinct reptilian life on earth. “Some reptiles today use a variety of camouflage methods changing their own color to minimize the risk of being detected by predators. Some are also known to use white scales, often only noticed by a moving shadow.”
The librarian suddenly walked up, reached out, and turned off Ben’s computer. “We have a policy of no audible noise in this library. You must supply your own headphone source.”
“But there’s no one here. Who am I disturbing?”
“Me,” answered the receptionist. “You’re disturbing me.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but I...”
“If you disagree with library rules, you are free to leave.” The librarian then returned to her desk, put back on glasses and continued reading.
Ben quickly scribbled down information and snapped photos of screen images on his personal computer before returning books to their shelves.
As Ben walked out, he politely smiled and waved to the uninterested librarian. “Thank you for all your help.”
Quazum was kneeling over a crack at the side of a building and studying the ants and bugs crawling up the side. He looked around nervously, then reached out to lick the wall, getting a taste of the small bugs.
When crossing the street, one driver swerved nearly missing him. The confused driver stopped the car and stared out his car window seeing a strange partially invisible figure crawling under another car parked on the side of the road. The car then slowly drove away.
Trying to keep out of sight, Quazum rushed across the sidewalk and into an alley carrying a plastic bag filled with small items. While surrounded by intoxicated homeless people wrapped in blankets, they sometimes glanced up curiously as Quazum walked by. The homeless men would then take another swig from their bottle.
Quazum filled his small bottle with water from a tap on the side of one building and carefully poured in salt from the container he stole from the store. He then crawled into the corner of the alley and pulled a dirty blanket over his body.
After falling asleep, one homeless intoxicated drunk noticed a slight motion at the corner and walked over looking down at Quazum. He reached out to grab the blanket before Quazum spun around and pushed his hand away.
“A ghost! I saw a ghost!” The homeless man then quickly ran down the alley. Other men looked around before going back to sleep.
Quazum took another drink from his salt water bottle and pulled the blanket over his entire body. When he noticed the half bottle of whiskey in the corner, Quazum walked over and curiously smelled the bottle. Recognizing that distinct odor from Gabriel’s drinks, Quazum curiously took a small sip from the bottle.
He immediately coughed and cringed from the sharp taste as it went down and then carried the bottle over to his blanket on the side and laid back down.
While staring down the long dark alley, Quazum took a bigger sip from the bottle, then closed his eyes and went to sleep.
Ben hurried into the same run down police department and was recognized immediately by the same receptionist. “Hello Mr. Thomas. What can we help you with today?”
“Hi,” answered Ben as he looked around. “I just wanted to talk to the sheriff. Is Sheriff Neil in?”
“After your last reported tragedy, I don’t think he’s got time.”
“It’ll just take a second. I just have a few quick questions.”
“I’ll let him know you’re here. You can have a seat.” The secretary then pushed buttons and began to speak, “Sheriff Neil? I have the gentleman, Ben Thomas. He says he needs to talk to you. Yes, I told him.”
The secretary then hung up the phone and looked over to Ben waiting anxiously. Before she could give an answer, the same door then opened, and Sheriff Neil poked his head out. “I didn’t think I’d ever be seeing you again. What can I help you with Mr. Thomas?”
“Can I speak to you Sheriff? In your office?” Sheriff Neil backed up as Ben walked by and down the long hallway. Policemen watched quietly as he passed, wondering why Ben was even showing his face.
Ben sat down on the same chair as Neil closed the door and walked back behind his desk. “What can Back Bayou Police do for you? You have another investigation?”
“I don’t want to bother you. I just have a few questions. It’ll just take a minute.”
Sheriff Neil looked around and seemed annoyed, “You got one minute. What is it you want to know now?”
“I just want to know what kind of reports you might have about what was discovered at the Meaux house? Do you have any reports of Lacy, her condition, or any other information you may have about other Meaux property?”
“You know what we got. It was just Gabriel Meaux, who you killed, and his daughter, Lacy, who one of my deputies killed,” answered Neil. “There’s no other property, and all the false reports and unnecessary violence has been covered up and filed away. What else do you need to know?”
“Can you tell me how long Lacy was even living there? Did she have any kind of registration, a driver’s license, or any credit rating? Or were there ever any visitors to her home in Back Bayou? Anyone?”
