The Gift: Day 06

THE GIFT: DAY 06

EDITOR:

MIRIAM BELLE

CREATIVE CONSULTANTS:

MIRIAM BELLE and SIMPLY_CYN

*

FRIDAY

-The following is a collection of text transcripts from television news reports on the strange events that took place in Castleton Rock, California in the spring of 2005:

FROM CHANNEL SEVEN NEWS, REDDING, CA

6:00 P.M.

THERESA ALEXANDER:

"Hello and good evening, I'm Theresa Alexander reporting for channel 7 news just south of the small city of Castleton Rock where events that can only be described as bizarre are taking place as we speak. If you look behind me you can see traffic in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 backed up for miles. As of right now, we can confirm that this is the biggest traffic jam in the history of California, spanning over sixty miles from Castleton Rock to the southern city limits of Redding.

The situation is no better on the north side of town as southbound traffic has been jammed clear into Yreka over fifty miles north towards the Oregon border. The cause of this amazing and unprecedented event is, incredibly enough, a wall of automobiles stretched hundreds of feet across the freeway at the north and south city boundaries of Castleton Rock. Stacked ten to fifteen vehicles high, four vehicles thick and in some places twenty-nine vehicles long this wall of metal and glass is apparently immovable. How these walls were built and the manner in which they were done so quickly continues to baffle everyone from motorists to government officials.

Efforts to clear the roadblock by the CHP and Cal-Trans have proven futile, including trying to drive a local snowplow through the wall of cars. Plans to bring in wrecking equipment from Redding have been severely hindered due to bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions. Hundreds of people are currently stranded on the freeway with no way to get home. Governor Arnold Shwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency for Siskiyou and Shasta counties and authorized the National Guard to try and move the barrier blocking this vital stretch of highway..."

BOB BARNETT (in the News 7 studio):

"Theresa, there have been reports of mass hysteria in Castleton Rock and even cases of mob mentality murders. Has there been any communication with the city since this event eight hours ago?"

THERESA ALEXANDER:

"At this point I would have to say no. As you can see over my shoulder, several helicopters have flown over the small city in an effort to find out more information but their searches have revealed a ghost town. No one can be seen anywhere on the streets and the town appears to be deserted. Attempts to reach people inside via the phone has failed. Fifteen minutes ago police tried contacting people inside the city with visual communication methods and even with a loud speaker. Thus far, nothing has worked.

The only visual indication of activity in the city is a small mobile carnival in the center of the downtown area. We've been able to see a large Ferris wheel and some other rides, but there is absolutely no one out and about.

Attempts to enter the town by state and county police have proven to be extremely dangerous and in one case, fatal. Wild animals ranging from mosquitoes, rats, squirrels and dogs to bears and mountain lions have attacked law enforcement officials when they get too close to the city. One officer, Deputy John Baxter of the CHP was rushed to Mercy Medical Mount Shasta to be treated for over six hundred mosquito bites. An officer from the state police was actually killed by several rampaging bucks. The deer apparently gored him to death as he tried to enter town by hiking down the highway embankment to my left. Until family is notified, his name is being withheld."

BOB BARNETT:

"What about the trains? I understand that Union Pacific runs several freight trains through Castleton Rock, as does Amtrak..."

THERESA ALEXANDER:

"Believe it or not a similar event to what we see here has occurred on the tracks that run along the banks of the Sacramento River. Again, mimicking what has happened here on Interstate 5 a train was derailed last night around eleven-thirty. An estimated 30, 000 gallons of pesticide was dumped into the river as a result. Efforts to evacuate the towns south of Castleton Rock along the river are currently underway, but hindered by phenomenal traffic conditions.

The tracks coming into the city from the north have been blocked by a rockslide near the Cantara Loop between Castleton Rock and Mount Shasta. We've also learned the connective bridge that runs parallel with I-5 and links north and south Dunsmuir over the Sacramento River bed canyon has been destroyed. Details are sketchy at best, but this does work in favor of clean-up crews on the pesticide spill as rubble had dammed up the river and reduced it's flow by nearly 90%.

To sum this up Bob, Castleton Rock has been sealed off from the rest of state through a series of unprecedented natural disasters and frankly unbelievable phenomenon."

BOB BARNETT:

"Thank you Theresa...

