Alice Forgets

"Hurry," Mom said. "Or you'll be late."

Alice fidgeted with her hair, not liking her reflection.

"Coming!"

Butterflies fluttered in Alice's belly as she grabbed her sweater before running downstairs.

She marched into the kitchen and stood at attention, awaiting inspection. Mom pulled at various pieces of clothing and hairs, taming stray strands. Each nitpicked item compelled Alice to huff and shift her jaw.

After winking at Alice, Mom surrounded her in an embrace before shooing her toward the door.

"WAIT," Mom said.

Mom handed Alice her backpack, producing her daughter's standard eye roll.

"You want this for sure."

"Sorry Mom, I'll try harder."

Mom kissed her forehead, erasing her mistake.

"Have a good day!"

In front of school, Alice weaved her way through groups of students. Their chattering filled the air, as if she walked amid a flock of grounded birds. Bragging of a summer trip appeared to be the fashion.

As she listened, Alice noticed a man standing at the roadside. His stare traveled straight through her, as if he read her thoughts. She performed a tiny dance to release nervous energy. She dodged the man's stares until the pressure grew and she was ready to explode.

"Who's that?"

Denise checked the object of Alice's worry and shook her head.

"You're so forgetful, that's Courtney's dad!"

Alice glanced over her shoulder, flashing Courtney a grin.

"Sorry," Alice said. "I'll try harder."

Alice crossed into Mrs. Johnson's classroom with her classmates in a broken line. Grammar and mathematic banners consumed the space on either side of the blackboard.

As the boys and girls buzzed around, Alice focused on the language posters. Stress and embarrassment caused a new squirmy dance to appear. The lines and curves of the symbols confused her. She froze in her tracks until Mrs. Johnson addressed her.

"What's wrong, Alice?"

Alice never looked away from the chart.

"I can't recall those characters."

Mrs. Johnson shook her head.

"Oh Alice, they taught you those last year."

"I forgot," Alice said. "I'll try harder."

Mrs. Johnson rubbed Alice's shoulder, distracting her.

"Please run to the custodian's shop, he fixed a display for me."

"Yes, Mrs. Johnson."

Alice scowled at her classmates as they snickered at her disorientation.

Alice felt tiny in the vacant hallway. As she passed each class, the urge to peek in overwhelmed her, curious about her schoolmates activities. The sights invited her flying companions to revisit her tummy. She tapped the back of her hand to sooth herself, as the doctor taught her. It produced no relief. She convinced herself her faulty memory caused the strange images. She spurred herself to increase her efforts.

A set of double metal doors marked the entrance to the domain of the maintenance man. They loomed large, causing the winged residents of her stomach to invite more guests. She drew a deep breath, hoping to draw courage as she entered. Within she discovered a lair containing assorted mops and cleaning supplies. In the rear corner, an open portal leading to another chamber released strange flickering lights. She crept over, listening for any noises before taking a peek.

When she peered inside, she found a translucent blue skinned being with huge black oval eyes. Tubes of skin hung from its chin and reattached behind its ears.

She screamed and fled, flailing in panic.

Alice sat in the principal's waiting room, shaking.

Muffled voices came from the inner office. The sounds stopped, and the door's handle danced.

Mrs. Smith exited with the custodian following in her wake. He returned to a normal person, with short coal colored hair, parted on the right. His only connection to the creature she saw, his dark eyes. He gave Alice a half-hearted smile as he departed. Alice's earlier behavior left her feeling foolish.

Mrs. Smith knelt next to Alice and cradled her hands.

"It's okay."

"He looked... different," Alice said.

"Your mom will be here soon."

On cue, Mom burst through the doorway. Followed by Doctor Orhan, the doctor Alice visited over the summer.

Doctor Orhan pushed past Mom and squatted before Alice.

"Do you remember the game we played?" He said.

Alice nodded, her gaze cast to the floor.

"Close your eyes and count backward from five," Doctor Orhan said.

Alice counted and then slumped forward.

"She's under," Doctor Orhan said.

"She keeps remembering, How?" Mom said.

"We knew this might happen," Doctor Orhan said. "I need to venture deeper into her subconscious. We are dealing with an extraterrestrial mind."

Doctor Orhan turned his focus toward Alice.

"Forget! You see no aliens here."

Alice's eyes remained shut as she gave her response.

"I apologize, doctor. I'll try harder."

In the distance stands a scarred hill. Its trees snapped and tossed like discarded match sticks. The ground charred by long extinct fires. At the end of the scar rests the remains of Earth's first interstellar spaceship. Black impact streaks pepper its hull. In the cockpit, mementos of the pilot, Captain Alice Stein, lay strewn around the cabin.

Magazines displaying her picture, once meant for gifts after her return, now flipped through by every passing breeze. She intended them to make people part of her journey. Instead they stay hidden, unappreciated, far from home.

Stein's body remains at its post in the pilot's chair, the rotting flesh revealing her eternal grin.

Across the windshield in weathered paint sits the word "Invaders" in an alien tongue. A monument to the confusion and concern brought by humanity's visit to the stars and a race who shares the human fear of the unknown.