jak.themothmanprophecies-第12章

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　　Altogether；　more　than　one　hundred　adults　would　see　this　winged　impossibility　in　1966…67。　Those　who　got　a　close　look　at　it　all　agreed　on　the　basic　points。　It　was　gray；　apparently　featherless；　as　large…or　larger…than　a　big　man；　had　a　wingspread　of　about　ten　feet；　took　off　straight　up　like　a　helicopter；　and　did　not　flap　its　wings　in　flight。　Its　face　was　a　puzzle。　No　one　could　describe　it。　The　two　red　eyes　dominated　it。　（In　a　majority　of　the　reports　of　angels；　demons；　and　saucer　spacemen　the　faces　are　also　either　covered　in　some　manner　or　are　nonexistent。）
　　
　　The　〃ostrich〃　in　Pennsylvania　and　the　big　birds　in　Ohio　did　not　seem　to　fit　into　the　picture。　If　they　were　real　birds　of　some　kind；　where　did　they　go？　Why　weren't　they　seen　again？
　　
　　On　the　evening　of　November　26；　a　housewife　in　St。　Al…bans；　a　suburb　of　Charleston；　West　Virginia；　found　Mothman　standing　on　her　front　lawn。　Mrs。　Ruth　Foster　was　one　of　the　very　few　witnesses　who　claimed　to　see　a　face　on　the　creature。
　　
　　〃It　was　standing　on　the　lawn　beside　the　porch；〃　Mrs。　Foster　said。　〃It　was　tall　with　big　red　eyes　that　popped　out　of　its　face。　My　husband　is　six　feet　one　and　this　bird　looked　about　the　same　height　or　a　little　shorter；　maybe。
　　
　　〃It　had　a　funny　little　face。　I　didn't　see　any　beak。　All　I　saw　were　those　big　red　poppy　eyes。　I　screamed　and　ran　back　into　the　house。　My　brother…in…law　went　out　to　look；　but　it　was　gone。〃
　　
　　The　next　morning　the　winged　phantom　pursued　young　Connie　Carpenter　near　the　Mason；　West　Virginia；　golf　course　（Chapter　Two）。　That　evening；　it　encored　in　St。　Albans。　Sheila　Cain；　thirteen；　and　her　younger　sister　were　walking　home　from　the　store　when　they　saw　an　enormous　〃something〃　standing　next　to　a　local　junk　yard。　（*）
　　
　　〃It　was　gray　and　white　with　big　red　eyes；〃　Sheila　reported；　〃and　it　must　have　been　seven　feet　tall…taller　than　a　I　man。　I　screamed　and　we　ran　home。　It　flew　up　in　the　air　｜　and　followed　us　part　of　the　way。〃
　　
　　Aerodynamically；　Mothman　was　ill…suited　for　flight。　A　I　creature　larger　than　a　big　man；　and　therefore　weighing　in　excess　of　two　hundred　pounds；　would　require　more　than　a　ten…foot　wingspan　to　get　aloft。　And　large　birds　take　off　by　running　along　the　ground　and　flapping　their　wings　frantically。　My　favorite；　the　gooney　bird　of　the　Pacific；　runs　back　and　forth　desperately　trying　to　build　up　airspeed　and　then；　more　often　than　not；　falls　flat　on　his　face。
　　
　　Mothman；　with　his　helicopterlike　takeoffs；　was　impossible。
　　
　　I　was　in　Washington；　B。C。；　that　November；　harassing　the　air　force　in　my　black　suit；　when　I　spoke　to　Gray　Barker　on　the　phone。　Despite　the　furor　then　taking　place　in　West　Virginia；　I　had　not　heard　or　read　a　thing　about　the　〃Bird's〃　arrival。
　　
　　When　Gray　brought　the　matter　up；　I　thought　he　was　joking。　A　red…eyed　bird　with　a　ten…foot　wingspan　who　loved　to　chase　speeding　automobiles　seemed　utterly　ridiculous。　Now　if　it　had　been　a　ten…foot…tall　hair…covered　monster　with　a　terrible　smell　I　might　have　taken　it　seriously。
　　
　　But　Gray　convinced　me　it　was　no　joke。　I　looked　Point　Pleasant　up　on　the　map　。。。　it　was　about　eight　hundred　miles　from　New　York　。。。　oiled　my　fourteen…foot　monster　traps；　got　into　my　car；　and　headed　for　the　Ohio　valley。　
　　
　　　
　　
　　＇*＇　Monsters；　UFOs；　and　apparitions　have　an；　interesting　affinity　for　garbage　dumps　and　junk　yards　Even　the　famous　miracle　at　Lourdes；　France；　in　1858；　took　place　at　the　local　garbage　dump。　
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　7　…　The　Night　of　the　Bleeding　Ear
　　
　　I。
　　
　　Gwendoline　Martino　was　back　in　her　apartment　in　Cherry　Hill；　New　Jersey；　early　in　December　1966；　packing　her　things　for　a　trip　to　Europe。　Her　unlisted　phone　rang。　A　female　voice　with　a　slight　foreign　accent　came　on　the　line。
