Primus-One: Book 1

By D'Aulerio Joe

A normal ordinary American citizen, Jim Lexington going about his now forced retirement is suddenly put into a position of disbelief and perplexity. Jim encounters a most unusual life form. With his new-found friend, only visible to him and with unbelievable abilities, Jim finds himself engaged with a childlike and innocent unusual living being

• Language: English
• Publisher: LitFire Publishing
• Release date: Dec 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9781643980638

D'Aulerio Joe

Inspired by Clive Cussler, Joe D'Aulerio intends for his début release, Primus-One, to be the beginning of an eye-opening epic series of intrigue and adventure. A former KSC Support Test Manager, Joe currently resides with his wife in Central Florida.

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PRIMUS – ONE

Book 1

Copyright © 2018 by Joseph William D’Aulerio

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher or author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

ISBN: 978-1-64398-063-8

Printed in the United States of America

LitFire LLC

1-800-511-9787

www.litfirepublishing.com

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Book 1

A Novel By

Joe D’Aulerio

Edited by: Holly Gauthier, RTGT

Dedication

To my wife Susan, what she endured while I wrote this story.

The world is a small and insignificant place;the inhabitants are uncivil towards each other and abusing its resources.

Why should it continue to exist?

Attempted Contact

It’s five-thirty and dark outside, which was normal for this time of the year. Jim Lexington had just finished his second day of setting out the Christmas decorations on his house and was preparing to light them. This was a tradition with Jim, but not so much of a big thing with his wife, Sarah, the neighbors, or anyone else for that matter. The holidays had become too commercialized. Jim felt that the true meaning of Christmas had become secondary to the hype of Black Friday, commercials on the television, and the hustle and bustle of getting things done before the usual weeklong break between Christmas and New Year’s. For Jim, this was not only a sense of tradition, but also a sense of pride. Jim’s house was by no means a spectacularly decked out masterpiece of lights, ornaments, figurines or extravagant, animated, blow-up yard pieces. But Jim did like to be a little different. He prided himself for having the only house in the community that boasted the old fashioned C7, multicolored, twinkling lights. Jim then filled the gaps with the more modern, multicolored mini icicle lights. The house was, indeed, unique in the neighborhood. There were lighted plastic snowflake pieces in the front and a green wreath with green lights and a big red bow on the door, surrounded by simple white lights. Green lights adorned the trunk of the two palm trees in the front of the house for as high as the two story ladder would reach. At the top of one palm tree was a plastic star with white lights. A plastic cutout painted Santa with colored lights through it, topped the other palm tree. A wooden nativity scene was the center piece, and it was beginning to show its age. Years ago, Sarah contributed to the decorations by cutting out the nativity from a single piece of plywood and painting it white. It wasn’t much, but it meant a lot to Jim and it had to be on display no matter what. A single flood light in the middle of the yard lit up the nativity which cast a huge shadow on the front of the house. Jim thought this was a spectacular feature, certainly unique. In the past, he had added a lot of other items such as a Christmas tree made of plastic, a metal reindeer, Santa and a sleigh, among other typical Christmas decorations. But this year Jim decided those things were too commercial. He wanted to get back to the more traditional, in line with the real meaning of Christmas.

It was time to throw the switch. Jim called to Sarah. She came out of the house and stood by the curb as she did year after year as the lights came alive.

Great, Dear. They look like last year, but didn’t you leave some out? It took you two days to do this? she said. Jim just smiled and admired his handy work.

Yeah, it’s a little lighter this year, but I like the simplicity. It says something, don’t you think?

Sarah crossed her arms and looked at Jim. She shook her head and slowly headed for the front door. When are you planning to do the inside? she asked. Jim, recognizing her sarcasm and the fact she was not so impressed with how much time he had spent decorating the house, yelled back at her, Oh, in a couple of weeks, it should be just about right, he grinned.

Sarah yelled back, Well, at the rate you’re going that means Christmas will be over. Why bother?

Jim couldn’t resist one last comment before Sarah entered the house, Then I’ll have a head start on next year. He chuckled as the door slammed shut with a bang and rattle. He thought to himself, I’ve got to fix that… he wondered if he meant the door or the sarcasm.

