jak.themothmanprophecies-第30节

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（*）　events　seem　to　be　concentrated　around　schools　and　the　largest　percentage　of　witnesses　consists　of　children　between　the　ages　of　seven　and　eighteen。　Another　statistical　oddity　is　that　the　majority　of　the　adults　who　claim　their　autos　were　pursued　by　UFOs　or　monsters　are　school…teachers；　especially　teachers　specializing　in　abnormal　children…the　very　bright　or　the　mentally　deficient。　This　is　why　I　was　so　interested　in　the　West　Virginia　〃census　takers〃　who　were　mainly　concerned　with　the　numbers　and　ages　of　the　children　living　in　the　Ohio　valley。　
　　
　　
　　
　　＇*＇　A　Fortean　event　is　any　event　which　does　not　have　a　rational　scientific　explanation。　The　word　was　coined　after　Charles　Fort。　There　is　even　an　International　Fortean　Organization　（INFO）；　Box　367；　Arlington；　Virginia。　
　　　
　　
　　　12　…　Games　Nonpeople　Play　
　　
　　I
　　
　　〃Woodrow　Derenberger　is　pregnant！〃
　　
　　The　word　flashed　up　and　down　the　Ohio　valley；　and　many　people　took　the　absurd　rumor　seriously。　The　space　people　had　selected　Woody　for　a　unique　experiment；　so　the　story　went；　and　he　had　gone　into　hiding　to　nurture　his　rapidly　swelling　stomach。　He　would　soon　be　giving　birth　to　a　very　special　baby；　part　earthling；　part　extraterrestrial。　The　child　was　slated　to　grow　into　a　great　leader。
　　
　　The　events　of　1966…67　had　fractured　everyone's　sense　of　credulity。　Almost　anything　now　seemed　possible。　A　pregnant　man　was　no　more　absurd　than　the　winged　behemoth；　or　the　gigantic　illuminated　forms　that　cruised　up　and　down　the　Ohio　nightly。　A　fantastic　new　world　was　taking　shape；　populated　by　spacemen　who　drove　Cadillacs　and　Volkswagens；　psychiatrists　who　heard　bodiless　voices　in　the　night；　and　things　that　ate　dogs　and　cattle　while　everyone　was　looking　in　the　wrong　direction。
　　
　　Like　everyone　else；　I　was　caught　up　in　the　games；　mystery　piling　upon　mystery。　Someone　somewhere　obviously　knew　every　move　I　was　making；　or　so　it　seemed。　I　became　very　secretive；　not　even　telling　my　closest　friends　where　I　was　going　or　where　I　had　been。　Nevertheless；　something　seemed　to　be　following　me。　I　would　drop　in　unannounced　on　a　remote　farm　and　soon　after　I　settled　down　to　chat　with　the　residents　their　phone　would　ring　and　there　would　be　no　one　on　the　line；　or　a　series　of　loud　beeps　would　ring　out。　The　farmer　would　act　astonished。
　　
　　〃We've　never　had　a　call　like　that　before！〃
　　
　　The　phone　would　ring　repeatedly　until　I　left。　
　　
　　This　happened　several　different　times　in　several　different　places。
　　
　　I　used　a　system　of　〃spot　checks；〃　visiting　homes　in　flap　areas　and　talking　with　people　who　had　never　reported　anything。　Mrs。　Hyre　acpanied　me　on　a　number　of　these　spot　checks　and　was　amazed　at　how　much　had　been　going　on。　Her　name　and　face　were　familiar　to　everyone　in　the　area　and　her　reputation　as　a　fair；　objective　reporter　was　impeccable。　People　automatically　loosened　up　when　they　saw　her　and　talked　freely。　