WNWN chap. XXIX

El Indio had left and Paul sat down and watched Conrad. Conrad had him worried. Conrad had been in combat, he had carried out covert operations, he had run spy rings in hostile foreign countries. He had faithfully protected Paul on several occasions when he had been physically threatened. Now Conrad seemed to have lost his nerve.
Paul spoke softly to Conrad. “Conrad, go ahead and take a nap or a walk, I am going to be busy for a while. I’ll let you know when I am ready to go back down to the cave.”
Paul clicked on his computer and began doing some minor tasks. He wanted to let Conrad relax. He felt in no hurry and he thought Conrad needed some time.
Conrad took a walk outside, but not too far from the ranch house.
He sat down in a lawn chair in the shade. Soon he dozed off and when Paul checked on him he decided to let him sleep for a while.
Paul decided to take a walk. It was warm and muggy outside with a good breeze blowing. Paul walked out to where the untrimmed brush was growing and followed along the brush line.
The air was thick and oppressive, breaths came harder. He soon was sweating. He felt weak and had to fight for a breath. Panic swelled within and he turned to find his way back. His head was swirling and he had trouble maintaining balance. As he neared the house he thought he saw something, shimmering shapes in the sun, before his eyes.
Paul fought against this impairment and confusion. “Control,” he said to himself. “I must keep in control of my self!” Paul was iron willed and he slowly brought himself back to near normalcy any way. He soon saw the ranch house. He saw Conrad, still asleep beneath the tree.
“Conrad!” he shouted. “Wake up! Let’s go in, something strange is going on.”
“What, what is it?” Conrad spoke groggily as he came out of his deep sleep.
“Look! Do you see something?” Paul pointed towards the translucent apparitions. To Paul they appeared similar to the waves of the aurora borealis or possibly, he thought, they were ghosts or spirits. Whatever they were they were shimmering, growing alternately darker and then brighter. They moved a bit up, down, sideways, but slowly and no great distances. Paul was entranced.
“I don’t see anything!” Conrad blurted.
Paul then realized this was not real. He once again called on his substantial inner reserve and exerted his mental control over his body and, he realized, over his reality. The hallucination, or whatever it was, immediately disappeared.
Paul then heard a voice speaking to him, not out loud but in his mind! It was the voice of El Indio! “You did the right thing. Stay secure in your power and nothing can touch you or do harm.”
Now Paul was shook! He turned around and slowly walked back and into the ranch house.
“I need a drink!” He poured a stiff whiskey. “You need one?”
Conrad sat up. “Yeah!”
They poured them down and then poured two more.
“Conrad, you are right. There is a lot more going on here than I thought.”

WNWN XXVIII

The two men had finished breakfast and were drinking their coffee as they considered their course of action.
Conrad had been clearly affected by the nightmare experience of the leaping, phantom jaguar.
“Mr. Hewlett, I don’t think we should go back in that cave,” said Conrad. "I think El Indio is telling the truth.”
Paul stared at Conrad for a while.
“Conrad, you have never been, …un-nerved…like this before,” said Paul.
“We’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t like it.” Conrad was nervous, fidgety.
Paul didn’t like the look of this. He depended on Conrad’s backup.
“You’ll just have to get a hold of yourself man! Buck it up!” Paul spoke forcefully, much like a sports coach.
“Well, I am going back down there. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. I’ll go by myself.”
Conrad looked crushed, his face flushed. He didn’t say anything for a while, then he said “I’ll go. I can’t let you down.”
“Look, we’ll take a break today and rest and go back tomorrow. OK?” Paul patted Conrad on each shoulder reassuringly.
“Yeah, Ok,”
Conrad went out to the deck to exercise. Paul returned to his workload which he had brought along.
Just before noon El Indio appeared on the front porch and knocked at the door.
Paul welcomed him and he took a seat at the table with Paul. He accepted a cup of tea.
“Senor Hewlett, please, you must give up the idea of going back into the cave. The spirits know of your presence And they are waiting for you. Already some have come out into the world. I have been able to force them back but it is hard to do,” El Indio pleaded.
“I know you don’t believe me but I am telling the truth,”
“It doesn’t really matter if you are telling the truth or not. I am going ahead with my plans no matter what. This is my place and I can do what I want.” Paul was emphatic in his speech. He was full of mixed emotions, fear, anger, resentment and unusually for Paul, doubt, fatigue.
“I know you have plans for this place, for the cave. I don’t know exactly what but I know it is not to be a good thing. I feel there is an immense danger connected with your plans,” replied El Indio.
“Your plans will force the people of el rancho off the land. Their families have lived here for generations…they are part of this land.
They have nourished the land and raised the crops, tended to the cattle and horses and livestock…they are born here, give birth here, die here. And you will send them away?”
“The land is mine. All legal and proper. I paid for it and I can do what I will with it!” Paul fired back.
“You white men think you can ‘own’ the land! A foolish thought,” said El Indio. “You have a piece of paper, for which you exchanged other pieces of paper. For that you think you own the land! The people living here have spent their lives here as did their past generations. Their dead are buried here. Their children are born here. They have worked this land, protected it, made it bountiful. And you say that you own the land! Senor, that makes no sense in the real world.”
“In the real world as I know it this place belongs to me and I make the decisions as to what happens here,” Paul shot back.

