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re always in the same position at the beginning of each evening and a casual observer would automatically conclude they were really just stars。 However； on overcast nights these unidentifieds would be the only 〃stars〃 in the sky； meaning they were below the clouds。 While the rest of the night sky slowly rotated； these phony stars would remain in their fixed positions； sometimes for hours； before they would begin to move。 Then they would travel in any direction； up； down； clockwise； etc。
They had a number of curious traits。 When a plane would fly over they would suddenly dim or go out altogether。 As soon as the plane was gone they would flare up again。
It was always impossible to judge their size； altitude； or distance。 Sometimes I thought they were relatively close only to find they were actually miles away； traversing the river。 Boatmen on the river were obviously watching them also。 Occasionally a searchlight from a riverboat would suddenly shoot into the sky； aimed straight at an object I was watching； and the object would skitter out of the way。
I doubted that these funny lights were spaceships from Andromeda and I made a strenuous effort to find rational explanations。 Dr。 Donald Menzel； a Harvard astronomer； advocates an air inversion theory； contending that these lights are ordinary lights reflecting off layers of warm or cold air and producing a mirage effect。 This theory wasn't workable on Five Mile Creek Road simply because there weren't enough light sources。 A large radio antenna some miles down the river did produce some interesting effects。 When there was a haze the flashing red lights on the antenna were an eerie sight from my hill and never failed to excite first…time visitors to my lookout post。
Three or four days after my monumental UFO sighting I was sitting in Mary's office when she became very thoughtful。
〃You know； there's something I've been meaning to tell you；〃 she began hesitantly。 〃I don't know why； but it always seems to slip my mind。 That night that I left you early 。。。 the night you saw that colored disc 。。。 when I got to Route 2 and started for Point Pleasant I saw a big globe of light on the river。 I couldn't figure out what it was 。。。 but I didn't stop。 The funny thing is； I forgot it pletely。 I didn't remember it until a day or so afterward。 Then I forgot it again。 I can't understand it。 I've always had a very good memory。〃
Lacunal amnesia； loss of the memory of specific incidents or moments in time； is a mon part of the phenomenon。 In December 1967 Faye Carpenter； Connie's mother； had a more baffling attack of amnesia。 The night that 〃Jack Brown〃 visited Connie （Chapter Two）； Mrs。 Carpenter had opened the door for him。 He was in his shirt…sleeves； no jacket or coat although it was extremely cold。 She was not going to let him in 。。。 but she did。 And she had absolutely no memory of his visit afterward even though she had been present when he talked with Connie； Keith； and Larry。
In the days following Mr。 Brown's visit； a poltergeist settled in the Carpenter household。 Securely fastened pictures fell off the walls。 Small objects disappeared from shelves and reappeared in unlikely places。 The manifestations lasted about two weeks。
IV
During her news…gathering rounds； Mary Hyre was approached by a professional woman in Gallipolis； Ohio； the town directly across the river from Gallipolis Ferry； West Virginia。 She said she heard I was in the area and she wanted to talk to me。 My motel； the Blue Fountain； was on the outskirts of Gallipolis so I arranged a meeting with the lady。 She held a very responsible job and insisted on anonymity； as so many witnesses do； so I will call her Mrs。 Bryant。
We met in a private office in a major pany in Gallipolis。 Mrs。 Bryant was a reserved； well…spoken middle…aged woman who looked slightly fatigued from overwork。
She was very secretive and suspicious at first； but after I showed her my parcel of credentials she relaxed somewhat。 It was obvious she had been through a great deal and she was concerned I would not believe her。 She had gone to the local authorities； she said； and they had laughed at her。 I assured her that I wouldn't laugh； that I was accustomed to hearing incredible stories from credible people。
