“Say nothing. That’s what. Let us handle it on our end and when we’re ready to inform the public, we’ll let you know”
“Okay,” Janine said. She rubbed her nose again.
Seeing the concerned look on the doctor’s face, she said, “Allergies.”
Chapter Nine
Irma and Hale, heartbroken at the loss of Grace, had a memorial service at their family’s church.
It was impossible to cover up what nature was swiftly breaking down.
Due to the unusual accelerated rate of the body’s decomposition, a closed casket was recommended. Grace’s picture was placed on top.
She’s with her parents now, Hale said to himself. He thought he heard a whispered, ‘Yes,’ but upon looking about, saw no one who said it. He looked at Grace’s photo and thought how much she looked like her mother. His heart was breaking.
“She’s with her parents now,” one of the mourners said to Hale.
“I was just thinking that,” he replied.
Scores of floral arrangements surrounded the coffin and trailed fragrantly along the altar, into the hallway of the church. A sweet scent of Madonna Lily permeated the air, wafting almost lifelike from pew to pew throughout the sanctuary. Only those fortunate enough to discern celestial vibrations were aware of the resonance and the resulting comfort it brought.
As is often the case of a funeral, it was a beautiful day outside for a dispirited occasion within. Filtering through stained glass windows, the scent seemed to track the sun’s rays.
The church was filled to capacity with standing room only for the ceremony.
Baby Corona whimpered delicately, almost inaudibly, in Irma’s arms throughout the service. Her eyes were tracking everything of interest to her.
Grace’s teachers and friends came to say goodbye to their beloved student and friend. Hale wondered to himself if one of the young men in attendance could be Corona’s father. None of them came forth to claim the baby as their daughter, and Hale had no plans to do a DNA test to find him. The origin of Corona’s paternity wasn’t important now.
“We’ll begin the service soon,” the pastor said. “Would you like to be seated?”
Grace’s aunt and uncle, with baby Corona, solemnly took their places in the front pew.
Customers who’d purchased flowers and gardening supplies from Grace’s Shed spoke and shared stories of the girl’s genius with plants.
Grace’s physician, the EMT who accompanied her to the emergency room, and those who attended her at the hospital, came to say goodbye to the brave young mother.
Nurse Janet offered her condolences to the family.
Some of the medical staff present, murmured and speculated amongst themselves about Grace’s surprising demise.
Attendees told Hale and Irma how sorry they were for their loss, hugging them as they went through the line.
Unlike most burial services, almost all at the funeral joined in the procession to the cemetery.
Baby Corona stopped whimpering and fell asleep when Grace’s body was lowered into one of the Pense family’s cemetery plots for burial.
More than a few of the mourners claimed to see a disturbance or “ripple” effect in the air over the grave when the casket touched bottom. It lingered with a vibratory resonance before trailing off.
A large headstone memorial had been chiseled to include the names and statistics of Grace and her parents. Irma and Hale wanted them noted despite Linda and John’s bodies not having ever been found. It was somehow comforting to the family to see the three loved ones’ names on the same piece of stone. In the lower left corner was a carved angel, blowing its trumpet into eternity.
Before leaving the grounds, mourners passed by Irma, Hale, and Corona, offering words of sympathy and comfort.
Like her mother before her, Baby Corona moved in with Irma and Hale as her caregivers.
The night of the funeral, a monitor was placed in Corona’s room for when she awoke in the nighttime for a feeding. Bottles and formula were readied nearby. The room was darkened for her ease in sleeping, with just a nightlight near the open door leading to the hallway.
Irma and Hale, both exhausted from the recent events, were in bed early.
A scent of Madonna Lily awakened the infant. Corona inhaled the perfume and recognized the familiar scent, the same one she associated with her mother. She relaxed in her bassinet and made gurgling and sucking sounds which were transmitted to Irma and Hale’s room through the monitor. Corona’s baby communications were unheard by the dozing family members.
An otherworldly presence invaded the home of the unsuspecting owners, both of whom were lulled to slumber through a sleep-inducing scent.
Fancy glided to the bassinet to view the child. She stuck her wart-covered hand inside and passed it over Corona’s frontal lobe.
The little one stopped making noises.
Fancy reached to the dresser and turned off the baby monitor.
Flora smoothly glided to the bedroom door and gently closed it. She turned the lock to prevent anyone from entering or looking in the room.
All’s well with my little girl, Flora communicated to Fancy. Look how alert she is already.
Yes, we have a new start here, Fancy replied. We shall see if she possesses more gifts than her mother. Maybe something we can benefit from.
Near the window, a shorter male creature stood motionless, awaiting instructions.
Flora waved her hands to him, inviting him to join them near the baby.
He moved forward, monitoring the female’s every gesture. His eyeband had a hint of green in its brightness. There was a radiance in the color which, like the females, waxed and waned when he touched something or communicated. His skin was coarser and darker than the females and he was less forceful in his mannerisms.
While the beings watched the new baby, a faint glow surrounded them in the room.
Corona was not fearful of the male. Already aware of people and her environment, the infant named him Helper, close to his In Situ name.