　　
　　〃Hello；　Gwen？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　this　is　Gwen　。。。〃
　　
　　〃Gwen　Stevens？〃
　　
　　〃No；　this　is　Gwen　Martino。〃
　　
　　〃You're　not　Gwen　Stevens？〃
　　
　　〃No　。。。　you've　got　the　wrong　Gwen。〃
　　
　　This　same　woman　called　back　again　on　two　successive　nights。　The　conversation　was　always　the　same。　Mrs。　Martino　was　mildly　irritated　that　the　woman　would　call　her　three　times　in　a　row　but　she　thought　nothing　of　it　until　I　met　her　a　few　months　later　and　asked　my　routine　questions　about　unusual　phone　calls。
　　
　　Because　of　the　woman's　accent；　it　is　possible　she　was　asking　for　〃Jen　Stevens。〃　Mrs。　Martino　had　never　heard　of　anyone　named　either　Gwen　or　Jen　Stevens。　But　at　that　time　a　woman　named　Jennifer　（〃Jen〃）　Stevens　was　very　active　in　UFO　research　in　the　Albany…Schenectady　area　of　New　York　State。　Mrs。　Stevens　experienced　a　wide　range　of　problems　with　her　unlisted　phone　and　a　personal　tragedy　which　seemed　to　be　related　to　her　UFO　investigations。
　　
　　In　February　1968；　Mrs。　Stevens　reported　the　following：　
　　
　　＇One＇　night　when　my　husband；　Peter；　and　I　returned　home　we　found　Jenny；　our　fifteen…year…old　daughter；　in　a　highly　nervous　state。　She　said　the　phone　had　been　ringing　all　evening。　She　would　answer　it　and　hear　nothing　at　the　other　end　but　heavy　breathing。　When　her　boyfriend　called　they　were　interrupted　several　times　by　high…pitched　beeping　noises　and　were　also　cut　off　twice。　The　next　day　the　calls　continued。　Sometimes　there　would　be　mechanical　sounds；　and　others；　the　high…pitched　whining；　beeping　sound　that　sent　sharp　pains　through　the　mastoid　bones。　Our　number　is　unlisted　so　I　knew　no　one　could　have　gotten　it　out　of　the　phone　book　or　through　the　operator。　We　had　long　since　screened　all　calls　through　another　number　in　order　to　avoid　cranks。　I　called　the　telephone　pany　and　they　gave　our　line　a　plete　check　with　NO　findings。　The　service　man　offered　his　personal　opinion　that　the　line　〃could　have　been　tapped。〃
　　
　　Several　days　after　our　telephone　problems　began；　my　husband；　who　is　a　building　contractor；　was　in　a　large　downtown　Schenectady　store　inspecting　some　work　and　dropped　into　the　snack　bar　for　a　cup　of　coffee。　A　few　moments　after　he　seated　himself；　a　tall；　tan；　〃saturnine〃…looking　man；　whom　my　husband　had　never　seen　before；　sat　down　next　to　him　and　started　a　conversation。　He　began　with；　〃There　have　been　people　watching　the　sky　every　night　down　by　the　river　in　Scotia。〃　Since　Peter　was　one　of　〃those　people；〃　he　was　shocked　。。。　but　kept　cool　and　said；　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　　
　　The　man　proceeded　to　talk　about　UFOs。　Peter　tried　to　draw　him　out　and　asked　his　name；　and　so　on。　All　his　questions　were　either　parried　or　avoided。　My　husband　was　beginning　to　feel　a　bit　unfortable　when　the　stranger　finally　excused　himself　after　noting；　〃People　who　look　for　UFOs　should　be　very；　very　careful。〃
　　
　　At　my　request；　Peter　Stevens　made　two　sketches　of　the　〃saturnine〃…looking　man。　They　sent　me　one　copy　and　kept　the　other。　A　few　weeks　later　their　home　was　broken　into　and　thoroughly　ransacked。　But　nothing　was　stolen　。　。。　except　their　copy　of　the　sketch。　（1）
　　
　　Two　months　later　Peter　Stevens；　a　young　man　in　his　thirties；　died　very　suddenly。　Anguished；　Jen　abandoned　UFO　research。　I　never　learned　the　full　circumstances　of　his　death。　She　would　tell　me　only　that　it　was　〃related〃　to　the　UFO　business　in　some　way。
　　
　　
　　
　　＇1＇　No　one　ever　tried　to　steal　my　copy。　It　was　subsequently　published　in　a　special　issue　of　Flying　Saucer　Review；　June　1969。　
　　
　　
　　
　　I　have　shown　Peter　Stevens's　drawing　to　numerous　Men…in…Black　witnesses　over　the　years　and　the　usual　response　is；　〃It　looks　close　enough　to　be　a　brother。〃
