blake
5th February 2011, 01:07
A Winter Tale
The “33”
By BLAKE DAVIS
Copyright Feb 2011
CHAPTER ONE
“Watch out!” screamed William as his sled raced out of control over a mogul, jumping two feet into the air. Then it was giggles by all, as he rolled onto his back with belly laughs. Looking up into the radiant, blue, endless sky, seemingly alive with subtle, small, sparkling points of light beaming down towards him, he quickly stood up seeing his siblings racing towards him ready to smash his already frozen face with more snow. “No!” he screamed at the top of his lungs as he ran deeper into snow to escape their attack. But alas, they plastered their brother with more snow. Then the lunch bell rang.
“I’ll race you home, William,” Samuel challenged. “Last one in gives the other their dessert!” And off he ran. This was not the first time Samuel had challenged his brother unfairly, and ended up with his dessert. And William had a good idea that this was going to happen again today; so earlier, he had conspired with his two older sisters to trip Samuel, and hold him down until he clearly beat Samuel to the house.
Brushing the snow off his face, and shaking the snow out of his sleeves, William slowly made his way down the hill, and through the field to the kitchen porch. “Hey, this isn’t fair,” Samuel cried as William laughed seeing his two older sisters sitting on his younger brother by the back gate to the kitchen herb garden
“Sweet” he said with a smile, as he walked by winking at his sisters. “I sure do love Grandma’s pumpkin whoopee pie cakes.”
The girls continued to sit on Samuel until William was out of his snow clothes, and had entered the kitchen. “Hi, Mom, it smells delicious. I am starved.”
“You must have burned a1000 calories in the last half hour with all those runs you did down the hill. I saw the flying sled trick! Other than a frozen face, are you okay?” She asked with a smile as she poured hot soup in the bowls on the table.
“I’m fine. I am just a little cold. I think I will grab the chair nearest the woodstove before the others claim it,” he answered as he sat down at the table after washing his hands. “Do I smell lentil vegetable soup?”
“Yes, you do. And Grandma made that French, twisted sesame bread that you like so much.”
In a stampeding corridor of noise, the other three children poured into the kitchen, “Mom, did you see what they did to me?”
“Yes, I did, Samuel.”
“Are you going to say something to them? They could have broken my back!” Samuel pleaded with his big, gray eyes looking up at his mother as he took a seat at the lunch table.
“Samuel, you need to take responsibility for waving red flags in front of everyone all the time. I take it you lost your dessert? Why don’t you start playing fair instead of challenging people unfairly? Perhaps then your sibling will stop conspiring against you, in order to get even with you for all the times you have tricked them out of their desserts!”
“But, Mom, I didn’t do anything!”
“What didn’t you do this time, Samuel?” asked his grandmother walking to the table with the bread she had baked.
“Alright, that is enough, Samuel. Not another word. We all know what happened. So let’s drop it. Hopefully you will learn not to bet what you can’t afford to lose, or don’t want to lose,” his mother stated with a serious expression.
“Samuel, I tell you what. I’ll challenge you to a game of chess after lunch. If you win fairly, you can have my dessert.” Mr. Ryan said walking up from the cellar.
“That sounds great! Thanks, Grandpa.”
“Dad, you are spoiling him.” Alex said.
“No, I’m not. I am just giving him a fair chance to get what he wants. I did that for you all while you were growing up, well pass your college years; and look how great you turned out, Alex,” Grandpa smiled.
“And I agree, Alex, you turned out spectacularly,” Nicholas said as he took the last empty chair at the table giving his wife, Alex, a kiss before sitting down.
“How’s the chapter coming along, Dad?” Gracie, the oldest daughter asked.
“It’s all done,” he answered with an impish grin.
“Nicholas, that is great! You completed the book three months ahead of the deadline. That’s incredible.” Alex said giving her husband a congratulation kiss.
“It’s been so long since I have been caught up in everything! I think I’m going to allow myself some down time; and maybe catch up on sleep, fun and relaxation for the rest of these long, cold, winter days. I feel like a kid on the last day of school, so free, with the long, days of summer all before him. Alex, let’s go into town today, just the two of us, and do absolutely nothing for a change; better yet, let’s get away for a few days to celebrate?
Alex started to say, “I don’t know, the children…” but was quickly interrupted by Nicholas.
“The children are up to their eyeballs in assignments that Grandpa can supervise. And I am sure Grandpa will be happy to take the kids skiing while we are away. What do you think, Dad?” Nicholas asked already knowing the answer.
“What I think is that it is high time you two take a few days off, and be by yourselves. Rosemary and I can keep the children on task, while keeping the home fires warm,” he answered winking at the children. The children smiled, knowing with their parents away, they would be doing a lot more skiing over the next few days than studying. And with grandmother being a soft touch to start her on a baking frenzy of their favorite goodies, there would be desserts galore, along with the late night story telling.
“Well, if you both are sure you can handle the children, I would love to get away for a few days,” Alex stated suppressing her excitement of an unexpected holiday with her husband.
After lunch, the children settled down with their music lessons, and homework as their parents packed. And before the dinner hour arrived, Alex and Nicholas had taken their jeep, and were on their way to Sunday River in Bethel, Maine.
CHAPTER TWO
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
It was a good thing that their parents had left before nightfall, as the wind had picked up unexpectedly, and it had started to snow. Grandpa was standing at the stove fixing dinner, when he noticed the lights flicker a bit. “Before it gets too snowy and windy out there, would you, kids, put on the flood lights, and check all the animals. Make sure they all have food, water, and that the barn doors are securely closed. Dinner will be on the table in twenty minutes.”
“It sure has been a snowy January,” Gracie said as the four of them tracked through the snow to the barn.
“It’s great snow for skiing! Tomorrow’s Friday, and I’m more than caught up in all my assignments this week. Does any one need any help getting their school work done tonight, so we can talk Grandpa in hitting the slopes first thing tomorrow morning?” William asked.
“Gracie answered first, “I’m caught up, what about you two?” Samuel and Robin nodded their heads with a smile.
As William opened the barn door he said,” that’s great!” Then he paused. He thought he saw a shadow of a man in the hay loft.
“William, what’s wrong?” Grace asked.
William quickly glanced around the barn. All the animals seemed fined. He closed the door and locked it securely. Then he whispered, “I think I saw someone in the hay loft. Let’s get back to the house and get Grandpa”
The four of them took off as fast as they could for the house. As they entered the kitchen, without taking their snow clothes off in the mudroom, their grandfather asked, what’s wrong?”
Gracie answered. “William thinks he saw the shadow of a man in the loft.”
Grandpa picked up the shotgun that hung in the kitchen closet. “No, Jed. I’m calling the sheriff,” said Grandma.
Grandpa nodded as he looked out the window toward the barn. “Sheriff, hi; this is Rosemary Ryan. I am just fine, thank you; but we might have a trespasser in our barn. The kids were just out there to check the animals for the evening. But as they started to enter the barn, William thought he saw a man’s shadow in the hay loft. Jed has the shotgun in hand, and we all are in the kitchen. Nicholas and Alex are away this evening. Do you think you could swing by and check it out? Oh, thank you, I do appreciate it.”
Grandma hung up the phone. “The Sheriff will be here in ten minutes. You kids sit down and eat your dinner. Grandpa will keep watch until the Sheriff arrives, but keep your jackets on until after the Sheriff leaves.” The four children quietly went to the stove with a plate and dished out a portion of a lentil and squash casserole, and some steamed Swiss chard. Then they stopped at the counter and picked up a salad and a crescent dinner roll. As the children ate in silence, they watched their Grandpa keep watch over the barn while their Grandma walked about the house looking out of the windows. “I don’t see any footprints. But with this snow and wind, any footprints would be covered up.” Grandma said to herself.