That was Theresa Alexander from Interstate 5 just south of Castleton Rock."

FROM CHANNEL 10 NEWS, MEDFORD, OR

10:00 P.M. SPECIAL REPORT

MICHAEL CORTEZ (in the studio):

"It has been twelve hours now since the amazing developments in Castleton Rock, California. Rescue and Biohazard teams have been working around the clock along with local firefighting crews to clear the terminally jammed Interstate 5 highway and return people to their homes. There have been several cases of dehydration and severe sunstroke and in one case, death.

The roadblocks at the north and south ends of the city are still in place despite efforts to blow them apart with plastic explosives and dynamite. In the footage you see here the powerful blasts that are normally used to demolish buildings in precision drops didn't even make a dent in the wall of cars. As of this moment, there is no explanation for this freak occurrence.

-NEWSCLIP FROM THE SCENE,

INTERVIEW WITH DEMOLITIONS EXPERT CARL MATHERS, CHP:

"It's the craziest thing I've ever seen... the explosive charges where enough to clear twice this size. It's like the bombs simply didn't exist."

-NEWSCLIP FROM THE SCENE,

INTERVIEW WITH CHP OFFICER MATT TURNER:

"Those explosives should have moved every car on the freeway but all we did was blow a crate the size of Taco Bell in the middle of Interstate 5. We are currently regrouping to consider other options."

-NEWSCLIP FROM GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE,

GOVERNOR ARNOLD SHWARZENEGGER:

"I have every confidence in the abilities of the California Highway Patrol and the various agencies working with them to solve this crisis."

MICHAEL CORTEZ:

"There are no easy answers to the mystery surrounding the Castleton Rock Disaster. Oregon and California officials have requested that citizens stay off the highway and have declared statewide emergencies as traffic has now backed up to Ashland and at its current rate is expected to reach Portland before this time tomorrow night. In California, cars are in gridlock conditions from Castleton Rock to Woodland, just outside Sacramento.

But perhaps the strangest aspect of this event is what we are showing you now. In the night sky over the city you can see a bright haze of green and blue light that seems to be originating from the center of town. Experts have not been able to identify this phenomenon any more than they have been able to explain the forces keeping the car blockades in place.

Many people believe what is happening has biblical context to the end times while other are convinced that UFO activity is behind the event. Proximity to Mount Shasta, a well-known site for UFO and New Age followers had prompted renewed speculation amongst those in Alien Abduction groups that an invasion is forthcoming.

-NEWSCLIP TAKEN FROM CHANNEL SEVEN NEWS,

INTERVIEW WITH TOWANDA SHELLBACH (resident of Weed, California):

"People don't want to believe it's happening, but just look at the light over that city? What do you think that is? Swamp gas? Why can't anyone be seen in the city? How can cars stack themselves in the middle of the freeway? I'm telling you this is only the beginning... get ready, because they're coming. They're already here."

NEWSCLIP FROM CHANNEL 10,

INTERVIEW WITH RANDY BEITTERMAN (resident of Talent, Oregon):

"Of course it's aliens. Mount Shasta is a known landing site for the visitors for years now. It's a place where they commune with us, man. Even the Dalai Lama himself said the mountain was a holy place. I know they're here. I can feel it, my friend."

MICHAEL CORTEZ:

"More as it develops."

***

It was ten in the evening, less than 24 hours to go before the gift was to be taken back from Jesse and Daniel, restoring one of them to a normal human being again. Time seemed to pass as slowly as the universe could make allowance for. Circumstances had quickly escalated out of control pretty much since Madame Helena had cursed them with the gift only six days ago. The countdown to when she would relieve them of this burden was an all-consuming thought for Jesse, and even in the moments when he found a little relaxation for his body, his mind would not allow him to be complacent. He had to act.

As Jesse sat on the soft, sprawling couch with Elena and watched the news, he wondered if the word "normal" could ever be used in his vocabulary again. Because of what they had done with the gift, the world was being affected now. People were afraid and lives were changing because none of them knew what was happening. And even if they did know, would it have brought them any comfort? He wondered how the citizens of Castleton Rock would ever be able to return to their old lives again.

Normal? That word lost all it's meaning when cars began stacking themselves up in neat little rows across Interstate 5. The concept of "normal" went out the window with Daniel's sanity when the power of the gift corrupted him. He knew Daniel was in there somewhere, hiding out in the shadows of their home and manipulating everyone and everything around him. Jesse wondered if Daniel had any clue as to the havoc he was creating.

