The phone had been ringing and ringing but Marge was in the back yard hanging laundry and she ignored the ringing phone as it rang and rang. Finally she finished and went inside. She picked up the phone. “Hello.” she said. “Marge? Jesus! Where have you been? I've been calling and calling.”
“I was in the back yard. What is it that's so important, Judy?” Marge could hear thing breaking on the other end of the phone. “What's going on over there?” “Oh Marge, he's gone crazy again. He's tearing holes in the walls, saying something about aliens hiding in the wires. I don't know what to do Marge.”
“Put Hank on the phone.” She could hear Judy yelling to Hank to come to the phone. Then Hank was on the line. “Hello,” he said. “Hank. What's going on over there? Hank sounded out of breath.
“It's awful Marge. It's a losing battle. The aliens have gotten into the wiring and they're trying to take control of our minds through the circuitry. But I'll get the bastards out if I have to demolish the house.”
“Hank. Have you been taking your pills?” She said. “You know what happens when you don't take your pills.” Hank dropped the phone and went back to breaking hole in the walls. Judy picked up the phone. “See what I mean? He's going to destroy the house Marge. I can't take it any more. I'm done.”
Judy hung up the phone. Marge got a dial tone and dialed a number. “Hello Dave. It's your brother again. He's off his pills. Judy said she's had enough. I think we'd better go over there. Can you pick me up?” A half hour later Bill and Marge were at Judy's house. Hank was lying on the kitchen floor. His hair was sticking out in all directions and his eyes were rolling around in his head like one of those cheap cracker jack games. Judy was sitting on the floor next to Hank. The floor was covered in broken plaster. Judy was crying.
“Oh my God,” said Marge. “What happened to Hank?” Judy looked up. “Hank was trying to get the aliens out of the wires with his crow bar. He hit a wire an got electrocuted.” Bill knelt down next to Hank and took his hand. “Hey buddy. What's going on?” Hank looked up at Bill and tried to focus. “Bill?” he said. “What happened?” “You got electrocuted, Hank. You almost killed yourself.” Bill looked at Judy.
“Where are Hanks pills? Judy got up off the floor and went for the pills. She came back with two prescription. Shes handed them to Bill. Bill opened one of the bottles of pills. “Christ, Judy. What happened to these pills.” Bill poured a pile of broken and crushed pills into the palm of his hand.
“Bill smashed them,” said July. “He was trying to get the aliens out of his pills.” Bill went to the kitchen and came back with a glass of water. He slipped his hand under Hank's head and raised him up.
“Here you go Hank. Swallow this.” Hank opened his mouth and Bill poured in some crushed up pills, then gave him a sip of water to wash it down. “I feel much better now.” Hank said. I think that shock did something. I think it chased the aliens out of my head.” Marge found a broom and a dust pan and began sweeping up broken plaster from the floor. Bill helped Hank to his feet and took him to the living room where he let him down gently into his favorite chair. “Yeah. I think that shock did the trick.” Hank said again. Bill sat down on the couch across from Hank. He found the remote and switched on the TV. He found a football game. The Jets were playing the Patriots. The Patriots were winning.
Hank began to snore softly while Bill watched the game. The sounds of the girls cleaning up broken plaster in the kitchen, and a thin white dust floated in the air. The Jets were still behind as Bill dozed off. Soon he was snoring along with hank. In the hallway, Judy held the broom and swept while Marge held the dust pan. From the holes in the broken plaster, tiny eyes watched them work.