Chronicles of My Alien Invasion Life

Chapter 1

O

ur whole lives, Ghost and I were constantly trying to one-up each other on our adventure-having. Determined to find evidence of the paranormal or the otherworldly. Looking for signs that there was something bigger out there for us to discover. If one of us could imagine it, the other would help them see it through. We never had to convince the other to go along with anything. We were just up for whatever it was, no matter how poorly thought through.

So, I didn’t question anything when he said, I found something we have to check out. Bring your swimsuits, everyone.

We tossed our suits and towels into the back of Corrin’s fifteen-year-old Honda Accord which, according to her parents, was part of the Oklahoma Teenager Starter Pack. We’d all learned to drive that summer. Only Corrin had a car though, so when it was time to get our licenses, hers was the one we were most excited about.

We’d spent a lot of time exploring the larger state parks around our town and hunting for unexplored caves. We’d done a bit of geocaching too for about two days, but Bailey and Pacey had insisted that using our cell phones wasn’t an authentic woodsy experience.

Ghost’s directions took us a few miles north of town, past the dump and the green waste facility. Bailey and Ghost were really into studying maps. They were still doing scouts, and one badge was for how to read topographical maps.

We went over about thirty railroad track crossings and finally came to a dead end near a bridge with a railroad track running over it.

Nope, nope, nope, Corrin said when she realized we were going to be walking across.

It’s abandoned, I promise, Ghost insisted. Trains haven’t run here in ages.

Then why can’t we just drive the car across? Pacey looked the track up and down.

Um, I’m not sure it would hold us? Ghost hopped out, slinging on his backpack.

Cool, cool, cool, I said, but of course followed at his heels.

Fine, but y’all better take it slow, Corrin said, almost at the same time Bailey and Ghost raced each other across.

It was an extremely high bridge, and the creek under it was just a creek. And a creek during a drought.

We could make a bigger creek with a garden hose, Pacey pointed out as the slightly more cautious three of us made our way across.

Definitely no diving allowed. I laughed.

How do you expect us to swim here? Corrin demanded, hands on her hips.

I don’t, Ghost replied loudly over his shoulder.

The bridge was old. Lots of track had been laid in the last hundred years to bring cattle up into Kansas. A lot of the lines weren’t in use anymore. There was a small barrier gate with a chain that had rusted loose a long time ago, so it swung by the hinges. The wood seemed sturdy enough though, and it wasn’t like bridges just spontaneously collapsed.

Right?

Except that one time with Mothman. But I was pretty sure Mothman was trying to warn everyone anyway, and if he showed up, I was on the lookout.

What are those? Pacey pointed at some markings that looked almost like carvings in the metal parts of the bridge.

I’m not sure, I said. Graffiti?

Well, yes, obviously graffiti, but what does it say?

I’m not even sure what language it is, I gave their shoulder a nudge. Probably aliens.

Pacey laughed, You wish.

We were both still looking up at the markings when Corrin caught up with us.

Those are weird, she said.

Yeah, I think so too. I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture to look at later, and we went to catch up with the boys.

We made it across without incident and walked about a quarter of a mile. Then we came to a gravel road that ran parallel to part of the track.

I think they used this for maintenance, but it’s a back way to the quarry, Ghost said, excited to have found the road he had hoped to. Not much further.

Good, because I’m hot, I whined.

Yeah you are, Corrin said in a singsong voice, and I felt a bit faint.

Here ya go, steamy. Pacey passed me a water bottle.

Ghost was right though, and our destination wasn’t too much further.

What is this? Bailey asked.

All five of us stared out at the otherworldly landscape for the first time.

The road leading down carved into the cliffside, unlike any naturally formed one. The edges were severe, steep, and cleanly cut. Layers and layers of earth in rainbow striations. The deep familiar reds of Oklahoma outshined all the tans and grays and yellows and blues. The ochre and the mauve. When the sun shined brightly, the layers sparkled like glitter.

When the Quarriors—I assumed that was what you called someone who worked at a quarry—were done, they filled it with run off overflow from a nearby lake, diverted to help it keep from flooding in stormy seasons. But eventually the engineers had come up with new ways to handle the overflow, so they’d left the quarry on its own.

How deep is it? Pacey asked.

The map says hundreds of feet, said Ghost.

The water was still as glass. It reflected the sun and blue sky, and for a minute, everything felt silent as we took it in.

How do we get down? Corrin asked.

We jump, Ghost said with his most lopsided and impish grin.

I grinned back at him.

Corrin rolled her eyes. And how do we get back up?

We climb? Ghost said.

Dang it, Ghost, you don’t know, do you? Bailey asked, laughing.

