 
The Dark

### By David Jensen

### Copyright 2015 by David Jensen

### Smashwords Edition

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### Introduction

This book is seriously not for the faint of heart, due to the obscene language and the disturbing graphic details in some of the chapters. Nevertheless, it depicts how our modern civilization will regress when modern comforts are suddenly missing from our daily lives. The sudden fight for survival in a world of increasingly less sustenance and basic needs, and how some people, even through severe times of trial, manage to retain their basic faith in religion. Moreover, it shows just how the majority of mankind will quickly lose it. It is also a mirror, of how chaotic, cruel and ruthless humanity can be, when normalcy becomes just a remembrance of earlier times, (albeit, we see the inhuman side of mankind every day on the news.) It has a wide variety of subjects. There are even romantics, because that is also a big part of life itself. And last, but not the least important. It proves that we posses a power within us which is irrefutably strong.

Love!

I wish to thank all the persons who agreed to my utilizing names and also the resemblance to factual people. All other resemblance to others is coincidental.

Prologue

### For now there is no sound, while we all live underground

(Jamiroquai)

Did they live like this? The Cro-Magnon or Neanderthal? Did they live in caves hiding from the prehistoric Dinosaurs, only to come out at night rummaging for water and searching for something edible? It was hard for me to imagine that our civilization had made it this far! Grandfather Steve used to laugh, go into his deep bass voice he always used when making jokes and say "You've come a long way baby"! He explained to me that it was an old commercial from the Viewer, which once had aired a long time ago. It was not very easy for me to understand what a commercial is and I simply could not comprehend a Viewer when he attempted to explain it to me. However, when the subject turned to Automobiles or buses, now those things I can see every night when we would grab our backpacks and go out on our foraging tours. Ever since I was young, I was intrigued with the splendid array of colors that nature had in constant supply when I was growing up on the farm. But that was something we had little of in the mineshaft. The different automobiles and buses, and also in the houses which were still standing in the early years, with their wide array of colors were as a young boy so fascinating that I sometimes didn't collect anything of value to eat. Even though Grandpa Steve said that, I had a special talent for finding things all the time. But the Colors! Wow (as Grandfather used to say). The dreary mine only consisted of four colors, which were gray, brown, black and the silver specks in the rock walls.

We live in an old abandoned Silver mine in what he called the upper parts of Utah. But now when I look back in retrospect, I guess that we can consider ourselves somehow lucky. Grandfather had known about a mine somewhere up north (up and north? another synonym which is in my eyes illogical), so we had traveled as fast as possible to find the ghost town and get into the mine. Those other groups of individuals that were not lucky enough to find a hole in the ground had it lots worse. What was considered a safe haven shelter in mankind's eyes became, in reality, simply a waiting room for deaths arrival. The Newcomers were slowly searching all of the remaining buildings that were left standing after "the great demo", and the beginning of the Newcomers eradication program. It was said that the only place to hide was in deep cellars or anything underground. Even drainage culverts would suffice in an emergency, unless they let the killers loose. That was when a culvert became a death trap. And when the Disc had started flying low and slowly around in the general area, humanity started to run and they hid like Rats.

Grandfather was the one who had raised me. During the daylight hours, there was usually long stretches of time when Grandfather always used to say we had to 'stay put'. In the course of time he simply called it 'put time'. Those were the times that I had loved the most. It was quality time for the two of us and a time of recollection for Grandfather. And it was also a time of tales from long ago, when humanity could roam the entire planet without a constant fear of the Newcomers. Well, almost. Grandfather also told about wars, Man versus Man, which he compared to the Newcomers and us. Another illogical thought where one hunts and kills his own kind! Only he intoned that in a war, both sides had a chance to defend themselves. Not like it is now. He often had days when he apparently was troubled or severely depressed and he had no desire to tell stories of the past. On these days, he did what he called schooling. He had taught me all of the letters of the alphabet, written on the sandy floor at the front entrance of our home, the formation of words and their correlation to objects. And as I said, I knew the words but could not make a connection to an object I have never seen or never will. Time passed and throughout the years as he became older, his hair had gone from dark (mineshaft) gray to a snowy white and towards the end, it was only visible against the bright morning sunlight streaming in from the mineshafts entrance.

Then came the day when we had almost been caught by the Newcomers. Grandpa Steve had a problem walking as of late and suddenly he stumbled and fell. Not far from the entrance. As I tried to grab him under the arm, he shook me off and yelled at me to get in. Standing in the shadows of the entrance of the mine, and thankful that the killers weren't on the loose, I had to watch in fear as he finally got to his feet and slowly made his way to the mine. He had just barely made it into the mine when the Disc's green glow went slowly passing by the bushes out front. With tears in my eyes, I had asked in a shaky voice what would happen if his foot had been caught in the green glow. Would he have been vanished or only his one foot? He still had after his near death experience, his humor and rhymed to me that my `logically illogic logic was logically sometimes illogically logic´! After that day, he said it was too dangerous for him to go out foraging anymore. Without my Grandpa Steve by my side, I simply went with the rest of our group on foraging tours. I wanted to stay with Grandpa, but he would hear nothing of it. My place and duty was still to go (unwillingly) with the "scavenger troops". Whenever we went on our short tours in the daylight and I came back, he would sometimes have a surprise waiting for me by the entrance at the front of the mine. Whole paragraphs of words were written with near perfection in the soft sand. I was supposed to read it and then interpret it back to him, and sometimes I would really get scolded for pronouncing a word incorrectly. But as the time slowly crept by, I had to sometimes smirk at some of the paragraphs that he had so meticulously written with his block shrift in the sand. And because I really was getting so superfluous, thanks to his schooling, it was not even necessary to stow what we had found scourging around outside. Still holding on to my backpack with our ever seldom findings, I would smile at him and then read the sentences as fast and word perfect as could possibly be. Grandpa Steve, still very sharp minded, but now a very old and small man would look at me with that gleam in his eyes and with his toothless grin, exclaim to me how proud I made him.

One day he got sick. The coughing started when we were sleeping and I awoke immediately. The natural climate of the mine kept the dust continually wafting through the air and since our arrival, everybody had a rasping cough, which had become the Status Quo and was hardly even noticed anymore. But this coughing was seriously different and listening to it made me wince. When I had asked if he was all right he had implied that he was simply getting old. The next day, as he laid there and could not get up, that is when I really got worried. He was already weak to the point that raising his arm was the act of great strength. He instructed me to go into the far back reaches of the mineshaft, look under a stone with a cross scratched on the surface, and to bring what lay hidden underneath. I found it, and walking slowly back, had thought the cross etched into the stone slab had really looked strange considering the writing expertise of Grandpa. Upon returning and kneeling closely to his side, he had just enough energy to explain to me that he actually was not my real Grandpa and that the stories and such he had told were honestly all of our true history. He explained that Samuel in reality was my true father and that I should be proud to be his son. He unfolded the object, which was simply a wrapping for what was inside. Or so I thought. Inside was a book, a really thick book with the same funny cross on the front. He first showed me the wrapper for the book and said it was a cowhide. A skin from the animal `Cattle´ he had so often talked about! The book, he told me, was called The Bible. After another gruesome fit of coughing, he said that I was a good enough reader now and I shall fully read it and to live by its schooling, no matter what happens to me in the future. The vast array of glass he had destroyed in the houses and on the automobiles and buses were called `Mirrors´ and was objects of vanity from the devil he said. I would find it all meticulously explained in the book. Just before he passed away, and after another coughing fit, he said, (with the fire in his eyes I knew so well), because of what is written in that book, I was not banned from the mine and was allowed to stay with the group in the first place. He then slowly closed his eyes. Forever gone. In the bright glow of a full moon, I buried his body under a deep pile of stones not far from the mines entrance. Moreover, not knowing why I did so, I fashioned two sticks together with some vine, which grew not far away, and made a cross like on his book. As daylight came, I was just sitting at the front of the mine. Sad and (logically) glad that he could die as a man and not like a Rat running in fear. So now, I was alone with the group who had almost never spoken to me. Those, which had tolerated me, but were never really close like Grandpa Steve. Now, many years later after twice reading and learning from the book, it is time for me to pass on the stories of my Grandpa Steve.

Oh, and me? My name is Billy.

Chapter One

♫Do you really want to live forever?♫

(Alphaville)

At the beginning of it all, it was simply meant to be an experiment. Some of the most prominent scientist in the world had conceived a way to stop the proportionally increasing Global warming that had slowly begun well over a hundred years ago at the start of the Industrial Revolution. With an intrinsically compounded mixture of Aluminum oxide and Barium, they had calculated that a micro-fine mist dispensed by Airliners spraying unobtrusively in the sky could eventually shield the Planet from the ever-increasing Ultra-Violet rays of the Sun.

Our protective Ozone layer was destroyed many years ago. Conspiracy theorist also claimed that the Scientist, with the helping hand of the American Government, had managed to botch the experiment and consequently blasted a huge hole in Mother Earths Ozone layer. And so the radiation levels increased, and also in our Market orientated world of competition, so did the sun block factor lotions constantly praised through commercials. We had started with factor 15, then we were soon using factor 50, and towards the end, an absurd factor of 100. (As the Race car driver with the Ultra-white smile proclaimed on the Viewer commercial; "I'm in the 100 Club! Are you?") The Ultra Violet rays A and B were constantly increasing proportionally with the North Polar cap meltdown.

The slow dissemination of our beloved nature's normalcy was the order of the day. And with it, most of our animals according to the Darwinian Law, which simply could not adjust quickly enough. Of those few animals that did somehow manage to cope with the intensifying radiation, they were now Satan's abomination of nature. Most of the remaining animals now are totally hairless. A few genres had even developed double eyelids.

And so, with the continuously increasing obliteration of our heavenly blue skies, depressingly clouded to a degree of drab gray, came the Orbs. An increasing number of insane lunatics were starting to claim that they had seen UFO's, or that they had once been abducted! On a daily basis, strange cattle mutilations seemingly performed with Laser precision, and with no plausible explanation, were increasingly in the news broadcast on the Viewer. Then later, the Disc's slowly started to appear. At first they were sporadically showing up on camera films and pictures, from vacationers around the world. Later on, a telescope, camera or eventually binoculars were not a necessity, because even a Glaucoma candidate could spot one. At the beginning of it all, we truly had no idea, just how badly it would really end.

The world was on the road to perdition!

From the start of 1960 until the end of the 1980's, there was lots of musical Boy Band Groups that, with simply a few hit songs, were very popular in their time. And most renown, (and also highly prized within the Bands), the hundreds of thousands of Girls who always appeared at most every concert they had performed. Many a teenage Girl was to be seen holding up handmade paper signs with very sexually provocative sayings like: "Oh please! I want a baby from you!" or "Marry me and we'll make a family". And the best one ever seen at a Rock Concert was; "Take me! I'm a virgin!" That in itself is seemingly unthinkable now in this present day and age. Not since the arrival of the Newcomers whom had thrown humanity backwards thousands of years.

Unknown to most people in the North American continent, who in their egocentricity were only concerned about their Cell phones or with themselves, objects were starting to be seen in the skies around the world. Later on though, in the western parts of America and on up into southern Canada, people were now starting to notice round objects in their pictures and vacation films. It is said that everybody has 15 minutes of fame in their life. And so, many of these films and photos were sent to a man who was the Show master on a Canadian Viewer program. He, whose favorite Motto was: 'You can not fail if you do not even try!' He then had a brainstorm idea, created a new show channel on the Viewer, and then presented them all in a weekly show. With his unbiased showmanship, even if he was a firm non-believer in the crap which people were increasingly sending him, he immediately had an enormous `Viewer Rating´ which was great for the Station where he worked. At first, he simply could not fathom the stupidity and also, after each program episode, the gullibility of the general public. But even a strict non-believer will start to falter when he sees enough evidence! Especially, to see the Orbs now, special equipment was no longer needed!

♫"This is Major Tom to ground control,"♫

(David Bowie)

Luckily, the lunar landing had managed to go off without a single glitch. The Space Academy Astronauts had just stepped out of the Lunar Lander and was starting a speech about how this was a giant leap for our humanity, and then only static on the Viewer! Then unexpectedly, there came the Space Academy's statement to the general public! A problem at the Academy had occurred and there were radio transmission problems with the Lunar Lander! As usual, the public was duped! Turning around to film, the Astronauts were shocked, and what the Academy on Earth saw, was an Object on the far hillside. In comparison relative to the Lunar Lander, it was absolutely massive in size and totally deep, dark black in color. John Q. Public had received only various low resolution fuzzy Black and White pictures to see, but the reality was that the Astronauts had cameras that were High Definition Color. Then suddenly, the Astronauts had received some Telepathic projections into their minds, and it was in our wording: "Here ours. Never return!" After some tiresome and lengthy discussions between the Astronauts and the Space Academy, the Academy had then transmitted to them to continue as planned with the mission. To ignore what they were seeing and hearing! Immediately the Lunar Lander instruments and the Astronauts suits had suddenly become inoperable for about 10 seconds, an act to prove their technological capabilities. After the suits returned to normal operation, the Space Academy control center was literally resounding with the Astronauts loud begging pleas that they only wanted; "to get the hell off of this damn rock and come home!"

Therefore, the Space Academy unwillingly had decided to `kindly obey the demands´ put upon them. Immediately after the Lunar Landers lift-off for its return journey to Earth, the Space Academy started a Priority One program for the continuous observation of the Lunar surface with the new Hubble Space Telescope. And as far as the normal working person at the space program was concerned, the newly implemented unspoken company motto was very simple to understand. Stay quiet or suffer an accidental death.

Many a night with nothing else to do, my Grandpa Steve used to talk of the earlier times when he was young. Stories of clear blue skies, painted with tufts of white clouds ever so slowly gliding by, and the warmth of sunshine on his face, parks with big trees and lush green grass. How hundreds and thousands across the nation had then congregated in the big cities. Meaning to rise up and demand a plan on how to restore the Earths atmosphere, so that the sun once more would shine. To protest that Humans were the true rulers of this planet. And then, only to be disposed of, vanquished in an act of the powerful new inhabitants of this planet.

Raven was born, raised, schooled, and was still a resident near the Salt Flats of Nevada. Ravens entire family consisted of only his Wife and him. Nor were there siblings on both sides of the families. His decision not to have children made life drab for his wife. A married wife without children, who felt no sense of purpose. But Raven was a man of integrity, being raised in the west where a man's word was a promise. Like a Viewer Program that comes regularly once a week, they would have a really down and dirty argument about the Pros and Cons of having a child. She knew all of the Pros and he responded with all Cons. He won, (or it was her submissiveness for the time being), every time. A common knowledge only known to married couples is 'Roses outside the house and a Battle Zone inside'. Sometimes when his wife had nagged long enough, he would then be forced to attend the local church service with her. The highly respected couple outside of the Church were often asked to do Gods work and have at least one child. However, a western raised man will not be forced to decide yes once he has already said no. And even though a man's house is his castle and a good wife should accept a man's decisions, a woman will always want to conform to nature and nurture a new born life. And that was a subject that caused very much despair for his faithful loving wife. But he had a beloved hobby in Astronomy and Photography, which fulfilled his entire life more than any child could possibly manage.

And there was always the horrible thought of having to go camping with his camera equipment, telescope, various other paraphernalia and (god help me! On top of it all) a child! He was seemingly egoistic, but he simply wanted to live his life, and not become the babysitter for some snotty nosed kid! Although he had never told anyone, it was pure and simple! He did not like children at all!

He had at first started filming Airplanes whose contrails did not appear normal, and then started to notice silver balls flying in and around the planes contrails. And then, thanks to his newly bought computer program, 'Frame Finder', he had started filming in his new terminology: "Chemical Orbs amidst contrails". Naturally, while he was busy editing some of his film clips with the Orbs, his (loving?) wife had come into his study and seen the packaging from the Frame Finder program. "Oh, should I have given my hard earned money to your constantly begging magnificent church?" He had yelled at her when she had started to nag again, about 'money better spent'. "Ask your dude Jesus to make a PayPal donation!" "I earn the money!" He hissed at her. She had quietly walked away, deeper again in depression and resignation. Regardless of how his wife felt at the moment, he then thought 'I need a better telescope'. He had already started to notice that with the New Moon, there were no "Orbs". He then became even more fascinated upon discovering the intensity of Orbs during a Full Moon! His personal theory was that the moon landing was faked from the chair he was sitting in. And that chair sits in front of the largest library ever devised on this planet! The Web!

Meanwhile, a certain rustic woman in Switzerland, doing Yoga and her twice-daily spiritual meditation, had an Angelic vision of visitors from another dimension descending upon our planet Earth. In a frenzy of urgency abnormal to her status quo complacent life, out onto the streets of Bern she ran. "Hör mal zu!" ("listen to me!") She cried to all of the people who were standing by the submerged Bear Pits in the City Square, lazily soaking up the mid daytime sunshine and the warmth of a fresh spring day. (Once the spraying had started, there was seldom a sunny day.) "Die kommen! Die sind auf dem Weg hierher!" ("They're coming!") They're on their way here!").

For most of the visiting Tourist, an old woman who was dressed comparable to the hippies of the old 1960's, running around aggravating people in the City Center, surely was an interesting site! But for the town's habitants themselves, it was in total contradiction to the eccentric old lady they knew so well. She, who always had some sugar-sweet honey candies for the children and always had time enough for tourist and residents alike, to read a palm or two! She then noticed the camera crew, which was making a documentary of the tourist bus, and running over in her multi colored hand-dyed skirt, started a recital about her Astral Visions she had just minutes ago received from her Nirvana world. But she was a simple person, with very little education due to the fact that as a child, she had to help with the farm instead of going to school during the 'Big War'. So, little could she fathom the supple complexities of being filmed for live Viewers. It would be for her, a lesson learned for the remainder of her life. After her distraught and insanely radical appearances on the live Viewer program, and because nobody had seemed to believe her that Silver Balls will be flying in the sky, she had soon become a lonely person. With the exception of the two very stylish dressed men who had visited her in their black suits and ties. With unreadable credentials flashed in the wink of an eye, they showed a real interest in just what exactly she had seen in her 'visions'. She was then informed that the Swiss Government wanted her to keep quiet, and she had refused. Quickly, she had become the Community Pariah, and not withstanding, due to her eccentric lifestyle, was shortly after the departure of her properly dressed visitors, sentenced to soft-padded incarceration. Her friends had also been warned, and her now ex-friends and neighbors did not even have a shimmer as to the totally complete accuracy of her meditative visions from Nirvana.

But soon enough, even though her incarceration in the city mental hospital would never be revoked, she would soon thereafter become the main discussion at the daily dinner table!

♫Prepare to mount your cannoneer,♫

(The Caisson Song)

One day they started to show themselves for all to see, massive devil silver-gray disc. Measuring approximately 300 meters across, that is when the proverbial 'shit hit the fan'! An exact measurement was impossible. Scientist around the Globe speculated that they had encompassed their ships with a benign atmosphere for themselves. After days of no contact between them and us, some Generals at NORAD, where as usual the President was in hiding, took it upon themselves to give the Shoot-Down order when a Disc had parked itself neatly above the mountain top. Suddenly all of the Monitors went green for a second. The Technicians believed it to be a glitch in the Software and was astounded that the Disc was still there.

The Generals, in a furor about whom miss-programmed the Missile, gave the order to fire again! With the Technicians swearing about not being able to get an accurate reading and the Major in charge of the Firing Sequence sweating about his career, they fired another missile. This time, to the astonishment of all crews watching the closed circuit cameras above the Mountain top, everyone observed a hellish bright green light come from the Disc. The Missile simply disappeared! Needless to say the crews were in total silence.

The Major fainted dead to the floor as the Generals started yelling orders to secure the front entrance. And then the report came in to the command center from Post Alpha at the front gate. Every soldier who was unlucky enough to get caught standing outside was gone! "Poof! Finito Sir! They did not go AWOL Sir! They are simply not there no more!" The Lieutenant was screaming into his Com microphone.

That was for 'the newcomers' the definitive answer if we were to be 'Friends' or 'Enemy'! Soon after, unknown to Israel, the terrorist group in Palestine launched a homemade rocket at the Disc hovering above the Holy town of Bethlehem. Before Israel could react, the missile vanished!

And with it, many thousands of Palestine citizens were simply relegated to eternal nothingness in a quick twinkle of an eye. Around the world there were numerous nations that in their megalomaniacal ways, **were** foolhardy enough to ignore the incoming military and civilian incident reports, and began firing themselves. They also had incurred the same retaliation from the Disc. Airman First Class Leroy, (unwillingly, but better than jail time), was inducted into the Air Force, and was now daydreaming about his (ex) girlfriend and his GTO, when the incident reports came in. A hillbilly from Tennessee, who was at the time hateful at being stationed in France, went paranoid at the controls of his Anti-Aircraft Missiles and was solely responsible for the almost total eradication of the inhabitants of Paris. Attempts were made to Kamikaze dive some Fighter Jets into the Disc above NORAD. It only revealed the true meaning of the light distortions around the Disc. The Newcomers Disc were packing an awesome weapon! An impenetrable force shield! After several attempts to dive into the Disc and each time the Fighter Jet smoothly rebounding into an altered flight course, the General had finally resigned to the facts and canceled the mission. Soon after the annihilation of Paris, the entire Space Academy Control Center was to receive the message about what Planet Earth was ordered do. It was done telepathically, but it was a one way dialog. Questions and demands were yelled out into thin air, some of the low grade technicians started crying and (as usual) the General in charge of the Control Center started to refuse their orders and was making his own demands. But the Generals demands, sounding so reassuring and 'Mighty Military' strong to the lowly Airmen at the consoles were half-hearted at best. He had known very well since the first incident report, their capabilities and to what had transpired across the globe.

Their demands were, in a sense, quite simple and precise.

No Aircraft.

No Automobiles.

When the President received word of their communication, he contemplatively sat back in his high-backed leather recliner chair. "Nope, nobody plays games with the good old US of A boys!" He proclaimed with swagger in his voice to the Generals gathered around in his quarters. And so he made the decision to fly back to Washington and conduct a retaliation strategy. And regardless of his staff's complaints, nobody tells the President that he can not fly. The Presidents Helicopter had risen barely a few meters in the air, and then it too was gone! When the Presidential Helicopter vanished in a blink of Green light, all other airborne aircraft around the world joined him in Nirvana land! The international representatives, who then held a conference at the United Nations, had only two agendas. The main priority was to regain the security and the ability to fly their airspace and secondly their burning desires to acquire their technology. Where as the newcomers at that point in time, were not simply flying around anymore, they had begun to park over every major city and Nuclear power plant. That they had arrived so unexpectedly was a mystery for almost all of the participating Countries. That is, until the Americans, in their sociopath, paranoid ways, revealed what they had long known since the Lunar Moon Landing. According to the journalist present at the conference, that brief moment of total quiet should go down in the Guinness Book of Records.

Raven, now a former programmer for Lockheed and Boeing cockpit instruments was fluent in his favorite language of 1's and 0's. Strict, regulated with conformity. Now even more intrigued with Chemical Orbs in Contrails, (and less intrigued with his wife), started to discover in a few frames per second, the Disc's. While searching the Chemical trails for Orbs and Disc with a newly purchased Tracking telescope, (immediately noticed by his wife, The church, goodwill spending, blah, blah, blah), he pointed it at the Moon just for fun. The objects that he observed on, and flying over the surface of the Lunar Landscape would dramatically change the direction of his now full time hobby. And as with thousands of other former Airline employees, time became irrelevant and he became monetarily poorer by the day.

From that day on, he became a veritable Night Owl. Some nights even seeing light reflecting 'Waves' go across the Lunar Surface! And as fate would have it, now entangled in the intricate search of truth. Especially after noticing the 'Blood Moon' was a reddish color when observed by the naked eye. But through a camera lens's, binoculars, or even with his High-Tech Telescope, was a normal white-gray as it should be.

♫Doctor, Doctor. Give me the news....♫

(Robert Palmer)

Samuel Patterson. Full time sheep farmer. In a time of life, where it is proven that he who trust in Gods will and in prayer, life was good. Samuel and his wife had a fruitful life with more sheep than he and his dogs could sometimes manage. To Samuel and his wife, money was only of second importance. First and most important was the love of God and doing his will. Including the love and respect of everyone he met, regardless of their social or psychological status. 'If God loves all, than so can I' was his motto. His donations at the church on Sundays were always more than generous, especially since the start of the mass mutilations and nightly disappearance of cattle in the surrounding area. The mythology of a feud between the Sheep and Cattle farmers was just that. An American myth produced by the film industry. In reality, all God fearing Farmers had, regardless of Livestock, a very good repertoire with each other. Naturally, the Saturday morning heckling at Dolly's Coffee Stop was still interdicted with humorous cliché's such as 'skinny cattle' and 'sheep as bald as Dolly's husband'. But that was before the mutilations and vanishing cattle started. Then it changed to "Morning John, how many last night? Anything I can do to help?" Films are films. Life is reality!

One cloudy Sunday, the Patterson's were driving to Church when Samuel's wife told him that she was going to have a child. Overflowing with happiness and having a near accident in the parking lot of the Church, the first thing he absolutely had to do was to shout out the splendid news to the entire congregation. Happiness sometimes has bitter endings!

Samuel also had a passion for Astronomy, and an increasing fascination of the Moon. More so after the observation of some unknown objects on the Lunar landscape!

During the pregnancy of Samuel's wife, life was a 'Blessing from God'! But later on in the midterm of pregnancy, her Family Doctor wanted her to go see a specialist at the Salt Lake Community Hospital. "Probably nothing to worry about, just to make sure everything is going alright", were his soothing words for the now anxiety-ridden parents.

It was a very long and tedious ride just to make sure all is okay. But God had blessed them with a child after years of trying, so it must be His will. Once at the Hospital, the routine check-ups began. Then they wanted to make further test due to some complication. The news was at first heartbreaking, and acceptance would take a while. They were to have a Boy, but with a prognosis of Downs Syndrome. Moreover, with certain deformities of the hands, feet and head.

"Are you sure your Doctor didn't prescribe you something for morning sickness, gastritis or insomnia"? The Specialist asked for the second time.

"I'm only pregnant! It's not as if I have a sickness or something. And, if I did, God is my healer!" She said proudly!

"I have to ask due to the deformation of the Fetus. With the test results, I would have said that you were exposed to Thalidomide. Nevertheless, fine. If you have any serious problems, then Please don't hesitate to come back. Promise"

"You have my word on the Bible Mr. Doctor Specialist Sir." She grudgingly responded.

They never went back. The rest (although shorter than normal) pregnancy went by like a fresh spring breeze. Until the end of the Sixth month.

Samuel had just finished locking the sheep in for the night and with all four dogs hopping around at his feet. That's when he heard his wife cry out to him. There was no time for a Doctor or even a Midwife, while the head of the child was already showing as she lay on the living room floor. But even before the completion of birth, his wife hemorrhaged and died. So, instinct took over and he delivered the child as he would a Lamb, and upon the site of his 'Gift of God', he cried out in anguish for his wife and the child with three fingers on each hand!

Nobody even dared to say anything about the way Samuel's child looked as they passed by Sam, saying their condolences. The funny twisted three fingered hands which reached out of the small quilted blanket that Dolly had made for him on the quick. The pale grayish skin color which the Doctor, (Sam could see he was lying), said would be a healthy baby pink in a few days. But what shocked people was the site when the baby opened his eyes.

Teardrop slanted eyes and dark as coal.

A brave Christian woman stopped and said: "Oh gee, look! He's got his mothers eyes." And then walked out the Funeral Parlor doors crossing herself as if she was Catholic.

Sam observed this and immediately Dolly, who stood by him the whole time said: "Sam, don't say anything. You can't blame her that my nephew is ugly as sin itself!". "And anyways, what would you say his name is when you're still so shocked looking at him to give him a proper name?" She asked with the hardness he new from his sister since their childhood days. This was a tone of hardness that even made Dolly's husband run back to the grill and re-do a botched breakfast order. A tone of voice that made arguing futile from the start.

"There was once a Prince who I thought was the homeliest person on the face of the earth." Sam said. "I'll call him William because the resemblance is uncanny!"

Eh, nice name. William. Dolly answered looking comically at Sam.

So started the new chapter in Samuel's life. Now with an infant to care for, but guided with his sister's help and his strong faith. William's deformities became a normal part of life. And when he sometimes had problems with God, wondering if Billy was his ultimate test of faith in this life, He thought of Dolly at the baptism.

William's baptism was a solemn event with only a few townsfolk in attendance sitting in the very last pews. When the pastor announced at the end of the ceremony to go with god's grace, those few attendees quickly stood and hurriedly left without even a word. The sadness and despair which was painted on Samuels face was obvious. At that moment Dolly commented: "Well, that IS a face that only a father could love"!

Sam and Dolly busted out laughing, and then the pastor joined in. So those were the words that helped him in his times of question. And the thought that, you love your children no matter what. And he was, no matter the circumstances, his child.

Or so he thought!

Two days later, Sam and young Billy drove into town. He had a few things to buy at the hardware store, pick up the Bill at the Funeral home and go to the Bank. Upon entering the Hardware store, it seemed that life was almost back on the track to normality. His friends greeted him, had said kind words about his deceased wife, and then asked how the farm was doing. Sam, having not gotten much sleep the last couple of nights, seen a flash, and not noticing from where, looked back and finally realized the quick scared glances at Billy and that they tried to act as if he didn't exist. With a sinful burning hatred starting to flame up in his heart, Sam turned the proverbial other cheek and simply left without saying a word. After the quick visit to the funeral parlor, Sam parked his truck in front of Dolly's. He decided to leave Billy sleeping in the truck and ran across the street to the Bank. The sun hasn't shone brightly for days so he would be okay. After five minutes, $5000, and a few quick hellos, Sam left the Bank to get Billy and go into Dolly's. Out the Bank doors and onto the street, he stopped in shock! And he stared like everybody else in the street, at his truck totally covered with Birds! Small ones, Crows, Hawks, a few Ravens, and on top, an Eagle! Thankful to God that he had the windows closed, as he started walking towards the truck, the Birds all took to flight! Forget Dolly's he thought, as he jumped into his truck and drove straight home. And the people stared after him.

♫"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone! Only darkness everyday!"♫

(Bill Withers)

So life marched on and Sam's son Billy grew. Saturday mornings, when Dolly and her husband had their hands full at the Coffee Stop, little Billy would play in and around the yard. Samuel's regular farming itinerary was modified to the circumstances of being a single parent. Therefore, Saturday mornings was the time when he cared for the lawn, cut hedges and such other (for a Sheep Farmer) menial task. As Billy learned to sit and crawl, Sam's worries about needing to strap one of his GPS senders from the sheep onto his son to keep track of him were to his astonishment, totally unwarranted! Sam started to notice day after day, how the four dogs would sit around him like the guards of a king. "Well Prince William has his Honor Guards," he muttered to himself smiling. While watching, Billy would start to crawl towards the hedgerow near the street, (I need to put up a fence there), the dogs would block him till he retreated to a safe distance from the hedge (well, maybe not!).

And he never even had to whistle his 'retrieve' tone once to the dogs!

The days went by and Sam's dog's interaction with Billy became continually stranger than the day before. Often in the morning, Billy would drop his Milk bottle to the floor and all four dogs would spring to be the first to softly grab the plastic bottle, and give the precious cargo back to Billy. Then, the other dogs would gather around the lucky one, nuzzle and lick its neck as if in a show of respect and thankfulness that he was the honored one to give the bottle back. Then they would all lie down again, constantly staring at Billy as if to be sure of his well being. The dogs even dozed on the kitchen floor like shift workers, two dozing and the other two on constant watch! Morning coffee with Billy was truly an amazing time of the day.

One morning during Sam's prayer to his savior, he asked the good lord to give him a sign that this was not something abnormal and that it was his will at work. When suddenly, one of the dogs had started to make a raucous with wild barking and yowling. Raising his head and opening his eyes to see Billy hanging sideways in his highchair, the chair leaning on the (standing still in place) German Shepard's back, two others trying with their heads to upright the highchair, and the fourth dog making sounds that even Sam had never ever heard from a dog before. Thanks to Dolly's innuendo of "Buckle him up for safety Sam! Takes only a second and they're trying the Superman routine from the highchair"! , Billy was hanging in there like a champion and crooked as a corkscrew. Contrary to his paternal instinct, Sam simply sat and watched as the play unfolded before his eyes. Yes, it's possible! Sam could most definitely testify that two dogs can set upright a highchair including a child's wiggling weight. At the very moment the chair stood straight, all four of the trustworthy guardians laid back down (thankfully now quiet) on the floor and had resumed their post at watching Billy. Lord, he thought, that wasn't exactly the kind of sign from you that I had in mind.

Many a morning Sam's coffee black would get cold as he watched these events play out before his eyes.

So the next Saturday mornings event was not astounding. Sam, shoveling new piles of gravel unto the driveway to even out the potholes, looked up to see the dogs lying before Billy and each in turn doing a roll. Would Billy grow up to be an animal trainer? Sam smiled to himself.
Chapter Two

♫Cause I'm leavin on a jet plane. Don't know if I'll be back again!♫

(John Denver)

The Newcomers 'No-Fly' rule had taken effect immediately. In a matter of minutes, Earths atmosphere flashed continuously Green with the speed of a machine gun, and all of the planes that was still in the air no longer existed. It was absolutely cold blooded and ruthlessly quick. And for the thousands of surviving Families, the heartlessness of the Newcomers not to let the planes land first was more devastating than anything they could imagine. But then, do they have such an organ or the feelings related to it? As for the hobby flier of small planes, it simply was a nuisance that they weren't allowed to fly anymore. But for all of the big Airline companies, it was the ultimate chaos. It had started a chain reaction of lay-offs and budget cuts in an unending attempt to save (which they could not conceive at the time) the Airlines and their companies which would never be needed again.

The No Automobile rule took a little while longer. Apparently they had a plan, and the plan was a slow stand still of motorized vehicles. And civilization was slower still to conceive what terminology the Newcomers had in mind with our cars. The people thought that they weren't serious about the demand, because the cars were still driving on the streets. On the second day after 'The Rules', the only cars that would run was Electric Hybrids. Hatred flourished in the streets as some people were stranded while others drove past, ignoring the pleas for help from those standing next to their cars and buses. Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks, simply said, everything with a motor stood still where it was. After a few days, the hybrids also stood dead on the road.

There was a large amount of brave (foolish) individuals and corporations which did not understand the No Auto rule. Their conception was that it only pertained to the streets, and therefore went out with their Yachts, Ocean Liners, Tankers, and even small motorboats. Yes, life for all of the surviving families was very distraught indeed. An International memorial service was held for the brave military men, serving their countries underwater in submarines, forever trapped in the deep of the Worlds oceans.

Do the newcomers know how to laugh? The world's stock markets broke down and with it, the world irrevocably returned to the standards of the Amish. Suddenly bicycles were in great demand around the world. Bicycle stores were plundered and left with nothing but dust. And of course, at the riding stables on the cities outskirts, he who had a Horse was now looked on with great respect.

