The Bovine Connection (13 page)

“Haunted?” Matthew laughed. “Not every old Victorian house is haunted. You watch too many movies!”

Angelica looked up at the windows above the front porch overhang as they walked up the steps. The white paint was cracked, chipped, and had turned grey. It looked as if it hadn’t been painted since it was originally built. However, it would be charming once redone, she thought.

Matthew opened the front door, never bothering to pull out a key.

“Do you just leave your front door unlocked? Aren’t you afraid someone will come in and rob you?” Angelica couldn’t imagine leaving her doors unlocked in D.C. The idea unnerved her to even consider.

“No one’s gonna rob anybody in this town! You’re in Mayberry, Angelica! We even have a Sheriff Taylor!”

Matthew proceeded through the old glass pane door and into a grand foyer. Grand in its day, now it was just an old house with character. The living room was to the left. Next to the winding craftsman’s style staircase and to the right was Matthew’s study.

The round table in the foyer was cluttered with newspapers, unopened mail, tattered half packs of breath mints and loose change Matthew obviously emptied from his pockets each evening.

She walked over to the table and examined the contents curiously. She was nosy. “So, is it just you here?” she asked as she moved toward the staircase and ran her hand along the dark wood railing, as she admired the craftsmanship.

“Yes, just me and Lady, my cat… She’s not loyal though. She cheats on me with the neighbors.”

Angelica stepped toward the living room and noticed a beautiful art deco antique lamp. The furniture was worn and from the 1920’s and 30’s era, some of it older. “You have some amazing antiques!” she yelled out into the house.

“This was my grandparent’s house. Most of the stuff you see was theirs,” Matthew yelled back.

Angelica wandered through the living room and picked up old family photos still in their original frames. As she moved through the room, she rubbed her fingers gently over the pieces as she passed by them, before she stopped at a black and white photo of an attractive young couple wearing 1930’s period clothing. She was strangely drawn to it, so she gingerly picked it up. Angelica realized the couple in the photo must have been Matthew’s grandparents when they were probably newlyweds.

“Got it, you ready?” Matthew walked into the living room with a book in his hand to find Angelica holding the picture frame of his grandparents. “They were amazing, a true love story. You ready?” 

“Yes,” Angelica whispered as she gently put the frame down.

For a moment, Angelica could almost hear the laughter and voices of Matthew’s grandparents in her mind. The distant echoes of a house once filled with love and affection. She visualized the man of the house arriving early on a Friday afternoon, carrying a bouquet of roses, and for a split second she thought she could smell their fragrant aroma. Their home was still majestic in its own way, and she imagined at some point in time it was very much alive. Now, in its dilapidated beauty, it just seemed dejected, barren, and stoically resigned to its current fate. In the deep recesses of her heart that she kept carefully locked away… Angelica felt an unearthly connection to the bricks and mortar of its uncontrollable destiny.

             
R
ight outside of town, and five miles from Matthew’s house, sat Ellen McKinney’s outdated ranch home, a box of rust-colored red brick. Looking around, Angelica felt depressed. The scenic mountains were in the distance, but Ellen’s house sat in a valley where there were only a few old rundown houses scattered throughout. “How could anyone live this way? So lonely and depressing,” she said aloud while running her hand along the side of her head. Matthew glanced over with tight lips and nodded in agreement.

As the car pulled into the driveway, several large mutts ran over to greet them. Angelica was hesitant to get out, but she noticed Matthew wasn’t frightened of the dogs, so she opened the door and stepped out, cautiously.

One of the larger black dogs jumped up on her. Matthew shouted, “Down, get down, Bear!”

Angelica looked distraught. She softly pushed the dog back and raised her hand to smell the stench left behind. “Wonderful,” she thought as she rubbed her hand across her pant leg hoping to wipe the foul odor away.