Jim went about cleaning up the storage boxes and tinkering in the garage. It was a cool, clear night, full moon and perfectly peaceful. So, Jim took his time and enjoyed the atmosphere. Cool evenings in Florida in December were very much appreciated. Normally, even the evenings were quite warm this time of the year. The cool air made the sky unusually clear. Jim liked to look up to the heavens and be amazed at its vastness. A lot of the stars were washed out though, because of the bright, full moon. Unusually clear, it seemed that a lot more details of the moon’s surface were visible to the naked eye. The different shades of gray had a tinge of color, perhaps reddish or brown, and maybe even some blue around the edge. That made Jim think for a minute of a blue moon, and he wondered where that phrase came from. He took a deep breath and sighed, a bit sad. Jim used to work at the Kennedy Space Center on the Space Shuttle program, but had been laid off when the government ended the program. Working on the Space Shuttle was a dream come true for Jim. Years ago, when he and Sarah got married, they spent their honeymoon in Florida. One thing Jim had to do while there was to visit the Space Center. Since he was a kid and watched the Apollo moon missions on television, he had wanted to visit the very spot where the mission began, and so he did. While he and Sarah were touring the Space Center there was a rare opportunity that surprised them. A Space Shuttle was being rolled out from the huge Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad. They just happened to catch a bus tour that brought them to within a football field’s distance of the vehicle on its mobile launch platform being carried to the pad by the equally huge and mighty crawler. Even though it didn’t appear to be moving, it was, ever-so-slowly. The majesty of the most advanced piece of man’s creative ability was so close. They watched it in amazement. Even back then, the Space Shuttle was becoming rather routine and less interesting to the general public. It was before the Challenger accident, but well after the first few flights. Sarah wasn’t much of a space enthusiast, but it did cause her to embrace the magnificence of man’s achievements. Dear, one day I’m going to work here, Jim said to Sarah. And, indeed, a few years later, he did just that.

It was time to head in. Dinner was ready and, as usual, the television was on to one of their favorite shows. They each had their favorite chair, comfortable for viewing the flat screen marvel. The windows were open to the back screened enclosure, and it was easy to hear the trickling water from the small pond Jim had built. It had a simple water fountain in the middle and a waterfall made of precast fiber glass, molded to look like a pile of rocks, neatly stacked and arranged. There were landscaping plants with red, black, yellow and brown coloring that made for a nice, relaxing setting. Also in the screened enclosure was a patio with a table and chair and a square canopy. Seldom used, it did serve its purpose in creating atmosphere, and it was more pleasing to look at when peering out the window, rather than seeing a neighboring house and lawn.

Dinner was a delicious piece of pork chop that Sarah prepared by breading it in seasoned bread crumbs and baking it. She also made instant mashed potatoes and corn. Some Crystal Lite orange drink mix in a small glass accompanied the meal as the standard beverage of choice. No desert.

You know, you decorate the house the same way every year for Christmas. Don’t you get tired of that? Why don’t you do something different? Sarah started the conversation while they ate, and the television was playing a rerun of Law and Order Criminal Intent.

I like the color, and I don’t have to go buy anything. Besides, it’s a little late now to think about doing anything different, since I already have everything up.

Well, we should’ve talked about it before you just went and did it, Sarah returned.

I suppose, but I didn’t think you cared.

Why did it take you two days to put up a bunch of lights and a manger scene? That thing should have been thrown out a couple of years ago. It’s old and ugly. The least you could’ve done was painted it before you put it up, Sarah continued.

Perhaps, but I like the look. It shows a weathered effect that almost makes you think it was around back in the old days, maybe even when Christ was born, Jim innocently commented back.

Sarah looked at Jim for a second and he could see the normal placid look on Sarah’s face turn to a bit of anger, I made that thing out there. Are you saying I am as old as Christ?

Jim knew he’d goofed when he said the manger was made at the time of Christ, but it was too late. Sarah didn’t miss a thing. She was sharp, and she listened to everything. There was a moment of silence as Jim pondered how he was going to get out of this mess and avoid the couch for his bed later. Well Dear, we’re not young. We are in our fifties. Jim sensed a deepening hole with every word he spoke. The look on Sarah’s face became more intense by the second. But Dear, like you, as the manger aged, its beauty has become more radiant. His comments were getting him nowhere.