Let’s go ahead and figure that out so we don’t all drown in a giant box full of water, shall we? I said, and we started walking.

Eventually, we saw some birds land, and it broke the magic of the water’s surface for a moment, but otherwise, everything was serene and stayed enchanting while we searched along the edge for a path down.

It didn’t take too long before we found one. It was narrow and carved out of the rocks. There were the remnants of a wooden platform near the top, that we guessed could have been an area for site managers to look out from. It zigzagged down almost to the water, but with a few handholds, we were able to get out.

Is the water safe? I asked.

I actually brought something to test that, Bailey said excitedly and pulled out a water analysis kit, because of course he had one of those.

You just had those on you? Pacey examined the kit.

Bailey shrugged. Always be prepared.

I’m really gonna have to get into that water, aren’t I? Corrin asked.

Only if you want to, I said. She knew that, but it always felt good to remind each other. These humans were the only ones I felt myself around, and yeah, there was peer pressure, but we prided ourselves in it being the good kind.

She smiled at me, and I melted a bit like I did every time she smiled at me.

We’ll see, she said, and tomorrow is wash day anyway.

We’re all clear, Bailey smiled at a strip of litmus paper that was bright blue.

You sure it’s supposed to be blue? Pacey teased.

I mean, don’t like swallow a ton, but we’re not going to disintegrate.

Always so reassuring, Bailey. I chuckled as I pulled on goggles.

Ghost and I hopped into the water, and immediately, it was impossible to feel the bottom. Unlike a lake or a river or the ocean, the quarry just dropped off in a sheer slice.

I did a few breast strokes out away from the edge and dove under. The water was cool but not cold. The heat from the sun had warmed the rocks, and the water, though stagnant, was massive.

Gauging where we would jump from, I dove under and swam around, looking for rocks or rusty cars or oil drums. But there was nothing but clear water down further than the sunlight reached. I’d never been in water so deep, and it was disorienting until I broke back through the surface.

Find any treasures? Bailey asked from the path.

No, nothing. I gave them all a thumbs up. I dove in again and swam in a big circle, coming up for air when I needed to, making sure it was clear.

Yep, we’re all clear, Ghost said.

I’m staying here to drag your asses out if you need me to. Corrin pointed finger guns at us. She was actually the strongest swimmer out of all of us. Her parents put her and her brothers in swim lessons when they were really young, and she’d done lifeguard training two summers ago. Even though she said the thought of actually working as a lifeguard bored her to tears.

Spending all day yelling at kids for running by the pool and forgetting to take their goggles off on the high dive? she’d said. No, thank you.

The four of us made it up to the top, where the small platform was, and peered over the edge.

Who’s going first? Ghost asked with his grin wide.

The rest of that day was a blur.

If I’d had to guess, I’d have said we’d all jumped off that cliff two dozen times a piece. Each time felt like flying. Like falling into a new part of the world. Breaking the surface feet first, then feeling bolder, diving, doing flips.

Watching from above was as much fun as watching from below. We cheered each other on as we sailed through the air. Eventually, even Corrin took some turns, wrapping her hair tightly in a swim cap. Pacey got comfortable enough to swim shirtless but kept their binder on. We shared snacks and looked for fish. And the whole day flew by in a whirlwind of splashes and Jaws references.

We walked back to the car a little before sunset, tired and slightly sunburned. As we crossed the bridge, almost back at the main road, Pacey stopped again to look at the symbols.

Do those look different to you? they asked, and I peered up at them in the setting light.

Maybe?

Weird, they said.

Come on, you all, I don’t want to be late, this ride is leaving, Corrin called from the other side.

We went home laughing and leaning against one another in the crowded compact sedan, arms full of wet towels and backpacks and reusable water bottles. Bailey passed around Polaroid pictures he’d taken of each of us, and I held onto mine, tucking it into my bedroom mirror when I got home.

Chapter 2

W

hen Ghost finally told me his idea that maybe what we were seeing at the quarry was something more than a mirage, it didn’t come as a surprise.

I think it’s a portal, Chuck, he said while we sat in the sun, eating Sno Cones. His long tan legs stretched out in front of him as he gazed into the distance.

A portal to where? I crunched the sugary ice between my teeth.

I’m not sure, but I have some theories. He didn’t elaborate. I think we’ll really be able to see it at night. When he asked for my help convincing everyone to come out to the quarry at night a few days later, instead of during the hot afternoon sun, I didn’t hesitate.

And, as usual, when Ghost and I had convinced each other something was a good idea, the two of us could convince our friends to come along as well.

Just tell your folks you’re spending the night at my house. I was working on Corrin and hoping she would drive us to the cliffs before nightfall and after whatever experiment Ghost had in mind had worked its way out of his system.

