Chapter 11

They begin their new routine the next morning. But because they arrive unannounced in the cave, it's crawling with all its residents. The only resident not crawling about is the ginormous roach containing the queen. But they all go about the process of collecting soil and water samples. The residents of the cave move out of their way as they walk. Yvette shows Brian and Steve the ginormous cockroach. Both young men are speechless. Holding tight to Jeff's arm, Reana peeps around his shoulder at the humongous roach. She manages to say, "Holy Mother, help us."

They visit again that night on the way home, and again the next morning on the way to town to work in the lab. There are a couple of trips to the grocery store and the hardware store. But they place the first couple of bombs in the cave by carefully selected barrels in out of sight places because they don't know how often someone from town comes to the cave.

They stop at the cave on their way home, to decide where to place the last few bombs. But there's a surprise waiting for them in the cave.

"Come in, come in," Old Widow Johnson beckons with a smile. She's sitting on a chair on top of the barrels the ginormous roach queen sits on. The ginormous roach queen has attached itself to the genteel old grandmother.

"I wanted to talk with you myself," the old woman says with a smile.

Reana's eyes well up with tears as she says tentatively, "Granny."

"Granny is here," answers the old woman.

Reana rushes over to Old Widow Johnson. She's so focused on getting to her beloved Granny she is heedless of the humongous roach behind the old woman, her phobic fear overridden by her love and concern for the old woman as she scrambles on top of the barrels. Once on top, Reana kneels down before Old Widow Johnson, reaches out and touches her face. And with a soft sob says, "Granny." Reana rest her head in the old woman's lap and tears slide from her eyes.

The old hands smooth Reana's hair gently. The wise old eyes look down at the young woman with concern. Then with a tired sigh, she looks at Jeff and the other three young people. They have tears in their eyes also.

"Maybe this vessel wasn't the best choice," Old Widow Johnson says to Jeff. "She is the oldest person of the community and everyone respects and loves her. I certainly didn't want to use someone young and vital knowing they would expire shortly after I used them. So, I had Mrs. Johnson brought out to me while you worked in the lab today. I just wanted to be able to speak with you myself because I am so impressed with all of you. You're so dedicated, such hard workers. I didn't mean to upset you."

Jeff gives each young person by him a nudge. They each give him a nod of understanding and set off to do what they planned for the night. Yvette picks up Reana's bag from the floor of the cave, pausing to look sadly upon the old woman and Reana.

Jeff steps closer to Old Widow Johnson and Reana. "Reana," he explains, "isn't close to her biological grandparents. They didn't approve of her parents' marriage. So they chose to focus on their other grandchildren. So, Granny there was Reana's unofficial grandmother. We both love her very much."

"Oh," Granny responds misty eyed, "Granny loves you both very much as well. But she hadn't realized she was that special to you both. She thought you both were just humoring a lonely old woman. She doesn't have any relatives left in town anymore."

"She has us," responds Jeff. "She's family for us."

"She's so honored and over joyed to know this," the old woman responds with a sad smile.

"Everyone else seems robotic," states Jeff. "But you don't seem to have any trouble expressing emotion."

"I believe the difference is Granny, herself," shares the queen through the old woman. "Everyone else is fighting for complete and total control of themselves. While Granny here seems resign to her fate. Plus, she's quite intrigued by the whole thing. I've shared all my knowledge with her. And she's relieved I didn't choose someone young and vital like yourselves. She feels she's had a good run. She out lived two husbands, raised four children, given piano lessons to over a hundred children and her second great grandchild was born last month. She feels she's lead a full wonderful life and she has no regrets."

Yvette, Brian and Steve return to Jeff.

"Get everything we need," ask Jeff.

They nod affirmatively and cast sad eyes in Reana and Old Widow Johnson's direction.

Jeff takes a deep breath and walks over to Reana. He lays a hand on Reana's back and gives her arm a gentle tug in his direction, "Reana, honey, let's go home."

Reana looks back at Jeff for a moment. Then she looks up into Granny's face and Granny smiles at Reana. Reana holds up her left hand and points to her engagement ring. "We're engaged, Granny. We're hoping for a late summer wedding. When we came for dinner again, I was going to ask you if you had time to help me choose a dress... It's not going to happen, is it, Granny?"

The old hands take Reana's. She says to Reana, "It's a lovely ring. I'm so sorry Granny won't be able to help you with your wedding plans. Granny would have loved that. We can see how beautiful you would look on your wedding day."

She gently wipes tears from Reana's face, "You've been working very hard. Go home and get some sleep. You should all sleep in a little tomorrow. That would be fine. They'll expect you to be late."

Jeff helps Reana down off the barrels. He holds her close as they all walk solemnly from the cave.

Jeff hands Yvette the keys, "I'm going to sit in the back with Reana."

