Guardian of ET

  by Robert C. Waggoner

  Copyright 2012 Robert C. Waggoner

  Smashwords Edition

  Guardian of ET

  Short Story

  2013

  Let me make it plain to whoever reads this account I have hidden away. I speak only the truth. The reason I have kept this secret is because if I tried to tell the tale, they would first have me on the stretcher and eventually I would have to recant the truth just to die.

  I place this parchment dated, March the 28th 1492 in Newberry Castle, Plymouth, England. I have left clues with the good pastor Baldwin to pass down until there is a new millennium. If my math is correct that will be just over five hundred years from now. I'm sure my family name will have been scattered to the four winds by then. If not, then I'm truly sorry if someone calls you a crackpot because you have my family name.

  I'm a guard at Newberry Castle as my father was before me. He was a Captain of the Guard. Unfortunately I've not raised that far in rank yet; but I'm still holding out hope after almost 20 years on the job. I'm next in line just waiting for current captain to expire. Also, I might add that indeed I'm married with a few kids. Or at least I was before the major event happened.

  I work the night shift most of the time. I prefer the nights to days as so much is going on in and around the castle, it give me a headache. Besides in the day time I could read books and write short stories. I learned to read from the pastor of old. Of course it was all scripture that I read, but the words are interchangeable. Not many of my fellow guards can read or write. As a matter of fact, I'm about the only one. That unknowing foresight put me directly in line for the rank of Captain.

  It happened on a night not unlike a lot of other nights in the fall of the year. Being located on the coast of the English Channel, we always have an onshore breeze or wind. But on this particular night it was rather nice out. I'd guess the time was around midnight when I was walking around the south wall. I'd just spoken to Dirk and we exchanged pleasantries and moved on. He told me he was going down to use the latrine. I told him I'd cover for him.

  There's not a lot to look at when it's dark out. So on the rare occasion when the stars are out with a moon, I spend my time looking up and dreaming. I'd just rested my foot on the rock wall, looked up and saw a brighter than normal star directly overhead. It also appeared to be moving but it was hard to tell it was so far away.

  I moved on listening for anything out of the ordinary, but all seemed fairly quiet for a weekday. Market day was scheduled for tomorrow so most farmers had come to the castle to sell their wares when the sun came up. Some were staying with relatives and some were camped out just outside the walls. Our knights had become very lazy as no battles to fight kept them home with their mugs full all day long. At night they were all passed out.

  The lord of our castle was away visiting some other lord. In my opinion there were too many lords when there should be only one Lord Jesus Christ. Be that as it may, I too had to drain my bag so I told Dirk, who had just returned, I'd be back in a few minutes. I left my spear leaning on a casement and hurried down the steps.

  After that job was taken care of, I returned to my post. I looked up again at the bright star which seemed a little brighter than before. I moseyed over to Dirk and pointed the bright star out to him. He looked but didn't say much as he thought that the night sky and all those bright objects were too scary for him to think about.

  Dirk moved off leaving me to observe the object alone. I watched for awhile until my neck got sore. I made some quick trips around the wall occasionally glancing up at the bright star. I stopped and laid my spear down to free my hands for a pipe load. Pipes were the fashion of the times; he'd heard. However, he'd been smoking pipes for years.

  On each corner of the castle walls a whale oil lantern burned. That was his source of fire for his pipe. He sat down and smoked his pipe thinking about what he might do on the morrow. He really didn't like to think too hard as he like to just let things develop naturally. He'd take what came by the next day and the day after for that matter.

  He almost forgot about the bright star and stood up to take a look. He'd banged his pipe to clean it out and stuck it in his pocket for later. What he saw now was something twice as big as before and clearly moving. And it looked like it was coming straight at him. But he knew that would be hard to believe an object was coming from the heavens to visit him.

  He looked for Dirk, but he was nowhere to be found. He walked around the entire perimeter of the castle walls. Not a guard was found or seen or heard. He started to get a little nervous. He hurried back to his station and once again looked up. What he saw had turned from white or a yellowish white to red as it came closer and closer.

  By now he couldn't take his eyes off the object as it grew in size in a glaring red color. What it could be was beyond his imagination. Something was falling out of the sky was the answer. Now he wondered if the object was going to hit the castle. What about his family? When he tried to move he couldn't walk or turn. He was like frozen to the top of the wall with glue on his feet. He could move his arms, but not his feet or legs.

  He looked up again seeing the big red object had changed color to a whitish color like a very bright lantern. Soon he couldn't take his eyes off of it. It was giant in size he thought. If it lands here it will kill all of us. I should warn the castle, but how to do that was impossible. His voice would not carry that far and this object was making a hissing noise so his warning would go unheeded.

  Slowly, very slowly the object came down in the field next to the castle. The area had been cleaned so as to not protect invaders hiding behind trees. It was open for a long ways down towards the ocean. The object was slowly coming down and slowly spinning in a circle. Bright lights were in a ring around the middle of the object.

  Once in landed, all became deathly quiet . Then he heard a sound whereby a large ramp came down revealing the inside of the object. He couldn't see anything, but white light. Once again he tried to move, but couldn't. Then to his amazement, the wall gates opened up. He was even more shocked to see the inhabitants of the castle and its surrounding town, walking quietly out to the object.

  Now he struggle with all his might to move. Nothing. He screamed, but no sound came out of his mouth. How this could be, he thought. Our townspeople are walking out to the object and entering without a sound. As all the people wore coats or heavy shawls so it was impossible to recognize anyone.

  He watched helplessly as the entire population entered the object; save him. Tears started down his cheeks as the ramp slowly shut tightly. A high pitched sound ws heard and then the object started spinning and rising at the same time. As soon as it was above treetop level he could move his feet. He watched in horror as the object carried away the entire castle population into the heavens.

  He laid down on the walkway and fell asleep. When daylight came, the sun was doing what it was supposed to do. It felt warm on his body. Then it hit him about what happened last night. He laughed and knew he'd been dreaming is all. He stood up, brushed off his uniform, picked up his spear and hurried down the steps to go home. He did think it a little strange he saw nobody around, but he was sure his wife was waiting for him.

  His small cottage door was open and he rushed in saying her name. The cottage was cold and empty. He fell to his knees and prayed to God. Tears were once again streaming down his cheeks. He checked the two rooms and they were empty. He continued to cry as he walked around the entire castle grounds seeing or hearing nothing. There wasn't one person besides him anywhere.

  He went to the church, found the parchment and made the above recording. He tucked into a special place and left to walk to the next town.

  When he arrived at Plymouth, business was as usual. People were going about whatever they were doing. He realized telling someone would be fruitless. He walked down to the dock area where ships were loading and off loading. A short line of men were standing in front of a small table. A man in a chair was writing something on a log paper. He walked closer to investigate. He found out from the man in front that this guy was recruiting sailors for the ships. He took one look around and then it was his turn. He said, "Where do I sign mister?"

 

 

  Waggoner, Robert C., Guardian of E.T.

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