I am not as old as Christ, Buster!

With every moment ticking by, the couch was just on the horizon as the location of a long night’s sleep. You know, I worked hard to age the hell out of that wood to give it character, which is why I didn’t paint it. You know that I prefer you not wear makeup, because you look so good without it. Jim hoped he’d dodged a bullet.

Aged the hell out of that wood! And you think my makeup is like paint? Sarah retorted as she crossed her arms and tilted her head with a beaded look at Jim.

Jim could see he was going to end up on the couch. The body language and look on Sarah’s face, as well as the tone in her voice, were clear. The evening was going downhill fast. If he didn’t think of something fast, Jim felt certain he would hear the bedroom door slam shut with him on the outside, the bed on the inside and the door locked shut in between. Well, that wood for the manger has aged, and all I had to do was leave it outside each Christmas. Sarah’s eyes began to widen and her lips began to tighten, but Jim wasn’t finished. But, you, no matter what I could do to try and age you, I would fail, and have failed, Jim said as he slowly ended his sentence and gave the look of a little child who knew he was in deep trouble. It makes no difference what I say and do, the simple fact is that you are as beautiful today as when I married you, and you really look as if you’ve only aged a year, no six months, he quickly retracted. Where the wood aged, you did not. That’s the point I’m trying to make, but I guess I’m not doing too well, Jim said, slowing down the speed of his sentence as he spoke it and giving the innocent child look, hoping to appeal for innocence regarding his verbal blunder.

Sarah looked at Jim, leaving the heightened look of anger on her face for a second as she savored the moment of dread on Jim’s mind. He wondered if he was in deeper or now out of the woods. Finally, she began to smile and laugh. Jim’s look was one of complete puzzlement as he wondered what was going on. Having no clue if he was in more trouble or not, Jim sat there and, for once, kept his mouth shut. Then he began to smile. Sarah smirked. "You were this close to sleeping on the couch tonight, as she held up her thumb and index finger extended with little space between and the rest of her fingers clinched in a fist. But the look on your face as you realized what you were saying, and watching you squirm as you tried to figure out what to say to get yourself out of trouble, was priceless."

You mean you weren’t mad? Jim said bewildered.

Sarah shook her head lightly back and forth as she pinched up her lips and shrugged her shoulders, Nah, she replied.

You played me, didn’t you?

Sarah lifted her left eyebrow and shook her head left and right as she smiled.

Jim began to display a bit of anger on his face as he sensed, once again, he was headed nowhere. He sat in silence contemplating his next move. He looked at Sarah and kept changing the expressions on his face. He knew this would drive Sarah crazy because she would know he was thinking of something and was not sharing. She would let her mind wander and imagine something far from the truth. He liked that. It seemed his only way to get back at her, but he didn’t prolong it since he wasn’t in trouble. No sense getting into real trouble, so he focused his attention on the television. It was a commercial for a Charlie Brown Christmas special that was going to be aired next week.

The rest of the evening was fairly quiet. The only comment came from Sarah as she finally remarked that she approved of the outside decorations and that they looked good as always. She also asked Jim if he was serious about putting up the inside decorations in a few weeks. In her mind, she was more concerned about the mess the house would be in, with boxes of decorations all over.

Jim was back in good standing with his wife and got to sleep in his bedroom as usual. The next day was a typical Florida late fall day. There were clear blue skies, temperatures in the upper 70’s and a light breeze that rustled the leaves on the trees. Birds were chirping and there was the common hum of a lawn mower in the distance as someone was cutting their lawn. The windows in the house were open at this time of the year, even though it was early December. One thing Jim really liked about Florida was the weather. It was usually very pleasant in Florida, unlike the northern states where he grew up. The last thing he ever wanted to do again was shovel snow. So this was his kind of day.

The morning started out as it usually did. A cup of coffee and about an hour on the Internet, checking and reading the headlines on his customized news page, checking e-mail and looking at his back office page. These were the typical things he was accustomed to seeing day in and day out. The e-mail had a couple of unsolicited advertisements and two messages from people he knew in his stained glass hobby/business, telling him about events and promotions coming up in the next day or two. Since Jim was out of work, and because the economy was so bad, finding a job at his age was a nightmare. The job market was literally flooded with people wanting a job and companies not hiring because business was slow and the economy was poor. This situation worried Sarah and added pressure as she tried to pick up the slack.

