by Aiden James
“‘Oh, nothing really, Grandpa,’ I told him. ‘Just trying to find out where that lizard took off to. I must look like an idiot just standing here, huh?’
“Definitely, from the expression on his face. I looked away, letting my eyes follow the sphere’s smooth contours and the muddy ground. I lifted one of my feet, surprised at how deep it’d sunk into the mud. The shoe made a low puckering sound as I raised it out of the muck. How long had I been standing there? It didn’t seem like even a few minutes passed since picking up the object, and yet from the looks of my surroundings, I’d been there for at least an hour or two.
“‘Well, are you going to just stand there all day hoping to sprout some roots, or would you mind if we went inside the house, son?’
“Grandpa’s voice betrayed his irritation, and who could blame him? He stood a few feet away, impatiently moving from foot to foot. The only protection from the rain he’d brought was that morning’s newspaper, folded over, already soaked and dripping as he held it above his head.
“‘No, not at all,’ I said. ‘I’m ready to go in now.’
“He motioned for me to follow as he turned and ran to the shelter of the oak. My legs felt like rubber as I chased after him. Again, how long had I been standing in the rain? I could only venture a guess since the sun lay hidden behind dark clouds. Besides which, my wristwatch was missing. I felt completely disoriented and confused.”
“That had to be very intense for you, Jack,” Peter said, after Jack grew quiet. His eyes nearly restored to their original clarity, they sparkled, letting Jack know he remained interested. “Can you remember the intricate details on the object you held?”
“I wish I could, but I don’t think so,” he replied. “But I bet I’d recognize them in a heartbeat if I ever saw them again.”
“At a later time, I’ll show you some early American artifacts we have in our Archives Center. I’d be most interested to see how similar they are to the object you’ve described.”
“Sure, I’d be willing to do that.”
“Good. Let’s keep this wonderful story of yours rolling.”
“Well, I arrived at the base of the oak a moment after my grandfather did, and walked to where he stood. He eyed me sternly, the soaked newspaper held to his side while he petted Banjo.
“‘Why were you just standing there?’ he asked. ‘What was so damned interesting that you’d completely ignore me calling you?’
“Several images crowded my mind. Everything from hunting lizards to standing in the rain with the mysterious golden object in my hands. I shrugged.
“‘I’m sorry, Grandpa. I don’t know what came over me. One minute I’m chasing that lizard and the next I’m standing in the rain.’
“He raised his eyebrows, though more compassionately. He looked beyond me, to the area we just ran from, and shook his head. Then he smiled and chuckled.
“‘Come on, son,’ he said. ‘I’ll race you to the porch.’
“Water cascaded from the leaves above, forming several puddles. He gave a playful wink and on the count of three we raced to the porch while heavy rain pelted us mercilessly.
“Just before he and I entered the back door, the rain tapered off, leaving only a light drizzle in the air. We left our grimy shoes on the porch just outside the screened door. Glad to be indoors again, the strong aroma of dinner cooking on the kitchen stove alerted me to my stomach’s emptiness.
“The heat inside the kitchen was still stifling, even though a pair of floor fans stayed busy sending a cross breeze gathered from the main floor on through the kitchen. Grandpa advised me to go upstairs and change into dry clothes. He headed for his own bedroom on the main level.
“I headed upstairs, and as usual, the second, fourth, and seventh stairs squeaked, despite my best effort to walk softly up the old mahogany staircase that curved up to the second floor gallery. Once I reached the last step, I almost ran to my bedroom at the southern end of the house. Even during the day, it was pretty creepy, especially the hallway to my room.
“When I got to my bedroom, I walked to my dresser and emptied my pockets of a few coins and the golden object. I set all of these items next to my parents’ photographs and took off the wet clothes. After leaving them in a small pile near the foot of the bed, I glanced out the bedroom window, which I mentioned earlier faced the backyard. The rain had ceased and the summer sun was in full force. I started to turn toward the door, but noticed the time on my alarm clock read five thirty-one p.m. I couldn’t believe it. I’d been standing by the sphere for nearly three hours.