WNWN XXVII

Sometime in the early morning hours Conrad woke. He got up and stretched out and yawned, scratched his head and sat there feeling somewhat befuddled. He glanced at the clock. It read 3:00.
“I can sleep at least another three hours,” he thought.
He stood up and walked outside to get some fresh air and stretch his legs. It was quiet and the sky was clear with a low moon and bright stars. A low breath of a breeze gently swept the tops of the grass. Scattered clouds slowly drifted through the night sky.
He stood near a tree and relieved himself. He heard a noise.
“What’s that?” He turned and peered into the inky darkness within the brush. He heard it again, a muted cough. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He froze. He knew what it was. He was unarmed and only wearing his shorts. “Man, I should never be caught unarmed!”
He knew better than to turn to run. “I will stand my ground,” he said to himself. He had once faced down a grizzly in Alaska when it made a mock charge. But he had had a high powered rifle then!
Then he heard a faint rustle in the grass and into the moonlight burst an immense cat, its spotted coat glimmering in the moonlight. The jaguar!
It came on quickly but it pulled up to a stop about ten yards away. It snarled at him viciously and its eyes reflected the sparse light into an evil glow. Its low growl was nothing but threatening.
Conrad said nothing. He had heard some people say never to look an animal in its eyes, especially a dangerous predator. Conrad didn’t believe that. He felt animals communicate with their eyes as humans do and he wanted to put some doubt into the mind of this ferocious feline.
This was an intense moment, Conrad’s heart was pounding but he maintained control, he had long years of experience of being in dangerous situations and he could keep his cool.
The cat flinched its back legs and then suddenly sprang. It covered the ten yards in an instant. It took another bound and leapt straight for Conrad. Conrad braced, muscles tense, senses on alert.
Nothing happened. He gasped, and looked around. There was no sign of the jaguar.
“Well that just can’t be real!” he told himself. What had happened he wondered. He realized that El Indio’s story must be true.
He went back into the house and woke Paul.
“What’s going on? Why are you waking me?”
“Sorry Mister Hewitt but I have to tell you about this.”
“What happened?”
“I doubt you will believe me but I just saw the jaguar.”
“And…?” asked Paul.
“It attacked me. I was scared to death but then it disappeared into thin air!” Conrad was shaken.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean it just disappeared into thin air! Gone…Se fue!” Conrad sputtered.
The two stared in silence for a long two minutes or so.
“Are you OK?” asked Paul. “Did you take a smack on the head?”
“I am fine. I was expecting to take a charge by a very large, angry cat and when it leaped it just disappeared. I can’t explain it but that’s what happened.”
“We need a drink,” said Paul. They sat at the table and had a stiff whiskey.
“You know this means that maybe El Indio isn’t crazy after all. Maybe we shouldn’t go back into the cave,” said Conrad.
“I’m surprised at you Conrad! I have never seen you ready to back down before.”

Waste Not Want Not XXVI

El Indio looked intently at Paul but his face betrayed no expression.
He spoke “I told you this was a portal to Xibalba. I told you the truth and this is real. You are in danger there and you put many in peril if you open it or leave it open. There are demons there and they need to kept in the underworld.”
“Look, I don’t believe any of this,” said Paul. “I would hope you wouldn’t interfere with me on my property.
“You may have to learn a hard lesson,” said El Indio. “There are many things you don’t understand. You don’t know everything that is in the world.” He then stood and took his leave, wishing the men good night.
Conrad spoke “I don’t believe his story either but I think he believes it!”
“I believe you are right about that. No Matter. I still want to proceed with the plan. I think the first step must be to get the ranch workers and their families to leave,” said Paul.
“How will they move? And where will they go? They can’t have enough money to do that,” remarked Conrad.
“I have thought about that. I will make money and aid available for them to move and find new employment, that should lessen the pain,”
“That’s very generous. Do you think that will work?” asked Conrad.
“We’ll just have to see. I want to get this going,” said Paul.
After supper they were relaxing when a chilling sound cut through the night. Something like a scream, something like a roar.
“What was that?” They both said at once. They rushed outside, saw nothing unusual.
“It sounded very close,” said Conrad.
“Yes, let’s walk around the perimeter a little bit.
“Come here! Look at this!” shouted Conrad.
They bent down and observed a track, of a large cat. A very large cat. “What made that print?” asked Paul.
“I don’t know but I don’t think it’s a Cougar, I’ve tracked them before. This is larger and a bit different.
“What then?”
“Well I for one will not be walking around at night anymore!” said Conrad.
They went inside and discussed the possibilities.
“Unless there is an escaped zoo or circus animal the only thing it could be is a jaguar,” said Conrad.
“A jaguar?”
“Yes, they were known in these parts well into the last century and they have been making a comeback in Belize and even in Arizona one was seen recently. It must be that.”
“Well this just means we will need to be on our guard and stay armed when we go out into the bush,” said Paul. “I have my deer rifle and a .45 automatic. Did you bring a weapon?”
“Yes, I have my trusty old .44 magnum revolver,” said Conrad.
“Good, we are well armed then.”
Once again the two experienced an uneasy sleep that night.

