| |
Northeast Neighbors
Salem, Oregon: 4 a.m.
Cassandra Meeks rose suddenly in her bed. Dogs barked angrily along 18th street. She hurried to the rear window, pulled back the heavy curtains, and peered anxiously into the darkness. Even though she didn’t see anything, she sensed their presence.
For the past several weeks she had seen their yellow eyes glaring through the privet row that fenced her small backyard. They monitored her house. She didn’t know what they were, but they watched her, keeping tabs on her whereabouts at all times during the night. When they appeared, the neighborhood dogs grew hostile and barked fiercely—just like tonight.
Cassandra considered calling the police but knew they’d be no help. Who’d believe her? She hardly believed it herself.
Tremors shook through her body. She released the curtain and ran across the hall to her daughter’s bedroom. She flung open the door. Her heart hammered in her chest.
The window was open and wind ruffled the curtains.
Cassandra always kept the window closed and locked. She flipped on Alicia’s bedroom light.
Her ten-year-old daughter was gone.
Cassandra leaned out the open window, hoping to capture sight of her child’s abductors, but they weren’t anywhere to be seen. They had probably taken Alicia and fled earlier in the night.
She didn’t know why, but she looked under the bed and then checked the closet, clinging to the hope that Alicia might have hidden when they forced the window up and crept into her bedroom.
In panic, Cassandra yanked the blankets off the bed. Tears heated her eyes. “Alicia! Where are you?”
She ran downstairs, room-to-room, turning on lights as she went. In the kitchen, she unlocked and flung open the back door. She pushed the screen door open and searched the hedgerow for glowing eyes. They weren’t there. She knew without question they’d never return. They had what they wanted. Her daughter.
Cassandra walked into the kitchen, grabbed her cellphone off the countertop, and frantically punched in 9-1-1.
“I need the police.” She sobbed and stuttered as she spoke. “Someone’s taken my daughter.”
When she disconnected the call, she sat at the kitchen table and shook her head. Tears flowed. Her heart ached. Seizing fear consumed her.
Alicia. Her only child. Taken in the night by monsters. Creatures she couldn’t explain even if she tried. She worried about the outcome. Two people had been brutally murdered a week earlier, and the police still had no leads. She didn’t want her daughter to suffer and die like they had. Alicia didn’t deserve to die like that. No one did.
As Cassandra waited for the police, she thought about her miracle child.
Several years earlier, her family doctor had told her she was infertile and having a baby was impossible. While married, she and her husband had tried everything other doctors recommended to increase their chances to have a baby.
Nothing had worked.
Fertility drugs hadn’t work. Diets hadn’t work. They invested nearly thirty thousand dollars for in vitro fertilization and that failed as well.
After ten frustrating years, her husband, Douglas, gave up, divorced her, and started a family with another younger woman. Cassandra’s broken heart drove her to extreme workouts and excessively long runs. Her drive to fitness waned her loss, but doctors insisted her overly lean body prevented her from having a baby due to a drastic decrease in her estrogen levels.
At the age of twenty-nine, Cassandra had finally decided she’d never have a baby, never be a mother. She had lost all hope. That is, until New Horizons Fertility Clinic opened in Salem.
She received a personalized letter with an invitation to talk to their doctors about her condition. Angered, she called her medical doctor demanding to know who had violated her doctor/patient confidentiality, only to discover her records had been kept completely confidential and no one had requested any of her medical information. They assured her none of her personal files had been released to anyone. Mystified, she drove to New Horizons to find out more.
Because of all the time and money Cassandra had expended trying to get pregnant, she explained that she didn’t have funds to meet their costs. Dr. Randal Shelby told her he’d waive the costs as long as she endorsed them and allowed them to use her image and testimony to promote their industry. She happily agreed.
As she drove home, she felt more blessed than if she had won a major lottery fortune because for her to have a baby was worth more than all the money in the world.
After six weeks of genetic selection trials, her first pregnancy test came back positive. She was ecstatic.
Cassandra shopped for baby clothes and decorated Alicia’s room. New Horizons offered scientific procedures that had allowed her to choose her baby’s sex, and the eye and hair color. Gene selection also provided added benefits—cancer and disease resistance. Unknown modifications later revealed themselves and at first, these anomalies didn’t concern her.