As to be expected, Weapons were also now in mode. Where lots of countries always had seemingly relaxed or no weapons laws, other countries, used to the conformity and obedience of their nation's residents, now had a serious problem. For even as far as the northern tip of Finland, rifles and handguns were smuggled in. And in a fully new/old way of transportation, everything was naturally delivered by horse and carriage. This was of course, for the very few old-timers who knew carriage building, wheel binding and metal smiths, a golden business opportunity! The weapons were then sold openly, despite the warnings of a few remaining local authorities, at marketplaces for exorbitant prices and with little regard to the warnings of the law enforcement. The residents now cared little about the relic Gun control laws of former times. It was a time of caution and protecting ones self with what little possessions one still had. And with the inability to adapt to the sudden change to immobility, the Nations Armed Forces and their Police forces were, for all practical terms; totally useless! All across Europe, where the citizens had practically no experience with weapons of any sort, normal God loving people who refused to carry or use a firearm were shot down simply for a loaf of bread. Many homeowners were killed by the bands of Mobs who would then literally steal whatever was for the taking out of the house! With no Ships, Trucks, Planes or Trains, veritably everything was now a commodity.

In the western parts of America, life went on. Thanks in part to the resiliency of the native born and their heritage of the Pioneers, they were for the most part self sustaining! At most, the clock was turned back 100 years! Again, Farmers traded their livestock between each other, and less Chicken was consumed and therefore more eggs to trade. Pig farmers learned the age old art of Smoked Ham. The only farms that closed were the Cattle Ranchers. What started as a few missing or mutilated Cattle was now total Bovine extinction! Former cattle ranchers and their hired hands looked for work at nearby farms simply for food and shelter. Others, in deep psychological depression from loosing everything they had worked so hard for, walked simply out into the plains.

To die!

The cattle ranchers weren't by far the only people who lost everything, lock stock and barrel! The Banks had attempted to appeal to the consumer that it really was only a short crisis and to have faith and trust in the Government to restore everything back to normal. That had a lasting effect of about a week and then they too had to close. Within a matter of hours practically all of the stores, irregardless of the type of merchandise, were sold out clean and then they also were 'closed till further notice'. Dolly, even after winning a seriously loud argument with Carl in the Coffee's kitchen, had a woman's intuition and had closed the Coffee Stop days before. They then had quickly moved in with Sam and Billy, bringing all the stock goods from home and the Coffee Stop with them. So now Sam was stuck with Carl as a helping hand on the ranch (although he was a fantastic cook), and Dolly was now his live-in babysitter. He figured the other four babysitters were just fine, but he had only mentioned to Dolly that Billy likes to play with the dogs! Nobody would have believed it if he had explained just exactly to what extreme those dogs and Billy interacted with each other on a daily basis, and to try to tell his sister was senseless. She had her beliefs about children and he had his experiences with Billy. But she would in time discover that no harm could ever become of Billy. Because he had his four Musketeers!

♫Turn off the lights! Turn off the lights!♫

(Nelly Furtado)

Lots of people were saying that they had a Sloth like appearance, (although nobody had ever seen one), and action. The Newcomers were in a very slow process of totally shutting down the world's electrical systems. One by one, like a clock ticking away the hours, around the world, cities were plunged into sudden absolute darkness. City slickers were now standing numb in the streets and wondering what was happening. And the stories flew and grew, and they became richer with more insane Terrorist theories with every passing moment. And in all of the cities and their suburbs, the people had gone outside and were looking up in astonishment at the stars which they normally could never see, or had even cared about before, due to the extreme night life light pollution. Thousands and Thousands of stars filled the heavens and one had to awe at the pure night spectacle which had been kept at bay. And only due to the fact that they had no electricity! But the dark billboard signs, millions of dead traffic lights and the Budweiser sign at the Bar were simple when compared to the Nuclear power plants around the globe, that went slowly and insurmountable into the Meltdown stage. When the power was cut off and the ice cold waters had ceased to flow, the technicians had logically waited for the back-up generators to start. But there was no power to start the generators! So slowly but surely, the submerged Uranium rods had boiled off most of the water in just a matter of hours, and then the chain reaction started. To some degree, the personnel at the power plants had the intelligence to realize that there was absolutely nothing that could be done to prohibit it and they hauled ass for the hills! But what the technicians could not have known was that before the initial Meltdown started, every Nuclear reactor suddenly had a Disc parked directly on top of the reactor domes. It resembled a gigantic silver-gray turtle sitting on an egg. And although the Newcomers still let the meltdown happen, for reasons not comprehensible to us, they then had somehow disseminated the main and the residual radiation. And as strange (illogical) as mankind is, there was lots of people (Greenpeace) which had still stayed around ,in total disregard of the consequences, to observe the meltdown and had observed the Disc. On a bright sunny day, the Salt Flats power plant reactor was most definitely not the only thing which went totally nuclear when the electrical power went dead! When the power stopped, and both of Raven's computers went dead, monitors and keyboards went flying down the hallway. His 3D Joystick mouse got its cable (removed), and his beloved laptop had a continuous smash fight with Ravens desktop. He was reacting like a man who had finally got free of his straight jacket, and he was screaming so loud that his vocal cords gave in to the battle of high frequencies. Finally simmering down to a low boil, he shouted as loud as his frayed laryngitis voice allowed towards the living room to his wife that he was going to take the pictures of the 'wave Moon' and go public. This would forever stamp him as a criminal. But his wife didn't hear a thing, because when the nuclear computer explosion started, she had left for good.

♫Free Willy, 'coz Willy really needs to be free!♫

Songwriters: Leonard Phillips and Stan Sobol

Susan had a love for everything aquatic, which of course, was in total contrast to the landscape where she had grown up in. Born and raised in the 'dust bowl' of Kansas, she was now like a Heroin junkie! Upon waking up in the morning, her daily routine started with throwing the curtains wide open and getting her morning 'fix' by taking in the splendour and beauty of the deep blue waters from the Gulf of Mexico. When the house was purchased, her only stipulation had been that the residence had to be on the shoreline of the Gulf, because that was what she loved. Blue water and every living thing that was in it. Soaking up the scenery, she remembered how it all began. As a little girl, her bedroom was totally wallpapered (also the ceiling) with posters of Orcas, Dolphins, various reef fish, Octopi and tons of seashell pictures. She always had to help her father on the dusty farm doing her perpetually never ending chores, but she had her room to dream in and her burning desire to get to the ocean someday. Many a day she would dive deep into her daydreams while watching the water windmill slowly turn in the oppressively hot dry summer air. Sitting on the fence 120 Miles from Wichita, smack dab in the middle of nowhere and nothing, she had visualized how magnificent it would be to don a scuba tank and plunge into the cool ocean waters to play with the fish.

Someday, yes someday it will come true she had promised herself. And so she had studied hard in school and studied even harder in her free time, which had kept her grade averages at straight A's. She had known that it was the only way to get away from living the rest of her life here with the constant choking dust. So, when she had graduated at the very top of her class, her father had been a confusion of ecstasy and sadness, for he had always known of her dream of the living ocean. When she had received her scholarship for the Marine Biological University in Maryland, there was no stopping her. The studies at the university had gone by like the wind and there was never a problem. It was so easy, it was at times boring! Until she met a tinkering geek engineering student at her regular morning stop at the coffee shop. She was reading her usual Ocean magazine, when from over her shoulder came a voice that said in a very confusing way: "scuba tanks wouldn't be needed if I could figure a way to split the oxygen out of the sea water yes yes that's a good theory to work on tonight or maybe I'll skip class today and try to work it out it has to be possible somehow." And the guy had simply walked out of the coffee shop. Susan had stared after him and asked: "What in the hell was that all about?" "Oh don't worry about him lady." A young Grad student at the next table had answered. "That was only Marcus. He's totally harmless, unless he gets an idea in his head. Then its full speed ahead and there's no stopping him till he figures it out!" Susan had been abnormally wary about the college boys, because 1. They only got drunk all the time, 2. They only wanted to fuck, and 3. She didn't want to waste her precious time here with boys. But in the back of her mind she had gotten one of her 'twinkle tingles'. It was her nickname for the premonitions she often got. "How do you know that he's harmless?" she had then asked. "Cause he's studying Mechanical Engineering with us at the AMU." He answered. "Seems like something in your fishing magazine lit up his light, and believe me, he'll find an answer to the problem!" The other guy at the table had then said: "Yeah, he's the only guy I know that could make a nuclear bomb out of a paper clip!" As they then had started to laugh and make bullying jokes about this Marcus guy, Susan had gotten to her feet, sneered and said: "It's called Ocean and it is definitely not a fishing magazine you dumb fuckwad!" The Kansas raised girl then strode proudly out the door. (Why had she been so angry that they were talking bad about him?) Looking around at the park which served as a communal meeting place, (and Frisbee War Zone), for the three separate Universities, she hadn't seen him. And in the back of her mind she had thought: 'twinkle, twinkle my little star. Now I wonder just where you are'. And it wasn't till the next week that she had seen him again. (Looking back in time, she knew she had been waiting for him daily!)She had been sitting calmly at her regular table, and drinking her Latte Macchiato while reading her (fishing) magazine, when he had suddenly appeared at her table as if out of thin air. Dropping his papers and spreading them over the table, (and almost spilling her Latte), he had said in his Einstein language: "problem solved I think you won't need tanks till a depth of fifty or even seventy-five meters depending on water temperature oxygenation breathing habits.....She had only stared at him and was amazed that someone could rattle on about engineering as if singing a rap song. Suddenly he stopped his prattle, had looked her in the eyes and said: "Damn you're beautiful!" Then he had gone on again about the mouthpiece with filter tubes and such. 'Wait a minute Susie, she had thought. 'Are your ears playing tricks on you'? 'You're beautiful! Not, want to get laid? Got a condom with you? He just made a straight forward compliment and then goes back to work?

The next Monday morning was when he had stormed into the coffee shop, snatched her by the arm, (this time spilling her Latte), threw Five dollars on the table and started his rap talk again. "Come on we have to test this today we both can afford to skip courses. Got a bathing suit with you? Never mind we can rent one lets go to the swimming pool it worked in the bathtub for me." An hour later, they had been standing at the edge of the pool; she was somewhat sceptical when she had seen the makeshift contraption which he had given to her. "Just dive in breath normal go to the bottom of the deep side and stay under a while." He had explained to her. She then had walked to the edge of the pool and before putting the mouthpiece in her mouth, she had asked: "Coming with?" His blushing cheeks told her before he could've answered. "You can't swim?" She had asked astounded. "No!" He had replied softly. "So just what are you doing inventing something like this for?" She had then quizzically asked him. "It's for you," was his statement. So in she dove and went to the Five meter deep part of the pool, 'and she could breath'!! But after a few minutes, the do-it-yourself mouthpiece started to hurt her gums, so she had took it out of her mouth to look at it. She heard the splash as Marcus dove into the water and floundered his way down in her direction. 'Oh my god' she thought. 'He thinks I'm in trouble, and he can't even swim!' 'How sweet!' Arms and feet flapping, he managed to make it to her side, and she kissed him. On dry land, he would have seen the tears in her eyes as she had the realization that she had found her soul mate for the rest of eternity. So they had passed the 'Breather' back and forth till they got to the surface and no sooner as he was sitting on the edge of the pool and splashing his feet in the water, he had begun to Rap again. "Have to modify a few parts get a real mouthpiece maybe make it a little more compact." She had put a finger to his lips to quiet him and said: "It's so cool and you're an outright genius. And I love you!" From that day on, they were inseparable. Her Marcus was the type of person who could make MacGyver look like a kindergarten candidate. Always building some sort of contraption, (some were pretty cool), and on a never ending search for unique ideas and more new things to build! When they both graduated from the Universities, Marcus was already a Millionaire, thanks to his 'Breather'!

So after getting her daily morning 'fix' from looking at the Ocean, she turned and looked at the original 'Breather' hanging over the bed and said to Marcus: "I'm hungry!" "Bacon and Eggs my dear?" he asked, staring at her fabulous naked body. "Oh yeah!" she said grinning. "But first!" she said and sprang back in bed to him.

Susan got a position straight out of college at the newly opened Sea World in Galveston, Texas. Marcus naturally went with, because with his inventiveness and credentials, (and because he was stinking rich by now), he could find a job anywhere, if he wanted to work. So he took a lowly paying position at the Siemens Company, which was fine with him, because he had unlimited access to the research department. It was an absolute heavenly place for him to tinker around. But one day, when he was working at the proving bench, the power went off. Reaching under the table, he grabbed the portable propane torch, which made a great emergency light. Coming out of the building and standing around with the other employees, he heard that the power was off all over the complex. So he walked the Five miles to Sea World, which he did a lot even when the cars were running. He loved the Oceans smell and the walk down the Boulevard with its many varieties of tourist shops. But he realized that it was a complete blackout when none of the tourist signs were lit. When he arrived at Sea World he went straight to her office. Susan was walking a worn path into the carpet and in her Kansas tone, cursing up a storm. Marcus knew better than to interrupt her, so he simply waited in the doorway. Finally she stopped, looked at him and said: "We have to find a way to get them all back into the water." Marcus said: "Get everything into the empty Orca tank. The rest is my job." As he walked away, he started his Rap again. "Oscilloscope will help voltage meter batteries or two beru cable alligator clips...." 'God I love him when he rattles like that.' She thought. For she knew that when his brain went into overdrive and he rattled on and on, the problem would be solved.

In the late of afternoon, as she was carrying an eel to throw into the tank with the other new occupants, she heard her Marcus over by the steel roll door which opened up to the Gulf of Mexico. When she went over to look at what he had constructed, he stopped his rambling and asked: "What?" "Nothing sweetie, I am just amazed at what you can put together. It looks like some weird shit but I bet it works!" she said. He just smiled and then said: "Walla!" He flipped a switch, and nothing happened! "Ah honey, I think you got a slight problem!" She said. "No my dearest!" he said with a smirk on his face. "Double power outage security locking system!" "It's shorted out now but the roll door we'll just have to open with the crank handle" She smiled at him and said: "I love it when you talk dirty to me!" Laughing they walked over and cranked the steel door open, and the tide slowly released the prisoners out into the Gulf.

Clear skies and a bright spring morning sunrise, and an atmosphere so clean a person could see farther than they ever thought was possible. That the air was becoming purer by the day was logical, and even though there were many hardships anew on a daily basis, the general population was actually starting to enjoy the sweet fragrance of simple clean air. Without the constant cumulative exhaust fumes of vehicles, trains and planes from our (past) modern society, one could wake up in any of the metropolitan cities and relish at a breakfast outside on the balconies of skyscrapers. In addition to splendid sunrises, fewer people were having Asthma attacks or per se, lung problems. While on the flip side of the coin, lung patients were dying due to a lack of bottled oxygen. To the enjoyment of the many thousands of joggers in parks across the globe, the tours began to be lots easier and therefore, while most were anyways now unemployed, much longer. The whole world could finally start to breathe normal again!

But like the produce scales at the Saturday farmers markets, every upside has its downside. Now the parks were also filled with bicycles of every shape and form. Joggers and Bicyclist have an affinity for not being symbiotic! Yes people were becoming more physically fit due to the wonder of the magical absence of electricity. Mankind could adjust to hard situations, even in the biggest of cities! It was only a matter of time!

But, as with most city slickers, they have a tendency to live for the moment. Soon, there would be a drastic change because it was still the start of the Spring Season. The world would quickly realize when the Government sprayed Chemtrails were gone, so too was the shield against the radiation! Not only is the Sun beautiful, set against the Aquamarine Blue sky, it was also deadly! Folks used the ever increasing attributes of Sun Creams and went about life. Yes, in winter the sun is not so strong as to get sunburns, but the winter came as it always does, and for millions across the world, a bone deep killing cold and a slow death they could have never imagined!

♫Who let the dogs out? Who? Who? Who? Who?♫

(Baha Men)

Charles always did seem to have a love for animals and now, for the last ten years, the slowly dilapidating zoo in Bangor Maine was his permanent home. Charles luck in life seemed to have run out and he had fallen on bad times, after he had caught his wife running around and sleeping with his boss downtown at the company headquarters. Charles usually spent most of his working day driving around town to the various offices to do repairs contracted out from the headquarters. When one day he had finished early he drove back to the company and had discovered her car in the parking lot out back. He proceeded to look around and not finding her, had gone in to ask the boss if he had maybe seen her. Oh yes boy, the boss apparently had seen plenty of her lately. After catching them in flagrant, he had snatched her key ring and had thrown her dumb ass out of his house. Upon entering the company the next morning, he was rudely informed that he was being fired due to the ongoing theft of company property. They presumably had discovered lots of items in his locker and that his employment was terminated. He was smart enough to know when they framed him that he had no other choice but to accept the pink-slip. Any further discussions with his ex-boss would only lead to them calling the police and making it official. Now what good would it be to sit behind bars and still not be employed? Nada. So he quietly packed the few things from his locker which did belong to him and then had said to his boss: "Please do me one favour. Take my job and shove it straight up my wife's ass for me!" After he had submitted his employment application to all the places in town, only to be bluntly informed that they most definitely would not hire a thief, he quickly realized that he was blackballed. So after a few months of having to sell off the rest of his possessions, including his house, he had started to hang around at the Bangor Zoo to try to ease his depression. His dispirited thinking at the beginning was that the animals here were more normal than the human animals. So in the course of the years, he had at first become a regular visitor. Then, after they had often watched him picking up peoples trash and cleaning up after the other visitors at the Zoo, the groundskeeper approached him and had offered him a place to sleep in the tool shed. "What's your name son, and just exactly when was the last time you had something decent to eat?" He had asked Charles. He answered: "My name is Charley and the Hot Dog lady by the Monkey cage gave me a burnt doggie yesterday." "And before that?" he asked. "Oh, I just love being on a diet! Helps to keep the mind alert." Charley answered. "Also makes it easier for the eyes to spot a dropped wallet." Charley said. "Wait a minute now, are you the one who found the rich lady's wallet last week and then gave it back to her?" He asked astounded. Charley grinned and asked sheepishly; "Do you mean the black one with the $570 and 20 cents in it or the red one last month?" John the groundskeeper stared at Charley with his mouth open, and then said: "the lady was ranting about, that the man simply refused to take Five dollars as a reward and that she was overjoyed in the fact that we have such honest workers here at the zoo!" "Yes, the stupid bitch was constantly trying to stuff a fiver in my shirt pocket, so I simply walked away." Charley said. Sitting down on the push lawnmower and lighting a cigarette, John stated; "You really are a hard one to figure out! You find a wallet with a months pay check in it, give it back and you're starving to death!" "Are you just a little dumb in the headroom or what man?" "She offered you money!" Charley looked over to him and asked calmly: "Does money bring you happiness?"

After a few moments of silence between them, John stamped his cigarette out on the floor, stood up and said he would show him the grounds. "As if I don't know the place like the back of my hand." Charley said. John smiled and said: "Just shut your flap and come with me." On their way out, Charley picked up the cigarette filter and threw it in the trash. They walked straight towards the Doggie Stand and Charley had to cough to cover the grumbling hunger in his stomach. But then they took a right and went to the back of the Monkey House. John showed him their 'secret' bush next to the back door where a small black gorilla was hanging, and on the key ring was the emergency key. "Just in case I have a day off or get sick, okay?" John told him. And in through the back door they went, John flicking the light switches on, then down the hall and on the left hand side, John then opened a door. Inside was a complete locker room with toilettes and showers. "In you go my friend!" John said. "Shower towels and soap are in the cabinets over the sinks." "You not only look like shit, but you're smell has a close resemblance also!" And as soon as Charley had asked the question as to why they have showers in the Monkey House, Charley then said: "Oh yeah, I just love it when mothers hold their kids up to the fence to see Brutus and suddenly "SPLAT!!" monkey shit here and there and even in Moms hair!" John and Charley laughed till their guts hurt and then John said: "Take a shower, stink bomb!" After an hour of hot steamy water, (and almost a whole bar of soap), Charley had stepped out into the hallway, but John was not to be seen. So he clicked the lights off, locked up and went back to his new home.

An old Army cot had been set up in the corner of the shed and on it were two bags. In the first bag was a pair of old overalls with the Zoos BZ emblem on the front pocket and sticking out of the pocket was a note: "You need to wear these from now on. If anybody should bother to ask you where you work, you are my new assistant! Johnny." But the second bag was even better! Cold hot dogs, buns and two little packs of ketchup, which had made him totally forget about the first bag for the time being. That was a meal he would never forget.

And so started the new life of Charles the assistant and it had taken well over two years before the zoo director finally figured it out that Charley wasn't even on the payroll as an honest to god employee. But by then he was fully integrated, respected for his honesty and beloved by all of the 'real' employees. Of course, there was a moment of dispute when he had convinced a child that a Hot Dog was much better for his wondrous smile than Cotton Candy. But then, the old man who spun the cotton candy had to admit that Charley was right, and to hell with it. He only made minimum hourly wage and was not paid by how much he sold or not. When the police came and started to escort Charley towards the main gate, the director had wondered why the Doggie Stand was not operating! He slowly started noticing that none of the concession stands was in operation. All of the personnel were missing! The visitors were just standing around and complaining to anyone who would listen, and upon turning the corner towards the main gate, that is when he saw John. And standing behind him was the whole crew which worked at the zoo. "Who the fuck you trying to impress John?" The director asked with a conceited smirk on his face. "I'll throw your ass out in the street along with this hobo bum friend of yours!" John quietly answered: "If he walks, we all walk!" "But a new Negro groundskeeper is really not your biggest problem boss. Who's going to take care of your precious animals for you?" After a moment of thought, the director offered Charley a job as 'Assistant Negro Groundskeeper'. "The pays not the best in town but it's better than begging on the street!" He said with a horse braying laugh. Charley stared and answered: "Keep your money boss; I'll simply work for free." As the workers walked past to go back to their jobs, the director snorted and said; "Can you imagine that! The nigger doesn't want any money!" John pushed by him and asked; "Does money bring you happiness?"

And the years had gone by like the breeze from a butterfly's wings. The Zoo had become his world and his entire life. He even knew the names of the other workers children, where they work, and the names of everybody's grandchildren. For Charley was far, far away from the category of stupid. When he would see that something needed to be fixed, he would always wait until after closing hours to fix it. And methodical improvements to the electrical systems and security cameras were done on Wednesday afternoons, which was the only time of the week that the zoo closed. Seriously, people are funny in a way, because through all the years, nobody had ever bothered to ask him if he had held a real job before! But would any of the others even believe him if he told them that he was an Electrical Engineer? More than likely, they would only humour him and agree. And can you imagine what our racist 'Director Bigot' (John's nickname for him) would say? 'What? An electric nigger engineer?' Hardy-ha-ha! There was only one time where he had almost had to give price to his secret. After repairing a relay for the doors to the Elephant House, one of the antique cables had shorted out and had burned their insulation covering. Now, a piece of cable here, a new relay or circuit breaker there, nobody missed any of that menial stuff in the course of a weeks work. But on Thursday morning, when over twenty feet of five braided cable was missing, all hell broke loose. His luck was that a couple of boys were caught stealing cable the next day at the railroad yard. So they chalked it up to theft. People are verily funny sometimes! In all of the raucous about the missing cable, and probably due to the fact that Charley was standing in the doorway of the supply room smoking a cigarette when the electrician came in, nobody had even bothered to check to see if the door was jimmied or not!

One day as he was helping to clean 'Kangaroo Field', he was watching Momma and her newborn female baby marsupial hopping around by the overnight house. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he seen what he thought was a ghost over near the fence. But before he could turn his head, Momma Kangaroo seemed to explode and only some hair floated down to the ground. Charley's leaf rake fell out of his hand and he murmured "God!" He turned quickly to John but seen that he was facing the other way. So the baby earned the nickname 'Little Orphan Annie'. Where the Kangaroo went, nobody could seem to figure out and Charley had kept his silence. He almost didn't believe himself what had transpired right before his eyes. And over the course of the next few weeks, more and more animals which were walking freely in their pens had started to disappear. And Charley was keeping a keen eye out for that killer ghost he had seen. When he noticed it one day hovering ever so slowly over the Penguin pen, the first thing that came to mind was his University Professor talking about the possibilities of different dimensions and how would the beings look like. Now, watching the thing with the double wings circling above the pen like a Vulture, he was pretty sure he knew the answer. If Charley had blinked, he would not have seen it, because suddenly the Rod snatched a Penguin so fast; none of the other Penguins even noticed one of their own was suddenly missing. Charley murmured to himself; "Wham, Bam, and Thank you Maam." Although Charley was a religiously devoted Atheist, he asked the good lord to save the innocent animals.

Two weeks later, the electrical power had gone off and the Rods had stopped coming around about a week earlier, according to the daily head count! So the whole Zoo personnel, who had so faithfully cared for the Zoo and all of its inhabitants, had all fled for the hills. Now, Charley, standing all alone in his new 'private' Zoo, knew exactly what had to be done. He had then spent the rest of the day releasing all of the trapped animals into freedom.

Sometimes Sam had to wonder if his son Billy, looking very disabled with his three fingered hands, would be more adept at farm work than his brother-in-law Carl! But Carl tried, tried, and kept right on trying. Sam had to give Carl credit in that he seemed to be a very proud Christian and that he was more than willing to pull his weight just to earn his keep! Sometimes Sam's (teacher) resilience would break down! Seriously, how many times must you show a man how to tie a simple rope knot! Carl had 'the Sixth Sense' at judging peoples emotional state of mind and when he had the feeling Sam would 'throw in the towel', He'd recite a poem from a long forgotten song; "Face piles of trials with smiles. It's hard to believe that I perceive the web you weave". It made Sam laugh every time! Sam's trustworthy sheep dogs were now Billy's companions and guardians since birth! Even when they went to do their 'duty' in the field, Sam could never get any three dogs to go in the fields to herd the sheep. Two of the guardians would always stay with Billy! Carl commented once; "I can understand that". When questioned why he thinks that way, he simply said: "I know". Those words, that had come out of his mouth sounded so convincing! And when he looked at my puzzled face, he said; "just leave it alone"! Now, for a man of the west, he sure was mighty peculiar sometimes!

♫Sithi uhm ingonyama♫

(From the Circle of Life)

He always did have a distaste for guns. He had to tag along with his grandfather on their annual fall hunting trips, walking so deep into the scary woods and then having to be perfectly still. And he literally froze his ass off in the yearly ritual of deer hunting, always having to sit in the deep snow and hiding behind bushes. His Grandfather could have probably sat motionless for days just waiting for the right deer to wander into the sights of his rifle. He thought that it was absolutely dumb to go out, freeze yourself into a Popsicle and shoot deer. And then he had to drag the stupid thing through the deep snow all the way back to his Grandfathers Dodge pick-up. Wasn't it a whole lot simpler to go downtown and buy a piece of Venison from the butcher? Also a ritual, after managing to get the thing securely stored in the bed of the truck, was to go straight to Joes and talk about how his grandson shot it, while many a cold beer passed his throat. And every year, like clockwork, Joe would call his dad, who would then walk to Joes bar, throw his drunken grandfather into the back of the truck with his best friend (the Deer), and bring them home. That was a family ritual for eight years in a row, until thankfully, with his mother fighting at his side, Dad and Grandpa had to give in to the fight, and he had went off to the Liberal Arts College in Massachusetts. He had seriously believed that his father really wouldn't have cared if he had left or not. That was basically the type of person that his father was, everybody should be allowed to do his own thing! But his Grandpa was a whole different story. "Only pussies paint pictures!" He had said in the kitchen. His Mom had retorted with: "And what about all the great painters the world has had? What about Michelangelo?" His Grandpa had already had his two beers with his breakfast and boy, was he on a run! "That boy was as perverted as you can get! Painting pictures of naked little boys on the walls and ceilings of Churches until he got caught at it! So he added wings and said they were Angels and such! A regular Uncle Pervie that boy!" Blah, Blah, Blah. His Mom sternly said: "Paul's going to College!" So, in the end, he had gone off to become a better artist than he already was. The whole basement was one big tapestry of pictures, which he had painted throughout the years. Lots of new ones mixed with some that was already over Ten years old. His mom wouldn't think of throwing a single one away, in case he was to become famous someday.

In College he had the strangest Arts Professor the world could ever throw at them. They called him 'the Wizard of Oz', and he was always singing his weird little song about roses are supposed to be red and that green grass has to be green. This was for Paul, totally contrary to what they were meant to learn. After his third year at LACM, He discovered the new art form of Graphic Designing. He simply loved to paint, but there is only so much what one can put on canvas till it gets boring! But designing things on a computer, now that was the cats meow! By the end of his fourth year, he was already designing posters for upcoming demonstrations and t-shirts. So he had decided to hang two additional years on to his studies and he had got his Bachelors Degree of Graphic Designing. Soon after, he had moved to Maine, where a new advertising company was opening shop in the town of Orono. That was almost twenty years ago, and his car was never once in the garage. There was simply no room for a car, what with all the computers and various other equipment, which he honestly, really (seriously!) needed for his freelance designing.

Striding into his (garage) studio workshop, his wife, seeing him sitting depressed and sunken deep in his chair before his blank monitors, made the comment: "Well honey, at least I'll never bother you again about not being able to park the car in the garage!" "Very funny!" he said. "All the comedians are at the unemployment office and you're trying for a job!" "What good is all this equipment without power, or a car that runs to drive to work with, to my job which doesn't exist anymore because it's totally dependent on electricity?" "Well sweetheart, why don't you do your caveman job and start a fire in the grill," she said. "The twins are hungry for Dino meat." Hopping out of his stool, he said in his Human Torch voice; "Flame On!" "Okay hotshot!" She said and slapped his ass as he walked past her. "Just as long as you don't start turning into the rubber dude!" He turned and said with an erotic grin on his face; "More like the Thing!" Laughing, she turned and went back in to the kitchen saying; "Oh please! Aren't the twins more than enough for us to handle!" Out the back door to the patio he hopped as if trying to take to flight and then, as he strode over towards the grill, he could have sworn that he had seen a flash of something moving in the air. I have been staring too long at all the blank monitors, he figured. The twins were both on the swing set, and they were naturally swinging in unison as if they were one. They did everything the same. And due to the fact that they were identical twins, most of the time he could never tell them apart, although he would never admit to it. I will really appreciate it when Chelsea gets her glasses, he was thinking while the grill started. At least then he would be able to tell the difference between her and Sarah! Just how his wife could, even at a veritable distance, distinguish the subtle differences were beyond him.

He noticed another flash out of the corner of his eyes, but upon turning, only seen the Symbiotic twins swinging in the afternoon sun. Must be the steel chains from the swings, he thought. Turning to stare back at the flames, he started reminiscing about the unusual events which had transpired just last week. They had loaded the twins into the SUV and then had realized that the stubborn car wouldn't run, and at one of the worst times. They had planned to get the twins new shoes and then go to the Piggly Wigglys to do some urgently needed grocery shopping. His wife had always waited till the freezer was more than half empty so that they could take advantage of the reduced sale prices. So his wife had then suggested that maybe he should dig out the old rifle which he had inherited from his Grandpa and go hunting. "Yeah, right!" he said. "As if I didn't have to do enough of that shit as a child!" "Good!" she answered. "Then why don't you go out back and tell the twins that they'll have to starve to death from now on!" So, he had walked into the woods, hoping that the old shells would still fire and seriously not expecting to see anything edible to mow down with the antique rifle. And then suddenly a deer casually strode right in front of him! After chambering a round, sighting and the shot, he wondered why it had just stood there totally still and had not gone bounding off into the deeper woods. It seemed to him as if it was too scared to move! Now that was really strange, he thought. But whatever, now he had food to put on the table. So they now had (still) frozen venison in their slowly thawing freezer. But it wouldn't be for long because it would be thawed within three days. And what do we do thereafter? His wife brought out the plate with the 'steaks', and broke his reverie. "Twinnies!" He called over toward the swings. "Do you want Deer meat or delicious venison?" "I want one of the birdies, daddy." Sarah answered. What birdies, he wondered, and turned to see a Rod circling over the hedgerow. "Honey" he whispered quietly to her. "Go slowly back in and bring the rifle to me. And with a shell already chambered and safety off! As she then slowly walked back into the house, he was keeping an eye on the strange apparition. Having already heard all of the fantastic fairy tale stories about these things he had simply laughed it off. He had never even seen one till now, and as the saying goes; 'seeing is believing'! His wife had already come back and was now standing at his side. Upon taking the rifle carefully out of her hand, he had asked; "is it ready?" "I'm not an idiot!" She said in a hushed tone. "Tell the Twins to slowly stop their swinging but to stay seated where they are." he said. "They obey you a hell of a lot more than they do me." "Girls", she said. "We're going to play a little swing game that I learned as a child." "You have to slowly stop swinging, but stay seated." "And when I count to three, start swinging as far up as you can go, okay?" "Yeah Mommy!" they answered in chorus. "Now Daniel Boone, you got only one shot to knock that devil out of the air before they anticipate me counting to three sweetheart, better make it count!" she whispered to his ear.

All of it happened almost simultaneously, in a blur of slow motion! Paul had shouldered the rifle to sight in on the Rod. Chelsea had cried "Lion King!" And Sarah had cried; "Not the Birdie Daddy!" And in a split second reaction, mentally impregnated during his childhood, Paul had dropped the rifles sights and pulled the trigger. The Lion had sprung from behind his hiding place under the hedges, Paul had shot, the Rod had attacked the Lion instead of the Twins, and there were pieces of Lion flesh, fur and some sort of shit from the dead Rod splattered all over the place. Who had killed what and how and at which moment! Paul, at that moment, didn't really give a shit! The Twins had then started to scream and had tried to run to them, but was slipping and sliding on the semi-transparent gunk from the Rod. Paul was almost going into hyperventilation and had turned to say something to his wife, but she had fainted dead over in the grass, shredded Lion and Rod glop.

Looking around at the mass chaos in his backyard, he silently said thanks to his Grandfather for him being such a hard ass.

Chapter Three

In the meantime, Raven had now started to travel around the countryside and he was vigorously showing anybody who would show interest or could not escape him, all of his photographs of the 'Wave' that had went over the Moon surface. And he just had to show them the pictures of the objects which were supposedly flying over the Lunar Landscape! The crystal clear Photo's of the Moon and his description that these were taken by the 'Blood Moon', received skepticism among the people. That and the fact he was now in possession of a full beard really did not help convince the higher authorities of his sanity. In time, he was relegated to the affiliation of the 'lunatics'.

Samuel had taken his Telescope out and had it sturdily mounted on the tripod for the first time since Billy's arrival at the farm. Billy was finally asleep and the other 'Four Musketeers' laid around the bed. Dolly was trying to teach Carl the fine art of Quilting in the living room, which for Sam was simply humorous! How can you quilt when a simple knot is a hurdle? But for Sam it was a clear night with Full Moon and he wanted to look if he could see the objects flying around the Moons surface. He'd wanted to look since months, but sometimes a single parent is lucky to get the time to breathe! Adjusting his Scope on the Moon and bringing it into focus, what Sam saw numbed him to the bone! In the house and back out he ran with his calculator in hand. Remembering his wife saying the Astronomy Course at night school she gave him as a Birthday present would be useful someday, Sam started punching numbers on his pocket calculator. He checked and re-checked the math, but the numbers don't lie. He was seeing another Disc, parked on or directly above the Moon. And the calculation was approximately 10 Kilometers in diameter! Upon bringing out Dolly and Carl to see and help him understand if his sanity was in question, Dolly almost fainted at the sight but Carl simply said; "Yep, it's parked, that's for sure"! With Sam and Dolly staring dumbfounded at Carl, he stated; "Leave it alone"!! Dolly started stammering about "somebody else should be seeing this", and "we can't be the only ones that know about this"! Carl looked again and said dryly "It's okay. She's gone now". Little did they know that not far away, another man was looking and doing the numbers also! A lonely, unshaved man called Raven. Whose wife had separated from him, due to (his mental incapacities)! Raven, alone on the rooftop of the Hotel where he lived day to day, was ranting, raving, and for the townsfolk below watching him, now acting totally insane.

