A stimulating fiction novel developed for the readers pleasure. A love of the unknown brings a fantasy meaning to alien existence and what can be in store for humanity in the future. Will the human race become friends or will action be needed to exterminate the enemies of peaceful nations to save mankind. Peace or annihilation is yours to choose. Choose carefully for this is your world.
HIDDEN TRUTH
The aliens are watching us By Donald WicklanderAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2009 Donald Wicklander
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4490-0425-5Chapter One
The Massive Earthquake
It was a cold and rainy night in central Washington. The date was 24 November 2009. The scene is the Olympic Mountain range east of Seattle. The weather forecast was for a bad storm front to move in. A terrible front having very cold rain and hail half the size of golf balls hit the area when it happened at 8:30 in the evening on a Saturday. An earthquake shook the ground for some three minutes with tremendous force.
All the animals ran for safety while the birds flew for cover from the rain and hail prior to the earthquake. The rabbits and squirrels ran for their holes in the ground. The wolves and mountain lions went to their caves for shelter. The birds flew to nests protected by the trees. The deer huddled near large rocks in the thick brush, or in any nearby protection to avoid the rain and the hail as it came down pelting them. Most of the animals and birds thought they were now safe in their homes for the night, but still instinctively felt a danger lurking on the mountain.
The earthquake had interrupted the animals and birds as it loosened small and large rocks from the sides of the mountain. The rocks tumbled down the slopes causing havoc amongst all below. Trees fell, the earth shook so all the animals and birds went into a frenzy of freight for that short three minutes of their lives.
Damage occurred on the Olympic Mountain Range for many miles as the earth shook. Everything calmed down after the quake. The animals and birds felt safe again in their homes. Of course, none of the animals, or birds could be aware that after shocks would occur again to interrupt their feeling of peace. There would be no escape from it.
The park ranger for the area was Tom Plank who lived some fifteen miles down hill on the western side of mount Olympus with his wife and two children. Tom's job was to protect the range from poachers, watch for fires started by campers, or lightening, keep the cabin with all the equipment in good operation shape, and to protect the beautiful serenity of the area. Tom's wife Sue and their two girls Jean and Beth were being home educated by Sue. Both Jean and Beth were very smart enjoying the home education provided by Sue. Jean and Beth enjoyed the beauty of the area in which they lived. Few children had the privilege of living on mount Olympus.
Tom's family had just finished the evening meal, dishes were place on the kitchen sink for Sue to wash and dry later after the family watched some television. It was about 8:30 that Saturday evening when Sue spoke to the girls. "Come on Beth, you too Jean its time for showers before bed." Jean replied, "Ok mom I'm coming." Beth added, "I'm on my way as soon as I finish this milk." Sue replied, "Ok, but lets get going and no more lingering here watching the television."
Sue and the two girls were now heading for the bathroom to take their showers when the earthquake suddenly hit with a jolting force. Tom was still on the couch watching television. Tom found himself tossed around on the couch and then quickly thrown onto the floor. Sue and the two girls also fell to the floor when knocked down by the massive jolt. Tom yelled, "Protect the two girls with your body, and stay where you are." Sue replied, "Yes Tom I will. Three minutes later after the jolting stopped Jean rose up yelling, "Holy cow, what happened?" Tom replied to Jean, "We just had a very large earthquake! Is everyone ok?" "Yes," Sue replied, "Are you ok?" He yelled, "Yes, I'm fine, but please take the girls into the bathroom. Stay there until I check out everything plus take an extra flash light with you." Tom continued, "The bathroom is small and well structured to keep you, and the girls safe for now." Sue replied, "Ok." Tom began a preliminary review of the damage caused by the huge jostling earthquake that just occurred. The first thought that came to his mind was, "Thank God we were in a well constructed log home. When the home was constructed, the contractors used pegs in all of the logs. A standard constructed house may have collapsed during the size of this earthquake." The lights were out so Tom went outside to start up the generator that started with one pull. The lights came on once again. The public utility electric lines up to the house must have fallen down.
Tom looked around the living room finding ceiling plaster all over the floor. He realized the rest of the plaster could come down easily with the next after shock when it occurred. He realized the ceiling plaster could not be too harmful unless it fell into some ones eyes when it came down. He proceeded to check more of the house for additional damage.
The television that was placed on the table in the living room at the time of the quake had been jolted off the table onto the floor and was now broken. The tube smashed into pieces. The pictures fell off the walls and they were all were over on the floor. The tables in the room moved, or tipped over. Nothing seemed to be in its original place.