Alicia appeared in every fashion a normal child, and Alicia’s teachers considered her a gifted phenomenon. She read college level texts by age three. At four years of age, she solved calculus theorems with ease. Her advanced understanding shunned her from ordinary students and alienated her from her peers. In so many aspects she outranked their abilities. The other children noticed Alicia was different and kept their distance.
New Horizons donated funds for personal home tutors. Cassandra protested, saying that she had no way to ever repay them for their contributions. Dr. Shelby explained that the more they invested in Alicia, the further they promoted their science and reputation. The benefits outweighed their costs and at no time would she ever be required to repay the facility.
At age nine, Alicia had completed two years of college in genetics and microbiology. When Alicia turned ten, Cassandra noticed new abilities her daughter possessed and some of these frightened her.
They could never own any pets. Cats hissed and hid from Alicia whenever she came near them. Dogs growled and snarled at her. When Cassandra brought home a puppy, the little thing whimpered and peed on the floor whenever Alicia reached to pet it. Although Alicia loved animals, she was cursed to admire them from afar.
Alicia had uncanny hearing. Her sense of smell was acute. She perceived her surroundings in ways that defied all logic. On several occasions, she had told her mother which routes to avoid during trips. When she took her young daughter’s advice, they avoided major accidents. On the one time Cassandra ignored Alicia’s warning during a violent thunderstorm, they were almost swept off the highway by floodwaters crossing the road. From that day forward she never took Alicia’s premonitions for granted.
The first night Cassandra had seen the glowing-eyed creatures peering through the darkness, terror seized her. She had been washing dishes when she saw movement outside the window in her backyard. Fear prevented her from moving. In stunned silence her curiosity forced her to study them.
The lack of light prevented her from seeing their bodies. Estimating by their glowing, catlike eyes, they were about the size of large dogs. She counted three sets of yellow eyes staring through the hedges. Their silhouettes moved along in a pack. In unison they slinked closer to the house. Finally able to move, Cassandra stepped away from the sink, locked the back door, and checked on Alicia.
Alicia sat in the living room doing homework. She set down her pencil and sniffed the air. Cocking her head to the side, she listened. Her blue eyes stared straight ahead. Alicia was attuned to their presence, but Cassandra never understood why.
Cassandra sat on the couch beside her daughter and draped an arm across Alicia’s shoulder.
“You hear them?” Alicia asked, pulling her long blonde hair back and uncovering her ears.
“Who?”
Alicia frowned. “I don’t know. The new people in our neighborhood?”
Cassandra took a deep breath. Her daughter hadn’t seen them, but she knew they were outside. She wondered how long Alicia had known about them and why she considered them people.
Dogs howled all along the street.
“The dogs don’t like them,” Alicia said. “The dogs hate them.”
“Why?”
Alicia thought for a minute. “They don’t smell right.”
“What do you mean?”
Alicia shrugged. “Their smell is hard to explain. It’s unlike anything I’ve smelled before. But, I don’t think they mean us any harm.”
The azalea bushes rustled outside the front windows.
“They are a curious bunch,” Alicia said.
“What do they want?”
“Nothing. Just curious.”
Claws scratched the screen. Cassandra feared they’d come through the window. A dog charged from across the street and chased them away. A few minutes later, far in the distance, the dog yelped and squalled in pain.
Alicia winced and shook her head. “It should have known better.”
“They killed the dog?”
Alicia pondered for a moment. “No. He’ll live, but he’ll be more respectful in the future.”
Cassandra marveled at how her daughter perceived the injured dog’s thoughts. She also wondered if Alicia understood their new neighbors weren’t humans but strange, unidentifiable creatures. Could they somehow communicate with her?
Even when the creatures were at the living room window Alicia hadn’t shown any fear, which made Cassandra question if they had taken Alicia, or if Alicia had chosen to leave with them willingly and without struggle.
Cassandra stood and walked to the refrigerator. She removed the magnetized frame that enclosed a photo of her daughter. Alicia’s wide smile brought fresh, helpless tears to Cassandra’s eyes.
“They took you,” she whispered. “What do they want with you?”
Heavy knocks thudded on the front door. Cassandra hurried and opened it. Blue lights flashed in her driveway, painting the neighboring houses with an eerie shade of flickering blue. A stocky officer stood on her porch.
