Part 3

Mayor, I understand you wanted to tell me something.
Uh, yeah.  The bar looks great! Your almost done, right?
Yes, I am.  I also think Aaron over there might have our star singer.  But that is not what I'm talking about.
No?
No!
Ummmm....

Does Mr. Aaron also have something to do with what I am suppose  to tell you?
What do mean, sir?
You know.  What did you tell Max, I wanted to tell him?
Well, I um just asked if he knew about the 'la gente de botella'.  That's all.
THAT'S ALL!  That's enough.  Did you explain?
No, I told him I was not allowed.
Well Max, I guess I really should have told you a long time ago, but I really didn't see a need.  Everything was going really well.  Then Mr. Kemp came to town.  He has upset the balance of things.
Well, tell me what's going on.
Aaron, I will deal with you later.

Well, on that note, I guess I should be going so you two gentlemen can catch up.
Good idea..

Wow!  So what's the big secret?
It's really not a secret or it shouldn't be, but when your mother died, she told me she hadn't told you about the history of our town and its people.  I should have told you then, but I was afraid you might feel betrayed by your family.  You have to understand your mother thought there would never come a need to tell especially since there is nothing you can do to change things.

Max braced himself for the worst possible news.

remember as a kid how our parents were always threatening us when we did something wrong by saying the scary bottle people were going to get us?

Yeah, that was real silly, but scary at the time.  But now I know it's no different than Santa Claus.  What's weird is parents still scare children with that foolishness.

Well, it really not that foolish.

What?

Bottle people really exist.

Come on. What's this all about?

Max, this town has secrets.  We are not like the rest of the people in other places.  Every once in a while 'normal' people stumble into town.  A few fit in, others get out faster than they arrived.  The ones that stayed married our people and had children.

Man, you're talking like we are some type of aliens or worst livestock.  I'm not sure I'm ready to hear this nonsense.  Pretty soon you  are going to tell me about having some strange powers.

Max became uneasy because he could tell the Mayor was telling the truth, but he didn't want to know the truth.  At least not now.

Look Max, I know this is hard to hear, but you are going to have to hear it sooner or later.  We need to start to band together because things are going to get rough around here.  I know Aaron told you Katrina was coming home to take care of her sick mother, but her mother is sick because of what's happening.  Katrina and Aaron's parents are full-blooded bottle people.

WHAT! What are you talking about? This is ridiculous. Really, I don't think I can sit and listen to any more of this crazy talk.

Max, just wait.  La gente de botella or the bottle people is part of all of our blood in this town.  Some of us have more blood of our ancestors and some have more of the normal blood, but each and everyone of us are descendants of the bottle people