Title: The Shining Cow
Author: James, Alex
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Shining Cow" ***


    _This is NOT a story about sinister aliens from outer space. This is
    simply the story of what happened to poor Junius when she found
    herself much too close to a Flying Saucer, long enough so she could
    be analyzed and long enough to cause some strange happenings on that
    farm._


     the
 shining
     cow

 _by ALEX JAMES_


 Robbie whined and acted like his eyes were burning, as if
 he'd gotten dust or something even stranger into them....


Zack Stewart stared sleepily into the bottom of his cracked coffee cup
as his wife began to gather the breakfast dishes.

Mrs. Stewart was a huge, methodical woman, seasoned to the drudgery of a
farm wife. Quite methodically she'd arise every morning at 4:00 A.M.
with her husband and each would do their respective chores until long
after the sun had set on their forty-acre farm.

"You've jest got to find Junius today, Zack," Mrs. Stewart spoke
worriedly, "Lord only knows her condition, not being milked since
yesterday morning."

"Yeah, I know, Ma," Zack said wearily as he rose from the table, "I'll
search for her again in the north woods, but if she ain't there this
time, I give up."

A dog suddenly howled outside. There was a brief instant when neither
moved, then Zack suddenly exclaimed, "It's Robbie!" and dashed outside.

In the light from the open doorway Zack saw the dog creeping along on
his haunches, howling and whining, and scratching frantically at his
tear-streaming eyes.

"Skunk finally got ya, eh boy?" Zack spoke sympathetically as the dog,
fawning, came closer.

"Stay away, Robbie, stay away now!" he ordered the dog. Robbie whined
and scratched again, furiously. Zack sniffed cautiously, expecting any
moment the pungent smell of skunk fluid to hit his nostrils. He sensed
nothing but the clean, fresh smell of the morning air, so he leaned
closer. Within a foot of Robbie, he sniffed again. Nothing. He realized
it wasn't a skunk that caused Robbie's eyes to burn. He knelt down and
took the dog's head tenderly in his rough, calloused hands and examined
his eyes. They were bloodshot and watery. He took some water from the
well and dashed it into the dog's eyes as Robbie struggled.

"Hold still, boy, I'm trying to help ya," Zack soothed. He took out a
blue work bandanna and wiped tenderly around Robbie's eyes.

"What did it, boy? How did it happen?" Zack asked. Robbie merely whined.

"What's wrong with him?" Mrs. Stewart, broom in hand, asked from the
doorway.

"Don't rightly know," Zack patted the dog, "acts like he got something
in his eyes."

"Skunk?"

"Naw," Zack shook his head. "He don't smell. Something else."

"Cat?"

"No scratches, either. He acts like they're burnin' him, like he got
dust or somethin' in 'em."

"Well, take him out to the barn and you better get after Junius."

"Yeah, Ma. Come on, Robbie." He led Robbie to the barn and made him lie
on a bed of hay in one of the stalls then returned to the kitchen for
his lantern. He put on his thick denim jacket and work cap and turned to
his wife.

"If she ain't in the woods, I'll come back and git the truck and drive
over to the Leemers and see if he seen her."

He left the kitchen and shone the lantern around in the farmyard to get
his bearings, then headed for the north end of his farm. He could see
the faint glimmer of dawn in the east, more pronounced in the northeast,
and even more so due north. He rubbed his eyes. A much brighter glow
outlined the treetops in the north woods, that made the dawn on the
eastern horizon look like a dirty gray streak. His first thought was of
fire, but there was no smoke, no flame.

Zack walked dazedly toward the woods, his eyes glued to the light above
the trees. Soon he was in the woods, and he could see the brightness
extended down through the trees from the sky, on the other side of the
woods. He approached cautiously as the light grew brighter, and came to
the clearing where it was most intense. A thick bush obstructed his
view, and Zack moved it aside then uttered a hoarse gasp, as he clutched
at his eyes.

For a moment he felt he was dreaming. He squinted between the slits of
his fingers. The glow was still piercing, but he could see the brightly
lit Junius, radiating blue-white light, nibbling at the sparse grass in
the clearing. Zack stood transfixed, his eyes widening behind his
fingers. He felt the tears and the burning sensation, and squinted
tightly, turning his head from the unbelievable scene.