Two men, unknown to each other. With a symbiotic fate to meet and make history. But only one would be, (albeit criminally), remembered. Such is destiny!

Raven was yelling down to the assembled crowd to look at what was parked on the moon. But for the naked eye, a Black Disc in a dark Crater was impossible to see. The Police were already at the top of the stairs leading out to the roof of the hotel. In earlier times, one would call the police and wait till they eventually arrived. Nowadays with Horses on short demand, they were always 'walking the beat' like in the good old days. One walked straight to Raven while two other officers started looking up at the heavens. Naturally, they too could see nothing unusual. Also they didn't know just what to look for! Raven was telling the officer next to him not to touch or move the telescope, only to look through the eyepiece. He looked, the other two looked, and Raven smiled! Finally, somebody of Authority has also seen them on the Moon! "Well"? Raven asked with glee! "Yeah it's a beautiful Moon out tonight, especially through your Telescope"! "Brings it in real sharp like, now don't it"? Ravens cat-like grin started to fade and he almost fell over bending over the Scopes eyepiece. "No, No, No"! "It can't be"? Where earlier the Disc sat was now only the man in the Moon.

In the cities and their suburbs, life had become 'Dog eat Dog'! Hunger and thirst was the name of the game. The Artesian fountains, heavily guarded, were the new trading places. Many ex-bankers and stockbrokers came with suitcases full of normally coveted items. Nevertheless, the citizens were getting street smart! Now such popular things like Gold or Silver coins, Diamonds, Money and even small Gold Bars held no value for the normal person. If a person had goods to barter with, then thirst was not really a problem. Beloved items were Sterno, Canned food, and naturally (since it's first discovery) Alcohol. The problem for most was: quench your thirst but have nothing to eat!

One Italian from a Pizzeria assumed he would be safe to walk the Five miles to the Fountains at the front of the (now desolate) Mayors building. He would trade his Ciabatta bread for a canister of water and then take an alternative route home. Wouldn't anybody follow him over Five miles to seek out where he was still able to bake Bread, he reckoned. It wasn't that bad, yet. As he was preparing to lock the steel gate door to the back of the defunct Pizzeria, the delicious aroma of fresh baked bread had filled the cool morning air. He was then shot twice in the back of his head, with keys still in hand! For days, they had waited for him to finally come out! Like Cavemen waiting for the Dinosaur! Humanity's clock was fastidiously going backward.

"Dolly, you got to come and take a look at this". Sam said. The two of them had then watched a scene as if straight from a play. Billy was outside sitting in the middle of the lawn on the houses backside. His four faithful guardians were all sitting squarely around him and Carl was standing on the outside of the ring of Dogs. What had then transpired was absolutely freaky. So strange, was the way Carl seemed to be having a one-way conversation with his Nephew. Because through the course of it all, all four of the Dogs heads were going back and forth, as if listening intently to a serious conversation between Billy and Carl. Billy was just over a year old, and his vocabulary consisted of Mama (Dolly), Papa and an anomalous word that sounded like 'Pats'. Dolly turned giggling and said, "Well, Carl always did make jokes about him being the next Dr. Doolittle". "After seeing that, I guess he is"!

Raven simply could not get used to his jail cell. "This isn't the America where I grew up in!" He spoke to the four graffiti scribbled walls. After he had his little mental eclipse on the rooftop of the hotel where he had stayed, they had then taken him to the Police Station for an evaluation of the situation. On the roof, he had again gone Nuclear due to two factors: one, the formally parked Disc on the surface of the Moon was not there anymore and that had terrified him. And two, the three officers had had a real good time of bullying and joking with him about witches on flying brooms. So jumping around on the roof and hysterically ranting that the world was in grave danger from oncoming Aliens, they had forced him down onto the rooftop and handcuffed him. So now, sitting all alone in his jail cell, Raven was not in the least worried about his well being, but was seriously troubled about the whereabouts of his camera and telescope equipment. That and the fact that he had now stayed over two days in this dusky cell which did not even have a window, really did not improve his psychological state of mind. After being totally ignored by the Jail Officers until the morning of the third day, they had then rudely informed him that the Judge was still up at his Cabin in the mountains doing a little fishing and knowing how he is, probably would not come back till the following Monday. It depends on the Judge and the cooperativeness of the fish, so till then, it was three meals a day in his dark dungeon. By Thursday, he was sullen and silent. Regardless who or how many times he asked, he had gotten no answer if his equipment was in safety or if it was still on the rooftop. What they did bring in to the station on Wednesday was a big carton box with all his pictures, diagrams and other paraphernalia. But his equipment was not replaceable in this new day and age of Hillbilly Amish transportation, so on Saturday he had went on a hunger strike. That had lasted only till Sunday evening, because a man had to eat and he just loved food!

On Monday morning, with bright sunlight streaming through the pane glass windows of the courtroom, there stood before the Judge an unshaven, dirty, homeless looking man who still had possessed enough intelligence to keep his mouth shut. Before making it even worse than it already was.

"So, who do we have here standing pretty before my bench"? He asked. "The famous 'Ranting Raven"! "Son, you're really popular around this neck of the woods lately" He said. "From what I hear, you put on quite a good show"! "Like the proverbial 'Cat on the hot tin roof'". The judge said, and started laughing like a baying donkey. "Now you simply got to tell me my boy, am I even going to live long enough to get back to my fishing up at the cabin?" "Or should I throw my robe off and into the corner and then run straight out the door right now?"

Being laughed at by John Q. Public was bad enough. By the Police Officers, that had been even worse. But to be put in the shoes of an insane man by the high authority of a judge was simply too much for Raven to stay silent any longer. First respectfully and then with disregard of the mans position and the consequences, Raven raised his head from staring at the floor and with a fire in his eyes stated very calmly: "Your Honor. With all due respect, you seriously don't know your ass from a hole in the ground as far as what is going to happen."

The Bailiffs in the courtroom then had a coughing fit to try to cover up their amusement at the situation and the Officer accompanying Raven had a sudden stomach cramp and had to bend over. The judge did not see the tears of laughter in the policeman's eyes or take notice of the bailiffs coughing fit. It was only two men staring intently at each other, each in his own conviction of being correct. So after about thirty seconds, the Judge had then leaned back in his recliner chair and had started to bite on the end of a pencil, all the while with Raven staring back with total conviction.

"Well Mr. Raven, I think this is going to happen as I order it to. You young man, are going to acquire the little possessions that you still have and this Deputy here is going to get two horses and bring you over the county line in thirty minutes. If I see you again in my lifetime, I'm going to shoot an escaped criminal and then come back here and forge the papers to back me up!" "Now is this getting through clearly to that deranged mind of yours?" "Crystal clear" answered Raven.

It had taken only twenty minutes and Raven, now without his telescope and diversified gear was in the beautiful State of Utah. In the Land of the Sheep (and formerly) cattle farmers.

Walking down the deserted road around the cars and trucks standing idly as if waiting for the no automobile ban to end, Raven finally took the time for a little retrospect of the happenings from the past few months. Thankful for his release from the dungeon due to the Judges arrogance and laziness in his old age, and with the knowledge that he got off the hook by 'the skin of his nose'. Although in his mind, he really didn't do anybody any harm. But lately it seems that the mental institutions were filling up to maximum capacity with normal citizens that could not cope without an Auto or their Cell phone.

So that was at least one bright thought! Sitting in the corner of a room with a new styled confinement jacket and drooling was not how he expected his life to turn out. The dark cloud of thought, which hung over his head was the loss of all of his equipment. Presumably stolen directly after his unwilling departure from the roof. With only his box of papers and pictures, and a very long road ahead, Raven had lots of meditation time!

Just how the gate for the Sheep pen had gotten open Sam would never figure out. He and Carl were taking a break over at the front of the hay barn when suddenly all of the sheep were slowly walking by them and going in the direction of the front side of the house. The two started to walk in the same direction, following the sheep. As they was not running scared, the most that they would do is to, 'Mow the front lawn' for him. He had thought about letting the sheep graze it anyways, because the push lawnmower without a gasoline engine or power drive was getting to be just a little too much. Upon turning the corner by the front balcony, Sam was amazed at what was transpiring before his eyes. And even though he has seen some pretty weird behavior amongst his clan of canines, this absolutely 'took the cake'! A boy sitting on his quilt strewed with toys and the 'guardians' standing behind him like Soldiers in Rank. Carl started to laugh quietly to himself and said: "Close your mouth Sam unless you're trying to catch flies!" The Sheep were lining up in total perfection, ten in a row in front of Billy, as if they were all a bunch of stuffed sheep lined up for a commercial advertisement. When the sheep were finally all lined up like an audience before the start of an Opera, they then laid down in unison looking directly at his son. This was too much, simply too much for Sam to comprehend what he had just witnessed. "Oh my God! Sam exclaimed. "This cannot be a sign from our heavenly father. He may work in mysterious ways, but this looks more like a satanic ritual". "Carl, tell me I'm not hallucinating or having a heat stroke or something"! "It's perfectly normal Sam". Carl said with a self-assured little smile on his face. "No Carl"! Sam started to get louder and more frantic. "It is NOT normal that you and my son are becoming the Doctor Dolittle family around here". "My Dogs in the meantime, have forgotten what sheep look like, my Dogs don't even listen to me anymore and if I get in the wrong tone of voice with Billy they growl at me!" "And" Sam was to the point of yelling. "While I'm on a run, just what kind of a trick have you got up your sleeve that my dogs listen to you"? Sam questioned in frenzy.

"I told you before Sam"! Carl yelled at him. "Leave it alone"! "You haven't got the right to know yet"! That was when Dolly, having heard the boy's loud discussion, had come out the front door onto the balcony. Upon seeing the Sheep and dog parade before her eyes, she let out a scream and fainted over sideways onto the porch swing. Sam and Carl was running up the steps to Dolly with Sam yelling at Carl that he wanted an explanation of just what the hell he meant. It must have been the anger at Carl in Sam's voice. Suddenly, as Dolly was coming to herself, Billy started to cry out loud. Then the dogs started with their strange howling voices they had acquired in the past year. Then the Sheep started. Sam could not recollect ever hearing such loud screaming from sheep even when a Wolf was tearing at one of the Lambs. The Circus went on for almost two solid minutes and just as suddenly, Billy, dogs and the sheep stopped simultaneously. Dolly was holding on to Sam while Carl simply sat on the first step smiling. The sheep then arose, and went on their own accord back into the pen. "Carl" Sam slowly started. "You spill your cup of beans right now or pack up and leave within the hour". "Dolly can make her own decision if she stays or goes with you". "It's your move Carl, talk or go"! "Sam, listen". Dolly started. "No. You both listen. I have had enough of this weirdness between Carl, my son, the dogs and now the sheep". Sam declared. "Either I get some answers to soothe my sanity or I reduce this family down to two. The dogs will have to go also"!

"Sam" Carl said almost whispering. I guess I have to tell you what I know now, for your own health and safety". "But first, tell the dogs that they are allowed to stay!" Sam turned towards the area where the Dogs would normally have been next to Billy. He almost fainted himself upon seeing all four standing at the foot of the stairs fletching their teeth like a silent death grin. "Oh yes Sam"! Carl said. "They understand you perfectly well and it would behoove you to humor them because they don't answer to us anymore"!

At the beginning of Ravens journey into Utah, he was a meditated introvert. Unless you consider the animals, he seen and conversed with, as if they understood. He had found a few home canned fruits and vegetables at the first couple of abandoned farmhouses he had come across. Apparently, the kinfolk had had no way to transport the goods with them. Naturally, a car's trunk is larger than the saddlebags on a horse, if they had had one to begin with! While rummaging around in the kitchen at the second of the houses, he had found an old functional AM radio. So he had listened sometimes to nothing but the static until the batteries had gone dead. Just as he, in his despair, was going to throw it into the woods, he thought of nature,'s environment and had instead laid it on the dashboard of one of the abandoned cars. Arriving into the first town, he was not expecting anybody to be around anymore. Deserted and desolate, with the streets blocked with numerous cars and buses, he walked slowly down the Main Street. In the middle of the town, where the daily farmers market used to be, was a functioning water fountain. Splendid with an early settler on horseback, rifle held high in the air, and ready for action. Raven found this seemingly amusing due to the current situation. Instead of a depiction of over a hundred years ago, when the first pioneers had settled this untamed land and had consequently drove off the rightful owners, it could have very well represented the current status of all mankind. After finding some small water bottles and another container to transport water on the journey, Raven was just finishing quenching his thirst for the second time, when a man suddenly appeared. He ran out of the town's Ace hardware store and started to yell at Raven. Raven was by far a lunatic or demented, and the sight of this apparition of Robinson Crusoe with long mangy hair and filthy clothes was humorous. That the man had no weapon of sorts made Raven glad because he was still a clear thinking person. Maiming or even, in a worse case scenario, killing was for him out of the question. But he simply ran circles around Raven and the Fountain yelling the whole time: "The king is dead! The King is dead! Long live the King"! Then he went just as he came, and left a man standing next to the horseback cowboy fountain wondering just what had transpired and what did he mean. Packing up and walking away, he then saw an object that normally should not have been there. Striding over to it, Raven stowed his box and water into the basket of a three-wheeled bicycle left behind from some disabled person. And it also had a few luxury items built on it. A Whoopee horn, and most important of all, an umbrella. Raven was starting to get blisters on his skin from the intense sunshine, and with the umbrella, yes traveling would be so much easier.

Steve was on the road just meandering with really no special place to go. Everything he had worked so hard for was gone. His farm and the herds of cattle, which once roamed the range. And his wife. In the nowadays, he was lucky that he had a few possessions left over. But only that which his horse could carry. Canteens with cold stream water, his rifle, a pair of old cattle hides and most important, his Bible. Self cured and tanned hides from the early days, before everything went 'shit out the window'. So now, it was day after day with his horse, on the road and just enjoying what was left of his life. His favorite area of the road was going through the wooded parts. There he reveled in the never-ending differences of nature which God had put upon this planet. It was in one of these wooded areas, as he was observing a pack of deer, that farther up the road he seen something glitter. Standing absolute still he waited if it happened again. And sure enough, a reflection of sunlight on something moving along the road. Leading his horse into the woods and after making sure the binding was tight around the tree, Steve went out to the roads edge with his rifle to wait.

Raven was never good at riding a bicycle. Even as child he had had problems with balancing a bike. All of the scrapes, bruises and one time, a broken arm. 'At least I won't fall off of this one', he thought! But he was getting tired of pedaling. Slowly but surely his legs needed a rest before they cramped up. So he pulled off to the side of the road and went into the shade of the trees. Sitting down cross-legged and leaning back on a tree, he saw a Doe with a little 'Bambi'. Without realizing it, he then fell into a deep sleep. Jail cell cots aren't comfortable! Much later when he woke up and it was already dusk, he got a start. Sitting across from him was a cowboy as if coming straight out of the movies. Chaps and cowboy hat, with a rifle straddled over his crossed legs. As Raven tried to sit straight up against the tree, he got a cramp in his legs. "Whoa son, slow down"! The cowboy told him. "You have been sitting cross-legged like that for almost six hours". "You don't look twenty to me. More like double twenty" While Raven tried to stand up, he looked at the rifle. "Not to worry son. It isn't even loaded". "And besides, you haven't got a weapon yourself so why would I need this." He asked. With shaky legs Raven asked "And how did you get here?" "Are you on foot"? "Naw, I got my horse". He drawled. And looking curiously around him added "Somewhere around here grazing". But it's not half as fancy as your horse!" Steve said with a grin. Raven smiled at that and then they both laughed. It was the start of their friendship. For someone to see them in the days to come, it would have been a ludicrous sight. Steve was riding his Horse and towing Raven with his three-wheeler.

Sitting on the front balcony, the three of them was staring at the four musketeers and Billy. Carl was sipping on an Iced Tea while Sam had his coffee. He had strengthened it a little with some Bailey's liqueur. The good Lord would forgive him this one time after what he had just seen. At Carl's advice, Samuel had talked to the dogs like normal people. "Okay, listen up you guys". He started. "I got a little bit frightened and said things that I should not have". "You dogs are like a family to me"! The dogs looked at him, then to Carl and back to Sam. Sam realized at that moment that they did understand what he had said! "Yes, and they can stay too"! Sam said and started to turn towards the Balcony again. Muttering under his breath he said; "Lord Stand by me today". On the balcony, he turned again to notice two dogs had resumed their position by Billy, but the other two still stood at the foot of the steps. Did the dogs have coal black eyes, and somehow I simply didn't notice it? Wondered Sam as he started to go into the house. Going through the door Sam stated; "I need another drink"! Carl walked behind him, "Me too".

So Dolly was very slowly swinging back and forth on the porch swing, and looking out at the fields at nothing in particular. She acted catatonic. Not talking or answering at all. Sure, thought Sam, this is mind blowing but Dolly seemed to have totally given up. "Let her be". Carl said. "She will learn to accept it in time"! So as not to anger the dogs again, Sam quietly hit Carl with the Million Dollar Question. "Carl. Please for Gods sake tell me what is going down here"? "And why do you know so much, that's the good question"?

"Well it started, I think, when I was a young boy about ten". Carl started.

It was already the end of June and in the northernmost parts of the world, the nights were getting chilly. People that were so-called 'Survivalist', whom just last year would have still been labeled as Fruitcakes, were now highly respected. And had in some communities, become their leader. In a small town in Georgia, an old man was walking down the street holding up a sign for all to see. Disgustingly filthy, with very long hair, a beard, and very dirty clothes, he resembled virtually every citizen now roaming the streets. But contrary to all the others, he had no Gun! He only had his sign. Now, when women were carrying signs, all of the men who still had rations to eat knew the deal. For a can of 'Pork & Beans' she was yours for the whole night! For the Baker, who had an armada of soldiers to protect him, he had a Harem fit for the Prince of Egypt. But the old man had nothing but his sign. Hunger and the oncoming cold was psychologically decapitating for most of the remaining citizens in the town. Out of a house came a young man of about thirty years old. With his muscles almost lame due to the cold of the previous night and the continual starvation. Upon bumping into the old man he read the sign; "Pray to your Savior! The end is near!" The old man had no idea how near he was to the end. The young man pulled out his 44 Magnum and the old man caught a hollow point in the neck.

But the Baker was not doing quite so well either. With feeding his private army and the entourage of whores, he was quickly running out of staples. Upon telling a few of the men that he could not continue 'feeding the neighborhood', they had a little revolution. The Baker became the town's very first victim of the atrocity known as cannibalism. They had a case of group insanity with one man running around with a Gold ringed hand screaming; "its finger licking good"! Another was singing a modified version of Boney M.; "Bakery man, Bakery man. Who wants to be the next Bakery man"? And the Russian music composed by Mikhail Kalashnikov played in the streets.

This was (concisely) what was transpiring all over the globe.

On the first of July the (ex) show master of the Viewer program woke up to crystalline blue skies. He was always accustomed to having the day off for his Birthday, because today is Canada Day. And so he went out on his patio with his cup of Hot Chocolate to enjoy another beautiful sunny day in the 'Land of the Elk'. Noticing that another plant had died overnight along with his beloved rose bush; he decided to give up watering altogether. Not like the others who had to look for potable water, he had his Ace card in this house. It was built some Sixty years ago by his father, who took advantage of the fresh spring water bubbling out of the ground. In the basement was the large tank that used to hold fresh spring water trout in his fathers day. Cool clear water flowed into the tank day after day. His luck that nobody knew about it was the underground drain pipe which ran down the side of the hedges and into the river. Nobody seen and nobody knew. Nowadays it is probably better that way. Since his Father passed away, he had renovated the tank and now it supplied the whole house with water. Even if his stapled goods (lots of self canned goodies left over from his Mother) would someday run out, at least he didn't have to die of thirst! During the day, most people stayed indoors if at all possible. The Suns rays were getting to be too much for a person's skin. Cracks in the skin and blisters were on the daily plan of life nowadays. So sitting in his wicker rocking chair, drinking his liquid breakfast and simply enjoying the view over the woodland, he saw a Disc. 'Too far away', he thought to himself, 'plenty of time to get inside if it heads in this direction'. But then standing up, as if he could see better, he seen the Disc laying a trail across the heavens. This was a Chemtrail from the Newcomers. And it was a Thousand times more effective than what the International Governments had been obtrusively spraying until the No-fly rule. Sitting back in his rocker, due to the fact that he really had nothing else to do today, he appreciated the last rays of the Sun coming through the fast disappearing pieces of blue open sky.

It was simply a matter of hours until the planet was 100% covered. In the streets across the world, people were split into two factions. The homeless ones were thanking the stars that the Suns rays were finally being blocked again. These were the people who walked the streets all day and had a resemblance to Hiroshima nuclear bomb victims. Some even looked like zombies from the movies with their skin falling off. The others understood that without the radiant warmth of the Suns rays, it was going to get awfully cold. And it immediately did that night. By the time evening came around, it was extremely colder than the night before. And it was only the first of July!

On and on and on! Steve had to tune out Ravens constant talking before he went lady ga-ga. At the beginning of their sojourn, it was rather interesting. Especially the scientific way he could describe what was happening with the Full Moon or the Lunar Eclipse. His recital of the Chemtrails wasn't bad either. On that subject, there were a lot of questions and answers between the two. Steve had always thought it was strange that the Jet Airliners plumes were not breaking up like they normally used to. They talked about the Blood Moon and the differences of what exactly it meant for the both of them. When Raven started telling about the Orbs that he has seen, Steve suddenly drew his horse to the side of the road. Jumping out of the saddle and taking two steps over to Raven in the wink of an eye, Steve had anger in his eyes. "Tell me about the silver balls and why they eliminated all of my cattle"! Now Raven, even in his bad times of comical ranting lunacy, or his Nuclear Nerve Attacks, never had the look of psychopathic anger that he was now seeing in Steve's eyes. Raven started in a whisper and then Steve went Nuclear! He started to yell at Raven; "Speak up like a Man and you better tell the truth by God. If I hear one tidbit of a lie, I'll throw my Bible in the ditch and drag you down the road." "Without your fancy bike under your ass"! Raven was in that moment ghostly white and started to shiver. If he was honest, he was on the brink of pissing in his pants. For although HE was normally the one that was yelling and carrying on, most of the people around him were pretty much docile. To look in that face simply scared the living shit out of him. It was all of these thoughts which went through his head in a matter of a few seconds. "I believe the Orbs took or maimed cattle because there is something in them that the Disc need". "Or want. It's not exactly clear why they do it. They just do"! Raven stared down at the tarmac. The last thing he could think of on his list of things to do before dying is being dragged down the hard road by his feet! Quietly Steve said: "Awful sorry son if I scared the Jesus out of you". "First you tell me exactly what you know and then I'll tell you what I have seen, first hand"! Raven, now a little calmer with the prospect of his body being sanded down to the bone on the tarmac forgotten, started chronologically ticking off the facts as he knew them. "Well, I started to notice them in my films and pictures of the Chemtrails". "At first they would fly through the Airplanes Chemical trail they were spraying". "I heard from others that in New Zealand they were flying around in the trees, and in Australia they were seen in the bushes". "Later on the Orbs started to shoot something into the Chemtrails". Raven unpacked his box of pictures, papers and other paraphernalia. He found the picture he was looking for and held it up. It showed a silvery white ball in the sky shooting into the Airplanes Chemical trail. He handed it over for him to look at and noticed a tear running down Steve's cheek. "Okay", said Raven. "What did they do to you?" "Let me hear if you please". Steve got down on his knees and started to pray and Raven thought 'Are we in the Bible Belt of America'?

"When I was a boy, about ten years old, I woke up in the middle of the night". Carl had started to say. "Nothing abnormal about that, right"? He asked us. "Not really." Sam answered. "Not strange at all if it weren't for the fact that I was standing on our front lawn in my Superman pajamas. My Father had taken hold onto my arm and was starting to shake me, asking what in the hell I was doing outside of the house in the middle of the night". Sam was just sipping his Irish coffee and staring at Carl. "Then," Carl continued, "He was yelling at me about how had I gotten outside when all of the windows and doors were still locked". "I had no idea why I was standing in the grass but I remember looking down and seeing that I had wet myself". "A few years later, I woke up and was talking as I was looking out of my bedroom window and believe me, there was definitely something outside of our house"! "I apparently had torn the curtains off of the window because they were lying in a heap on the floor". "I spent the rest of that night awake under my bed". "The next morning I had asked my Mother if she would sew me some really thick curtains to keep out the light at night".

"So that's why you're such a fanatic about locking down the house from Dusk till Dawn"! Dolly finally spoke up. Carl looked over to his wife and answered; "It wouldn't make any difference if I did or not, it just makes me feel a little safer". Looking at their confused faces Carl asked; "Do you seriously think a curtain or a locked door can stop them?" Samuel was having a hard time comprehending, also due to the big shot of Bailey's, just a little slower on the gain. "Who are you so afraid of Carl that you lock up all of the time?" "Just who's after you?" Sam was asking. "Oh I'm not afraid anymore Sam. I have trusted my soul to God for when they come and the end is here". Sam was getting somewhat impatient and barked at Carl; "Who Carl. Who are they?"

Carl turned slightly to the left and looking over his shoulder, he pointed at Billy! "Them", he said in a matter of fact tone!

The newcomers had started to release Orbs. The natural proclivity of Orbs is to be hiding in the clouds and avoiding collisions with the native inhabitants, but then again, with the no-fly rule, accidents with planes and such were irrelevant. Suddenly the Orbs were screeching towards earth. The first wave was at dawn over Australia when an insomnia plagued lady was observing the golden sunrise. Seeing the Orbs glowing like Meteorites on re-entry and after receiving the usual lying statement from the Space academy in Melbourne about 'Space Debris', she now had her camera in the hand. After approximately Twenty minutes of filming 'Meteors', she got that strange intuition when you know somebody's watching you. Her deceased husbands Collie had died last spring and since then she was alone. Very slowly raising her head from her Nikon HD camera (her husbands Christmas gift before his deadly accident) and looking behind, she thought she had the beginnings of dementia. Turning back to the tripod mounted camera she seen it. About One meter long, parallel wings along both sides of the body and shimmering like a movie ghost. The Rod was just hovering a few feet in front of her. Her lethal mistake was to step aside from the tripod. No shock and no time to scream, the Rod had her in a second. As the camera fell over onto the carpet it filmed her Dentures falling to the floor. The rain had stopped the day before and a lonely cat was creeping down the sidewalk in the dead of night in the hope of maybe finding a mouse or, if it was lucky, a fat rat. Basically it was looking for anything edible. It was now over a week since his human had succumbed to the rioting in and around town. He had just gotten his cat bowl filled with the last of the cat food cans, and his human had cooked something on a camping stove. It sure smelled better than the old cat food lying in the bowl! As he was still rubbing himself against the man's leg and purring, suddenly the door exploded inward. His human had no chance against the other two who had broken down the door. Gray brain matter splattered all over the kitchen as the sledgehammer fell with a mighty swing. Some even landed in the cat bowl on top of his food. Scurrying out of the doorway, he ran to hide under the front landing. When Nighttime came, hunger overcame his fear, and he went back into the house to finish his cat bowl. But for a cat, that was a long long time ago. He had found some plastic packaging from ham slices and had licked them clean. That, and yesterday morning a mouse for breakfast, which was stupid enough to run across the alley. So now unwillingly reverted back to his ancestral traits and slowly learning the skills of hunting. Although he was (in his earlier life) a pampered, lazy (and neutered!) cat, right now he wished he had just one of the birds he had only watched taking bathes in his humans fish pond! Looking up the street, he saw a quick glow of something flying around. Stealth and speed were needed now if he was to get anything at all tonight. Laying flat to the pavement, his tail twitching ever so slightly in the cool night air, he waited. The long thing was flying so fast. Back and forth over the street and the sidewalk in front of the now desolate stores. Sometimes higher and sometimes real low to the street. In a flash of a second his haunches tightened up to steel hardness. And then it dove low again over the walk directly in front of him. The cat sprang as fast as a tomcat could to snatch it out of the air. But this was most definitely not an easy prey like a bird or a Luna moth. This was a Rod and it was roaming through the streets, searching. It had come from one of the Orbs. Each Orb had its own Rod and the Orbs had come from the Disc. And the Rods only purpose was to acquire sustenance for the Disc inhabitants. The black tomcat would have normally caught the flying thing with ease, but the strange apparition's reaction to the attack was an instantaneous one. No Man-made high speed camera could have filmed the Rod, with it's speed and agility as it flipped, turning a perfect 180° in mid-air to attack the attacker. The sound of the cat being swallowed wasn't even audible yet to the human ear and the Rod was already shooting upwards towards the heavens, on its way back to its Orb. The Orbs were high in the sky and Rods were slowly cruising up and then back down again to the city. One could follow them with the naked eye and then they seemed to disappear. But they didn't vanish into thin air. They utilized the technology of the Newcomers Electro-Magnetic gravitation waves. Millisecond acceleration to Mach 10 was their specialized hunting trait. They flew in total silence, without even a sonic boom, and they were deadly! There were lots of people screaming in the course of that first long night. But it was only the witnesses of victims disappearing in an explosion of clothes, hair and skin. And on the dark sidewalk in front of the supermarket laid a blue cat collar with a little silver bell attached to it. Hanging from the bell was Tommy's registration tag.

Trisha was walking down the street, and only god could help them if anybody tried to jump into her shit! She was in one of her natural states of mind again, and anybody who knew her, knew well enough to stay the hell out of her way. With a vocabulary and the ability to rattle off derogatory remarks at machine gun speed, she was always able to disable all of her opponents when engaged in a discussion. She always had no doubt that she would have the last word when engaged in a war of intelligence. 'I was at the University of Blah-Blah, and I have a degree in this or that'! It was always the same routine when she wanted to get her own way and come out the winner in debates. And irregardless of the subject or the person, she always knew more important people and was better read than her opponent. Originally she studied Communications at her hometown University, but a simple job in communications is made for morons, lackeys and lazy people. So she had went on to learn about being proficient in radio talk shows and with the correct nightly connections being set up, she had finally landed her first job at the Metropolitan Radio station. Her very first priority was to get the manager out of her way, because nobody, but nobody tells her what or what not to do.

Just three months later, she was now sitting in his chair, looking out over the city, and she knew that this was just the beginning. Then she had decided to invest and had started up her own Radio Station, because that is exactly where she belonged! In the boss's seat. From that moment on she held her own radio programs each night, always with diverse subjects and various guest speakers. Of course, she sat at the controls and when one of the guest on the show should happen to differ with her opinion on the subject, there always came a commercial break. Upon returning to the program, the guest was generally of the same opinion as Trisha. During the Commercial break, the others in the studio got to see and hear first hand, exactly how manically horrible their boss lady could be, and once, they forgot to turn off the microphones from the studio mixer. Upon hearing just how bad his boss was lambasting the guest into agreeing with her stand on the theme at hand, he commented to his co-workers; "If that Bitch was my wife, I'd shoot her ass right after the honeymoon night!" Turning slowly towards the big pane glass window separating the rooms, everybody had instantly realized that she had heard every word. Two of them suddenly said that they was getting coffee during the break and another one said he had to go pee, and the three literally ran out of the door into the hallway, one muttering quietly enough that the microphone couldn't pick it up; "she's gonna grind his ass to hamburger!" The other two suddenly had to relieve themselves also, so the sound technician was alone, and Trisha, for once in her life, spoke slowly! "Young man, I would love to know where you got the balls to say that about me!" "You must have bought them at the store on your way here because when I look at your sorry ass face, all I see is either a fagot or a virgin!" The Technician started to stammer; "But boss!" Trisha returned to her normal self and screamed so loud that the guest speaker covered his ears; "I'm not your Boss anymore!" "Take your Drag Queen ass out of here! Now!"

Now it all seemed so long ago, and when the power went off the grid for good, they were all in one way or another happy to leave. And so walking down the sidewalk remembering how wonderful it used to be, it made her all that much angrier. "Ungrateful fuckers didn't even appreciate that I gave them sorry homo-cocks a job so they could go home to momma-bitch and kids! Telling me to cram the microphone straight up into my virginity! What a bunch of Homo suckers!" Trisha was well learned in the rainbow vocabulary that would shock even the hardest sailor! When she started down the street, she had hit a sign with her hand and broke off one of her beloved long fingernails.

So she was now walking as fast as she could in her rage, with no particular place in mind to go. Then she seen the cat! Growing up in an outrageous family of drunkards and drug addicts for relatives, she had always wished for a pet. Of course, her father was more concerned about where the next bottle would come from, but one day, a stray cat had appeared at her window. And after feeding it scraps of food she had stuffed into her pockets at the table, the cat had decided to stay. She had loved her 'Leo', even though it was a female cat! And since her success at the job, she had no time for a cat. Stopping and watching as the black cat was slinking down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street, she had the notion to go over and see if it was friendly, and if so, she would have a cat again! Screw it if the cat belonged to somebody else! Who lets their cat walk the streets at night anyways! Scumbags who don't deserve a cat in the first place, she figured. So she observed the cat as it was apparently hunting something, and then what she saw froze her dead in her tracks!

She once had a guest speaker on her nightly radio show that even brought pictures with him to show to the viewers. The guy really was a utter moron. "Pictures on a radio show, are you shitting me man?" She had immediately attacked him. He had tried to explain that he had them with to show to her. Some blurry pictures of funny snail-like things with wings, and to hell with what the listeners thought, she threw his ass out of the studio. Live and On-Air for all to hear. Now looking at the strange thing flying at first floor level along the street, she remembered all to clearly the blurry picture the stupid idiot gave to her. "God damn" she muttered. "If that don't look like my vibrator flying through the air!" So standing in the pitch black night, she watched intensely as the thing slowly cruised down the sidewalk by the street, ever so slowly raising up several feet and then drifting back down to the ground level. Oh how she wished she had a pistol right now! Would be hilarious to knock that thing out of the air, just for the hell of it!

She watched as the cat slowly moved forwards, hunting mode on full, and Trisha was enjoying the crap out of this! "Oh yeah", she muttered. "Snatch that flying Dildo out of the air baby!" The cat went down into springing mode and she was ecstatic almost to the point of orgasm. "Get it baby! And then I'll take you home with me!" Slowly the thing turned to fly in the opposite direction, but the black cat sprang anyways. It happened so fast that she could only blink, and wonder where the cat had gone! The flying thing was now heading upwards towards the sky, so she used a trick she had learned early on, the eyes see everything and the mind records all that the eyes see. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the scene with the cat, and as if in slow motion, the film played out for her in her mind. She seen the thing blur and was turned now to the cat, which was in mid-air to catch it. And the thing had swallowed the cat!! Opening her eyes, she was now frightened to the point that she veritably wet her panties, and the words of the Idiot came back to haunt her; "These things are mutilating our cattle lady, they're lightning fast and they're dangerous as hell!"

Standing in the blackness and looking like an Albino Zombie, she was never so frightened in her life. She watched the sky as she observed these things flying up to the clouds and others back down to earth. But her natural born arrogance broke through, and she turned to go home and get out of the wet pants. When she turned, it was hovering right in front of her face. Looking with it's dark coal eyes into hers, and she realized her time was over on her planet! Not without a fight though, and she started to scream at it in her normal vocabulary; "Fuck you, you flying snail Dildo bitch! Why don't you get down and kiss my royal ass, and while you're at it you can kiss.........."