It had seemed like forever. But finally they could hear a car driving down the long driveway. Grandpa went out to greet the Sheriff and his assistant. “Hello, Jed. It’s getting bad out. If someone is in the barn, they are probably just seeking protection from this storm.”
“That was my first thought.” Jed answered. “But, Sheriff, we are way off the beaten path. What would anyone be doing around here? I would have checked it out myself, but you know how Rosemary is.”
“And she did the right thing, especially, with Nicholas out of town. I can see Rosemary has her jeep up and running. That woman is always thinking ahead. You are lucky to have her, Jed. Why don’t you go back in the house? Scott and I will check out the barn. If we are not back out in ten minutes, call for back up, get in the jeep, and leave the property.”
“And if you are back in ten minutes, why don’t you take a break and join us for tea and dessert? Rosemary made some sinful lemon bread pudding with chocolate raspberry sauce.”
“The Sheriff chuckled. Oh Rosemary and her desserts! We will see you in a few minutes, Jed.” With that said the Sherriff and his assistant drew their guns, and walked to the barn, taking two separate doors in.
After the children finished their dinner, they prepared two dishes and put them in the warming tray for their grandparents to have later on. Then they cleared the kitchen table, put the food away, and put the dishes in the dishwasher. With that done, they stood by the kitchen window watching. All they could hear was the clock ticking, and the crackling wood in the fireplace.
After a few minutes, they saw the Sheriff and his assistant leave the barn, and then watch them walk around the property. But as the snow got heavier and the wind got wilder, it became more and more difficult to see them. Yet, the children stayed by the window and watched the snow fly about in gusts of wind, hoping that it all was some shadow play that William saw, and not really a person hiding in their barn.
They didn’t see the Sheriff come to the kitchen door, but they heard the door slam and people stomping their feet to get the snow of their boots. The children didn’t move; they just looked at the mudroom and listened. “Jed, someone was in that barn for sure. But we searched the property and the barn and can’t find anyone. Of course, this wind and snow isn’t helping, but there isn’t anyone in the barn now. And I just can’t imagine anyone being out in this storm in the woods, yet I don’t know where they could have gone in the short time that William saw the man’s shadow, to when we arrived. So it’s a puzzle. I think it would be good for us to check the house and the garage; and then recheck the barn before we leave. I’ll wait until Scott shows up; he is in the car talking to dispatch.”
“What makes you think there was someone in the barn?” Jed asked.
“Well, to be honest with you, someone could have been there for a while, and left in a hurry when we showed up. We found a sleeping bag, and a tent sent up in the corner of the loft behind some bales of hay.” The Sheriff answered with concern. “But we can’t find a trace of where they may have gone. It’s like they simply vanished.”
“Hi, Scott.”
“Jed, we are going check around a little more,” Scott answered brushing off his coat and stomping the snow off his shoes. “Tom and Tony are on their way, Sheriff. They should be here in about twenty minutes.”
“We are going to search the garage. Then I want Rosemary and the kids in the jeep while we search the house. And rosemary, if you hear any shots, don’t check it out, just ride to headquarters. I don’t think we will find anyone in your house, but lets not take any chances, you all are so isolated out here.”
“Jed, I want you to stay in the kitchen, and keep your eyes and ears open while we search the house, cellar to attic, that is if we have your consent?”
“Of course, Sheriff, I want to sleep easy to night.”
After the Sheriff and Scott gave the okay, Rosemary, all bundled up in her snow clothes, took the kids into the garage, which was attached to the house off of the backside of the kitchen, and got into the jeep. With Jed watching his family from the kitchen, the Sheriff and Scott began to search the house, room by room, looking in every closet, and under every piece of furniture.
“Grandmother, I think I’m scared,” said Robin in a whisper.
“Being scared can be a good thing if it keeps you alert to your environment under unknown conditions; and right now, dear, it’s a good thing for us all to be alert. But do know that your Grandpa will make sure we all are safe no matter what happens. But for now, be quiet, listen, and keep your eyes open.”
The temperature in the garage was falling. And the wait seemed unusually long. For the longest time all they could hear was the wind, and the creaking of tree branches, before they finally heard a car coming up the driveway. Jed waved to Rosemary to signal that it was just Tom and Tony. The children tried to make out what their grandfather was telling Tony and Tom. And as they watched, they finally saw the Sheriff and Scott come back to the kitchen. Within two minutes, the Sheriff and Jed walked into the garage to get Rosemary and the children back in the house. “Rosemary, the house appears quite secure,” said the Sheriff. “The windows and doors are all locked; and there is no sign of any attempted break in. I think you all can settle back in, and get on with your evening. We are going to search the barn and the grounds one more time before we leave”
Even though it was good to hear that the house was safe, everyone was still tense knowing that someone had been setting up camp in their barn. They all thought silently: Where was that person? Are they gone? Are they hiding? It was hard to settle back to a normal evening with those questions unanswered. “I wish Mom and Dad were here,” William said mostly to himself.
“William, it would be nice if your parents were home. But I do believe we are safe. And your grandmother and I will keep you safe. I am hesitant in calling your parents because of the storm. I don’t want them driving at night in this weather; it just isn’t safe. The house has been searched; and all doors and windows are secured. No one is going to get into this house tonight. Now, kids, it’s time to get out of your snow clothes. I think it would be a good if you children go take a hot shower, and get into your pajamas now. I know it’s a little early for that, but after the Sheriff, and his men leave, we can have dessert and a game of chess. And then later on, we can get on the ham radio set, and see who’s talking tonight. But the best part is that we are all having a pajama party in the den tonight. So claim your areas!”
“I claim the red couch,” shouted Samuel.
“I claim the alcove by the fireplace,” William shouted back.
Grace chimed in, “I’ll take the window seat.”
“And what about you, Robin,” asked Rosemary.
“I’ll claim the area right beside you Grandma.”
With the children taking showers and getting their pajamas on, Rosemary and Jed ate their dinner that the children had so thoughtfully placed in the warming tray.
“So what do you think, Jed?”
“I don’t know. I don’t like the idea that someone was living in our barn without our knowledge. And more puzzling, where did this person go in this storm?”
“Well, hopefully, whoever it is, has moved on.”
CHAPTER THREE
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
“Congratulations, Samuel. You took the challenge and you won the game. That means you can go to the kitchen and pick out a second dessert!” Grandpa said smiling as he stood up to stretch his long legs after the chess match.
“Can I get you anything, Grandpa, when I am in the kitchen?” Samuel asked.
“Thank you, Samuel, but I am all set. Who would like to get the ham set going?”
“I think it’s my turn, Grandpa,” Robin said softly.
“And so it is,” Grandpa said as he tossed Robin in the air and caught her.
Giggling Robin said, “Now Grandpa, I want to do it myself. I don’t need any help.”
“Alright, darling, I will sit over hear and listen.”
The other children were putting their games away quietly, while listening to their sister turning on the radio and announcing her call sign over the air. “This is WXAB, is anyone listening.” Robin said in her strongest voice.
In an ever so faint voice, she heard a reply, “yes.”
“This is WXAB, I heard your response, please identify your call sign.”
“That will not be necessary, WXAB, as I am using a frequencies that are in-between the ordinary frequencies. No one can hear me but you.”