Jim started decorating the inside of the house. There were a couple of figurines to put out. A young lady dressed in red, holding a candle, a Santa and a Mrs. Santa, and some garland draped here and there. While setting up a small manger scene near the muted television, Jim heard something, or at least he thought he did. He couldn’t make out what it was. It sounded something like someone speaking in a foreign language. He paused for a moment, took a quick look around, realized there was nothing or no one around and then thought no more of it. Jim finished setting up the manger, and a weird thought entered his mind. He wondered if that noise he had heard was a secret calling from the Lord? Jim was a devout Catholic and like any Catholic he longed to meet the Lord, but he also realized that would have to wait until the Lord called him. He expected that if he ever did hear from God that it would be in a language he understood, not a muffled noise, so he dismissed the thought and moved on.

The next thing on the list was the tree. After the big Thanksgiving weekend, Jim and Sarah had gone out Christmas tree shopping. They visited several live tree temporary sales tents set up at high traffic areas where the entrepreneur hoped that a lot of people would see the tent and come by. Sarah wanted just the right tree and Jim wanted just the right price, so it took some time. The one thing they both agreed on though was that the tree had to be fresh, so the needles wouldn’t fall off during the Christmas holidays. They knew a truly fresh tree was a lost cause, however, because every year, no matter how hard they looked for a fresh tree, by Christmas there were a lot of needles on the floor. And by the time it made it to the curb a week or so after Christmas, the tree would be pretty much bare branches. Jim would shake his head and every year ask the simple question, what the heck does a tree have to do with Christmas? It might be a pretty thing to look at, but what does it have to do with the birth of Christ? In all of his Catholic upbringing, the churches he never had trees as a part of the crèche. Nevertheless, Sarah wanted a tree each year, so they got one. As Jim was setting it up, he installed the lights, but only after he asked Sarah what colors. Each year, she would decorate the tree with a theme. It would almost always include lights of a particular color. So it made sense to ask what color, rather than have to remove the lights and reinstall the correct ones because he had guessed wrong. And, inevitably, he would guess wrong.

While placing the last strand of lights on the tree, a tedious task because Sarah would direct him to all of the bare spots, Jim heard the noise again. The sound was slightly louder, but still muffled and still like a foreign language, not familiar at all.

Honey, did you hear that noise? Jim asked Sarah, who was sitting in her favorite chair.

No, I didn’t hear anything, she replied.

Jim was a little puzzled because he thought for sure the noise was loud enough for her to hear. Perhaps she was just not paying attention, he thought, and continued to finish placing the lights and adjusting them as directed. Jim kept thinking about the noise and listening to see if he could hear it again, but he did not. By the time he was finished with the lights on the tree, he’d given up on hearing the noise again and dismissed it as nothing.

Throughout the day, Jim and Sarah worked to set out the decorations. Hand painted reindeer were placed on the counter in the kitchen, and stockings were hung on a mirror since the house had no fire place. An 18-inch high Santa with a hand crocheted red and white outfit that Jim’s mother made years ago was placed on the coffee table between two peppermint candles in the family room. Sarah loved to burn these candles at this time of the year. In fact, there were several candles spread out in various areas around the house that gave off different aromas. When Sarah lit them all, the house smelled like a menagerie of scents which were sometimes hard to distinguish one from the other. If the windows were open, as they often were at this time of the year, it was hard to detect any aroma. Jim could never figure out why Sarah would burn candles when they had the windows open. It wasn’t for the light because the lights in the house would be on. He never challenged her on this, which was probably smart.

