The Passage

Martha jerks her head up suddenly, alarmed.

Odd?

Jonah debates with himself for a moment or two before continuing.

Well, I don't think they're entirely human.

Martha is clearly relieved that this is the only potentially bad news.

You mean like those super smart kids we've got here

with us?

Jonah is warming up and eager to talk about a matter he knows they must share

sooner or later.

Well .. let me just say this .. the transmission we

got was carrying both audio and video, but they didn't

speak. We got the signal by teletype. And in the

video, they all just stood there, smiling and waving,

but not speaking. Now why would that be .. unless

they couldn’t speak.

Martha frowns and looks down for a moment, processing possibilities.

Did they given any indications .. I mean .. did it

look like maybe the mike was just broke or .. maybe,

ah ..

Jonah is spilling it all freely now.

No, no, and that's not all. They had little mouths,

and no hair. No hair at all! But other than that ..

well, they had big brains, you could see that, big

eyes too .. blue and brown and hazel .. beautiful

eyes, I'll say that! But not a hair on their heads!

And not a word!

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Martha smiles, relieved and obviously expecting something far more bazaar.

So .. did you invite them for supper?

Everyone laughs. Jonah is smiling and likewise relieved at her reaction.

Well yeah! What else was I supposed to do! How weird

can it get! I mean, beyond what we're already dealing

with, what the heck!

Jonah smiles wryly at Big Tom.

_______________________________

Later that evening, when the lights reflecting from the dome city ceiling are

dimming, the city has some visitors. Behind the guard rail along the top

level, near the entry way, some tall dark gray Zetas are standing next to

something that looks like a large green colored worm with two big muppet eyes

at the face end, a tentacle waving. The broad back of what looks exactly like

the creature from the black lagoon looms behind them, and then the round green

hand of a little green man in a dark blue smock comes up over the railing, as

he is pulling himself up for a view. He points toward the center of the dome,

his round face reflecting a smile as board and simple as a have-a-nice-day

symbol.

There is hardly any motion in the dome city, just a person or two moving along

one of the residence patio areas that look out on the gardens, moving off to a

bedroom to settle down. A little boy, Billy, is bustling across the grassy

areas past the fountain, trying to get home before he gets a reminding holler

from his mother. He's the last person to leave the park. He passes the

fountain and hears a faint splash. Billy throws a comment over his shoulder,

not even looking in the direction of the fountain.

No swimming in the fountains, you guys.

A large orange octopus with no eyes pops up out of the fountain water and sits

on the edge of the fountain, shaking water off a tentacle.

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Document Outline

Baaaa