〃Last November 。。。 I think it was the second or third；〃 she began； 〃I was out behind this building； getting ready to go home。 It was seven or eight o'clock。 Suddenly there was a little flash； like a camera flash gun going off； directly above me 。。。 and then I saw a thing 。。。 some kind of flying machine。 I couldn't move。 I guess I was frozen with fright。 This thing landed right there in the parking lot not twenty feet away from me。 It was like a big cylinder。 Anyway； it didn't make the slightest bit of noise。 It just drifted down and stopped。 Like I say； I couldn't move。 I guess I started praying。 Then two men came out of it and they walked over to me。〃
She studied me anxiously as if expecting me to laugh。
〃What did they look like？〃 I asked。
〃They were just normal…sized； normal…looking men； but their skins were a funny color 。。。 dark； like maybe they were heavily tanned。 The light was pretty bad there so I couldn't see them all that well。〃
〃Were they Negroes？〃
〃No。 No； they didn't have Negroid features。 Their faces seemed kind of pointed。 You know； pointed noses； pointed chins； high cheekbones。 There was a kind of evil look about them。 I was afraid I was going to get robbed or attacked。〃
〃How were they dressed？〃 I leaned back and lit my pipe。
〃As near as I could tell； they were wearing some kind of coveralls； something like a uniform。 Then they started talking to me。〃
She kept watching me； reluctant to continue。
〃What did they have to say？〃 I prompted； trying to avoid leading questions。
〃Well； it was all pretty silly。 They just wanted to know my name； where I was from； what I did for a living； things like that Sometimes it was hard to understand them。 Their voices were sort of singsongy and high…pitched。 It was like listening to a phonograph record played at the wrong speed。 And they kept asking me for the time。 They asked 'What is your time？' two or three times。 Finally they just walked back to the thing and it took off。 Then I could move again。 I was scared out of my wits but I decided not to tell anyone。 Then a couple of days later I heard about a man up near Parkersburg who had the same thing happen to him。〃
〃His name is Woodrow Derenberger；〃 I volunteered。 〃Have you met him？〃
〃No。 I just heard something about him on the radio。〃 She paused and moistened her thin lips。 〃I wonder 。。。 did he ever see those men again？〃
〃He says he did。〃
She looked relieved。
〃Well； I saw them again。 I saw them in broad daylight。 Walking right down the main street in Gallipolis。 This time they were dressed in normal clothes。 They looked like anybody。 They sort of nodded to me when they passed me。 I got scared all over again。 Real scared。 That's when I went to the police and told them what I saw。 They laughed at me and said I was probably just imagining things。〃 She paused again and shook her head sadly。 〃You see； I've been to the police before 。。 。 about my cattle rustlers。 I guess they think I'm some kind of a nut。 I went to the FBI； too。 They came out to my place but said they couldn't find anything。 After that somebody tapped my telephone。 Maybe it was the FBI。〃
I was scribbling in my pocket notebook。 A year or two earlier I would have classified Mrs。 Bryant as a paranoid…schizophrenic。 But she didn't seem like a mon run…of…the…mill nut。
She and her two teen…aged children lived on a farm outside of Gallipolis。 She kept cows there and beginning in 1963…64 she started to have trouble with cattle rustlers who butchered the animals in the field。
〃Whoever they were；〃 she observed； 〃they didn't seem to want the choice cuts。 They just took the brains； eyeballs； udders； and organs that…you know…we'd normally throw away。〃
Had she ever caught the culprits in the act？
〃Several times；〃 she said。 〃I'd see them out in the field and go after them with a shotgun。 But they always got away。 They're tall men and they wear white coveralls 。。。 which is kind of stupid because they really stand out in the dark。 And they can certainly run and jump。 I've seen them leap over high fences from a standing start。〃
Her home burned to the ground during that period and she built a new one…story ranch house on the same site。 One night when she was alone in the new house； she said； she woke up and found herself unable to move。 She felt a wave of almost overpowering heat as she heard the kitchen door open。 She had double…locked it before going to bed。 While she lay there helplessly； she said she saw a tall figure walk through the kitchen and apparently go out another locked door on the other side。 After it left； she was able to move。
Other strange sounds pervaded the house； she claimed。 She and her children often heard heavy footsteps on the roof and loud meta