It's quiet in the jeep except for Reana's soft sobs as she occasionally says, "Granny," soft and mournful.

"Did you find good places for them," Jeff asks Yvette, Brian and Steve.

They each nod affirmatively to Jeff. So far they've planted a total of five bombs.

Brian says, "She was my Sunday school teacher when I was little."

Yvette shares, "Reana, Steve and I, all took piano lessons from her. She's such a sweet lady."

"Before Larry and Libby passed," Jeff shares, "They used to alternate going to her house for dinner and having her over for dinner once a week. Then I moved in to care for Reana, but my cooking skills were underdeveloped then. So we kept up the once a week dinner schedule with us going over to her house every week. We had dinner with her the day Reana came home and were planning to resume our weekly schedule."

Yvette, Brian and Steve plop down around the kitchen table. Jeff leads Reana upstairs and puts her to bed. He comes down a few minutes later and joins them at the table.

"We don't have to do it," says Yvette looking at these men she's known her whole life. "We don't have to go through with it."

"And what," asks Steve, "Keep working until they actually find a way to use us as host so they can enslave the human race?"

"Maybe it won't be as bad as we think," responds Yvette.

"Yvette," Jeff's voice sure and firm, "I love Old Widow Johnson too. She really helped Reana and me cope with Larry and Libby's deaths. And I know I'm going to have to say this to Reana too, but there isn't anything we can do to save her now."

"No matter what we do," adds Brian, "she's dead."

Hearing it doesn't make it any easier for Yvette, "But..."

"No, buts," says Jeff. "All we can do at this point is make sure she doesn't suffer any longer than necessary."

Yvette nods her understanding sadly, "I know."

"Let's get some sleep," directs Jeff standing up from the table, "We'll make a few more pipe bombs tomorrow night. Then we'll blow that cave to hell."

They don't go into town to work at the lab until noon. There is concern over Reana's condition. She's unusually quiet even for her. They do stop at the cave on their way home to double check for the best places to place a few more pipe bombs. Yvette, Steve and Brian perform this task. Getting up on the barrels where the giant queen sits attached to Old Widow Johnson. They go past it where Old Widow Johnson can't see what they're doing. It just looks like they're exploring and collecting samples. And Reana's distress is their advantage, the queen is focused on her and Jeff.

Reana touches the old woman's feet, "Granny, you're cold." She rushes from the cave.

"How is she," the queen ask Jeff.

Jeff shrugs, "I think this is all a little too much for her. We knew Granny wouldn't live forever, but this isn't how either of us thought we would lose her.

I'm her Godfather. So when her parents died, I thought I might have to fight to be her guardian despite the fact that it was in her parents' will for me to be her guardian in case of their untimely death. Children Services made it a point to contact her biological grandparents, aunts and uncles to see if there were any relatives willing to step in and care for her. They were leery of a single man raising an unrelated child. I think even more leery than usual because she was technically already a beautiful young woman.

Both sets of her grandparents pretty much said the same thing to children services. They weren't close to Reana and didn't want to take on the responsibility of a troubled disturbed girl. Larry and Libby were unconventional and they didn't want to deal with and/or try to fix what Larry and Libby had done as parents."

"But she's never been any trouble," says the queen. "Larry and Libby were wonderful parents."

"You're absolutely correct," agrees Jeff. "I've treasured every moment I've spent with her, and will continue to do so."

Reana returns carrying a six-pack of bottled water and a vacuum sealed storage bag. "Jeff and I both have older vehicles. So we try to have things in both vehicles in case of a breakdown in an unexpected place."

She hands Granny a bottled water. Then she opens the vacuum sealed bag. She pulls out a pair of white men's knee socks first. "Never know what you might need," remarks Reana as she puts the socks on the old bare feet. Then she pulls out a blanket, shaking it out. She puts it over Granny's lap and tucks it around her legs. She sits next to the old woman hugging her legs and resting her head against her lap. The old hands smooth over Reana's thick black hair and Reana closes her eyes. She's not sure how many times after her parents died Granny had sat holding her and comforting her. Her own biological grandparents were strangers that wanted nothing to do with each other and therefore, nothing to do with her. Everything she is, she owes to the love of good people like Granny, Jeff, her parents and Uncle Q.

"Okay," says Yvette hopping down from the barrels followed by Brian and Steve.

"We all set," ask Jeff.

"Yeah, let's go," answers Brian uncomfortable with they're current situation.

"Come on, Reana. Let's go home," Jeff says patting her knee.

Reana nods and hops off the barrels. She picks up the zipper bag and its remaining contents. She pauses to tell the old woman, "We'll see you tomorrow, Granny."

The old woman responds smiling, "Goodnight, dear."

After they get home and lock the doors, they all go straight to the basement. They make four more pipe bombs with remote detonators. Reana double checks the devices.

