The Stewards

In the still quiet of the evening near the creek, I could hear the frogs conversing with one another. It was a peaceful discourse. I crossed the wooden plank bridge, trying not to make hollow footstep sounds, but I heard the soft whine of an approaching mosquito. As it touched down on my arm and caused a modestly painful pinprick, I swatted it, worrying for just an instant about West Nile.
The frogs’ conversation grew a little louder; more frogs joined in a chorus: “gump-gump, gump-gump, gump-gump…” The din grew.
I looked toward the top of the hill. I saw a searchlight appear from the park, then, another search light from the hilltop behind me. My heartbeat matched the pond frogs, “bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum!” I could feel it in my chest, nearly attempting to break through the interior rib cage.
Before I could determine whether the lights were friend or foe, “Whoop-whoop, Whoop-whoop!” Two Frisbees came from opposite directions, grazing first my shoulder, and second, my head. I heard one of them clatter and bang, and the sound of disturbed chains.
“Who's got it?” yelled the light from the park. The other light pointed toward the Frisbee golf basket. “I guess it’s yours.” I’d forgotten just where my locale was and was caught in Frisbee golf crossfire. I nervously crept down on my hands and knees, tearing the knee section of my jeans, to avoid being sighted.
So, I hid in a barrel near the pond, near the sign that referred to the creek pollution cleanup and its website. One figure bounded down from the lakeside area. I was alarmed when the other’s searchlight illuminated his form. His skin was sallow. His eyes were very large.
I had remembered standing at the top of the lakeside hill, spotting a supposed meteor shower, as it was later reported, of red, yellow, and green lights, exclaiming, “What on earth is that?!!” I had dismissed even wondering later, as I reached the hill’s base and communed with the frogs.
Now, the horror at what it might have been hit me…hard! Whoever was playing Frisbee that evening was not of the earth. The thought made my hand quiver. I began to breath heavily. I’d heard stories of abductions and how the public never believed the victims.
The conversation continued, “I see not much progress has been made here yet. We’ll keep checking from time to time. They’ve got another pollution cleanup meeting coming up.”
“Not of the earth, but concerned about it,” I thought quietly to myself. I couldn’t allow myself to be heard. Looking toward the park side, I saw two similar figures climb up the hill together, arm in arm. A sulfur odor began to choke me; I held back the noise.
Then, a humongous metallic arc emerged at the top of the hill. A staircase unfolded. The two figures ascended. The arc rumbled and took off. I felt the heat nearly burn my skin. I saw the colors, red, yellow, green. No meteor shower, she…