“This is WXAB, please identified your call sign,” Robin firmly requested again.
“Alright, my call sign is: BARN.”
At that point, everyone in the room was standing behind Robin.
“That’s an unusual call sign. How is the weather where you are at?” Robin asked in a more relaxed tone.
“It’s snowing; and the wind is blowing very hard,” the voice answered.
“Do you live in Freedom, New Hampshire?” Robin asked the voice on the radio.
“No, but I am visiting Freedom, New Hampshire.”
“Really, you must be very close to us since you are coming in so clearly?” Robin asked with a curious tone.
“Yes, I am quite close to you at this moment,” the voiced answered.
“You know where we are?” Robin asked in disbelief.
“Why, yes I do. “Right now you all are in the den of your home; and the fireplace is offering you great warmth,” said the voice in a quiet even tone.
Jed, picked up his granddaughter quietly, and took her place by the radio, while Rosemary quietly dialed the police, “Who are you, and what do you want?” Jed asked in a strong, low controlled voice.
“Hello, Mr. Ryan, it is so good to finally talk to you,” said the voice in the same even tone.
Jed looked over at Rosemary, but she conveyed to him, through sign language, that the phone line was dead; and that she was going to try the mobile ham set to try to get through to the Sheriff, on the emergency frequency.
“Who are you, and what do you want?” Jed demanded again, as he motioned Grace to bring him his shot gun.
As the voice began to answer, the children quickly closed all the shades. Grace quickly brought Rosemary her twenty-two, as she continued trying to get through to the Sheriff. “Mr. Ryan, you can call me Araidius. I am contacting you in peace. I do not wish to hurt you are you family.”
“Where are you?” Jed demanded in a strong, but controlled voice.
“Why, I am in your barn,” the voice replied softly.
Rosemary signaled Jed that she could not get through to the Sheriff, or anybody else. There seemed to be some sort of interference that was blocking any frequency she tried.
“Alright, Araidius, why are you in my barn?” Jed asked sternly.
“I want to meet you, and your family,” the voice answered barely above a whisper.
Rosemary quickly ran out to the garage to start the truck with the plow attachment, but it wouldn’t start, and neither would the jeep. As Jed, talked to Araiduis she slipped Jed note telling him of the situation: no working vehicles, and blizzard conditions outside. Then the electricity went out. But within a minute the back up generator kicked the power back on. The radio never lost power, with it automatic back up battery.
“Araidius, I don’t introduce trespassers to my family. And if I see you anywhere on my property, I will shoot, and I will only need one shot.” Jed said in a stronger but still controlled voice. Meanwhile, Rosemary was gathering the children into storm cellar, a reinforced room in the cellar with no windows. She left them each with a shot gun, confident in their ability to shoot on target if necessary. Jed had trained them to respect guns; and to shoot with a steady hand, and an accurate eye. Then she had the children bolt the door from the inside.
“Mr. Ryan, I had been waiting patiently for quite a while for an opportunity like this storm, to visit you so we could discuss the future of the world”
Rosemary was now really scared because Araidius, appeared to be not mentally well; and how does one negotiate with a mentally unbalanced person? She and Jed stared at each other for a moment calculating their options.
“Jed,” Aradius called out through the radio, “I am at your front door. Would you please, willingly, let me in?” Jed, silently raced to the other side of the house to get a clear shot of the front door with his night vision goggles. “Jed, it is freezing out here. Will you please let me in?” Araidius asked once again. Then, there was a single shot; and Araidius fell to the ground.
CHAPTER FOUR
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
Stunned, Jed could see the snow turning red where Araidius had fallen. Then he saw Rosemary running back into the garage with her twenty-two. Quickly he ran to the kitchen utility closet, to get some rope and a towel. Rosemary was already there. “I am going out the side door, and walk up on him from the back. You, stay in the house, and cover me from this window.” Jed ordered. Rosemary ran to the other side of the house, and took her position with a steady aim ready to shoot again if needed. She watched Jed come up from the rear, and turn Aradius over. Evidently he hit his head on the stone pillar, on the porch, when he fell over after Rosemary shot him in the right shoulder. She watched Jed tie his hand and feet, and placed the towel over the gun shot wound. Then he took one of the kid’s snow sleds, that was on the porch, moved it on the ground, and then rolled Araidius off the porch onto the sled. Rosemary watched carefully with her twenty-two aimed at Aradius head as Jed dragged the sled to the kitchen door. Then he dragged Araidius up the kitchen porch, into the mud room, dropping him on the floor. Rosemary quickly ran to the kitchen, keeping the gun on Araidius, from a distance, as Jed cleaned out the wound and dressed it the best he could. “The bullet went right through him,” Jed explained. “There must be a nice bullet hole in our front door. Good thing the kids were in the cellar. But he sure is going to have a whopper of bump on the side of his head where he hit it.”
“Jed, I wouldn’t shoot through the front door. I came up on his side. The bullet is in the tree trunk by the front door,” Rosemary defended herself.
Jed did all the first aid he could think of, before searching through the man’s pockets. “So what are we going to do with him,” asked Rosemary.
“Well, with the back up generator on, it’s not going to stay warm out here in the mudroom. Please set up an air mattress with a sleeping bag, in the alcove, by the fireplace, in the den; I will move him there. He is tied up well, and there is no way he is going to be able to move. I think it’s okay to get the kids out of the storm cellar. The shot probably scared them; its best they know what is going on. But take them directly upstairs. Tell them the pajama party will be in the master bedroom tonight. You and I can take turns keeping watch over Araidius.”
“Alright, I think that is the best we can do until we can contact the Sheriff. I’ll get the air mattress; and then I will get the kids ready for bed in the master bedroom. I love you, Jed,” Rosemary said as she left the mudroom.
“I love you too, dear,” he answered back.
The children were both frightened, and relieved to get out of the storm cellar. In the master bedroom, Rosemary had already set up their sleeping bags, and had lit the fireplace to warm up the room before she had brought them up. “Now these are the rules until further notice: you keep your weapon with you, and you don’t leave the master bedroom without permission…..understood?”
“Understood, Grandmother,” they all answered.
“There are some snickerdoodles, and a pitcher of cold milk for a late night snack on the side table by the bed. Is there anything else I can get for you before I go back and help your grandfather?
“Why can’t we see him, Grandma? I want to see what this Araidius looks like?” Samuel asked pressingly.
“Samuel, please, I already explained everything. Please, just do what I asked of you . I have too much on my mind. Now, I expect you older children to watch out for your younger brother. Don’t let him leave this room!”
“Grandmother, can we watch a movie tonight?” asked William.
“I think the generator can handle the DVD player, just keep the sound low. I’ll check in on you all in about a half hour”
Shutting the door behind her, Rosemary slowly walked down the stairway to the den where she saw Jed sitting in a rocking chair by the fire. “Can I fix you anything, dear?” she asked.
“No, thank you, dear. I made a pot of chamomile tea for us, over there on the table, if you want to pour yourself a cup? How are the kids doing?”
“I think they would feel a lot safer to see their Grandpa. Why don’t you go see them before they all fall asleep?”
“What time is it? Jed asked.
“It’s nine thirty-five.”
“Rosemary, if you think you can stay awake until midnight, I think I will say hello to the kids, and then catch a nap for a couple of hours.
“That’s fine, Jed. I am wide awake.”
Jed stood up, stretched, kissed his wife, and then slowly headed for the stairs.
“Don’t go Mr. Ryan,” said a low, soft voice. “We have much to talk about.”