Waste Not, Want Not Chapter XXV

The two men peered in astonishment at the large and complex inscription.
“Who could have made this?” asked Conrad.
“I have no clue,” replied Paul as he examined the carvings, which had traces of paint on some of the images. “I know of no peoples who are known to have lived in this area that might have done this. Of course I am not expert but it does seem very unusual.”
“We may have made an important archaeological discovery,” said Conrad as he traced his finger over one image which seemed to show a warrior or god of some sort.
“If it is I don’t really want to let the world in on it just now,” said Paul.
“I see what you mean.”
Paul looked at his watch. “It is getting on, I think we should get back before it gets dark.”
They retraced there steps and finally made it back to the surface.
Conrad asked “Do we put the rock back?
“No, let’s leave it open and we’ll get back earlier tomorrow. Let’s go.”
They were soon back at the ranch house and tonight Conrad did the cooking. He was a good cook and they enjoyed a heart supper and a glass of bourbon afterwards.
They passed the evening quietly, Conrad watching TV, Paul working on paperwork.
Paul stretched and said he was turning in. He went to his room.
He slept fitfully, dreaming fast, furtive dreams which streamed through his sleep, leaving him feeling tired and apprehensive.
Visions of the strange creature El Indio had called Palinche Kha, the hideous, feathered demon warrior, were flitting through these nightmares. He woke just past dawn feeling as though he had not slept a wink.
At their breakfast Conrad said “Man, I had some strange dreams last night!”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, they were bordering on nightmarish, strange dreams filled with fantastic creatures.”
Conrad’s dreams were no surprise to Paul, they were nearly like his own. Paul then related his own nocturnal visions.
“How could that be?” Conrad wondered out loud.
“I don’t know, there are a lot of things about this place I don’t know!” said Paul.
They were soon back to the rock and it was covered again! Paul got out his Geiger counter and the radiation level was again very high.
“I think we will be wasting our time if we try to open it right now. Let’s go back.”
They had just fixed a pot of coffee and El Indio knocked.
“Come in” said Paul. “I want to talk to you.”
El Indio took a cup of coffee and joined the two at the table.
“Did you cover the hole?” asked Paul.
“Yes. Remember I had told you that you should not open the hole. It is dangerous,” said El Indio.
“I just don’t believe all that spirit mumbo jumbo and I have a job to do here and I intend to do it,” said a somewhat perturbed Paul. “How did you close it by yourself?”
“I have power.”
“Powers? What do you mean?”
“You wouldn’t believe me or understand.”
“El Indio, I am grateful to you for saving my life and I respect you but please don’t interfere with my wishes on my property.”
They sat reflectively for a while, sipping their cups.

