Artifact 9: Raynor sees a Who or a What

Raynor and his ranch hands explore the debris field where something crashed. Who or what is out there?

Artifact 9: Raynor sees a Who or a What

 

            “Jefe! Mida aqui!” Cried Jose. He stood there pointing toward the ground further north, a little away from the bulk of the crash debris. 

When Raynor drew up with Jose, he saw several unquestionable footprints, but those made by some strange boots and marks that looked like something had been dragged away. Raynor and Jose followed the prints a few yards further away to where it looked like two bodies had caused long, deep hollows on the ground and crushed vegetation similar to the depressions where pronghorns bed down overnight. Then they followed several sets of footprints that led to vehicle tracks, possibly Jeeps by the depth and width of them supposed Raynor.

When he saw more sets of footprints that appeared suspicious, like they maybe some persons remained there for some time, he asked Jesus to help him move a larger piece of debris. Surprisingly, it was light as a feather. Raynor couldn’t quite fathom what sort of material it was made of. He studied the confusing pattern of footprints that were under the debris. How odd. Raynor thought. That the footprints were made before the crash or�" someone moved the material or�"for some odd reason placed it on that particular spot.

 A sun glint caught Raynor’s eye, and when he saw it, he couldn’t help himself to investigate. Just a few feet away, he saw what looked like a thin, tinfoil ribbon wound half way around a cluster of prickly pear cacti. He squatted down and gingerly picked up one end and looked at the ribbon closely. The ribbon felt cool to the touch and about two yards long formed in a loop, made of such fine, flexible metallic material that he couldn’t feel it between his fingers. He thought it seemed very delicate and fragile, so he didn’t move it yet, examining it closely right there on the cacti. There appeared to be a couple breaks or rips in the ribbon.

Raynor saw strange red markings on one side of the ribbon that reminded him of hieroglyphics he had seen in a National Geographic Magazine article on King Tut’s tomb. Very odd imprinting for an experimental craft from any country, he thought wondering about those notorious communist Russia’s aircraft experiments captured from Nazi Germany. He pondered the possible sources and meanings of the markings deeper as he examined it when suddenly the chill went up his back again. The other three men observed the ribbon over Raynor’s shoulder each taking turns reaching out and fingering the fine ribbon.

            “Mida los terminas.” Jesus said pointing as Raynor turned the ribbon over. A second later, Raynor saw what Jesus referred to. The ribbon was not broken like Raynor had first thought but now saw what looked like holes for fasteners in two places. Grasping it gingerly, Raynor twisted the ribbon gently, and it had a springy feel to it, so when released it immediately returned to its ribbon shape. 

            “Quanto forte?” Jose asked, touching one end.  

            “No se.” Raynor said, holding up one end.

            Jose took the ribbon with his fingers and tugged gently at first. Then gripping it tightly, he twisted and pulled with all his might, but it didn’t break or stretch. Suddenly, he yelped in pain and dropped the ribbon. Raynor smelled burnt flesh and saw a wisp of smoke rose from the cacti where the ribbon touched it.

“Madre Mary, mucho calor!” Jose cried, stepping back and grasping his hands together. He shook his fingers vigorously and blew on them.

Raynor turned Jose around, took his hands and looked at them, and there were red welts across Jose’s palms and fingers. Jose stood there cursing to high heaven while shaking his fingers.

  Martinez ran to his horse and returned with a saddlebag and canteen. He poured some water over Jose’s hands that the injured man held out welcoming the coolness with fingers splayed. Raynor saw that blisters had already formed. Jesus pulled out some cloth and offered to wrap Jose’s injured hands. Jose whole-heartedly agreed.

            Confused with the ribbon’s unexpected effect, Raynor studied this strange ribbon that now lay on the ground. He reached down to touch it again.

            “Cuidado!” Jose reached down to grip Raynor’s shoulder, but Raynor already held the ribbon between two fingers.

            “Mida, no calor arora.” Raynor said. He carefully dangled the ribbon from his fingers to show the others. One end of the ribbon’s loop still lay caught in the small cacti. 