CHAPTER FIVE
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
“Would you please untie me? I promise I won’t hurt you or your family. What can I do to make you feel safe?” Araidius asked softly.
“I will feel safe when I turn you over to the Sheriff, and you are off my property for good! You are lucky you are not dead. But I can assure you, one move, and the next bullet will go right between your eyes. And now, since you are in my house, there will be no charity like there was outside,” Jed answered sharply, annoyed that Aradius was conscious.
Rosemary aimed her twenty-two at Araidius. Jed walked across the room to the gun safe and opened it. Then he walked back to Rosemary, took away her twenty-two, and handed her a forty-four magnum. “This will blow his head off, dear. You want to talk, Araidius, fine….. let’s get it on video.” Quickly, Jed set up a video camera. “Alright, Araidius, start talking.”
“There isn’t much time left, Mr. Ryan. The world is being threatened by a powerful group of madmen. They want to eliminate, kill, half of the humans on earth.”
Jed checked the audio on the camera, and then looked at Araidius, “so we are being told a gloom and doom fairy tale. Look, Araidius, just tell your tale, but this mini tape runs out in two hours, and that is all the time you have to speak. After that, I am going to give you a sleeping pill to put you out until the Sheriff gets here. So be aware, you don’t have all night to talk.”
“I know you understand how the world works, at least better than most humans. I know you understand there is a powerful group of individuals, with a lineage dating back centuries, who dictate the policies of this planet. This group, I will call the “Thirty Three”, have an allegiance to no nation or individual. They have one goal only, and that is to have the power to control everyone on earth. And unfortunately, the fiat currencies, and the internet has made it very easy for them to do that.”
Jed looked at Araidius with a poker face.
“I am representing those men, who actually rule the world. But as much as the internet has allowed them to data mind, and control people, and nations, the internet has also allowed people, like yourself, to track information and observe patterns in politics that are getting too close to the truth that they have been guarding for centuries. Therefore, you are on a list, like many others, to be eliminated before you can reveal too much documentation to the general public.”
Jed stared at this stranger, still not saying a word.
“I do not want to eliminate you because you are an honorable man. And I think if you work with me, we can change the course of events that has been set up to destroy families and all nations. You are an honest, intelligent manwith great integrity. Would you please work with me, concerning this issue?
“Jed, just give him the sleeping pills now. This is a waste of time,” Rosemary said as she walked to the kitchen to get some cookies to go with her tea. But when she got to the kitchen she let out a blood curdling screamed.
“Mrs. Ryan, would you please get me some hot soup. I am quite hungry. The nourishment will help speed up this wound that you inflicted on me.”
“Hold it right there, Araidius!” Jed commanded. “I don’t know what kind of mind control you are playing with us. I have no idea of how you got untied, and walked to the kitchen without me seeing; or how you managed to get into the kitchen before Rosemary did, but I will shoot you right between the eyes now if you don’t lie on the floor immediately on your stomach!” Jed said hastily in a panic.
With his hands up, Araidius slowly lowered himself to the floor. “Mr. Ryan, we were running out of time, and I had to prove a couple of things to you. The first is that you cannot hurt me. And the second, is that you have absolutely no power over me, not even with that forty -four magnum pointing at the back of my head. Check the gun wound that Mrs. Ryan inflicted on me.”
Jed nodded to Rosemary to check it. She gasped. “Jed, it’s all healed. I mean I can see where I shot him, but it’s all healed over. There is no open wound.”
“Explain!” was all Jed said while still keeping the forty-four magnum pointed at Araidius’s head.
“I have some unusual abilities. One is the speeding up of wounds. I have had this ability since birth. I was bred for this ability, and other rare abilities like telekinesis, although, I haven’t developed that skill as much as my ability to heal my body. The “Thirty Three” have technology that is light years ahead of mainstream America. Yet their morality has not kept pace with their advanced technology, and this is causing problems with the Rulers of the World. In the first time in seventeen thousand years, a split has occurred in their unity. And the group is becoming even more fragmented as I speak. There are basically two groups now, those who want to depopulate the world, by more than half, and those who want to work with humanity in solving the issues that they perceive humankind is causing. These people are not like the rest of humanity. They are not really evil, although they do crimes everyday. They think they have a right and an obligation to do what they do to the world. They think they are superior to you all”
“So you can do telekinesis?” Jed demanded. “Well, demonstrate that skill now.”
Slowly, the gun Jed was holding started to move in his hand. He was losing the grip on the handle. He struggled to hold it but within seconds, the gun fell to the floor. When Jed went to reclaim the gun, it was like it was glued to the floor; he couldn’t pick it up. Araidius smiled, “Now you know how I was able to untie myself. And now you know that any other of your methods to restrict me won’t work.”
“Rosemary, shoot him!” Jed ordered panicking
“I can’t pull the trigger, Jed. It’s like the rifle is jammed.”
“I am going to stand up now. And I am going to sit at the kitchen table. I would like you to please heat some soup up for me, and if you have any bread to go with it I would appreciate that. Please put your weapons away now. As you can see, I can restrict you from using them.”
“But Rosemary shot you outside,” Jed said shocked by what he just witnessed.
“Yes, that was my fault. I hadn’t anticipated Mrs. Ryan coming out in this blizzard to shoot me from behind. I was focused on you at the window. You tried to shoot, but you couldn’t pull the trigger. Do you remember that, Mr. Ryan? You thought the gun jammed. I jammed it.” Araidius explained as he sat at the kitchen table. “Please sit down, Mr. Ryan, as I said I have much to talk to you about.”
Jed sat opposite Araidius facing the doorway to the den. Rosemary placed a bowl of vegetable lentil soup, along with three slices of crusty French bread, and some homemade butter on the table for Araidius, before sitting next to Jed. They sat in silence watching Araidius eat.
“Mrs. Ryan, thank you. The soup was delicious; do you have any more of the pumpkin whoopee pie cake that the children were talking about?”
Rosemary’s eyes widen as she nodded yes, and then quickly went into the food pantry to get him a large slice. “Would you like tea to go with it?”
“Yes, please,” he answered with a smile. “Mr. Ryan, do you have any questions before we continue on camera?”
“Who are you? What are you? Where do you come from? Why are you here now? What do you want from me? And how do you know me?
“My name is Araidius. I am special council, you could say, to the Thirty Three, the rulers of the world. I am not one of them, but I was genetically bred, and have trained since birth to work closely for them. I am used mostly, by them, to eliminate problems. And you, in their eyes, have become a problem. As you can see, no one can control me by normal means. This makes it easy for me to eliminate people, and many other problems for them. Mr. Ryan. I was sent here to deal with you. As you can tell from my accent, I am from London. I know you, because the Thirty Three made it my job to know you. The Thirty Three know you, because your blood type in 0 negative. The Thirty Three tracks all people from birth with 0 negative blood. We know everything about you. What I want from you is for you to help me so I don’t have to eliminate you. Do you have another batch of questions or shall we take them one at a time now?”
“How can I possibly be of any help to you?”
“That is a fine question, Mr. Ryan. But it will take you a while to understand.
We are facing a four day snow storm. Your son-in-law and daughter will not be able to get home for at least a week. We and your communities around here are all snowed in. It is kind of like the snow storm of the century. And we need that time for you to digest all that I will reveal to you. I am afraid that as well read as you are, Mr. Ryan, you will be shocked by what I am about to tell you."
To be continued. Although the story may have some familair elements and seem familiar to some, poetic license had been taken Will continue tale next week.