I just think it’s an absurdly stupid idea to quarry jump at night, she said for the third time.

But we know our way around so well. I rolled over onto my stomach, giving her a pouty face.

And we’ll have our caving headlamps with us, Ghost added. They’re waterproof.

Wearing goggles on your face when you jump into the deep end is the first rookie mistake of the high dive, dummies, Corrin said.

Obviously, the people at the bottom will have the lights. You know, to show us where to land and swim to and stuff. It’ll be fun, I promise, I said. I also have these.

Then, I pulled my trump card.

I dramatically unzipped my backpack to show all the makings for about fifty s’mores.

As though drawn by the sweet scent of marshmallow, Bailey looked up from his notebook and said, I’m in.

You should have led with the s’more part, Pacey said, practically drooling. They reached for the bag.

Not yet, you cretin, I said, swatting their hand away. Back, you fiend.

Okay, Corrin finally agreed. But we’re bringing my telescope.

There was a simultaneous groan from the other three because the telescope was huge and, while, yes, the end result always had us mouths agape and in awe of the universe, it meant three people in the back had to ride with the massive instrument across their legs because it was too precious to cram into the trunk.

Corrin smirked and crossed her arms. Either the telescope goes, or y’all are walking.

Shotgun! all four of us yelled at once.

I have the s’mores, I added, thus securing my place up front.

That means we should probably leave soon so we can get everything calibrated before it’s too dark, Ghost said.

Time to tell some fibs, folks, I said, and we all texted or called our various guardians. It was only for one night, and they’d let us go camping before, just not on such short notice and definitely not at the quarry.

Then, piling into Corrin’s car, we headed just out of town, down the same road we’d driven a thousand times before.

The five of us got to the turnoff before sunset and together hauled the telescope and our camping gear. It took two trips to get everything, and on the way, Ghost and I stopped to study the markings Pacey had pointed out to me on the bridge.

The symbols still meant nothing to me, but Ghost was writing them down so quickly, I felt like he must have been studying them pretty closely.

The night was clear and crisp and a cool relief from the constant pounding heat of the summer. Oklahoma really loved to get its swelter on.

Corrin got to work setting up the telescope, and Bailey helped her get the Orion software up and running so we could more easily track the planets and any comet she might have targeted as worth checking out.

We rarely got far enough out of town to use the telescope, and each summer, the city lights got a bit more sprawling. Luckily, we didn’t have to pull the telescope on our bikes in a makeshift wagon trailer anymore so we could cover further distances. All hail driver’s ed.

The stars were out in the trillions, and we gathered armloads of firewood so we could have it ready when we were done looking through the telescope. It was warm enough we technically didn’t need a fire, but no camp-out would have been complete without one. And how else would we get the beans heated and the marshmallows roasted?

We’re going to jump. I pulled off my jeans and kicked off my tennis shoes. I had come prepared with a swimsuit on, and I handed Pacey the underwater lights.

Sure you don’t want to go look around at the bottom first? they said, laughing. The giant octopus might be prowling.

I wished that hadn’t made me hesitate. But in Oklahoma, we took our cryptids seriously, and the giant lake octopus was known to collapse whole boats.

Wait, this isn’t a lake, I said.

Pacey laughed, clearly seeing the train of thought cross my face. I wondered where you went there for a second, they said. Meet you at the bottom.

Ghost was staring out at the starlight reflecting off the perfectly still water.

It should be easier to see any minute now, he said in a whisper.

And you want us to just like, jump onto it? I asked equally quietly. I was not totally sure what was about to happen, but it felt magnitudinous.

"I’m thinking it’ll be more like jumping into it? he said with a question in his voice. But I’m not sure. I just know it seems consistent."

I nodded. It made sense. At least if the whole portal theory was accurate.

And whatever happens, I’m glad we’re doing this together. He smiled at me.

I peered up at him. You really expect something big to happen, don’t you?

We’ll just have to see.

We waited for what felt like ages but was probably only a few minutes. Then it happened.

It shimmered in the air.

We could see the supposed portal clearly now. Much more so than during the daylight. It was lit up like a dim neon sign.

My instinct was to call out to the others, to see if they could see it too.

But Ghost just said, Let’s go! and took off toward the edge.

I jumped just seconds behind Ghost. He had slightly longer legs and a stronger push and went a little further than I did.

Like we had done a trillion times before but with a different amount of purpose.

When Ghost and I jumped that night, the air felt... different. Neither of us knew what exactly we were jumping into, though I suspected Ghost knew much more than he let on.

But we were both excited to see where we landed.

You know what it’s like when you think there’s one more step on