Close Encounter and More

Chapter 1     

             "What do ya think they're doing?" Twelve-year-old Travis Carney asked his younger brother Clint, who was looking through a pair of 7 x 35 power binoculars to get a better look at what was taking place across the field of ragweed and shumac. High in their tree fort, they have a bird's eye view of the vast field in front of them.

 

               "Hell, it looks like five guys trying to fix something. It's hard to see this far away even using these." He handed Travis the field glasses. "It could be a new type of car or truck, maybe even a plane." He didn't look at his brother but kept his eyes fixed on the tree line and the small group of men.

 

               "A plane?" Travis asked. "There's no place around here to land." He zeroed in on the charcoal-colored object that sat over four hundred yards across the meadow of tall weeds and bramble bushes. At first glance the object sitting at the tree line of oaks and maples looked to be at home.Using a slow left to right movement over the object and the men working with the spy- glasses he hoped to get a clue of what was going on and why in that section of the woods seldom used by anyone.

 

                Travis looked at Clint and said, "It looks smooth and I didn't see a door or any windows. Just a big charcoal rock." He sat down and scratched his head and asked, "Did you hear anything on the news last night about a plane crash?"

 

                "No, and dad didn't say anything about reading about a crash in the morning paper at breakfast."

 

                 "Let's see if we can get a better look at what's going on over there." Traves said ready to make his way down from the tree fort stepping on the first rung of the made shift ladder made with three foot 2 x 4's nailed to the trunk of the large oak tree. "Once on the ground we can low crawl closer to where the action is and be hidden by all the weeds and bushes."

 

                 Clint, not happy with the plan said, "You think that's a good idea? That is a long ways to low crawl and those guys are adults and you know what they think of kids butting in on them." He watched the five guys still doing something to the object.

 

                 Travis began to make his way down the ladder. "Let's just get a better look at what's going on. What else do we have to do? We can be the real Hardy boys."

 

                  "I'll get that old camera," Clint said. "I still think that's a long ways to low crawl and it's going to take some time." He found the camera, stuffed it in his pants and jumped down from the fort landing on the ground before his brother made it down the ladder.

 

                   "You're going to break your damn leg someday doing crap like that," Travis said as he punched his brother on the arm. "Follow me and be super quiet."

 

                    Clint rubbed his arm and asked, "What's super quiet?" He followed Travis into the overgrown weeds.

 

                     "Just make no noise and stay close. We don't want to draw any attention to us."

 

                      The pair moved slow but steady. They stopped every twenty feet to ensure they wouldn't be discovered. Almost thirty minutes of slow crawling they arrived at the edge of the field and saw the object was metallic. The men were wearing different color clothing much like jumpsuits that ice skaters wear when racing. The boys laid on their bellies as they watched the men work but not knowing what they were really doing.

 

                       Clint put the camera in front of Travis and placed his mouth an inch from Travis' ear and whispered, "Can you hear what they're saying? What do you think they're doing? Looks like some type of aircraft to me."

 

                       Travis said, "Are we looking at the same thing? I have no more of an idea than you. Just shut up and watch." He moved five feet forward and aimed the camera at the thing and men. The sound of the shutter closing and opening caused two of the men to look in the direction of the boys who were now hugging the ground and holding their breath, praying not to be seen.

 

                      Clint opened his eyes and saw the face of one of the men looking his way. He noticed that the man had no pupils, but large oval green circles where eyes would be. He had what looked like a mouth with thin lips. He couldn't see the rest of the head because it was covered with a hoodie. He tapped Travis on his rear and said, "There's no wings on that thing and those guys ain't human."

 

                      Travis turned to look back at his brother and softly said, " Slowly crawl backwards, we got to get out of here and get home to tell Mom and Dad about this."

 

                                                      *****************

 

                      It was five in the afternoon when Travis woke up with his back resting at the base of the fort's tree. He couldn't remember how he got there. His right calf was itching like crazy. Pulling up his trouser leg he saw a red mark about an inch in diameter. He assumed a spider had bitten him. He looked around for Clint and saw him ten feet away under a smaller tree just waking up.

 

                       Clint seeing Travis said, "What's going on? How did we get down here?"

My right calf itches like mad. I must of gotten bit." He stood up and found a broken twig about four inches long and put it in his mouth to chew on.

 

                        Travis pushed himself up from the sitting posistion and said, "The last thing I remember is that we were checking out something across the field near all those trees." He pointed to the far side of the field. "Well there's nothing there now. We better get home before we miss supper."

 

                        Clint almost stepped on the camera when he walked to join his brother. "Hey, what's this doing down here?" He picked it up and checked to see if film was still in it. "The film is gone. I know I didn't take any pictures."

 

                        "Well bring it with you. We need to get home so we don't get grounded."

 

                         The pair made it home in time for supper and didn't say a word about falling asleep or the marks on their calves.