Mr. Pinkerton's Error

Lyle and Owen stared out their bedroom window. A large silver spacecraft hovered just above the cornfields beyond the silo. Lyle pulled Owen back from the sill. “We should get Pa.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll stay here and keep an eye on it.”

Owen sprinted away. He heard him yelling, “Pa. Come quick with the gun!”

Lyle kept his eyes fixed upon the spinning craft. Blue lights emanated from its base and seemed to be searching the fields for something. A lump in Lyle’s throat developed.

Mr. Pinkerton dressed only in his underwear, entered the room. His leaning hair, his stubbled gray beard, and protruding belly completed the picture. Lyle put his finger to his lips and motioned him toward the window. Mr. Pinkerton peered out.

“Nice cornfield,” He stated, “You two have quite an imagination. Don’t believe everything you see, boys.”

“But Pa…” Lyle retorted, “It was right there.”

“Now, Lyle. I warned you before not to be making up stories. Whatever you two saw, it was probably some satellite or moonlight shining off the silo. There is no such thing as space aliens. Back to bed.”

“I saw it too Pa. It weren’t no satellite. It was big and was spinning like a top, but slower.”

“See what you did, Lyle? You got your brother in all this silliness.”

Lyle knew his father. He wouldn’t admit anything that he didn’t see himself.

………………….

“You see Bones yet?” Zippi asked.

“No. He got in the transporter and went to the surface. We can’t stay here long. The humans will see us.”

“I keep telling you to not leave the transporter on automatic.”

“I know. Sorry, Dad.”

“Well, that’s the least of our worries. When Bones gets hungry, we could have an all out war. He’s partial to human brains, you know.”


300 Words
Flash Story Must contain the line: "Don’t believe everything you see"