The Bovine Connection (19 page)

“Yes, but again, this was after the meds that he mentioned being on a craft,” Michael said vaguely.

“What did he tell you?” Angelica was impatient and she knew he was holding something back. “Michael, what did he tell you?” She tilted her head to get a look at his face, but he wouldn’t turn around.

“He said he saw them with his own eyes. He said he remembered being on a surgical table in one of their crafts. He also said right after the cattle incident he saw two of them standing beside his bed and he was frozen, unable to move or speak. He said he panicked and then heard in his head ‘stay calm’ before he saw a flash of light. He then woke up on a craft of some sort. He said there were other humans there in distress as well. He saw a young woman laid out on a surgical table beside him. He looked over and held eye contact with her. He said she was crying. He said he tried to comfort her. The fear in her eyes… it continued to plague him until his death.” Michael dropped his head. “He spoke about her again the day he died. He had always wondered what had happened to her. Well, the next day of that particular incident he had strange cuts on his thigh and abdomen about an inch long.” Michael shook his head.

“But Michael - isn’t it possible he just dreamed the two aliens were in his room and about being on the craft?”

“Honestly, I don’t know what to think,” Michael blurted, appearing frustrated. “He was a very pragmatic, down-to-earth man. These so-called experiences had an effect on his spiritual beliefs.”

Angelica nodded and softened her tone. “Did he describe them to you?”

“Yes, he said their skin was dull, translucent, and a light, pale grey. They had no hair… anywhere on their bodies and their eyes were large and dark. He said there was no soul behind those eyes.”

Angelica swallowed hard and thought for a moment. “Okay, but Michael…”

“Shh!” Michael slowly put his hand up with his palm facing Angelica. “Shh,” he urged again. “Look!” Michael pointed toward the tree line.

Angelica sat silently and looked in the direction Michael was pointing.

“What is it?” she whispered.

“It’s a snowy owl,” Michael whispered. “It’s perched on the branch watching us. Strange to see it in these parts. Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Oh, there it is… Yes, it is!” Angelica agreed excitedly. They both became silent as they slowly passed the owl.

“He’s still staring at us,” Angelica whispered.

“Yes, probably hoping we’ll just keep moving,” Michael responded.

“Have you ever seen a white owl before?” Angelica was fascinated by the creature.

“Never… never a white one. You would never know it by looking at him, but he is a ruthless, meat eating predator. You don’t want to be close to those talons when he is in a bad mood. Owls are nocturnal, so they do most of their hunting at night,” Michael explained.

“Wow, this all sounds very familiar. Do you think these owls are related to our extraterrestrial friends?” Angelica asked sarcastically.

“Very funny, Angelica. I get the feeling you are not taking me very seriously,” Michael said with a hint of disappointment.

Angelica pursed her lips. “I apologize.” Her eyes were sincere and almost whitish-blue in the sunlight.

Michael nodded and grinned. “You are gorgeous.” Surprised by Michael’s comment, Angelica smiled and lowered her chin.

Once they were a good distance from the owl, Angelica raised her voice. “Back to the ETs your father saw.”

Michael stopped his horse and looked back at Angelica. The way she said it, he realized how outlandish and unbelievable it sounded. He suddenly felt silly.

“I know how this sounds,” he said dryly.

“How do you think it sounds?” Angelica peered inquisitively at Michael.

“Now you sound like a shrink rather than a reporter.”

Angelica corrected him softly. “A journalist.”

“I didn’t mean to sound condescending, my apologies.”

Michael nodded. “Anyway, he said, after one visit from them, he said his neck hurt for two days, and he had one of the worst headaches he had ever experienced. He said, “Son, I think they did something to my neck.” Michael took a deep breath clearly wanting to change the subject.

“Wow, that is extraordinary, Michael.” Angelica then looked off in the distance, remembering her dream.

Michael spoke gently. “Angelica, I don’t want my father’s name in your story.”