By dinnertime, everything was in place and the house was completely decorated. Sarah was quite pleased at how things looked. With the decorations up, it seemed a lot more like winter and that made the Christmas season much more exciting. Sarah missed the cold weather that she liked when she lived up north. She also enjoyed snuggling under a blanket to keep warm while watching TV, but that was hard to do when the temperature was in the upper 70’s or low 80’s, unless she turned the house air-conditioning down, which she often did. Jim, on the other hand, liked wearing shorts and a tee shirt. He’d had his fill of cold weather when he lived up north. The only cold weather he liked was seeing it on television for a minute or two, then changing the channel and forgetting about it. He knew Sarah lowered the temperature in the house, and it bothered him because it would drive the electric bill up. But bringing this matter to Sarah’s attention was useless. She would deny it, and the challenge would just start another argument which he would most certainly lose or regret. So, under a blanket he would go too. Here he was in Florida, warm outside, freezing inside. Can you imagine?

The rest of the evening was fairly quiet, and they both decided to go to bed a little earlier than usual. They were worn out from their busy day. Sarah was determined she wasn’t going to let Jim turn the decorating of the inside of the house into a two day event like he did when he decorated the outside of the house, so she kept him moving along.

It was about two-thirty a.m. and Jim was woken up by what he thought was the noise he had heard earlier in the day. This time it sounded loud, as if it were in the same room, talking in a muffled foreign language. It sounded like someone speaking, but not in English. He couldn’t understand what was being said, and even though it sounded like someone speaking, it still could have been just a noise of some sort. It continued for what seemed like a few minutes, but according to the clock on the nightstand beside the bed, it was less than a minute. Jim sat up and forced himself to become better aware after being in a deep, restful sleep. As he became more oriented to the time and place, the memory of hearing what he thought he had was very fresh in his mind, but puzzling. What was this that he had heard three times, and now to the point that it had awakened him from a good sound sleep? He was wondering if he had really heard it, or maybe it had been a dream. He was well awake by now and started looking around. It was dark in the bedroom, but the light from the clock was just enough for him to see Sarah sound asleep beside where he was laying, the dresser with the mirror on it and the bureau. One corner had some boxes from the decorations. Another had a plastic, artificial plant decorated earlier with lights that were off. The other corner, closest to Jim, was empty. The bedroom door beside Jim’s night stand occupied the fourth corner. Everything seemed in place, and there were no indications of anything that could have made the noise. Jim got up and quietly walked through the house looking for anything out of the ordinary. Even though it was dark, there was enough ambient light from different things like the microwave clock, that made it sufficient for Jim to move around. The problem was that Jim couldn’t determine where exactly the noise was coming from. The thing that puzzled him most was what the noise could possibly be? Was it someone trying to talk to him? He just couldn’t figure it out. Jim finally decided to return to bed and as he was laying back down, Sarah mumbled, Is everything all right? Jim replied, Yes, Dear, just went for a drink of water. And soon both of them were fast asleep again.

The Sun came up the next morning right on time, as always. Jim was the first to awaken. He quietly showered, dressed, went into the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. He preferred instant coffee so he could adjust the strength easily, based on the mood he was in and what his taste buds were looking for. This morning they were saying make it strong. You were up last night so you didn’t get a restful night’s sleep. You need a good stimulant to wake you up and get you going for the day. After making the coffee, he sat down in his chair and picked up the computer. He began his normal routine of checking e-mail and his news page. Nothing exciting or interesting caught his eye or encouraged him to look deeper into any article. By now, Sarah was up and had her coffee. She had a coffee machine in which you placed a small sealed plastic container with a premeasured amount of a flavored coffee bean in it and brewed the coffee fresh. She was sitting in her chair. What was going on last night? You got up, sat on the bed for a while and then walked around the house. Were you not feeling well? she asked.

You were up? Jim asked Sarah, Did you hear anything?

No, only you, she replied. What did you hear, something in the house?

Jim looked at her and said, I thought I heard that noise I heard yesterday.

You’re hearing things, and you need to have your head examined. Then again, if you did, they would probably keep you as a complete mystery. How could someone exist with nothing in there? Sarah said as she pointed to his forehead and lightly chuckling.

Very funny, Dear, Jim commented. I’m telling you, I am hearing strange noises, kind of like someone speaking in a foreign language and muffled.

What language are you hearing? What does it sound like? If it’s a voice, is it male or female? I really think you’re hearing things, Sarah commented as she shook her head and turned back to her iPad.

