The Green Stone Page 3

  Quickly, they adopted their rightful positions around the star, each to one of the eight points, the young woman in the centre. No one spoke. The ritual had begun.

  From the box the woman withdrew a short sword. The candles flickered and danced, casting long shadows on the mystic symbols adorning the walls. She gripped the hilt of the weapon and thrust it high above her head. The watchers linked hands. They could not take their eyes off the woman, radiant in her passion, about to give everything for their cause.

  As if guided by some unseen signal, their eyes closed simultaneously. They must visualise, concentrate their energies upon her. Around her they focused a sphere of mental energy; white, protective, pure. Through the silence she began to speak, softly and to herself, muttering words in some long-forgotten language. All seemed well.

  Her words became louder, more frenzied. Silently, they urged her on, feeding their minds into hers. A sudden discordant tone resonated through the room, like a high- pitched scream, intensifying, echoing, piercing the fragile atmosphere. It seemed to come from far away, like glass, falling slowly, shattering onto yet more glass. It came louder with each passing second.

  But still she spoke, her words louder, more intense, until finally she was screaming in competition with the unearthly sound. Now she was crying silently, her mental anguish manifesting physically. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came. Throwing back her head, she screamed horribly, the muscles knotted across her neck and shoulders. Simultaneously, the noise mounted to a deafening crescendo, tearing the room apart with a sheer wall of sound and hurling the candles from the circle into blackness. Instantly it stopped. Only her screams shattered the darkness.

  A pinprick of white light snapped on only a yard above her head. Gleaming in the blackness, pulsating rhythmically but casting no light into the chamber. But still she gripped the sword, her tortured face wet with tears. Her screams subsided into silent weeping. Seconds passed.

  Again she chanted, and again they poured their strength into her body. The white sphere continued to grow, pulsating in the blackness. The atmosphere was thick and warm; slowly but unstoppably it grew thicker and hotter, drying the sweat from their hands, the saliva from their mouths.

  Suddenly, there was a terrible cry. The woman slumped to the floor as the sword was ripped viciously from her hands and hurled against the steps by some unseen force. An overpowering stench tortured their nostrils; oppressive and pungent, it clawed at their stomachs.

  In the light, they saw a figure, black and cold, bearing down on the woman. She twitched involuntarily and began to move, slowly and painfully, clutching at the empty air as if searching for some handhold.

  They could not help her. To break the circle meant certain death. The dishevelled figure struggled to her feet, jerking her head back and emitting a shrill cry as she stabbed her arms at the dark assailant looming overhead. Nothing. The cold shadow seethed in the light as if in mocking response.

  Her voice broke painfully into their ears. ‘I have failed us in our time of greatest need.’ She gulped violently. ‘My... our power is spent, all is lost.’ The presence grew, wiping away the light around it as she spoke. ‘Go, quickly, take the sword from this place and hide it well. Let it guide those who will surely come. Let them succeed in the quest where we have failed.’

  The last vestiges of light faded rapidly from the cellar, leaving only impenetrable blackness.

  ‘Let them possess the Meonia Stone.’

  Chapter 2

  New Beginnings

  Summer 1979

  During the late summer of 1979, a number of men, women and children throughout Great Britain received remarkably similar, strange psychic messages that were to bring them together for possibly the strangest quest in history, a quest to discover a mysterious green stone, and with it unlock the darkest secret of the ancient world.

  It all began on a quiet autumn evening in 1974, when the Avis family from Essex were travelling along a lonely country road near their home in Aveley. A strange, blue light manoeuvred in the sky before them and dropped from sight below the horizon. Seconds later, they rounded a corner bordered by tall hedges and coasted into a bank of cold green mist lying across the road. They emerged over two hours later and a mile further on. They could not account for the lost time.

  Over the following three years, however, both John and Sue Avis began to have strange, sometimes unnerving dreams. Household items began to move or be thrown inexplicably across the front room. Throbbing electronic noises, bangs and mysterious scratchings were heard by various members of the family, and on at least one occasion a dark humanoid figure was seen in the living room.

  But even more amazingly, if their story was to be believed, the family developed marked signs of extrasensory perception in the months and years following their encounter with the green mist.

  In 1977, Andrew Collins and Barry King, both Essex-based UFO investigators, interviewed the parents. On discovering the time loss of over two hours, the pair sought the aid of hypnotherapist Leonard Wilder, since possibly hypnosis would be of value in prompting the recall of the lost time.

  Whilst under hypnosis, John Avis claimed to recall having been taken aboard a strange, alien craft and subjected to a medical examination by its tall occupants clad in one-piece silver suits. Sue Avis later recalled the same experience, although she was never hypnotised.

