Excerpted from Chapter 20 --- Aliens
The Cosmic Fly Swatter
Tell me ‘bout your knowing
Say it isn’t growing
Running to and fro
I want to know what’s left to know
Read a book posthaste
Waste a trip in cyberspace
Cut and paste the cosmic race
Put them aliens in their place
I’m down here, I’m in it
We down here, we in it
...My mind had been playing tricks with itself ever since I decided to pursue the
Treasure of Thanoma Mabo, but this made me want to escape myself altogether.
The cloud compressed until it was the size and shape of a small humanoid, then it
rushed at me, and as it passed it sounded like a bumblebee.
I whirled around in a state
of great fear and saw it plant itself on the tree trunk behind me. It was humanoid all
right but it was indistinct. Its transparency merged with the bark on the tree.
Two glowing eyes changed position about the vague form of its head.
I had had enough at this point and I turned to stuff the maps into my tank bag and get
the heck out of there when the two branches of the tree began to move independently.
Before I could put on my helmet, the branches closed around me and pulled me to the
tree. I lost my helmet and felt utter panic. Worse, I was paralyzed and my tongue was
frozen. The branches held me fixed, and I could do nothing at all.
Inside all I had was a mind; all my body functions were disabled.
The buzzing sound
happened again and then hovering in front of me was the indistinct alien. His yellowish
eyes glowed a moment, and then I saw a white flash of light.
When my vision became
normal I was sitting on the ground next to my helmet. I looked at the tree.
It was normal again. I got up and moved my arms and legs.
Everything seemed to be in order. I looked at that redwood tree.
I heard Dr. Fried Egg speak,
“Vat have you to say for yourself now, my boy?”...
...And later in the story Daniel Hightower states...
And who is to say when the aliens play?
What have I allowed in that shouldn’t be there? Whatever I am experiencing, I am sure
I need to beware. At times, when my hopes and doubts collide, I am certain that I am
an alien even to myself. Thanoma Mabo, Amigos.