A Real Steal
He’d had his eyes on the ranch for more than a year now. For all it seemed to house, he couldn’t believe the price its owner was willing to sell it for.
After consolidating all his funds, he finally made the purchase. Everything was going on well until one day, he learned the truth about why the ranch’s price was such a steal.
Something’s Missing
Kenny Moore had always been a hardworking man. At forty-four years old, he’d worked hard enough to acquire all he seemingly needed in life.
He had a loving wife who’d blessed him with two bright and beautiful daughters. His businesses were booming, giving his family the comfortable life they deserved. But something was missing.
The Long Search
For everything the Moores had, they missed one vital thing: a place they could call home. Kenny’s businesses had them moving all over the country, but Kenny hired people to do this for him in recent months.
The family began looking for a place. Almost immediately, the Roosevelt ranch in western North America caught their attention. But the Moores didn’t know what a terrifying secret the ranch held.
Buying The Ranch
After a year of moving around his funds, Kenny bought the Roosevelt at a shockingly friendly price. He still couldn't believe his family had a place to call home.
Their stay at the ranch was beyond perfect, with more than three thousand acres of land to ride in and a red alder forest that hid a glade. Kenny thought the farm was a paradise until trouble came knocking.
A Hidden Secret
For all the beauty that the Roosevelt embodied, it hid a dark secret that the Moores were soon to discover. Soon as their first month came to a close, unexplainable things began happening.
First, the horses in the stable rarely had peaceful nights. They would always neigh and buck uncontrollably past midnight. Then one morning, the Moores woke up to crop circles and dead birds on the farm.
Rationalizing Everything
The first thing that Kenny did was try and rationalize everything. There were several logical ways to explain everything that was happening. He’d always been a rational man, and that wasn’t about to change.
Kenny called a vet to assess what was going on in his ranch. He was optimistic that science could give him the answers he needed. But the vet’s assessment left him stumped.
The Vet’s Assessment
The vet couldn’t explain the mass bird deaths or the horses’ behavior at night. But he took samples for further analysis.
The Moores had one peaceful week after that. Then it got worse. Kenny’s daughters complained about a deep blue light coming out of the forest at night the weeks afterward. Kenny set up cameras, and although they didn’t capture anything out of the ordinary, his daughters continued complaining. What was happening?
Word Spreads
Word about Roosevelt got around the neighborhood. Kenny was surprised to discover that none of the stories shocked the locals. They had their own stories about the farm that more than spooked him to make matters more confusing.
To get to the bottom of what was happening, Kenny invited some locals over for a drink. He would uncover the truth about his ranch.
The Truth Is Laid Bare
“Greys,” an elderly man said as he tipped back his drink. “What?” Kenny asked, seeing that everybody else was nodding to the man’s single-word statement.
“What are Greys?” Kenny continued, with him were his wife and daughters. The man winced as he placed the glass on the table. He was the local butcher, if Kenny recalled correctly, and had been in the town for decades. Could he uncover the mystery shrouding Kenny’s home?
Greys
“Greys,” the man repeated with a burp. He rolled back his sleeves while leaning forward. “You might need a katana, Mr. Moore, or three.” He smiled as he relaxed back.
“You gonna tell me what this is about?” Kenny asked calmly, perfectly hiding his irritation. “Aliens, man,” another local answered, this time a younger man. “Aliens?” Kenny held in a laugh, but what the man revealed made his eyes widen.
They Explain The Phenomenon
“The first citing was in 1971,” the man shared. “The owners of this ranch reported seeing tiny grey aliens running around their field.” “First came the blue light and weird crop circles,” another local said, a lady. “Then their horses became restless and began dying one by one.”
Kenny’s brows drew close. Would his horses meet the same fate? He’d rescued most of them from abusive owners and would die for them. He shook himself. Did he believe in his guests’ stories?
He Can’t Believe It
Kenny leaned into his seat, knocking back his drink. His daughters had talked about seeing blue light at night. His horses had restless nights. Maybe there was some truth to the locals' words.
“You’re quiet,” the lady observed, pulling Kenny back to the present. “Ah, yes,” he managed a smile. “I have a friend at Homeland Security. Perhaps this might be more his speed.” Kenny ran a hand down his face. If there was even a remote chance of aliens in his ranch, shouldn’t the appropriate authorities know?
Calling The Authorities
“Homeland Security?” the butcher asked, fidgeting in his seat. “Yes,” Kenny said with the same calm voice he’d used throughout the evening. “The possibility of life beyond our planet is enormous.”
Kenny stood, searching around for his phone. He fetched it and ran through his contact list, about to call his friend. But one of the locals revealed something that made him hesitate.
A New Revelation
“Don’t,” the local said. “It’s a prank.” “What?” Kenny asked. “A prank, a tradition when it comes to Roosevelt,” the man answered. “But the horses and the birds,” Kenny mumbled.
“The birds were props, and your horses are safe,” the man said. “We used horse sounds recorded months ago.” Kenny couldn’t believe it. “We are glad to have you here,” the man smiled. “Hopefully, our way of showing it wasn’t too much for you.”
Welcome To The Neighborhood
“Too much?” Kenny bit out the words but saw his wife and kids smiling alongside everyone. Were they in on the prank as well?
He motioned his daughters to him, and they came running, “A prank?” he asked them. “It was fun!” one said. “Scared you straight!” the other chimed. Kenny had thought the worst about the ranch. He hugged his daughters tightly, smiling at his wife. For them, he would fight anything that wished them harm, aliens included.