Sincerely,
Mr.Davis
2/4/11
The “33”
By BLAKE DAVIS
Copyright Feb 2011
CHAPTER ONE
“Watch out!” screamed William as his sled raced out of control over a mogul, jumping two feet into the air. Then it was giggles by all, as he rolled onto his back with belly laughs. Looking up into the radiant, blue, endless sky, seemingly alive with subtle, small, sparkling points of light beaming down towards him, he quickly stood up seeing his siblings racing towards him ready to smash his already frozen face with more snow. “No!” he screamed at the top of his lungs as he ran deeper into snow to escape their attack. But alas, they plastered their brother with more snow. Then the lunch bell rang.
“I’ll race you home, William,” Samuel challenged. “Last one in gives the other their dessert!” And off he ran. This was not the first time Samuel had challenged his brother unfairly, and ended up with his dessert. And William had a good idea that this was going to happen again today; so earlier, he had conspired with his two older sisters to trip Samuel, and hold him down until he clearly beat Samuel to the house.
Brushing the snow off his face, and shaking the snow out of his sleeves, William slowly made his way down the hill, and through the field to the kitchen porch. “Hey, this isn’t fair,” Samuel cried as William laughed seeing his two older sisters sitting on his younger brother by the back gate to the kitchen herb garden
“Sweet” he said with a smile, as he walked by winking at his sisters. “I sure do love Grandma’s pumpkin whoopee pie cakes.”
The girls continued to sit on Samuel until William was out of his snow clothes, and had entered the kitchen. “Hi, Mom, it smells delicious. I am starved.”
“You must have burned a1000 calories in the last half hour with all those runs you did down the hill. I saw the flying sled trick! Other than a frozen face, are you okay?” She asked with a smile as she poured hot soup in the bowls on the table.
“I’m fine. I am just a little cold. I think I will grab the chair nearest the woodstove before the others claim it,” he answered as he sat down at the table after washing his hands. “Do I smell lentil vegetable soup?”
“Yes, you do. And Grandma made that French, twisted sesame bread that you like so much.”
In a stampeding corridor of noise, the other three children poured into the kitchen, “Mom, did you see what they did to me?”
“Yes, I did, Samuel.”
“Are you going to say something to them? They could have broken my back!” Samuel pleaded with his big, gray eyes looking up at his mother as he took a seat at the lunch table.
“Samuel, you need to take responsibility for waving red flags in front of everyone all the time. I take it you lost your dessert? Why don’t you start playing fair instead of challenging people unfairly? Perhaps then your sibling will stop conspiring against you, in order to get even with you for all the times you have tricked them out of their desserts!”
“But, Mom, I didn’t do anything!”
“What didn’t you do this time, Samuel?” asked his grandmother walking to the table with the bread she had baked.
“Alright, that is enough, Samuel. Not another word. We all know what happened. So let’s drop it. Hopefully you will learn not to bet what you can’t afford to lose, or don’t want to lose,” his mother stated with a serious expression.
“Samuel, I tell you what. I’ll challenge you to a game of chess after lunch. If you win fairly, you can have my dessert.” Mr. Ryan said walking up from the cellar.
“That sounds great! Thanks, Grandpa.”
“Dad, you are spoiling him.” Alex said.
“No, I’m not. I am just giving him a fair chance to get what he wants. I did that for you all while you were growing up, well pass your college years; and look how great you turned out, Alex,” Grandpa smiled.
“And I agree, Alex, you turned out spectacularly,” Nicholas said as he took the last empty chair at the table giving his wife, Alex, a kiss before sitting down.
“How’s the chapter coming along, Dad?” Gracie, the oldest daughter asked.
“It’s all done,” he answered with an impish grin.
“Nicholas, that is great! You completed the book three months ahead of the deadline. That’s incredible.” Alex said giving her husband a congratulation kiss.
“It’s been so long since I have been caught up in everything! I think I’m going to allow myself some down time; and maybe catch up on sleep, fun and relaxation for the rest of these long, cold, winter days. I feel like a kid on the last day of school, so free, with the long, days of summer all before him. Alex, let’s go into town today, just the two of us, and do absolutely nothing for a change; better yet, let’s get away for a few days to celebrate?
Alex started to say, “I don’t know, the children…” but was quickly interrupted by Nicholas.
“The children are up to their eyeballs in assignments that Grandpa can supervise. And I am sure Grandpa will be happy to take the kids skiing while we are away. What do you think, Dad?” Nicholas asked already knowing the answer.
“What I think is that it is high time you two take a few days off, and be by yourselves. Rosemary and I can keep the children on task, while keeping the home fires warm,” he answered winking at the children. The children smiled, knowing with their parents away, they would be doing a lot more skiing over the next few days than studying. And with grandmother being a soft touch to start her on a baking frenzy of their favorite goodies, there would be desserts galore, along with the late night story telling.
“Well, if you both are sure you can handle the children, I would love to get away for a few days,” Alex stated suppressing her excitement of an unexpected holiday with her husband.
After lunch, the children settled down with their music lessons, and homework as their parents packed. And before the dinner hour arrived, Alex and Nicholas had taken their jeep, and were on their way to Sunday River in Bethel, Maine.
CHAPTER TWO
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
It was a good thing that their parents had left before nightfall, as the wind had picked up unexpectedly, and it had started to snow. Grandpa was standing at the stove fixing dinner, when he noticed the lights flicker a bit. “Before it gets too snowy and windy out there, would you, kids, put on the flood lights, and check all the animals. Make sure they all have food, water, and that the barn doors are securely closed. Dinner will be on the table in twenty minutes.”
“It sure has been a snowy January,” Gracie said as the four of them tracked through the snow to the barn.
“It’s great snow for skiing! Tomorrow’s Friday, and I’m more than caught up in all my assignments this week. Does any one need any help getting their school work done tonight, so we can talk Grandpa in hitting the slopes first thing tomorrow morning?” William asked.
“Gracie answered first, “I’m caught up, what about you two?” Samuel and Robin nodded their heads with a smile.
As William opened the barn door he said,” that’s great!” Then he paused. He thought he saw a shadow of a man in the hay loft.
“William, what’s wrong?” Grace asked.
William quickly glanced around the barn. All the animals seemed fined. He closed the door and locked it securely. Then he whispered, “I think I saw someone in the hay loft. Let’s get back to the house and get Grandpa”
The four of them took off as fast as they could for the house. As they entered the kitchen, without taking their snow clothes off in the mudroom, their grandfather asked, what’s wrong?”
Gracie answered. “William thinks he saw the shadow of a man in the loft.”
Grandpa picked up the shotgun that hung in the kitchen closet. “No, Jed. I’m calling the sheriff,” said Grandma.
Grandpa nodded as he looked out the window toward the barn. “Sheriff, hi; this is Rosemary Ryan. I am just fine, thank you; but we might have a trespasser in our barn. The kids were just out there to check the animals for the evening. But as they started to enter the barn, William thought he saw a man’s shadow in the hay loft. Jed has the shotgun in hand, and we all are in the kitchen. Nicholas and Alex are away this evening. Do you think you could swing by and check it out? Oh, thank you, I do appreciate it.”
Grandma hung up the phone. “The Sheriff will be here in ten minutes. You kids sit down and eat your dinner. Grandpa will keep watch until the Sheriff arrives, but keep your jackets on until after the Sheriff leaves.” The four children quietly went to the stove with a plate and dished out a portion of a lentil and squash casserole, and some steamed Swiss chard. Then they stopped at the counter and picked up a salad and a crescent dinner roll. As the children ate in silence, they watched their Grandpa keep watch over the barn while their Grandma walked about the house looking out of the windows. “I don’t see any footprints. But with this snow and wind, any footprints would be covered up.” Grandma said to herself.