Tom walked into the kitchen noticing that all the dishes that were on the sink needing washing after watching television with the two girls were on the floor broken to pieces. He said aloud to him self, "Well they don't need to be wash now." He noticed the microwave was also on the floor with the top cover bent, and the door in front was broken. The cupboard doors were open. Most of the contents strewed all over the kitchen floor either broken, or damaged to the point of not being salvageable. "What a mess this is," Tom said to him self, "I'll bet there will not a room left in the whole house that has not been trashed and the contents destroyed."
Tom went to the bathroom to see Sue and his two girls. He said to, "Sue go get the girls sleeping bags. We need to bed them down in the bathtub for the night. Then come out to the kitchen so I can show you the mess we need to start cleaning up as soon as possible." Sue replied, "Ok and be with you in fifteen, or twenty minutes." Tom said, "Good because we have one hell of a mess to clean up out here in all the rooms. First, I must call my supervisor to report in on the earthquake and the mess it caused here. God only knows what has happened out side." Sue replied, "Ok go do it while I get things in order in here." Tom hurried off, "Ok I'll try getting him right now."
Tom tried the telephone, but it was out of order because of a downed line between the house, and the district office down the mountain. Then Tom went to his official transmitter to try call in. This transmitter was on a very heavy table in his bedroom and secured down to the table by fasteners. It worked fine so Tom could get to the outside world after the earthquake.
Tom attempted to call Jim Rampart his supervisor on the transmitter. He said, "Jim Rampart come in this is Tom Plank." No answer came back to him so he tried again. "Jim this is Tom your ranger on Mount Olympus trying to get you so please respond. We had a violent earthquake up here." After six attempts, a reply came back from Jim down the mountain. Jim said, "Tom this is Jim please come back." Tom replied, "Good to hear from you we have had a tremendous earthquake up here. The house is in one hell of a mess with most everything broken. I have no idea what it's done to the equipment, or the mountain."
Jim told Tom, "The wife and I were at a friend's house where we felt it also. We decided to come back to call you. We just came in when I heard you on the transmitter calling me. We were concerned about you and your family. Are you and your family ok?" "Yes we are, but the house and most of the contents are no good anymore. The horses ran off, but I am sure they will return soon because things have settled down. What should I do now?" Jim replied, "I'm taking the company helicopter up to you first thing in the morning so stay put, and do what you can to take care of things." Tom said, "Ok I'll be here when you arrive in the morning,"
Tom said to Sue, "I talked to Jim, and he will be up here first thing in the morning to check things out." Sue replied, "Good I've bed the girls down in the bathtub. I told them not to get out so we can start cleaning up the mess. We need to check for other damage as soon as possible inside the house. You will need to check out side in the morning as soon as the sun comes up." Tom said, "Yes I will."
Tom went outside to check the house with his flashlight but could find no major damage, and would check again in the morning. He came back in, and looked at the bedrooms telling Sue, "Nothing is in good shape so let's start on cleaning up the kitchen, and then get to the other rooms one by one." This they did for some four hours until deciding to call it quits for the rest of the night to get some sleep.
Early the next morning Tom did mention to Sue, "I found the girls television in their bedroom; it was not broken so I'll try to see if it works. I noticed the outside antenna on the roof fell down due to the massive shaking of the earthquake. I'll go outside now to see if it can be fixed." Sue replied, "Ok and I'll start getting breakfast ready."
Tom went outside to get the tools needed for the repair and climbed up onto the roof. He began fixing the antenna and half an hour later was off the roof having completed the repair job. He was thinking, "I hope Sue has the coffee ready I need a good hot cupful."
Tom entered the house finding every one was already awake. The girls had showered and where dressed for the day. Sue was in the kitchen cooking what she had salvaged the night before. Meanwhile Tom was hooking up the television set that Jean and Beth had in their bedroom in the living room to see if it still worked. Tom proclaimed to Sue, "Honey the girl's television still is in working order and came on as soon as I plugged in." Sue said, "Great let's get the girls in here now for breakfast. We can put the two girls on the couch watching television after breakfast while we clean up some more of the mess before Jim arrives by helicopter in an hour or so."
Tom and Sue continued to clean up the mess after breakfast with the girls on the couch watching the television set. They cleaned the kitchen, the bedrooms, the bath and the living room as well as possible. They both labored filling bags with trash to dump when Tom heard the Pop, Pop, and Pop of a helicopter in the distance. They all knew it was Jim approaching to land. Tom said to Sue, "That must be Jim coming in for a landing; I'm going out to greet him now." Sue replied, "Ok honey," as Tom walked out the door to greet Jim as he landed in the yard.