  As Andrew Collins investigated this remarkable claim, he became convinced that there was some link between the apparent UFO abduction and the paranormal events that subsequently occurred. These paranormal experiences included a series of particularly lucid dreams and psychic impressions about future events. Amongst other information the Avises were given, seemingly by the alien intelligence that had abducted them, was that a group of people would shortly come together to perform certain important tasks involving a mysterious psychic conflict sometime in the future. The information was fantastic and unbelievable, but Andy and Barry recorded it for future reference. (1)

  In October 1978, while talking to parapsychologist Graham Phillips, an ex-serviceman John Ward related virtually identical psychic information. A remarkably accurate psychic from Stourbridge in Worcestershire, Ward had experienced strange vivid dreams and had also developed the peculiar ability of astral projection. (2) He too had claimed that a nucleus of people would soon be brought together in central England by some mysterious intelligence and would be involved in an important quest ultimately leading to a confrontation with something beyond their understanding. Unlike John and Sue, however, John Ward felt his visions to be inspired by his religious beliefs.

  By this time Graham Phillips had met Andrew Collins and Barry King through their mutually shared interest in the paranormal. On comparing notes, they discovered the uncanny similarity between the two sets of messages and, although perplexed by this, they decided to reserve judgement while awaiting further developments.

  Martin Keatman and Graham Phillips in the early 1980s

  The Avis family investigations concluded, Andy and Barry continued to research other encounters where a link between UFOs and paranormal phenomena appeared to exist. Graham accompanied them on several of these inquiries. Later that year, the three founded an organisation to investigate the increasingly apparent links between many kinds of unexplained phenomena. By early 1979, the organisation was established, and working under the name Parasearch. In order to help finance their investigations they published a news-stand magazine from Graham’s flat. His apartment in Oaks Crescent, Wolverhampton was now doubling as the Parasearch office and headquarters.

  Through his interest in the paranormal and the magazine, UFO and paranormal investigator Martin Keatman contacted Phillips and Collins and joined the organisation.

  Over the August Bank Holiday weekend of 1979, the three researchers attended the first International UFO Congress at the Mount Royal Hotel in London. UFO researchers from as far afield as the USA and Italy had gathered to share their latest findings and attend a pa
cked three days of lectures and debates, official dinners and less formal gatherings.

  On the Sunday, Martin introduced Graham and Andy to Mrs Marion Sunderland, a mother of five living in the suburban village of Oakenholt, just outside Flint in North Wales. In the hot summer of 1976, her daughter Gaynor, then aged nine, had been riding her bicycle along the quiet country lane near their home when she’d seen something she would never forget.

  Out of the corner of her eye she suddenly caught a glint of silver in an open field to her left. Clambering off her bike and peering through the hedge she was confronted by a large, oval-shaped object, motionless and silent in the field before her.

  The mysterious craft was about thirty feet across and shone a metallic silver in the sunlight.

  Two humanoid figures, one male and one female, clad in one-piece silver suits and close-fitting, balaclava-like helmets, emerged from behind the object and appeared to take samples of soil from the field.

  As the female entity looked up into the sky, Gaynor took her opportunity to escape. She scrambled out of the ditch where she was lying, grabbed her bicycle and, dragging it behind her, ran as best she could along the lane back towards her home.

  Glancing behind her, she saw the UFO climbing into the sky, until it was lost from sight within the only cloud to be seen on that hot, summer day.

  Martin had been investigating this fascinating UFO sighting by Gaynor. Even before this encounter it seemed that she was psychic. She could see the human aura and had even shown certain telepathic abilities. Still more strange was that in the months and years following her main UFO experience in 1976 she said she had maintained contact with these alien beings. So it was that Marion Sunderland, her mother, became interested in UFOs. In the years subsequent to Gaynor’s sighting, she was catapulted into a terrifying new situation, where literally all her five children claimed to have witnessed some form of strange, paranormal phenomena. (3)

  Marion’s growing interest had prompted her to search for answers and discover more about what lay behind her children’s UFO and psychic experiences. For this reason, she had decided to attend the conference, in the hope that someone might be able to offer advice.

  As Martin and Marion discussed her family’s situation, it quickly became evident that it was in many ways similar to the Avis family’s following their 1974 UFO abduction.

  Martin introduced Marion to Andy and Graham, hoping that the results of their research into a case similar to hers might provide her with some of the answers she was seeking.

  The four talked for some time, discussing the apparent links between UFOs and psychic phenomena. Marion had found it difficult to accept that her children could have seen such bizarre things as UFOs and their occupants. The three investigators assured her that such experiences could and did occur with frightening regularity to sane and sensible people from all over the world. Marion discussed her feelings at length, saying how she still did not know what to make of it all. Half an hour later, she excused herself and headed for the conference room.

  And there matters would probably have rested, had it not been for the next ten, eventful minutes.

  Marion Sunderland suddenly reappeared, looking somehow different. She was staring fixedly at Andy and she did not take her eyes off him as she approached.

  Martin and Graham fell silent. Andy stopped as they did, looked at them and turned to see Marion Sunderland staring directly at him. She stopped and opened her mouth as if to speak, then checked herself. A moment of silence followed. Marion appeared to become conscious of the situation and shook her head in bewilderment.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said with an uneasy smile, ‘but I...’ She paused to glance at Graham and Martin. ‘I hope you’re not going to think I’m crazy or anything, but, well I wasn’t going to say...’

  ‘What is it?’ asked Martin.

  ‘Have you met any clairvoyants or mediums?’ she asked with a frown.

