New novel – Sorting the Future – rewritten chapter 6 – Abduction

I am rewriting this story based on the editing from Chris. It is proving trickier than I first thought. You change one thing and there are ramifications that resound down the story. I am going to work this rewrite and then reread and compensate for changes in style and story line to see that it is consistent and makes sense.

I do not want to over-write or lose the simplicity and lightness.

Chapter 6 – Abduction

The four aliens left me alone in the room after showing me the way to get soft seating to materialise out of the walls and how to operate a dispenser of drinks and food and where the toilet was. There was even a holographic TV with all Earth channels and unlimited music. In other circumstances I might have been intrigued. As it was I was totally disinterested. I had too many other things on my mind.

What the hell was I doing here? How had I got myself into this mess?

I paced up and down in the room shaking my head and trying frantically to remember just what had happened and what I should do about it now. Why was my mind such a blank?

If I believed them, and I think I did. I was presently on a ship somewhere up in space. That was crazy. I’d only gone out to walk the dog. How had I let this happen?

At first I simply did not recall how I had been taken on board this ship. I presume I had been abducted. My mind was completely devoid of memories. I couldn’t recollect any decision being made. Yet I was pretty certain that I had received no threats or coercion. I had gone into it willingly. The shimmering had expanded and I had remained rooted to the spot until it enveloped me.

It was sinister. I could only think they had put me in some kind of trance, though I have no evidence to support such a premise. But I was sure I had not been myself. I’m not normally that compliant. I am not generally that brave. If I had been my usual self I would have given Sam a run for his money and I wouldn’t be here now.

I was severely conflicted. I wanted to believe that they were everything they appeared to be – nice, benign, concerned beings who had nothing but my, and the world’s, best interests at heart. Yet there was the other part of me that thought it was all a game; that they were toying with me – and that I was going to meet some ghastly fate.

What disturbed me most was working out why I had behaved in the way I had. That had not been how I normally reacted. If I could only get to the bottom of that it might shine a bit of light on everything else.

When I came round on the couch and that kind lady appeared on the screen I could have argued for them to release me. I couldn’t think why I hadn’t. I could have told them about the family and my job but those things simply did not enter my head. It was as if I was still in a daze. Besides, I was paralysed. I couldn’t move. Plus I was scared stiff. It was no wonder I had been confused. I was still confused. It is not every day you find yourself kidnapped by aliens. It would take a rare man to take that sort of thing in his stride.

I was becoming agitated again. I resolved to keep myself calm and work out a strategy.

I poured myself a drink from the dispenser. It was very zingy and refreshing. And then I sat myself down to think it through. Gradually the memory of what had occurred in that shimmering light began to surface. I hadn’t been grabbed or coerced. Four attractive young ladies had slowly walked up to me and I’d simply followed them towards some hazy object sitting in the corner of that field.

I didn’t ask where we were going or how long for. It didn’t occur to me to get a message to Liz. I had been a mindless idiot.

A ramp had slid down and the five of us walked up into the bright interior of the craft. I allowed them to walk me inside and simply sat myself down in a comfortable seat as if it was all perfectly normal, the wall slid seamlessly back into place and the four ladies joined me on the seats. In hindsight it was obvious now that they were the four aliens I had been talking with.

Not a word was spoken. It was as if this whole process was exactly what was expected to happen. There did not seem to be any doubt that I would obediently follow them into the craft. Once I was in the ship and sat down it was as if I had then inexplicably dropped off to sleep.

The next thing I knew I had woken up in the room on that couch unable to move.

Now that I had seated myself down and had that drink my mind began to work again, the memories were coming back.

There was all the business with the four aliens – they had all seemed so nice and there was all that guff about me being selected as the saviour of the planet. I didn’t believe that for a minute. Something else had to be going on here. They were leading me on to keep me compliant; so that I wouldn’t start making a fuss. I felt a great fear rise up into me again. I had heard tales of alien abductions. They were full of tales of huge probes being shoved up your anus and vivisection and weird sexual practices. Now I thought I could probably handle the weird sex but I wasn’t too keen on the other two alternatives.

Then I started thinking about Liz and the kids and the panic and upset I knew it would cause if I simply disappeared. I should have asked to go back and tell them what was happening before I had allowed myself to be led into the ship. I knew they would be distraught. I remember I had tried with some feeble, half-hearted attempt.

I had broached the subject with the four aliens after they had revealed themselves to me.

‘I have to let my wife know,’ I had told the Lady who seemed to be the one in charge.

‘I am sorry. There is no time for that,’ she replied rather dispassionately. ‘There are much more important issues to deal with. Time is of the essence.’

The thought of what would happen at work had passed through my mind but that soon evaporated into the ether. They would cope. I had returned to thinking about Liz and the kids. They would be beside themselves.

‘I have to let her know,’ I pleaded once again.

They will know soon enough,’ the woman reassured me. ‘Do not worry yourself. They will be very worried for now, but in due course they will understand that there was no other way.’

‘You do not understand,’ I begged, ‘she will be absolutely out of her mind. It will only take a few minutes. I have to let her know.’

The pleasant lady had stared at me glumly.

‘We cannot deviate from the plan. It would take a lot longer than you think. Your wife and children would ask questions. They would be just as upset by the thought of you coming with us. It would not take a few minutes. You know that is not true. Besides, it would complicate issues.’

I found myself thinking about what all those complications might be. The thought of police, newspapers and the military came to mind.

Besides, the time to do anything of that sort had already gone. We were probably the other side of the moon by now.

Without feeling any great thrust or sensation of movement I still knew we were already airborne and travelling at great speed. Contacting Liz was already not an option.

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