It started to soar upwards to its Orb, and after a few minutes, it would be back on its way downward. For the hunting had just begun.

Chapter Four

It was a summer day he would remember the rest of his life. As a teenager he had hopped into his car and was going to go cruising around town to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. With the latest hit music coming from the cheap rear speakers which he had picked up at the flea market. He had really needed to take the day off, free from his bullying school and the greenhouses where he worked every spare free minute. Without a cloud in the sky, he started to drive downtown to the strip. The streets were empty at this time of the day, and the hard ass Sheriff was hopefully sitting in the Diner drinking his coffee with his usual donut. The Sheriff hated teenagers almost as much as he hated his fat nagging wife. So after a few minutes, he took a right turn onto the road heading into the city. As he rounded the corner he had just a second to notice that two small men were standing in the middle of the street. And then there was a blinding flash of green light. When he awoke he realized that he was lying down, so he sat up and then got off from some sort of table. The entire room where he found himself in was all a dull silver-gray color. Looking down, he was shocked that he was standing barefoot on the floor and he noticed it was sort of soft and spongy. And he was totally naked! Looking behind him, he could see only the table but not his clothes or shoes. Facing forward again, he saw it. And it was staring at him! Like a small child, but with a much bigger head than normal. Its arms were also a little out of proportion. A little longer than they should be and hands with only three fingers. Stupidly he thought; where are the thumbs and why is he also naked? "We are different from you." It didn't seem to come from its mouth but rather in his mind! And the eyes were fascinating deep black. As if one could look into them and see its soul. "Are you not afraid?" This was really cool he thought. He can talk into my head! Looking intensely at the eyes of it, he tried to think what it would be thinking. As a reply he got a questioning thought. Now just what should that mean he wondered? And then another thought popped into his head. Or as he now realized more like a thought with visualization in his head. It was lots of images of people laughing. So he tried to speak/think what he meant, and asked; question is people laughing? A sudden mass of jokes and funny things filled his head. All of them were pulled from his own deepest memories. So he thinks that it was funny that I had tried to think into his head. Okay, I think I'm getting it! It tilted its head and the image of fear came again. Should I be afraid of you? He thought back at it. The answer came; no. Not today. Not far away. He thought to it, not far away? Then his head was filled with visions of Disc, Orbs and Rods visiting many planets throughout the galaxy and how they socially integrated with the new world's inhabitants. And how those species had profited from the technological advancements brought to them from the visitors. So you want to come and live with us on earth, peacefully side by side? He shot the image quicker now. This was fun and he was getting good at it. Its answer was; Yes, again. What? Why do you say again? He was getting better and was now shooting images like thinking. Lightning fast. And suddenly he could partially read its mind! Wow, cool he thought to himself. But what he then visualized was horrific! He started to receive visions of his mother being taken aboard the ship, then his birth, and how he was being controlled many times as a growing child. In a space of a second, the long film of his creation and what he actually is took place in his head. He was in shock! I'm one of you? He shot back. Only little, but you have much! It answered. He then got an image of a queen bee in a hive (which was puzzling) and the thought 'not far away'. Okay he thought at it, but I'm not afraid of you because my soul belongs to God. He is the Creator of the Heavens. With that, it turned in the direction of what would have been a wall, raised his hand and the wall went transparent. He could see outside, and it was breathtaking. The heavens, space, billions of star, and in that moment, Carl could have died just to join God in that vast realm of beauty.

The mutilation of the cattle was shocking for everybody. Except the newcomers. Through Carl's life and their continuous downloading of mental input from him about our civilization, they knew that cattle were only a food source. So in a peaceful coexistence with the inhabitants of this world, they ate what humans ate. It was no problem for them to extract the necessary proteins and such that they required to exist. They had well over a million years as a civilization and had the technology to process virtually anything into what little nourishment that they now required to exist. So they had programmed the Orbs to have the Rods collect the meat from cattle. And anyways, there were so many cattle on the planet which were not even used as sustenance although the humans were starving. They are a very logical thinking civilization. When the Humans came to the Earths Moon, the newcomers had to send them away. The newcomers were only trying to help the Humans due to the fact that the Lunar Lander had come down real close to the waste depot. Their propulsion systems were powered by Xontium. A very rare, hot isotope and instable when it was expired. Over one hundred thousand years ago they started to deposit the spent Xontium at that very spot next to the Lunar Landing. And now the massive amount of waste was creating another effect. The newcomers took no notice of it, but on Earth, people were seeing radiating waves going over and over the Moon. On Earth, Humans also had a very rare metal which was very much in demand, before the newcomers made the two golden rules! Xontium for cell phones!

He hated his Cell phone with a passion, but it went with the job that he used to do. But he loved water. It was for many nowadays, a scarce commodity which could be bought and sold. Or stolen. It was, with the exception of food, the thing people would die for. Or kill for! But in a house in a lonely part of the neighborhood, a man was taking a cool refreshing bath in his Canadian whirlpool. Lying in the water, he was thinking about the positive side of not having electricity. His Cell phone was not going to ring and disturb him like it almost always did when he was relaxing. A journalist and Show master it seemed had to be reachable 24/7. At least his boss used to say that! He wondered just how his ex-boss was getting along now. His luck was that in Canada, nobody was required to give their home address to their company. If that wasn't the case, the whole troop from the Studio would be here knocking at his door. He had his hands laying in the cool water and man, it felt great! His hands were sore and he had blisters on his palms from using the screwdriver. Wood planks now crossed the windows and the door was nailed shut with boards from the outside. That way, it looked as if the house was abandoned a long time ago. His doorway now was the cellar door, which was so overgrown with bushes that it wasn't even visible any more. It was his fate and good luck that he never got around to taking care of the backyard! A mans house is his castle and his house was now a fortress in disguise. Because two nights earlier, when he simply could not get to sleep, he had gone for a midnight walk through the woods and into another part of the town. Meandering down the street where all the clubs and Cafe's are, in earlier times bustling with people from dusk till dawn, he saw an apartment on the first floor with candlelight reflecting out the window. And only the brisk thought of how glad he was that his Father had always bought big boxes of candles which were still bunkered somewhere in his basement. On the street up ahead he suddenly noticed a group of people running down the road in his direction. Ducking into a restaurant foyer, he observed the gang was like a pack of wolfs, on the prowl with no discernible direction. Suddenly one of the persons in the group yelled "a light", and they ran faster down the street in the direction of the candlelit window. He had watched in horror as the group then broke into the apartment building and had proceeded to push the elderly mans face through the window pane. His attacker, with his head shaved bald and a piercing thru his lip had taken great pride in the artistry of excruciatingly slowly slicing the old mans juggler vein on the shard of glass sticking up from the windows framework. Staying hidden in the shadows, he had then watched them come out of the apartment complex with several bags of canned goods and various other items. As they then started to run back down the street, one of them had dropped a can and then turned around to pick it up. Another one had started a fight with him over the can, until out of his other bag came the bark of a small dog. They both stopped fighting and then both proceeded to run off screaming something about "Barbecued Chiuwawa". After a few minutes he cautiously walked out of the foyer, then he had went over and picked up the can. Reading the label, it said; Purina Dog Chow (New improved special mix for older dogs!). He had then set it down and had left for home with the knowledge that a simple candlelight would cost you your life!

After contacting and warning the Lunar Lander and therewith, the Space Academy, the newcomers had waited. The Planetary Council on Mars needed to arbitrate the further expansion to our planet and when they agreed to try to contact our society, a fleet of ships came. Hundreds of Disc shaped discovery ships. Staying in the uppermost part of the Stratosphere they waited. In the meantime, some time ago, one of their crafts had an influx in the gravitational power. It was caused by a leak in the bio-cooled drive system. The solar flares ignited the biological cooling agent and the craft had to make a crash landing on planet earth. Since that time, the Americans had been trying to reverse the damage on the ship. The inhabitants had been interrogated, but nothing was given to the American military, so they let the ships crew die in their dark cells.

The military had the ship repaired and had test flights done, but not into outer space. After the Hubble telescope saw the Discs coming towards Earth, they had decided to send one of their own ships to block them from entering the Earths orbit. The Doppler radar at NORAD had it on the screen one second, and in the next second it was gone. That was the first aggressive action against the newcomers. In the lifespan of their civilization they had slowly and always peacefully spread out into the realm of space. They were now spread out onto hundreds of planets across the cosmos. Of the hundreds of planets that they shared with its inhabitants, almost all were harmonious contacts and seldom was there a rebellion among them. But a few had to be forced into their own luck. And those planets were simple outpost for them. With their superior technology, they had the capabilities of total planetary destruction. But logically, what good is a Planet after it is dead. The Earth was for the newcomers a very special planet in that it had something that not all planets possessed. Something the newcomers would be needing more and more, the Xontium for their power. That planet Earth had a rich supply of it, was well known to them and they had mined it before when our civilization was still quite young. Where it was possible to land ships, they built flat top pyramids. In the ever shifting sands of Egypt they had other pyramids which could transfer the exotic metal to the ship. They could only mine that which they needed for their new power supply. Xontium is not stable enough to be shipped across the different galaxies. Once tried about one hundred thousand years before, they had a transfer ship full and upon going towards the worm hole they had exterminated an entire solar system.

The Disc started to take positions over the planets cities before trying to make contact. After judging on the information taken from Carl, the planetary council on Mars informed the Disc over America to contact first the leader of America. After being shot at twice with missiles, that was the second aggressive act towards the newcomers. Then it had happened in Paris and Israel. The council on Mars decided they should then take over completely. Either a peaceful co-existence or absolute dictatorship, regardless the outcome, they was coming to live on planet Earth. Upon contacting Mother, they were informed that 'She', in her precognitive mind had already known that this would happen, and that a new ruler for the planet was already born to the world. It only needed time.

His wife had an accident while riding in the family car when she was in her teens. The whole family was on the way to finally see the Grand Canyon. Her Father had to put it off year after year due to his promotions in the company. It was luck after being unlucky that their Father could finally take a week off and go with the family to what he said in a deep voice; "The Canyon!". So with his foot in a cast and Mother driving, they were on their way. Steve's wife to be was mighty thirsty and had unbuckled the seatbelt to reach into the back to get water. Her Mother had looked in the rear view mirror to tell her where it was, and did not even see the truck come off the side road. The semi-trucks driver had been already dead for sixty seconds and his spirit was standing at the intersection, watching, as if in slow motion as the accident took place. The voice told him that it is his will, and with that he went into the light! The truck careened into the mini-van at full throttle. Deaths irony of fate killed every member of the family, except Steve's future wife. But afterwards, in the hospital, came the terrible news. With a severely crushed pelvis, internal bleeding and the uterus damage, she would bear no children onto this world. When she heard people say it was the fate from God, she answered it was the fuck from God! Steve accepted it as Gods will, so they still got married and then had bought the farm. It had taken a few years before she could begin reconciliation with God for what had happened on that fateful day and start to follow his word again. In the first year Steve often reminisced that they maybe should have had sex before being married. Living a life of celibacy is rugged for a man, but that's life! So the years went by and the cattle farm was doing well. He had only fifty head of cattle, one dog and dozens of cats in and around the barn. Steve came in one night from the pasture and his wife said that she had seen a stray cat wander into the barn. Two days later, in the barn he heard mewing over by the corn stripper. Mama cat had four tiny naked newborn kittens. Well, at least they will keep the mice under control. One day in February he found a mutilated cow. By the end of the week, he had lost three more. Sitting out on the backside of the barn, rifle straddled over his legs, he was waiting to shoot the wolf which was wreaking havoc on his herd. As dawn broke over the horizon, he woke up. Stiff, cold from the damp night air and pissed off that he could fall asleep like that. Well, he would have to learn from his mistakes and the next night he stood guard again, but this time with music in one ear. He had borrowed the MP3 player from his wife and no way could he doze off with this stuff. She loved God, but she also loved Electro psychedelic funk! Steve always says that music would make the cattle's horns fall off! Well, in retrospect, that's almost exactly what happened. With a screeching cacophony resembling nothing like music which he liked, blasting into his left ear, sleep was no option. Already clear of midnight, he thought nothing would come tonight. When he had seen it coming out of the clouds he couldn't believe his eyes. It wasn't a flying wolf but rather a flying silver ball. Its distance and diameter was hard to determine due to its pulsating color. Not worrying about what it might mean he was just getting ready to take a shot at it when it somehow split. From the Silver ball came a long brightly lit object which started to fly in his direction. Steve was going to take a shot at whatever it is and before he could pull the trigger, it accelerated and hit one of the cattle. Still holding the rifle at the ready, he watched as the cow fell in two pieces, split in two. And with the head almost totally gone the horns fell to the ground.

And so it went on every night and Steve didn't even get close to hitting one. Even when they would fly at ground level real slow, like an animal stalking its prey there seemed to be no way that he could hit one. At the pull of the trigger they would be gone as if anticipating the shot. The silver balls couldn't be hit either. He shot and nothing happened at all. After almost two weeks of nights in the field and a few hours of daytime sleep, death and fate struck his wife again.

She had watched it happening almost two weeks now and she went out to see first hand if she could help. The Rod was slowly going across the pasture and then it had seemed to vanish. In the next second Steve had only seen her legs fall to the ground but the rest was gone. Unknown to Steve, just one hour before the death of his wife many more had died in Palestine and Paris.

The unbelievable had been spoken and although Samuel had found it hard to believe at first, Dolly had started her very own personal Third World War. She started out with the accusation of him not confiding in her and it was no wonder she could not get pregnant. He started with the excuses of not wanting to worry or lose her. She started yelling about him always knowing what she wished for her Birthday or Christmas. He was trying to reason with her and she was claiming that all men were born liars. And that was the start of a six month hiatus from a normally harmonious marriage.

Billy had started walking and was constantly following his father around the farm. Helping where he could and like all children, questioning everything around him. Sam wondered how long Billy would go through this phase and Dolly just laughed. She said kids can ask the whole day long without taking a breath. After his third birthday, the questions slowed down, but Sam had the feeling Billy was still getting the answers from him. If he could talk to sheep and dogs then he was probably reading his mind now for the answers. But this was not true. He had liked the dogs but could not communicate with them as Carl said he could. At nights, he had really bad nightmares. However, Billy could not explain them to his Aunt Dolly. She wouldn't understand, (although unknown to Billy, she would). He needed Sam by the side of his bed and two candles brightly burning just to go to sleep some nights.

The words that came in his sleep was disturbing and to the point of him wetting the bed. Sam was out looking for the last remaining sheep and Carl said he would bring him to bed. "Uncle Carl" he asked "I terr you I dream nights" "Tell me tomorrow Billy. It's time to go to sleep now. Billy's speech was slowly improving Carl thought. When Billy had started to talk in sentences that is when they realized that he had a speech impediment. Dolly found it somewhat strange that some words came out clear as a bell. And other words would be slurred or almost (as Sam commented one day at breakfast; "non-words"). They're all time favorite was when he said his name. Birry Pratts. When he said his name with a proud smile on his face all the while hugging his father, laughter rang throughout the house. Because even with his bodily deformities, which they never even considered abnormal now, they had all cherished him. But Billy wasn't at all a slow thinker or mentally handicapped. Billy was just the opposite of the dumb side of the road. Countless times Sam would be saying to himself "now where did I put that at" or "if I can find it again", and Billy would go running off to fetch exactly what Sam was looking for. Carl gave him the nickname "The Finder". Sam was also extremely proud of how good he was at tying rope knots, which he figured Carl, had taught him. That was not exactly true because Carl thought Sam had showed him the ropes. One night on the front balcony when Billy was already in bed, the three of them got on the subject of Billy and that was the start of the true revelation of what sort of boy he would be and what he really was. Sam had an Irish coffee in his hand and looking over the brim of his cup, he complimented Carl on how well he had learned the ropes to Billy. Carl looked astonished at Sam and said he hadn't showed him any knots. Dolly said; "You boys taught him right proper. That boy can tie a wash line that would hold a Tornado back"! Sam and Carl started denying that they had showed him any knots and Dolly interjected; "Yeah, all men are born liars and they think with the brain in their pants"! "And I suppose neither one of you two showed him how to hold a hammer correctly either"? "Because yesterday when I had to put a nail up in the kitchen, he gave me a sermon on holding the hammer just right in your hand". All three were then silent and looked up at a clearing sky to actually see some stars. It had been a long time since the sun had shone brightly or a clear night with a full Moon. After stargazing awhile, Sam said with sadness in his voice; "the only way is that what Billy sees is never forgotten. Like a photographic memory. And I remember reading once that it can also be a curse more than a gift" "Well with the problems Billy's got, that should be a blessing" Carl coldly stated. "Monkey see, monkey do"!

Both Sam and Dolly looked at Carl as if he had just proclaimed to be Satan. Dolly said as a matter of fact; "You really are brain dead Carl"! "He is just as normal as any other child". Carl laughed and said to Sam; "He is the one the newcomers were waiting for. Look at his deformities and how it killed your wife"! It had gotten to be too much and Sam sprang at Carl. The fistfight didn't last very long and with both men rolling out on the front lawn, suddenly Sam got up and stood menacingly over a badly bruised and beaten brother-in-law. "Billy is a gift from God unto this world and her dying was a part of Gods plan." Sam solemnly said. "And if you call him a freak again, I will kill you"!

The past couple of winters had hardened up the civilization to the (Cold) fact that everyman was responsible for himself. The past laziness and ignorance of the cell phone generation was gone. A few years ago the largest part of the population in rich countries had resolved to buying fruits and vegetables due to the economic factor. With food products flown in all year long from around the globe, raising ones own vegetables or tending to trees for fruit was more expensive than simply driving to the supermarket and purchasing it. With the few exceptions of the elderly and retirees, most had forgotten how to plant, grow and harvest properly. That was before the arrival of the Newcomers. Like the (fanatical) Survivalist and Hardcore campers, the elderly were well taken care of in the small banded communities around the world because "Knowledge is Power". Now there was long days of hard physical labor and short nights, with a constant nagging hunger. Tens of millions had succumbed to the freezing cold of the first winter. Those who had something to fire with had also nourishment from those who had perished. People had stayed in the large metropolitan areas although for the majority it would mean certain death. By the end of November, not a tree was standing in the large cities. Central Park in New York resembled a turn of the century Lumberjack encampment. Conflicting groups of armed strongmen had made a profitable business of selling trees for firewood in exchange for food, water, and naturally sex. The only way for the weak men of the former Wall Street to survive was to become the Bitch of one of the gangs. Well, instead of trading stocks and bonds, they traded themselves for food and shelter. Buildings had been burned out due to carelessness with campfires. Just how many died in the fires across the planet was minimal compared to the overall death toll. On the lake in Central Park a young girl took her ice skates and went to go out onto the ice. Her single mother was doing a bargain at the time to acquire a little food for her daughter and a few pieces of wood. When the third man had left, she got off the bed, got dressed and went to the lake to watch her little girl do pirouettes on the ice. Lying on the shoreline was a single ice skate and she started to wail at her loss of the only thing left of normality.

The cold! It seemed to him that it was penetrating bone deep and with a constant gnawing at the muscles and tendons of his body. Was it always this cold during Canadian winters? No, he thought as he peeked through the bundle of blankets wrapped around his best winter jacket at the cold stone hearth of his living room fireplace. It was an ironic predicament that he was in. He had way more firewood than he could ever burn over the course of the long winter. He had more than enough staples for nourishment stored in the basement and he was in possession of water in over abundance. So he could get a roaring fire going in the fireplace, warm the place up real cozy and finally cook something decent to eat. He even daydreamed that he would heat up a big pot of water and be able to wash up a little. He knew that due to the cold air he couldn't smell just how bad he needed a bath. The freezing temperatures had started to make him somewhat hallucinatory and his mental health momentarily took a turn for the worse. Well to absolute Hell with this situation, he figured. I'm not going to be a dead Canadian Popsicle sitting on my couch while a cord of Hickory firewood was stacked up neat and nice in the corner next to the hearth. And I bet all of the foreigners are doggy warm in their taxpayer paid Government assistance shelters with three hot meals a day, cooking hot showers and big screen viewers with all the Arabic programs so that they feel right at home. 'Snug as a Bug in a Rug!' With that thought came a hoarse cackling laugh and in the next instant came the memory of a candlelit window. His sanity returned like a fist in the face. No fire to warm up to, no hot food and no bath. He realized that he was on the brink of loosing it all together. The foreigners were most definitely just as bad off as he was, he thought. They're Cell phones don't work no more! And he started to laugh and yelled at no one "Hey man, give me a break! I'm so sick of being cold all the time!" After his psychotic laughing fit and the rage at it being so cold finally simmered down, he started again to stare at the fireplace. Quietly he said; "Without a fire I'm going to very slowly freeze to death and if I make a fire and the smoke from the chimney of this supposedly abandoned house is seen, I'll be dead in an hour's time". Strange it is that a lot of people never talk to God when their life is filled with the sweet aroma of Roses, and when all goes to Hell in a wheelbarrow they feel the sudden urge to pray and repent for their past lives. "God turn back the hands of time and you can let my Cell phone ring all day without me complaining one bit"! "Man, this life sucks"!

Ravens three-wheeler had broken down long ago and at first they had rode Steve's horse double-bareback. But after two days, they simply walked next to the horse and the conversation never stopped. As the weeks rolled by, Steve's horse had gotten sick and wasn't able to go on. That was when Raven seen the loving compassion in Steven's heart. As the horse lay on the road, Steve had reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a single shell, loaded it and put his trustworthy horse friend out of its misery. They had both gotten on one knee and said separate prayers. Steve said one for his horse and Raven for the knowledge that Steve did have ammunition. So Steve had had the smarts to look for a cave or abandoned mine before the winter would be upon them, and after weeks of searching, they had found the old silver mine. As the first snow fell, they were already set up for the winter ahead. It was a very long and cold winter. Even holed up deep in the bowels of the old Mine shaft, they had felt the cold. Raven was a born and bred city slicker and if it wasn't for his newfound friendship with Steve, he would have died from the cold already in November. Raven had little intellectually to offer on the subject of survival in the new wilderness of planet Earth. Steve was the born survivor. He figured out a way to make a makeshift door at the Mines entrance and he taught Raven which of the wood beams and struts he had to leave alone, lest they had a good fire but then the Mine caves in. After the rations had run out, Steve had started to look farther into the Mine shaft with his 'Do-it-Yourself' torch. Upon returning back to where the flames had died down to glowing embers, Raven seen that Steve was chewing on something. "Let me guess? You found a McDonald's at the end of the Mine." Steve held out his fist and opened it palm up. The white worms started to crawl around his fingers and a few had fallen off onto the floor. Raven immediately rolled over onto his side and started to dry heave. When he had finally got it together again, he turned to Steve and started yelling with an echo coming from the back of the Mine shaft. "Oh my God Steve! How in Hell's name can you eat that shit? It's enough to gag a maggot, or it gags maggots or...." Raven broke away to the side and started to heave again. Steve answered calmly; "Don't take the Lords name in vain". "And besides, they taste somewhat similar to chicken! Not bad!" And Raven had a real one man regurgitation party.

They had time on their hands and the stories came and went with the freezing days of the winter. And laughter warmed them from the inside while they huddled around the meager campfire that needed constant attention. Steve was a veritable book of jokes, all of them clean but hilarious to the point of stomach cramps. Once Raven said that he had remembered a joke that he had heard while on a long weekend at Las Vegas (Lost Wages was his nickname for it since that fateful weekend). "Three little Black boys were standing on a street corner talking bullshit." Raven started. "The first one said that when he grows up he's going to be a Lawyer and have a Cadillac like the red one over there" At this Steve started smiling. Raven continued; "the second boy said he was going to be a Doctor when he gets older and buy two Cadillac's like those parked over there". "The boy had big ambitions"! Steve said. "So", Raven continued. "The third boy said that when he gets older he's going to grow hair all over his body" With that Steve looked at him and asked; "Why"? Raven was giggling now. "He said that his sister had just a little patch of hair between her legs and she owns those two Cadillac's"! Now Raven was laughing up a storm and didn't realize at first the scornful look from his partner and friend. When he had calmed down and seen Steve's face he asked; "What"? Steve asked him how he could make jokes about women whom were doing the devils work. "It's only a joke Steve and it's the only one I know". Raven said quietly with renewed visions of road dragging death. Steve said plainly; "No more jokes against women or God". And so the winter slowly ebbed into spring. Raven had told of stories he had heard on the road about a farmer who had a very disabled child with big eyes and deformed hands. Both had at least agreed that the child would have a very rough time of life and that acceptance would not be the norm. But they disagreed on the point of life. Raven said it would probably have been better for the child if it had died at birth and Steve believed all life had a right to live. At that point Steve exclaimed; "Hey, I forgot one of my best jokes"! Raven smiled and said; "Hit me with your best shot"!

Chapter Five

"As the idea for his new novel built up in his head like gale storm winds at the hurricanes front, he literally ran into his study to turn his laptop on as the winds of chapters burned behind his eyes. As he started to type, the words flew like sparks from his fingertips to the keyboard. He had to tame the winds of thought onto the keyboard before he reached the eye of the storm." Carl threw the book onto the table standing next to the lounge chair. He hated winter and the boredom it brought with it. And Samuels taste in literature was horrible.

Getting up and stretching his legs, Carl started to meander around the house. So silent was the house in the snowed-in wintertime that it almost drove Carl crazy. He suddenly started to smile when he remembered a verse he learned as a child. "Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse"! Well it's not like it is Christmas or something, he thought. Or was it? Nobody seemed to care anymore what Month, Day or even what the approximate time of day it is! In the winter with nothing to do and nowhere important to go, time had become irrelevant. Smirking again, he started to sing a verse from an old song; "Nothing from nothing leaves nothing, you got to have something, if you want to be with me"! Stopping his horrendous version of Dr. Hook, he saw Dolly staring out of the kitchen with a concerned look on her face. "And just what is this something that I'm going to need Carl" she solemnly asked. "Not to fear my dear, we shall all gather at the river in the end" he quipped and smiled a big 'Garfield Grin' at her. Slowly she laid her new quilting project onto the kitchen table next to her barely touched breakfast. Seems she was always doing some sort of quilts lately, Carl was thinking. But she was not eating like she used to. Dolly, who used to have a permanent smile on her face and a hearty appetite to go with it, picked up her glass of water from the table and drank ever so slowly, and all the time keeping an eye on her husband. Upon finishing the water, she started to do her little trick with the empty glass like she used to in the 'good ole days' of the Diner. Slowly spinning the glass in a circle with her finger, she finally spoke again. "And my beloved half-breed of a husband, just when shall we meet at that river of yours and on which planet" she asked with a sad face. "Just so I know in case I have to buy a Saucer Ticket to wherever it is the other half of you comes from" her voice now getting louder and tears running down her perfect rose colored cheeks. Shell shocked from Dolly's depressive outburst, (normally she was a veritable hell on wheels when they had an argument lately), and Carl simply said "soon, soon my dear".

With that, Carl walked out to the barn where Sam and Billy were sitting on the bales of hay. With Mother Sol beating down on the planet at the weirdest times, the harvest, which would have been relatively good compared to the slowly dwindling numbers of sheep, had been almost burned to a crisp in two (abnormal) sunny days. The cloud cover was a complete and daily occurrence. If one would try to make a weather forecast with a frog in a mason jar, it would most likely fall over dead rather than climb the ladder for a sunny day. When Carl reached the Father and Son Chat group he just stood his place and kept silent. The two were having a discussion about mice and rats in the hay bales.

"So you see Billy, Rats and Mice aren't good for the barn and especially for the hay" Sam commented. Then Billy asked "the cats"? The four guardians lifted their heads and looked at Sam. My dear Lord, Sam thought, those black eyes are not a good sign. Sam answered with careful respect for whatever the dogs would understand, "Billy that was a very strange morning". (Every day is now fulfilled with strangeness) whispered a voice at the back of Sams head. "All of the stray cats that used to keep the rats and mice away were all looking towards the sky and then suddenly they all ran off into the fields." "So now I have a really big problem with the rodents in the hay and no way to fix it". "And dogs?" Billy asked with a big perfect smile on his face. At least his teeth are in perfect shape and that without a Dentist, Sam sadly thought while smiling back at Billy. He then saw the changed expressions on the dog's faces. One sided sneers as if they found Billy's question amusing as hell. "Dogs are no good Billy", Sam answered being distracted by the sneers of the dogs. The moment that all four sprang to their feet and snarled at Sam, he could have swore he heard his Father in the back of his head saying; 'Put your foot in your mouth didn't ya son!' Sam thought; how long is this going to go on? Carl spoke up and said in a matter of fact tone; "not much longer Sam".

The world started to spin very rapidly for Sam. Like a film going backwards at fast motion, he started to understand. His son's ability to learn and to find lost items, the dogs as guardians, the 'gathering of the sheep', and the most unbelievable Bullshit story he had ever heard in his life about Flying Saucers and shit from Carl. Similar to a difficult puzzle, when you step back and take a look at the whole thing as one, you suddenly see the big picture. The man that he was and still wanted to remain now had the certainty that he was helpless in the whole situation. Getting to his feet, with tears in his eyes, (especially shameful in front of Billy), he warned Carl for the second time. "I'm seriously thinking of killing you, and if I go to Hades for it, then so be it"! "Stay the fuck out of my head Carl", Sam said with an almost insane anger at the situation." The Guardians went wild with barking and their psychopathic weird howling. "When he's dead, you're next" Sam yelled at the dogs and walked off towards the house. The dogs became silent and went to Billy, all four licking his face and chin as the tears cascaded down his cheeks. Carl bent down to look Billy in the face and asked, "Shall we help your Father with his mice problem Billy?" Patting one of the dogs head, Billy nodded yes. Carl shot a picture of how they would do it and Billy looked in surprise. "You really can do it too, Uncle Carl?" Billy thought back. "Come" Carl said vocally, and the two of them walked towards the barn door followed by the Four Musketeers.

.

"Okay hold on to your pants Rave my boy, because this one is a hose-pisser" Steve started. Raven was starting to feel just a little claustrophobic in the mine lately, but hell, it's not like he had a date with the Pope or something. "So there is this multi-confessional meeting and three men were standing around and discussing religion" Steve said. "One was a Christian preacher, one was a Catholic priest and the third was a Jewish Rabbi." So the Christian preacher said that life starts at the point of Birth." "Then the Catholic priest says: "No, life starts at the moment of conception in the womb"! Steve starts to laugh and says: "That is when the Rabbi tells them both that they have no idea! Life starts when the children leave the house for good and take the dog with them!" If one would have looked into the mine and seen two grown men laughing their asses off, holding their guts with tears in their eyes, they would have gotten the straight-jackets ready. But not like in the older days where people had to stay in conformity with the so-called status quo of society, these were simply two good friends going fruitcakes on the mine floor laughing. After they had settled down and refueled the campfire, Raven asked; "Steve, do they have Beef Jerky in Heaven?" Frowning Steve answered; "If the good Lord don't have no Beef Jerky, then it's not quite Heaven is it?" "Not for me", Raven said. "I'd die right now if he promised me all the Beef Jerky I could eat!" And so the long winter days dragged on towards spring and the beginning of a new year.

While some lucky people were dining on (Chicken Flavored) Marinated Mine Maggots, another man imprisoned in his own home from snow, cold and darkness lay before his fireplace hearth in a yellow, chunky, sticky pile of regurgitated peaches. With no way to become any warm nourishment, he had rummaged around in the basement and found something that he had always loved as a child. Ice cold peaches in sugar syrup. Upon discovering the jar, (only one of two left), he had a laughing/coughing fit because, damned if it wasn't cold anyways! The problem laid in his feverish delirium that he didn't notice the missing "Plop" of the normally vacuum cooked mason jars. Now with fever, half food poisoning, and an oncoming Lunge Odem, he laid in delirium on the floor. Floating in and out of consciousness and not wanting to move so as not to aggravate his stomach anymore as it already was, he was at least happy that he still had the thick quilted blanket. Super, he thought. I'll just lay here till I can move, and if I die at least heaven has no Cell phones. Why was Dad such a non-believer of Guns, he wondered. "Fuck this!" He said to the cold wood stacked by the hearth. "If I live through this, I'm going to make a bonfire!" And with that thought in mind, he passed out again. And meanwhile a lone visitor had discovered the back door to the cellar and the fragrant aromas streaming through its nose split like a rainbow out of a prism. And that made it all the more desperate to find a way inside. The Canadian was in for a shock at the intellectual fortitude of this species.

As the Polar Caps continued to melt, the ocean sea level rose. Mauritius, now a modern day Atlantis, was only one of many islands to be submerged in the now cooler water. In the days of old, news broadcasters would report a catastrophic event somewhere in the world. Most people would not really care because it was not in their own backyard, and a few would research just exactly where the island is. And then forget about it. Now five lonely men and a woman lived on their island of a couple of square meters and one single coconut tree. A former flourishing tourist resort, (with all-you-can-drink alcohol inclusive in price), was reduced to six people and one tree with two remaining coconuts.

And the waters rose.

The once busy Panama Canal was ever so slowly integrated into the surrounding Oceans. Mankind kept going farther inland and on the days that it didn't rain, when the sun would just barely break through the clouds, more were eradicated from the constant prowling Rods. A large group of people was on the move to try to get to higher ground, and as to be expected, some of the Orbs appeared. People had learned a hard lesson and now knew what was to come. Scattering like the rats on a sinking ship, they tried to take cover any place which was possible. The former Mayor of the port town near Panama had discovered a culvert running under the road and had to literally squeeze his massive body into the pipe. A small girl, still with her doll in hand begged to crawl into the spot with him. His refusal was based on his racist feelings for illegal immigrants and because he naturally could not understand her language. Although he fully understood her desire to hide with him in the pipe, he kept pushing her away and in the end, he snatched her cherished dark hair baby doll and threw it into the field behind her. Yeah, he thought. I know how children tick. Go run and fetch your doll and hopefully you'll get nabbed. Correct he was. The little girl ran to get her beloved 'Bella', and upon turning towards the pipe, she froze. Now just what the hell is the problem with this fucking Indigo now? He wondered. "Pandehe" he screamed at her as he kicked his legs farther into the culvert so that his head was undercover. The little girl with normally rosy colored cheeks and a permanent smile was ghostly pale and trembling so hard her Bella fell onto the ground. "Oh good" he screamed at her. "Those babies are going to have something to eat today!" And again, he was absolutely correct. The Rod was just hovering in the air, slowly gyrating its double sided wings to maintain stability, and a single teardrop ran slowly down the girl's cheek. Observing this, the fat Mayor yelled at her again. "Do you see one that wants a tiny little snack baby girl?" The Rod was a logical entity formed after its makers and it shot forwards so fast the little girl had no time to shut her eyes. It shot into the back end of the pipe in a blink of an eye and at the front, clothes exploded like a C4 charge. The Mayors dark sunglasses rolled in the dust and lay at the girl's feet. She closed her eyes and prayed thanks to her Lord Savior as the tears washed her face clean.

And the waters rose still.

Earlier names like Michigan, Huron, Superior, Erie and Ontario were now irrelevant. As it has been for centuries, the waters continually flowed up the St. Lawrence Seaway and Michigan became Lake Michigan with the exception of a few ski resorts. Cannondale was now the home sweet home for a group of survivors whose outlook on life was that it would all go back to normal shortly. Pristine drinking water was to be had simply by the new shoreline, next to the submerged ski lift. And after a few months, the ski lift cables served an all new purpose of hanging meat to dry and cure. What was once upon a time in the technological world an abominable thought, was now, as it was with the Ancient Incas, a weekly occurrence. A human sacrifice for the betterment of the remaining tribe. Planet Earth had become a harsh place for mankind and simple survival was becoming a popular game. Feudalism also had its place in the scheme of things. Groups of the remaining population did not like the Chess game style of offering the pawns so that the king can live on.