In　the　hills　surrounding　Point　Pleasant　we　heard　many　stories　about　footsteps　on　the　roof；　strange　metallic　clangings　（the　most　mon　being　the　sound　of　a　car　door　slamming　outside　the　house　when　there　were　no　cars　in　sight）。　One　family　showed　us　how　the　flap　covering　the　entrance　to　their　attic　had　been　mysteriously　moved。　It　was　a　hole　in　the　ceiling　of　a　bedroom　and　could　only　be　reached　with　a　high　ladder。　Others　plained　of　〃Gypsies〃　marching　across　their　property　late　at　night；　men　in　bright　reflective　clothing　and　women　in　ankle…length　dresses；　all　with　long　hair　and　dark　Oriental　faces。　（This　was　well　before　the　hippie　explosion　of　the　late　1960s。）
　　
　　North　of　Gallipolis；　Ohio；　I　impulsively　stopped　at　an　isolated　farmhouse　one　afternoon　and　when　I　knocked　at　the　door　a　grim…faced　man　answered　with　a　shotgun　in　his　hands。　I　started　to　show　my　credentials　and　explain　who　I　was　but　he　cut　me　short。
　　
　　〃I　know　who　you　are；〃　he　growled。　〃We　don't　want　anything　to　do　with　you。　Get　out　of　here。〃
　　
　　Puzzled；　I　reported　back　to　Mary　and　suggested　that　she　visit　the　farm　to　see　if　she　could　find　out　the　reason　for　the　man's　strange　behavior。
　　
　　The　next　day　we　went　back。　I　remained　in　the　car　while　she　talked　with　him　for　several　minutes。　Finally　they　both　came　out　to　the　car　laughing。
　　
　　〃You're　not　going　to　believe　this；〃　the　farmer　began　apologetically；　〃but　ten　minutes　before　you　arrived　here　yesterday　I　got　a　phone　call。　It　sounded　like　a　neighbor　of　mine　and　he　said　he　was　calling　to　warn　me　about　a　crazy　man　。。。　a　real　dangerous　type　。。。　with　a　beard　。。。　that　had　just　been　to　see　him。　Said　I　shouldn't　have　anything　to　do　with　him。　Ten　minutes　later　you　showed　up。　After　you　left；　I　called　him　back。　He　was　out　in　the　fields。　Had　been　all　day。　His　wife　had　to　go　get　him。　He　said　he　hadn't　made　that　call。〃
　　
　　I　looked　sternly　at　Mary。
　　
　　〃Is　this　some　kind　of　a　put…on？〃
　　
　　〃Absolutely　not；〃　she　answered；　turning　to　the　farmer。　〃Tell　him　the　rest　of　it。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　about　a　week　ago　something　scared　my　cows　real　bad；〃　he　continued。　〃You　know；　we　ain't　told　anyone　about　this；　Mrs。　Hyre。　You　aren't　going　to　put　it　in　the　paper；　are　you？〃
　　
　　〃Not　if　you　don't　want　us　to。〃
　　
　　〃e　on。　Let　me　show　you　something。〃
　　
　　He　led　us　into　the　field　behind　his　barn。　There　was　a　thirty…foot　circle　of　scorched　earth　on　the　hillside。　I　had　seen　several　of　these　〃fairy　circles〃　before。
　　
　　〃That　night　our　cows　really　acted　up；〃　he　went　on。　〃They　stampeded。　They　were　so　scared　they　went　right　through　the　fence　over　there。〃　He　pointed　toward　a　stretch　of　wire　fence　that　had　obviously　just　been　repaired。　〃It's　an　electric　fence。　Now　you　know　that　it　takes　a　lot　to　make　cows　charge　through　an　electric　fence。　Anyway；　when　I　heard　the　ruckus　I　ran　outside　and　I　saw　my　cows　scattering　down　the　road。　And　there　was　a　big　red　and　white　glowing　thing　sitting　right　in　the　field。　I've　got　to　say　that　it　scared　me　half　to　death。　I　ran　back　in　my　house　to　get　my　gun。　Didn't　take　me　more　than　a　minute。　But　when　I　got　outside　again　the　thing　was　gone。　This　circle　was　all　that　was　left。　It　took　the　rest　of　the　night　to　round　up　my　cows。〃
