The Staff of Ira

by Carl Sheffield

  He asked me, “May I see the stone and nuggets?” I reached into my pocket, handed him the small bag. He looked at them. “Where did you find these?” I told him around. I didn’t need people asking questions about me.

  He said, “There are no gold or stones like these in this world.” Pam called him by his name.

  He said, “The gold is worth eight hundred dollars. The emerald, I’m not sure. I’ll get you the money for the gold. I’ll need to keep the stone.” “Pam told me I could trust you. Just to show you what I will do if you trick me or steal from me, I’ll do to your head as I’ll do to that rock.”

  Pam said, “What do you mean?” I pointed to the rock, I crushed it. Grady jumped back. Pam could see Grady was afraid.

  Grady called Pam to the side. “Where did you find him?” Pam told him, “He was hurt in the desert. The military police brought him into the hospital.”

  Grady said to Pam, “I’ll get rid of the stone, you get rid of him. Pam, he is not normal.”

  Pam replied, “Yes, I get that, who is these days? UFOs are flying around, or that’s what they say. Grady, I’ve never seen one.”

  Grady said, “I think you have met an alien.”

  Pam answered, “Looks like a human to me.” I went back in the car. Pam backed up. We left Grady standing, watching us leave.

  Pam said, “Grady will call with the news of the stone.” In a small place in the desert on the way back to Carlsbad, we stopped at a Mexican place. I noticed I’ve seen a lot of them. Walking inside, hell I almost forgot what the smell of meat frying. Hell, I forgot what it tastes like. Pam ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a coke. I told Pam I forgot what coke tastes like. We do not eat meat on my world.

  Pam insisted, “Tell me more about your world, Tyler.”

  I asked, “Why? you’re just going to say bullshit. I’ll tell you anyway. Well, when I left Earth, I was twelve years old. I was schooled by the greatest mind of the planet. Mea is over three hundred years old, I think. She lived on Earth for a while, Russia I think.

  Dorn has been to Earth several times. He is the same age as Mea. Dorn looks about the age of Grady. You don’t age there as you do on Earth. Ren is over six hundred years old. He looks like your Doctor Jones.”

  Pam smiled. “It’s your story, tell me more.”

  “There is so much, I’m not sure where to begin. Mea, I suppose is so intelligent, she can do anything, of course, several people can. Zin, that is Dorn’s son, he is five by now. He will be with Ira. My sister, you don’t want to make mad, then the four.

  Pam said, “Tell me about them.” I told Pam I’ve seen them destroy a ship in space with their minds.

  “Bullshit,” Pam said.

  I asked Pam, “Why do you want me to tell you if you don’t believe me?

  Like I’ve said, someday Dorn will come for me even Marie or April.”

  Pam said, “April, the one you left.”

  “She was with Roberto. I’m not sure what will happen. I tell you one thing, if she was here, there would be hell on Earth. Pam, we’re not a violent race, we won’t be defeated so easily.”

  “Fax and Kikki, Fax’s daughter, they’re from Xon. It’s about three hours from us.”

  Pam said, “Man, I could sit and listen to you all night long, but we need to get back.”

  On the way to Carlsbad, Pam said to me, “I noticed you only had fries.” I told her I don’t eat meat only fruit, bread, cheese, and vegetables. I told her about the Sweet Grass plant that looks like asparagus, with a different taste; it is so good. Each time Fax comes, he carries it home by the baskets.

  Xon became allies with us. Mekon built ships for them. Kikki was with my ship in orbit. Roberto and I was on the last run. Well, you know the rest. Driving into the village where Pam lived, it was a small village. Her apartment was small also. She had only one bedroom.

  Pam asked, “Are you hungry?” She told me she would make a salad. I declined.

  She gave me a blanket, and a pillow pointed to the sofa. I laid on the sofa, staring at the ceiling for hours. It was useless, I could not sleep. I raised myself up, walked to the window, looking at the eastern sky. I saw a light, my heart started beating fast. Then it went out; it was a military flare.

  Human as I was, I still did not understand our race. Why were we always trying to change things? Why were we always trying to destroy things we don’t understand? Living on Boldlygo has taught me at least one thing: Time will change, don’t be in a hurry.