“No matter how hard I searched my memory, I couldn’t account for the missing time. I finally had to let the matter rest. Jeremy would be home any minute and I was in danger of missing the start of dinner. I ran to the bathroom and took a shower, putting on a pair of clean jeans and a t-shirt. I grabbed the prize off my dresser and shoved it into my pocket, ready to head downstairs for dinner.
“I could hear Grandpa talking to someone downstairs in the kitchen. A loud burst of laughter let me know Jeremy was home. I started down the stairs, but then remembered my wristwatch was missing. I ran back to my room and tried to locate it, checking the usual places. I forgot I’d last seen it near the swing in the backyard. My brother and grandfather grew restless downstairs. No choice but to search later.
“‘Jack! What the hell’s taking you so long up there?’ Grandpa shouted. ‘Supper’s waiting and we’re fixing to start without you!’
“I yelled I was on my way, and hurried to the top of the staircase. Just in time to see him walk to the kitchen, I clamored down the stairs, jumping past the bottom two and landing with a thud in the foyer. I headed for the kitchen, the creaking floorboards announcing my rapid approach. The aroma of spaghetti and meatballs filled the main floor, which kindled my raging hunger so much I almost forgot about the heavy object threatening to tear the fabric of my pocket. I steadied it with one hand and walked to the dinner table.
“Jeremy leaned against the kitchen counter, smoking his last cigarette before dinner. Tall, dark, and very good looking, at least that’s what the ladies always said, he’d be seventeen in September and already had a job lined up working fulltime for the local sawmill in town. Grandpa reluctantly agreed to let him drop out after the previous school year at Demopolis High, since he’d nearly flunked out due to apathy anyway. ‘What a waste!’ he’d say, especially since Jeremy had shown promise scholastically just a few years before. But ever since he blew out his right knee playing football the previous fall, he pretty much gave up on his education.
“He leaned against the counter, the powerful build that made him an all-state halfback on display and hard to ignore. I often felt weak and puny in comparison. Nonetheless, like many folks, I couldn’t help but stare in admiration at his physique and rugged handsomeness.
“He, on the other hand, felt uncomfortable being so adored and idolized by me, and would meet my absent stare with a cold, icy glare. His piercing green eyes cut through me like a pair of lasers as they peered from behind his curly, black, shoulder length hair.
‘What the hell are you looking at, little pecker head?’ he asked.
“Often the case, I was unaware of my obvious adulation.
“‘Oh, u-uh nothing really, Jeremy.’ I stammered. ‘I-I was just wondering what you’d been up to today.’
“‘Is that so? For a moment I thought you wanted to kiss me or something,’ he sneered. ‘I might have to come over there and kick your ass, little brother.’
“‘Jeremy. Damn it, son, that’ll be enough of that kind of talk!’ Grandpa scolded. He moved closer to the table, never taking his eyes off him as he made sure the two of us remained separated. ‘You’ll not be ruining supper tonight, you hear? Don’t think I won’t enforce my words on you, son, if I have to!’
“Jeremy looked at our grandfather, whose icy glare was far colder than his own. He smiled and shrugged, and took one last drag before mashing the remainder of the cigarette into a sma
ll ashtray sitting next to the sink. All the while, he never took his eyes away from Grandpa’s unwavering gaze, until he finally glanced at me. I gave my best effort to pretend my feelings weren’t hurt.
“‘Jeremy,’ said Grandpa, ‘you owe your brother an apology. As soon as you do that, we can all sit down and start eating. You reckon you can handle that?’
“A slight, smug grin appeared on my brother’s face, and slowly nodded his head. I believe partly in amusement and partly in admiration for our grandfather’s talent in manipulation. I’m sure he considered resisting the obvious coercion, but his growling stomach strongly suggested he do otherwise. He gave in to his hunger.
“‘Sure, Grandpa,’ he said softly, while smiling at me. ‘Sorry, Jackie, if I offended you in some way. Just don’t patronize me so much, man.’
“Patronize? Such a big word for him to be using, though I liked him a hell of a lot better when he let his intelligence rather than his vulgarity shine.
“‘Apology accepted,’ I replied.
“With that taken care of, we converged on the table set with steaming hot spaghetti and meatballs, buttered bread and fresh salad from Grandpa’s garden. After a quick grace, we dug in. At first there was very little conversation, other than the usual ‘please pass the whatever’ and the obligatory ‘thank you’. But after our initial hunger subsided, the scope of the conversation broadened considerably.
