Authors: Mikel J. Wisler
Unidentified (17 page)
“You travelled eighteen miles in less than twenty minutes,” Evans said.
She looked at him, wondering what he might be suggesting with that observation. It was remotely possible she could have been thrown in a vehicle and driven there. But that vehicle would have to have been traveling at a very high speed, on mountain rounds in New Hampshire. It was not a straight shot. There were stops along the way, and sections of road that required a slower speed. Wilson had said there were speed traps. They would have been seen. It was a trip that should take any normal driver closer to thirty minutes.
“So how do you explain that?” Mitchell countered. “Aliens?”
Evans sighed. He shook his head.
“Look, I don’t know how any of this works,” she said. But Diego is right. These things, they say they want to help … but everything they do is …” She shook her head. “Besides, you said it yourself. The odds of us actually coming in contact with intelligent life from another planet are impossibly small. So, how did I travel those eighteen miles in twenty minutes?”
Evans looked off. Mitchell smiled, allowing a slightly bemused laugh escape from her lips.
“Maybe we both have some things to think through,” she offered.
Evans looked back at her. He nodded again. “Can we go home now?” he asked. “I think I need to call my therapist.”
Mitchell laughed. He smiled.
“Yeah,” she said. “Let’s go home.”
They each moved to their respective sides of the car. Mitchell as usual got behind the wheal. She started the car and pulled out on to the road. Taking one last glance, she felt the pang of regret that she wasn’t out there on that field. After everything, she couldn’t help anymore. But she’d done what had to be done. That would have to be enough.
She stepped on the gas and they pulled away from the scene. As they began to pick up speed, a news van heading in the opposite direction passed them. Then another. They would be swarming the site soon. How the FBI would choose to explain how they had come upon such an important tip as to the location of Tommy Ferguson’s body would certainly be interesting. She could see it tonight on the news. Maybe they’d call it an anonymous tip and hope no one asked further questions. Maybe she’d order a pizza and watch the news. Maybe she’d call her mother. Could she tell her what she had been through—what she was going though still? Mitchell had enough self-awareness to know that she’d slept like a rock last night thanks to how much she’d had to drink. But that was not a sustainable means of coping. How would she sleep tonight? Her skin still crawled as she recalled the exam table, the sound of the dark voice coming from Stephanie’s mouth, the knowing hatred in her eyes. Something had definitely happened. She even dreaded the thought of being alone. But she’d have to be alone eventually.
No matter what she did next with the mundane things of life—job, living arrangement, moving or not moving cities, so forth—it was clear to her that her days of investigating were not exactly over yet.
The car headed downhill, picking up more speed. Mitchell squinted in the bright sunlight, enjoying how warm it felt on her skin. When was the last time she’d allowed her self to just enjoy the sunshine? It reminded her that not everything in this world was quite so dark and so cold.
I hope you have enjoyed reading
Unidentified
. This story has been in development in my mind since the summer of 2012, in the very early days of my work with Stories by the River. We are now developing it into our first feature film project. You can find out more about the film and how you can help make sure that this story can be brought to life as a motion picture by visiting
www.unidentifiedfilm.com
.
You can also find
Unidentified
on Facebook at
facebook.com/UnidentifiedFilm
and on Twitter at
@un1dent1f1ed
.
Thank you so much for coming along on this wild journey!
MJW
June 2015
Mikel J. Wisler is an award-winning filmmaker and writer who has written, produced, and directed several short films that have played at festivals domestically and abroad, receiving nominations, awards, and international distribution. In 2012, he became a co-founder of Stories by the River, a non-profit film production and distribution company.
Wisler also writes articles for Horatio (
www.hellohoratio.com
) and conducts the monthly River Film Forum events centered around the exploration of life’s meaning through cinema. Born in Brazil, South America, where he spent most of his childhood, Wisler now lives on the south shore of Boston, Massachusetts, with his wife, daughter, and dog.
Find out more at:
www.mikelwisler.com
.
Stories by the River
Creating films that move us, challenge us, and connect us.
Explore the short films written and directed by
Mikel J. Wisler
and find out more about the up-comin
g
Unidentifie
d
movi
e
!
Stories by the Rive
r
is the non-profit film production and distribution arm of The River South Center in Quincy, Massachusetts. Launched in 2012, Stories by the River co-produces short films with new filmmakers interested in telling stories that explore the human condition, wrestle with life's big questions, and provide audiences with opportunities for reflection and discussion. We are now in development for our first feature film
,
Unidentifie
d
.
facebook.com/StoriesByTheRiver
Twitter:
@StoriesBTR