Human-alien encounters -- Fiction; Maine -- Fiction; Science fiction
During that week, of hard questions, I dare say she learned more about
my kind than has ever gone on record even in a physician's office; I
hope she did. To any psychiatrist who might question that, I offer a
naturalist's suggestion. It is easy to imagine, after some laborious
time, that we have noticed everything a given patch of ground can show
us. But alter the view-point only a little--dig down a foot with a
spade, say, or climb a tree-branch and look downward--it's a whole new
world.
When the angel was not exploring me in this fashion, she took pains to
make me glimpse the satisfactions and million rewarding experiences I
might have if I chose the other way. I see how necessary that was; at
the time it seemed almost cruel. She had to do it, for my own sake, and
I am glad that I was somehow able to stand fast to my original choice.
So was she, in the end; she has even said she loves me for it. What
that troubling word means to her is not within my mind. I am satisfied
to take it in the human sense.
Since I no longer require normal sleep, the recall begins at night, as
soon as the lights begin to go out in the village and there is little
danger of interruption. Daytimes, I putter about in my usual fashion.
I have sold Steele my hens, and Judy's life was saved a week ago. That
practically winds up my affairs, except that I went to write a codicil
to my will. I might as well do that now, right here in this journal,
instead of bothering my lawyer. It should be legal.
To Whom It May Concern: I hereby bequeath to my friend Lester
Morse, M.D., of Augusta, Maine, the ring which will be found at my
death on the fifth finger of my left hand. I would urge Dr. Morse
to retain this ring in his private possession at all times, and to
make provision for its disposal, in the event of his own death, to
some person in whose character he places the utmost faith.
(Signed) David Bannerman[3]
[Footnote 3: In spite of superficial changes in the handwriting, this
signature has been certified genuine by an expert graphologist.--BLAINE]
Tonight she has gone away for a while, and I am to rest and do as I
please till she returns. I shall spend the time filling in some blanks
in this record, but I am afraid it will be a spotty job, because there
is so much I no longer care about.
* * * * *
Except for the lack of desire for sleep, and a bodily weariness which
is not at all unpleasant, I notice no physical effects thus far. I have
no faintest recollection of anything that happened earlier than my
twenty-eighth birthday. My deductive memory seems rather efficient, and
I am sure I could reconstruct most of the story if it were worth the
bother. This afternoon I grubbed around among some old letters of that
period, but they weren't very interesting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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