Proposals, Pt. 6 of 12.

         In the next morning, Bradley and Terry drove into a small approach about twenty kilometers away from the Sharlock residence and followed a bumpy old unpaved road to a field of pine tree seedlings in long rows.  Cecilia got out of Terry's car and walked with him some distance through the tall wet grass.  The rusty-brown soil was already warm under the sub-tropical sun.  Bradley followed closely and teased him about the missing back windshield of the "old beater" vehicle and dented trunk cover.  Close to noon, the air around them was very stifling, and small fluffy cumulus clouds were forming rapidly in the hazy sky above.  However, they expected the day to become stormy in another way later.  

         They stopped in the quiet rural location a few minutes later between two rows of the young fragrant trees and tried to make the obtained alien seeker sphere function.  Terry tossed it straight up in the humid air twice, higher each time in front of them, and Bradley set it carefully on the ground a few meters away before even verbally ordering it to work.  However, they only looked on in despair shortly, after he stopped shouting in different tones.  Nothing happened.  Its reservoir of considerable power remained untapped, and they relied on it to prevent their enemies from doing the same or worse to them than what was done to Jeremy and Wendy.  They had no intention of surrendering the enigmatic device, as all knew they could be killed afterward.  

         Bradley picked the thing up, put it in Cecilia's hands, and said, "Okay, hon.  Yew got the the ball workin' once before.  Now, cast yer spell somehow an' make it work again."  

         She shook her head with skepticism and forced a smile.  "I . . . I can't.  I don't know how . . . I made it work."

         "Awe, c'mon now!  Give it a goll-darn try anyway.  It never bit yew last night."  

         "Think about what you did then, Cecilia.  You have to!"  Terry added.  "If we can't find a way to get that thing to work, it won't make much sense for us to go and see them again."

         Cecilia walked a few feet away, trying to resist their coercion, and wondered how dangerous of a predicament she got herself into.  After shaking her head a few seconds, she turned about fast and faced them again with tears in her eyes this time.  "I'm . . . I'm scared!  What if it explodes?" she whined.

         "Then, we're all dead, but think of the others bagged and suffering in those weird containers we saw.  I dread what's happening to them will next be us.  They need our help now.  So, try it."  

         Cecilia realized the obvious choice.  Remembering how she adamantly asked him for help Friday night at "his" place, she regathered her emotions and took her turn at it nearby.  She held the aqua-colored ball in her hands and put them across her chest.  Then, she closed her eyes behind her glasses and concentrated a mental command on it.  Nothing happened at first, but after most of another quiet minute passed, it felt warm and began to throb.  Ironically, she relaxed much more, and it familiarized itself with all her functions -- like a newborn did while identifying with a parent.  Thus, being "let in," it glowed a bright blue and completely engulfed her in its blinding luminous domain  Incredible power merged with her with another sudden deep breath.

         Cecilia felt herself floating and saw the two astonished men partially shielding their eyes after she opened hers again.  They and the surrounding environment appeared a little distorted, as if she was peering through an ultra-wide-angle lens, and their voices were faint but clear, like they were coming through the wall of some isolation chamber.  She was actually in an active shell of energy and unaware of being a direct part of it as controller of the seeker.  Her body felt different accordingly but was not visible either, having been changed in form.  Hovering over a meter above the ground and experiencing her new self shortly, she understood the supernatural abilities provided to her and breathed loudly in sheer amazement.  

         The seeker could be operated mentally or verbally at her whim now, practically to whatever she imagined: supersonic speed in any direction, greatly enhanced strength, and even to see different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.  The experience was overwhelming.  Thus, when she felt trapped and wanted out, she was quickly released and dropped to the ground feet-first.  The softly crackling white light that bathed Terry and Bradley disappeared in an instant, and they rushed ahead in concern while she was still disoriented.  The blue-green sphere dropped off her chest on impact.  

         Each of the men took a firm hold of one of her arms and pulled her quickly away from the device, in case of any other subsequent danger.  She looked shocked but actually continued to be as spellbound as them inside.  Standing slowly on her own and tugging her arms free, she quietly said, "Alright.  It's alright.  I'll be . . . okay.  Nothing's wrong, I think."  

         "Are you sure?" Terry replied.  "What happened to you?  I couldn't see anything but a bright ball of light flash in front of us."

         "I . . . I don't know.  I could see and hear you guys, my louder breathing, and . . . floating.  Weird."

         "How did you get out of it, whatever, again?"

         "Hot damn!  It sure was outta this world.  Hoo-wee!" Bradley exclaimed.

         Terry pointed a finger up at him, looked back to her, and she replied, "I . . . I wanted to.  I think that I was a part of it . . . somehow.  That must be it!"

         Bradley picked the baseball-sized sphere off the ground and tossed it to her, almost laughing.  "Honey, yew still don't look like yerself.  If that thing works as good as I think it can, I believe yew can do anythang.  Still scared?"  

         "Yes!" she said promptly and shook her head, to mentally come all into immediate reality.  "They have another one of these things too, you doorknob!

         He looked more reserved then and retorted, "Oh, shit!  Then we're all gonna have a real big problem later ta-day, 'specially you."

         "Let's see how you get used to it more before then, Cecilia," Terry advised.

         She held the thing with both hands close before her chest again and finally commented, "Not exactly my version of heaven."  

         By mid-afternoon, the weather had predictably turned thundery, but the large clumping clouds did not completely obscure the sun everywhere for long.  Its penetrating warm rays symbolized a persistent hope they had to prevail against a building storm of more unusual characteristics: extraterrestrial rather than just meteorological.  All of them were quiet while they drove back north on the two-lane state highway and came to a stop a safe distance from the Sharlock home again.  The success of Clyde's proposal depended on a trust that was absent, and they proceeded into the adjacent woods to do what eventually had to be done.  Their instincts warned them ever more of increasing danger onward, as the sky did of impending rain, but also of unknown actual amounts.


Continued to Pt. 7.