Of course the tree said nothing. Trees don’t talk. Or do they? At this point, Gabe wasn’t sure about anything.

He glanced down once again at the alien appliance in the wheel barrow. It was now glowing a soft greenish color. It reminded him of Samantha’s glow stick—the one that glows in the dark after you expose it to a light source. What the hell could be causing this thing to glow?

“Sorry I’ve been gone so long,” the gardner said from Gabe’s garage. “I had to take a leak. I hope you don’t mind. I used the bathroom out by the pool.”

“No problem.” Gabe’s palm was still pulsing, but he was now wondering why the gardener had lied. The bathroom in the pool house hasn’t worked for months. The toilet was taken out weeks ago. “Are you about through? I think it’s about time you leave.”

“Well, I still have some trimming to do. The weeds around your house look awful. You hired me yesterday to do a job. I’d like to finish it.” The gardner looked at Gabe with a wired-thin smile, and Gabe saw the blood stain.