Tom said to Jim after he landed and shut down the helicopter, "Welcome Jim glad to see you came as soon as was possible. We have had major damage to all the furnishing in the house. I have not yet determined the total damage to the barn, the equipment much less the damage to the mountain, or animals in the area." Jim replied, "Yes I can imagine the problems you have had, but I am here to help in anyway I can. It was a large earthquake and I am sure it caused you many problems. The quake caused problems many miles away, and even we had some damage. I am interested in finding out what the seismologists have to report about it, and the damage it caused to your house, and all the area around here."
Tom and Jim walked to the house while they talked. Jim looked around the house, and said to Tom, "Good God man it must have been a real mess. Nothing remains except for a few things. We will get everything replaced as soon as is possible so you can again start living a normal life."
Then an after shock hit the area. Everyone in the house ducked for cover as more of the ceiling plaster again started to fall. Tom and Sue ran to check on the two girls who were fine. They were holding one another yelling, "Mom, dad help we are afraid." Tom and Sue hugged the girls. Told them all was ok, and not to worry for that was just a normal aftershock. The aftershock lasted for a just short time.
Jim told Tom, "This was bad enough, but I can't imagine what you and your family went through during the original earthquake yesterday." Tom said, "Yes the first one was really horrendous and really jolted us badly. Thank God, we all survived it. I don't want to be in another one like that if I can help it." Jim replied, "I don't blame you for I wouldn't want to either. What my wife and I felt down the mountain was bad enough to make me afraid of earthquakes for the rest of my life."
Sue told Jim, "I'd offer you lunch, but the only thing that survived was some can goods, some bread, and other staples." Sue continued, "We have no stove, or oven since the propane line cracked, and Tom shut off the valve to avoid an explosion." Jim replied, "No problem Sue I'll eat when I get back down the mountain. I will bring you food and essential early in the morning to last you all a few days. I will also send up a few crews with trucks to replace all appliances and the equipment needed to set you totally back up again as you were before. They will repair or refurbish all damages to the home, and provide everything required for your family to continue operation here on the slope of Mount Olympus."
Tom said, "We would appreciate that since we can't continue without the essentials." Jim told Tom, "I will also be back in the morning at about 8:00 A.M. with the copter to look over the mountain side to determine the damage caused by the earthquake, see you then." Tom replied as Jim left the house to return to the helicopter to go home some thirty-five miles down the mountain, "See you soon." Jim said to Tom, "I am hereby closing down the Olympic mountain range to all tourism, and hikers until it is proven safe again, but I want you to stay. The three of you be careful ok?" Tom replied, "I'll be here safe when you get back tomorrow."
Chapter Two
Rejuvenation
Jim left in the helicopter to go back down the mountain to the district office. He would arrange for the complete refurbishment of the home of his employee Tom Plank, and his wife Sue with their two girls Jean and Beth. Jim would also be back for a tour of the Olympic mountain range. Jim and Tom wanted to check for damage to the mountain. They also wanted to check on the animals living there.
Tom and Sue continued to clean more of the mess in the kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedrooms while the girls sat on the couch watching television. Everything was progressing well when Jean yelled, "Daddy, something is coming on the television about the earthquake, do you, and mom want to see it?" "Yes," Tom said, "Be right in."
KBQT television located in Seattle was on the air with the news. This is Grace Jennings reporting on the earthquake. Grace started to report on the earthquake that happened in the Washington Olympic mountain range last night. Grace Jennings proclaimed, "This was a very large earthquake of 7.2 according to the Bolder Colorado earthquake center which is the official national center for letting us know the true intensity of all quakes since they have the best equipment to do that."
Grace continued by saying, "This was a huge earthquake battering the area at 8:30 PM on November 24, 2009. The earthquake was in the National park occupied by few tourist this time of the year since the winter season is approaching fast. Our Seattle area does not get too much snow, mostly rain." Grace mentioned, "My last report was that there were some land slides in the area, but nothing devastating has happened. It must have damage homes in the local area for we felt it here in Seattle. No reports have come in on the damage in the area, but our reporters and camera personnel are out to gain more information. I will report it to you as it comes in to me. Hopefully no lives were lost and the damage was minimal." Grace concluded by saying, "Word has come in telling us that the Olympic mountain range is closed to traffic and tourism until further notice. This was our last message from the United States Parks System. Anyone entering the park is to be fined by order of the Secretary of the Interior for Parks and Recreation." Grace finished by telling us, "As soon as the range is declared safe again I will report it to you, goodnight from KBQT."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from HIDDEN TRUTHby Donald Wicklander Copyright © 2009 by Donald Wicklander. Excerpted by permission.
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