"Are you alright," ask Jeff concerned.

Reana furrows her brows at him as she answers, "I'm just peachy."

Jeff sighs, "Reana, if there was another way..."

"But there isn't," Reana spits out at him. Then she says sadly, "I love Granny. The only way this could be worse for me is if you were sitting there in that cave instead of her. And despite the fact that I know she's technically dead already, it feels like we're sacrificing her... I get it, Jeff. I see the big picture. But that doesn't mean I have to be in love with it."

"Baby, I'm sorry," Jeff apologizes sadly.

Reana waves it off, "I'm just tired. We all are. We've been putting in long hours. Let's just go to bed so we can get up and get this over with in the morning."

They drive straight to the cave first thing in the morning, looking like they're on their way to the lab in town. Reana and Jeff talk with Granny, keeping the giant queen inhabited cockroach focused on them while Yvette, Brian and Steve look like they're poking around for soil samples when they're really placing the pipe bombs they built the previous night. The old hands stroke Reana's head as she rests her head on Granny's lap.

After about fifteen minutes, Yvette, Steve and Brian hop down from the barrels.

Reana lifts her head and smiles sadly at Granny. Then she hops down from the barrels.

"Good-bye, Granny," Yvette, Steve and Brian say with a wave. Their young faces are a little grim.

Reana doesn't say good-bye. Instead, as she smiles sadly as she tells Old Widow Johnson, "I love you, Granny."

Jeff's voice is calm and soothing despite his sadness, "Good-bye, Granny." Then holding hands, he and Reana follow Yvette, Steve and Brian out of the cave.

They climb into the jeep and Jeff drives them what they've calculated will be a safe distance from the blast. They all climb out of the jeep.

Jeff points the remote detonator in the direction of the cave. He presses the button, but nothing happens. "Shit," he exclaims frustrated.

"What's wrong," ask Brain.

"We're too far away for the detonator to work," explains Jeff. "We're out of range."

"Here," Yvette grabbing the detonator and keys for the jeep from his hands. She hops into the driver's seat, locking the driver's side door as Steve hops in next to her locking the passenger side door.

Yvette and Steve argue as Reana, Jeff and Brian pound on the jeep's windows yelling for them to unlock the doors.

"Get the hell out," Yvette yells at Steve.

"No," Steve yells grabbing the detonator from Yvette. "You drive. When we're close enough I'll hit the button and you just concentrate on driving and getting us the hell out of there."

Yvette's not happy with Steve as she adjusts the seat forward so she can reach the pedals. "El stupido," she mutters as she starts the jeep.

"Yvette," Reana yells desperately through the driver's side window.

Yvette looks at Reana and Jeff and puts her small hand on the window. Reana lines her own small hand up with Yvette's. On the other side of the jeep, Steve puts his fist to the passenger window and Brian lines his fist up with Steve's.

"We'll be right back," says Yvette. Then she puts the jeep in gear and it speeds away in the direction of the cave.

"They're crazy," states Brian joining Jeff and Reana as they watch the jeep drive away.

A few minutes later the cave explodes. The ground beneath their feet vibrates violently. Then despite the speed at which Yvette is driving, the explosion engulfs the jeep and it explodes as a powerful gust of hot air blows over Jeff, Reana and Steve.

The three of them stand there in tears for a long time just watching the jeep burn.

"We're closer to town," Jeff finally says holding Reana's hand and giving Brian's shoulder a pat and reassuring squeeze, "Lets head to town."

They start walking. They pass close enough to the burning jeep to feel the scorching heat emanating from it. They haven't gotten very far when they are surrounded by vehicles. They know everyone exiting the vehicles, Greta, Jimmy, Melody, Tammy, Yvette and Steve's parents, Brian's parents, and others from town and nearby farms.

Parasite infested roaches are still attached at the backs of their necks. In unison, they look in the direction of the burning jeep and the cave. Then in unison, they look back at Reana, Jeff and Brian.

Greta steps forward, "Our queen, you destroyed our queen. Why have you done this?"

"You're attached to all these people," says Jeff in disbelief as he hugs Reana, "and you need to ask why. Are any of them upset over the loss of your queen?"

"No," answers Greta, "Most of them are cheering... But you were so cooperative, and all these people know you to be honest and trustworthy. Yet you have deceived us."

"Not because we wanted to," says Reana.

"We did what we had to," adds Brian.

"We didn't feel like we had any other options," explains Jeff. "Human history shows that we always rebel against slavery."

"We did not wish to make you our slaves," insist Greta. "Yet that is how you see it. That is how you all see it. No matter now. Without a queen, extinction is upon us. Humans do well at making other species extinct. But before we go, we have a gift for you. We discovered right away your need for your secrets which seems strange to a people where one knows all the others know. So we have withheld much from these people about ourselves and about themselves."

