“Hank, you okay?” said a voice.
It was Lily. Hank quickly put the note into his pocket and turned to face her.
“Yes, yes. I’m fine,” replied Hank, He brushed his hair back nervously. Then he followed with, “No, I’m really not. I’m worried about Juan. This was his first time flying, you know. I just hope he’s not frightened.”
“That boy? I bet he’s loving it. I’ve never known a kid who lived for adventure the way he does. I’m sure his mom would be proud. He’s probably asking the pilot for a quick flight lesson right now.”
Hank chuckled and Lily smiled at him. Crickets began chirping. She had an overwhelming desire to say something helpful, but nothing seemed good enough.
“Well, today had a surprising turn of events,” said Lily, finally. “I already told the cowboys they’ll need to cover Juan’s work this week. I hope you don’t mind. Anyway, I just wanted to check on you. You and Juan are a really important part of this ranch, you know?”
“Thank you, Lily. I appreciate it. It’s…well…I’d invite you in for tea, but I…tonight’s just not a good time. You understand. Let’s talk tomorrow, at breakfast.”
“Sure, sure. No problem. Juan’ll be back soon. He’ll track that lady down fast and be home before you know it. Goodnight, Hank. See you tomorrow.”
He watched Lily walk up the driveway, into the dusk. Her cabin was some distance away, past the main ranch house. When she had disappeared over the hill, Hank pulled the note from his pocket and read it.
“Dad, burn this note after you read it. I don’t know who she is, but there is a woman hiding in the cabin, and she is terrified. She said Dr. Zell wants to kill her. She must have stowed away on the plane and flown here with them. Dad, be ready, she’s very strange looking, so don’t be alarmed. She has very large eyes, or her nose and mouth small. I’m not sure which. And no hair. But please protect her. I think she is sick, she was shivering uncontrollably, and seems very weak. I don’t know what I’m going to do on this trip but I’ll get back as soon as possible. Please keep her hidden and safe. I think you should be extra careful. I love you Dad.
-Juan
Ps. 32:7
“
Hank reread the bewildering note then pulled out his smart phone to look up the verse:
Psalm 32:7 - “You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble…”
“What is he doing?” wondered Hank out loud. He was more than a little hesitant to enter the cabin. But, he must enter. He had to find out what Juan was talking about. And besides, Max needed his dinner. He opened the door and entered.
Max hopped off the couch and trotted over to him. He didn’t have a tail to wag, so to show his happy greeting he puffed and snorted and reared up and down like a little horse. Hank gave him a scratch behind the ear while looking at the lump of blanket on the couch. Nobody was there. He felt himself sigh in relief. Perhaps Juan was playing a joke. But if so, this went too far. He wouldn’t have taken it so far, would he?
Hank let Max outside, then went to the couch, turned on the lamp, and began to fold the blanket. It was warm. Suddenly, he heard a sound from down the hallway which caused his heart to skip a beat. It was the toilet flushing.
Hank froze, his eyes fixed on the darkened hallway that led to the bedrooms and bathroom. A moment later he saw a silhouette emerge at the edge of the lamp light.
“Are you some kind of an alien?” he whispered.
“I don’t know what you mean,” answered the woman.
“I mean, are you…human…like, like, me? Are you…from this planet?” Hank whispered again.
“No, not exactly,” responded the woman.
She stepped into the light, but steadied herself with her hand on the wall. “That is, I am human…, but not from here.”
They stared at each other. Hank noted her large, beautiful eyes.
The girl broke the silence, “The boy said not to turn the lights on.”
“Oh. Right,” responded Hank. “I’ll pull the shades. Not that anyone is around to look in the windows tonight.”
Hank busied himself closing the shades. Max scratched at the door, and Hank let him in. Then he closed and locked the door.
“Do you need food or water?” Hank asked.
“I can’t eat, I don’t feel well. I’ll take water,” was the response.
Hank put a kettle of water on the stove, and gave Max a scoop of dog food, which he sniffed reluctantly, as if he expected something else, but then fell to eating like he hadn’t eaten for days. In a moment Max was done and disappeared from the kitchen.
Hank finished making tea for himself and poured a glass of water and brought it to the woman. She was wrapped in the blanket again. A hand emerged to take the glass, and Max’s head poked out from under the blanket, too.
“This is such a nice creature. What is it?” she whispered.
“Oh, uh, that’s Max. That’s his name. He’s a, he’s a dog. You don’t know about dogs?”
“Dog. Dog.” The woman repeated, trying the word. “No, I haven’t seen a dog. He’s so warm. I like him.”
She finished the water and handed the glass to Hank. Her hand, and Max, disappeared under the blanket again. She leaned back on the couch, resting.
“Please tell me - is it safe here?”
Hank thought for a moment. He didn’t know what to say, but he knew he didn’t want to say that it wasn’t going to be safe anywhere for her. For one thing, her looks would make her stand out. But maybe in different clothing, and with a hat or a wig, she wouldn’t stand out so very much.
“Yes, you’re safe with me, at least as far as I’m able to keep you safe. I’m not sure what to do to keep you secret for long, though. We’ll have to think about that. And I need to know what to keep you safe from. And from who. My son, Juan, the boy you met earlier, he was taken by Dr. Zell and those men tonight. They just flew away on her jet. I think they want him to help search for you, maybe? At the place you came from. Where did you come from? And how did you get here?”
The woman was silent.
“Do you have a name?” Hank asked. “You can call me Hank.”
The woman’s body shook. Hank realized she was quietly weeping. Hank fetched a tissue for her.
“You poor thing, you’re sick and frightened. You’re stressed. We’ll get you well. I’ll make some tea for you.”
Hank returned shortly with a cup of tea. By this time the woman had regained her composure.
“Now, let’s start with your name.”
“I am Kris,” she said.
“Kris. That’s a beautiful name,” responded Hank. “That’s an earthly name.” Hank smiled at her. “And remember, you can call me Hank.”
“Earthly, yes, I am earthly,” she said softly. Then she said, “Hank, I’m very sorry.”
“What for, Kris? And what are you running from? Why were you crying? There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“Yes there is, there is. You don’t understand. I wasn’t supposed to come to this planet. I wasn’t supposed to find Earth. My arrival exposed their secrets, and they want me captured, or dead, before anyone else learns what they’re doing.”
Kris paused, breathing heavily, struggling not to cry again.
“I am sorry, Hank, because they’ve taken your son to a terrible place. A place no one ever leaves.”