  ‘Quite a few,’ answered Graham. ‘Why?’

  ‘Well, I’m not clairvoyant, not in the true sense of the word, I suppose, but I have had what you might call psychic impressions about people and places that have later turned out to be accurate.’ She paused and looked at Andy. ‘As I said, I wasn’t going to say anything in case I appeared foolish. After all, I’m trying my hardest not to throw any doubt on my children in discussing the paranormal.’ She fell quiet again as they stared at her blankly. ‘Andy,’ she said, ‘it was with you when I was talking to you earlier.’

  ‘What was?’ he asked.

  ‘It was like agitated hands. I could see in my mind’s eye, very vividly, a woman with agitated hands.’ She stopped and shrugged. ‘That’s the best way I can describe it. A woman trying to warn you.’

  ‘Warn me?’ said Andy, puzzled. ‘Warn me about what?’ ‘You must think I’m silly, but is there a woman somewhere who wants to put money into your magazine, quite a large sum?’

  Andy’s mouth dropped open as he stared back at her. ‘Go on,’ he urged.

  ‘I don’t think you should accept it,’ she said slowly. ‘At least, that’s the feeling I get. I think there’s something very wrong.’ The questioning looks of the three investigators prompted her to add more. ‘I don’t know what it is, but I think you’ve got to be careful, very careful. There is something you...’ She paused before continuing. ‘Your group, there is something very important.’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t understand it.’ She appeared to be straining her eyes and ears, all her senses to hear, to see something around her. She continued hesitantly. ‘Please don’t think I’m crazy, but I’ve never felt anything like it before. It’s almost as if you are all involved in something, something which has only just begun.’

  Puzzled glances were exchanged as she elaborated. ‘You’re involved in something you don’t understand. There is something you must do.’ Marion seemed rather embarrassed and hurriedly bade them farewell. ‘I’m sorry I’ve taken up your time,’ she said. ‘I’ll have to be off, or I’ll miss the next lecture.’

  Her psychic impression was quite astounding. Unknown to Marion, in the weeks and months leading up to the conference, five psychics had independently warned them that a woman Andy Collins knew was not to be trusted. Her offer of finance for the magazine should not be accepted, they had said. Until that Sunday in August Andy had puzzled over this, but now his decision had been made. In all, six psychics had warned him, and that was enough. Stranger still, here was yet another person, this time known only to Martin, who had told Parasearch that there was some important task they must soon undertake. Since Marion Sunderland’s message had been so accurate, they now decided that maybe, just maybe, there was some substance in the other messages they had been receiving.

  That night they talked hard and long, but by the late evening they had again decided to reserve making a final judgement.

  With the conference over Andy and Graham resumed work on the magazine. One evening, Graham arrived back at the Wolverhampton Parasearch headquarters and took a telephone call from Terry Shotton, a Midlands-based UFO investigator and paranormal researcher.

  Terry explained how he had visited a Staffordshire medium named Penny Blackwill to investigate her paranormal experiences. During their conversation, she had fallen quiet, and after a short time declared that she was sure something was about to happen to Terry. Having witnessed the accuracy of some of her previous psychic impressions, he was somewhat concerned. She said that he was shortly to become involved with something she could not understand, something that involved him, members of Parasearch and still others to come. She added that in the early autumn of 1979 the first stages of this task would begin. Graham and Terry discussed this and the other messages and were led to the conclusion that maybe something very strange was about to occur to the organisation.

  As the week following Terry’s unexpected call unfolded, there followed further calls of a similar nature. The psychics involved were known to Andy and Graham through the work of Parasearch and the magazine
; to their astonishment they all reported similar messages to those given by the Avises, John Ward, Marion Sunderland and Penny Blackwill.

  Yvonne Parry, a well-known London spiritualist, had phoned to speak to Graham, and in the course of conversation said she felt there was something that Parasearch would soon become involved with, something of great importance. However, she too was at a loss to explain further.

  The summer months of 1979 had set Parasearch on a new path of inquiry. People from all over the country were receiving a psychic message concerning the organisation and a task or quest which it would soon undertake. What was this mysterious task? None of them seemed to know. But as the days passed, an uneasy apprehension descended on those concerned as they waited patiently for some indication that these strange psychic messages, all so similar and all from people previously unknown to one another, were in some way real.

  From an objective, paranormal research point of view, it was intriguing that all the psychics had received what was basically the same message, but they had all had different paranormal experiences: mediumship, a UFO abduction, a close encounter of the third kind, and an apparently religious experience. Somehow, they had all received the same message, but a message from allegedly completely different sources. The intimation was obvious. Was this message, this hint of things to come, from only one supernatural agency, using the available beliefs of the psychics? The evidence certainly pointed that way. But if so, what was this intelligence?

  Chapter 3

  Revelations

  Autumn 1979

  In mid-September Andy accepted Marion’s invitation to visit the Sunderland family in their North Wales home. It was a hunch really, an intuitive feeling he had known before, a sense that witnesses or psychics may know more than they are saying. This, plus his desire to hear at first hand the stories of the UFO and psychic experiences.