       *       *       *       *       *

Zack didn't remember his return to the farmhouse, or incoherently trying
to explain to his wife the scene he had witnessed. A stiff jolt of
elderberry wine drove off the jitters and reasoning returned. His wife
sat patiently, eyeing him oddly, as Zack muttered over and over again,
"It's unbelievable! It's unbelievable!"

Mrs. Stewart rose. "I'm going out and see fer myself. And, Zack, if yer
lying to me--"

Zack jumped from the chair, barring her way.

"Believe me, maw, it's true. Don't go out there. It might be too much
fer ya."

"It's the craziest thing I ever heard," Mrs. Stewart scoffed. "A cow
that shines like the sun!"

"Look, maw, will ya jest come with me as fer as the pasture, you can see
the glow from there, and mebbe that might convince ya."

"Yes, yes, I will." Mrs. Stewart jerked off her apron. "I declare, Zack,
I think these chores are getting the best of ya."

They walked to the pasture, their eyes on the treetops of the north
woods. A faint glow began to appear.

"See! See!" Zack pointed, laughing crazily.

"Let's get closer, looks like a fire," Mrs. Stewart said.

"Ain't no fire." Zack's tone was angry. "It's Junius and she's all lit
up like a Christmas tree."

"Zack, now you stop that kinda crazy talk. There's a reason behind
everything, and I'm sure there's one fer this."

"There is a reason, maw. Junius. She's got the whole clearing lit up
like the noonday sun. Lord only knows how she got that way, but she's
shining out there like a great big light bulb, only brighter."

Mrs. Stewart quickened her pace towards the clearing.

"I'm going to see fer myself," she said determinedly, "and put an end
to this foolish nonsense."

"Alright, maw," Zack spoke resignedly, "if yer mind's set. But I'm
warning ya, ya better squint yer eyes tight. She's too bright to look
at. Poor Robbie must have got too good a look at her."

Mrs. Stewart approached the clearing ahead of her husband, and moved the
same bush aside that had obstructed her husband's view. Her gaze caught
the brightly radiating figure of Junius, and Mrs. Stewart screamed,
clasping her face with her hands. Zack had his head turned, but he
groped for his wife, grasped her arm and led her from the clearing.

"It's too crazy to believe, Zack," she whispered in awe; "What are we
going to do? What has happened to poor Junius?"

"I don't know what happened to her," Zack answered, "but I know what I'm
going to do about it. I'm going to call the University and git them
scientist fellas down here."

"You suppose they can git close enough to milk the poor thing?" Mrs.
Stewart clasped her hands in frustration. "She's probably in misery."

Zack shook his head. "Ain't no tellin' what they're liable to do after
they seen her. Most likely they'll want to ship her to the University to
examine her and see how she got that way."

"Why don't we call the Vet'nar'n?" Mrs. Stewart asked. "It might be some
kind of new disease."

"It ain't no disease, maw. It's something nobody in the whole world ever
seen or heard of before. I jest hope I can convince them University
fellas to come down here."

"Don't you think you better tie Junius so she won't stray?"

"Better wait and see what them scientists say. Besides, if she strays,
all we gotta do is follow the light!"

       *       *       *       *       *

Zack did the most important chores and at eight A.M. on the dot he
called the State University.

The operator at the switchboard answered sleepily.

"Good morning, State University."

"Mornin', ma'am. I'd like to talk to one of them scientist fellas."

"To whom in particular did you wish to speak?"

"Any of 'em that ain't busy. I got somethin' important to tell 'em."

"If I knew what it was about," the operator was becoming irritated, "I'd
connect you with the right party."

Zack hesitated, reluctant to give his startling news to a mere operator.
Instead, he hedged. "Well, who would have charge of things that light
up?"

"Oh, you want the electrical engineering lab. Just a moment, sir."

There was a series of clicks and buzzes in the earpiece then Zack heard
a man's deep voice.

"Hello."

"Hello," Zack replied, "this the electrical engineering lab?"

"Yessir, that's right."

"Well, my name is Zack Stewart and I own a forty-acre farm on the Canal
Road just outside of Smithville."

"I'm Professor Donnell, can I help you?"

"Yeah," Zack took a deep breath then began, "my cow Junius was missing
since yesterday morning and this morning when I went out to search for
her again, I found her."

"Mr. Stewart," Professor Donnell's voice was impatient, "I'm a very busy
man with a heavy class schedule. Why in the world would I care if you
found your cow or not?"

"You'd care if you knew how I found her."

