“I’m not going in there,” I said, staring dubiusly at a cave entrance, partially hidden by a waterfall. Sam had brought me and Larry and Pete here to the piney woods grove behind the funeral home on Divine Street.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Tim protested. “And plenty to see,” he added.

Reluctantly I followed, bringing up the rear and getting wet when we passed under the waterfall.

The inside of the cave glowed with an eerie green light all the way up to a steel door at the end of a long hall. Tim put his hand up against a little window and a light flashed, then a robotic voice said, “You may enter.”

The room beyond the door had one wall of flashing lights and switches. It looked like a movie computer. As I stepped in, the door slid shut behind me.

Tim said, “You are all my prisoners.” He peeled off his face and skin to reveal that he was an alien underneath.

I said, “I don’t think so, Tim.” I pulled out my slingshot and shot him in the head.

We never told anybody about our secret.