Friday Five Writing Prompt

Continuing from last week’s story here.

Harry wasn’t the least bit taken aback about Dean’s suggestions about UFO’s. He’d seen stranger things. He was living stranger things. One day, he might even be able to tell his secret. 

Dean was clearly excited as rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. The noise of celebrations from outside were muted in this stuffy little office of Facility Q9. 

“According to residents of the a town just north of here, here have been legends of mysterious lights going back decades,” Dean seemed excited about the prospect. Harry felt like Dean was a study in contradictions. One minute, a gruff curmudgeon; the next gleeful as a school boy. 

“Why don’t we go out there?” Dean suggested.

“Now?” Harry asked. 

“It’s the perfect chance. Everyone is wrapped up in the rocket tests. No one is going to notice the absence of  two scientists they don’t pay much attention to anyways. We’ll say it’s a weather balloon research if anyone asks, “ Dean said, clearly warming up to the prospects. 

“We have to file a report. Register a car,” Harry said.

“Forget all that. We’ll leave now. Drive out. File reports later.

Harry grinned. He knew Dean didn’t enjoy his time at the Facility. The other scientists largely avoided him. He could be intense at times. And he took things deadly seriously.  Harry knew from this point on, he and Dean would soon be driving out across the plains, far away from the facility on a hunt for the UFO. He knew this because he was traveling through time. More accurately, skipping through time. Back and forth. The farthest he’d gone back was to see Dean working on his family’s ranch. The furthest ahead-he didn’t want to think about what he’d seen. The important issue was to remain steady and do what he need to do to save both of their lives. 

An adventure. Both men gathered their things and headed down the hall, boots clanking against the floors. They guard on duty barely glanced at their identity cards and waved them out.  

“Walk casual so it doesn’t look like we’re up to anything,” Dean said.

“You think I don’t know how to do a little convert mission? I’ll surprise you,” Harry said. If only you knew. 

They raced across the main base, as the sounds of the other partiers disappeared behind them. Harry waited anxiously while Dean picked the lock. The steel chain dropped down and the headed towards the garage. 

“Take one of the older ones. They might not care as much,” Harry said. 

“I got the perfect model right here,” Dean said, tapping the hood of a battered Ford. 

“Must be car the first one Ford ever made,” Harry said. It looked it. It was battered, the fender was rusty, and he could swear it looked like there were bullet holes in the driver’s side door. 

“Get in,” Dean told him, “pray they don’t issue a warrant for our arrest.” 

copyright Echo Ishii, 2023