Corona was unconcerned about her own precocious cognition. She didn’t know why she knew it, but she understood much. Her knowledge included the fact that other babies lacked her extensive knowledge of their surroundings and that other babies were unaware of what was being said to them.
Unlike her fellow human beings, Corona had a highly developed brain, and used all of it instead of the fraction most people exercise. She also had 13 cranial nerves instead of 12. The typically known dozen nerves responded in her as in all humans, only hers were grossly enhanced. The thirteenth cranial nerve mediated the chemical and electrical exchanges in the brains of other creatures through an energy wave, then transferred the knowledge to her brain for interpretation.
Corona had already recognized the differences in her brain compared to those of other humans, especially in the area known as the corpus callosum, the white matter structure not found in lower mammals or marsupials. Corona understood that her corpus callosum consisted dense, billions of nerve fibers instead of the number found in her fellow human beings. It resulted in greater functioning of her white matter structure, which communicates from one side of the brain to the other. She possessed the ability to know and do things others did not, with myelination development beyond any primate.
The knowledge of her difference was explained to Corona by an inner voice which, although unbidden, informed her of things it thought Corona needed to know. The voice seemed familiar and Corona became accustomed to it.
Who are you? The child communicated without words to Fancy and the others. And why are you here?
The one Corona named Flora, glided toward the bassinet. Flora’s eyeband danced with color, flickering and sparkling with excitement.
You spoke to us with your thought wave! Fancy. She spoke to us with her thought wave.
Baby blue eyes stared at the luminous clouds of light in Flora’s eyeband. Corona wanted to reach out and touch the creature, but was afraid of the fa
ce and eyes of this one. To her they were harsher than Helper and much different from humans. Conscious of being unable to articulate that she wanted it to leave, she hoped it would go away.
Corona became aware of her own feelings of concern that the creature was attempting to control her and wasn’t there to feed her or hold her close. She swung her down-covered head from Flora to the other female, Fancy, and then looked at the male. She sensed compassion in him and reached a tiny arm forward.
Why is she still able to move? Flora asked of Fancy. Our ability to control her movements is not working. She was unhappy about that. This isn’t good.
I don’t know. Something’s different with this one. But it could be good, Fancy communicated back.
Baby Corona marveled at their internal communications and thoughts. She just discovered she was gifted with understanding what the creatures were thinking and communicating to one another.
Who are you? she asked again. All of the beings leaned in closer.
We are friendly and come from another place close to your world, Flora communicated. Her eyeband glowed brightly.
The colors on your face are pretty, Corona said. She was mesmerized by the pulsating lights in their eyebands and reached tiny fingers up to touch them.
She understands me and she already knows colors, Flora said to Fancy. Flora was calculating the number of hybrids that had been created to finally reach one with such capabilities. Pride swelled within her and she resisted letting her superiors immediately know. She wanted to savor the moment and obtain personal gain later.
The creatures bent closer to peer into Corona’s tiny face.
Flora waved the male away from the bassinet, believing the females should be the first observers of this new creature’s abilities.
Helper coughed and rubbed his nose.
Flora and Fancy were entranced with Corona so paid no attention to his condition.
The infant tensed as she realized they were trying to wander about in her brain. She closed them off from doing so.
I think she stopped our reading her deepest thoughts, Flora said. Her eyeband clouded. She was amazed and concerned all at the same time. She can communicate through the thought track, but we can’t read what she’s thinking and not communicating.
The baby appeared not to notice.
From behind the bedroom curtain another male, with a sack in his hands, made himself visible. He stood observing them all, waiting for his cue to be of service.
Corona stared at his yellow light-filled eyeband and gave him the name of Bob-Boy, because he seemed less mature, unsure of himself and he was bobbing his head.
Bob-Boy coughed several times which Corona attributed to nervousness. She wanted to say something kind to him; something to make him feel less intimidated by the females but decided against it. She wanted to convey the right words to let him know Corona and her family were nice people. Fair. Loving. Giving. But instead, she did nothing, aware of the importance of guarding her innermost thoughts and talents. She was learning swiftly as the situation changed and developed.
Bob-Boy’s feet shuffled a little. Entranced by the beautiful baby girl, he inadvertently moved a few steps, and then a few more, until he had advanced clumsily next to Helper. He leaned into the bassinet, cocked his head and smiled.
Flora turned her head to see what Bob-Boy had done. The female’s eyeband darkened and she got between him and the baby. Chemical impulses in her brain transmitted her unhappiness with his making bold moves without her permission.
Corona understood it all in her sensitive Hybrid brain. Her temporal lobes perceived and correctly interpreted the chemical and electrical exchanges between and amongst her visitors.
Helper put his head down and turned away from the inevitable consequence of a male creature making too much noise and independently choosing a position at such an important gathering without asking permission.
Flora closed in on the helpless, smaller Bob-Boy. Hands moving and turning near his bare skull, she communicated to him he was out of line. She chastised him for not taking care of his cough before passing over, reminding him he could infect the baby.