I wish I could tell you. This sounds weird, but it’s a noise like static on a radio combined with a jet engine, but not very loud, and behind that is what sounds like a muffled voice. I can’t tell if it’s male or female because it’s garbled. I can say none of it sounded like English. I know it doesn’t make sense. I can’t even tell where it’s coming from. Yesterday, I would have thought it was outside in the distance, but last night I thought it was in the house. It woke me up. It was that real. I can’t understand why you don’t hear it. You hear everything, Jim addressed Sarah.

Well, I haven’t heard a thing, but then again I was probably not paying attention like you often do when I say something to you. I still think you’re imagining it or worrying about something that’s probably of no concern.

Jim looked at Sarah because of the comment about him not paying attention to her at times, but brushed it off. You’re probably right. But it has me puzzled because I’ve heard it three times now. I guess it’s probably nothing. Then both continued with their computers.

Jim wasn’t done thinking about the noise. As the day progressed he tried to look inconspicuously around for something that could be making it. He also looked for a combination of things, like a creaky door, a squeaky cage or a bird trying to talk, but that was a stretch because Sarah would have heard that. The birds, one small, lime green Parrotlet one dark green and black Conure, were both over 5 years old. Why would they start talking today? Sarah knew what Jim was doing, but said nothing. She was more than a little bit concerned. Even though she joked with him about imagining what he heard and how he should have his head examined, she knew Jim pretty well after twenty-eight years of marriage. He didn’t make things up and persist in puzzling over them. If he made something up, he would take it to the extreme and be smiling about it most of the time. A long time ago, Jim and Sarah were in bed for the night, but neither one could sleep for some reason. Most young couples in bed who couldn’t sleep would probably revert to some intimate activities, but Jim had begun to tell Sarah a story. He was making it up on the fly and it was rather funny. Sarah laid there with her back toward Jim and acted annoyed because she was trying to sleep, but she was giggling and couldn’t conceal it. Jim knew she was actually enjoying it. The story was completely fictitious and primarily geared for young children, but she was cracking up because Jim was rambling on. Besides laughing at some of what he was saying, she had wondered where in the world he was coming up with his material. That night Jim had shown his wild imagination. Sarah thought back to that night. She realized that if Jim were fabricating this story, he would be making it funny. This was not funny. So she let him do what he needed to do. Besides, she thought, this was a good thing because as Jim was searching for things that could make noises, he was also fixing things. The doors in the house were oiled and quiet now, and the bird cage that rattled when the birds flapped their wings for exercise were tightened. Even the kitchen cabinet doors were oiled and adjusted, and didn’t slam shut anymore. Sarah couldn’t figure out what to make of this noise business, but considered it a good thing from a household standpoint. She just watched him go about his mission to find an explanation for the inexplicable noise.

Just as the Sun rose exactly on time, it also set on time. Jim joked with Sarah, commenting on the precision of the Sun rising and setting at the exact second the news and weather people said it would. He asked her if she knew who or what organization was responsible to notify the Sun that it was time to rise and to set, and just how they did it. He once suggested that the government was responsible for it and was planning to tax the public for sunshine and if everyone did not pay their tax they would make the Sun rise late or not at all. Boy, would that make people mad!, he would say. Sarah couldn’t help but laugh at some of the things Jim came up with and wondered where in the world he got his ideas. She knew he was a bit of a comedian, but would never make a living at it. Yet, he was serious about the government taxing sunshine when he joked about it. Jim didn’t think much of the government. They were responsible for him being out of work, and he held the government responsible for a lot of things that weren’t right in the country and around the world. He felt that the government was manipulating the people to control them. This country was supposed to be free, but he was certain we were anything but free. There were laws for everything, taxes for everything and the world was definitely a lot different than what it was like when the forefathers established this country. Jim said government was a business, the biggest business ever. Like so many other people, he felt it was useless to buck the system. He was one, tiny, insignificant little man. So he rode the wave and tried to stay out of trouble. He felt government was out of control. He was also opinionated about religion. He would blame people for religious chaos, as he called it. If a person disagreed with something, it seemed they would just start a new faith. People just wanted to believe what they wanted so as to suit themselves, and justify it by saying that they were not doing anything wrong. The other religion was wrong. Jim was sometimes mad at himself because he did nothing about it. But what could he do? If he said anything, no one would listen. He figured he would be considered a lunatic, and he would get chastised for infringing on someone else’s right to do, say, and believe what they wanted. Jim had a theory. He believed that at the time of the industrial era, society began to change. The most important part of humanity, the human family, began to disassemble. Principles began to give way to other interests, survival began to give way to pleasure, and looking out for each other began to give way to looking out for number one! Slowly, two things happened. World population blossomed and control became power. With the passing of each generation, this premise grew to the point that today it consumes everyone. Jim also felt that humanity was like a train running down the tracks at full throttle, out of control, with the end of the line approaching, and if the train did not derail at the curve ahead, there was another curve after that. Sooner or later, something was going to happen and it would be bad. But, for now, this would always make for interesting conversation and everyone went about their business. Jim knew better than to discuss any of this with Sarah. She didn’t want to concern herself with world problems. Her world was her home wherever that happened to be. So, if Jim didn’t get on his soap box with her, she was happy with him and the world went on.