  This morning was cold in New Mexico, this time of year. I long to be home. I longed to smell the fresh air that flowed from the Marder-to-go’s. The weather was always the same all year long. Dorn said it had to do with the purple sun. We were so far into our solar system that no one had come there until we befriended Alpha Centauri. That’s when it all started.

  Watching the morning sunrise across the desert, I thought it was a beautiful place. It was not for me. Listening to a noise from Pam’s room, Pam was up. Pam walked to the stove. It wasn’t long before I got a smell of something I haven’t smelled in a long time: it was coffee. I had to have a cup, bullshit, I had three. Pam came from the shower with her hair in a towel and a robe.

  She asked, “Do women dress like this where you’re from?” I told her no, we all take baths together. She spit the coffee everywhere. I smiled.

  She said, “Yes, bullshit.” I told her some dress in robes. I’ve never seen them take a bath. We had a cup of coffee and talked for a while.

  Pam said, “You spoke of Leah and Dorn. Tell me about them.”

  I asked her,” Do you work today?”

  She answered, “Today is Saturday, I’m off until Monday. Go ahead with your story.”

  “Well, Dorn was born on Boldlygo, his mother was from Earth. Ira was King at the time. Ira had been to Earth several times. Look at it this way: Think of Christopher Columbus sailing the ocean, found a beautiful woman, kept coming back. Well, after several hundred years, Kayla wanted to come back to Earth. Dorn was a baby, left in the care of Mekon and Mea. When Ira came from Earth, he never left again for many years.”

  Pam said, “You said you couldn’t die there.”

  “See, you’re not listening. On the mission to Earth, Omega, Mekon, and Aries took the ship. Fax sent a ship the Xonian. Well, Ira took a walk in the woods. Ira found the grave of his queen, gave Mekon the Staff of Ira, laid across the grave of Kayla and died. Dorn grew into manhood without knowing that Kayla or Ira was his parents.

  Mekon had advanced so much; he found a way to take DNA and placed it into the bodies of females. The female would have a child, carry the child, give birth to the child. The child would grow, die the essence extracted place in the host. They were reborn. Ira asked Dorn to come to the blue planet to do the experiment. Since he was already a pilot, an explorer Dorn agreed. I think it was about fourteen sixty. When he was born again, placed back in the host. Dorn had the ability to shift his body.”

  By now, Pam had eggs and toast. I thought, man it’s been years. I had toast and jelly. My stomach started to ache. I was not used to eating this. I told Pam, “You should hear some of the stories they tell on Boldlygo. We have no radios, no cars, no movies, no crime, and no death.”

  Pam looked at me. “Tyler, I don’t know what to believe. You make it sound so real.”

  I said, “If you do believe me, please don’t tell anyone. I don’t need the military asking questions.” I excused myself for the shower. Changing back to the cloths, we walked to Pam’s car. I took a deep breath of desert air; it was pure, not as my world.

  Later that day, Pam took me to a store; I swear they had everything. I also asked for a place to live.

  Pam said, “I might find a place in town. Tell me about Leah.”

  “Well, Leah was born on Earth. Once long ago, Mekon came to Earth. There was a family here we called our Earth family. Mekon
would come here, find the family, transfer DNA to the females. Time went on, Leah met Mea. Remember I told you Mea was very intelligent. Well, Mea new when she met Leah they shared the same DNA. On her arrival on Boldlygo, she asked to see Mekon. Leah had met him in the forest when she was a little girl. Ira took to her right away, so did Kira.”

  Pam asked, “Why Kira?”

  “Kira was Dorn’s daughter by DNA only. He or Kira never knew who the mother was. It was something they had to do for their race. Kira was the only being on the planet with white hair and blue eyes. Dorn, Leah, Ira, Kira and now Zin, are royal blood.”

  Pam said, “Let’s stop for a hot dog.” I told her I don’t eat meat. It would tear me up.

  Pam said, “Big age difference between Dorn and Leah.”

  “Yes, except it doesn’t matter there.” Riding, I said to her,

  “Look, Pam, I need to go back to my ship soon. I need to find out how bad it was hit. I may be able to repair it, or at least get a signal off.”