　　
　　Today　〃heavy　breathers〃　plague　telephone　subscribers　from　coast　to　coast　and　are　usually　assumed　to　be　sex　nuts。　When　I　received　many　such　calls　in　1967…68　I　recorded　some　of　them　and　studied　the　tapes。　The　sound　is　more　mechanical　or　electronic　than　human　and　is　probably　caused　by　the　introduction　of　a　modulated　current　into　the　telephone　line。　This　phenomenon　is　not　isolated　to　the　cities。　People　in　remote　towns　with　a　population　of　only　twenty…five　or　so　also　get　these　calls。　The　heavy　breathing　of　the　sex　nut　who　（supposedly）　masturbates　while　he　listens　to　a　female　voice　on　the　line　contains　certain　recordable　vocal　characteristics　which　are　totally　absent　in　the　heavy　breathing　calls　I　taped。　Played　at　a　slower　speed；　the　recorded　〃breathing〃　was　an　evenly　spaced　series　of　pulses　resembling　the　swishing　sound　of　a　phonograph　when　the　needle　reaches　the　end　of　the　record　and　does　not　reject。　Heavy　breathing　would　not　be　so　uniform。
　　
　　II
　　
　　Mr。　Kevin　Dee　and　his　NICAP　submittee　urged　Woodrow　Derenberger　to　submit　to　a　psychiatric　and　medical　examination。　In　early　December　Woody　voluntarily　entered　St。　Joseph's　Hospital　in　Parkersburg　and　underwent　hours　of　tests　administered　by　Dr。　Morgan　（I　have　changed　his　name　here　for　reasons　that　will　bee　obvious　later　on）；　a　leading　local　psychiatrist；　and　Peter　Volardi；　an　EEG　technician。　In　his　final　report；　Dr。　Morgan　stated：
　　
　　There　was　no　evidences　of　abnormalities　at　all。　Subsequently；　a　report　and　interpretation　was　obtained　from　Baltimore；　and　the　report　indicated　no　abnormalities　at　all　and　was　a　perfectly　normal　electroencephalogram。　There　was　no　evidence　of　organic　brain　damage　or　of　seizure　disorders。　We　were　particularly　concerned　about　epilepsy　and　there　was　no　evidence　of　this。　The　record　was　a　normal　record　with　no　indication　of　any　central　nervous　system　pathology　at　all。　There　was　no　evidence　of　any　psychiatric　disorders。　I　submitted　a　report　to　the　Pittsburgh　Submittee　of　NICAP；　of　the　psychiatric　examination　of　Mr。　Derenberger　in　which　I　stated　that　I　could　find　no　evidence　of　mental　disorder。　There　was　no　indication　of　any　lower　pathology。　I　found　Mr。　Derenberger　to　be　normal。
　　
　　The　NICAP　investigators　sent　the　medical　records　on　to　the　Washington　office　of　the　organization；　along　with　detailed　reports　on　Woody's　encounter　and　his　personal　background。　Typically；　the　NICAP　newsletter　later　devoted　a　couple　of　paragraphs　to　the　Derenberger　case；　denouncing　it　as　a　hoax；　misspelling　Woody's　name；　and　referring　to　Cold　as　〃Kuld。〃　Woody　had　spelled　the　name　C…o…l…d　from　the　outset　and　it　was　spelled　that　way　throughout　the　submittee's　documents。　How　NICAP　arrived　at　the　K…u…l…d　spelling　is　a　mystery　in　itself。
　　
　　III
　　
　　〃Look　at　that　crazy　character　ing　in　downwind　in　that　plane；〃　Eddie　Adkins　mented。　He　and　four　other　men　were　standing　on　the　field　of　the　Gallipolis；　Ohio；　airport；　just　across　the　river　from　Point　Pleasant　on　Sunday；　December　4；　1966。
　　
　　At　3　P。M。　that　afternoon　a　large　winged　form　came　cruising　majestically　along　the　Ohio　River；　just　behind　the　airport。　The　pilots　later　estimated　that　it　was　about　three　hundred　feet　in　the　air　and　was　traveling　about　seventy　miles　an　hour。　As　it　drew　closer　they　realized　it　was　not　a　plane　but　was　some　kind　of　enormous　bird　with　an　unusually　long　neck。　It　seemed　to　be　turning　its　head　from　side　to　side　as　if　it　were　taking　in　the　scenery。　The　wings　were　not　flapping。
　　
　　〃My　God！　It's　something　prehistoric！〃　one　of　the　men　cried。
　　
　　Everett　Wedge　grabbed　his　camera　and　sprinted　to　his　small　plane。　But　by　the　time　he　was　airborne　the　giant　creature　had　vanished　somewhere　Sown　river。
　　
　　Three　days　later；　on　December　7；　I　arrived　in　Point