Waste Not, Want Not Chapter XXIV

Paul took a seat in the porch swing,felt the cool breeze and soon fell asleep. There he napped until he was roused by the footsteps on the steps as Conrad returned from his walk.
“Oh…hey,” Paul said drowsily as he regained wakefulness.
“Hey,” answered Conrad.
“So did you have a nice walk?”
“Yes,” said Conrad, “I did. You know this is really a nice place. It’s great out there in the brush land. I saw a deer and a turkey. Pretty neat.”
“Yes, it is always good to get out of the city,” said Paul.
Conrad asked “So what do we do now?”
“We’ll go back and try it again soon. I opened it once, it will open again I think,” said Paul.
The two men passed the day relaxing, reading and Paul, as usual, working.
“Let’s go out and give it a try before supper,” said Paul.
They drove both vehicles back to the stone and once again rigged up their cables.
“Check the rock with the Geiger counter again,” said Paul.
Conrad passed the instrument’s receptor over the stone. There was a marked decrease in the radiation level this time.
“Let’s give it a pull now,” said Paul.
They pulled tight on the winch lines. The stone moved slightly. They then put the trucks in gear and gave the engines some gas and inched forward and then the rock came loose and it slid away from the hole.
“Alright!” said Conrad as they got out of the trucks and peered into the opening. As before, a rush of foul smelling air emitted from the hole.
“Whew! That stinks!” said Conrad.
They peered into the hole.
“Well, do we go in?” asked Conrad.
“Yes, let’s take a peek,” said Paul.
They dropped down a rope ladder, which was tied off to one of the trucks. Both men grabbed a flashlight and they climbed in. The sun was now low on the horizon and they light was dim in the hole. They stepped onto the ledge inside the hole and shined their lights down into the inky blackness.
The stench was overwhelming, a putrid smell of decay and mold.
Their lights revealed an opening in the stone and a narrow pathway descending from into a darkness. They had to get on their knees and just squeezed through. Once through the hole was a bit higher and they could walk, hunched over, on down into the cave.
They could hear sounds, highly amplified, such as dripping water and occasionally a flutter of wings as bats whizzed by. Their powerful flashlights so far revealed nothing ahead nut more darkness. Their forced posture and the close confines made their walk most strenuous but they pressed on. They pressed on without speaking, each man’s senses keenly acute, muscles tense from the strain and some degree of nervous strain as well. Neither man liked closed, dark, cramped spaces so this was not an easy trek. After what seemed a considerable period the two emerged into a large, open subterranean room.
“Let’s take a break,” said Paul.
“I’m for that!”
They sat on a large, flat rock and Paul took a drink from his canteen. He shined his light into the room. Revealed before them was a fantastic scene of incredible stalactites and stalagmites and other incredible crystalline formations. Each man had visited the famous caverns of Carlsbad, New Mexico and Sonora, Texas. This previously unknown spot compared well with those.
There was more. On the wall before them were ancient inscriptions similar to those Paul had seen at Chichenitza and other locations in the Yucatan.

Waste Not, Want Not Chapter XXIII

The two sat and drank their coffee. Conrad spoke.
“It’s good to be out in the country again. So what do you want to do today?”
“I want to go out and open the hole again. I want to climb down into the entrance chamber and at least try to see what is below. I don’t feel like risking life and limb right away!” said Paul.
Conrad sipped his brew and nodded.
“Did you bring all the stuff I asked for?”
“Sure,” said Conrad.
“The Geiger counter?”
“Yep,” Conrad handed Paul a list on a piece of paper. “It’s all in the truck.”
“Good. Let’s get you unloaded and settled in. You can have the bedroom in the front.”
Soon they were driving the two trucks along the trail leading to the rock. It was peaceful and the sky was clear. It wasn’t long before they spied the stone. They pulled to a stop just in front of the large, flat rock. Paul got out and walked over to Conrad’s truck.
“Let’s each put a cable on it and we will line up side by side and pull it. OK?” asked Paul.
“Sounds good.”
In no time they had placed their cables and started to haul in the winch cables. The stone didn’t budge. On his cell phone Paul told Conrad to lock the line and pull with the trucks. They put them in low gear and pulled, slowly the rock budged but didn’t break loose. The trucks spun their wheels but the rock wouldn’t come free. After a while Paul let out some slack in the line and shut the truck off. Conrad followed suit. The two men got of and walked over to the rock and looked it over, walking round and round it.
“Dangdest thing I ever saw,” said Paul. “I don’t see why we can’t move it.”
“Let’s take a break,” said Paul. “I brought some sandwiches and orange juice. Let’s eat.”
So that sat down on the rock and ate. Didn’t talk much.
After a while Paul got up and said “Let’s try it again,”
They climbed back into the truck cabs and again took up the slack and tried to move the rock. No luck! It was exasperating but Paul finally decided there was no point in burning up the trucks.
“Did you bring a Geiger counter?” asked Paul.
“Sure did. I got in the truck,” said Conrad. “”Do you want me to get it?”
“Yes,” said Paul. “I am curious about something.”
Conrad brought over the Geiger counter and turned it on. It registered a considerable amount of radiation. He walked closer to the rock and the Geiger counter got louder and dials shot up. As he held it over the rock it registered an abnormally high level.
“I had thought this might be the case. I know that there is uranium scattered all throughout this area and one of my companies and others mine the stuff not too far from here,” said Paul. “We’ll come back another time and try it again. The first time I moved it was relatively easy. I want to see what happens after a little time passes.”
They climbed back into their trucks and returned to the ranch house.
“What do you think?” asked Conrad.
“I really don’t know but once I moved the rock with my winch. Since then it is unmovable. Why is that? Why is the radiation level so high? Is there a connection?” Paul asked.
They made sandwiches for lunch and sat out on the front porch to eat.
“Well, what’s the plan?”
“I want to go and try again in a couple of hours and if we can’t do it then wait a while and go back,” said Paul.
“Catch it with it’s guard down huh?” Conrad chuckled as he asked the question.
“Something like that, I guess,” said Paul. “Mean while we’ll just kick back for a while. I have work I can do.”
“OK, I’ll take a walk around the place,” said Conrad. With that he walked off.