A woman’s voice suddenly appeared, “Scat, y’all! Scat now!” Ellen McKinney was leaning out of her front door yelling at the raggedy dogs. “Sorry about that! They get excited when people show up to the house. They’re harmless! Come on in!” Ellen let the metal screen door swing shut behind her as Angelica and Matthew continued to walk down the sidewalk to the house.

Angelica had tried to get a good look at Ellen before the door shut, but all she could make out was short wavy auburn hair with heavy streaks of silver.

Ellen had already sat back down on her plaid brown and burgundy sofa with her attention turned to the television as they entered the house.

“Don’t you love this show?” Ellen pointed to an outspoken personality on the television, who Angelica recognized immediately, known for arguing with her guests.

“Ellen, this is Angelica Bradley with the
Liberator Magazine
.”

“I know. You told me over the phone.” Ellen turned to Angelica, “And here you are, young lady.” Ellen picked up the remote and turned off the television. Angelica observed Ellen curiously.

“My dear, have a seat. Would you like some tea or water?”

“No, thank you,” Angelica said, as she sat down on the other end of the sofa, as far from Ellen as she could possibly get. She didn’t know why, but Ellen unnerved her.

Matthew placed the borrowed book down on the coffee table and took a seat in the worn brown recliner closest to Angelica and then glanced around the room, before turning to Angelica with an odd smile. Angelica swallowed hard.

“They watch us!” Ellen pointed to the ceiling. Angelica looked at Ellen, flabbergasted.

“
They
watch us?” Angelica repeated with an emphasis on “they,” while looking curiously up at the ceiling.

“Yes, Angelica, the non-humans,” Ellen said, as if it didn’t sound ridiculous. Angelica took a deep breath. She felt uncomfortable. She dramatically shot a wide-eyed look over at Matthew and then toward the door to suggest they make a run for it. Matthew smiled at her, and then turned his attention to Ellen in anticipation of what she was going to say next.

Angelica dropped her shoulders, leaned back and listened.

“They are inter-dimensional beings.”

“What are inter-dimensional beings?” Angelica interrupted through a breath, indicating her frustration.

“I’m sorry… this is all very new to you. Okay, just give me some time to explain before you cut me off,” Ellen said, as she laughed, playfully.

Angelica tilted her head and frowned.

“Inter-dimensional beings would be travelers from another space-time continuum. There are different groups. This particular group I’m referring to, well, they’re more like our angels or guardians, as they like to be considered.” Ellen smiled smugly.

“Seriously?” Angelica said, while positioning her elbow on her knee to cup her chin into her hand, staring in disbelief.

“They are… well, from another star system.” Noting Angelica’s expression, Ellen explained further and more patiently, almost as if Angelica were a small child. “I know this is all very confusing, but just stay with me and I’ll explain.” Ellen smiled but her tone was condescending.

“Wait a minute… What?” Angelica stood up as she looked over at Matthew. “Are you serious? You believe this. This is wasting time, Matthew.” Angelica glanced over at Ellen. “My apologies, Mrs. McKinney, I didn’t mean to sound rude, however…”

Matthew appeared uncomfortable, obviously concerned Angelica had offended Ellen. “Yes, please sit down, Angelica.”

“You need to keep an open mind.” Ellen spoke softly as she looked intensely with her dark grey eyes at Angelica’s pale blues.

“Okay, go on!” she blurted as she sat back down and smoothed out her pant legs with her palms. “So, what does this have to do with the mutilations, Mrs. McKinney?”

Almost like a reflex reaction, Ellen immediately looked at Matthew and then back to Angelica. Ellen appeared annoyed. “We’ll get to that soon enough. First, hang on. There is someone you need to meet.” Ellen stood up and walked down the hall into a room. Angelica could hear Ellen speaking with someone. The mumbling got louder until Angelica could hear each word clearly.

“I told you I wasn’t going out there! I’m not getting involved!” a male voice erupted forcefully.

“Oh yes you are! Why else would they have told you she was coming…? ‘Expect a woman with light hair from a big city with small buildings.’ That’s what they said and she’s in the living room. Therefore, I think they want you out there! Now get your ass in the den!”