And the waters still continued to rise.

In Egypt, ocean waters lapped at the base of the Giza pyramid and Tunis had become one huge sandbar. Hurricanes ripped through the oceans on a daily basis and the few remaining Satellites could still spot an eye of a storm. Because it was generally speaking, the only patch of clear sky over the oceans. And ever faithful, it sent the pictures back to earth to the only remnants of the once mighty Army of America. At the NORAD center life was peachy cream! Three meals a day and hot showers was still on the plan. That is, if the waters quit rising. The military at NORAD had absolutely no idea just how bad it was outside. They was just as cut off from the rest of the world as everybody else. They could still monitor the satellite pictures streaming down from the heavens, but as far as the amount of rain the cloud cover brought with it, and the Polar caps degeneration? They had just as much information as the two brave men hiding in a mine in the Utah Mountains. At the beginning, a God fearing soldier, whose duty was to monitor the outside cameras of the compound. After sealing the doors to the complex, he saw civilians climbing up the mountain side and informed his commander of the situation. He was rebuffed with the order; "You monitor the cameras and let them poor assholes try their best to get in". "Whoopee, let me see them bastards try to dig their way through six feet of pure lead coated cement!" The commander started to cackle like a full blown idiot and some of the higher echelon smiled back at him (if only to save their own asses). Of the soldiers monitoring the screens, one was praying with hands folded over the radar screen and another, with tears in his eyes, had also realized the insanity of the whole situation. Turning back to his screen, the soldier saw a woman with a small baby cradled in her arm staring straight in front of the camera. With an expression of despair and tears, she was trying to slowly mouth the words; "please open the door!" Airman First Class Jenkins turned to the commander and solemnly said; "God will forgive your sins, but I can't!" "Fuck you Sir!" With that he turned to activate the emergency release button for the huge steel front door. A deafening shot rang out in the control room, and brains splattered on the monitor, covering the face of the woman staring into the camera. Someone had then shouted out the old adage "Mutiny on the Bounty", and a cacophony of gunfire started throughout the room. In the end, a lonely commander and his adjutant remained and stared at the mass destruction of the various monitors and control panels. And as the commander was just about to make the comment; "Fuck all of them pussy's", his blank faced adjutant stuck his pistol barrel in his own mouth, breaking a tooth on the way, and pulled the trigger. Now, a man with a star on his collar stared at an empty room. "Damn wimps!"

The two of them walked towards the front of the barn, all the while watching Sam kicking stones, yelling at nobody in particular, and (what Carl found amusing) sometimes backtracking to kick a stone he had missed the first time around. Upon reaching the barn doors, Carl said; "Now listen to my mind". The two stared at each other for a moment and then turned to look back into the barn. Holding hands and raising the other one in the air, they both pointed into the barn. A faint shimmer started to grow inside of the barn next to the hay bales where previously Father and Son had a good chat. Like a fata morgana on a hot Las Vegas road in the summer, the shimmering spread out in the barn, covering the floor and making the wood struts seem semi-transparent. Unbeknown to them, someone else was watching this act of charlatanry. Slowly, ever so slowly they curved their arms towards their chest, and the first mice appeared, followed by the rats. They all came striding slowly out of the hay as if hearing the musical flute of the Pied Piper. Hundreds of mice and rats, all walking slowly towards the two of them through a shimmering waving translucence and at times fading, as if going in and out of our realm of reality. Out past the two of them they wandered and making a curve, headed for the open field and as the last rodent past them they both turned in that direction and slowly stretched their arms outwards with fingers splayed apart. In total unison with each other, but tuned out to the real world around them, they had not even heard the sheep screaming in the pen on the other side of the barn. A horribly loud and strange sounding chorus, which was able to make even Lucifer himself cringe down in disgust. Nor did they hear the screaming of names that had started to come from the kitchen as Dolly looked out the window. The rodents started to run, and as fast as their tiny feet could carry them, they ran straight out into the light powdery snow which had fallen a fortnight ago. As Dolly watched in terror at this perverted scene of a magical event, she was also mesmerized at just how far the rats and mice would go. The thought was unnecessary because they all ran as far into the snow covered plain as they could. And then they simply died.

They both turned back again to face into the barn, totally oblivious to the slowly fading screaming and yelling of Dolly, the sheep and now, Sam. Upon facing the barn, the shimmering faded and disappeared. Sam had then stopped yelling and had turned to walk into the house again, passing Dolly, who was now on the back porch, and said; "Your man is not of God anymore, this is a hell hole of a farm and if it doesn't stop, I'm going make you into a widow!" "And just what the hell is wrong with your Billy?" She asked, yelling at Sam. "I suppose he's Gods great gift to the world?" "He isn't one ounce better than my Carl, in case you didn't just see what BOTH of them had just pulled off" she yelled. Sam screamed at her; "He is just a normal child like all of the others!" For just a moment Dolly could only stare at her brother in dismay. "You are simply unbelievable Sam." She quietly said now. "He's most definitely NOT normal and somehow he is influencing my Carl into making them BOTH freaks of nature" Sam seen blazing white and exploded. For the first time in their long lives, Sam slapped his sister in the face. Sudden quiet in a room is sometimes louder than yelling, and Sam caught hold of his senses. "God forgive me Dolly, I'm sorry!" He quietly whispered. "Fuck you Sam!" She whispered with her back turned to him. Suddenly Billy sprang into the doorway and smiling, proudly said; "Mice gone!" Sam simply answered a quiet "thanks", and walked to his bedroom.

He awoke in a now freeze-dried pile of his own Peach Puke, and (as an extra bonus), there was even a rotted piece of peach stuck in his left nostril, which made a funny whistle when he exhaled. "Oh sweet Jesus" he said to the rug under his face. "Just how long was I in the Land of Oz?" he wondered while looking at now dried brown chunks lying directly in front of his eyes. He realized that it must have been a considerable amount of time, given the fact that the "Yummy Peaches" was already dried up in this cold temperature. If I don't move now, I'm dead meat He thought. Slowly moving, he discovered body parts he never knew existed before, because they all had started screaming in the agony of stiffness and cold. Knees up and hands up and now we look like an Alaskan Husky ready for the race boy! He had to stay doggy style with his hands in his "Super Supper" for quite a few minutes, before he could make the next move. Up and onto the couch he wobbled and the alarms went off at both sides of the body. His legs were starting to cramp up, and the pain would have been horrible if it wasn't for the fact that his brain was swimming in circles. "Hey Mom, is this the belated revenge for when I was sixteen and I didn't come home all night after the disco?" He asked the picture frame on the fireplace mantel. The fireplace, with a roaring fire and all of the heat it would relegate to the living room, was a fantastic idea. He simply didn't care anymore if someone seen the smoke or not. He'd even invite them in to get warmed up a little and if they wished, they could even take a bath down in the basement. "Okay!" He said to the woodpile. "Here's to you, here's to me. May we never disagree. If we do, FUCK YOU! Here's to me". And so he struggled to his feet and started to make his "Death wish" bonfire in the huge fireplace. The worst thing he could do as a child growing up was (in front of his Father) to keep jabbing around at the burning logs in the fireplace. His Father used to almost preach about it as if it was the biggest sin of the Devil! But with Dad gone, it was his all time favorite sport on cold winter evenings. "Gentlemen, Man your Pokers, and Touché!" He said to the roaring Hickory wood. When he had finally warmed up and the room had a toasty atmosphere, he decided to go into the basement and find some (edible) food. No sense in being warm but dying of hunger. Standing up before the fire, he twisted and turned and thought; "good, no stomach cramps. Let's go for the gusto boys!" Over to the basement door he went and upon opening the door, he realized he didn't have any light. Then he noticed the emergency flashlight his Father had kept hung over the door, just in case the fuse in the basement would blow and he needed a light to get to the box in the corner. He thanked his father for getting one with the new technology of "Shake and Light". So he started to shake the flashlight up and down to charge up the chip inside, and as he always was a comical guy, started to sing; "shake, shake, shake, shake your booty. Shake your Booty. Baby!" The tremendously loud and deep roar instinctively froze the Canadians blood to ice in his veins. Like a dark shadowed storm cloud, it came lumbering up the stairs with incredible speed and agility. And in the split second reaction which he had learned from his earlier Ju-Jitsu training as a teenager, he dropped the flashlight and stabbed the fireplace poker, which he had absent mindlessly carried with him, straight into the attacker with the prowess he had learned. The brown Bear had luckily tried to rise up onto its haunches, and the poker went straight home. As the Bear then went rolling and tumbling down the staircase into the basement, he fell to his knees and he screamed. "Holy fuck me all the way home!" Now this has to take a minute to sink in! He thought. Just how the hell did he even get in here? And thank you, my Cell phone loving God, that he didn't smell me and come up for dinner so long I was sleeping! After a few more moments of reflection, he stood up and made his way down the stairs, kicked the Bear several times in the head, (just to be sure), and then seen what had been his unwilling savior. Somehow the Bear had managed to pry open one of the old cellar doors going to the bushes outside. He then had literally went on a rampage and had destroyed the basement and with it, most of the (edible?) food stuff he could get opened. From the looks of the corner under the fuse box, he had taken a little catnap (Bear nap)! But this other man or woman, (it was pretty hard to tell by looking at what was the Bears leftover meal, had apparently discovered the open door and had come in. It must have woken up the Bear in the dark corner and the Bear had surprised the unlucky person while it was rummaging around in the basement. The Bear and the opened door? Okay! But the unlucky person who fed the Bear, so that the Bear didn't come up and dine on 'Canadian People and Peaches', and like a moron, carrying the Poker with him when he was going downstairs? Was it Fate, Karma, or even gods intervention? "Jesus, I'll never even mention Cell phones again in my life! I promise!" But forgive me now my holy roller friend, because I've got to take a bath. Grabbing two 20 liter canisters of well water, he headed upstairs to heat it up and take a very much needed bath in front of Dads fireplace. Halfway up the staircase, he sneezed and the peach clump went flying to stick on the wall! Was he in a clear state of mind, he would have thought to close the cellar door again. Fate? Karma? The Lords Will?

♫On the Road Again♫

(Willie Nelson)

He opened his eyes to blinding light and cried out; "Oh God damn that's bright!" "Oh shit Steve! Sorry!" Raven was not yet in a fully awake state of mind to remember that Steve doesn't like the lord's name taken in vane. The early morning sun, unusually bright considering the meager intensity of the last few months, had found a hole in the makeshift blockage of a door at the entrance of the mine. And like a Laser beam, it streamed through the airborne dust particles and directly into Ravens eyeballs. Raven really couldn't take the dusty atmosphere much longer and his throat and lungs had started to feel like sandpaper. "It's okay Raver, or is it Razor or Raper?" Steve retorted with a smile. "One day my fine feathered friend, you will see the light of our Lord and repent your sins!" "Raper!" Raven laughed. "Now that's a good one!" "Come on, let's break down the door and go outside because I think that spring has already sprung." It must have been at least two months since the two of them had moved the entrance blockage to look outside, and what they saw had for the two of them, totally different interpretations. Steve looked at the clear blue sky and said a prayer to his God that the Disc had taken a coffee break and let the sun shine again. "Isn't Gods heaven just magnificent?" Steve asked with eyes closed and soaking up the much needed sunshine. His dark tanned skin had gotten a lot paler during the winter months without any sun! Raven looked at him in astonishment. "Ah, Steve?" Raven started. "I really hate to break your meditation bubble, but I suggest you pull your baby blue eyes from the baby blue sky and take a look at the baby blue waters!" Looking down from the mountainside, Steve's jaw simply dropped open! "Tired of Mine Maggots and trying to catch a fly?" Raven asked with a big grin. "Where did half of Utah go Rave?" Steve asked awestruck. Although the sky was now free of the Disc cloud cover, the rain that it had brought was literally lakes of water. Steve studied the landscape and said; "every gulch and ravine and then some more on top of that!" "Well," Raven started, it's going to make traveling just a little more difficult." After a few seconds of silence, Raven looked at Steve and seen his somewhat worrisome face. "Okay partner, just what exactly is worrying you now?" Raven asked somewhat troubled. Steve looked at Raven and remarked; "I never got the opportunity to learn how to swim." And they both started a laughing fit on the mountainside, with echo's reverberating from the nearby Mesas as if in answering.

When they had finally got it out of their systems, they packed up their few possessions and started strolling down the mountainside into a new day, fresh spring air and a fully new formed world. Upon reaching the bottom of their mountain, they saw that the federal interstate highway was not flooded with water, but with hundreds of people all traveling in various groups and numbers. Apparently many of the more intelligent ones had come upon the same idea as Steve and they had taken shelter in the many various caves and mines in the area. They walked along in the bright sunshine with bandannas over their heads to prevent getting a sunburned skull due to the intense sun. And they strolled along with some of the folk for awhile and listened very carefully to some of the outrageous stories about how the newcomers were trying to drown them like rats. It was said that some parts of the countryside had gotten some severe torrential floods whereby other parts of Utah had stayed bone dry. And were there any good theories as to why the local rain differences? Oh yes, and they were colorful, plenty and much to Steve's astonishment, Ravens name was also a very intricate part of most all of the stories which were told. When Steve heard Ravens name mentioned the first time in a plot from the government to re-do the American Dream, he thankfully had the brains to introduce him as "Paul". Much to Ravens discontent and a slam to his ego, but he had went along with the charade. As the sunny day wore on towards noontime, Raven had finally understood Steve's nomenclature intervention. The man that they all called Raven was apparently behind all the problems with the newcomers and the Orbs, rain, and on and on. And most of the people were in agreement, and (there were lots of them that still had weapons), said that they would shoot him on sight. But it was not as if Steve didn't have to be very careful himself. There were plenty of atheist people that were constantly blaming God and all of his followers for the problematic flooding which was at hand. So Steve, in his intellectual calmness, had immediately gone into the "Silence is Golden" modus. 'Those who had decided to blame God for every little wrong in the world was lost souls anyways, under these circumstances! He thought. And the all time favorite "Blame Catcher" story that they had heard, was about some sheep farmer in the countryside with an alien for a child. The stories that the groups of people recited were totally insane, and some were even wilder than the ones before! Apparently the child could teleport himself back and forth to his ship, that he could at any time command the Rods to attack any city at his own will, and of course (the crème of the crop), it was said that some saw him before it had all started and that he could make cattle spin in the air with a simple gesture. At the recital of this fantastic fable, everybody had then started asking exactly where they had seen the child, but curiously, they just couldn't seem to remember exactly where it was! Steve slenderer back over to walk next to his partner Raven and started his conversation in a very low whisper. "We really have to split away from this band of boneheads Paul and get moving safely on our own. And somehow we have got to find this cow juggler, because I seriously feel it in my heart that he most definitely is a part of this big problem with the Discs." Raven looked over grinning and said; "Then let us get away from this crowd and try to find the circus on our own accord." "I'm anyways sick and tired of walking around with target rings painted on my forehead!"

And so it was, that at the next crossroads when everybody was following the one before them like sheep people, Steve and Raven had then said a quick goodbye and that they was going to go and try to find Steve's sister. Steve and Raven were ever so thankful for the `Sheeple Effect´! Nobody had even bothered to ask just exactly where his sister lived! And Steve thanked his Savior for not being questioned because honestly, neither of them had the faintest idea just exactly where in Utah they was headed for at the moment, and up ahead of them a totally empty road, cluttered with abandoned vehicles, begged their company, and they obliged. And so they walked and had a thorough discussion about the various stories, trying to make judgments on what could be or is not truism. Raven was a washed in anger to the fact that in most everybody's opinion, he was the person responsible for this corruption of our society and the coming of the Newcomers. "Steve, now explain it to me as if I were a five year old child." Raven said. "Why is it that I get the shit when I only tried to warn the public of what was happening?" "Tell me why when you try to help, it gets totally ignored?" Raven asked his partner. Steve looked at Raven and made the comparison; "What do you thing the Church has been putting up with for hundreds of years. You preach the good Lords word and they ignore you. And when things go to shit, the first building they burn is the church!" "But I tried to help!" Raven said in anguish. Stopping, Steve looked him direct in the eyes and said; "It's the same thing Raven!" "I've heard enough of your self pity! "God is the reason why even in pain, I smile; in confusion; I understand; in betrayal, I trust; and in fear, I continue to fight!"

Steve looked at Raven and quietly said; "So just that I know who you really are, I want you to look me in the eye and tell me exactly how much of what they said about you is the truth." Raven started to smile and answered; "Well, if you take away the parts where I'm supposedly responsible for them coming to earth and the fact that I most definitely did NOT sleep with Queen Lady Lizard Face on her Mother ship in space, uh, the rest of it is basically true. Most of it I had already told you in the Mine anyways." Steve looked deep into Ravens eyes for quite a few seconds, and then asked; "After you had sex with Miss Lizard Face, did you just happen to dream about spinning cows around in the air?"

Their laughter reverberated off of the vehicles into the otherwise silent landscape and as it was still a clean spring day, they kept on walking. The laughter would go on for a couple of days, but somewhere in Utah, a boy was coming up to his next Birthday. And it would be a birthday the boy would never forget!

♫ "Keep the fire Burnin"♫

(REO Speedwagen)

The fire he had started was now blazing in the hearth! And the clear spring bathwater was now already heated to the point of boiling over from the big copper pot which was swinging freely over the flames. The massive antique metal bath tub had still been in the house after all these years! And he had dragged it out of the other room, in a strenuous act of muscle and will power, to place it before the fireplace hearth. It was leftover from the days of his grandfather who had immigrated to Canada from Germany. Grandfathers ideology was that "you never throw anything away as long as you have the space to store it somewhere, because when you get rid of it, you will more than likely need it in a couple of weeks!" Leaning onto the tub, he took notice that it was also seemingly hot to the touch. After tipping the water into the Galvanized tub, and spilling quite a bit on the carpet he laughed and thought; 'and do you think I really give a shit about the puke stained carpet? I got me a new Bear skin rug lying in the basement'! Then he proceeded to take off his shirt.

And now his living room was as warm as any sauna could possibly get and thinking back, he could hardly believe that it was just a few hours ago that he was bundled up in everything possible! And laying face first in his dinner at that! He demonstratively threw his peach covered shirt straight into the fireplace, as if in the flaming inferno it would burn the memories of gagging peaches out of his brain. Just as he was about to drop his boxer shorts to the floor, he could have swore that he had heard something at the basement door and suddenly the fear ran straight through him again, in the direction of his crotch. Looking down, he sadly saw that he had pissed himself a little and then started to nervously laugh. 'Now I'm starting to wet my favorite Canadian shorts over a Bear ghost!' Slowly walking over to the door, he knew that he had to open it and look, because if not, he could not relax and enjoy his bath in peace and quiet. First he stuck his ear to the door and he then listened intently to detect any sound from the other side, and simultaneously was cursing the crackling of the burning wood in the hearth.

Then slowly opening the door just a crack he listened again, and not hearing anything, decided to take a peek through the slightly opened basement door. 'Damn', he then muttered to himself, 'It's darker than an Africans asshole down there'! So, full of bravery and ignoring the fact that something really could be waiting on the stairs, he swung the door wide open in one swift motion. As the door swung open, he had a fuzzy glimmering motion in his eyes, and he thought that he should see if the Optometrist was still living and to check to make sure that his new lenses from his cataract operation were still healthy. "Thank you I-Phone god that the bear or his ghosts aren't coming up to visit me for dessert" he said. "Must have been my imagination!" he said to the woodpile. So he then slammed the door shut and made a beeline for his warm bath, on the way, throwing his now color-coded underwear into the roaring flames. "And in we go!" he yelled, stepping into the hot water. "Oh man, I think I just died and went to heaven!" he said as he closed his eyes and sank down into the water. 'Stupid fuzziness in my eyes are going to make me paranoid', he thought.

As the door had swung wide open, the Canadian had no idea that he had just barely escaped death by only a millisecond, and it most definitely was not 'the glimmering of his new lenses or the fuzziness from his retina' that his eyes had seen! The Rod had shot forward to attack and had to curve away towards the back of the room because it knew exactly what it could and what it wasn't allowed to attack. The thing had the sign of the Olten, and it had respect for its maker. So while the thing had went into the water, it had hovered behind the couch and the Synapse in its small but thoroughly utilized brain flared due to a conflict of how the strange thing had appeared to it and the sign of the Olten that it bore. So it slowly glided over to the thing and studied the sign up close in detail. And as it was looking at the sign of the Olten, the Canadian opened his eyes. His bathwater immediately turned yellow!

With his eyes wide open in shock and his jaw slowly dropping, regardless of how warm the water was, his blood froze in his veins like liquid nitrogen and he had totally emptied his bladder into his bathwater. Just as he was about to let out a scream, he realized that he should remain still and silent. He had received many pictures every week of these things before, when people had sent them in to him for presentation on his viewer program. But he had always written it all off to dust on the camera lens, window glare, or simply plastic bags blowing around in the air. And some he could verify that they only filmed clouds and not Aliens. 'Oh Jesus, he thought. Grab your fucking cell phone and call in the Royal Canadian Mounties!' 'Oh God, I was so wrong'! This ungodly thing was hovering in the air just a few centimeters from his chest and he could see its deep dark black eyes. He noticed that it was translucent with two long wings running the full length of its body. And the wings were barely moving! 'So how could it be hovering over him and he didn't feel any wind?' he thought. 'Oh Jesus' he was thinking, and then he fully comprehended what this devils abomination was doing. 'Holy shit, it's staring straight at my freaky tattoo'!

Suddenly the horrible memories of that deathly drunken night at the Disco Alberta came rushing back into his head like a freight train. He had thankfully decided to go alone and had met this sharp looking girl at the bar of the Disco and the first drink had eventually led to another and naturally, lots more thereafter. She was a tattoo artist with a shop in the downtown district of the town and every part of her delicate soft skin that showed, (and those that I saw later), was painted like a psychedelic LSD trip. She had offered to do him one for free after they had romped around in bed for awhile with the crazy bitch singing her version of a very popular song; ♫ "Ride me like an Egyptian" ♫, but he had solemnly swore to her that he would never have a tattoo in his life. So they had drunk and watched films the rest of the night. The next morning when he had woken up in his car with a head the size of a beach ball, his chest had felt as if he had been stung from a whole Hornets nest! In severe pain, he had ripped his shirt open only to find out that drinking was most definitely not good for you!

Directly in the middle of his chest he had a round tattoo, totally black in color and with some really weird scratching symbols spiraling outwards from the center. He had at first started to scream in his car at the stupid bitch which, lucky for her, wasn't there anymore, for putting a tattoo on his body. Then he had looked over and noticed the drawing on the passenger seat and was stupefied because it was a drawing made from his own hand! So what in the hell does it mean and why did he have it now tattooed onto his chest? He had never been able to figure out an appropriate answer to that formidable question! Coming back to reality, he looked at this flying fuck of a snail and the full comprehension of it all hit him! It was still hovering at the same spot and looking directly at his unwanted tattoo, and he thought, 'Oh lord', 'it must have been a premonition that made me get this ugly tattoo'. 'Or had the Painted Bitch been an Alien?' 'No way!' he thought. 'Aliens don't give head'! And his relaxed Canadian sense of humor, even in this time of danger broke to the surface. And without even a single thought about the possible consequences of his actions, he laughed out loud!

It rose up and looked the thing straight into the oddly formed face, backing up a little farther away from this strange contradiction. It was an Olten, of that it was sure, for only they was allowed to wear the sign. Regardless of the visualization it received, the sign told of the high respect it must convey to its holder. For them to attack an Olten was a sacrilege. But, it had received a wave frequency from the strange thing! A sound! And the Olten have no need for such primitive forms of communication between the races! Its neurons burned with the many contradictions swirling around in its brain which it never had to decipher before. In human years, it was very old. But for its species, it was a fairly young rod! And, this being only its second planet visited, it was about to make a fatal mistake! It had made a decision, be it right or wrong, to attack this oddity.

The Canadian sat in his yellowing bath water and stared directly into the things dark hypnotic eyes! And the absolute fright of it all was painted on his face. But he was Canadian and far from hysterical, so his only thought was that he would much rather drown in his urinal bathwater than get killed from this freaky looking winged snail. He slowly breathed in as deep as he could and then, as fast as possible, he submerged under the water.

It had made its decision against the genetically ingrained logic in its brain, and shot forward to attack the thing, thereby diving into the Canadians bath water. Other older and much more experienced Rods which had visited many planets would have recognized the fluid and the deathly results of coming in contact with it. This is also the reason the newcomers never allowed flight on these types of Class 5 planets. The inhabitants wouldn't be able to seed the clouds for rain to kill the prowling Rods. The Rod had never felt pain before, and the neurons in its brain literally screamed as they did their own form of short circuiting! For what the young Rod had not known was that H²0 was similar to Hydrochloric Acid for them, an instant death of melting and dissolving flesh!

The bubbles rose to the surface as the Canadian screamed under the water! His water had increased in temperature from Luke warm to nearly the boiling point in a matter of a second! The liquefying rod and the water had combined to make a boiling cauldron of Acidic liquid. Trying to spring out of the bath water, and cracking his skull on the side of the tub in the attempt, he was flopping around in his tub of water like the proverbial fish out of water! Slipping and sliding underwater in the ever increasing heat and as the water coagulated into a thick gelatinous liquid, the Canadian screamed again and for the last time, inhaled.

They had seen the smoke from the burning shirt and boxer shorts from afar, and at first assumed it must have been a wild fire from something which had self ignited. But after a few hours their leader got a little curious and so they set off in the direction of the rising smoke cloud. They came to the abandoned house which they had passed by several times on their foraging rampages and was surprised that from exactly this house, which was old and apparently deserted since a long time rose qualms of smoke from the chimney. Running around the perimeters of the house like escaped inmates from an insane asylum; the thirty odd men were smashing windows and screaming to get in. One of the group started yelling to the others that he had found the open cellar door, but the leader of this pack of jackals was proud and was going to march into the front door.

With five men breaking down the boarding, they finally were able to kick the door in. Their leader was naturally the one to go first into the living room and walk over to the bath tub by the roaring fire, and upon seeing the swirling bubbling mass of melted human flesh and the Rod, he tried to turn and run. Slipping on the wet carpet with the now moist and mushy pieces of 'Peaches and Puke', he fell face down into the mess and started his own contribution to the ruined carpet. The others, seeing the look on their fearless leaders face before he went down for re-dinner, ran back out the front door, tripping and falling all over each other before making a straight run for the city. The leaders head was swimming with the sight he had just seen and his own nausea, but he had managed to get on to his hands and knees, just in time to see the next Rod slowly cruising in through the open doorway.

Before the Rod attacked, a single tear ran down his cheek and in an almost girlish peeping voice cried out; "Not me, please!"

Chapter Six

♫ (Happy Birthday toYa) ♫

(Stevie Wonder)

"Well, good morning sleepy head and a happy birthday to you Billy!" Dolly said as he walked slowly into the kitchen with still half opened sleepy eyes. Dolly had a quick thought; 'and with his eyes only half open, he looked almost half normal'! "Good morning Aunt Dolly" he said, walking over and sitting down at the kitchen table. Yesterday Dolly had asked Sam to get some flowers to put on the breakfast table for Billy's birthday and Sam had a real laughing fit! He had stopped laughing and then asked "and where dear sister do flowers grow around here nowadays! And we are lucky to still have something to eat, thanks to you bringing all of the canned food with you from the restaurant!" But even that is getting low now, not to mention, I can't remember what meat taste like anymore! We're definitely not getting enough protein when all we eat are vegetables!

So now, on the kitchen table was a flower vase for Billy with some dried pieces of straw and some artificial flowers which Dolly had found by accident in the basement while rummaging around and cleaning out the unnecessary garbage. Carl had already been sitting at the table since daybreak, with his coffee cup filled with water. Real coffee has since last year been rationed for Sunday mornings only. Carl and Dolly didn't care anymore to keep track of which day of the week it was, but Sam did. Because Sunday was still Gods day and he still respected it, irregardless of what is going on. Dolly came over to Billy and gave him a big smooched kiss on the top of his head. "Your five years old today Billy my boy and you are not looking older, you're looking better!" Dolly said to him as Billy looked up with a big grin on his face.

Carl mentally congratulated him to his birthday and said he had many hundred more to come! Suddenly Carl realized that something was terribly wrong, because Billy was still looking up at his wife and didn't look to him to answer his greetings. Carl vocally said; "Billy". "Yeah Uncle Carl?" Billy asked turning to him. Carl tried again to talk mentally to Billy, and after a few seconds, Billy asked "What?" Carl was flabbergasted that Billy was ignoring him, so he shot Billy a mental picture of him brutally killing the dogs. Billy's reaction was absolutely nothing! Carl simply could not fathom that almost overnight; Billy somehow had lost his natural born genetic ability to telepathically communicate!

"So my boy", Dolly started, breaking Carl out of his reverie, "What does a big guy like you wish for his fifth birthday?" "I'm sorry, but don't even bother asking for a cake! You had the last birthday cake on your fourth birthday party last year." "Horse riding!" Billy answered back quick as a wink. Dolly was glad that his speech impediment was getting better, but he still liked to make sentences with five words or less! And Carl was still simply staring at Billy with astonishment on his face. Billy suddenly jumped up and ran quickly out the open kitchen door, yelling behind him that he was going to find his daddy. Carl still had that strange look on his face when he turned to look at his wife, and Dolly immediately asked him: "What now Carl?" "Oh, it's nothing which should concern you my dear." He answered. "Okay Carl, when you get that look on your face, it's mostly when you're horny, and that you can totally forget for the rest of your stupid Hybrid life!" She said with anger swelling up in her voice. "If only you could see that stupid look on your face!" She said in a venomous voice! "And how in hell am I supposed to see this supposedly stupid look on my face, when Sam destroyed all the mirrors, and everything which even reflected good enough to show your face, after Billy started walking" he said, raising his voice at her! "Well my Hybrid asshole husband, at least now you finally got a legitimate excuse for not shaving and I know that just pleases you to all ends" she said in a quieter voice, "because anyways, you was always fascinated with growing a stupid beard and looking like the "Taliban from Iran"!" "And just so you know it, I thank the Lord that you couldn't get me pregnant!" "Who knows what kind of abomination would come out at birth?"

"Well, Carl started, "you don't seem to consider Billy an abomination and you don't have to put up with me for very much longer. And then we will all gather at the river!" "Fuck you and whatever color water the river has on your planet Carl", she answered "because I would much rather drown than spend eternity next to you!" Getting up from the table, Carl started walking towards the door and said; "I'm going to go and check on Billy because he changed overnight." "What the hell do you mean, he's changed?" She asked. Carl simply answered; "you simply wouldn't understand woman!" And out the kitchen door he went and strolled in the direction of the barn.

"Morning Daddy!" Billy said as he walked into the barn and gave his father a big hug. "Love you Daddy!" He said and squeezing Sam so hard he could barely breathe! "Love you too my boy" he said and wondered just how could a five year old have such brutal strength! Sam was standing in front of the two horse stalls and was contemplating which horse he would have to kill to put some meat on the table. It had been a long time since the sweet aroma of simmering stew or goulash had filled the air, and although Dolly had brought all the canned goods with her, well, he simply was not cut out to be a vegetarian! He wasn't born with sheep's teeth!

He started grinning and chuckled to himself, and Billy asked what was so funny about the horses! "No son, there isn't anything funny about the horses, in fact they are one of the most beautiful creatures that God created. "Who is god man?" Billy asked. Sam smiled and stroking his head answered; "When you have learned to read, then you will discover him right here" and he patted Billy on the chest. "I don't understand god man daddy!" He said with a quizzical smile on his face. Sam looked at the horses and in his indecision of which one to lie to rest, said; "son, sometimes none of us understand him and his ways!" Then he asked; "Billy, what do you wish for your fifth birthday, now that you're almost a grown man?" Billy's smile beamed white from his perfect teeth and said; "parie horse riding!" Sam was astonished and asked; "you want to go horseback riding with me out on the prairie?" "Yeah daddy", Billy started to dance around in the barn. "Horse riding, horse riding, daddy horse riding!" Sam understood again, the multitude of ways that God intervened in ones life, thereby taking the decision out of his hands, of which one of Gods creatures he would have unnecessarily murdered.

He had always put the decision on ice, even though there was nowhere to ride to nowadays and the horses were eating just as fast as the last few sheep. A few weeks earlier, Sam had said that he thought it would be a good idea to slaughter one of the sheep for food. Dolly had vehemently protested with the reasonable argument that they were not starving like Africans in the desert and that she needed the wool come next winter! (She probably wanted to make another quilt!) But she was correct, that we weren't starving yet and as long as the hay held out, the sheep should be allowed to live a little longer. But the years have been going by and he wasn't as nonchalant as his brother-in-law Carl when it comes to long term survival. And each year, the harvesting of the hay got easier as increasingly less grew. Dolly had tried last year to plant a garden and after the hasty construction of a lean-to to shade the garden from the sun, she had finally admitted where she had gotten the seeds from. She, a non-farmer, hadn't known that cooked seeds are infertile and won't grow! Sam had almost had a hernia laughing when she said she had taken seeds from the canned tomatoes. But when Carl had also started to laugh, that was when she had went berserk and had started to slap him again and again in the face, all the while screaming that he should have his 'fucking Alien buddies' help us out with growing a garden. It was at that moment that Sam realized that his sister was slowly going insane. It was also strange that whenever those two would start to battle, Billy would always be out of earshot!

Sam's thoughts came back up to the present and Billy was tugging away on his wool shirt. Snatching his Billy up into his muscular arms, Sam said; "I think its about time that we two took a ride out on the plains and I can show you the splendour of Gods world." Billy looked at his father straight in the eyes and asked; "but we live here?" Sam started laughing and Billy wrapped his scrawny arms around his neck and said again; "love you daddy", and started hugging so tight that Sam thought: 'where does he get such strength?' 'He's going to break my neck'!

So they started to get the horses ready and by mid-afternoon, the two horses were saddled and several cans of Dolly's 'super healthy delicious vegetables' were stowed in the saddlebags of Billy's horse. Sam's horse Ginger had the harder job of carrying the large telescope with the massive tripod on the left side. When Sam then came out of the house with a rifle, Carl started to ask; "since when do you have a rifle and what on earth would you need a rifle for?" And Dolly, for once, had the same question. "Samuel Patterson, what are you going to do, shoot Buffalo on the prairie?" Dolly asked. Sam shoved the Winchester into the holster and said; "who knows, it just might come in handy when we're out there!" "Just exactly what would you have to shoot at?" Carl asked and at the same time, tried again to mentally contact Billy. "Well, I bet there are all sorts of freaks of nature running around now getting toasted by the suns rays, and it's not for my protection, but for Billy's safety!" Sam said and looked deep in Carl's eyes. Carl was now furious that Billy had somehow lost his talent and was now scared that Billy would be alone with his father. "Guns only get people killed and people with guns kill other things as well!" Carl said with anger now evident in his voice. After helping Billy into the saddle of the oldest horse, Sam hopped up onto his saddle and behind Carls back, winked at Dolly and said; "take real good care of my beloved brother-in-law, sister heart!" Dolly stared with her mouth wide open, as if Sam had just said to take precious care of the devil! Turning to the other side, he told Carl to protect Dolly with his life if need be, while they were gone! Then leaning over in the saddle, he whispered in Carl's ear!

