Chapter 174: The Cavern’s Story

Wednesday, June 23, 1971

I called it a dream because looking back, the story that the cavern shared with me had a surreal, almost dream-like quality to it. While empty of life, the cavern was full of both the familiar and the unfamiliar. The area in front of the narrow shelf did indeed contain a bed, or at least what I assumed was a bed. The bedding was spread on something ... but I wasn’t sure what, because I could see underneath whatever was holding the covers and there was nothing there!

I smiled to myself when I saw the waterfall. Starting somewhere high up the wall, a small stream of water flowed down over several strategically placed steps carved into the wall before cascading into the large oval basin at its base. I thought I detected steam coming from the pool. “Maybe they’ve tapped an underground geothermal source somehow,” I thought.

There were embers in the small pit at the center of the room, with cooking utensils all neatly stacked on a small portion of the ledge/bench that surrounded the fire pit.

Some of the alcoves were empty, but others contained items I was not familiar with. Whether the items were functional or decorative, I could not tell. I decided that someone was moving since there were containers scattered around in various stages of being packed. The containers had the same unfamiliar appearance as the items still to be packed. I was sure that the containers weren’t made of wood. “Maybe some kind of futuristic metal?” I wondered to myself.

It was only moments later that I confirmed that the containers were not made on this world. Since my ‘dream’ had begun, I had not moved. I was basically ‘seeing’ the cavern from where I had been sitting when I fell into my trance. Everything I have described, so far, I had taken in as my eyes slowly roamed the cavern.

But now, as I twisted my body to see the other side of the cavern, I just stopped and stared. Immediately, I understood why the entryway was so large. For the other half of the cavern was filled with a vehicle of some kind.

The deep blue-black body of the craft gleamed. At first glance, it reminded me of one of the monorail trains at Disney World, except the nose seemed a little more pointed, and there were no windows. The side of the craft I could see had no markings and no visible seams. Not even the outline of a door or access hatch. The tail fin, which was maybe three feet high affixed to the rear, offered the only contrast as the leading edge appeared to be gold. I noted that the rear of the craft seemed to be slightly larger than the main body of the craft.

Before Tabita arrived last week in the Bularien landing craft, the only spaceships I had ever seen were all in movies and television. I was surprised how closely this craft fit with the stereo-typical Hollywood rocket ship.

In my only other experience with gleaning a story from the earth, I had seemed to move, following the characters as they traveled about the cavern. But now, I found I could not move, no matter how bad I willed myself to go and check out the spacecraft or even some of the interesting items that were lying around to be packed.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming down the long entryway. I sensed that this was the current occupant of the cavern and I felt myself becoming excited. What kind of being lived in a cave and traveled by spacecraft? However, before I could find out, another sound intruded. This one definitely belonged to the present.

“I don’t think I’d do that if I were you, Harris” a strange voice warned. “They said not to touch it until the brain-iacs get here tomorrow to look at it.”

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them,” Harris replied. “I just wanna see what it’s like to have that much gold in my hands.”

“I think I’d listen to your friend, Harris,” I said aloud, all trace of the vision having vanished. I was still sitting where I had been, but when I spoke, they both jumped. Spooked, they went for their rifles, looking everywhere for the source of the voice. I switched shields, to the one Penny and I had constructed to protect myself. As I did, they both brought their rifles to bear on me. I realized then, that I must have been invisible.

“Easy, Private,” I told them warmly. “The last thing we need is one of those things going off in here.” I spoke softly while sending them feelings of calm and friendship, but it was touch-and-go for a moment. Finally, they lowered their rifles a little as recognition set in. The one who had wanted to touch the gold wouldn’t look me in the eye, but his buddy stared at me with a sheepish look on his face.

“If you really want to touch one, try that one,” I said, nodding towards the gold brick on the wagon’s seat. It was the one that Anna and I had handled. They both relaxed slightly as they made their way slowly towards the wagon’s front seat.

“You’re the kid the spooks warned us about,” said Harris, looking at me as he fondled the gold brick in his hands. It wasn’t phrased as a question, but I acknowledged his conclusion.

“I’m Michael,” I told them. “And according to Dr. Carter, that’s approximately sixteen thousand dollars you’re holding.”

Suitably impressed, they continued to talk, and I returned to studying the alcove. But try as I might, the cavern would not give up any more of its story.

Anna returned shortly, along with a whole contingent of troops, ranch hands, and various interested individuals such as the local sheriff and the editor of the local paper. Another generator and more lights finished lighting up the cavern and the long entryway as they started work on opening the original entrance.