The Third Landing
Based on True Events in Kitchener, Ontario
These kinds of things don’t normally happen. They just don’t. Ms. Downs stared out the window at the school yard.
“You’re it!”
“No, you’re it!” The children’s laughter cut through the still spring morning.
She closed her eyes as her mind raced.
Principal Thompson’s stare burned through her. He folded his hands on his desk.
“Ms. Downs,” he began. “I’m going to ask you again,” he leaned toward her. His leather chair creaked as he studied her face. “What exactly happened at this school last week?”
Ms. Downs looked down at her low-heeled pumps. She straightened her skirt. “I already told you, Principal Thompson. A UFO landed in the school yard.” Ms. Downs stared straight into his eyes, her voice unwavering. “A UFO landed and we all saw it. Diane, the kids and I—we all saw it.”
Principal Thompson sat back and rubbed the inner corners of his eyelids. “Ms. Downs…Sandra,” he said, his face reddening. “You’re new here, and I get that. But, we can’t go around telling the parents that a UFO landed here. We don’t want any bad publicity. Channel 12 would be all over it…”
“I know what I saw,” she cut him off. Ms. Downs pulled out a piece of art paper from her satchel and placed it on the desk. Principal Thompson peered at the pencil outline of a saucer, the base adorned with a row of circles. He picked it up and studied it. “What is this?”
“One of my students drew it right after we saw it,” she answered. “The saucer looked metallic. It had lights on the bottom. Blue and red lights. It never made a sound.” Her eyes widened. “It landed right in the middle of the school yard. And then, it was gone…”
Principal Thompson wrinkled his forehead.
“Diane, the other Grade 5 teacher with me, she saw it too,” Ms. Downs’ voice trembled. “It landed in the school yard, we all saw it.”
Principal Thompson folded up the paper. “Don’t tell anyone,” his voice dropped. “If someone asks about it, tell them it was…it was a police car that came to the school and the kids were confused.”
Ms. Downs glanced at the drawing on the desk. “What about the grass?” she asked. “The grass in the school yard is burnt from the UFO landing.”
Principal Thompson stared back at her. She got up and snatched the drawing from his desk. “You know I’m telling the truth,” she snapped. “And people have a right to know what’s happening!” The bell suddenly rang as she stormed out of his office.
Principal Thompson stood up and walked to the window, his brow furrowed. He looked out at the kids streaming back into the school.“That’s the third time in 10 years,” he muttered, bringing his hand up to his chin.
What do they want with us?
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