Three mouse sized roaches crawl from Greta's lab coat pocket onto her hand. She lifts them and looks at them as she says, "So our parting gift to the three of you is that you shall know all we know."

Hands grab them and wrestle them to the ground. The advantage being that they know none of these people are in control of themselves and don't want to harm them. Reana struggles the hardest and is the most vocal, "Don't! Please don't! Don't put that thing on me!"

Greta places a mouse sized roach on each of them one at a time. The roaches crawl into place, but don't lock on with their mandibles. They stab their antenna up under the backs of their skulls. The screaming and struggling stop as Jeff, Reana and Brian fall limp. The hands release them, but they don't move. They just lay there breathless, unable to move as their minds are flooded with information. They're shown a beautiful, peaceful world inhabited by small reptilian-like people, a happy, industrious, hardworking people that lived in harmony with their world. They were honored when after puberty they were finally old enough to receive their guide. So much information, lifetimes upon lifetimes, trillions of individuals from a world lost when the earth was just being formed. They see the first creatures that swam in the earth's oceans, some of which the drones were able to mate with successfully, producing new curious creatures that evolved quickly. Humans are distant great-great grandchildren to them. Their DNA helped humans come to be. They learn intimate details about the lives of everyone in town. How beautiful Widow Johnson had been as a young woman, the many men who had pursued her, some only hoping to bed her. What people thought about them, many were sure Jeff was banging his young ward because they just seemed too close. They were always holding hands. The preacher of the Presbyterian Church is a pedophile who has molested over a hundred of his parishioners' children. And it only takes a few minutes for all this information, the history of another world, the early history of their own world and the history and the lives of the people from their own town to be given to them with a caution to use the information wisely.

Antenna are pulled out. Mandibles unlock. The roaches let themselves fall from the people they've been riding and scurry away. People stumble dizzy as they regain control of themselves.

Jeff gets to his feet. Then he helps Reana to her feet, "Are you okay," he ask her.

Reana nods, "I'm fine. How about you?"

Jeff nods, "I'm good."

Brian and his parents are hugging. Yvette and Steve's parents have started to cry for their lost children.

Jimmy tries to approach Greta, but she puts a hand up for him to stop.

"Greta, please," Jimmy implores, "I'm sorry."

Greta removes her engagement ring and throws it at him. "I know everything," she informs Jimmy. "How you would get women too drunk to say no. And for the ones who didn't drink, how you slipped them date **** drugs. The things you did to them as you lived out your sick fantasies. The things you did to Melody while she was too drunk to protest. What you've been planning to do to Reana if you could get her alone and slip that pill into her soda. All I want from you is for you to stay away from me."

Greta goes to Melody and hugs her. She tells Melody, "You don't have to feel guilty or ashamed. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I just want to be clear on one thing with you," Jeff informs Jimmy, "You're not welcome in our home anymore."

"Greta," Brian calls pulling away from his parents. He hugs her tightly.

"Brian, I'm so sorry," Greta apologizes to him, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was pregnant. And I'm so sorry I had that abortion. I should have told you. I should have kept our baby."

Brian hushes Greta, "It's okay. I understand. I know why you did it. I love you and you love me. That's all that matters." Then he kisses Greta deeply.

Jeff and Reana are married two months later in a lovely ceremony. Greta and Melody are Reana's bridesmaids. Brian is the best man. But they and their town are forever changed. Jimmy disappears, just gets in his car and drives off. The preacher is arrested and convicted. Reana spends her last year of college pregnant, and her book, Not Alone, is a best seller.

Their first child toddles after Bandit. Reana, her belly large and round with their second child, sits on Jeff's lap. Jeff lays a hand on her belly and kisses her.

Reana rest her head against Jeff's head and she finally says, "We wouldn't have been slaves."

"I know," Jeff responds with a sigh. "We couldn't have saved Granny. But Yvette and Steve didn't need to sacrifice themselves. Only you and I know that. Let everyone else believe they're heroes." They rarely talk about it, but every once in a while, they have a short exchange about it.

Jeff gives Reana's bottom an affectionate pat, "We better start getting ready. We don't want to be late for Greta and Brian's wedding."

They stand and Reana's hand naturally slips into Jeff's hand. She looks up into Jeff's eyes and asks, "Do you think we'll ever get another chance at that kind of peace? At that kind of harmony? No war? Everyone cared for and loved?

"No," Jeff answers sadly. "We did what human beings do best. We let our fear of the unknown get the best of us and steal away the opportunity to have a war free, hate free, crime free world."

"At least we have each other," states Reana grateful for Jeff. They have a good love filled life together.

"They weren't going to make us give each other up," Jeff kisses Reana's hand.

Reana responds sadly, "But we didn't know that at the time."

Jeff hugs her, "It doesn't matter now. We already blew it all to hell."