The Instance Is Relevant (The Transmogrification Continuous) Part IV

Tanner and Lendal sit on the couch in tense, uneasy silence. Lendal runs the images that the creature showed him through his mind, marveling that things like that can even exist. He convinces himself that he needs to tell the whole truth to the authorities, to warn them of what could be impending doom for the planet Earth. The world must be warned. There is a loud knock on the door, and they jump from their seats nervously. Lendal quickly opens the door and is greeted by Officer Alan shining a pen light into his eyes. He shuts them and tries to shield them with his hand.

“Open your eyes and remove your hand please,” orders Alan.

Lendal obeys, “What’s this about?”

“Just following procedure.” After a few moments of scrutiny, “Please step away. Tanner.”

“Yes.”

“Please come here.” Tanner stands before the officer, and the process is repeated.

“You don’t believe me,” says Lendal.

“It doesn’t matter whether I believe you or not. I have to investigate all possibilities when such a claim is made.”

“I’m telling you the truth. I think we are all in danger.”

“That may or may not be. Can we come in and look around?”

“What for?” asks Tanner, backing away from the officer.

“Procedure.”

“Sure, what the hell. We have nothing to hide,” quips Lendal, immediately regretting his upstart nature.

“Thank you. Tom, you stay down here with Lendal. Tanner, would you escort me upstairs?”

“Yes sir,” a nervous Tanner slowly leads the officer up the stairs. Once they are upon the second floor, Alan begins questioning the young student. “You witnessed these dog-like beasts your roommate spoke of?”

“Ah, I heard them digging. It’s what woke me up.”

“Digging?”

“Well, sort of. Earth being moved, rumbling.”

“Can you validate any of the visual claims that your roommate stated?”

“I cannot, but I know something large and strong slammed into the front door. And I know Lendal was terrified by something other then a couple guys.”

“What makes you sure of that?”

“He had me get…I could just tell.’

“What did he have you get?”

“A baseball bat.”

“That sounds like something you would get to protect you from a ‘couple guys’. Have you two been drinking tonight? Smoking anything?”

“No, no, I have a huge test later today. There’s no way I would party before a big test.”

“Why were you up here when we first arrived?”

“I was putting the bat away.”

“Whose room is this?”

“Lendal’s”

“Can you open the door?”

“Sure.”

“Is the bat in here?”

“Ah…I think so…”

“Don’t you know where you put it?”

“I’ve just been so startled by all this, I’m kinda nervous.”

“OK. Well, I’m going to look around this room a bit. OK?”

“Alright,” says Tanner sheepishly.

Alan opens the door and turns the light on. He takes one quick scan around the room, and then kneels down to peer under the bed with his flashlight. After a contemplative moment, he gets back to his feet. “Tanner, would you please pull out everything that is under this bed for me?”

Tanner knows that his friend is busted, but he decides that there is nothing he can do but comply with the officer’s wishes. He gets down upon all fours and pulls out a couple boxes and then the shotgun and assault rifle which he had covered with a towel.

“Lift that towel for me, please.”
Tanner exposes the weapons.

“Are these Lendal’s?”

“Yes.”
“Follow me into the hall.”
Once out in the hall, Alan calls his partner upstairs, making sure Lendal stays in the living room.

“What’s up?” asks Tom upon his arrival.

“I have a couple weapons. Confiscate them while I escort Tanner downstairs.” Alan and Tanner head down the stairs where Lendal is waiting nervously on the couch.

“Do you know what I found Lendal?”

“Yes.”

“Obviously the assault rifle is illegal in this state, do you have a license for the shotgun?”

“No.”

“I am going to have to place you under arrest. You have the right to remain silent…”

Tanner had been downtown a couple times since he had been living here. That had been during the day while searching for tech items he needed for school. Mostly he traveled from home to school and to a shopping center close by Balentine for food and things. When you decided on Balentine University, you were choosing a serious science college, for serious study. The town was very low key, sleepy even. Tonight, however, there is something in the air, a strange energy that he first picked up as the squad car entered the outskirts.

There is a smoky, gaseous fog floating in the air, just at the town’s entrance, with flashing, glowing lights waving within the brick bearing masonry buildings. The car slows as they enter the town. There are the faint sounds of shouting in the distance and the air carries the smell of chemicals and burning wood. Tanner and Lendal exchange concerned looks. Besides slowing the vehicle, the officers do not seem to notice that anything is amiss. Their radio has been virtually silent, with occasional unrelated bulletins.

The blue and white squad car, with “Aniston County Police” graphically arranged within an enlarged five pointed badge upon its door, carefully maneuvers through the town streets. As they approach the town center, more and more people appear on the sidewalks, although there did not seem to be any cars in the streets. In fact Tanner has not seen one car driving anywhere. Granted it is very late, or early, but then why all the people about, walking, running, some are even dancing. There are those gathered in groups, conversing loudly and gesturing wildly, bordering on bedlam in some areas. Something is up, something is going on, yet the police do not seem to be concerned, or even to notice.

Then Tanner notices something else very odd. Some people are carrying open containers of beer, wine, and whiskey and drinking in plain sight of the police, without fear. Tanner leans over to Lendal and whispers, “What do you think? Spill out from a party or something?”

“I guess, but this is really weird. When have you ever seen cops not want to bust some illegal drinkers?”

“Never.”

They are approaching a flashing, glowing light that is getting brighter as they turn a corner. Then they behold the source, a small department store is on fire, with a mob of people spilled out onto the street in front of it. Men are in the process of throwing a garbage can through one of its large front windows. The squad car drives around the mob and continues on its way.

“Did you guys see that?!” Lendal hollers, not willing to go along with the increasing insanity of the moment.

“Shut up!” shouts Tom, turning to face them, a stone serious look upon his face.

“Alright, alright.” Lendal retreats, not wanting to tangle with the burly little man in the least.

...TO BE CONTINUED.