"I'm saving one bullet you freak, in case you don't"

♫Locomotive Breath♫

(Jethro Tull)

Time now seemed to have a completely new identity. A.N. It was now relevant for everybody living in the big cities to express the time as what happened after the newcomers had arrived on earth. For the most, civilization had simply given up on somehow trying to research why or when and for how long the Disc would be covering the skies. In addition, for the first few hard winters that had passed in every cold metropolis around the globe, came the warmth of the first spring thaw. Moreover, with the warmth of a few sunny days came the smell! It seemed to permeate the entire air as it was coming from almost every building and most of the apartments therein. Tully, a man barely out of his teens and slightly on the slow side of life, could not read or write. But who needs to be able to read or write in this new day and age, he figured. His only job with helping out the gang was to forage and in that, he was really good. The boss had taught him how to pick locks, break down doors, and to use the crowbar with the utmost efficiency. Who needs to know words, just break the doors in and forage for all the good stuff he could find! The fresh spring air with the fragrant smell of newly rotting corpses from the previous winter didn't seem to bother him at all. His slight mental deficiencies also extended to parts of his memory. He knew how to express himself according to time, and if asked, could immediately answer that it was 5 AN, in the month of April, on the twenty-first day. The gang humoured him, only because one of the gang had started to beat on him one day, and the gang boss had come in and had ended the beating, by slitting the bullies' throat. This of course, wasn't such a bad idea from the boss, seeing that they were running out of meat again. Yeah, winter time is not a good time for tourist and their food supply was constantly running low. The boss had allotted Tully to have his own separate room which he also could lock up to keep the bullies out at night. He had told the boss one day that he really didn't like it when they came to sleep with him, because the next day his butt would be hurting when he had to go out on his tours. Therefore, the lock. The boss naturally had a key which he used occasionally to check on the room when Tully was gone and had seen the secret of Tully's fantastic sense of time. On the wall across from the bed, Tully had calendars etched on the wall similar to those that he had made in his prison cell long ago. Oh yeah, the boss was extremely kind to him, because Tully's expertise was in knowing just exactly where to find things that they badly needed. Adjoining him one day in the beginning, on his foraging tour the boss realized that his Tully had some sort of extra sensory way of finding things, and also the ability to mentally block out the most absolute grotesque thing the boss had ever seen.

Breaking into another apartment in the ritzy downtown district, the smell which had hit them was like an olfactory tsunami, and the maggots literally flowed out into the hallway over their shoes. The boss had then staggered backward and had begun to choke on the air, and at the same time puking onto the maggots which were squirming all over his shoes. But as he was puking out some of the best tourist he had eaten since a long time, he had seen Tully simply walk over the dead bodies laying all around the floor and go straight for a single cabinet door in the living room. Before the boss started to run down the hallway, he had seen Tully and behind him, the open cabinet. And it was full of canned goods! When Tully came out of the apartment, wading through a sea of crawling, squirming maggots, the boss knew that this was one boy that he needed to protect and keep warm at his side. Because nobody in their sane mind could do what that boy had just done, and to somehow know precisely where to look without opening all of the cabinet doors!

"God damn Tully!" The boss croaked. "You is the Man!!" Tully looked confused at his revered leader in this new life and answered; "No! You da Boss Man." "No I is the boss", the gangster answered, "but YOU is the Man my friend!" Tully smiled wide with his half broken out yellowed teeth he had gotten from being constantly beaten on throughout his life. 'He called me his friend'! Tully thought. This was a man he would die for, if need be, because Tully never had a friend! Other children that his mother would invite over to play with him didn't want to be friends with him and they would always slap and beat on him whenever his mother wasn't looking. But now he was grown up and he finally had an honest to god friend!

"Boss, I love you!" Tully exclaimed. "Whoa, hold on Bro!" the boss said. "Don't you go saying that kind of pussy shit stuff again, and especially in front of my men! Ya hear what I'm meaning bro?" "Gotcha boss." He said and walked back through the squeamish pile and into the apartment. The boss just watched as amazed as the first time and said to his self; "Oh mother-fuck me! How the hell can he do that?" "That's one stupid ass Gringo, man!" Tully came back out with his hands full of gold and silver, and the boss was stupefied! "Gringo?", he asked, "where you get all of this good shit man?" Tully smiled again and said; "Stupid dude was rich and where do you hide all of the good stuff when you don't have a safe?" The boss waited for the rest, and finally asked; "Okay Tully my man, where do a rich Gringo hide his shit without a safe box?" Tully grinned again and said; "Rich and stupid, under the bed mattress!" Taking the golden Rolex from Tully and putting it on his wrist, the boss said; "You my best gringo friend Tully!"

And from that day on, Tully was double happy to go out and bring back canned goods and the finest things he could find for his friend. And all of the different gangs knew that Tully was absolutely not to be touched in any way, of that the boss had made totally clear. After another gang had roused Tully and stolen his stuff which he had collected, the gangster had caught one of the guys as he was slinking down the street and instead of butchering him up for meat, had hanged him in the street by his feet. And for all to see and hear the punishment, he had slowly peeled the mans skin off of his body until he was lucky enough to die. Tully had cried the whole time that the skinning had taken place. But not out of fear, but out of pride that his friend would do that to protect him, his friend!

Love or true friendship is sometimes so blind that one doesn't see the forest because of the trees. And with his reduced mental capacities, Tully was gullible to believe that the boss was a true friend. The boss was a keen Mexican and knew to keep a secret, so nobody even thought that Tully was actually only being protected, pampered, and lastly, tolerated as long as he continued to bring lots of useable stuff back from his foraging tours.

One day Tully made a grave mistake! He was gone overnight and the majority of the gang was seriously hoping that he had finally bit the dust. But on the second evening, Tully showed up carrying two big bags and an ARMY duffle bag on his back. He brought them into the lounge where the boss had his office of operations, as he liked to call it. Sitting behind the massive mahogany table, his friend had smiled and asked; "what brings my friend Tully da Man today?" Tully gave a big yellow smile and said; "sorry boss, I had to walk a long way to the Army, but looky what I found!" He proceeded to empty one bag after another out onto the floor and the boss was already standing in front of the table inspecting the canned army rations Tully had found. When Tully was emptying the duffle bag out on the floor, the boss heard a click and saw a short piece of green metal fly away from them.

Born and raised in Mexico near the border, the boss was initiated into the drug cartel at an early age. And as a young child bringing drugs over the border, his job was to deliver, or if caught, to pull the pin on the hand grenade. If the client couldn't get the dope, then nobody would. Cartel courier golden rule! So upon hearing the click and seeing the handle fly, the boss grabbed the most prized possession he had, (Tully) and flipped backwards tipping the table over to act as a shield. The others standing around in the room had no idea what was going on. The boss had instinctively covered his ears but the sound in the room was still deafening. Tully was lying on the floor next to him, screaming in pain from his busted eardrums, and a few of the other survivors were also screaming out in pain. Other gang brothers came storming into the room as the boss was already standing and looking around said; "well boys, looks like we'll have steaks and goulash for the next couple of weeks!" "You" he said to one of the men. "Put those poor assholes out of their misery." He then reached down and grabbed Tully by the shirt, pulling him to his feet. "What the fuck you do Gringo?" he yelled. But looking at Tully and the amount of blood running out of his ears, even an uneducated Mexican could see that this is one guy who will never hear again. So he cursed at Tully with all of the best words he could think of, and all the time smiling! And seeing that the boss was smiling and talking to him, even if he was now totally deaf, he thought that the boss was not mad at him for whatever had just happened. The boss pointed in the direction of his room and Tully obeyed. With Tully gone, the boss said; "He's got to show us where he got this stuff. Does anybody know of a military post around here?" They all shook their heads and the boss got pissed off. "What, are you all a bunch of fuckin idiots or what?" Now he was screaming at them; "I want to know where the hell he got the army shit from and how the hell did he find a god damn hand grenade!!"

They all just stood around shuffling their feet and staring at the floor, so the boss said; "I need someone who can do medicine on my Gringo and when he is okay, we're going to find that place no matter what!" "Now get these bloody assholes out of my sight!" But Tully was already being doctored up. The little man with the broken glasses had watched as Tully walked by him and had seen the amount of blood running out of his ears, so he had followed him. The little man was the punk bitch for the whole gang, and even after they had knocked out his front teeth so that he couldn't bite the cock that feeds him, he was still happy to survive in this gruesome world. Nobody wanted to be his friend or to know what he did before the newcomers. He was small, vulnerable, and only to be abused by the gang. He walked into Tully's room and sat on the edge of the bed. Turning Tully's head first one way and then to the other side, the little man looked him in the eyes and shook his head slowly from side to side, signalling to him that what Tully had thought was true. He would never hear again. The little man reached into his pants pocket and then pushed a pill into Tully's mouth. Tully started to say; "A pill, medicine?" Quickly the little man put his finger over Tully's lips and with the other hand made the quiet sign, and then winked. In a few minutes, Tully's eyes grew heavy and he passed out from the morphine tablet. The little man stayed and reminisced about the good times when he had his psychiatric practice at the memorial hospital. The pay was good and so were the working hours. But when everything went burned-bread, as his momma used to say, he had emptied his doctor's bag of the unnecessary things and had gone straight to the pharmacy. There he had loaded as much pain killers and antibiotics as possible, and had simply walked out. In the basement rooms of the building, the bag was virtually in plain site, if one was to look up at the piping which ran through the whole basement. But this was a group of ignorant, uneducated people and for that, he was thankful. When he wasn't doing his job at the moment, everybody ignored him to the point of invisibility. He even tried an experiment once; where a group of the men were standing around and he took the bag down from the pipes, and then put it back up again! Walking away, he had laughed and thought in their language: 'stupid fucking idiots'! Then he had realized that thinking like they do makes you one of the crowd, and he murmured to himself; "imbeciles!" At nights, when he didn't have to 'slob on the knob', he laid in bed and recited prime numbers, or went mentally over different text books which he had so thoroughly studied in college. Keeping mentally fit was the best way not to join the crowd!

"Get outta here you dumb penis eatin bitch!" the man yelled, grabbing him by the shirt and breaking the memories into crumbles. The little man got quickly up and started to leave the room. "He needs a doc, you dumb ass! Not someone to take care of his crank!" the man yelled after him as he walked down the hallway. The little man would much later on, be overjoyed that he was the invisible man!

Two days later, the boss came into Tully's room and asked the guard that he had posted there; "What he doing dumb ass, is he able to walk?" "I guess so boss, he slept the whole first day and was talking some crazy shit about big guns and stuff." The punk answered. Whacko! The guard caught a hard fist to the back of the head. "Didn't you write it down you shit head?" the boss yelled. "But boss, I can't write!" he said. The boss was furious and turned to leave the room, and standing in the doorway was the little man. The boss verbally attacked and asked; "What about you scrawny man, can you read and write?" "Huh?" The little man had in the last two days a serious change of attitude and in anger answered; "Can a Bird fly? Of course I'm literate! How the hell do you think I made it through Medical College?" "Or do you think I'm one of your group's illiterate imbecile immigrants?"

The bosses hand was already in the air and he suddenly realized just what was standing in front of him. A real honest to god Doctor! Seeing the surprised shock on the bosses face, the little man went for home base and said; "Please get out of my way, I've got a patient to take care of!" Pushing the boss to the side, the little man went and sat on the side of Tully's bed. The boss was now in total shock and quietly said; "Now if that don't bite the black cats balls!" "Well," the little man started, feeling proudly stronger than ever before; "if we're going to get our man Tully back on his feet so that he can help the group again, I suggest you leave us the hell alone so I can do what I do best!" "Oh yeah, you mean" the boss started. "No!" the little man sprang to his feet and looked the boss direct in the eyes.

"That will never happen again!" At least ten seconds went by, with both looking into each others eyes, and then the boss turned away and walked down the hall. After a few strides, he noticed that the little man was behind him and he turned around. The little man smiled and reached up to the pipes and pulled down his doctor's bag. Looking up, the boss exclaimed; "well I'll be damned!" The little man said; "This bag and me are never to be touched, understand?" The boss was now calmed down and had faced the facts of what was going on and asked; "What's your name?" "Doc!" the little man said. "Do we have a mutual agreement?" "You're safe!" The boss said and walked away. Doc went back to administer some more antibiotics, and was happy that the boss was happy. If not, he would already be dead!

When Tully's fever finally subsided and he awoke, his first worry was that he didn't know what day it was! And his second problem was the eternal quiet. Doc started to try to teach him a little basic sign language with his hands, and was happy that he still remembered it from medical school. The boss stopped by about ten times a day and always asked how long till the stupid shit could show them where he had gotten the stuff. And the Doc couldn't prolong it any longer. The boss then came to get Tully and said that every last person was going with so that they could bring back as much as possible in one shot. Doc said that he would get his bag and he would be ready to go, and the boss said; "No way! You're staying here till we get back! You're my prized possession and I wouldn't want you to get blasted away if something should go wrong! You're ass stays right here where it belongs!"

And away they went, every last one of them. Wandering down the empty corridors, the first things that Mario did was go to the storage room and have a feast of corned beef, courtesy of the U.S. ARMY, thank you very much Uncle Sam, and take a look at the personal quarters of the boss. But for the most part, it was pretty boring, when one gets used to the constant bickering in the group. So he borrowed a book from the personal property of the Boss (was he even literate?) and started to read, something which he hasn't attempted to do in the last five years, lest he would be seen.

The group of men and women had camped on the outskirts of the town, in a small playground, and with the guards posted all around, had made a campfire by the swings. The Boss had two guards to watch over Tully and said; "If he's gone when I wake up tomorrow, I'll have two less guards, because they will hang on the monkey bars till hell freezes over!" The smaller of the two guards looked over to the monkey bars, and almost wet his pants over the thought of hanging. When the dawn broke, the newcomers had decided to let the sun shine through, and in the early rays of the sun, there stood two guards over Tully, and although they were tired, cramped and cold, one guard, an Indian said; "today is not a good day to die".

They were going cross country now, headed in a straight direction through the woods. For Tully it wasn't even a problem to walk a straight line over the hills and through the ravines, but for the rest of the gang, it was a pure form of masochism. Tully was at least one hundred meters ahead of everybody else and he was going through the thorn bushes like they were nothing. But the rest of the gang was trying to keep up and they were truly suffering from the effort! "Move faster you bunch of bull dikes!" The boss was yelling at them. "Don't let him get so far ahead that we lose the moron!" Suddenly Tully stopped and raised his hand in a stopping motion. Apparently he had seen something up ahead, and the whole gang stood still in the middle of the field full of thorn bushes. Then Tully started to climb up a tree, and when he was finally over three meters above the ground, he turned to the group and made a hopping motion to the gang with his hand. "Dumb, deaf and now this asshole is afraid of rabbits!" the boss was yelling as the gang was laughing. And then for a moment the gang was standing still and all were quiet, and they heard animals running through the woods. As they started to make jokes about deer and were laughing, the Alpha Male of the dog pack appeared under the tree where Tully was sitting very still. The gang had then seen the dog, but unfortunately, the dog had seen and smelled them long before. With loud barking and howling, the dog started to run at the gang, which was laughing now at the lonely dog about to attack. Then they seen the other dogs coming, and the laughter immediately stopped. The boss was scared and at the same time, impressed with the speed and agility of the Alpha Male, and it was coming straight at him! The normally omnipotent gang was suddenly scared as they seen no end of the dogs coming at them. The Pit Bull had earned the rights of being the leader of over a hundred starving dogs, and food was standing in the field, just waiting for them to come. As the lead dog was about to jump at the boss who was standing at the front, the dog then quickly swerved to the left and sprang into the air. The boss swung his machete at the dog which was going past him, and by swinging his body to the left to hit the dog, beheaded his number one man who stood at his side. The gang was now running in all different directions to get away, but they were outnumbered. The boss was then cutting through dogs to get to one of the trees and a few of the others had the same idea.

When the battle was over, and the winners were eating their victory spoils, only the boss, Tully and four others had managed to survive. The boss called to the others that they get their asses out of the trees, and looking forward, seen that Tully was already down and running. "Tully! "You deaf sum-bitch!" The boss screamed and at the same time realizing that he couldn't hear him! The five of them was panting and hardly able to breathe as they ran to catch up with Tully. When one of them finally got a hold of his shirt to stop him, they found themselves standing atop a small hill, and down below was the ARMY complex. He started to jump up and down like a very small child and was pointing the whole time at the military buildings down below. He couldn't hear that the other five sounded like emphysema patients on the death bed! The Boss man motioned that he should walk slowly, not run, and to show them the way, and so they started down the hill.

In the days of old, it would never have been possible. But today, the six leftover gang members simply walked through the open front gate. The boss showed his Military I.D. identification to the non-existent guard by flipping the bird! As the group was walking past several of the buildings, they wondered in which basement vault Tully had found the pineapples, and were surprised when they had past the last building on the complex. The boss grabbed him by the shirt and spun him around. Trying to mouth the words so that the idiot would maybe understand, the boss asked; "are you trying to fuck with us Tully?" He made a funny motion with his hand as if pulling down a rope and the boss asked the others in the group if they had any idea what the moron was trying to say. But before anybody could answer, Tully yelled as loud as he could; "Train!" And he started to run to the rail yard where a few trains and wagons were standing. Tully easily found the wagon again, (that's his specialty!) and they all jumped in through the half open door. Tully went over to the dark corner and scooped up a handful of grenades and laughing queerly due to his deafness. The boss nearly pissed in his pants and knocked Tully down onto the floor of the railcar, all the while cursing at him in Spanish. One of them said; "we have these man, we the boss of the whole city!" Before the boss could reprimand him that "he is the boss", the Puerto Rican standing by the sliding door started to scream in Spanish with a high pitch about "Mother Maria saving his ass"

They all turned to look at the pack of dogs heading their way, and this time, knowing that he was cornered in the car, the boss pissed himself empty! The Puerto Rican, in his deathly fright, slammed the sliding door shut.

And the locking mechanism fell into place, for good!

After a couple of weeks, Mario was already deeply interested in his third book while eating corned beef out of the can and grinned to himself that the rest had never come back. Good riddance!

As the days slowly went by, they had put quite a few miles between them and the radicals that were walking on the interstate highway. And they had made it a habit of only taking a quick glance into the wide array of abandoned vehicles as they passed by on both sides, but the times were starting to get harder as the days wore on. And as Raven likes to say: "my stomach is pasted to my backbone!" Steve was singing his little verse all the time they were walking and looking; "you can keep your turkey, give me beef jerky!" "Steve, quit saying beef jerky!" Raven exclaimed. "I'm dying of hunger and all you can do is bully me with beef jerky!" "Keeps me going Raven, or shall I rather sing a few Psalms for you?" Steve said teasing. "I think that we have to start looking a little more intensely through the cars and maybe find something edible, if the heat hasn't cooked it to death" Raven said.

So, even though it took a lot more time to make progress down the road, they was searching everything thoroughly, glove compartments, under the seats and if keys were available, even in the car trunks which were as hot as ovens. It was for 'Steve the Survivalist' absolutely astonishing what people had left behind. Big hunting knifes, a couple of bottles of water for the radiators, (still potable), various flashlights, ropes stored in the trunks of the cars, and lots of (reserve) cigarette lighters! Raven suddenly got excited and opened the driver's door of a car, and by reaching in and grabbing the pistol lying on the seat, looked directly in the face of a mummified woman.

"Oh my god, Steve!" Raven was shrieking like a girl and stumbling backwards into the ditch at the roadside and firing a stray round from the big pistol. In the stillness of the day, the guns blast roared like a cannon and while Raven was occupied with doing the 'regurgitation blues song' in the ditch, the echoes of the blast reverberated back from the nearby Mesa's.

The sight of the woman with the small child was appalling! To think that she was so aberrant to stay inside the car! Her husband had more than likely ordered her to stay inside the car till he would return and the 357 Magnum seemed to be more for protection than the ultimate salvation. She had died with the child in her arms in the oppressive heat of the closed up car, but had not taken her Childs or her own life in the end. Raven was like a ghost standing at the roadside after a car accident, pale white and wavering on his feet so as not to fall down. Steve said; "she was a Christian!" "What?" Raven asked in a hoarse raspy voice. "Is she wearing a huge golden cross around her neck or what?" "Its easy deduction", Steve said, "only a heathen would kill the child first and then eat a bullet themselves, but they died a natural death, by His will!" Raven laughed and said; "well, if she and the child had died on the road, that's more normal than sitting in the hot box till you're cooked medium rare!" "That is outright stupidity!" "You don't understand the resolve of a good Christian wife obeying her husband's directives" Steve solemnly said.

Then all of a sudden Steve got a curious look on his face and leaned into the car, over the dead bodies, and was trying to pick something up from the floorboard. Raven started; "Steve no, don't, URRGH!" And back on his knees he went, gagging and staring at the tarmac. Steve stood up and intently studied the small Polaroid picture. Then, walking over to Raven who was still intently studying the road, Steve asked; "want to go spin some cows Raven?" Looking up, Raven's eyes went wide open! Looking like an Owl, Raven said; "Oh sweet Jesus!" "He really does exist, and just look at those eyes Steve!" "He looks like he smoked half a pound of weed, and he hasn't even got any ears!" "He's really fucked if he needs glasses later on!" Steve simply had to laugh at this ironic comment, and then said; "just too bad we only get to see his face, because I'm willing to bet that the rest of him is also seemingly deformed."

"It won't be that hard to recognize him Steve" Raven said. "You have got to admit that this is a face only a mother could love, and I seriously doubt that he has changed that much in the past few years. "Love conquers all" Steve said. "And it doesn't even matter if it is the mother, father or the rest of the family." Looking at the old faded Polaroid picture, Steve said; "this was taken in haste and probably right after he was born." And somehow I recognize the tiling on the floor, as if I've seen it a hundred times." "Just can't recollect exactly where I've seen it!" "Well," Raven said getting to his feet again and wobbling like a Weeble, "one thing is for sure, we have to keep going and try to find the town where this Alien lives." Steve stared at Raven and retorted; "Child!" "He was just a baby and also some one's child, cause he's in a child carrier with quilts and a rattle!" "Yeah, right Steve!" said Raven. "He looks like something you would shoot when it comes out of the gutter in the streets!" In the blink of an eye, Steve had snatched the Magnum out of his hands, cocked the hammer and had the barrel stuck in front of Ravens face.

This time, Raven was more astonished at the speed and agility with which Steve had moved rather than fear of the gun. "Raven", Steve started in that horribly (road dragging) voice. Raven then started to stutter; "o, okay Steve, as if you have a parcel of brats at home and you're the expert father!" As usual, Ravens mouth started running before his brain got into gear, and Steve cocked the big guns hammer full back, and Raven seen in slow motion how the chamber with a round in it swung to the barrel position! He realized that he had just made his death wish and whispered; "Steve please!"

"You don't know fiddly shit about why we couldn't have children and you had better shut the fuck up and quit pushing my button pal!" Steve said now with fire flaring in his eyes. Raven, for once in his life, did an intelligent thing and started slowly walking down the road. After a while, Steve caught up to him and gave him his pistol back. "Steve?" Raven started to speak. "Shut up!" Steve said. "Let's go and find the town where this poor child lives." "And I'm not sorry that you wet your trousers!" "Oh, it's okay." Raven answered, feeling more relieved, now that he did not have to worry anymore about catching a bullet in the back of his head. "Study the picture and think hard if you have ever seen that kind of floor tiling before". Steve said. After stuffing the revolver in the back of his pants, Raven held the picture and looked again at the big eyes of the baby. And the funny tiled floor of the hardware store where Sam had taken Billy on their last day into town.

The lady was also in the hardware store and was already four months pregnant, when she had seen that the farmer was there with that freaky child of his. She just had to take a picture, and waited until the farmer swung the carrier around so she could snap her Polaroid camera. Then she had turned her back to him, and no one was the wiser. Her husband had a genetic defect and all the doctors had warned them not to have children, lest they would be born with deformities. All was okay until one day at the drive-in movies, where he couldn't stop to put on a condom. So now, she was pregnant, and as she was a good Christian, said she would definitely not have an abortion! She was keeping it, and now she had a picture, just in case, to always make a comparison of how bad a child could look.

Chapter Seven

♫I was born under a wandering star♫

(Lyrics: Alan J. Lerner)

Sam was going to make today Billy's best birthday and so out they rode onto the prairie with Sam riding lead on Ginger and Billy behind him on the old mare. And of course, on both sides of Billy's horse strode two of the dogs to guard him on his journey into the wild country ahead. Sam and Ginger walked sideways every once in a while and Billy always had to laugh when Ginger would prance with her hoofs high in the air. The first time, Billy almost fell off his horse when he had to clap his hands and loudly say, "Daddy horse dance!" They were riding their horses in a leisurely manner till Billy got used to riding long distances. Because going over the countryside is a lot different than Billy riding circles in the barn on a rope. Billy was like all small boys in many ways and especially the ability to get restless after an hour or so. So Sam started to sing and Billy sang his version with. Laughing to himself, he knew that riding was boring when one wasn't constantly astounded with the perfectly balanced beauty of the natural surroundings. Then Billy stopped his horse and said; "animal". Looking up ahead, Sam couldn't see anything at all and asked Billy where it was. He pointed straight ahead, and still seeing nothing, Sam thought; 'at least his big eyes are better than mine'!

Suddenly the dogs commenced with growling and that made the hair on Sam's neck stand straight on end. Looking at the dogs, Sam said; "I hope you boys are going to take care of my Billy!" With the words barely out of his mouth, the guardians started with their queer howling and barking, sounding like deaf people when they attempt to speak, the sounds coming from the dogs was an abnormal orchestra.

And then it sprang out of the sagebrush by Billy's horse. Once, it would have been a beautiful specimen of a mountain lion, but with all of its skin cracking from the blisters of the increasing UV rays, the Puma looked like the lead role in a cheap Japanese B-movie.

A normal mountain lion would kill small prey for food and bigger prey if it was cornered and had to defend itself or its litter. And normally they would tend to hiding or leaving the vicinity when horses and dogs are around, but Pum-Zilla, in its starving, pain deranged mind, was hell bent on attacking the first dog. Needless to say, these four guardians of Billy were no longer simple sheep dogs and the Puma had just made its last mistake. Sam stared in shock and a scene came to mind of sharks on a feeding frenzy and how brutally vicious the four dogs were attacking its aggressive foe to protect their Billy, was a like a psychotic scene out of hell. Sam had tears of sadness in his eyes as the dogs fastidiously ripped and shredded the once majestic Puma to pieces, even after it had been dead for several minutes. They then stopped the mountain lions mutilation in unison at the same second, and one of them turned it's face to the sky. The other two also turned their muzzles to the sky. And their howling and perverted dog screaming started again as Billy stared in horror. And Sam looked at his son in shock and asked him; "Billy, are you alright?" Billy was not even the least concerned about the dead mountain lion, but he was staring at the wounded dog that had taken the front attack. It was bleeding severely and now laid on its side in the dirt. Sam then told Billy to turn around and not to look, no matter what, and took out his rifle. Chambering a shell, he was getting ready to aim when suddenly the wounded dog expired, sighing a last whimper. The Watcher reported the loss of one of the guardians.

Staring in awe, Sam could have sworn on the bible that he saw the dog's life waft out of its nose as it stopped whimpering! So Sam and Billy quickly gathered as many stones as they could and piled them neatly atop the dog to bury him, and all the time the other three dogs kept an eye on him as Billy walked back and forth. When they had finally finished, Sam asked if he was all right and Billy answered without emotion; "dog grave!" "Yeah, the dog is buried and we should be moving on" Sam told him. "Love dog" Billy said, and Sam answered; "Yeah, I did too Billy!"

And so there was only the dog's blood stains matching the red dirt of the ground as the other three started looking up at the sky. They both looked up too, but seeing nothing, Sam looked back at the dogs and was a little shocked at what he then seen, and thought; ' Are the dogs really smiling or is this whole thing my imagination?' If Sam had not looked in the direction of the blinding sun, he would have seen the object of the dog's interest.

So they moved on and Sam said to Billy that they have to put a few more miles behind them before they could make camp and Billy again said; "Animal". "Where do you see an animal Billy?" Sam asked looking ahead at the barren land. He pointed ahead and said; "two animals". Sam just shook his head and said; "I guess I need glasses!" So as they were riding along, Sam showed him some of the old Indian carvings on the huge boulders, which made the ride for Billy interesting, but they definitely were not putting very many miles behind them. Sam had a special place in mind where he wanted to make camp and he had thought that they could have easily rode the distance, but Billy was fascinated with the carvings in the rocks and stone walls, and it was his birthday so Sam accepted the constant stopping and looking from him. Then Billy stopped and stared at one of the carvings and tears came to his eyes, totally throwing Sam's head in a spin. "What's wrong son?" he asked, backing Ginger up to the side of Billy's horse. Billy pointed at a pictograph etched in the stone and loudly said; "sleep dreams, Aunt Dolly say nightmare not real. Dolly wrong!" And the tears flowed out of those big eyes and dropped to his saddle. Sam unmounted and went over to look closer at the etchings and Billy got louder, which was the shock of the day for daddy Sam. Billy never got loud except when he was happy, and that he surely was not at the present moment! "Bad thing daddy, Carl say okay, not okay daddy, bad thing like lion!" Billy was almost screaming now and he started to hiccup at the same time, so extreme was his fear of the carving. Sam went quickly over and snatched Billy from the saddle, and Billy hugged with all his fear and strength, and luckily, Sam had the chance to take a deep breath beforehand. Billy was shaking as bad as his brother-in-law Carl, but Carl's problem was his Essential Tremor which made him shake all the time, nothing like this!

Looking up, Billy saw that he was hugging too hard and relaxed a little, to the relief of Sam who was already seeing stars before his eyes. They held each other for quite some time till Billy had calmed down and Sam went back over and looked at the carving again. This time tracing his fingers over the long etched body with funny wings running down both sides. And he got goose-bumps thinking about what Billy had said. 'Carl says it's okay but it's a bad thing! Like the mountain lion?' Then the realization hit him! 'Oh sweet Jesus! He thought. These antique things are real and they hunt for food?' Standing up and turning to look at his son, the world started to spin before his eyes, and he suddenly had to sit down before he actually fell down. Now Billy was calm, but Sam not, and the thoughts streamed through his head. Of one thing he was sure though, when he got back to the ranch, he would have a serious talk with Carl, and then make his decision if he goes to heaven, or breaks the sixth commandment in dealing with Carl. "Come on Billy" Sam said. "Let's get out of here and get back on the trail!" Billy smiled now and started to sing again; "I was wanderer star!" Sam had for weeks now tried to teach that song to Billy, but it was the only part that he would sing. Sam had a hunch that Billy would want to go riding for his birthday and had hoped that they could sing together on the trail, but to no avail!

They was barely an hour or so, according to the suns position, back on the worn trail which weaved between the boulders of the mountain side, when around the corner of a boulder came another man on horseback. Sam started immediately to reach for his rifle, but the man rode straight past them and simply said to them; "I'm going to the great Demo in Salt Lake at the end of the month!" And then, as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone! Billy had a quizzical look on his face and asked; "de'mo daddy?" Sam had to laugh at his sons comical face and answered; "Demonstration Billy, it is where lots of people who are unhappy with their life gather together to complain and moan about something that they think is wrong with their lives!" Billy laughed at that and started to sing again; "I was wanderer star de'mo!" "No Billy, demo, not de'mo." And they continued on their way, riding with Billy singing his version of 'wanderer star'.

In the afternoon, when Sam looked up towards the sun, this time he seen a Disc hovering quite high in the air above them. "Billy, Sam asked, "have you seen that?" Sam pointed upward at the craft. "Daddy, morning over barn, rides with us." Billy answered in a matter of fact tone, and with more words than Sam had expected. Looking up again, Sam got the goose-bumps for the second time today. "Has it been there the whole day?" Sam asked and Billy answered; "Dog grave, it ride away, back again." So on they rode and as the sun was going behind one of the Mesa's, Sam decided to call it a day and said that they would make camp where they were. He knew that to make it to his favorite spot would take to long and riding with Billy in the dark was simply out of the question. Sam made a makeshift lean-to for Billy and then started to collect sagebrush for a fire. Billy started dragging dead trees to the encampment and placed them around the ring where the fire would be. Watching him dragging trees, and some looked pretty heavy; Sam was proud of his boy, (and thankful that he was so strong)! Looking up, it was still hovering above them, silent like a balloon but totally still, even in the evening breeze! And his thoughts went straight to Carl and his mental institution story. 'Well maybe little sister buys that cartload full of shit, but I sure don't' he thought. They started the fire and Billy started fueling it with wood like a Halloween bonfire. Flames and sparks were shooting upwards like a SOS signal from Robinson Crusoe, and Sam had to slow Billy down a little. "If you throw all the wood on it now, we won't have anything for later on Billy!" Sam said laughing. Billy looked sternly at him and then smiled saying; "birthday daddy fire!"

When the roaring fire had finally died down to glowing coals, Sam walked over to where the saddlebags laid next to the lean-to. Reaching in, he pulled out a big can and then a plastic envelope. "I guess you don't want these baked beans and beef jerky for your birthday" Sam teased. "Let me look if there is a cake in here somewhere?" "Daddy joker!" Billy said and jumped on Sam to tickle him with his long fingers. They wrestled in the dirt until Sam was out of wind and giving up, he said; "you win, now let's eat!"

They commenced to heating up the baked beans in the pot next to the coals and Billy simply could not wait for the main course to get warmed up, so he started to chew on a piece of Beef Jerky by the fire. Standing up and stretching his arms, Sam said that he had to go to the bathroom and started to walk away. Billy asked; "daddy go?" Sam said; "If you have to go to the bathroom, then go over there behind the boulders so the horses don't smell it. They don't like the smell of Pee".

As they were walking along the road and doing search and seizure, it became somewhat boring. So, to make the time go by faster, they had started rehashing again all of the stories that they had heard on the road since leaving the mine. And Raven was looking half-heartedly with one hand in the vehicles and in the other hand Billy's picture. He just could not stop looking at the picture of the child. Steve wondered aloud, just how much truth there was to the story about a planned demonstration somewhere here in Utah, and Raven said; "if somebody is going to organize a demo, then I am definitely going to be there!" Steve asked; "and what do you expect to prove by going to a demonstration?" "I can show everybody all of my pictures" Raven explained, "and then I can explain what I've seen, and what I think to believe is going to happen!" Steve laughed at that and said; "well, you could be the most respected person at the demo if you pass around free cigarette lighters! We most definitely got enough of them!"

By now they had collected enough things for normal survival and other paraphernalia, and the backpacks were starting to get heavy. They continued to search all of the vehicles, but only for something that would be edible. Yesterday's total nutrition had consisted of three Butterfingers and one Milky Way, all of which were thoroughly melted and cooked well done from who knows how long they were in the sun. But one thing they had plenty of, and that was water. Raven, the city slicker, did not seem to understand why so many people had kept radiator water bottles in the trunks of their cars, and Steve said; "before you start walking ten or twenty miles, you're smarter to fill it up with urine if it has to be. Raven laughed and joked; "And look at that, the radiators full of piss! Ha-Ha!" They was putting lots of miles behind them and Steve commented once; "isn't it sort of funny that we don't seem to see any wildlife at all?" Raven answered; "Yeah, like maybe we are the last living things on the planet!"