"Jesus Christ," Elena shook her head as she relaxed against Jesse's muscular chest. The image on the television set relayed the massive wall of cars at the north end of town, a long line of traffic backed up behind it.

"I think we need Jesus on our side, baby," he smiled ruefully. He could make out the busted frames and bodies of Celica's, Explorers, Beetles and even a few SUV's and one two-trailer semi tractor-trailer. It was a surreal sight as the news helicopters circled over the perfectly designed and impossible to breach pile-up.

"This shit is national now," Elena sat up, "Once you and Daniel lose your gifts, they'll go in looking for blood. The estimated cost of this little game he's playing is well over two million now..."

"Where did you hear that?" Jesse asked as Elena rubbed his bare stomach, her hand wonderfully light against his mocha colored skin.

"Arnold got on the tube today," she said, "The Governator gave a speech telling everyone to be calm and not to panic right before he delivered he that bomb shell."

"Right," Jesse rolled his eyes and sighed, "How the hell am I going to get back into Castleton Rock?"

Elena looked down at her hands, her long thick dark hair hanging loosely around her neck. Jesse leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder, playing with the spaghetti strap of her red tank top. He smiled, "Hey, you okay?"

"Jesse," she said quietly, "Why go back at all? Madame Helena said this would be all over by noon on Sunday. Let's just sit back and let Daniel get what he deserves."

Jesse took a deep breath and ran a hand over his smooth, shaved scalp. He said, "Madame Helena ain't being straight with us. She's up to something. I can feel it. If we leave Daniel alone in there, how many people will die before Sunday at noon? Mrs. Brewster, Tina, your mom... my dad? I have to try and stop him."

"He's built a wall of cars the bomb squad can't blow up!" Elena exclaimed as she stood up and walked into the kitchen. Jesse smiled to himself, unable to keep from scanning her round ass working back and forth under her Spider-Man underoos. Even when she was mad, Elena still looked sexy as hell. And in that form fitting red tank top that did nothing but accentuate her large, round breasts and her fluid shape Jesse had to pinch himself to stay on subject.

"Maybe I can break through them," Jesse shrugged and followed her in as he discreetly picked the wedgie his blue sweats had formed in the crack of his ass, "Bombs may not do much, but against the gift?"

"Yeah," she looked at him, "And reveal what you can do on national T.V.? Good thinking."

Jesse shrugged, "I can't just sit here."

"I don't want you to go, Jesse," she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk, "I hate to break this to you, but all you've been able to do so far is toss boats around on the beach and make light posts bend over."

"That's nothing to sneeze at," he said, his ego slightly wounded, "But hey, I moved that entire line of lounge chairs off your aunties private beach now didn't I?"

She looked at him as she poured herself a glass of milk, thoroughly unimpressed. She raised one eyebrow and said, "Lounge chairs against derailed trains. Yeah, that'll do it."

Jesse folded his muscular arms across his chest and laughed, "Baby, don't worry okay? Everything will be fine. If I leave by eleven, I can be there by midnight. Maybe I can slip into town along one of the logging trails that cut into the canyon wall?"

"Pissed off deer, Jesse," Elena took a drink, "That one cop got mauled by rabid deer. Now what the fuck is that?"

"The bucks getting' revenge for Bambi's mother," Jesse pulled her to him by her waist and kissed her nose, "Seriously, I'll figure it out when I get there."

"Excuse me?" Elena slapped his shoulder, "You're going alone?"

"Well yeah."

"If you think I'm letting you go back to face him alone then you are fucking crazy," she said matter-of-factly as her full breasts pressed up against his pecs, "I'm coming with you."

"It's not safe," Jesse said, "I may not be able to protect you."

"Don't even think about it."

Jesse sighed and stared at the ceiling. Elena had been with him since the beginning of this mess for the most part. She had been his rock in many ways as he dealt with the temptations of his newfound mental abilities and telekinesis she was his conscience. They had been friends before the madness started, before Daniel started hurting people and becoming more of a monster than a man. Now, through their shared experience they had found they were truly more than just friends. They were in love.

