Alien Among Us

I am cautious by nature - skeptical of claims that cannot be justified. You will understand therefore, why I am hesitant to discuss the following, let alone claim it as truth.

Short of producing the 7 foot, gunmetal blue body, arms long and thin, flexible to the point of belying a skeletal structure, long fingers (6 on each hand) like rubber; short of showing you its egg shaped head (pointy end at the top) , its shiny black saucer plate eyes, a small thin lipped mouth the only other facial feature, ears merely openings in the skull; short of displaying the seamless clothing skin tight and identically colored, I would never actually claim to have encountered an alien.

My companion perhaps would shrug at such caution, for he experienced the same event. He would perhaps claim your curiosity in his account of our joint surveillance and subsequent tracking of this creature through the forest of the Arizona high desert. He may recount to you how cold waves seemed to emanate from the creature, chilling us to the bone; how it appeared surprised that we could even see it as it continued its furtive movements about our camp; how it did not like our attention.

Steve might even explain how the creature seemed to have some kind of control over our companions, for our repeated shouts and pleas to ‘come look’ fell upon deaf ears, though we stood only 15 feet from the campfire. I shudder at the memory, but Steve may also describe how I was pulled by some invisible force towards the creature, into the darkness of the mountain night, as though my will had failed me and my limbs worked of their own accord. He may neglect to mention his part in pulling me back towards the warmth of the campfire, the safety of the group, away from the creature’s influence.

Steve’s calm and clear thinking that night most certainly interfered with the creature's intentions. Perhaps he could explain further…. Ahh, but my friend is not here with me now, but 10,000 miles away in his home town, on the north island of New Zealand.

Could I prevail upon the 5 who remained by the campfire that night to corroborate my story? Certainly they all joined my exploration the following morning, noticing themselves, and commenting on the ‘burnt grass’ which appeared in the shape of foot prints in a semi circle above our camp. They could tell you, if their memories were clear, how that same grass had been healthy and lush the day before, the entire area having been scanned in a survey.

You might think perhaps that a frost settled in this unusual pattern overnight, one of the group suggested this precisely. But we slept under the stars that night, with no frost upon us in the morning. It would be a strange frost indeed that would settle under the thick canopies of the ponderosa pine surrounding our camp… however, I feel this explanation may be partially correct - for surely this creature did emanate an intense coldness from its being.

Alas, my camera had been left in Phoenix during this adventure. I would dearly enjoy the amazement shown at the photographs I would have taken. Indeed, had such equipment been available I would show you glimpses of the circular craft that appeared above our camp at 3.25 am. Perhaps with such evidence, the authorities could identify this craft which measured fully a half mile in diameter as it hovered silently, barely above the tree tops, a row of lights around its perimeter, flashing in an anti-clockwise direction, giving one the impression that the craft was rotating. Perhaps the authorities could explain how such an immense craft could levitate above us with nary a breeze of disturbance to the trees or to the dust on the desert floor below; perhaps they may have also, an explanation of its purpose in this lonely section of national forest so far from any population, airport, or known military base.

I cannot attest that everyone in camp that night observed the craft, though they all stood transfixed, staring into the sky above - the view of the stars blocked by the saucer shaped underside of the hovering craft. I cannot claim that they studied the odd shaped protrusions from the craft, the myriad of depressions, like dents from giant stones hurled from afar; nor can I tell if they noticed movement through several openings that appeared in the craft, allowing light to stream from the interior.

How long we stood, watching, I cannot recall, but I remember vividly, the vacant expressions and memories of my companions the following morning. Not a word was spoken of the huge craft. Was I the only one actually awake during that visit?

Had it not been for the earlier experience and the ‘footprints’ in the grass, I might begin to think it was I who slept, and dreamed this whole experience. There have been times I wish I had.

I do not remember if it was myself or Steve who excitedly opened the conversation that morning, but as we looked around at our companions, we noticed something strange appear in their eyes, something cold and far away. We too, remained silent.

The group completed its project, and disbanded not long after that, individuals returning to their respective homes in various corners of the world. I have remained silent for the most part, sharing my recollections, only with close and trusted friends; but I never expected them to believe me without proof, nor do I expect more from you. I will not loudly claim my recollections to be true, opening myself to ridicule - but perhaps when next you look up at the clear night skies, and gaze upon the millions of stars and planets in the void of space, you may ask yourself - in all of this magnificence, can we truly believe that we are alone?