“I’m Officer Parker. You reported that your daughter is missing?”
Cassandra hesitantly opened the door a bit wider.
“Yes,” She nodded, holding out the photo. “This is a picture of her. It was taken about two weeks ago.”
Parker took the photo and shook his head. “This is the second child to disappear tonight.”
Cassandra’s eyes widened. “Another child is missing?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He stepped past her and through the door. “I’m afraid so. Do you mind showing me your daughter’s room?”
“Of course. This way.”
Parker followed her to the stairs. Parker was a muscular man, about six feet tall with brown hair and hazel eyes. His uniform was tight and form-fitted.
When Cassandra looked into his eyes she felt uncomfortable. His hardened facial expression was like a chiseled granite statue. The lines on his face indicated that he seldom smiled. His gruff, callous voice defined an uncaring nature, void of love or compassion.
“Who is the other missing child?” she asked.
“Seth Greaves.”
A lump tightened in Cassandra’s throat. “Little Seth?”
Parker stopped at the top of the stairs. “Do you know him?”
“Alicia and Seth are close friends. They have the same tutors.”
“Interesting,” he replied in an even tone.
“Is Deidre okay?” Cassandra asked.
“Deidre?”
“Seth’s mother.”
“I don’t know, ma’am. Officer Reece is at the scene. Your call came in while I was in transit to the Greaves’ home.”
Parker opened Alicia’s door before she told him which bedroom belonged to her daughter. He stepped across the threshold. When she followed, he turned. His brown eyes narrowed with a violent stare that chilled her.
“They came through the window,” she said, pointing.
“They?” His cold eyes asserted dominance as he stared into hers. She didn’t have enough courage to hold his gaze and quickly looked at the floor.
Cassandra shrugged and nervously finger-combed her hair. “Whoever took her did.”
“When did you discover your daughter was missing?”
“About a half hour ago.”
“You didn’t hear any noises?”
“Just dogs barking in the neighborhood.”
Parker wrote the information into his report book. He peered out the window then he closed it. “You really should keep your windows closed.”
“I do. It was locked.”
He cocked a brow as he looked into her frightened eyes. She looked away.
“Are you certain it was locked?”
Cassandra nodded. “Yes. I check it every night.”
“Any suspicious activities happened lately?”
“Like what?”
“Like people calling and hanging up. Strangers standing around outside. Cars parked along the street that you don’t recognize?”
She shook her head. “No, nothing like that.”
Parker stared at her for a few more seconds before he left the room and walked downstairs. As he headed to the door, he pulled a card from his jacket. “My number is on here. Call me should she get in touch with you by phone or if anyone calls demanding ransom.”
“Look around, sir. You can see I don’t have much money. Nothing I have would be worth taking Alicia from me.”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t mean they won’t try anyway. Drug addicts do desperate things to get money.”
“I don’t think addicts are responsible.”
“Who do you suspect?”
Cassandra feared telling him about the creatures because he probably wouldn’t believe her. But his attitude indicated that he had information he wasn’t willing to share. And he also seemed to sense that she was withholding information.
“I don’t know anyone that would have taken her.”
Parker nodded. “Then let us do our job. Workers from forensics will come soon. It’s best you don’t move items in her room until they dust for prints.”
“I understand.”
“Call us if anyone else contacts you about your daughter.”
Cassandra held the doorknob tight as he stepped out onto the porch. She wanted to slam the door shut and lock it. She wanted him out of her house. She didn’t understand exactly why he made her feel so uneasy, but he did, in spite of his police uniform and badge.
He held up the picture. “You mind if I keep this until I can get it copied?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll call once we turn up something.”
She closed the door, leaned her back against it, and in a sense felt more at ease when the officer was gone. Breathing was easier. Her chest muscles relaxed after she released a long sigh.
A part of her was angered and insulted at how little he seemed to care. He had no sense of urgency and seemed to shrug off his duty. Where was his compassion? Did he not have any children of his own? What would become of Alicia if the police refused to aid her return?
***
Officer Parker backed his patrol car from the driveway and drove down the street with the lights flashing. He grabbed his radio transmitter.
“Just left Cassandra Meeks’ house. I suspect she knows too much.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of her.”