Something of a Kind - By Miranda Wheeler Page 0,52
never renounced parental rights.
She released he was waiting for her to respond. Blinking to recover, she inquired, “So, how do you usually find them?”
“Well, you look for high breaks in the trees. Higher, with more damage than other animals with that mass can do. When the cedar trees are upside down, we call those inverted. They’re dead giveaways.”
Her brow knitted, images of the tunnel flashing through her head.
“But how would you even know where to look?”
“We follow migration paths based on blank areas in the rest of the ecosystem. They’re pretty common on premade trails, but many animals are. It makes it harder to find their tracks. We think they’re soft-footed, so the grasses spring back after a good rain. Leaf litter is a problem, too,” Rowley sighed, shifting through the photographs again.
“It sounds impossible,” Aly commented, confused and disbelieving.
These people do this for a living with no luck. It came so easily for us.
“Nah, it’s easier because we’re trained. Like, you can't just cast a footprint– you have to splatter cast it, which distributes the weight so it doesn’t dilute or disturb the original shape, which is so important. Plus, we’re hooked up with the best. We have H.D. – high definition, I.R. – infrared, refractory, digital, and stealth cams, audio recorders, shotgun microphones… all sorts of stuff. We get closer all the time. We’ve coordinated with a myriad of other researchers in all corners of the world.” Rowley’s eyes sparkled from behind his boxy glasses, his skinny arms waving in excitement. “There’s a staggering amount of encounters. Did you know even Jane Goodall was interested, even believing, in the species?”
Why haven’t they found it, too? This is so bizarre.
“Why don’t more people know about it then?”
“It’s denounced as myth without looking at the evidence most of the time, unfortunately. I think a lot of credible researchers shy away from our work because it leads to tarnished names so quickly, leaving the entire theory unchallenged beyond the ancient alien theorist distortions.” He winced. “They just kill us sometimes. Well, figuratively.”
“Even here though, where everyone’s supposed to be looki ng for evidence, it seems like half the people here don’t even buy it.” She bit her lip, remembering the fragments she had overheard.
“It’s not that they don’t believe, although it’s not the world I’d use – more like, it’s like… knowing, it’s that they don’t believe you,” Rowley offered apologetically. “You’d think that dedicating their careers to this would make them inclined to put more thought than external factors into the mix.”
“Right,” Aly said, “My dad.” “No offense, Alyson, but everyone pretty much hates him,” Rowley confessed, quickly adding, “Sorry.”
A laugh burst from her chest, alleviating the tension in her shoulders for a moment. His face twisted with concern, unsure whether to alter his statement. She waved off his silent concerns. “Honestly? You have no idea how literal ‘everyone’ is.”
“I shouldn’t have said that.” He scratched his head. “It’s slander. I was trying to convey that whatever issue everyone has, you’re not the problem.”
“Well, thank you, Rowley. That makes me feel better.”
“I’ve got to say, if this is what you think it is, it’s really amazing. This could change everything. If you’re… serious, I guess, you should fight for this.”
“You mean if I’m telling the truth, I should press my story?” She raised her brow, a smile teasing the corners of her lips. He nodded, sheepish. “Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“I think Adam’s waiting for you in the hall.” He cupped one hand to block the other, pointing through his palm at the swish of people through the double-doors to the left.
“Rowley Banes!” a woman’s voice, shrill and pitching, echoed through the lobby.
He froze, offering an expression of mock-horror. Stepping backwards, slowly with dramatic leg lifts, he looked like an actor from a silent movie. His face twisted into an outlandish expression. She covered her lips with widespread fingers as though it covered her giggles as he winked, spinning on his heel to disappear through the door of the men’s bathroom. His name kept ringing through the halls until a pretty Asian girl ran through, awkwardly sliding around in oversized tan flats. She flashed Aly a look of desperation. With her clipboard tucked under her arm, she disappeared in the room after him, ignoring the metallic sign announcing gender-specifics.
Unsure if she could control her laughter if Rowley ended up dragged out by the ear, Aly headed towards the hallway where she’d seen the doctors go through. Both doors were