* *
*
Rated: EVERYONE
The day was still around me though, so I decided to take advantage of it.
I used DOSSHELL to manage a few files. The phone rang so I let the caller in. It was one of my friends, no worries. I was still a bit concerned as to the mystery caller from earlier, but there no more intrusions from her or her, so I relaxed.
Once the caller finished their business on my site, I went about adding new code, rudimentary ANSI.
ANSI was tricky stuff in this day and age. I know some of the more sophisticated BBSs gave you a choice of ASCII or ANSI. There was an ESCAPE CODE I could use to determine which their system was capable of.
Oh no, it wasn't just IBM-pc that ran the BBSs but Commodore 64, Apple, Amiga, and several others I wasn't familiar with. The best BBS was the one that could cater to them all.
I modified my code to give an entirely different presentation based upon the BAUD rate they called at. If it was 300 baud, I cut the graphics for each location to a single text line. If it was 1200, they got 7-bit full-screen graphics, and only for 2400 would they get the bright and poppy colored ANSI pages.
I felt I was building a road that tricycles, bicycles, and motorcycles could all travel on and smiled to myself. I know I was talking with someone a year before this and he told me only 2 other people in Texas could build a custom BBS. So - now I was the 3rd.
In times like this I wanted Susan nearby but ... !! she wasn't there where I left her !
I abandoned the computer completely to go in search for her. My room was too small for her to get too lost. SOMEONE had to have entered and removed her.
I hit the control angrily calling up Tricia.
"Yes David, what is it now ?"
"Where's Susan ?" I demanded angrily.
"Who ?" she asked.
"My - umm - Teddy Bear, you know the one you've seen me with."
There was an uncomfortable pause on the reception.
"David, understand we have to check things out thoroughly. There is a history of - "
"What ? Just what are you saying !?"
She sighed. "I know it may seem awkward to you - but we had to check her - umm - I mean IT out."
"You have my teddy bear and you are examining her - for - something ??"
She then raised her voice to me, "David, don't think we don't know your history. There's quite a few things here that don't make sense. We are exploring every possible avenue at this time."
I was silent.
"We'll return - Susan - in just a bit - be patient - I'm sorry this is causing you stress."
With that she clicked the line closed. So then I had to sit on my bed with my face in my hands and seriously wonder WTF !? What on EARTH are they hoping to learn from a stuffed teddy bear ?"
Tricia meant history. My history. In truth I didn't remember much. There was the green liquid Dad gave me to drink when I first started going to school, and it seemed to improve my intelligence, but it also caused blackouts - where I couldn't remember days of memories.
There was my Guardian too, and well - I honestly didn't know if she had a bearing on this.
And then there was Susan, the survivor from my sister's rampant scissors. Could it be that by her surviving - it wasn't just luck but - something else ?
Suddenly my door chimed.
"Enter." I said.
It was Tricia. I stayed on the bed to see what she would do. She had Susan with her. She approached me and handed her to me. I turned her over and over to see if they damaged her in any way, and apparently they didn't. If anything she appeared like she was washed and cleaned.
Now it was my turn to be angry, "Just what the HELL were you hoping to learn from - a teddy bear !?"
* * *
Tricia sat on the bed next to me and put a comforting hand on my leg. "David, you don't remember do you ?"
"Remember what ? What is so important that I must remember ?"
"You went to go see a doctor years ago, do you remember ?"
"I've seen many doctors. What, about the one where I dislocated my shoulder ?"
"No, honey. Not that kind of doctor. You know a HEAD doctor."
I was quiet but still fumed silently.
She continued, "It was recorded on video by the doctor. You and him were talking when the lights gave out. Your bear was in the other room. A moment later the doctor was electrocuted with what appeared to be electrical arcs coming from the wall sockets. That doesn't happen very often."
"You yourself were in a coma for several days. The first thing the doctor in the hospital did was ask you to recall all you remember - and - you didn't remember that, so they felt it was best you did not know about it."
"Now, I'm not an expert or anything but I'm guessing you had nothing to do with the electrocuted psychologist. We - simply - must - explore all possible avenues - if for nothing else, for the safety of the community we run here."
"And you blame Susan ?"
"David, we don't know what to think. The company you - I work for deals with more than just assisting foreign countries with loans, we also explore outside this area - do you understand what I'm saying ?"
"You mean UFOs, martians, and extra-terrestrials." I scoffed.
She took my chin in her fingertips so I faced her. "Not all of that is fairy-tale, David. Do you really think mankind can have gotten as far as it has today entirely on it's own ?"
I shook my head, but more to show that I didn't believe her.
She looked down in her lap. "No, the integrated computer circuit, digital wristwatches, certain computers we use for our country's defense, and even play-doh, were all learned from our contact with alien beings."
"So they just come and visit, is that it ?"
She turned her head to face me, "Not entirely. It's more like we know they have a base of operations on Earth that they keep changing the location to. And we have sent people in to observe and learn what they can. While their technology is light-years ahead of ours, they apparently did not expect us to covertly spy on them."
I looked at the floor for a second. "This is a lot to take in." I finally said.
She squeezed my knee with a hand, "Yes, it is. And there are still a lot of questions that remain unanswered. It's one of the reasons you are here."
I whirled on her, "What ? I thought you loved me - we are married and - "
"David, I love you, this is true. But not as a husband or even a lover, but as a son I never had."
I rolled my eyes, "Geez Trish, we're the same age !"
"That may be, but with our experiences at work, didn't you see me more as a Mother figure than a wife ?"
She had me there. I nodded solemnly.
It appeared as if she had more to say but suddenly she got up. "Look, I need to go. But understand we are investigating that freak accident that happened years ago - and - we have to check every avenue, no matter how strange."
She picked up Susan whom I set to the side of the bed and placed her in my arms. "You have your Teddy Bear back. Perhaps at some point you'll tell me why you talk to her ?"
I gave her a fierce look, she could only know that if ... !
She replied to my ferocity, "I see things, all the time. You two are very close. And - as far as we can tell, Susan is no more than just a stuffed animal. But we had to be sure."
Her wristwatch suddenly beeped plaintively. "Ok, I need to go. Just - stay here and work on your computer if that's what your doing. I'll come back later to check on you"
With that she left.
Unbidden Susan started to speak in a scary hissing voice.
"David, we have to get out of this place, RIGHT NOW !"
END
OF CHAPTER 25
prev chapter
Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Read Request
My Library
Subscribe
Flag Writing