Dinner was over and the dishes were cleaned. Jim and Sarah were about to watch television when Jim stopped dead in his tracks. The look on his face was totally blank. Sarah wasn’t paying attention. What seemed like hours to Jim were really only seconds. Sarah, Jim called out. Do you hear that?

Sarah looked up after reaching for the television remote control and lowering the volume. Hear what? I don’t hear anything, she replied.

There it is, the noise. This time it continued a little longer than the previous times. Listen, do you hear it? Jim asked in an excited and elevated voice. He was extremely perplexed, wondering why Sarah didn’t hear it.

I don’t hear a thing, except the TV, she said.

Turn it off for a minute, Jim asked quickly, and Sarah did. But she didn’t hear a thing. With the TV off, the house was dead silent, even the birds were unusually quiet for this time of day.

Jim, it is absolutely quiet in here, Sarah commented.

Jim was looking around trying to see if he could determine where the sound was coming from, but no matter where he looked there was no change in volume, frequency, or pitch. That noise, you don’t hear it? You have to, Jim said.

No. How many times do I have to tell you? Are you all right? Sarah asked with deepening concern.

I hear that noise again, and I can’t believe you don’t. It’s much more clear now. The static sound is less, but the loud rumbling like a jet engine is still prominent. Jim walked over to the glass sliding door and was peering outside and upward to see if a plane was flying overhead. I think I hear a voice. I’m sure now that it is a voice. It’s saying something, but I can’t make it out.

Sarah was beginning to worry. Jim wasn’t playing around. She realized that he truly believed he was hearing something. But she was not. What is the voice saying? she asked now with more interest and concern. Sarah was beginning to think something was really wrong with Jim.

I can’t tell. It’s like someone or something is speaking. There’s talking, but I can’t understand the words. If I didn’t know better, I would swear someone was playing a recording of someone speaking in a foreign language backwards, but in a monotone voice with words that end as sharply as they begin.

For a moment, Sarah began to think that Jim was playing another one of his humorous follies on her. But looking at the seriousness on his face, she could see that he wasn’t joking around. Jim looked at Sarah for a long moment in silence. His expression was more cold and somber than she had ever seen before. Then he said, The voice, it said something.

What? she asked.

After all the weird talk that I heard, it sounded like, ‘I am approaching’, and then nothing. Jim now looked concerned, and the two sat for a moment in silence.

I didn’t hear a thing! Sarah exclaimed and continued, I don’t know what to think. I’m sure you think that you heard something, but I definitely did not. I think it’s in your head. It could be a physical problem. Something could be wrong, and you need to see a doctor. This is serious, Jim. I’m worried about you.

I’m fine. Who would I see? If I did tell anyone that I was hearing things in my head, and that they were approaching, they would look at me and think that I was crazy and in need of psychiatric care. The men in white coats would be all over me with a quick trip to the funny farm. And this is not funny!

Well, something’s wrong, Sarah replied, and I think you need to get it checked out.

No, this was real. I know you don’t understand and I can’t explain it, but I’m telling you that I’m fine. I know what I heard was not my imagination. Whatever it is, I was able to understand it this time. It sounded like it was speaking to me. I know this is weird for you, but it’s even more weird for me.