Corona was uncomfortable at the female’s harsh treatment of Bob-Boy. She also perceived the beings thought that she’d not remember what had transpired in her room today.
The light in Bob-Boy’s eyes began to dim and he became unsteady on his feet. Two males appeared from the corner of the nursery and stood, one on either side of the wobbly In Situ. They helped him to the darkened, far corner of the room. Bob-Boy’s last thought was of Sunni.
Corona couldn’t see what happened to him after that. She was anxious over his fate and wanted to help him, but didn’t express it.
A hidden male with an orange eyeband took note of this infant’s kindness. His interest in her mercy for the weaker being piqued his interest.
Because of the male, we can only do part of our examination tonight, Flora communicated. We’ll return again soon.
Something else had captured Flora’s attention. This baby, of all the babies with whom they had worked, was already following their line of thinking, was reasoning, and was communicating with her thought track. She had a large vocabulary and was far ahead of others in their history of working with Hybrids.
Corona’s heightened decision-making abilities helped her choose the option of veiling her brain activity so she understood their happiness with her, but they couldn’t read her innermost thoughts. Self-preservation seemed important to her. She recognized she would, by necessity, have to modify her interactions and responses with the nighttime visitors.
Flora opened her mouth, waved her hands for Fancy to see, and leaned in mere inches from Corona’s eyes. She was anxious to know more about the DNA sequence of this one - whether Corona’s genetic markers would prove her correct in her assessment of the infant’s abilities.
I think we should take a skin scraping from her now, Flora communicated to Fancy. We can save it and use it later if she’s everything we think she is.
She’s just an infant. Way too young. Let’s wait awhile, Fancy said.
I just want to be sure she’s the one we’ve been waiting for, Flora said. She was careful not to communicate too much lest Corona understand. She looked at the child. No, she’s too young to read our deepest thoughts. No other Hybrid could do that. I’m wrong. I’m getting ahead of things.
Corona was excited to know they’d been waiting for her. She also understood their concern with her abilities.
Wait until she’s older to remove cells, Fancy said. I think it’s too early to do that.
Flora wasn’t concerned about the potential for the infant to experience discomfort during the procedure, but was careful not to show it. She realized that what she thought was happening, could be true. Grace’s baby may be able to understand them fully, while possessing the ability to shield her own brain activity from others. Flora checked herself, thinking it might not be happening because she had never witnessed veiling in a conscious human. She’d known plenty of unconscious, brain-damaged people who were capable of shielding their brain functioning as a last resort in brain healing, but it wasn’t a deliberate effort. Rather, the brain instinctively provided that defense. No healthy person she knew of had ever demonstrated this as a conscious trait.
Perhaps this is the one, Flora signaled to Fancy. The Gift. We may get what we want after all.
Fancy peered deeply into Corona’s eyes. She waved her hand over the baby’s forehead and looked over at Flora. She may be able to come with us someday.
Yes, Flora said. She waved her hands excitedly in front of her, awaiting the baby’s response.
Corona smiled and, without lifting the veil, communicated through her thought track. I do understand what you’re telling me.
That’s wonderful, Flora said to Fancy. Let’s finish our examination of her. We’ll be able to make stops with the other Hybrids during another visit. We’ll do the basics now and come back here for a longer sessi
on after the males have been to the Healing Room to rid themselves of the cough.
With her business face back on, Flora pulled the receiving blanket off the baby, and removed Corona’s clothes.
Fancy touched the baby’s chest and felt her heart filling and emptying, beat, beat, beat, 160 times per minute. She examined the wet diaper and pointed an instrument at it which Helper had handed her. Experience with other babies had taught her that quickly replacing the diaper was a good idea.
Flora handled Corona’s extremities roughly, picking them up and stretching them out, letting them fall back down.
The baby wanted to protest but decided against it.
Fancy accepted a light beam from Helper and probed deeply into the four quadrants of Corona’s abdominal area, turned her over, and did the same to her kidneys and liver. She put the baby on her back. She placed the instrument in Helper’s bag and motioned for him to move back. She placed her hands on Corona’s skull, feeling the infant’s wisps of blonde hair. She palpated the seven soft cranial bones separated by sutures, carefully avoiding putting pressure on the delicate areas.
Corona wiggled her arms and legs, enjoying the attention from them.
Fancy gestured to Helper by fluttering her hands in front of her. Helper took his instruments and, with the other males, went to the corner of the room and departed.
Although Corona couldn’t see where Helper went, she instinctively knew he was gone. She had sensed the change in the magnetic field when the creature departed this dimension.
Flora dressed Corona and hastened to the closet. She opened the door and looked on the top shelf for the box of items from the boat Grace’s parents were on the day they went missing. Satisfied they were still there, she closed the closet door and glided toward the room’s corner.
Fancy waited for Flora to exit, then switched the monitor to ‘On.’ She waved her hand over Corona’s frontal lobe to release the child from immobility. Fancy glided to the far corner of the room, folded her arms across her chest and disappeared.
Corona gurgled at the energy change in the room
WATCHING CORONA: From Our Dimension to Yours Page 5