  Pam looked at me. “Are you for real?” I told her yes, I was for real.

  Pam said, “Tell me more.”

  “Well, when Dorn came to Earth on a rescue mission, he found a lot of humans with alien DNA. Of course, many years before, there were seventy-seven they brought back, carried them all over. Some here in New Mexico. Well, the ones with DNA from the planet, I was one and my sister Marie, Ellie, Candance, Wald, Wil, and Leah. There were several others. On the last run, they went to Russia.”

  Pam asked, “Who is Mi?”

  I said, “Dorn’s personal guard, captain of the ship. That’s when he found Mea and Leah. Then we went to Boldlygo, that’s where I’ve been except the time I came to Earth.”

  Pam asked, “What is the four?”

  I told Pam, “Leah, Candance, Ellie, and April. The most powerful force in the universe. Pam, as I have told you, I’ve seen them take out ships in space. They can send a shield out that nothing can penetrate through. I have seen this more than once.”

  Pam said, “This is nothing but bullshit.”

  I asked Pam, “You think I can stay at your place tonight? When you leave in the morning, I’ll go too. When your friend Grady calls, let me know, I’ll go meet him. I promise you won’t see me again.”

  Pam looked at me. “Tyler, I believe you believe what you say. I mean, think about it.”

  Smiling at her I said, “I don’t need to think about it Pam, I know it’s true.”

  Mornings were cool here, Pam said it was coming summer. I tell you it was winter to me. I was having coffee when Pam came from the shower. She went back to the bedroom. I gathered my things, placed them in a paper bag.

  Pam called from the bedroom, “You don’t have to leave. Tyler, as hard as it is for me to believe you, I still like to hear you tell the stories.”

  I said, “Pam, I’ve asked you to believe in people from space.”

  “It’s hard to believe,” she said. I told her to ask Doctor Jones, he saw one last week.

  Pam replied, “Saw one what?” I did not reply.

  I left soon after she did. It was a very cool morning. Pam lived in the south of Carlsbad. I went into the small village, stopped at several places; I could find nothing. A small man sitting on a bench in front of a store told me of a mobile home park east of town, he told me to try there. It was a fifteen-minute walk. I had no idea what a mobile home park was.

  Walking down a long dusty drive, there it was. I checked in at a small place with a sign. The office wrote on it. A one-bedroom trailer house on wheels; just what I needed until Dorn comes for me. I rented the mobile for eighteen dollars a month. Man, I thought that was high. Well, I needed a place to live. I placed all my thing as few as they were on the dresser.

  I was totally lost - no dishes, nothing except for a few clothes. I took a chair from the table and went outside. Looking around, all I could see was desert, desert, desert. I long for the morning of Boldlygo. I would have to settle for the cool breeze in the desert.

  Damn, I wanted to go home. I know the big ship had gone. There was no mistaking of that. I took a stick, drew a drawing on the ground. I thought about the shuttle at the bottom of the crater. Maybe if I could go there, maybe I could repair it. I thought maybe it had enough power to send a signal. I was in deep thought when a man called to me twice.

  Looking up, “Yes,” I said. “May I help you? I was deep in thought.”

  “Yeah boy, hell I could see that,” The man said. “I’m lee.”

  “Ok, Mr. Lee what can I do for you?” I asked.

  Lee smiled. “It’s more on what I can do for you. I got to go to the village. I need some groceries. I have a car. I live next door.” I told him that would be nice, except I don’t know how to drive.

  Lee said, “Damn kids.” I told him I was passing through. I had been in the hospital. Lee told me his daughter was a nurse at the hospital. “She comes by every now and then, yet I take care of myself.” I wondered if his daughter was Pam. I looked at Lee.

  “Hey, don’t get no ideas.” He said.

  “Oh, no,” I said. “I was in the hospital.” I pulled up my pants, showed him the cut. I told him of the nurse; just wondered if it was her.

  “Hell, she got a man anyway. Sorry, no account piece of shit is what he is.” Lee asked me, “What’s the name of the nurse?”

  “Pam,” I said.