Jose had stepped back away still rubbing his now wrapped hands, but the other men remained intensely intrigued. Raynor scanned about trying to put the situation together with the strange ribbon and the other debris lying about, but the pieces didn’t add up. Nearby, other small bits of silvery ribbon lay scattered about, but they were frayed in various sizes and shapes with some attached to what appeared to be wooden strips. He gingerly picked up another small piece of silvery ribbon and examined it. He didn’t see any markings on it or on any of the pieces that lay scattered on the ground.

  Raynor twisted the piece of ribbon and heard Martinez nearby take a deep breath. He hesitated but subsequently tried tearing the ribbon anyway; it gave way easily into two pieces. Then, without any effort exerted at all, he easily crumpled the piece between his fingers into a tight silvery ball, and it stayed that way, unlike the ribbon’s springy reaction. These other pieces were apparently ordinary tin foil! Raynor dropped the shiny ball on the ground and picked up a wooden strip. Again, with very little effort he could snap a bit off. He examined it closely and found, similar to the foil, it was as ordinary as it appeared, lightweight wood probably balsawood like used in a model airplane.

            Engaged in thought, he postulated that strangely, these pieces did not go with the remainder of the wreckage. He looked at the underside of the larger piece of metal that he and Jesus had moved minutes ago. There was a structural integrity to it, like the transverse ribs or beams in an airplane or boat, and they were not metal but more like a plastic skin-covered foam material, a type of tan plastic, or a special wood. He stroked his fingers along the ribs finding them extremely smooth with an oily quality to them. Raynor thought about the texture, rubbed his fingers together and smelled them. There wasn’t any noticeable smell or film on his fingers. Raynor doubted that this was part of any sort of conventional aircraft, and possibly it was some sort of experimental craft from White Sands or maybe Los Alamos or even Russia, but it was anyone’s guess, at least anyone in a similar station and status as he who was entirely not in the know.     

             Reflecting on the situation as a whole, Raynor thought, without a sign of any loss of life or obvious toxic leaks, there was no longer any sense of urgency to notify the police or military even though he wanted to  talk to the military and find out what they knew. Raynor had the rational gut feeling that the military wouldn’t tell him a thing. He set the small length of wood down on the ground and stood to scan the area and ponder... 

            Suddenly, Jose cried out. “Madre Mary en nubes arriba!” 

Raynor, at first, didn’t pay any attention to what he thought was Jose’s constant overreaction to the strange circumstances. But then, the three men saw Jose cower in horror as he pointed to a larger piece of metal, as he cried, “Una persona morto ayi!” 

The three men paid heed to that remark, comprehending exactly what he had said, pinpointing where Jose indicated with his swathed hand. Getting closer, they saw there under the edge of a large, twisted metallic sheet a gloved hand and exposed wrist. 

            A sense of shock went through Raynor. “Oh, my God!” He shouted and quickly but carefully maneuvered through the debris field as to not disturb anything to the where the gloved hand lay exposed. The two men followed closely, but Jose remained standing in place bending over at the waist and shaking his head in distress not wanting to see what remained beneath the metal.

             “Jesus manos ayi, move the parte agi.” Raynor ordered, pointing and waving to one side.

             Jesus, despite the fact that he was distressed as well, got into position and gripped the metal edge wearing a look of horror.

            “Vali, uno, dos, tres.” Raynor counted as he and Jesus lifted the metal that weighed much lighter than it appeared, in fact so much like a feather, they hoisted it faster than they expected. What moved with the lifted metal wrenched their guts in horror.  

The men saw that the gloved hand was attached to an arm, but the arm had been severed from a body. Especially grisly, the arm was caught in the metal that the two men lifted and now dangled toward the ground in a gruesome manner. Besides the glove, the arm still wore a torn off military jacket sleeve.

“Yii!” Jesus cried, turning his head away, but he didn’t let go.

Martinez crossed himself and then looked to heaven muttering prayers. Raynor heard Jose retch beside them and saw him turn his back on the shocking scene. 

Upon an instant reflection of similar carnage he had seen during the war along with hearing the awful sickening sound from Jose, Raynor felt the bile rise in his throat as the grisly severed arm dangled in the air twisting in the hot breeze. 

 

 

Author's Note

I apologize for my Spanish. I did my best with my limited Spanish speaking ability and a translation app.