And at just that moment, Steve suddenly stopped and Raven asked what was up. "Quiet!" Steve said. "I hear howling or something." Both of them stood still and Raven couldn't hear anything at all. "It stopped" Steve said quietly. "I didn't hear a thing!" Raven said. "It was dogs" Steve said. "Or wolfs, it's pretty hard to say. But it can't be too far away that's for sure!" After a few seconds with no reply from Raven, (which for him, was highly unusual), Steve turned and found a ghastly white Raven standing like a mummy with his mouth wide open! Following his stare, Steve looked up and for the first time in his life, seen a Disc.

And they then both looked like twins, staring up with their mouths gaping wide and finally Raven managed to find his voice; "The whole world is in serious big ass trouble Steve, because that is one hundred percent definitely not the one that I had seen on the Moon!" "Does it have a different shape or what" asked Steve. "It's simply too damn small Steve!" Raven was going to start ranting again and his voice went higher! "You call that thing small?" Steve asked astounded! "Shit Steve", Raven was yelling like a borderline psychopath, " the one that I saw on the Lunar surface was at least hundreds of miles in diameter!" "It was parked inside a moon crater and that crater is well over one thousand miles across!" "Well, I wonder how long this one has been flying there?" Steve said. "How the hell would I even know Steve?" Raven asked. "All that we've been doing for the past couple of days is stick our heads inside the stuffy cars looking for all the tourist trinkets!" "And it can't even be flying because I sure don't hear a motor or anything, Oh god!" This time Steve couldn't reprimand Raven because deep inside, he had thought the same thing! The Disc didn't have to intervene in the dogs fight with the mountain lion and the child was still safe, so it had flown off into the distance in absolute silence and with a double-digit Mach acceleration which was shocking for both of them! They both went to the roadside and sat in silence, each one to his own thoughts and drank water till the bottles were empty. Steve then jumped up and said; "let's find the child before the end of the world hits us!"

They walked past more of the junk cars and then, later on in the afternoon, Steve was the first to see it. It was back and it was hovering way up in the sky, quite a few miles away from their position. Raven said; "maybe we should take a left turn at the next intersection and get a lot further away from that thing!" But Steve was logically thinking when he answered; "as fast as that thing is, he could catch us no matter where we walk to! If it had any interest in us two it would be here yesterday!" "Let's keep moving till it gets dark and then we'll find us a truck to sleep in tonight because I didn't like that howling sound!" Thinking back on how it had sounded, he thought that the hounds from hell must sound like that, and he said a silent prayer to his Saviour!

After searching hundreds of cars along the road, nighttime began to fall. And with it, the cool chilling breeze coming back from the Mesa, bringing a relieving coolness to the Utah plains. But for the two wayfaring wanderers, the dampness was clinging to their bodies like a beloved woman. "Now, don't get me wrong Steve," Raven started, " I love the beauty of this countryside, but when the dampness comes off the mountains, shit it's cold!" "That's why we need to find us a truck hotel for the night." Steve said. "Got enough money for a room Rave?" "That's hilarious Steve!" Raven said. "In times like these money isn't worth shit! In times of War, the only things which have any barter value are Firearms, Food and Fuel!" "Hey! Why don't we make a heater using the gasoline from the cars.?" Steve stopped walking and looked thoughtfully at Raven. "Not bad Raven!" He said. "But it would be easier to use Diesel, Gasoline's to dangerous to use for fires." But Murphy's Law, no matter how bad the times, is always present! And looking as far forward as possible, and just as far backwards, that exactly that what they were anyways looking for, was simply nowhere to be found. Always looking for a big truck with plenty of housing space, it hadn't dawned on them that there wasn't a single truck, either big or small on the road. "Well," raven said, "we could use the backseat of a car doused with gasoline, and maybe get warmed up a little." So Steve went to work under the hood of the next car, playing MacGuyver and pulling the gas line off of the motor. Raven surprised Steve with his ability to siphon gas out of a tank, and Steve asked; "You're so good at that Raven, so may I ask how you learned to do it?" "Do you think I was always the good kid on the block?" He answered. "Yeah, I can imagine you as a child. A real Ranting Raven!" Steve said. Raven gave Steve a comical look and said; "Funny, that's exactly what the Judge called me!" With an old water bottle from one of the trunks, now filled with gasoline, they doused the cushion seat and Raven said; "You got the honors man, fire it up baby!"

Frustration. And confusion for the both of them, because the gasoline wouldn't ignite! And the seat was anyways flame retardant, so two men kneed in front of a car seat trying frantically to get a fire started with the cigarette lighters. Raven then jumped up and threw his lighter as far as possible into the plains and started to rant; "fuck this and fuck the fire! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck me!" Steve, the epitome of calmness, stood up and spoke; "Too old I guess. Must be stale and gummy. I've heard of this before from people who bought a reserve generator in case the power went out during a storm, only to discover that when they really needed it, the carburetor would be gummed up." Still in his psychotic raging mood, Raven started to walk down the road again, yelling at each car as he passed; "Screw you! Fuck you and your stupid carburetor! Gag on your stale gas you maggot!" Steve could only smile and think; ' He'll never learn to control that temper and realize that some things in life you just cannot change!'

It was already dark and they had still not found a suitable truck to make their 'Hotel Hilton', and that was when Raven seen the orange glow arising from the hills a little ways away. "Steve, now what do you make of that?" Raven asked. Looking intently at the horizon, Steve answered; It looks to me like one hell of a Bonfire, that's what I think it is!" They both suddenly looked at each other and at the same time said; "Food!" And so they started walking slowly across the countryside in the general direction of the fire. Simply the thought of food made Raven say; "I bet they are grilling a huge pig over the flaming coals and basting it with dark England beer the whole time with dumplings baking in a crock pot at the side." Steve stopped and said; "If you don't start looking where you're going, you're never going to find out! If you step into one of these holes and be stupid enough to break your leg, I'll have to put you out of your misery and shoot you like a wounded horse!" "You wouldn't even dare to shoot me, because then you would have your one-way ticket to hell." Raven said and smiled. "Correct." Steve said. "I guess then I'd have to just leave you here to slowly rot away!"

City-slicker Raven did manage to stumble quite often, and even fell a couple of times, but Raven was having a lucky streak today and didn't break anything. Later on though, he had managed to trip up on something laying on the ground, falling face first into one of the big sagebrushes, and scratching up what little skin that was not covered with his full beard. Steve listened to his ranting and cursing and was surprised that with the rapidity of words coming from Raven,even though he sounded like a fast talking Mexican, he not once had taken the lords name in vain! Using one of the many cigarette lighters, Steve lit up the area in front of his still ranting partner, and then congratulated him; "your face may be scratched up my friend, but I know your stomachs going to be full!"

Looking down, Raven couldn't believe his eyes and asked; "Steve, did your god send this or what?" "Fate or Karma," Steve answered, "it is all the same thing. Gods will!" "Well," Raven said, "say thanks to your god and give me your big knife to open one of these." Lying before them was a Twenty-four can packing box with corned beef cans! The box was pretty damaged on the one side and some of the cans were open, but the rest of them in the box were intact. Raven, half-starved, was starting to get frantic and asked Steve again for the knife, but Steve said they should first take a look around and try to find out where the carton had came from. So they packed their backpacks full with the corned beef cans and then both started meandering off in different directions with their cigarette lighters ablaze as if at a rock concert, and after a minute, Raven heard Steve starting to recite the lords prayer! Walking in the general direction of Stevens's voice, he discovered other half destroyed boxes of strange various articles, and just a few feet from Steve, he found a shoe with ragged uneven shoelaces. With the foot still in it! And they weren't long shoelaces, but rather the tendons from a leg. "Oh my God!" Raven exclaimed, and Steve said; "I'm talking with him right now." "Well hopefully he's in the general vicinity" Raven said ironically, "and you're not talking long distance Steve, because this is not good!" "This must have been a plane accident or something," Raven said in shock looking at the shoe. Steve got up from kneeing and said; "let's get going and find that fire, we can't help these people anymore." So they walked in the direction of a now dim reddish-orange glow and came upon what was left of the planes fuselage. On the side was the big yellow letters DHL and Steve commented that he now understood why there was so many packages strewed all around. "Yeah, now I get it." Raven said. "All of our planes came crashing down out of the air. They simply couldn't fly no more!"

Sam and Billy had been foolish to have eaten too fast and too much of the baked beans simmering in the cooking pot over the coals. For the past couple of years they had taken to eating like the Indians of older times, eat only so much till you're half full, and no more. They even found that they felt healthier and had more energy than previously when they had big cook-outs and Barbecues, stuffing themselves to the point of stomach cramps. But right now at this moment, Sam really didn't care about it, that they had gorged themselves on Baked Beans and Beef Jerky. He wasn't stupid, and as the years had slowly rolled by, he had only two things which had helped him keep going in his times of deep despair. God and Billy. And he knew that if the world didn't change pretty soon for the better, his son would have a terrible future in this new God forgotten world. They only had a couple of sickly half-naked sheep, two horses and now only three dogs left on the farm. And you don't eat dogs! So there was a hunger bomb hanging in the air just waiting to start slowly ticking away. And then what? He didn't have any idea, but it was his sons birthday, maybe his last one, so closed his eyes and asked his Savior for just a little strength, and maybe show a sign that not all is lost in this world.

Then Billy stood up and started to hold his cramping stomach with both of his hands and said; "daddy I go bathroom!" "Don't you go and start throwing up all that fantastic Baked Beans and Beef Jerky son; it sure would be a shame!" Sam said smiling on the outside, while on the inside he was feeling somewhat nauseated himself. Billy answered; "horse stinky!" Sam had to laugh, which then made his gut hurt all the more. It was Billy's hilarious way of saying that he was going to leave a real big load behind! "Then go over behind the boulders Billy so the horses don't smell it," Sam said, "and take this with you, you never know if you might need it!" Sam tossed a bandanna to Billy and off he ran. "That boy can run like the wind!" Sam muttered. Sitting by the fire on the big log Billy had dragged over, Sam started to whistle 'wandering star' when the horses noticed something around them and they started to nicker. So he kept on whistling and reached slowly in the direction of his rifle, but stopped midway, realizing that in actuality, his horse Ginger was greeting someone. And suddenly a deep voice started to sing; "I was born under a wanderin star!" And it was totally in tune with Sam's whistling!

From behind the horses came a single man, haggardly dressed, filthy, full uncared-for beard and with a face full of deep scratches. "Hi." The lonely man said. Sam answered "Hi back at you strange! You've got a really good voice to sing with my friend!" "Oh no, that wasn't me, I can't even sing a note!" Raven said and then his eyes got big and he asked Sam; "God damn, is that Beef Jerky?" Simultaneously two men said to Raven; "Don't take the lords name in vain!" And standing by Ginger, petting her nose, Steve added; "I swear to God, one day I'm going to have to put a bullet in you Raven!" "Good girl!" Steve said to Ginger and walked over to the fire. Sam, realizing that this was a man of God, stood up and offered them both a piece of Beef Jerky. Steve said thanks and Raven said nothing, simply biting into his piece of Beef Jerky like a starving wild man. Sam took notice of the fact that Steve then said a super quick prayer of thanks, before biting in. "So Grandpa, what are you doing walking around here in the middle of nowhere in the dark of night?" Sam asked Steve. Raven was almost choking on his beef jerky then and amused, asked Steve; "Grandpa?" Steve said; "That's how the older people are generally greeted out here as a sign of respect, you dumb city slicker!" "Grandpa Steve!" Raven laughed and was choking at the same time. Steve turned to Sam and asked; "Did you know that about a mile from here there is a cargo plane that had crashed?" "No, I didn't know that", Sam answered. "But my son has seen some animals today! First one, but then a puma attacked us, and I lost a dog because of him! And my son said he'd seen two other animals, but I sure couldn't see anything!" Raven asked; "you had a dog?" And Sam said; "still have three left, their out that way, behind the boulders protecting Billy, my son." "I Can't separate the guard dogs from that boy because they stay with him around the clock, protecting him." "A child has to have pets, it's good nourishment for their souls!" Steve said.

And suddenly a small child ran past Steve and Raven, quick as lightning, and yelling; "daddy tickle!" And the boy jumped onto Sam, thereby knocking him backwards off of the log. Steve, having quick senses, had noticed that the boy was extremely skinny, and his skin was pale. He thought that the boy must be sick with cancer or something. But the glow from the campfire shone a different light on Billy, and in that glow he didn't have the gray skin tone. Sam and the child was on the ground and the boy on top said: "love you daddy!" "Love you lots more Billy!" Sam answered. Steve smiled inside and his deep wish for a child came back with full force! "Billy stop tickling me and properly greet our visitors." Sam said. Getting up, the boy turned towards the strangers and said; "Hi, me Billy!"

Steve just stared, frozen stiff at the sight of this man's beloved son. Raven let his piece of Beef Jerky fall down onto the ground and he felt as if his very soul was draining out of his eyes and sinking deep into the pitch black mesmerizing pools of Billy's big eyes. Then Raven said in a hoarse voice; "oh sweet Jesus, fuck me!" Steve then turned to Raven in a flash and knocked Raven out cold!

Before Raven could fall and hit the ground, Billy was already behind him and broke his fall to the ground. Steve was even more in shock to see that the child was so fast, and seeing how he slowly lowered Raven to the ground, how strong he was."Why you hit man animal?" Billy asked Steve in a tone that his father had never heard from his happy son before! Sam said; "take it easy Billy, Grandpa probably has his reasons for what he did! And why do you say 'man animal'?" "Riding horse, see two animals." Billy replied looking in Steve's eyes. Sam was startled to hear his explanation and asked; "this afternoon?" "Two animals." Billy said, and then walked over to the fire to sit down next to his Father. Steve, in total confusion of the strange conversation between the two had an inkling, and asked; "Billy, did you see us two today as we were walking on the road?" Billy looked at Steve and answered; "not see, see!" Sam decided to break up this confusing conversation and asked; "you look pretty hungered out to me, how's about some baked beans?" Steve came over and sat at the fire and offered; "I'll trade you some cans of corned beef in the deal!" "It's not a kings feast, but it's Billy's birthday party dinner, help yourself!" Sam replied and offered Steve his tin plate. Steve congratulated Billy and then bowed his head, saying a silent prayer of thanks, and then dug right in.

Between mouthfuls, Steve said; "you seem to be a pretty special boy Billy? Being able to see us so far away! But we're not animals", then looking at the unconscious Raven, "well, maybe one of us is a heathen, but we're not animals!" Sam apologized in a slow, sad voice; "we don't have any contact to the other people in the town, and Billy has only us, I guess you can see the reason why. So he isn't very good at judging people, I'm afraid." "That's perfectly okay!" Steve said, wiping his lips of the Bean sauce. "I see a boy who loves his father dearly and that should be more than enough for anybody." Billy moved over to sit next to Steve and Sam said; "well, it looks like he's taken a liking to you Grandpa Steve!"

They sat for awhile longer and made small talk about horses and farms, then Sam sent Billy over towards the dogs to go to sleep. When he was out of earshot, Sam said; "what is strange is that the dogs are keeping their distance, as if they don't like you or something!" "Normally, Billy and his four, sorry, now three guardians are absolutely inseparable!" Steve looked over at Raven and said; "or maybe because of him?" Sam looked curiously and asked; "is he such a lost soul in your eyes?" Steve grinned, thinking of the many times that Raven had brought his blood to boil and said; "he's the fuel that feeds the fire when I'm in times of despair!" "But he's still my friend, heathen or not!" Sam asked if they should maybe try to revive Raven and Steve refused immediately saying; "when he sleeps, at least he's not running off at the mouth." Till late in the night, they got to know each other pretty good and traded off some of their stories. Sam left out the crazy parts from Carl, but when he described the stone carvings that they had seen on the way, and how Billy had suddenly become totally unglued at seeing them, Steve became pale and quiet. Sam asked; "did I say something out of line?" And seeing Steve's eyes tearing up, he said; "I'm sorry if I pushed the wrong button!"

Steve bent over and drew in the sand, and Sam couldn't conceal his shock. "You've seen these things?"Asked Sam. Steve answered, and pointed over at Raven; "he calls them Rods." Sam explained how Billy had described them as Mountain Lions and that he thinks maybe they hunt for food and could be dangerous. Steve looked Sam in the eyes and quietly said; Worse!" They killed all my cattle, and then they killed my wife!" With those words, Steve got up and went over to lay next to Raven, resting his head on his backpack. Sam simply said; "sleep well friend", and then seen Steve take a pistol away from Raven and put it into his own pack.

As he slowly started ebbing into semi-consciousness, the first thought that came to mind was that he must have been to the dentist! Because his lower jaw was pulsing and throbbing like crazy and he felt tooth splinters inside of his mouth. Hearing a crackling noise, he came up to full awareness and realized that he was laying on the ground next to a campfire. It had happened so fast that Raven didn't even remember that Steve had immobilized him with a fast left punch to the jaw, and as he looked over and seen Steve sound asleep, was even more confused. Then he recalled the face of the boy that he had seen. The one that they was searching for, and he sat straight up like an arrow. The father was sleeping and his son had his head resting on his chest. Even asleep, the boy was simply terrifying with his pale skin and the big eyelids. And then he remembered the feeling of looking into the eyes. Being drawn down into its depths like in hypnosis. 'Did he make me fall into a coma or hypnotized me'? Raven was starting to get somewhat paranoid and he reached for his big gun, just in case! But it was gone! Looking around at the other three that were sound asleep, he wondered just who had taken his Pistol without asking first.

The craft on the moon, the disc which was today high above them,(or the boy), finding the boy and being knocked out by his super powers! What next?' Raven looked around in his paranoid panic and found a stick which he could use as a club to beat the creature off of him, should he attack. 'Well, just let him try and see how far he gets, cause I'll beat his ass back to Saturn if it has to be'!

When the sky started to get brighter as the sun slowly made its daily journey around us, Steve popped one eye open to check on his friend, and seen that he was gone. With lightning speed he was on his feet with Ravens pistol in hand, and looking at the father and son "Dream Team" to make sure that all was okay. "Good", Steve said to himself upon seeing the boy smile in sleep and the fathers chest deeply breathing.

"Give me my gun!" A hoarse shaking voice said. Steve turned to see his friend Raven cowering against the boulders, eyes wide open with fear and with a stick held firmly in both hands, like a caveman protecting the clan from the beast. Steve was shocked at Ravens overnight transformation from a normal person to a visual mental nut case. "And what do you need the pistol for?" Steve cautiously asked. Raven just pointed a finger over at Billy. "But why in gods name would you want to shoot a child Raven?" Steve asked, while releasing the hammer on the gun. Raven looked at Steve and was dismayed! "He knocked me out cold when I looked into his eyes Steve! Used some sort of ancient alien technology to wipe my slate clean, but not again!" Steve went over and bent down in front of him and (seriously trying not to laugh) quietly said; "I knocked your lights out my friend. First, you took the name of Jesus in vain with your heathenishly cursing, and second, you would have said something against the mans son! Irregardless of how he looks, they love each other dearly. Your mouth would have gotten us both into a heap of trouble, so I stopped it before it could start! Simple as that", and he showed Raven his huge left fist. "Grandpa morning!" Billy said.

Steve turned and said; "good morning to you too son!" Are you hungry for breakfast?" Billy smiled and answered; "Jerky!" Sam sat up and started to laugh; "I don't think that Beef Jerky is the best thing for you in the morning." "How about we eat a little breakfast of corned beef, courtesy of our new friends?" "I'd rather have Beef Jerky!" Raven spoke from behind them. Billy, with the swiftness of the young, and his unnatural speed, was at his side before Raven could even react. Billy held a big piece of Beef Jerky in front of Ravens face and asked; "daddy man sick?" Looking up, and seeing Billy's truthful concerning face, he took the offering and said; "just not feeling good my boy, kind of down and out, thanks for the Jerky!" Billy started to run circles around the dying coals of the fire and Steve silently mouthed the words to raven; "See! Okay!

Raven got up and stiffly walked over to the dying fire to sit down and warm up a little. Chewing on his Beef Jerky and watching Billy dance around like an Indian. "OOOHH- AAAHH" Billy's imitation of the Indian rain dance was a sight for sore eyes! And without a word between them, Sam and Steve had sat on both sides of Raven to watch. Steve knew to keep a close eye on his partner and he figured that Sam must have heard the conversation from earlier, and was doing the same. Looking up at the sky, Raven said that the dance was working just great! Steve and Sam looked up and was shocked to see that in a matter of minutes, the sky was starting to cloud over. Then Billy stopped his dancing and pointed up at the sky; "Big bird help!" Looking in that direction all three men went stone faced, and Raven was naturally the first to speak; "Oh Jes!" Looking quickly into Steve's eyes, Raven had the millisecond of understanding that if he said it again, it would be "Road Dragging Time!" Severely pissed off, Raven looked Steve straight in the eyes and said provocatively; Oh, My, Gosh! Steve glared back and said; "I guess you are able to learn!"

"Bird daddy big bird!" Billy was almost singing as he was waving both hands in the air. "Do you know what that is Billy?" Raven asked while still sternly glaring at Steve. "Igel!" Billy said proudly putting his hands on his hips to show that he knew what he was talking about! "A what?" Raven asked confused and looked over at Billy. Sam said; "he means an eagle." "Daddy Igel, bird, big bird!" Steve now asked; "you really don't know what that is Billy?" Billy looked at the three men and put a finger to his temple, and said; "Billy know, big Igel bird!" Sam and Steve let out a sigh and Raven almost exploded with disbelief. "He's got to know what the hell that is, he isn't stupid!" Sam answered; Yeah, it's an eagle!" And Steve said to Raven; "let it be Raven, he has no idea what it is, and that shows how paranoid you are to believe a child could be dangerous. And turning to face Raven, Sam coldly whispered; "you hurt my son, you're a dead man!" And then all four stared up and watched as the Disc clouded the sky, once more blocking out the beautiful sunshine

With a gray covered sky as their roof, the four sat around the newly stocked fire. Warming themselves from the now cooler morning with the sunshine absent, and doing the 'heat and eat' with the cans of corned beef, (Billy had a side dish of Beef Jerky), they was having a round table discussion about the Rods and the Disc, but in such a manner of strange words and abbreviations so Billy wouldn't catch the whole story. Steve related about the Rods and their hunting tactics and Raven started to do his lecture on the Moon sighting when Sam exclaimed; "I must be one stupid sheep farmer for forgetting about my telescope!" "We could have had a really good look at that flying piece of cow flop!" That was for Steve a key word which he had heard throughout the long winter in the mine, and he turned to Raven. Raven was now looking like a small child on Christmas morning and Steve was surprised that Raven didn't start drooling at the thought of a telescope and the opportunities that it presented. Ignoring Raven, Sam said; "a while back, oh maybe two years gone now, I had my scope set up in the yard at the farm and seen something strange on the moon." Raven blurted out; "a disc parked in a crater, and it was hundreds of miles in diameter! Right?" "No moon man daddy, moon mother!" Billy exclaimed with certainty in his eyes. "No Billy", Sam said, "it's called the man on the moon, because the moon looks like a face." Billy stood up and put his hands on his hips, and looking so much like an authoritative figure sternly said; "No daddy, mother on moon daddy, big, big Igel on moon daddy!" Raven, turning to look at Steve, slowly said; "I think, if I understand Billy correctly, that we are in serious fucking trouble!" Sam started to raise a hand and said; "Watch your words heathen!" Raven turned toward Sam and asked; "didn't you understand what your son just said farmer boy! He knows about the Disc on the moon and apparently it's the Mother ship! Now tell me that he seen it through the telescope and that I am insane!"

"My son was already in bed, but my sister Dolly and her husband seen it." Sam replied. "My brother-in-law thought that it was a normal thing for it to be parked on the moon! And if you would know how to do the Math heathen, it was approximately Ten Kilometers, not hundreds in diameter!" Raven just stared at Sam and then said; "Well, he is apparently part of it!" Some people never learn to keep their mouths shut, and Raven had just a flashing glimpse of something coming at him. And for the second time in twenty-four hours, got knocked out cold and fell over.

Sam and Steve decided that so long Raven was taking a nap, they would scour the plane wreckage and maybe find something useful. Steve found lots of womens dresses, to which Sam said Carl could wear them. Cosmetics, more Corned Beef which got packed straight into the saddlebags, and a pair of roller skates! Billy was running around the wreckage and Steve told Sam to call Billy over to them. "There's still some body parts laying around which a young kid don't need to see. Billy then picked up a ball and started to run full speed towards them and Steve was amazed at how fast the boy was. The dogs had a hard time keeping up with Billy, and suddenly Billy looked over his shoulder and said as if answering a question; "Yes, Billy slow." And he went a little slower till the three caught up with him. Steve looked at Sam quizzically and asked; "What was that?" "Did the dogs ask him to slow down?" Now Steve was chuckling at how stupid that sounded, and Sam said in a matter of fact tone; "Never underestimate, like I once did, what those dogs understand and to what degree they will go to protect that boy!" "And not that you think I'm a loony or something, they fully understand what you say!" "What you got there son, a basketball?" Sam said a little amused. "Ball to play" Billy answered. "Well, looks like I have to make a hoop on the side of the barn now!" His father stated. Sam then turned and told the dogs, (as if they would understand), to take Billy back up the hill to the campfire, and as the three of them surrounded Billy and started to escort him up the hill, Steve was now in total shock. Sam said as soon as Billy was out of earshot; "Got two little short stories for ya so long we walk back." And so Steve learned of the incident with the dogs at the farmhouse and how they have the ability to understand language, an then the recital of gruesome details of how the four dogs had fanatically decimated the mountain lion to keep Billy from harm.

Topping the hill and walking around the boulders towards the campfire where Raven still contentedly slept, Sam finished his story telling so Billy wouldn't hear, although he was bouncing the basketball against a boulder on the other side of the fire and letting the dogs nuzzle it back to him. Steve's head was now reeling with the stories Sam had told, and he simply sat on a log by the now dying fire. It all sounded like fairy tales or children's scary tales at night with a flashlight under the blanket. Somehow he had to consider the fact that Sam was telling the truth, because the dogs had understood and obeyed to the word. Bringing Billy back up the hill to the campfire. That was when a thought hit him like a hammer and he asked quietly;"Sam, did the dogs make a loud ruckus and howling like wolfs after the mountain lion attack?" Sam looked at Steve and said; "it was the most horrible perverse howling I've ever heard, and that coming from my own dogs!" "Well, they aren't actually my dogs anymore, but I'll tell you about that when we walk back to the ranch. Oh, I almost forgot our strange man. Came riding past us on a horse and simply said that he was going to the Demo in Salt Lake at the end of the month. Really strange guy! Steve said that they had heard of a planned Demonstration while on the road and that Raven would most definitely go, if only to show off the few moon pictures he had left and try to convince everybody that he was right all along. Sam thought a second and said; "I have to think about that, if it's even worth it to go."
Chapter Eight

"Boing". "Boing". The sound was somehow familiar to Raven. "Boing". Raven slowly opened his eyes, and immediately seen an orange Orb fly right over his head. Raven bolted straight up, eyes wide with fear, and caught the next bounced basketball aside the head. Looking around at the dogs, Billy and the basketball, Raven sighed and asked; "Okay, who put out my lights this time?" "You guys are going to give me some serious brain damage if you keep this shit up!" "Thank the lord that I only canned you!" Sam snarled at Raven. Silence, it's sometimes the perfect thing to defuse such a situation before it escalates. After some time of self reflection, they broke camp and started the long walk home. Steve and Sam followed the rest and watch with amusement at how Raven was using the basketball as a resemblance of the Sun, moon and earth. Enthusiastically trying to teach the young boy something about our solar system, and every once in a while Billy would say; "Ya." Which led Raven to believe that the boy had an interest in the subject, which couldn't be farther from the truth. "You're not afraid that maybe the horse could bolt or something?" Steve asked. "Do you think I'd put Billy on a horse that can still run?" Sam asked in return. Smiling Steve asked; "Okay, what secret spell do you got on the horse? Voodoo?" Grinning Sam said; "Nope, she tore some ligaments a few years gone by, and since then she can meander slowly along, but running is totally out of the question. Just couldn't put her to rest, because well, she still is one of his creatures. He decides when it's time, not me!" Steve laid his hand on Sam's back and said; "Amen to that brother!" So as the day dragged on, they now traded stories of the curious type. And after hearing of Carl's supposed alien birth and what the two did with the mice and rat problem, Steve said; "and I thought that the "rods" were the strangest things on the planet!" "Sounds like your brother-in-law has that beat by a mile!" "What I'm wondering about now, after hearing all about these creatures, is why haven't I seen one at the farm?" Sam asked puzzled. "And why didn't they come and help themselves to some of the sheep?" Steve stopped Sam and looking in his eyes said; "Billy." Sam tensed and waited. Steve said; "Not like Raven would put it, but even a blind man can tell that he isn't fully human. And like you said, the dogs are protecting him around the clock and somehow your Carl is deeply involved in this whole mess. And not to mention that Billy's comment about this 'mother thing' didn't just pass you by." "But he's only a child? And mine at that!" Sam said. Now sensing the anxiety in Sam's voice, Steve said the last thing carefully; "I have the bad feeling that something will want to claim him as theirs, the thing Billy knows as The Mother!"

Striding slowly along now under the gray dampened sky, which seemed to give even the surroundings a strange color, the air seemed warm enough but clammy and gray. But it was only a bad feeling from the grayness of the air, as if it was made to slowly choke one's own breath out of their lungs. And so they rode slowly onward in silence, only once in a while speaking to recall some more information that had came to mind. All except Raven. His theory that all boys are born with the gene of curiosity, was what had more than likely made him rattle on and on, like a school teacher who found an interested pupil. And then they came to the Boulders! Following some paces behind Billy and Raven, when Sam and Steve rounded the corner of the big boulder Sam suddenly said; "Oh shit!" "What's up?" Steve asked confused. "I forgot all about the carvings on the boulders. Holy Hannah!" Sam said. Quickly Steve called to Billy; "Billy, look up and keep an eye out for our Big Eagle friend. He should be coming back real soon and I don't want to miss him with my old eyes!" "Kay grandpa, Billy Patts look for Igel!" the boy answered and started staring up at the sky. Steve look at Sam and said; "easy as pie!" Sam was now grinning and asked; "You sure you ain't got no little ones running around somewhere?" because you're pretty slick with kids partner!" When Billy and Raven walked by the carvings, Raven was so deep into his rhetoric of how the Moon make tides in the ocean, that he didn't even see the forest for the trees. And Billy was constantly looking at the sky, waiting for Big Bird. Which of course, was for Steve a relief. He had worried that Raven would point out the carvings and make a fuss about them to Billy, which would have really made the day for them all. Upon passing the boulders, Sam and Steve slowed to look and Steve simply said; "That's them alright. Satan's nightmare creatures!" "But God will look over us. So lets keep moving." Also relieved that they had passed the boulder without incident, Sam asked; "Does your long-winded partner ever stop talking to breath?" Steve smiled and said; "no, and be thankful this time!"

The two were quite a ways ahead of Steve and Sam, just meandering along in a slow pace. And Steve was now reciting even more stories that they had heard along the long road they had traveled. As as they was far behind, they had no idea just what was transpiring up ahead. But, as always with fate or Karma, maybe it was for the better.

Billy was really tired of hearing the man with the birds name talk. And he was slowly getting aggravated. "Stop birdman." Billy said. "Like I was saying", Raven went on. "Stop please birdman!" Billy said a little louder. Raven was not to be stopped, and went on with his recital of the Moon. Billy turned to Raven and screamed "Stop.Stop!" Raven had only a second to see the dramatical change in Billy's face, but before his blood could freeze to ice at the site of the formerly docile child who had now a face straight out of hell, the internal explosion inside his head seemed to be scorching hot. He tried, but was unable to scream for pain, for his brain felt as if it was on fire. Falling over onto his side on the ground, his whole body seemed to cramp, and he seen that blood was running out of his nose. Running up to them, Sam told the dogs, which seemed to make a blockade between Billy and Raven, to get away and asked what was going on, while Steve was bending over to look after Raven. Billy just smiled and said; "Love you daddy." "What happened Rave?" Steve asked. Raven, now able to sit up, looked into Billy's deep dark eyes as Billy was staring down at him from the horse. Maybe totally full of stupidity, but Raven was still intelligent. And looking into those eyes, he thought that if he said the wrong thing, his brains would be mashed potatoes in an instant. Rubbing the blood from his nose with the back of his shaking hand, Raven said; "I'm alright now. Just got a little dizzy and fell over. Must have smacked my nose on the ground when I did." Steve helped him to his feet and Sam asked why Billy had screamed stop. "I guess he was yelling at his horse when he noticed me falling over." Raven murmured. "Kay birdman?" Billy asked with a smile on his now normal friendly face. "Sure Billy, I'm okay now." Raven answered. And at the same time thought to himself: 'I should have shot him in the head when I first seen him'. A millisecond after the thought, he heard it in his head, not vocally so that the others could hear it, but oh buddy, it was crystal clear. 'I'd have killed you before you even got a chance Raven Birdman'! Suddenly Raven realized that the dog in front was the one communicating with him, because he could see in the dark eyes that the dog was it. And it was smiling at him! He would swear to Steve's God on it! So, seeing the smeary smile of the sheep dog, he nearly pissed in his pants with fear and had now become ghostly pale upon hearing the telepathic message, and that from a dog that can't even speak! "Wow Raven, I think you should sit down for a minute. You look like death warmed over!" Steve said. Before Raven could say anything, and even though he thought he was in the clear for now, the next message was even more clear. 'You speak, you die now birdie'! And Billy was still smiling!! "No, I'm good to go. Lets get going before it gets dark." Raven answered. Walking now in a group of four with Billy and the Three Musketeers by him leading the way, Raven was now playing caboose. And he wished for nothing more than to get off of this insane train of people. Especially Billy.

"When the skies darken and God has left you to your fate, Satan will come and take his place." The writing on the side of the building was oh so correct! The man thought. Walking through the town, as if in a movie about old deserted mining towns, he was desperate to find even anything to eat. And the sky was so overcast and gray in color that he seemed to have a problem with his eyes. As if everything had a darkened tone to it, even the air itself seemed drab and gray. At the fountain in the town square he drank till his stomach started to retch and he fell to his knees, puking all the water out of his system. "What happened God?" he said out loud to the fountain. "Did somebody piss in the water or what? Now I'm sick." Wavering to his feet, he could have sworn that he had seen a movement down the street. 'Boy, did they put LSD into the fountain or what'? He wondered. Down the street he started to stroll, and the seemingly endless silence was like a roaring cacophony of stillness in his ears. He could even hear his own heartbeat if he stood still. Between the buildings he saw it again, and this time he knew that someone was watching him from the shadows. So he sped it up a little. He was always a loner and nowadays, well, you couldn't trust anybody. Looking into the storefronts, all ransacked like a Somalian closure sale, and knowing that even rats would come up empty handed, he decided to blow this town. The next second, he was down on his knees staring at a weed growing in a crack on the sidewalk. Dazed, he didn't even see it coming, but the stone laid directly before him. Jagged and bloody with his curly red hair still stuck to it, as if smiling up at him. And then before pain could seep through the shock, thankful darkness took him over.

