The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories by Rob Keeley

food,” Luke finished. “And I had your trifle as well.” He paused. “How was your tea?”
    â€œGreat,” said Adam acidly.
    â€œThen I did your Drama Club,” Luke said. “It’s good fun. Don’t know what you moan about. They liked me. They’ve given me a part in the play. I’m playing a tree.”
    â€œThe environment play?” Adam’s eyes widened. “I was in the Club nearly a year before they gave me a proper part in anything!”
    â€œAh, well.” Adam could almost see Luke grinning, even over the phone. “You’ve got to get noticed in this life, mate. Anyway, I’ll see you Checkpoint One tomorrow. Cheers!”
    The line went dead.
    Adam replaced the receiver in silence.
    â€œ Are you two up yet? ”
    Adam jumped. He leapt out of bed.
    He looked at the diamond-shaped clock on the wall. It was ten to nine!
    He had to be at his house in ten minutes!
    â€œ If you want breakfast - ”
    Adam cringed. If Luke’s Mum was making breakfast, she wouldn’t need a knife, or any utensils. Her voice could have cut through anything.
    â€œ There’s toast on, and jam and marmalade’s in the fridge. ”
    Adam found his voice, just.
    â€œOK!” He fought to sound calm.
    â€œ Is Luke up? ” Another shriek came.
    Adam froze.
    Then he had an inspiration.
    He grabbed the pillow from the bed and shoved his face into it. Through the pillowcase, he gave a muffled shout.
    â€œYeah!”
    â€œ Oh, don’t lie to me, Luke! ” Luke’s Mum didn’t sound surprised. “ You’re still in bed. I can hear you, I’m not daft! Get your backside up and get dressed! I’ve got to get down the Community Centre! I’m doing head massage this morning! ”
    Adam’s heart was thumping. Suppose she came in?
    There was sudden silence. A long pause.
    Then Adam heard the front door close.
    He breathed a sigh of relief.
    He’d better go out the back way.
    There wasn’t time to do anything but change out of his night things into the t-shirt and tracksuit trousers he’d had on the night before. At home, he would have showered, put deodorant on, Mum would have had clean clothes ready for him. He was already in a sweat with the panic of all this, and the t-shirt was soon clinging to him horribly.
    And this was meant to be a break!
    He grabbed Luke’s mobile from the bed and ran.
    â€œMorning!” Luke was cheerfully stuffing down bacon and egg, when Adam arrived looking like a marathon runner who’d gone off course.
    Wild-eyed, Adam collapsed into a kitchen chair.
    Luke sniffed. “Did you shower this morning?”
    â€œI overslept,” Adam panted.
    â€œNo!” Luke sounded more amused than worried. “Did Mum and Dad catch you?”
    â€œYour Mum’s gone down the Community Centre.” Adam put his hand to his head wearily. “Don’t know where your Dad is.”
    â€œProbably out the back, doing something.” Luke speared a grilled mushroom with his fork, and smeared it in the ketchup remaining on his plate. “We’d better get back there in a minute. We’ll have to run.”
    Adam stared at him in horror.
    The back door opened, and Adam’s Mum entered. “Saving the world is one thing,” she said, more or less to herself. “But why we need three differentcoloured bins, I do not know.” She caught sight of Adam. “Ah, you’ve finally condescended to getup. I thought you’d taken root in that bedroom. You ught to be up and about, getting exercise.”
    Adam gulped.
    His mother sniffed.
    â€œDid you shower this morning?” Another sniff answered her question. “Go and take a shower at once! And put some clean clothes on! I don’t know what’s the matter with you boys!” She paused, as if to reload with ammunition. “You’d better get going. Cricket practice starts in an hour.