“You know the answers to all those questions,” replied Neil. “It was just Gabriel Meaux and his daughter living there. That’s all we got!”
“Well, since the attack,” Ben stumbled and thought about how to ask the next question. “Have there been any sightings of something strange on the property or around the city? Has anyone else been asking questions? Or looking for information?”
“What does that have to do with Gabriel Meaux?” replied Sheriff Neil. “We’ve got criminal reports around town coming in everyday. But I’ve seen no link to the Meaux investigation. Why do you even care?”
“What kind of reports?”
Neil thinks for a second, rolls his eyes and says, “We’ve had fights, robberies, and a couple of reports of ghosts appearing around the city. How’s that?”
Ben’s eyes lit up, “What kind of ghosts? Where? Do you have pictures?”
“Ha! I’m not going to play that game. Reports of ghosts are thrown right in the trash. We get them once a year around Halloween. It's worthless crap.”
“Any description of this ghost? Or a location?”
“Well... A couple of diggers at the graveyard said they heard a talking ghost.”
“Was that Gabriel Meaux’s funeral?”
“They claimed they heard voices and saw movement. That’s all.”
Ben pulled out his phone and began entering information. “Anything else? Another sighting?”
“Yesterday we had some workers at a local store called Grocery Mart. That’s in town. Said people were yelling about a ghost riding in a shopping cart. We thought that was funny.”
“Grocery Mart?”
“That’s over by the bridge, close to the Meaux place.”
Ben entered the information, then got up and rushed to the door. “I’ll check all this out! Thanks Sheriff.”
Sheriff Neil looked confused and shook his head as Ben ran out slamming the office door.
Ben parked his car outside the Grocery Mart and looked around for possible clues. He then walked in studying shopping carts, the baskets for groceries, and the four wheel carts. He then politely walked over to a cashier. “Hi. I heard reports of some type of sighting that occurred here. Do you know anything about this?”
“Oh, you heard about that too?” answered Nancy, the cashier.
“Police think we’re crazy,” said another worker.
The grocery store manager finally walked over and joined into the discussion, “I wish we’d never even reported it.”
“I understand. I just have a few questions,” said Ben politely. “Can someone tell me what the ghost looked like? What exactly did you see?”
“What did ‘he’ look like?” asked Nancy. “It wasn’t no ‘he’. It was just some ghost moving around the store. I saw it down by the aisle of seasonings, and then it climbed up the side of a row of groceries.”
Ben thought about that and seemed surprised, “Hmmm. So, you think it was a real ghost?”
“And we saw an empty rolling cart!” yelled another cashier. “With nothing inside!”
“You’re sure that cart was empty?”
Cashier yelled out, “It was rolling around the store like a car.”
Ben turned back to Nancy and asked, “What did you see?”
“I heard a voice talking in the aisle, and I saw something move.”
“And all the customers were yelling,” said the manager. “They all saw the same invisible ghost!”
Ben looked confused before he asked, “Everyone saw the invisible ghost? Has anything like that ever happened before?”
“I ain’t never seen nothing like that in all my time at the Grocery Mart.”
Nancy stepped up again, “It was something you don’t even see in a movie!”
“So, did this ghost take anything?” asked Ben. “Any idea what he was even after?”
“Nobody knows!” said manager. “It was all just unexplained motion. That’s all we know. And everything’s back to normal.”
Ben looked around at all the serious faces and replied. “ Okay Thanks.”
As Ben then turned and started to make his way out, Nancy spoke up, “I think the ghost might have taken some salt. A box of salt.”
Ben and store employees seemed confused as they looked back. “Salt?”
“Yeah,” said Nancy. “There was a big box of salt missing off the shelf and in the cart when it rolled out.”
“What would a ghost want with salt?” asked the manager.
“I don’t know. That’s the only thing I could find that might be missing!”
“Were there possibly any photos? Maybe something from a security camera?”
“We don’t have any of that stuff,” answered the manager with a laugh. “All we saw was something moving around the store. And it’s gone now.”
Ben then stared at each of the store workers and thought about the situation.
“So that’s the information you need? You got everything?” asked the store manager. “A ghost came in and stole some salt?”
“Yes, thank you.” Ben then turned and walked out.
As the sun began to set in the dark bayou, Ben was driving with his windows rolled down through the marshy area. With car lights on and shining his flashlight out of the car windows, Ben yelled out, “Quazum? Can you hear me?”
