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Connie； who had seen the creature in broad daylight； could not describe the thing beyond the fact that it was gray； huge； and flew。 Its face； she said； was 〃science…fiction…like。〃 The glowing red eyes had made the biggest impression on her； as they had on the others。 And the overriding sense of unreasonable fear was the main reaction。 There had been no smells in the areas of the sightings。 No footprints or droppings or other tangible evidence。
After taping their individual stories； we decided to go out to the TNT area so I could have my first look at the site。 At about 9 P。M。 we drove to the old ammunition dump。 The police had now locked the old gate leading to the power plant； but it was no problem to squeeze through the fence。 The night was dark and overcast and the rickety building was just a huge； black lump on the landscape。 We gathered outside the main entrance。 The crowds who had swarmed there weeks earlier had given up so we were alone 。。。 ten people。 I carried my powerful six…cell flashlight。 To me； this was just another broken； deserted building in a remote spot。 I was used to prowling around such places alone in the dark； but I was troubled by the fear that now seemed to be gripping our little expedition。 Their nervousness was real。 Only Connie and Keith volunteered to enter the building with me。 The others clustered outside。
The three of us went into the ruin。 Connie was joking and in good spirits。 Keith was sober and quiet。 The interior of the building was filled with debris and silence except for the soft sound of dripping water。 Large rusting boilers stood on the ground floor。 I peered into them with my flashlight。 Mothman wasn't hiding there。 I climbed the steel ladders and strolled the catwalks。 Even the pigeons seemed to have deserted the place。
Satisfied that the building was empty； we started for the exit。 I preceded the other two with my flashlight。 As she stepped through the door which led into the smaller chamber where the main exit was located； Connie glanced over her shoulder and let out a horrified gasp。
〃Those eyes！〃 she screamed。 〃He's there！〃
She dissolved into total hysteria； crying uncontrollably。 The brave； cheerful girl of a moment ago was now a blubbering wreck。 Keith and I rushed her outside。
〃I saw those eyes…two big red eyes…by the wall in the back；〃 she managed to choke out
While everyone gathered around her and tried to calm her； I turned and rushed back into the building。 The wall at the far end of the boiler room was blank。 There was nothing there that could have reflected the light from my flashlight。 Again I searched the building from top to bottom and found nothing。
When I got back outside I found a police officer； Deputy Alva Sullivan； had joined our group。 Like the others； he had been reluctant to enter the building and help me with my search。 They were all looking through a fence facing a field that went behind the power plant。
〃We thought we saw something back of the plant；〃 Mary Hyre explained。 〃A tall figure running。 Was it you？〃
〃No 。。。 I never left the building。〃
〃What was that noise while you were in there？〃 Mabel McDaniel asked。
〃What noise？〃
〃It was metallic and hollow。 A loud noise。 Like a piece of metal had fallen all the way down from the top or something。〃
Everyone had heard the sound 。。。 except me。 And I hadn't done anything to make such a noise。
Keith led Connie； still crying； to their car。
〃Please； let's get out of here；〃 she begged。
〃I'm bleeding；〃 Mary Mallette suddenly exclaimed； cupping her hand to her ear。 I flashed my light into her ear。 A small trickle of blood was oozing out。
〃Did you hear anything else？〃 I asked。 Everyone shook his head。
〃No； but it doesn't feel right here； does it？〃 Mary Hyre observed。 〃It feels oppressive 。。。 heavy。〃
I had to agree with her。 Something did seem to be out of whack。 Steve Mallette led his wife away。 Now we had two hysterical women on our hands！
〃Did you really see somebody back there？〃 I asked Deputy Sullivan quietly。
〃It's hard to say。 Might have been an animal。 A deer or something。〃
The whole group was now in a state bordering on sheer panic。 I could see that their feelings were real。 This was not just some kind of act being staged for my benefit。 I'm no hero； but I did not share their fear。 Mrs。 Mallette's bleeding ear was a sign of concussion； meaning the air pressure had changed suddenly。 Connie had apparently had an hallucinatory or psychic glimpse of those frightening eyes。 The metallic clang could not have e from inside the building or I would have heard it； too。 It may have been associated with the sudden change in air pressure。 I scanned the black skies。 There was not a star； not a light visible。