  Lee smiled. “Oh Pam, cute little redhead, Lori’s friend. My daughter is Lori.” Lee told me to get in the car.

  Lee pulled the car over near a small store. I looked around, for what I didn’t know. Just curious I guess. Walking into the store, I swear this place had it all. I bought a coffee pot, coffee, cans of fruit, and sugar; all the things I would need. I paid for my things. Started out, the door opened. A beautiful woman came in.

  “Hi dad,” she said. It was Lee’s daughter. I know I’m only twenty-four, been gone all these years. April was beautiful but not like this. Somehow, I knew we would be friends. Lee introduced me to her.

  Lori asked me as she walked on. “Where is your friend, Pam?” Already, I wish I was on Boldlygo. I told her I rented a house on wheels. I had no place to go so Pam helped me.

  “Yes, I bet she did.” Lori asked, “Where did you rent this mobile?” I told her, “Next door to your father.”

  “The blue one?” she asked. She gave a wink of her eye and a push of the elbow as she walked by.

  She said, “I will remember that.”

  “Your father said you had a man,” I stated.

  Lori replied, “Comes and goes.”

  I asked her, “Have you talk to Pam today?”

  “Pam said you were really way out there.”

  I replied, “Well, yes I am. Two hundred fifty light years away. I really want to go home.”

  Lori replied, “That’s what she said.”

  “I got real close to her. Pam doesn’t believe in people from space,” I said.

  “Do you?” Lori asked.

  “I am from space, Lori,” I said to her, smiling.

  I placed my things at the back of Lee’s car. I heard her say, “Dad, watch him. He’s not all there.”

  Old Lee said, “Hell honey is anyone.” The next morning, I made coffee and walked to the window. Looking out, a police car was sitting across the mobile. The officer was staring at the house. I took the coffee and went outside.

  “Morning officer, join me for a cup.” I must say. He was a big man with huge arms. I thought, Damn, I would not like for him to hit me.

  He walked to the mobile. “You Tyler?” he asked. “Where are you from?” I told him I was born in England, came to the United States twelve years ago; I drifted around.

  He asked, “You have no steady work?” I told him no.

  “How about that coffee?”

  “Come in,” I told him.

&n
bsp; The officer questioned me, “Are you passing through, Tyler?” I told him I was not sure, I like it here. I’ve saved a little money. The desert does fascinate me, it is beautiful this time of year.

  The officer said, “Don’t you go messing around out there. You get lost or snake bit. Some big rattlers are out there. Old Lee killed one on the road yesterday, four-foot long. I told him I’ve never seen a snake. I do know some are poisonous. I told him I couldn’t go anywhere. I don’t have a car.

  The officer said, “You just walk everywhere.” I told him I do. It took me almost a year to cross Texas.

  The officer said, “Tyler, take care. I’ll see you around.” I watched him drive down the drive.

  I needed to go to the hospital to see Doctor Jones about the stitches. They were ready to come out. While I was waiting, I saw Pam. At twenty-five years old, she looked good with her red hair. I’ve always been a sucker for a woman with dark hair. April’s hair was long and black. Her eyes were blue-gray. She called them hazel. I called them love, that’s what I wanted to do: to love her.

  Sitting in a room, Doctor Jones came in. “Boy, let’s have a look at that leg.” While he was doing what he had to do, I asked him of the “UFO”.

  “Tyler,” he said. “There was two sighting last night. I heard it on the radio.” I told him I must buy me a radio.

  “Doctor Jones, sir, you sure you saw what you told me?”

  Replying, “Tyler, I told the military police what I saw. They told me to keep my mouth shut. Something is strange about that.” I agreed.

  “Doctor Jones, I’m going to tell you something. The being you saw is from a planet called Plano. They’re looking for me.”

  Doctor Jones looked up from my leg. “Just between you and me. I must stay hidden until my ship comes for me. It may take one and a half, maybe two years. This is April, by next October, I’ll be gone, I hope. There will be others who will show up. You will notice strangers in town. Carlsbad is not that big, you will see what I’m saying is the truth.”

  I talked to Pam before I left. I told her where I was staying. She said she knew the place. She told me Grady called.