"Alright, Mr. Stewart, how did you find your cow, with some new kind of
radar?"

"Nossir, I found her by following the bright light in the north wood and
when I got there, there was Junius lit up like a neon sign."

"Mr. Stewart, are you drunk?"

"I knew you wouldn't believe me. All I can say is, come see for--"

Zack heard a sudden click then an immediate buzzing. Professor Donnell
had hung up.

       *       *       *       *       *

He had no sooner replaced the phone when there was a pounding on the
door. He opened it and saw six state troopers and four important-looking
gentlemen in civilian dress. A trooper who looked as though he might be
in charge, spoke to Zack.

"Sir, we don't want you or your wife to get panicky, but we have reason
to believe that something strange is going on in your woods. These men
are from the atomic research laboratory at the University and they are
convinced that a flying saucer has landed out there."

"It ain't no flying saucer," Zack spoke wearily.

"It isn't?" one of the gentlemen asked, disappointed, "then what is it?"

"It's Junius, my cow."

"Your--WHAT?" the state trooper exclaimed incredulously. "Are you nuts?"

Angrily, Zack jerked his thumb in the direction of the north woods.

"Jest go out there and see fer yourself and then tell me I'm nuts."

They hurriedly left the house, looking back skeptically at Zack.

Zack and his wife stood in the doorway, watching them until they were
out of sight in the woods.

"You watch 'em come busting back here in a minute, maw."

In a few moments they saw the men scrambling out of the woods, rushing
madly for the house, holding their eyes.

"Now I don't have to convince anybody," Zack smirked.

By the time they reached the porch, they were all talking excitedly and
rubbing their eyes. The state trooper in charge pulled Zack aside.

"Mister," he asked ominously, "what the hell happened to that cow?"

"I don't know," Zack spoke with sarcasm, "jest the way I found her."

The important-looking civilian bustled past the patrolman and confronted
Zack.

"I'd like to use your phone," his hands moved nervously, "where is it?"

Zack showed him and the man rushed to it and hastily dialed a number.

"This is Professor Jonathon Sims, Nuclear Physicist at State University.
Put me through immediately to the Governor. It's very important."

There was a slight pause as Sims drummed impatiently on the phone.

"Hello! Hello, Governor? Professor Sims. I'd like a contingent of
National Guardsmen around the farm of Zack Stewart on the old Canal
Road. A most astounding thing has happened out here. For the welfare of
the Public, I urgently request this farm be placed under tight security
check at once and the Federal Government notified immediately."

"Hey now, wait a minute, Mister--" Zack protested.

Sims motioned him into silence, his ear glued to the phone.

"Sir," he hesitated, glancing at the group sideways, "you won't believe
this until you see it. But we have positive proof a saucer has landed
here. Mr. Stewart's cow is radiating intense blue and white light, the
kind that has been associated with the glow of flying saucers."

Sims paused, listening to the Governor. Zack saw him fidget and stick a
forefinger in his collar.

"Honestly, Sir! I am not drunk! The cow is radiating light."

"See?" Zack grinned at him. "Now ya know how I felt."

Sims ignored him, concentrating on the phone.

"Yessir, there is a state trooper here." He turned to the one in charge.
"He wants to speak to you." The trooper took the receiver.

"Hello, Governor. Sgt. Les Johnson of the Highway Patrol." Pause.
"That's right, sir. There's a number of people here who can swear to
it. Yessir." This time the trooper fidgeted. "I seen it too. Blue-white
light, yessir. Nossir, we are not having a drinking party. The light was
reported by the pilot of the Continental Airways early this morning and
we investigated. Yessir." He held the receiver towards Sims. "He wants
to talk to you again."

The Governor was finally convinced something indeed strange was
happening at the Stewart place, but being a solid citizen and faithful
servant of the people who elected him, he couldn't believe the fantastic
story the professor and the trooper told him. He decided to see for
himself and rang for his chauffeur after his telephone conversation with
Professor Sims.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Stewart turned to Sims.

"Will you please tell us if Junius can be milked?"

"I really don't know yet, Mrs. Stewart. I'll have to investigate the
area for harmful radio-activity first, then I'll have to check the cow,
herself. Pardon me." He turned to the phone again.

Trying to keep his voice and emotion under control, Professor Sims
called his laboratory at the University and ordered among other
technical equipment, a Geiger counter, a gamma-ray detector, a portable
lead shield, body and temperature thermometers, a portable X-ray
machine, and a dozen pairs of smoked glasses.