It had seemed like forever. But finally they could hear a car driving down the long driveway. Grandpa went out to greet the Sheriff and his assistant. “Hello, Jed. It’s getting bad out. If someone is in the barn, they are probably just seeking protection from this storm.”
“That was my first thought.” Jed answered. “But, Sheriff, we are way off the beaten path. What would anyone be doing around here? I would have checked it out myself, but you know how Rosemary is.”
“And she did the right thing, especially, with Nicholas out of town. I can see Rosemary has her jeep up and running. That woman is always thinking ahead. You are lucky to have her, Jed. Why don’t you go back in the house? Scott and I will check out the barn. If we are not back out in ten minutes, call for back up, get in the jeep, and leave the property.”
“And if you are back in ten minutes, why don’t you take a break and join us for tea and dessert? Rosemary made some sinful lemon bread pudding with chocolate raspberry sauce.”
“The Sheriff chuckled. Oh Rosemary and her desserts! We will see you in a few minutes, Jed.” With that said the Sherriff and his assistant drew their guns, and walked to the barn, taking two separate doors in.
After the children finished their dinner, they prepared two dishes and put them in the warming tray for their grandparents to have later on. Then they cleared the kitchen table, put the food away, and put the dishes in the dishwasher. With that done, they stood by the kitchen window watching. All they could hear was the clock ticking, and the crackling wood in the fireplace.
After a few minutes, they saw the Sheriff and his assistant leave the barn, and then watch them walk around the property. But as the snow got heavier and the wind got wilder, it became more and more difficult to see them. Yet, the children stayed by the window and watched the snow fly about in gusts of wind, hoping that it all was some shadow play that William saw, and not really a person hiding in their barn.
They didn’t see the Sheriff come to the kitchen door, but they heard the door slam and people stomping their feet to get the snow of their boots. The children didn’t move; they just looked at the mudroom and listened. “Jed, someone was in that barn for sure. But we searched the property and the barn and can’t find anyone. Of course, this wind and snow isn’t helping, but there isn’t anyone in the barn now. And I just can’t imagine anyone being out in this storm in the woods, yet I don’t know where they could have gone in the short time that William saw the man’s shadow, to when we arrived. So it’s a puzzle. I think it would be good for us to check the house and the garage; and then recheck the barn before we leave. I’ll wait until Scott shows up; he is in the car talking to dispatch.”
“What makes you think there was someone in the barn?” Jed asked.
“Well, to be honest with you, someone could have been there for a while, and left in a hurry when we showed up. We found a sleeping bag, and a tent sent up in the corner of the loft behind some bales of hay.” The Sheriff answered with concern. “But we can’t find a trace of where they may have gone. It’s like they simply vanished.”
“Hi, Scott.”
“Jed, we are going check around a little more,” Scott answered brushing off his coat and stomping the snow off his shoes. “Tom and Tony are on their way, Sheriff. They should be here in about twenty minutes.”
“We are going to search the garage. Then I want Rosemary and the kids in the jeep while we search the house. And rosemary, if you hear any shots, don’t check it out, just ride to headquarters. I don’t think we will find anyone in your house, but lets not take any chances, you all are so isolated out here.”
“Jed, I want you to stay in the kitchen, and keep your eyes and ears open while we search the house, cellar to attic, that is if we have your consent?”
“Of course, Sheriff, I want to sleep easy to night.”
After the Sheriff and Scott gave the okay, Rosemary, all bundled up in her snow clothes, took the kids into the garage, which was attached to the house off of the backside of the kitchen, and got into the jeep. With Jed watching his family from the kitchen, the Sheriff and Scott began to search the house, room by room, looking in every closet, and under every piece of furniture.
“Grandmother, I think I’m scared,” said Robin in a whisper.
“Being scared can be a good thing if it keeps you alert to your environment under unknown conditions; and right now, dear, it’s a good thing for us all to be alert. But do know that your Grandpa will make sure we all are safe no matter what happens. But for now, be quiet, listen, and keep your eyes open.”
The temperature in the garage was falling. And the wait seemed unusually long. For the longest time all they could hear was the wind, and the creaking of tree branches, before they finally heard a car coming up the driveway. Jed waved to Rosemary to signal that it was just Tom and Tony. The children tried to make out what their grandfather was telling Tony and Tom. And as they watched, they finally saw the Sheriff and Scott come back to the kitchen. Within two minutes, the Sheriff and Jed walked into the garage to get Rosemary and the children back in the house. “Rosemary, the house appears quite secure,” said the Sheriff. “The windows and doors are all locked; and there is no sign of any attempted break in. I think you all can settle back in, and get on with your evening. We are going to search the barn and the grounds one more time before we leave”
Even though it was good to hear that the house was safe, everyone was still tense knowing that someone had been setting up camp in their barn. They all thought silently: Where was that person? Are they gone? Are they hiding? It was hard to settle back to a normal evening with those questions unanswered. “I wish Mom and Dad were here,” William said mostly to himself.
“William, it would be nice if your parents were home. But I do believe we are safe. And your grandmother and I will keep you safe. I am hesitant in calling your parents because of the storm. I don’t want them driving at night in this weather; it just isn’t safe. The house has been searched; and all doors and windows are secured. No one is going to get into this house tonight. Now, kids, it’s time to get out of your snow clothes. I think it would be a good if you children go take a hot shower, and get into your pajamas now. I know it’s a little early for that, but after the Sheriff, and his men leave, we can have dessert and a game of chess. And then later on, we can get on the ham radio set, and see who’s talking tonight. But the best part is that we are all having a pajama party in the den tonight. So claim your areas!”
“I claim the red couch,” shouted Samuel.
“I claim the alcove by the fireplace,” William shouted back.
Grace chimed in, “I’ll take the window seat.”
“And what about you, Robin,” asked Rosemary.
“I’ll claim the area right beside you Grandma.”
With the children taking showers and getting their pajamas on, Rosemary and Jed ate their dinner that the children had so thoughtfully placed in the warming tray.
“So what do you think, Jed?”
“I don’t know. I don’t like the idea that someone was living in our barn without our knowledge. And more puzzling, where did this person go in this storm?”
“Well, hopefully, whoever it is, has moved on.”
CHAPTER THREE
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
“Congratulations, Samuel. You took the challenge and you won the game. That means you can go to the kitchen and pick out a second dessert!” Grandpa said smiling as he stood up to stretch his long legs after the chess match.
“Can I get you anything, Grandpa, when I am in the kitchen?” Samuel asked.
“Thank you, Samuel, but I am all set. Who would like to get the ham set going?”
“I think it’s my turn, Grandpa,” Robin said softly.
“And so it is,” Grandpa said as he tossed Robin in the air and caught her.
Giggling Robin said, “Now Grandpa, I want to do it myself. I don’t need any help.”
“Alright, darling, I will sit over hear and listen.”
The other children were putting their games away quietly, while listening to their sister turning on the radio and announcing her call sign over the air. “This is WXAB, is anyone listening.” Robin said in her strongest voice.
In an ever so faint voice, she heard a reply, “yes.”
“This is WXAB, I heard your response, please identify your call sign.”
“That will not be necessary, WXAB, as I am using a frequencies that are in-between the ordinary frequencies. No one can hear me but you.”
“This is WXAB, please identified your call sign,” Robin firmly requested again.
