Gifts From The Stars by James Octavo Read Free Book Online Page B

scene.
    “Please. You’ve got to help
us,” a pleading sheriff says. “Our town's been
destroyed.”
    Dan and Nora look at the
scene, then each other in confusion.
    “It looks bad,” Dan says.
“But it doesn’t look destroyed.”
    “Come with us. We’ll show
you.” The sheriff grabs Dan’s arm.
    Walking to the scene, their
anxiety increases seeing the level of devastation.
    Hissing sounds and the smell
of natural gas and gasoline fill the air. The objects destroyed
lines and tanks. Even the town's water tower is polka-dotted with
pieces, letting it empty out like an open fire hydrant.
     
    On buildings, in the road,
even in the windows they see the same sparkling crystals infesting
the forest 200 miles away. The objects cracked some of the windows,
but most look as if someone glued them to the glass.
    Stuck in the road, the
objects glisten like jewels in the sun. A fire hydrant spouts water
from small cracks one had pushed. The town is eerily quiet except
for the hissing broken lines. Drivers abandon their cars, since
they can’t drive them on the jeweled road. People walk staring in
awe at the chaos of the objects stuck everywhere.
    “Come with us in the post
office,” one of the town's officials tell the stunned
scientists.
    Entering the 19th century
building, they see pieces throughout the walls, glass dividers,
ornate ceilings and hardwood floors. But it’s the scene in back of
the post office holding everyone’s attention. Sitting on the floor
surrounded by physicians, is an elderly man calmly sitting with a
blue pyramid imbedded in his thigh.
    “My God. Has this happened
to anyone else?” Dan asks.
    “Don't think so. He was the
only person in the business district this morning when it all
happened,” the sheriff says.
    “Will he be alright?” Nora
asks.
    “We think so,” one of the
doctors say. “It didn't appear in his bones or arteries, only
fleshy tissue, so he'll be keeping his leg unless there's
infection.”
    “Thank goodness. But how did
this happen?” Dan asks.
    “We’re hoping you can tell
us, Ophelder. But if not, maybe you can figure out what he's
saying. Talk to him. Because what he says sounds more like magic or
madness.”
    Dan places his hand on the
man's shoulder.
    “Hi, partner. How are you
doing?”
    “More scared than hurting.
It really doesn't hurt much. But what happened? Is this one of your
atomic tests gone bad?” the postmaster asks while he stares toward
the street.
    “No. To be honest, we don't
know what it is. Tell us what you saw. It might help us
understand,” Dan says.
    “Well, I was here sorting
mail around 6:30 this morning when I saw a flash of light fill the
entire area,” the man says waving his arms.
    “It was mainly a hot, white
light and I felt tingling like electricity. The light lasted a few
seconds, then the things appeared out of nowhere, all at once. They
just popped out in mid-air. Some fell to the ground and others
appeared inside of things. It sounded like the town was groaning as
they popped inside of everything from windows, doors, ceilings…me.
Everything, all at once., I was so stunned by what I saw, I didn't
feel the one stuck in my leg. Basically, that was it. Everything
went quiet except for settling sounds when the buildings tried to
adjust.”
    “How does it feel in your
leg?”
    “More like a numbing feeling
like ice. Like it's a part of my skin. It feels attached to me like
an adhesive band-aid. Will you be able to remove it?”
    “The doctors will,” he says
taking one last look at the strange crystal looking like a
translucent knick-knack floating above exposed muscle underneath.
“They're going to take you to the hospital now to remove it. We
think the material itself isn't toxic and won't dissolve into your
body. Meanwhile, we'll try to figure what happened,” Dan says as he
pats him on the back and walks toward Nora and the other
scientists.
    “Well, what do you think?”
Nora whispers.
    “I don't know what to