We all filed back to our cars and returned to the McDaniels' home。 Mary Mallette's ear stopped bleeding。 Keith drove a still…shaking Connie Carpenter home。 And； being an all…time idiot； I returned to the TNT area for another look。 It was well past midnight as I drove aimlessly up and down the dirt roads among the igloos。 Mothman did not pop out of the bushes to cry 〃Boo！；〃 but I did have one curious experience。 As I passed a certain point on one of the isolated roads I was suddenly engulfed in fear。 I stepped on the gas and after I went a few yards my fear vanished as quickly as it came。 I continued to drive； eventually returning again to the same spot。 And again a wave of unspeakable fear swept over me。 I drove quickly away from the place and then stopped； puzzled。 Why would this one stretch of road produce this hair…raising effect？ I turned around and slowly headed back； trying to note trees； fenceposts； and other landmarks in the dark。 Once again； when I reached that particular point the hair tingled on the back of my neck and I became genuinely afraid。 When I emerged from the other side of this invisible zone I stopped and got out of my car。 The air was perfectly still。 There wasn't any audible sound 。。。 not even a bird call。 I was reminded of the hour of quiet that settles inexplicably over the jungle in early morning when suddenly； usually around 2 A。M。； all of the animals； birds； even the insects； bee totally silent for about two hours。 If you're not used to the jungle and its ways； this sudden silence can wake you from a deep sleep。
I walked back to the 〃zone of fear〃 slowly； alert for any rustle of bushes； measuring my own breathing and emotions。 I was perfectly calm until I took one step too many and was back in the zone。 I almost panicked and ran； but I forced myself to look around and proceed slowly。 By now I had figured out that I was probably walking through a beam of ultrasonic waves and really had nothing to be afraid of。 After I had gone about fifteen feet I stepped outside the zone and everything was normal again。 Now I had to walk through that damned spot again to get back to my car！ It was too dark； almost pitch…black； and I was too unfamiliar with the TNT area at the time to attempt to go around the zone。 Although I knew it was harmless； I dreaded re…entering it。 I actually considered remaining there； only yards from my car； until daybreak。 But I finally steeled myself and walked once more through that invisible stream； scared out of my wits in transit yet privately pleased with my discovery。
In daylight I returned to the same spot。 The zone of fear was gone。 I searched for power transmission lines； telephone microwave towers； and anything that might have radiated energy through the area。 There was nothing。 Nor did a daytime exploration of the power plant reveal anything Connie might have mistaken for red eyes。
Mrs。 Mallette's bleeding ear and my discovery of the ultrasonic zone of fear convinced me that UFO…type phenomena were present in the TNT area even though the police and press had not received any reports。 I asked Mrs。 Hyre and the McDaniels to be alert for any rumors of sightings。 Within days I tracked down dozens of UFO witnesses throughout the Ohio valley。 At 2 A。M。 on the morning I was first prowling the TNT area； a young man living further up the Ohio River got up to go to the bathroom and saw a brilliantly illuminated object floating in the air just above the water。 It was circular in shape and appeared to have windows in it covered over with curtains like crumpled aluminum foil。 Two hours later； Mr。 and Mrs。 Charles Hern of Cheshire； Ohio； saw something very similar。 Their home was directly opposite the TNT area on the Ohio side of the river。 Mr。 Hern was walking his dog when he noticed a red light on the opposite riverbank。 At first he thought it might be a trapper in a boat checking his muskrat traps。 Then he realized it was on the bank； not on the water； and in the glare of the light he could see figures moving about。 He called his wife outside and they both watched for several minutes trying to figure out what it was。 The figures seemed to be very small in stature。
Dazzled and disbelieving； the Herns woke up their neighbors； Mr。 and Mrs。 Walter Taylor； who joined them。 Red and orange lights f