Ben continued carefully examining the trees and wild grass along the road. He noticed a movement of squirrels and wild deer deep in the wooded area but did not seem interested.
A soft rain began to drizzle down causing Ben to partially roll up his window and start the windshield wipers. In the distance, Ben saw lights from the big city and continued heading into town. He concentrated on any possible motion he noticed through the wet windows.
As he approached a downtown area, Ben pulled over and parked his dirty car. He climbed out and walked through the light rain to a homeless man standing on an empty street.
Ben looked like he hadn't eaten or slept for several days and said politely, “Excuse me. I want to know if you’ve seen something strange around here. Anything unusual movement, or just a sound?”
“Something strange?” answered the man. “I see strange things every night. Can you spare a buck?”
“I just need you to answer some simple questions.”
“What is it?” asked another homeless man who walked up. “I’ll tell you anything for a buck.”
“Have you seen any kind of strange movement?” asked Ben again. “Just a shadow or an unusual color in the streets? Or maybe just a voice?”
The homeless man looked confused before responding. “I hear voices every day. Can you spare a dollar?”
“How about motion?” asked Ben as he moved his arms. “Do you know anyone that maybe saw an unusual movement? It could be just a rolling ball or just an unusual color.”
“That guy there,” finally answered one homeless man as he pointed down the alley. “That man laying down at the corner said he saw something move. That’s what he said.”
“Thanks,” said Ben as he turned and headed down the alley.
“Wait! Where’s my money,” said the homeless man. “You promised me some money for talking!”
Ben then turned around and pulled out his wallet. He looked down to see two one-dollar bills. Ben thought for a second, then handed him one dollar.
“That’s all I get? Just a buck?”
“Thanks! I appreciate your help,” said Ben before rushing towards the man lying on the blanket. Ben politely shook his shoulder to wake him up.
“Hello,” said Ben as the man started to roll over. “I just want to ask you about the movement you saw? Did you see a ‘ghost’? Can you tell me what happened?
“I can tell you, but it’s going to cost you.”
Ben reached into his wallet and pulled out the last dollar. “This is all I got.”
The man took the money and turned to Ben, “I saw a moving shape down an alley. It was by a dirty gutter, about a mile up the road.”
“Can you tell me what this trashcan looked like?”
“It was by a little trash can in the middle of an alley,” said the man. “Then it just turned invisible and then disappeared!”
Ben thought and looked around the empty alley, “When did you see this motion?”
“It was a couple of days ago I think. I don’t know what it was, but it scared me.”
“Where do you think this trashcan ghost went?”
“It just took off down the alley! I yelled at the ghost, but it just disappeared!” said the homeless man.
Ben walked curiously down the streets and up alleyways between buildings shining his flashlight at garbage and into doorways as he walked down the empty streets quietly whispering, “Quazum?”
Homeless bodies in each alleyway were wrapped in old clothes and old blankets. Ben examined the bodies, and shined his light. Trash and empty bottles could be seen up and down each alleyway. “Quazum? I know you’re out here. I just want to talk to you.”
Homeless drunk men and drug addicts looked curiously at Ben as he continued walking up and down alleyways calling for Quazum.
When finally heading towards the end of an old narrow street, Ben noticed an unusual smell. Puddles of water and bugs were moving quickly along the surface. In the distance, Ben spotted a small blanket in the far corner. The pile appeared to display an old hat and discolored shoes, all covered by an old dirty blanket.
Ben approached cautiously. He first picked up an empty whiskey bottle next to the trash pile and smelled it curiously. Ben then squatted down and leaned down and studied the pile of trash.
“Hello?” Ben tapped on the dark colored area at one side of the blanket and noticed slight motion. As he pulled off more of the covering, he recognized the shape of a small body. “Excuse me, can you answer some questions?”
Ben then shined his flashlight and noticed a color-changing partially invisible body. “Hey, Quazum? Is it you? It’s me. Ben.”
Quazum didn’t move, and Ben sat down quietly. He then looked up at the sky and hugged the unconscious body. “It’s okay, Quazum. It’s me, Ben. I was your Mom’s friend. And I’m here to take care of you. Everything’s going to be okay. I promise you.”
Ben then leaned back holding Quazum tight and was near tears in the dark cold alleyway.