ORIGINAL FICTION: "Climbers" (Chapter Twenty-Four)

hospital operator looked up the room number and transferred the call. That fact that Mrs. Meadows was not currently in any condition to receive calls had escaped notice at the front desk. The phone next to her bed began to ring- quietly. So quietly she never noticed. Barbara Meadows was still deep in a waking dream, trying to make sense of her current senseless situation. She was in a hospital, and Ray must be there with her. But where was Ray? The ringing phone never registered. Eventually the operator saw that the line was still ringing, and offered to connect Ray with the nurses' station on that floor. This time the phone was answered.
"Fourth floor station."
"Yes, this is Ray Meadows."
"Yes?"
"Barbara Meadows' husband."
"OH, YES!"
The nurse on duty had been made fully aware of the situation with regard to that patient. Admitted the night before as the result of a fatal two-car collision in Indiana, Barbara Meadows was now in stable condition, but not yet awake. The big question was not Barbara, but Ray. Listed as the co-owner of the vehicle in which Mrs. Meadows had been riding, the local authorities in Indiana had not been able to find Mister Meadows or ascertain his existence. Maybe they were divorced, and Ray Meadows was long gone. For all they knew, Ray Meadows was dead. All they knew for sure was that his wife was not. Now, it seems, neither was he. Good news all around.
The nurse filled Ray in on the details of Barbara's condition and a plausible time frame for her recovery: She wasn't going anywhere for a about week or so. Then again, was Ray? Ray told the nurse the truth: He was stuck in a small town in Illinois and not likely to be able to get there that day. Since it wasn't exactly an emergency (not now, anyway) he wasn't sure how he'd get there at all. He also mentioned that with a recent leg injury, he was in no great shape to drive himself. Even if he had a car. And where was his car? He thought about that for only a second. He'd have to call that officer- Sergeant Montez- about that. Later. Ray had managed to fill several scraps of paper with notes that morning before he finally said goodbye to the nurse. He had to get to that hospital. But how? Once again, he found himself just sitting, staring at the phone. Only this time, he was willing it to ring. Please, somebody: Call! Nobody called. Ray remembered: It was up to him. He had to call Jake back. Right now. The number came easier the second time and Jake must have been hanging on the phone, waiting for it to ring. Ray never heard it ring on his end. Weird when that happens.
"Yeah, Ray?"
"Hey there, Jake."
"So what's going on? What did the Trooper want?"
"Barbara was in an accident last night. That's why she never made it back here."
"Is she ok?"
"Sort of. She's in Louisville. They flew her there. I tried to reach her, but got some nurse. She said she'd probably be there for about a week or so before they'd release her."
"Good deal."
"Excuse me?"
"You headed there?"
"As soon as I figure out how, yes."
"Great. Stay there."
"Pardon me? What's going on up there, Jake?"
"You haven't seen the morning paper, have you?"
"Odd that you should mention it, but no. Why?"
"Got it right here, unfortunately. Let me quote: 'ALIENS ON THE INTERSTATE?' and an equally amusing subhead, 'WHAT'S WRECKING CARS WEST OF CROYDON?'. Ray, if you thought those reporters were looking for you before, you ain't seen nothing yet. It's a three ring circus over there on your front lawn. You won't have to mow again- ever. They're pounding the turf down."
"Oh, great. How'd they figure that one out?"
"Something about an insanely high accident rate on that short stretch of the road- and a couple of survivors that said they saw something weird run across the road in front of them. It's in this newspaper story."
"Any details?"
"I'm looking… no,