It was because he loved her that he couldn't let Elena go with him. He looked at her, taking her exotic Hispanic features and drinking deeply of her dark eyes as she stared at him. He couldn't imagine anyone hurting her. He didn't want Daniel anywhere near her. He knew what his former friend had in mind when it came to Elena. In fact, it was their respective feelings for Elena that had divided them the most. And Daniel had tried to take her and seduce her, even rape her if what Elena had told him was right.

Jesse could not allow that to happen again.

"Okay," he lied, "You're with me all the way. Just promise me you'll do what I tell you in there."

"As long as you do what I say," Elena said and kissed him deeply. Her tongue rolled over his wetly and created a wonderful tension between their bodies Jesse had come to love in the last few days.

"You're not mad at me?"

A small smile stretched on her full lips and a blush bloomed on her cheeks, warming up her olive colored complexion. She put her face against his bare chest and inhaled his cologne, relishing the feeling of his powerful muscles around her. She felt so safe with him. It was the same feeling she had from coming home after a long drive on a cold winter night and finding a roaring fire and a warm meal waiting for her. Jesse felt comfortable and safe.

"You know what might be fun?"

"What?" he suckled on her neck as his cock hardened in his sweats.

"Having something to eat," she ran her fingers over his smooth scalp.

"Mmmm," he smiled into her skin, "What did you have in mind?"

"Would you like some watermelon?" she asked, tracing small circles with her fingernails across his broad backside.

"Would love some," Jesse said as he purposefully rubbed his stony length against her bare thigh. She obviously felt it growing because as she broke their embrace she looked down and cocked an eyebrow, "I think he's still hungry..."

"Well you're highly addictive..."

She smiled.

"A great natural flavor and half the fat..."

"Shut up," she giggled. Elena rolled her eyes. She actually giggled.

"You're like the best potato chips ever," he ignored her and ground his hips against her, "Once you pop you can't stop."

"Smooth," she laughed.

"Smooth like the-"

"You want to get laid?" she put a finger to his lips.

Jesse smiled and nodded his head as his kissed her finger.

"Then shut up," she smiled and opened the fridge again. Jesse looked at the clock on the wall, and saw he had plenty of time to linger with Elena. He would have to leave soon if he hoped to get anything done before the deadline hit. He felt bad that he had to lie to her, but consoled himself with the reality that her safety was non-negotiable. Jesse leaned against the kitchen counter and took a deep breath. The pleasant scent of authentic Mexican cooking caressed his nose as he took a moment to marvel at Rosa Morales kitchen.

"Does Rosa actually use all those?" he motioned to the huge frying pans and woks hanging over the large stove, "Or are they just for show?"

"Both," Elena said casually and looked at the bulge in his crotch. She motioned to it with her head as she cut open the large watermelon, "You actually use all that, or is it just for show?"

Jesse smiled broadly, "Both."

"I see," Elena smiled and sliced the melon up into long, thin sections. Her tight red tank top was cut low enough to reveal the slopes of her full breasts. They jiggled and moved with her slicing motions, enticing him and making him feel lightheaded. She looked up and saw him gawking. Elena smiled and tugged her top down a little more as she opened the refrigerator door and looked inside.

"You tease," Jesse laughed.

"You're not complaining are you?" Elena bent over, her tight ass stuck out in the air. The image of Spider-Man swing from his web over the New York skyline curved and bulged with her prefect cheeks. Jesse felt himself growing more and more aroused as she dug through the large bottom drawer. The underoos had hiked their way up the curve of her ass and revealed her equally tanned buttocks as well as her intentions towards him. Jesse felt his cock twitch as he leaned over a little and took in the view of her lips as they pressed against her underwear. The moist folds of her sex seemed to call out to him through fabric, begging for the touch of his lips and fingers.

He slipped off his sweats and quietly walked across the kitchen to her. He placed his hands on her hips and slid his hands slowly across her cheeks lovingly and appreciatively. Elena jumped at the sensation of his rough hands on her skin but did not move away. Jesse pulled her back to him, making sure his throbbing erection was right between her ass cheeks and pushed the door shut.

"Do you want the melon first or did you just want to fuck?" Elena closed her eyes as he pressed her up against the cold door. Her nipples went hard as shivers ran down her body from the cool plastic covering of the fridge door. His breathing was hot and heavy on her neck as he held her. Elena ran her hands over his powerful arms, enjoying simply being with him.