Alien Spotting Lucy was standing in Ash’s bedroom. The walls were covered in film posters and the shelves on the walls were full of comic books and graphic novels. “So, you into your comics then?” Lucy asked. “Oh, yeah,” Ash said as he looked to the floor. Lucy could tell he was embarrassed all of a sudden. “I think that’s cool,” Lucy said quickly to lighten the mood. Ash looked up again. “You do?” “Yeah, sure,” she said. “I don’t own many but the ones I do have I love. I was kind of getting into them before…” “Before what?” asked Ash. “Before I found out my life was getting ripped apart and I’d have to move.” “Hey,” Ash said, smiling at Lucy. “You can borrow any comic you like. As long as it comes back in mint condition.” Ash spun around and headed towards his wardrobe. “Okay, so this is all of the information I have got so far on Number 5.” He opened the wardrobe doors and removed all of his clothes from the rail. Behind them, Lucy could see maps and photos covered the back of the wardrobe. Ash then reached underneath the wardrobe and pulled out a black book. He opened it to show her pages and pages of dates, times and notes. “See,” Ash said, pointing to his book. “I have listed down all the weird stuff I have seen over the last year.” “Do your mum and dad know you have this at the back of your wardrobe?” asked Lucy. “No,” said Ash quickly. “They would never let me keep all this stuff. They would just say that I am being silly and then throw it all in the bin.” “So how do you hide this from your parents when they are putting your clothes away?” Lucy said with a frown. 13 “Oh, they never put my clothes away,” Ash replied. “I clean and iron all of my clothes myself,” he said proudly. “I like it that way.” Lucy raised an eyebrow as she looked at Ash. “You like doing the washing and ironing? Sounds to me like you’re the only alien around here.” “Ha. Good one,” said Ash. “Just look at my notes.” 14 Lucy started to flick through his notebook. She was skimming over the various notes Ash had scribbled down. October 31st—Everyone’s Halloween decorations mysteriously blink on and off. No trick or treaters allowed. November 5th—Loud bangs seem to be coming from Number 5’s back garden. Strange light coming from the back garden again. December 18th—Christmas lights keep flickering on and off. “Well, these can be explained,” said Lucy as she ran her finger over the entries. “Cheap Halloween decorations, fireworks night and, again, cheap Christmas lights. You are going to need more than this if you want to convince me that there are aliens living opposite.” “Okay,” said Ash. “Then look at these photos I took.” He switched on his laptop and showed Lucy photos of light coming from the back garden. The same type of light she had seen the night before. “And there is something else,” he said, peering from behind his thick glasses. “I have never once seen anybody leave or enter that house.” “Come on,” said Lucy. “You must have seen someone go in that house. There is clearly someone there.” “Never,” he said, shaking his head. “I see deliveries being left on the front doorstep but I’ve never seen anyone collect them.” “Someone must do because I can’t see a huge pile of parcels at the front door,” Lucy said, pointing to the house opposite. “I know someone or something must do, but I never see them. I have spent a whole day watching but I have never seen anyone.” “You need to get out more,” Lucy laughed. Suddenly there was a rumble. The house started to shake a little. Then a long alarm sounded. “What is that?” Lucy shouted while covering her ears. Ash ran to the window. “I have heard this before. Look. It’s coming from Number 5.” Lucy joined Ash at the window. She could see birds rush out from the trees and smoke rising from the back garden exactly where the light was the night before. Then nothing. No smoke. No noise. Just silence. “Okay. This is weird,” said Lucy, stepping back from the window. 15 Ash took his notebook from Lucy. “Now do you believe me?” Lucy was shocked. She had never seen or heard anything like that in her life. “I don’t know what to think any more.” “Okay. If you don’t believe me, let’s watch the house tonight,” said Ash. “Tonight?” Lucy said as she whipped her hair to the side. “Don’t you think I have better things to do on a Saturday night than go alien spotting with you?” “No,” Ash replied. “All your friends are back where you used to live, aren’t they?” He had her there. “Fine. Okay. Tonight,” Lucy said as she turned to leave his bedroom. 16 Secretly, Lucy was looking forward to having a bit of company. It was either hang out with Ash ‘alien spotting’ or sit in front of the TV with her parents watching Britain’s Wildest Bake Offs. 17 .