Chapter Fifteen

Margo sat in the idling Volkswagen, staring out at the huge vans bogging down the late-afternoon traffic.
“Look, Sammy,” she said. “What do you suppose they’re doing here?”
Pressing his face to the window, Sammy abandoned the yellowing pages of the old magazine.
“Wow! Just look at them!”
Examining the vehicles, Margo noted the odd shape and strange features of the van. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.
“I’ve never seen anything like those before,” Margo said. But suddenly she felt restless and uncomfortable, as if something vague and hidden was struggling to be seen.
Glued to the sight of the strange vans, Sammy squirmed around to see more clearly.
“I think they’re busses! They’re probably the newest kind there is. There’s no one in them, though! Mom, I’ll bet Dad wants to ride home on one of the new busses today! Can I go with him?”
Making the left turn into the entrance to the store’s parking lot, Margo took a deep breath and shifted down into second.
“No,” she said abruptly. “We’ll wait for him. They may not be busses at all and we’re already here. Besides, your father needs to get home quickly so he can lie down. He’s been having those awful headaches and I have a lot to do before dinner.”
“Aw,” Sammy muttered, devastated. Gazing out at the unfamiliar vans, he speculated loudly. “I’ll bet they’re not busses anyway, they’re probably some kind of new spaceship. Maybe they’re here to protect us from the enemy!”
Angrily, Margo turned to face him. “Now, listen young man. You have absolutely no idea what those vans are for and neither do I, but they aren’t spaceships and they certainly have nothing to do with the ‘enemy.’ So you keep your thoughts to yourself.”
Grumbling, Sammy picked up the crumbling magazine and flipped through, looking at the faded pictures.

At six-thirty, Vic looked up from his dinner to the TV set. A flustered newscaster announced that a city official was about to make an important announcement.
“I wonder if it has anything to do with my petition,” Margo said.
“Dad, look at this!” Sammy picked up the old magazine with a crazed excitement and pointed at a page.
“Not now, Sammy,” Vic said.
Adjusting the volume on the set, Vic had a deep feeling of unease, even fear.
Sammy said loudly, “Dad, look! It’s Mr. Black!”
Sure enough, Bill Black was looking out at them from their television screen, looking almost as disturbed as Vic felt as he watched him fidget with his tight-fitting pants. Abandoning the dirty dishes, Margo came in from the kitchen wearing an expression of disbelief.
“As many of you noticed earlier this evening, some government vehicles have been dispatched to our town. I cannot disclose the full details of the situation, but tomorrow morning you will be evacuated to another location for your own safety in those secure transport vehicles. Tomorrow morning at 10:00 am sharp, your family must be at the town square, bringing only one change of clothes per person. Do not be late, and do not attempt to bring anything more with you. We ask that everyone stay calm and follow our instructions exactly, or you will be taken into custody until the town is emptied.”
Bill Black swallowed and continued.
“I understand that this is sudden and frightening. Nonetheless, we ask for your cooperation in this grave matter. Thank you.”
Margo and Vic looked at one another in silent horror. Running to Vic, Sammy said excitedly “Dad, I was trying to show you. Look!” Vic picked up the magazine and examined the photograph on the page.
“See it? It looks almost exactly like the new vans!” An oddly familiar feeling of cold dread came over Vic as he stared at the picture. Some kind of deep-seated recognition stirring in his gut. Searching frantically through the magazine, he found a faded article about some old fashion craze called Miss Adonis hats, and another article a few pages in describing some kind of property litigations on Venus. He scoured the page for a date.
May 10, 1997.