“Alright, my call sign is: BARN.”
At that point, everyone in the room was standing behind Robin.
“That’s an unusual call sign. How is the weather where you are at?” Robin asked in a more relaxed tone.
“It’s snowing; and the wind is blowing very hard,” the voice answered.
“Do you live in Freedom, New Hampshire?” Robin asked the voice on the radio.
“No, but I am visiting Freedom, New Hampshire.”
“Really, you must be very close to us since you are coming in so clearly?” Robin asked with a curious tone.
“Yes, I am quite close to you at this moment,” the voiced answered.
“You know where we are?” Robin asked in disbelief.
“Why, yes I do. “Right now you all are in the den of your home; and the fireplace is offering you great warmth,” said the voice in a quiet even tone.
Jed, picked up his granddaughter quietly, and took her place by the radio, while Rosemary quietly dialed the police, “Who are you, and what do you want?” Jed asked in a strong, low controlled voice.
“Hello, Mr. Ryan, it is so good to finally talk to you,” said the voice in the same even tone.
Jed looked over at Rosemary, but she conveyed to him, through sign language, that the phone line was dead; and that she was going to try the mobile ham set to try to get through to the Sheriff, on the emergency frequency.
“Who are you, and what do you want?” Jed demanded again, as he motioned Grace to bring him his shot gun.
As the voice began to answer, the children quickly closed all the shades. Grace quickly brought Rosemary her twenty-two, as she continued trying to get through to the Sheriff. “Mr. Ryan, you can call me Araidius. I am contacting you in peace. I do not wish to hurt you are you family.”
“Where are you?” Jed demanded in a strong, but controlled voice.
“Why, I am in your barn,” the voice replied softly.
Rosemary signaled Jed that she could not get through to the Sheriff, or anybody else. There seemed to be some sort of interference that was blocking any frequency she tried.
“Alright, Araidius, why are you in my barn?” Jed asked sternly.
“I want to meet you, and your family,” the voice answered barely above a whisper.
Rosemary quickly ran out to the garage to start the truck with the plow attachment, but it wouldn’t start, and neither would the jeep. As Jed, talked to Araiduis she slipped Jed note telling him of the situation: no working vehicles, and blizzard conditions outside. Then the electricity went out. But within a minute the back up generator kicked the power back on. The radio never lost power, with it automatic back up battery.
“Araidius, I don’t introduce trespassers to my family. And if I see you anywhere on my property, I will shoot, and I will only need one shot.” Jed said in a stronger but still controlled voice. Meanwhile, Rosemary was gathering the children into storm cellar, a reinforced room in the cellar with no windows. She left them each with a shot gun, confident in their ability to shoot on target if necessary. Jed had trained them to respect guns; and to shoot with a steady hand, and an accurate eye. Then she had the children bolt the door from the inside.
“Mr. Ryan, I had been waiting patiently for quite a while for an opportunity like this storm, to visit you so we could discuss the future of the world”
Rosemary was now really scared because Araidius, appeared to be not mentally well; and how does one negotiate with a mentally unbalanced person? She and Jed stared at each other for a moment calculating their options.
“Jed,” Aradius called out through the radio, “I am at your front door. Would you please, willingly, let me in?” Jed, silently raced to the other side of the house to get a clear shot of the front door with his night vision goggles. “Jed, it is freezing out here. Will you please let me in?” Araidius asked once again. Then, there was a single shot; and Araidius fell to the ground.
CHAPTER FOUR
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
Stunned, Jed could see the snow turning red where Araidius had fallen. Then he saw Rosemary running back into the garage with her twenty-two. Quickly he ran to the kitchen utility closet, to get some rope and a towel. Rosemary was already there. “I am going out the side door, and walk up on him from the back. You, stay in the house, and cover me from this window.” Jed ordered. Rosemary ran to the other side of the house, and took her position with a steady aim ready to shoot again if needed. She watched Jed come up from the rear, and turn Aradius over. Evidently he hit his head on the stone pillar, on the porch, when he fell over after Rosemary shot him in the right shoulder. She watched Jed tie his hand and feet, and placed the towel over the gun shot wound. Then he took one of the kid’s snow sleds, that was on the porch, moved it on the ground, and then rolled Araidius off the porch onto the sled. Rosemary watched carefully with her twenty-two aimed at Aradius head as Jed dragged the sled to the kitchen door. Then he dragged Araidius up the kitchen porch, into the mud room, dropping him on the floor. Rosemary quickly ran to the kitchen, keeping the gun on Araidius, from a distance, as Jed cleaned out the wound and dressed it the best he could. “The bullet went right through him,” Jed explained. “There must be a nice bullet hole in our front door. Good thing the kids were in the cellar. But he sure is going to have a whopper of bump on the side of his head where he hit it.”
“Jed, I wouldn’t shoot through the front door. I came up on his side. The bullet is in the tree trunk by the front door,” Rosemary defended herself.
Jed did all the first aid he could think of, before searching through the man’s pockets. “So what are we going to do with him,” asked Rosemary.
“Well, with the back up generator on, it’s not going to stay warm out here in the mudroom. Please set up an air mattress with a sleeping bag, in the alcove, by the fireplace, in the den; I will move him there. He is tied up well, and there is no way he is going to be able to move. I think it’s okay to get the kids out of the storm cellar. The shot probably scared them; its best they know what is going on. But take them directly upstairs. Tell them the pajama party will be in the master bedroom tonight. You and I can take turns keeping watch over Araidius.”
“Alright, I think that is the best we can do until we can contact the Sheriff. I’ll get the air mattress; and then I will get the kids ready for bed in the master bedroom. I love you, Jed,” Rosemary said as she left the mudroom.
“I love you too, dear,” he answered back.
The children were both frightened, and relieved to get out of the storm cellar. In the master bedroom, Rosemary had already set up their sleeping bags, and had lit the fireplace to warm up the room before she had brought them up. “Now these are the rules until further notice: you keep your weapon with you, and you don’t leave the master bedroom without permission…..understood?”
“Understood, Grandmother,” they all answered.
“There are some snickerdoodles, and a pitcher of cold milk for a late night snack on the side table by the bed. Is there anything else I can get for you before I go back and help your grandfather?
“Why can’t we see him, Grandma? I want to see what this Araidius looks like?” Samuel asked pressingly.
“Samuel, please, I already explained everything. Please, just do what I asked of you . I have too much on my mind. Now, I expect you older children to watch out for your younger brother. Don’t let him leave this room!”
“Grandmother, can we watch a movie tonight?” asked William.
“I think the generator can handle the DVD player, just keep the sound low. I’ll check in on you all in about a half hour”
Shutting the door behind her, Rosemary slowly walked down the stairway to the den where she saw Jed sitting in a rocking chair by the fire. “Can I fix you anything, dear?” she asked.
“No, thank you, dear. I made a pot of chamomile tea for us, over there on the table, if you want to pour yourself a cup? How are the kids doing?”
“I think they would feel a lot safer to see their Grandpa. Why don’t you go see them before they all fall asleep?”
“What time is it? Jed asked.
“It’s nine thirty-five.”
“Rosemary, if you think you can stay awake until midnight, I think I will say hello to the kids, and then catch a nap for a couple of hours.
“That’s fine, Jed. I am wide awake.”
Jed stood up, stretched, kissed his wife, and then slowly headed for the stairs.
“Don’t go Mr. Ryan,” said a low, soft voice. “We have much to talk about.”