Angelica looked Michael in the eyes. “You have my word. Honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to write this story anyway,” Angelica shook her head. “It all just sounds a bit too far-fetched. And perhaps, a little crazy!” Angelica half-laughed.

Rounding the trail, Zane stepped on a boulder and lost his balance, jerking Angelica forward. She flinched as she felt a rush of panic, just before Zane got his bearing back. “That was a close one!” She wiped off the sweat that had formed above her top lip.

“So what’s your story, Angelica?”

“My story?” Angelica responded slightly taken aback by the question. “Why do you want to know my story?” She smiled and squinted suspiciously, as she met his eyes.

Michael didn’t respond. He just stared back coolly, inquisitively looking at her.

“Well, let’s see. I grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. I interned at
The Washington Post
while in college and eventually became a journalist there. Then started my own magazine. My story isn’t all that interesting,” Angelica said very matter-of-factly, hoping to shift the conversation back to an investigative interview.

“I mean… Do you have a boyfriend, husband… children?” Michael asked, as he looked forward while leading them along the trail.

Angelica put her head down, looking at her bare ring finger. “I’ve never been married and no children. I’ve had a few boyfriends.” She laughed. “But they never last long. It’s usually them or my career. I stay pretty busy. Anyway, ultimatums never work for me,” she mumbled. “I’m happy, though--grateful, actually. I mean… a women in my profession and in D.C., one of the journalism meccas of the world. I guess a husband and kids will happen eventually.” Angelica thought for a moment before looking up to Michael… “I hope it will… I’m still young.” Angelica looked toward the mountains. “Who knows, maybe it won’t, but I’d be okay with that, too, I think… if it didn’t.” She realized she was beginning to ramble.

Michael looked back at Angelica intently. Angelica took notice. “Why do you keep looking at me that way?” She laughed.

“You are an interesting woman, Angelica.”

Angelica turned her gaze away from Michael.
“Why does he make me so nervous?”
she wondered.  “I hope that’s a compliment.” She smiled but her face appeared worried.

“Oh… it’s a compliment.” Michael was captivated by her. He observed her nervous response. He wasn’t going to let her off the hook easily.

“So what was life like for Angelica Bradley growing up in Asheville, North Carolina? You know, I traveled there once and took some photos of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. You’re familiar with them, I’m sure,” he smiled sheepishly. “They called it the ‘Paris of the South’… I stayed at the Grove, a beautiful resort and spa built in the early 1900s, if I remember correctly. I fell in love with Asheville. Always planned to go back and take some more photos. Do you ever go home to visit?”

“No, not often enough, I suppose. My mother comes to visit me in D.C. We’re very close,” Angelica let out a puff of air as a wave of nostalgia moved over her.

Michael looked back suspiciously. “That’s great, so you’re one of the lucky ones - to have had a good childhood. My mother’s passing made my childhood difficult. I’ve sure missed having her around. I remember looking up at her face as she tucked me into bed at night. I remember how kind her heart was…” Michael’s voice cracked suddenly. He cleared his throat. “My father said she was an amazing woman. Sadly, I have very few memories of her… I was young.” Michael’s eyes appeared deeply pitted with pain as he glanced away.

“I’m so sorry,” Angelica’s lips went straight and her eyes narrowed.

“Now I’m the one rambling. How did this all of a suddenly turn back to me, and my childhood? Forgive me. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken of her.”

Angelica was silent, hit with a feeling that she honestly couldn’t remember having before. It was more than just empathy. A man had never exposed himself so openly to her. His pain was tangible, raw, she could feel it.

“I am so sorry you had to grow up without your mother. I can see how that affects you. I grew up without a father. My father walked out on us when I was a small child. My mother said they married too young, and he still had a lot of growing up to do… anyway… As our friend Matthew says… ‘Everything happens for a reason and we’re only human’… It’s life. So I guess you could say that we had similar childhoods.”