He dreamed he was at the Niagara Falls with his family again. With the sun shining on his wifes face and the sound of the water cascading over the edge into oblivion. But then his wife turned to look at him and said; "wake up Craig!" Climbing the slow ladder up to consciousness, he first realized that the sun was gone and in it's place, a cool damp musky breeze was wafting past him. Recognition of what had transpired came back to him and he only had two thoughts in his head, play dead and listen. Taking a mental inventory of the situation, he knew he was: a) tied up like a pig, b) somewhere underground in the sewers and c), apparently all by his lonesome self. So he played dead man, waited and listened. The injury and the soothing sound of running water must have hypnotized him into unconsciousness, and then suddenly waking, popped his eyes open. And the whole group was simply standing there in front of him, silent, staring, and dirtier than any Hobo could have been. "Oh shit!" He managed to speak through a cotton tasting mouth. And then they started to laugh and dance around the room, like the lunch time break at a mental institution, and Craig now knew he was seriously fucked. "What you all want from me?" He asked the Waltzing freaks. "We want you, we want you!" they started to chant while still dancing around in circles. "What do you want from me?" He asked. But he got no answer, only the stupid chanting and laughter. "Well you can kiss my hairy ass, you dumb retards!" He said.

"I just might decide to do that for you, like the fulfillment of the last wish before the gas chamber." Turning to look from where the voice had come from, his head exploded in pain, and the tears started to trickle down his cheeks. "I'm truly sorry that my boy hit you so hard on the street, kind of scared me to think that you would die face first on the cement. Would have been an awful shame!" Opening his eyes again, he finally seen his antagonist. Clean shaved, almost spotless clothes, and worst of all, damn near the size of Bigfoot. "Well you really fit into the crowd, don't you?" Craig asked sarcastically. "Just because the world has gone to shit doesn't mean I have to stop caring about my appearance. And the group has to be able to look up to their leader, and not at a mongrel dog!" Bigfoot answered. "And besides, when the world gets back to normal again, I won't be so deranged like the rest of them. And I will take my rightful place in this town." "And just what place might that be, my friend?" Craig now cautiously asked. "I'm what the Germans would call a Metzger, because that is where I learned my fine profession." He said. "Sorry dude", Craig said. I don't speak German and I have no idea what that is!" "Oh, not to worry!" He said. "You'll learn the meaning of it soon enough!" "Well, would it be possible to have my clothes back?" Craig asked. "It's getting kind of cold here hanging around you fine people naked like the day of birth!" "Oh, but that would be defeating the purpose of the whole thing!" Bigfoot said. "When living organisms are under severe duress, they produce simply tons of hormones into the body, and that makes the meat all the more tender!" And with that he pulled his knife out of it's belt sheath. Seeing the long glittering knife, Craig knew he was never going to see the sun come up again, and he hoped that it would be quick and done with. He truly had no idea what was in store for him.

He couldn't scream anymore. His vocal cords had given up, and the only sound was a hoarse rasping coming out of his throat every time the knife slowly made it's cut across his skin. At first, he tried to be proud. Hold your head up proudly and don't cry out, to never give them the perverse satisfaction of watching him cry like a wimp. But it hadn't taken long and the cuts became deeper, and the smile on Bigfoots face increased exponentially with every swipe of the razor sharp blade. First the tears, then the blood ran from his lips as he bit down on his tongue as hard as possible, telling his voice to stay still. The endless cackling of the group was more than enough to drive a man insane, and this asshole smiling with the knife in his hand. Apparently tired of "Craig Carving", Bigfoot laid down the knife and asked; "do you know the difference between Jesus and Don Juan when they got nailed?" Craig lifted his head proudly and rasped "Fuck yo Mama, Bitch!" "Oh my!" Bigfoot said suddenly frowning. "That's the wrong answer!" The group was now totally silent and still, looking up to their 'Leader'. "The difference between the two is the facial expression!" He said and started to laugh. As if on cue, the others started to laugh like a pack of Hyenas and the dancing started all over. Picking up the knife, he asked; "Don't you have any other last wishes?" Craig managed to get a fairly normal voice and said; "Fuck you!" Mr. Bigfoot just smiled and said; "Kiss your ass! No, sorry! And fuck me? Another no. You must think I'm queer?" And when he ran the knife straight to home base, Craig was thankful for the oncoming darkness and peace. But only his body found peace and serenity, for as the wisp of his soul departed him, he seen how they were now filleting his old body. Even a soul can take only so much demeaning, and instead of following the beautiful chorus into the bright light, he turned to stay and watch the insanity unfold before him. A voice spoke to him, not really a voice but knowledge. So he concentrated all of his will power on the knife which now lay on the table next to his former arm. Slowly the knife started to levitate upwards and made a curve towards the Boss. Although he could hear no sounds, (isn't possible without ears now, is it?), he seen the gang screaming at the man and pointing at the knife. (Man, this is so cool! He thought and wished he could have done this when he was alive!) Turning quickly around in the direction they were pointing, Bigfoot didn't even have a chance, and the knife went straight in his eye up to the hilt.

It was sitting in the corner all the time and waiting. He had all the time in the world! Eternity, if it took that long. But he knew mankind better than mankind itself and the play would happen and the curtain would close. When it had turned its back on the light and that horrible music, he had went ecstatic with hope, and where there is a will, there is a way! So he had helped it, just a little, to maneuver the knife into the correct position. The rest was of its own free will, and as Craig's soul started to burn with the blue flames of hell and seeing the thing sitting in the corner, he wondered why they always laughed at him. And then his soul screamed for the last time. Standing up from the corner, it looked up at the light and commented; "Nice try, but he's mine now."

Riding onto the farm, Sam saw Carl lazily sitting around on the front veranda, doing absolutely nothing productive. Billy sprang from his horse and ran towards the house, accompanied by three barking dogs and yelling for Dolly. Carl neither waved a greeting or anything else, he only sat there. So Sam grabbed his rifle out of his holster and held it up in the air for Carl to see. The reaction was immediate, and Carl pointed over his shoulder at the house. "What was that all about?" Raven asked, somewhat confused. Sam explained; "I told him to watch out for my sister, and if not, I would have a round ready for him." "And you, a religious man, would kill in cold blood?" Raven asked, now more confused than before. "You don't know Carl!" Sam said, looking over at Steve. Then Dolly, coming out of the front door, was jumped on by Billy. "Dolly, love you Dolly!" Billy exclaimed. "Yeah, I love you too Billy boy!" She answered. Naturally Steve seen it first, Because Sam was observing the family greetings on the porch, that the three dogs were staring at Carl. And Carl was staring back. Steve tapped Sam on the shoulder to look, and Sam asked ironically; "Can I hit all four with one shot?" "Sam", Steve said. "I think you need a little time with our Saviour!" "When I only see his face I have bad thoughts." Sam said. "Come on in and I'll fix you all something to eat." Dolly called out to them. "Something other than Beef Jerky!" Billy looked at Sam and Steve smiling and said; "Beef Jerky daddy!" The two men started to blush and Dolly said smiling; "As if I wouldn't notice it!" "Men are all the same, sneaky!"

Realizing that Carl wasn't going to move out of the chair with the dogs around him, Steve offered to help with the horses. In the barn, Steve couldn't help himself and asked; "Got any mice in here Sam?" Sam turned and the look was not good. "If you would have seen it yourself, you would not be making jokes about it!" "Sorry man!" Steve said looking troubled. "Subject change. Steve started. "What about the demo in Salt Lake?" Have you decided yet if you are going with or not?" Staring around him at the barn and the farm outside, Sam answered; "I really haven't got any choice, do I?" "If we don't do anything to change this, there is no future for Billy." "So we all go to the Demo next week." Sam smiled at Steve and asked; "Quick! What day is today?" "Saturday the 27th." Steve shot back. "Why?" "Just testing you, that's all. You've got a better calendar in your head than I do!" Sam laughed. "I manage to remember when it's Sunday!" Meanwhile, Carl was desperately trying to contact Billy, and with getting no response, he started to get very angry. "What is wrong with that boy?" He said aloud. "He better start to answer or he is in trouble with Mother!" It came clear as day and with no warning, the voice in his head said; "Leave him alone!" Jumping out of his chair, he nearly tripped over one of the dogs. Looking down, he could swear it was grinning at him. "Oh Jesus, I need to have a drink!"

On Sunday, the table was set, now two men and a woman bowed their heads in thanks for the new found friends. But Raven had to spoil the prayer by asking if they could dig in, before Sam had a chance to say Amen. Steve's eyes must have said it all without words, because Raven went still real quick. Sam, seeing the look, said to Raven; "That is why God fearing men don't carry firearms on Sundays, because there's too much temptation to shoot a heathen on the holy day!" Raven was still for the rest of the meal, and afterwards, the four men went to the living room to be alone. The discussion about going to the demo or not was over in ten seconds. Raven was thrilled and was going to show everybody his pictures. Sam said yes, because of Billy's future, and Steve had nothing better to do anyways. Carl was also thrilled to go! Till Sam said no. "You are to stay here with Dolly and Billy, on the farm with the dogs! And if you still go to the Demo and I see you there..." With that he poked Carl between the eyes with his hand made like a pistol. "K-Pow!" "And we both go to hades!" Sam quietly said so Dolly wouldn't hear. "Besides Carl" Sam said. "I feel you might be there for the wrong reasons, like defending what they are doing to us." Carl looked around at the other three and asked smiling; "And would that be so wrong?" His mistake in saying that, was that he was sitting next to Steve, and Carl fell out of his chair onto the floor. Cold as ice. "Wow, Steve!" Raven said with an astounded look on his face. "No wonder I never seen it coming!" "Shut up Raven!" Steve said. "Fast with a gun and faster still with the old Whack-a-Rooney boy!" Raven said standing up. "Are you on firm ground

Raven?" Steve asked. "Yeah, why?" Raven looked confused. "Not for long if you don't shut your trap!" Steve said looking sternly at his partner. Sam said; " So Wednesday is the Demo, we'll ride tomorrow and be there in plenty of time. Then he said; "Now you listen real good Carl and don't you start to get lippy with me." All three had to laugh at that one!

Later in the afternoon, while they all were by the horses, Sam looked at the house and commented; "Well, well! Look who just woke up! Sleeping Ugly!" But this time there was no accompanying laughter, because each one felt, without saying anything, a very peculiar strangeness in the air. Billy was trying to ride one of the dogs, which wasn't working out too well, because he was bigger now and the dog kept running between his legs. Raven noticed it first and asked Sam; "where's the other dog?" The other two men looked around and Steve pointed up at the back balcony; "up there with your brother-in-law." Sam stared at Carl, who stared back. And the third dog was at his side, like it always was beside Billy. Like protection. And Sam's face got pretty disturbed upon the site and said; "It's getting more and more weird with him and I don't like it one bit! God knows I'm going to end up doing something to him and I'll have my ticket to hell"

The ship was now in a Geosynchronous orbit but much lower than the Geosynchronous orbit the humans had used and it was positioned exactly over a certain farmhouse in the old State of Utah. And the faster orbiting satellites were hitting the protective field of the craft one after another, shattering into thousands of pieces. Never to radio home again. The inhabitants of the craft took no more notice of the small debris than it would if it were an asteroid or hundreds of times larger. They were accustomed to being impenetrable in space. Logical thinking beings with still a smidgen of emotions left after all the Eons, the highest Olten approached the slider to the Chamber of the 'Mother' and an age old emotion came to the surface. 'Mother not like this!' The slider opened by itself and the Olten entered the revered Chamber. 'What do I feel of you Gark?' Another emotion started to rise to the surface and he pushed it mentally away. 'We have problem High Mother!' 'I feel' she shot at him. The Olten thought, 'He is of you. He is very strong'. 'And the watcher'? The Olten; 'He is by first Seed'. 'He cannot contact second Seed'. The questioning thought from Mother was a mass of confusion and it's head was near to exploding from the Mass Telepathy. 'Can the watcher contact him'? 'Is first seed weak'? 'Positive that second Seed is able'? Staggering from the mental onslaught, the Olten reported; 'The watcher has seen the power of your second Seed'. 'He cannot contact second Seed.' ' The first Seed is unchanged'. The roaring silence of Mothers contemplation in his brain was excruciating. 'Send second Olten for watching, cloaked, till I say', Mother shot at him. 'Your thoughts Mother'. And the Olten left to order the second to his mission.

The three of them rode out from the farm and on the front porch stood the others. Carl was the only one who wasn't in the mood to wave goodbye, and pushed the dog away with his foot, which was a big mistake. The dog turned back to Carl and Carl got a shot to the head! 'Never again!' While Billy was running down the drive with two dogs at heel, to wave as long as possible, Carl's dog had now made his stand. Both were staring at each other and the thought came clear as day. 'I am the watcher!'

They rode till after sunset and then made camp. After riding all day and with only Beef Jerky to eat while on the plain, canned meat was the name of the game. With a low fire simmering just enough to give a little warmth and the opened cans at the edge of the fire, Raven was now complaining about stomach cramps. Sam laughed and said; "Hope you double over like my pocket knife! Would serve you right for eating Jerky the whole day!" Raven laid down real close to the fire and stared up at the stars. Then he said; "Steve?" "Quiet Raven, I don't want to hear any crying from you! Raven said; "Sam?" Both men turned from unsaddling the horses and asked; "What is your problem?" Raven simply pointed up at the heavens, saying nothing. But even in the glow of the campfire the two men could see that Raven was ghostly white. Looking up, they seen nothing. And Raven told them to lay down and look at the stars. Laying down, they both said they seen nothing, and Raven turned to them and said; "Exactly. You see no stars above us." Then Steve noticed the pattern and whispered; "God help us!" Sam was now perplexed, and asked if he was Myopic or just plain old. Steve pointed and asked; "what do you think that round circle of non-stars is?" "Wow!" Sam now said. "How big is that thing?" Raven said with irony; "Ask Steve? He is the Math expert!" "But I believe the world is seriously fucked!" Three men laid silently looking up at a huge circle of pitch blackness.

After another days ride, they had made it to the outskirts of the city and made camp in the backyard of an abandoned house. A swinging grill over a fireplace made out of stones carefully set together with cement, told of happier times. Grill parties, children on the swing-set, and dogs running around. In the corner of the yard was a big dog house, meticulously made from wood with shingles on the roof, and the small entrance with the name FIFI above was total in contrast to the large construction. "Well, at least we don't got to sleep on the ground tonight!" Steve said, walking out the back door of the garage with two lawn recliners in his hands. "And what about Sam?" Raven asked. Steve smiled and said; "Yours is still in the garage Rave!" "Maybe I'll find a bicycle to ride the rest of the way to the city!" Raven said striding towards the garage. "My ass is hurting something bad from riding double!" Later on, as the three were again staring up at the sky, Sam said that it hasn't moved a bit. Raven said; "Was too bad we could only see the shadow of it during the day." "And at night you see even less." Steve said; "I'm not so sure I want to see it clearly, especially if it comes closer or makes a landing!" Raven then said; "If it is still hanging there when the demonstration is finished, I'm going to Mt. Palomar and use the telescope!" "If, that is, it isn't destroyed." Steve looked over and asked; "How you going to run it without electricity? You going to push it into position?" Raven laughed. "The professional astronomer doesn't even know about Mt. Palomar!" "What is so special about it then?" Sam asked. Raven smiled; "Mt. Palomar still has the ability to function without electricity! They left the old fashioned cranks in place so the dumb tourist could play with the handles and turn it a little!"

They left the horses back and walked the rest of the way to the city Much to the displeasure of Raven, whose shoes were wearing pretty thin at the soles. And like clockwork, he would complain about it, and not getting a gram of pity from his companions, would go still. And five minutes later, start up again. Then, suddenly, Steve grabbed Raven by the arm and they ran into an abandoned store. Sam, reading the sign above the door, started to laugh and said thanks to his savior. Coming out of the store, Steve said; "I told him either he comes out with new shoes or not to come out at all." "Hey guys! Here's Elvis!" Raven yelled at them. He had found a pair of boots that no sane person would buy. Flashy Elvis boots with sparkling fake diamonds all over the toes. Sam and Steve were on the verge of having a hernia for laughing so hard! And Raven, looking dumbfounded asked; What?" Sam, on the brink of tears, said; "Only two types of men wear boots like that out here in the wild west Raven!" "Yeah!" Steve added. "Queers and Nuts!" Raven, with a mad look on his face asked; "Well, why don't we take a poll from all the people walking around here?" And the journey continued, absent the constant complaining of Raven. Walking now through the ghetto districts on the city limits, it looked like a scene from an Armageddon movie. Burnt cars, store windows shattered or gone completely, and many a skeleton laying next to the curbs. One even had a small tree growing out of the chest area, as to signify that nature will always win in the end. Coming to a corner building at the street intersection, Raven bumped into the other two who had suddenly stopped cold in their tracks. "What the he...!" He started to say. But Sam was also quick, and had a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. Steve already had his pistol at arms length and was pulling the hammer back so slowly that one would not hear the clicking even if they tried. And standing absolutely silent, observing the frightened look on their faces, scared Raven into a profuse sweat.

Walking back and forth down the sidewalk, it was looking for anything edible, for it had been many days since it found any nourishment of any kind. It was also becoming somewhat weak from not eating, which before it all happened, was never the case. It was using its nose to sniff out the wide arrange of smells along the street, and filtering them like light going through a prism. And suddenly, the salty aroma of sweat came, and it went quiet so as not to frighten off the prey. Normally not one to attack unless running with a pack, its brain overrode the normalcy of its instincts. Faster it started to gallop and when it came to the corner of the building, it was hungry no more!

He seen Orbs, and Rods flying away. And Disc flying about with other smaller craft of various shapes and forms. Some were changing form in mid-air, looking like silver spoons and then simply blobs of silver. He saw he was standing on a platform somewhere, but it all was so strange and unrecognizable. And he felt comfort instead of fear upon seeing the Rods. 'I'm dreaming again' Billy thought in his sleep. But another voice said; 'No. You are the Seed. This is your world my Seed!' 'No'. Billy dreamed. 'I have Daddy and Dolly and Carl and my Grandpa Steve'! 'I don't like it here'! In his bed, Billy started to toss and turn, murmuring incomprehensible words. 'You are me'! 'We are highest'! 'It is yours'! "No!" Billy awoke sitting up in bed and the lamp flew across the room, to stand on its side against the floor rug which hung in mid-air like an Asian tapestry. Things were flying all around the room, but the two dogs remained sitting next to his bed. Ignoring the airborne artifacts and staring at Billy. Like statues totally still, like Zombie dogs unblinking. While Billy was looking at the dogs, all of the objects returned to their original places, and the rug slowly slid down the wall like a slow waterfall. Billy couldn't have seen what was standing in the corner of his room next to the window, orchestrating the assembly of things so the room would return to normal before contact. When done, it released the two other beings from the guarded state between dimensions. Half in and half out, for they were still to be protected till their purpose was served.

"BAMM!" Steve's gun roared in the silence of the streets, creating a cacophonous echo from the tall buildings on the road sides. He blew the smoke from the top of the barrel and said; "Always wanted to play a real Cowboy!" Raven was half deaf from the roaring shot and nearly yelled out; "Damn Steve! What the hell is that? A grenade launcher or some shit? Fuck, I'm almost deaf!" Steve smiled and answered; "You never gave me the opportunity to shoot you! This is the first time I fired this baby. A 357 Magnum long barrel, not a grenade launcher Raven!" Raven looked at what was leftover from the blast to the head and asked; "What the hell kind of dog is that anyways?" "It isn't a dog Raven, it's a Hyena." Steve said. "Didn't you ever watch nature shows on television?" "Come on, let's get going again."

As they now strode down the middle of the street, Sam suggested they get back on the sidewalk. "Don't have to walk around all the cars and trucks and we'll be unseen from at least one side of the road." "Good thinking!" Steve said. Raven asked as they made their way to the curb; "I don't get what your thinking about Sam!" Sam knocked on Ravens head and said; "Hello!" "Anybody in there?" Steve laughed, saying; "Explain it to him like a five year old, maybe he'll catch the point." "Yeah, like I had to explain about Mt. Palomar. Where I'm going after this is over." Raven said sarcastically. Sam said; "We were walking like ducks at the fairgrounds, easy to pick off." "Why would anybody shoot at us when we're only walking the beat?" Sam was amazed at Ravens naivety and said; "Control center to Raven! Hello! We're packing firearms!" Up ahead they seen people slowly look around the corner and then walked into the street, apparently also heading to the center for the Demonstration. As the day wore on, the streets were slowly filling with people heading to the city center. And one person was tickled pink that finally others were around him to hear what he knew. Raven was not even stopping even to inhale as he went into his rhetoric of the Moon pictures and the Disc on the Moon. And not to forget! How he alone had discovered the Disc now hovering above the earth in geosynchronous orbit. Sam and Steve kept to themselves, walking behind Raven and the growing number of Groupies around him. Hearing Raven speed talking on his most favorite beloved, and very important subject, Sam quietly asked Steve; "Does he always rattle on like that?" Steve looked with a imitation crying face and said in a girls sobbing voice; "I had to listen to it over and over, the whole winter in the Mine!" Laughing, Sam said; "Man, are you an easy going guy! I would have shot him after the third day!" Going back to stealth mode, the two of them was simply listened to Ranting Raven, when a long bearded hippie biker dude came alongside of Raven. "You like good jokes son?" The replica of Hells Angels asked. "Always my friend!" Raven answered, breaking his repertoire. "Okay." He started. "A young theology student was constantly questioning the part of Celibacy. The old priest said; "That's the way it always has been my son. You simply have to live with it! We had to!" "But God wouldn't want that!" The young theology student stated. Later on, the old priest went into the basement to look at the original text, and the theology student found him there, crying! "What is wrong Father? Why are you crying?" Looking up, the priest said; "It says celebrate! Not celibate!"

Raven was forgetting about being careful with religion and laughed up a storm! Almost all of the Groupies around Raven also were laughing hysterically till Steve said; "Never take the Lords name in vain again, you scumbag heathen!" The bearded man was going to turn around to throw down and really whip some ass, but he got only the barrel of Steve's gun stuck into his right eye socket! The group went deathly quiet, and the Biker said; "Put your piece down and fight like a man, preacher!" Raven said; "Steve, let it go man! We got better things to do than mop up brains from the street!" "No." Steve had finally had enough and said; "I'm sick and tired of heathens using the Lords name in demeaning ways! No more!" "Steve! Come on partner! Put the gun down, it was only a joke!" Raven pleaded. "Shut your mouth for once Raven!" Steve said loudly. Now, it wasn't Steve's intention to say his name out loud, especially after hearing what the people thought about him when they was on the highway. And he realized his mistake as soon as the words were out. The Biker ignored the pistol barrel in his eye and turned with a shocked look towards Raven.

"You're the Raven everybody talks about? Ranting Raven who brought this whole shit upon us?" The Biker asked in amused shock. "Hells bells! I'm going to be a hero after today!" And the biker started to reach behind his back to draw his pistol. Three men, with three different emotions at the moment. Biker boy was happy that he would be the one to kill "The Ranting Raven". Raven was never more scared in his life than in this moment, knowing fully well that he was going to die here in the street like a dog. And Steve. Who was so full of indecisive emotions that he stood still, now seemingly unaware of what was about to transpire. So when the gun fired, Steve first looked at his pistol, and then seen Raven holding his at arms length. And the residue smoke swirled upwards from the barrel. All of his groupies now started to run, and Raven turned to the other two men. "I always talked shit, but now we have to go our separate ways." And to Steve he said; "For all of eternity, if you are right about God being real." And he walked away down a side street, away from the center of the city. "Raven!" Sam called out. "God will forgive your sins!" Raven stopped, turned and said; "Mt. Palomar is where I'll be if God wants to forgive me." And that was the last they seen of him.

Chapter Nine

"They call it the Town Square?" Sam asked amused. Steve answered, "It is pretty amusing, considering this is a big city!" Now just the two of them, they had walked towards the Demonstration in total silence. Sam knew that Ravens actions troubled Steve to the core of his bones. Religious men always find it hard to understand when a friend goes over the deep end! "Another block and we'll be there." Sam said. "The Mayors building is there too. According to the sign, "One block then turn right for the Mayors offices." Steve stopped and looked around. "You go ahead and I'll catch up with you in the Town Square." He said. Sam, looking confused, asked; "Now what is so important that we can't go together?" "I have to do something private." Steve answered. "Okay!" Sam said. Then asked; "Is it something I'm not allowed to know about or what?" "Well, if you're genuinely interested in my bodily functions, I have a serious bowel movement coming on!" Laughing Sam said; "Or in the majestic words of our late friend Raven, "You have to take a shit!" Both laughed and Steve raised his hand towards Sam, palm outwards. "What's that?" Sam asked puzzled. Steve answered; "It's called the High Five!" I seen it once on the Viewer a long time ago. Something like, agreeing with a friend." "And what is my part?" He asked even more confused. "You slap your hand against mine! And then I can finally find me a quiet place to sit and contemplate on the job at hand." Steve said. So for the first time in their lives, they made cool like and gave each other the 'High Five'.

My Father vanished in the mass Demonstration.

Grandpa was late getting to the Town Square to meet up with my Father at the Demo. Upon turning a corner by the Mayors building, he saw them come over the Square. Round, ominous and simultaneously transfixing, silent except for a slight buzzing in the ear, and a hypnotic deep silver color, and he told of the emanation of a bright green light. Then people simply vanishing in a wink of an eye. But as far as where to, even he could not begin to fathom. He stayed in hiding till the Newcomers left in a twinkle of waved, deformed air so as to make one wonder how they departed. After coming out of a semi-stupor, into total silence with not even a honeybee flying, Grandpa did the only thing plausible at the moment.

He got on one knee, had a very serious conversation with his Lord. He then made his way back to the horses, to return to the farm and tell of Sam's demise. Riding back, he had tried to play it out in his mind, the best way to tell Billy. Concluding that the best way was simply the truth.

The whole truth.

Dolly was becoming somewhat perturbed, because she kept on seeing shadows now and then. 'Well, I am getting older! She thought. 'Maybe I'm getting Cataracts in my eyes.' "Carl, get in here!" She called from the kitchen. Carl wandered in from the living room with the dog at his side and a cynical look on his face. "What do you want? To bitch at me some more?" He asked. "Just shut up, look in my eyes and tell me if they look cloudy!" She said. "I keep seeing shadows that don't belong in every room of the house." Looking into Dolly's eyes, Carl said her eyes were as beautiful as the day they married. And in a foolish move, Carl tried to kiss her. Dolly jerked back and backhanded him in the face. The Watcher made a fatal mistake. The orders from the Highest Olten to protect Carl, was to be obeyed at all cost, and it made the logical decision to make the German Shepard bite Dolly in the leg.

It was the decision of the Second Olten that the remaining two dog-inhabitants would not be needed any longer for the protection of Billy. He was out side of the house with them, and commanded them to run onto the plains, never to stop. The dogs turned and ran full speed past the barn and sheep pen, and kept running. Till even the Olten lost contact with them, and he was going towards the house, when the mental scream filled his head.

Logical thinking is thinking before doing. The Watcher learned about human reaction the hard way, and the price was the end of it's existence. Carl could have considered himself very lucky that he only got jack-slapped in the face! When the dog bit into her leg, she automatically reacted by stabbing downward with the long bread knife she had in her hand. The Watcher did not receive a thought from her brain that she wanted to do it, because it was simply a reaction to getting bit. As fast as it could move, the Olten went to the house where the Watcher's screaming was slowly dying down. It had realized that this animal was going to die, but it was perplexed as to how it could happen without the inhabitant thinking about it first, before doing it! And now it had to leave this vessel and return, with the knowledge that it cannot fulfill its orders from the Olten. The second Olten reached the back of the house and the door was closed. So it moved over to the window to look into the kitchen. It could have opened the door and went in, but then they would know he was present. Seeing through the primitive crystalline plate, it had just enough time to see the spirit of the watcher, arising out of the dog, to return to the Highest One. And with it's departure, the dog-inhabitant fell dead over into the blood puddle on the tiled floor.

It was a series of illogical mistakes which should not have happened. Mother would not approve of this outcome of events on the farm. It then had an illogical thought. 'Why did I send the other two away so quickly?' 'What do I receive from you.' Mother was always in touch with the Oltens. So has it been, and always will be. 'Mother, I made an illogical decision.' 'Too quick a mistake it was.' 'Watch both now.' Mother thought to him. And then it realized that it must have made another mistake, by standing in front of the window. The bending of light waves utilized for cloaking was optimized, but never tested through a glass pane window, and when Dolly turned her back on Carl and the dog, it failed the test. Looking at the window, she seen a rainbow version of Billy, and fainted.

"Doggy here! Doggy?" Billy was saying as he looked under the front porch. And then he seen a man on a horse, with another horse in tow. "Grandpa!" he called and ran out in the field to meet him. Coming up to the horses, Billy asked; "Daddy come?" Steve's stomach cramped with the ache of having to break the news to this young child, and summoning up a false bravado said; "Hop up here cowboy and we'll ride the rest of the way to the house." Coming to the back of the house, Steve got off and said; "Come on, I'll help you!" Billy jumped off and tackled Steve to the ground, saying; "Tickle Grandpa!" "Oh no! Stop Billy! You're too strong for me!" Steve said as he laid on the ground with Billy sitting on top of him. He had to close his eyes and concentrate on not getting tears in his eyes, for he knew that with every minute he waited, it would be exponentially harder to tell Billy. Feeling Billy getting off of his chest, he thought; 'It's got to be now.' He opened his eyes and was ready to speak, and seen Billy standing next to another Billy. A naked version of Billy! And before anything could take place. Billy, in his childhood innocence told the other one; "I am Billy, you Billy not!"

Steve stood up, but was suddenly unable to move, no matter how hard he tried! And what was this other being which looked like a twin of Billy? Steve was thinking. Then Steve heard something like whispers in his mind. 'You come with me to Mother!' And what came next, simply blew Steve's mind! Billy said basically the same thing, but two different ways. Vocally he said; "Daddy come, Billy wait." And the whisper in Steve's head was much clearer and definitely more adult than would be expected from a Child. 'I believe I'll wait till my Daddy comes back!' The thing whispered to Billy; 'You must come to Mother. Your world!' Billy now said "No! Wait Daddy!" But only vocally. Then Steve had to cough, and realized that although he was immobilized, he could speak! "Billy! Your Daddy is dead!" "One of their ships came and killed everybody!"

Quiet. Billy only stared at Steve, who even in his belief of God and his Saviour, became scared at the face which Billy now had. The other being had the same dull expressionless face, but Billy's face, as Raven had once seen was fearsome! "Daddy is dead? Like sheep dead?" Billy slowly formed the words with his voice getting much, much louder than a child's voice should get. Simultaneously, the Being whispered; 'You come. Mother awaits.' And Carl, who had watched the whole circus from the back balcony, sealed everyones fate, with him saying; "It's okay Billy! He wasn't your Daddy!" A single tear streamed down Billy's confused and hate filled face. And it nearly broke Steve's heart, that single tear. Billy had turned in the direction of the house when it filled everyones head, like a shouting voice; 'I see problem my seed!' And Steve yelled as loud as he could; "You killed his Father!" Billy turned and looked at Steve, and Steve seen that their was compassion in his eyes, and something else! Billy's eyes now started to water up and the tears flowed as he closed his eyes

Raven had only gotten a very slight scratch of the power which was hibernating in the Seed of Mother, a mind with the power accumulated through the millennium of time. Begot on it's Seed. A power to lead a civilization. But now it was combined with another equally strong power. A simple power, which is called: "Love"! And Billy, with tears now streaming through closed eyes, screamed; "NO!"

What followed was a mini-Armageddon on the farm. Steve got blown backwards through the air, and landed against the barn doors. Falling to the ground, he was barely able to retain consciousness and watched the world explode around him. The Olten disentigrated into what seemed to be a hundred million little diamonds. Turning towards the house, the face that Carl seen before the end must have gave him a heart attack, for he went down on his knees holding his chest. And again, Steve heard the whispering in his head! 'Billy, no! It's for your own good!' Billy screamed again, sounding like a banshee. And the house exploded from the inside outwards. Carl's body immediately ceased to exist, totally atomized from the weird explosion inside the house. But Billy, in the flood of emotions, like a child, had forgotten one small thing.

Dolly! She had awakened and finding herself alone now in the kitchen, had looked out the window. But she had just enough time left in life to see Billy standing alone on the grass and hear Billy's scream. What was left of her body was blown out of the house, and in gruesome fate, landed in front of Billy. Steve seen and heard it all, but when Billy turned to look at him, he barely heard Billy scream again as the house literally went nuclear, and then he passed out!

His head was throbbing like a freight train running down the tracks. Barely able to open his eyes, he seen Billy laying face down in the grass amidst the rubble. In front of what once was a house, which now looked like houses he had seen on the viewer after a tornado. His ears were ringing like the telephone off the hook, but he got to his knees and looked around. 'No way!' He thought, as he seen the complete destruction of the farm, including the barn behind him. He closed his eyes and said a Mini-Prayer to the Lord, and asked for his guidance on what to do now. "I still must have something important to do in this world for you!" He said aloud, although barely hearing himself speak. Slowly getting to his feet, he looked up and seen a Disc, and although a Christian, loudly said; "Fuck you!" He then went over to Billy, laying motionless on the ground, with his face in the grass of the lawn. Dead. And Steve started to cry. "He only wanted his Daddy!" He said, looking down at the body of Billy. And then Steve got the shock of his life! Billy raised his head and said; "Grass, good smell!" Steve could simply not believe it! An atomic explosion hits the house, destroys the complete farm, and they are both alive! And of course, Billy likes the smell of grass! "Oh Billy, I'm so sorry!" Steve said, helping Billy to his feet. Billy looked quizzically around and asked; "House gone? Daddy come?" Steve realized that the trauma of the whole situation had caused amnesia, and he had forgotten it all. Before Billy had a chance to notice what was laying just a few feet from him, Steve led him in the direction of where the barn formerly was. Away from Dolly's crispy fried remainder of a body. 'Think quick boy, think real quick!' Steve was thinking to himself. "Daddy come home?" Billy asked again. Then the voice came! From the innocent look on Billy's face, he couldn't hear it anymore, but in Steve's brain, it was blasting! Never before had the Newcomers encountered a species with such a power. And that they would rather cease to exist rather than co-exist. The "Mother" spoke to Steve; 'My Seed! Not anymore! Take it. Go. World is mine.' And without Billy noticing, Steve glanced up to see the Disc fly away. "Come on Billy. We have to leave." Steve said. He realized now where they would have to go, and so they started walking.

Along the road, they basically heard the same stories over and over. The Disc were flying everywhere and anyone caught in the green beam of light simply vanished. All of the buildings were now traps, for they were leveling every building which was standing. Run for your life and hide! Steve was extremely happy that they had made it this far! He was returning the same way he and Raven had traveled and Steve, along with Billy, had managed to find backpacks in the plane wreckage. So they had filled them with everything edible which could still be found. He was happy that due to the lack of sunshine, the canned goods were not spoiled or busted open from the heat. Billy was amazing at finding the cans, as if he knew exactly where each and every one was laying around. And now they were at the base of the mountain, ready to climb to get to the abandoned mine which Steve knew so well. Billy was standing silent, not moving. "What's up partner?" Steve asked in his comical cowboy voice. "Daddy not come. Daddy dead." He said. Somewhere deep inside, Billy knew. And Steve said; "Let's get up to the mine before daylight leaves us!"

"Yeah." Billy answered. "The Dark!"

###

Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer, post a link on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Redit or Pin it, or any of the many other social media sites. Thank you! David Jensen - Author

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David Jensen