CHAPTER FIVE
A WINTER TALE: THE “33”
“Would you please untie me? I promise I won’t hurt you or your family. What can I do to make you feel safe?” Araidius asked softly.
“I will feel safe when I turn you over to the Sheriff, and you are off my property for good! You are lucky you are not dead. But I can assure you, one move, and the next bullet will go right between your eyes. And now, since you are in my house, there will be no charity like there was outside,” Jed answered sharply, annoyed that Aradius was conscious.
Rosemary aimed her twenty-two at Araidius. Jed walked across the room to the gun safe and opened it. Then he walked back to Rosemary, took away her twenty-two, and handed her a forty-four magnum. “This will blow his head off, dear. You want to talk, Araidius, fine….. let’s get it on video.” Quickly, Jed set up a video camera. “Alright, Araidius, start talking.”
“There isn’t much time left, Mr. Ryan. The world is being threatened by a powerful group of madmen. They want to eliminate, kill, half of the humans on earth.”
Jed checked the audio on the camera, and then looked at Araidius, “so we are being told a gloom and doom fairy tale. Look, Araidius, just tell your tale, but this mini tape runs out in two hours, and that is all the time you have to speak. After that, I am going to give you a sleeping pill to put you out until the Sheriff gets here. So be aware, you don’t have all night to talk.”
“I know you understand how the world works, at least better than most humans. I know you understand there is a powerful group of individuals, with a lineage dating back centuries, who dictate the policies of this planet. This group, I will call the “Thirty Three”, have an allegiance to no nation or individual. They have one goal only, and that is to have the power to control everyone on earth. And unfortunately, the fiat currencies, and the internet has made it very easy for them to do that.”
Jed looked at Araidius with a poker face.
“I am representing those men, who actually rule the world. But as much as the internet has allowed them to data mind, and control people, and nations, the internet has also allowed people, like yourself, to track information and observe patterns in politics that are getting too close to the truth that they have been guarding for centuries. Therefore, you are on a list, like many others, to be eliminated before you can reveal too much documentation to the general public.”
Jed stared at this stranger, still not saying a word.
“I do not want to eliminate you because you are an honorable man. And I think if you work with me, we can change the course of events that has been set up to destroy families and all nations. You are an honest, intelligent manwith great integrity. Would you please work with me, concerning this issue?
“Jed, just give him the sleeping pills now. This is a waste of time,” Rosemary said as she walked to the kitchen to get some cookies to go with her tea. But when she got to the kitchen she let out a blood curdling screamed.
“Mrs. Ryan, would you please get me some hot soup. I am quite hungry. The nourishment will help speed up this wound that you inflicted on me.”
“Hold it right there, Araidius!” Jed commanded. “I don’t know what kind of mind control you are playing with us. I have no idea of how you got untied, and walked to the kitchen without me seeing; or how you managed to get into the kitchen before Rosemary did, but I will shoot you right between the eyes now if you don’t lie on the floor immediately on your stomach!” Jed said hastily in a panic.
With his hands up, Araidius slowly lowered himself to the floor. “Mr. Ryan, we were running out of time, and I had to prove a couple of things to you. The first is that you cannot hurt me. And the second, is that you have absolutely no power over me, not even with that forty -four magnum pointing at the back of my head. Check the gun wound that Mrs. Ryan inflicted on me.”
Jed nodded to Rosemary to check it. She gasped. “Jed, it’s all healed. I mean I can see where I shot him, but it’s all healed over. There is no open wound.”
“Explain!” was all Jed said while still keeping the forty-four magnum pointed at Araidius’s head.
“I have some unusual abilities. One is the speeding up of wounds. I have had this ability since birth. I was bred for this ability, and other rare abilities like telekinesis, although, I haven’t developed that skill as much as my ability to heal my body. The “Thirty Three” have technology that is light years ahead of mainstream America. Yet their morality has not kept pace with their advanced technology, and this is causing problems with the Rulers of the World. In the first time in seventeen thousand years, a split has occurred in their unity. And the group is becoming even more fragmented as I speak. There are basically two groups now, those who want to depopulate the world, by more than half, and those who want to work with humanity in solving the issues that they perceive humankind is causing. These people are not like the rest of humanity. They are not really evil, although they do crimes everyday. They think they have a right and an obligation to do what they do to the world. They think they are superior to you all”
“So you can do telekinesis?” Jed demanded. “Well, demonstrate that skill now.”
Slowly, the gun Jed was holding started to move in his hand. He was losing the grip on the handle. He struggled to hold it but within seconds, the gun fell to the floor. When Jed went to reclaim the gun, it was like it was glued to the floor; he couldn’t pick it up. Araidius smiled, “Now you know how I was able to untie myself. And now you know that any other of your methods to restrict me won’t work.”
“Rosemary, shoot him!” Jed ordered panicking
“I can’t pull the trigger, Jed. It’s like the rifle is jammed.”
“I am going to stand up now. And I am going to sit at the kitchen table. I would like you to please heat some soup up for me, and if you have any bread to go with it I would appreciate that. Please put your weapons away now. As you can see, I can restrict you from using them.”
“But Rosemary shot you outside,” Jed said shocked by what he just witnessed.
“Yes, that was my fault. I hadn’t anticipated Mrs. Ryan coming out in this blizzard to shoot me from behind. I was focused on you at the window. You tried to shoot, but you couldn’t pull the trigger. Do you remember that, Mr. Ryan? You thought the gun jammed. I jammed it.” Araidius explained as he sat at the kitchen table. “Please sit down, Mr. Ryan, as I said I have much to talk to you about.”
Jed sat opposite Araidius facing the doorway to the den. Rosemary placed a bowl of vegetable lentil soup, along with three slices of crusty French bread, and some homemade butter on the table for Araidius, before sitting next to Jed. They sat in silence watching Araidius eat.
“Mrs. Ryan, thank you. The soup was delicious; do you have any more of the pumpkin whoopee pie cake that the children were talking about?”
Rosemary’s eyes widen as she nodded yes, and then quickly went into the food pantry to get him a large slice. “Would you like tea to go with it?”
“Yes, please,” he answered with a smile. “Mr. Ryan, do you have any questions before we continue on camera?”
“Who are you? What are you? Where do you come from? Why are you here now? What do you want from me? And how do you know me?
“My name is Araidius. I am special council, you could say, to the Thirty Three, the rulers of the world. I am not one of them, but I was genetically bred, and have trained since birth to work closely for them. I am used mostly, by them, to eliminate problems. And you, in their eyes, have become a problem. As you can see, no one can control me by normal means. This makes it easy for me to eliminate people, and many other problems for them. Mr. Ryan. I was sent here to deal with you. As you can tell from my accent, I am from London. I know you, because the Thirty Three made it my job to know you. The Thirty Three know you, because your blood type in 0 negative. The Thirty Three tracks all people from birth with 0 negative blood. We know everything about you. What I want from you is for you to help me so I don’t have to eliminate you. Do you have another batch of questions or shall we take them one at a time now?”
“How can I possibly be of any help to you?”
“That is a fine question, Mr. Ryan. But it will take you a while to understand.
We are facing a four day snow storm. Your son-in-law and daughter will not be able to get home for at least a week. We and your communities around here are all snowed in. It is kind of like the snow storm of the century. And we need that time for you to digest all that I will reveal to you. I am afraid that as well read as you are, Mr. Ryan, you will be shocked by what I am about to tell you."
To be continued. Although the story may have some familair elements and seem familiar to some, poetic license had been taken Will continue tale next week.
Sincerely,
Mr.Davis
2/4/11