“‘So, what’ve you been up to today, Jackie?’ Jeremy asked. ‘Grandpa told me you were trying to catch some strange looking lizard out in the backyard. What about it, little brother?’
“Ah, the moment I’d anxiously awaited had arrived! A very rare thing to capture center stage with my loquacious big brother around. I cleared my throat as I straightened, and checked one last time to make sure both he and Grandpa were truly interested. I began telling them about my backyard adventure.
“Grandpa listened, polite, occasionally rubbing his chin as if pondering how much of my narration was the actual truth and how much an exaggeration of the facts involved. Jeremy, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his complete disbelief in my story.
“Pretty obvious to both me and Grandpa that he thought most of what came out of my mouth was a load of fabricated bullshit. He finally looked away, turning his attention instead to the new décor in our recently remodeled kitchen. He seemed genuinely interested in the new cabinets, ceramic tile, and appliances, as well as the ancient crown moldings Grandpa had just finished restoring to their original sheen. All the while, the pompous smirk broadened until he let out a sarcastic chuckle. When he could contain himself no longer, he gave in to a roaring fit of laughter.
“I immediately stopped talking, the wound from his blatant disrespect bringing an abrupt end to my story.
“Grandpa seemed greatly pained by my most recent hurt, and even more annoyed by my older brother’s rudeness.
“‘I’d like to know what you find so damned funny, Jeremy?’ he demanded. ‘You can be one insensitive horse’s ass, you know? Well? What’s up with that crap, son?’
“Jeremy continued to laugh until his face turned beet red. With our icy stares, he managed to regain his composure and told us what he’d found so amusing.
“‘So, Jackie, you’re telling us that you saw a lizard that looked like a miniature dragon?’ he said. ‘Ple-e-e-ase!’
“He slapped his hand open-faced on the kitchen table, rattling the plates and dishes. Again, he laughed uncontrollably until he struggled to breathe and tears formed.
“‘Are you sure it wasn’t Barney or Puff the Magic Dragon out there in the backyard?’ he taunted. ‘Maybe it was one of the Palmer kids’ stuffed-animals being pulled on a string or something. O-o-o-oh!’
“He held his hands out in front of himself in mock fright, while ignoring my indignant pleas and Grandpa’s growing anger.
“‘I’m telling you the truth, Jeremy! It was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen around here!’ I cried. ‘I wish you’d seen it yourself, because then you’d quit being such an asshole about it.’
“Both Jeremy and Grandpa eyed me sharply, for until that night I’d never cursed in their presence.
“‘The truth?’ Jeremy mocked, and stood, walking over to his cigarettes and ashtray. ‘You’re telling me the truth, Jackie?? Let me state here and now what likely is the truth!’ He tapped out a smoke and lit it before going on, signaling to Grandpa he was done with dinner.
“‘Here’s what I think happened,’ he continued. ‘I don’t think there was any ’dragon-lizard’ at any point or anywhere in the backyard, Jackie. I think this little story’s just a lame cover-up of yours. Just an excuse for getting caught jacking off by that sphere out back. Hell, Grandpa says he found you holding something just below your waist while you stood in the rain. I’d bet a hundred dollars against a stale doughnut that the thing in your hands was just your pre-pube tool!’
“Grandpa was about to severely upbraid Jeremy again. But, I stood up to my brother before Grandpa had a chance.
“‘I’m not the one with the sticky-paged porn magazines stashed under his bed!’ I said, daring him with a look to come shut me up.
“‘Fuck you, you little dweeb!’ Jeremy shouted. He started to come after me, and likely would’ve punched my lights out if it hadn’t been for Grandpa’s grip. As it was, he nearly knocked the remaining spaghetti and meatballs to the floor in the attempt.
“‘Boys!’ Grandpa shouted. ‘I’ve had about enough. Both of you sit down. Now!’
“He eyed us both evenly, but soon focused his attention on Jeremy alone. The weight of his icy stare forced my brother into his seat at the kitchen table. He motioned for me to sit down.