“We both grew up without a parent,” Michael said softly, his words hovering in the air. Michael was struck by her childlike smile, forming the image of her as a young girl.

“Yes, and we grew up with pain.” Angelica flushed at the unintentional comment. Michael analyzed Angelica’s face.

“What sort of pain, Angelica?” Michael sounded concerned.

Angelica shook her head. “Oh, you know, typical childhood scars… Let’s change the subject.”

Michael continued to probe. “I’m a good listener.” His eyes were kind and his lips were straight.

Angelica took a deep breath. “I haven’t spoken about my childhood to anyone in years. It’s just what it is, you know…”

“Know what?” Michael asked.

“He was an alcoholic… my step-father. Wow! I can’t believe I just told you that! Let’s get back on track with the incident on your ranch.”

Michael could see Angelica was uncomfortable. “I’m glad you did. You know, Angelica, I believe our past molds us into who we are meant to be. Well, anyway, I’m glad you trusted me enough to share that part of your past.”

Angelica thought for a moment. “You mean we are predestined to be who we are? We come in life with a plan?” She squinted at the thought.

“Yes, something like that. Who knows, maybe we have many lives and we choose particular ones before we are born.”

“That sounds a bit crazy,” Angelica said as she laughed. “So we go up to the counter and say, ‘I’ll have the number two with a diet coke and supersize it.’”

Michael had that expression in his eyes again, she noticed. Angelica turned her head nervously and looked over at the trees.

“There you go again, with that look,” she said with a heavy breath and a knot in her stomach.

Michael appeared very confident with himself. “Angelica, I don’t mean to pry. I’m just fascinated by you. You are pretty damn amazing.”

Angelica slowly looked back at Michael to reveal her face had blushed from the inner dialogue going on in her head. “Thank you.” Feeling uncomfortable, she shifted the conversation. “What a beautiful piece of property you have. It’s spectacular!”

“Yes, it’s a small piece of heaven… and I’ve been all around the world and seen some amazing places. See over there?” Michael pointed to a spot in the middle of the pasture as they came off the trail. That’s where the heifer was found. Of course, it has been ten years so there’s nothing to look at, but it gives you a general idea of the location.”

“Oh!” Angelica took a deep breath.

“Sammy’s little cabin is back over there to the left and the main house is over here to the right.” Michael had his arm extended. “And see over there across from the house is the barn where my father was standing. So, although there is some distance between the site of the carcass and the barn, it’s still close enough for my father to have seen what he claimed.”

Angelica looked back and forth at both locations. “I agree.” She nodded and continued to follow closely behind hoping Zane would get up beside Michael’s horse.

“Well, I’ve told you all I know about it. What do you think? You’ve been here investigating and interviewing – so, have you come to any conclusions?

Angelica let out a girlish laugh, overly conscious of herself around Michael. “I don’t know, Michael. I go back and forth. I still have so many questions. I believe each eye witness is telling the truth as best as they can recall, but I don’t know… I need to interview some experts in the scientific community before I draw any conclusions. The mind can play tricks on itself. The problem with science, though, is that it’s hard to cull out fact from theory. Einstein’s brilliant discovery of relativity is still technically a theory. Think about that… In the end, our feeble human brains try to connect the dots to what are oftentimes impossible questions to answer. Einstein confessed that the more he learned, the more he discovered how little he really knew. Knowledge turns into humility, and I am feeling quite humble right now…”

Michael pursed his lips as his eyes lit up. “Feeble human brains, huh. You are a smart woman as well as a beautiful one. Now that’s a combination that can sneak up on a guy if he’s not careful! Come on, let me show you the view from the top of that ridge, and then we’ll head back to the house so I can make you dinner.”

Angelica laughed, but was a little stunned at his directness. She secretly liked it. When he turned to lead the way, she smiled. “Dinner… okay, that would be nice. Do you like to cook?”