“Penny for your thoughts,” I say to my son, Cleo. He’s sitting in the backseat of the car, staring out the window. It’s a cold December afternoon in Oak Parks, Illinois. Cleo is rubbing his hands together to stay warm. When he starts rubbing his hands, he has to do it exactly 10 times. It’s one of his compulsions.

 

“Nothing, Pop,” Cleo replies. “Nothing's on my mind. I was just watching the sheep outside. They have no idea what's coming.”

 

Forcing myself not to smile, I respond “Come on now. They shouldn’t be mocked. They should be pitied.”

Cleo nodded his head emphatically. “You’re right, Pop. Sorry.”

 

“Really, Cleo,” my wife, Lillian says. “We raised you better than this.” She’s sitting next to me in the passenger seat. She turns around to stare down Cleo, giving him the cold look that only mothers can do.

 

I put my hand on her forearm. “It’s okay. It’s natural for him to feel bitter. Cleo, we have a great responsibility. We know something others don't. They're not strong enough to face it. They laugh at us. They mock us. They call us crazy. It says more about them than it does about us. It hurts, right?”

 

Cleo nods and looks down.

 

“I know, son. I’m sorry you have to go through this. I wish you could have had the childhood that I had. That your mother had. You deserve better. You deserve so much better.” It's not fair that he doesn't get that life. “Gosh darn it, I don't recognize this country anymore.”

 

“It could be worse,” Lillian suggests. “We could be one of these poor souls that don’t know the flood is coming. You know, Charles, I’m actually excited about this.” Coming closer to me, she wraps her arms around mine and leans her head on my shoulder as I steer with my left hand. “I’ve always known that we would do wonderful things. Amazing things. Beyond what ordinary people do.”

 

“What do you mean, Mom?”

 

“Well, Cleo, I don’t know exactly. It’s just something I’ve always felt. Like I… All of us are meant for something more. Better than the cards we've been dealt. Better than what others expected of us. And, well, look at us now. In less than 12 hours, we’ll be saved. Along with all of the children in the world. We truly are doing God’s work.”

 

“Still,” I respond. “It’s a hard pill to swallow.”

 

“Is this about Margaret?” Lillian whispers.

 

“It didn’t make it easier.” Margaret is my sister in Iowa. She’s watching our two youngest children. “When I dropped the kids off, she, well… we both got angry. It got heated and well… You know how much I hate being called crazy.”

 

“I know. She just doesn’t understand, Charles. Maybe when the flying saucer picks up the kids from Margaret's place, she'll finally come around.”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Don’t be too hard on her. Or yourself. Remember what you just told Cleo: They should be pitied.”

 

“You did everything you could to get Aunt Margaret to come, Pop,” Cleo says, leaning forward and putting his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t put yourself in knots.”

 

I’m a very lucky man to have such a family. Very lucky.

 

Changing the subject, I ask “Can you believe that all of this will be underwater soon?”

 

“These poor souls,” Lillian says, staring out the window. “If only they knew.”

 

“Well, some do. A lot of people read our interview in the newspaper. We should be seeing a lot more visitors this afternoon. Speaking of which, we should head back to Dorothy's house. They’re probably overwhelmed at the door. We should go back to help greet the visitors.”

 

“Gee, Pop, do we gotta?” Cleo pleads. “It’ll be dark soon and we’ll get to see the Christmas lights. They’re about to turn them on. And it’ll be the last time we’ll see them. Please.”

 

“Sorry, son. I have to do my part. Dorothy, Kurt and I have to screen them to make sure they’re true believers. I wish we could stay for longer too. It would be nice to sing Christmas carols like we do every year. I’m… I’m just sorry, Cleo.”

 

“Makes you wonder why the aliens couldn’t take us off the planet just 5 days later, huh?” Lillian suggests.

 

“It doesn’t work that way, Darling. The flood is happening first thing in the morning.”

 

“I know, Charles. I'm just saying that it would have been nice. You know, to have one more Christmas on Earth, that’s all.”

 

“Who knows what kind of trouble humanity would get into if we had 5 more days.”

 

“I think about all of these children the aliens are saving. I’m so happy that they’re going to live on. But I also feel bad that they’re losing their parents in the flood.”

 

“It won’t be easy for them at first. That’s for certain. But the aliens will be far better parents than their biological parents. They’ll provide for them more than they ever could.”

 

This is truly a special time. Truly special. Oh, but I'm so sorry. How thoughtless of me. You're probably wondering what we're talking about. Let me bring you up to speed. My name is Doctor Charles Laughead. Right now, you haven't heard of me, but you will. Anyone who believes will be saved. So stay close. 

 

Today is December 20th, 1953. Tomorrow morning, a great flood will cover North and South America. An inland sea will form stretching from the Arctic Circle to the Gulf of Mexico. All of it will be submerged. Some chosen people will be spared. Those who believe will be spared. But before this flood happens, aliens will come and take us off Earth to safety. They’re coming at midnight tonight. They’ll take us in their flying saucer. These aliens, you see, have very advanced technology. They can see our tectonic plates on Earth and can detect this flood even though we can’t. 

 

I know you must be thinking that I am crazy. I’ve heard it all before. I understand why you would think that, but I promise you that I’m perfectly sane. 

 

Stay with me, Friend. Watch me and stay close as the faithful moment approaches. You will see it for yourself. Stay with me and you’ll be saved like the rest of us. You'll see it for yourself. You’ll see that the plan has never gone astray.

...

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