“A tense and uncomfortable silence settled upon the kitchen. I fidgeted nervously while looking down at the half-eaten meal, waiting for the horrible silence to end. Unwilling to look up, I could feel the searing heat of Jeremy’s stare, as if he were trying to melt me into a molten puddle where I sat. My story, which I’d hoped would impress my grandfather and especially my brother, failed miserably.
“‘What were you doing, standing out there in the rain, Jack?’ Grandpa finally asked.
“I looked up cautiously, peering at them. The perturbed and angry stares from a moment ago changed into more pliable and open looks of guarded curiosity. I took this as the perfect opportunity to play my ace in the hole and reveal my hand. I stood and carefully removed the golden object from my pocket.
“‘Like I said, I wasn’t playing with my privates out there,’ I told them, and glanced coolly toward Jeremy. ‘I was looking at this thing.’
“I cleared a spot amid the dishes of cold spaghetti and rapidly congealing tomato sauce, and set the object within the open space.
“They slowly stood and leaned toward it, a look of shocked fascination on Jeremy’s face and one of surprised horror on Grandpa’s. The object glowed softly, surrounded by the remains of our foregone dinner. Its brightness seemed to increase as they leaned closer to get a better look.”
“Do you recall how the object glowed? Whether the light emanated from within the thing, or was it more like a halo surrounding it?” Peter asked, reaching for another journal and paging to the middle. “It wasn’t like a haze of some sort, was it?”
“No, it wasn’t a haze. Actually, it reminded me of a glowworm I once saw on the Discovery Channel, the ones that light up the caves down in New Zealand. The light came from within the object.”
“I see,” said Peter, clicking his pen open to jot another note. “So what happened next?”
“Well, Jeremy reached for the object, his hand wavering as if expecting it to disappear. It did. Just as he reached for it, Grandpa snatched it off the table. He brought it close to his face as if to confirm, and then reconfirm, the reality of what he held. Jeremy stood dumbfounded, I’m sure scarcely believing the old man’s reflexes were that quick.
“I felt vindicated to some degree, though Grandpa’s behavior made me nervous. He kept turning the t
hing over and over, muttering under his breath. Before long, the crimson color returned to his face, deepening steadily until the veins in his neck throbbed.
“Jeremy and I prepared ourselves for the rising anger we saw simmering to a boil, though he rarely got upset unless my brother purposely pushed him into a rage. Something different about his demeanor, it took us a minute to identify what it was.
“He started pacing aimlessly across the kitchen floor, muttering to himself as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He seemed momentarily to have forgotten our presence. That’s when we recognized what we’d never seen before. Primal fear. He was really frightened.
“‘Oh, my God. M-my God! Oh-h, m-my God!’ he stammered, gingerly passing the object from hand to hand as if trying to avoid contamination.
“‘What’s wrong, Grandpa?’
“Jeremy moved closer as he tried to take the glowing object.
“‘That’s close enough, Jeremy!’ he warned. ‘You have no idea what you’re dealing with, son.’ He tightened his grip on the thing, which glowed brighter.
“‘Come on, Grandpa!’ Jeremy pleaded, a slight adolescent whine creeping into his tough guy persona. ‘I just want to look at it, that’s all.’
“‘I’m sorry, son, but whatever look you’ve gotten will have to suffice,’ said Grandpa. ‘This thing’s an abomination, and I’ll be damned for sure if I allow it to remain in our house another minute!’
“The veins on the side of his neck looked like they’d explode. He turned toward the kitchen door and ran. Just before opening the door, he turned to me.
“‘Where exactly did you find this thing, Jack?’ he asked. ‘If you’ve got it in your mind to tell me anything but the truth, don’t do it. I need to know the specific spot.’
“‘It was lying in the dirt, just in front of the sphere,’ I replied.
“He strongly discouraged us from going near the sphere, but it was far too late to lie about it. After all, he’d found me standing next to it, clutching the mysterious object in the rain.
“A dark cloud of sadness settled on him. For a moment, he stood near the back door. He started to say something, but the rage suddenly returned to his face. He threw open the kitchen door and stormed onto the back porch. The screened door slammed behind him, the sharp crack of wood on wood piercing the air. Before either Jeremy or I could react, we heard his heavy footsteps going down the porch steps and into the backyard. Alarmed, we ran in pursuit, the old screened door slamming again, twice this time, to announce our intentions.