　　
　　〃Were　any　of　them　lost　or　missing？〃　I　asked。
　　
　　〃No。〃　He　paused。　〃But　Herk…that's　Hercules…my　big　old　collie　dog　ran　off　that　night　and　we　ain't　seen　him；　since。〃
　　
　　Mary　had　been　with　me　when　I　had　checked　into　other　missing　dog　incidents。　She　gave　me　a　meaningful　glance　and　he　caught　it。
　　
　　〃Say；　you　don't　think　that　thing　took　old　Herk；　do　you？〃
　　
　　〃No。　It　was　probably　just　some　kind　of　electrical　phenomenon；〃　I　answered　gently。　〃Herk　will　probably　e　back。〃
　　
　　〃I　hope　so。　We　sure　loved　that　dog。〃　He　looked　thoughtful。　〃Electrical；　huh。　Let　me　show　you　something　else。〃
　　
　　He　led　us　into　bis　barn　and　showed　us　a　brand…new　circuit　box。
　　
　　〃I　had　to　have　this　put　in　the　next　day　so　I　could　run　my　milker。　The　old　box　was　pletely　burned　out。　In　fact；　it　was　melted　。。。　like　somebody　had　put　a　welding　torch　to　it。〃
　　
　　〃See；　it　must　have　been　some　kind　of　electrical　thing；〃　I　said　lamely。　I　knew　Ivan　Sanderson　had　investigated　an　almost　identical　incident　in　New　Jersey　only　weeks　before。　But　in　that　case　the　cows　had　been　in　their　stalls　in　the　barn　and　were　found　dead。
　　
　　〃Has　anyone　else　been　around　to　talk　to　you　about　this？〃
　　
　　〃No　。。。　I　haven't　told　anyone。　Just　some　fellows　from　the　electric　pany　who　turned　up　the　next　day。　They　fussed　around　with　the　transformer　on　the　pole　by　the　road。　I　tried　to　talk　with　them　but　they　didn't　have　much　to　say。〃
　　
　　〃Did　you　know　them？〃
　　
　　〃Never　saw　them　before。　e　to　think　of　it；　they　didn't　have　a　regular　electric　truck。　Just　a　panel　truck。〃
　　
　　〃Would　you　recognize　them　if　you　saw　them　again？〃
　　
　　〃Sure　would。　They　was　foreigners。　You　know；　Japs　or　something。　Like　I　said；　they　weren't　very　friendly。〃
　　
　　〃How　were　they　dressed？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　you　know　。。。　ordinary　coveralls。　I　did　notice　their　shoes；　though。　They　had　on　funny　shoes　with　very　thick　rubber　soles。　Guess　when　you　work　around　electricity　you　need　insulation。〃
　　
　　Mary　shuddered　perceptibly。
　　
　　〃Say；　do　you　know　these　fellows？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃Well；　I　saw　a　man　with　thick…soled　shoes　like　that　once；〃　Mary　began。　I　cut　in　sharply；　thanking　the　man；　promising　to　keep　him　out　of　the　papers；　and　reminding　Mary　that　we　had　an　appointment　elsewhere。
　　
　　Back　in　the　car；　Mary　could　no　longer　curb　her　natural　curiosity。
　　
　　〃What　do　you　make　of　all　this；　John？〃
　　
　　〃The　more　I　find　out；　the　more　confusing　it　bees。〃
　　
　　〃That's　the　way　I　feel。　That　phone　call　。。。　sounds　like　someone　didn't　want　you　to　talk　to　him。〃
　　
　　〃It　could　work　the　other　way；　too；〃　I　suggested。　〃Maybe　this　whole　thing　was　set　up　so　I　would　talk　to　him。　I　just　picked　his　farm　out　at　random。　If　he　had　just　turned　me　away　with　a　smile　I　would　never　have　bothered　him　again。　But　when　he　came　to　the　door　with　a　gun　。。。〃
　　
　　〃But　how　did　they　know　you　were　going　to　stop　there？　How　could　anyone　have　possibly　known？〃
　　
　　〃That's　the　real　question。　How　could　anyone　have　known？〃
　　
　　II。