Look, there are only the two of us here, and I don’t hear anything. You hear voices, and you want me to believe that you’re ok. Something’s not right, Sarah said, as she began to calm down and settle back in her chair.

Jim, too, took his seat. Do you think I’m imagining this? Jim asked Sarah.

I don’t know what to think, other than the fact that you have me scared.

Scared? Jim said as a question.

Yeah. You’re hearing things that I am not. You say the voice tells you it is approaching. You’re looking around for something as if you expect to find someone. Yes, I am scared. Maybe there’s something wrong with me. Maybe I’m losing my hearing. What if you do hear it and I don’t because there’s something wrong with me? What if there’s someone around and I don’t hear them and they intend to do us harm? There was a moment of silence. I don’t know what to think. I’m scared and I think we need help, Sarah finished.

I don’t know if we need to go crazy here. Something is weird, but it’s only a noise. It could be in my head, or you could be a little bit deaf. I don’t know what the deal is, but one thing I do know. I seriously doubt that you’re going deaf. You hear me just fine, don’t you? Sarah nodded, Okay, that’s one matter eliminated, Jim said. We need to put this into perspective.

Sarah and Jim had calmed down and were talking in normal voices, trying to rationalize what was happening.

There is something that I’m hearing. It could be my imagination, and if it is, boy is it good. I wish I was in control of it. If nothing else, it’s creating a great mystery for us. You think that I’m crazy, and I’m starting to think you might be right. Jim began to chuckle. If I am imagining this, I’m doing a good job of scaring both of us. Enough of this craziness, put the TV on. I don’t want to scare us anymore. And I don’t want to dwell on it. It’ll only upset us more. It stopped, and it’s in the past. What’s on? Jim pointed to the TV.

Sarah looked at Jim. The thoughts running through her mind were starting to give her a headache, and she was so confused. Was Jim playing a joke on her, or was he really hearing something? None of it made sense. She hoped it was a joke. But if it was, she was going to be really pissed off. He would experience her wrath in retaliation like never before. This was going too far.

For the remainder of the evening the television was on. An episode of House, followed by an episode of Law and Order, and an episode of Warehouse 13. Sarah wasn’t paying much attention to the television, but was aware of what was on as Jim spoke, Hey Dear, maybe we have an artifact in the house and it’s playing games with us.

Sarah looked over at Jim with a look that would kill, Yeah, right, you’re the artifact, she commented.

"You have to admit, this situation has the making of a great episode for Warehouse 13," Jim said.

I don’t think this is very funny, she replied. You better not be playing games, she continued.

With the most serious a voice he could muster, Jim replied, I’m not. The situation was indeed shaping up exactly like an episode of Warehouse 13, but Warehouse 13 was a science fiction television show for entertainment. Someone had a good imagination, perhaps developed by an experience that seemed all too real and left no plausible explanation. This quickly led to an investigative premise that also led to adventure. So far what was happening here could fit this scenario well. It would make a great script for the show. But Jim was sure that this was real and not science fiction.

A couple of weeks passed and Jim didn’t hear anything else. The noises and the voices had stopped. Life for Sarah and Jim had returned to normal and neither had given much thought to the unexplained events from before. Christmas had come and gone, and it had been rather romantic this year. For some reason their love for each other had been rekindled. They would hold each other and kiss more passionately now. Sarah’s stress level regarding Jim getting a job had lessened, and Jim was hard at work trying to get one. He sent resumes out day after day. He wasn’t having much luck which he attributed to the time of year. He figured people weren’t going to hire someone during the holidays because they would have to start out paying someone new for a day off. Sarah and Jim celebrated New Year’s Eve with friends, but said nothing of the noises. They were embarrassed and didn’t want anyone to think that they had a problem.

Once the holidays were all done, the house decorations came down. This became tense because it brought back memories of the noises, but taking everything down and packing it away went without a sound. The weather was a little cooler. This meant long pants instead of shorts and a light jacket when heading out, especially at night or early morning. The days were getting longer again, and Jim liked that.

It was mid-January and the day started out like any other. Jim was up first, made his instant coffee, and sat down to look at his e-mail and the news page. No exciting e-mails, just