Angelica felt like jumping up and running for the door. She looked over at Matthew and asked sternly, “What is going on?”

Matthew was still leaning in the direction of the voices, not looking at Angelica but towards the hall, answered, “It’s Blake, her husband. I hope he’ll come out.”

Angelica frowned. “Why?”

The door opened and Ellen made her way back to the living room with her husband reluctantly marching behind. “Angelica, this is my husband, Blake. He retired from the Newton Air Force Base last year. He said he wanted to stay away from all this ET stuff, but I think it is important that he share some things with you.” Ellen looked over at Blake as he rolled his eyes. He was agitated and looked a mess.

A tall, rounded man with a white butch haircut, he had a scowl on his face and Angelica imagined that was probably the way he always looked. In blue jeans and a white-collared, button-down shirt with a pen clipped in the front pocket, he stood there like a punished schoolboy, unwilling to speak.

“Go on, Blake. Tell her!” Ellen scolded.

Blake let a loud puff of air, physically and not so subtly alluding to his solemn irritation. “Ms. Bradley, I recently retired from Newton Air Force Base and let me just cut to the chase… They know exactly what’s going on. I worked alongside these things on a top secret project at Newton’s underground base. However, first you should know…” Blake sat down on the worn sofa, on the other side of his wife, positioning himself to face Angelica. Blake was restless--as if he didn’t know what to say next.

It made Angelica so uncomfortable she felt she was coming out of her skin. Angelica let out a deep breath and listened as her head began to tingle.

“You’re getting caught in a very large web of deception,” Blake said. “You need to be careful. You are already being monitored by a myriad of entities. One in particular I’m talking about is a secret group, a private, rogue military group with no one at the top of their totem pole. Catch my drift?”

Angelica pressed her lips together causing them to turn from pink to white. “Rogue military group, huh… well, that’s interesting, because I’ve heard mention of such a group and it was proven to be a crazy theory created by some internet conspiracy nut!” she said sarcastically. Angelica held eye contact with Blake.

Blake’s jaw tightened at the insinuation.

Angelica had come across an article online when she was researching the humming sound while at the lodge. “The secret military group that you mentioned,” she told him, “was debunked by an ex-military insider.”

“This agency is not a hoax, Angelica, quite the contrary!” Blake snarled.

“How do you know this? What exactly is going on, Blake?” Angelica’s eyes grew wide as she looked him square in the face, trying not to show a slight bit of intimidation.

“Look, I’m not going into all that other than to say… smoke and mirrors!” Blake looked over at Ellen… “Smoke and mirrors! The government has a policy of dis-information. Always keep that in the back of your mind, Ms. Bradley.”

Angelica looked suspiciously at Blake. “Really?” she said with a slight hint of sarcasm.

Blake observed Angelica with a doubtful expression, questioning whether to continue, giving Angelica the impression that Blake thought she was in over her head. Blake glanced at Ellen and caught her facial expression indicating she was getting irritated, so he carefully continued. “Look, there are a myriad of things going on from beamed energy propulsion to anti-gravity technology. “I’m sure you’ve heard of solar thermal propulsion, which makes use of an available power source from the Sun. Much like solar panel energy, crafts powered by the sun eliminate the need for alternate sources, like carrying a heavy generator. A solar thermal craft has only the need to carry the means of capturing solar energy.” Angelica raised her brows curiously.

“However, there are more advanced technologies, such as zero point field and beamed energy propulsion… Let’s just say there are folks out there that are teaching us concepts that would have taken us a lot longer to discover--if at all. We’re talking about propulsion energy systems that would replace oil, gas, coal, and even nuclear power. There is so much to be learned from them. I only hope it will be used for good, not for reprehensible means.” Blake glanced over at Matthew. “You know, Oppenheimer, the inventor of the atomic bomb said, ‘I have become death. The destroyer of worlds.’”