The equipment arrived within the hour, and Professor Sims distributed it
among his assistants with his instructions. It was understood that he
alone would approach Junius, wearing his smoked glasses and carrying the
protective lead shield, to make the initial test. If his tests proved
that Junius could be safely approached, he would go back for the others.

"You look like one of them flying saucer fellas, yerself," Zack laughed,
seeing Professor Sims donned in the lead shield and the dark glasses.

Sims waved at the crowd in the farmyard and walked awkwardly toward the
glow in the north wood, less pronounced now in the daylight. They
watched until his retreating figure disappeared into the woods, and they
were still watching the spot for what seemed a long time afterward. One
of the assistants fidgeted and looked at his watch.

"He's been in there twenty minutes. Wonder what he's doing?"

"I hope he's milking her," Mrs. Stewart said hopefully.

Zack chuckled as a thought struck him.

"What's so funny, Zack?" his wife asked.

"Junius," Zack's chuckle bubbled into laughter, "will be the first cow
to give radiated milk."

       *       *       *       *       *

Finally, after another fifteen minutes, they saw Professor Sims emerge
from the woods. As he came across the pasture they could see that his
smoked glasses were propped above his eyebrows and he was concentrating
on a small notebook in his hand, shaking his head from time to time.

When he finally joined the waiting group, he was flooded with questions.

He gestured them into silence.

"Please, I cannot answer any questions as yet until I have consulted
with my assistants. Sgt. Johnson, will you please have your men guard
the clearing while we hold a conference?"

"Is it safe to get that close to her?" the trooper asked, unbelieving.

"I can assure you that it is. There is just a negligible amount of
radio-activity present, and no more ultra-violet rays then there are in
an average sun lamp. But you must wear your glasses." Turning to his
aides he said, "Come gentlemen," and they followed him into the
farmhouse.

"Can she be milked?" Mrs. Stewart wailed after them.

"What a gadawful situation," Zack muttered, grabbing a pitchfork and
heading for the barn.

The scientists seated themselves around the big dining-room table and
faced Professor Sims.

"Gentlemen, it's the most amazing thing that ever happened. That cow is
glowing out there like a miniature atomic pile, and under the
circumstances as we know them, should be deader than a door nail, but
there she stands, shining like the morning sun, chewing her cud and just
mooing away as if nothing happened."

"What is your theory, Professor?" one of the assistants asked.

"I have one, but it's utterly fantastic," Sims answered.

"So is that cow out there. Let's hear it!"

"Do you remember how much more frequent saucer sightings were reported
in this area alone?" Sims asked. All the assistants nodded their heads.

"Well," Sims went on, "I am of the opinion that a saucer actually landed
out there and they came across the cow by accident. They either shot her
with some sort of radium ray gun, or some luminous substance unknown to
us."

"Why didn't Junius die?" one of the assistants asked.

Sims shook his head. "They wished to examine her. You see, gentlemen,
whatever it was, it served a threefold purpose. It made her luminous,
immobile and--" Sims placed both hands on the table and leaned forward
for emphasis, "transparent."

There was a gasp and exclamations.

"Transparent? How?--"

"I was within a foot of the cow, felt her hide, and through the glasses
I could see the skeletal frame, the chest cavity, the heart beating
within, the entire intestinal tract, much, much more clearly than could
be seen by the best X-ray."

As if on command, the assistants all rose simultaneously.

"Sit down, gentlemen, the cow isn't going anywhere. We shall have to
face this situation with sound scientific reasoning. There will be a
closed van here soon to pick up Junius and haul her to the laboratory
where we can examine her more thoroughly. Now my belief is that the
saucer took off in haste, such great haste that they forgot to
extinguish poor Junius. I believe they will be back looking for her,
therefore we shall have to return her tonight and conceal ourselves
around the area and watch."

"Splendid idea, Professor Sims!" one of the assistants exclaimed.

Yelling voices in the farmyard caught their attention. They saw Sgt.
Johnson through the dining-room window, coming across the yard, yelling
and pointing to the sky. Sims rushed from the house, met Johnson,
grasped him by the shoulders, shaking him.

"What happened, man, what happened?" Sims asked.

"Black light, black light!" Johnson shouted, pointing skyward. Sims
looked up. Nothing but the serene blue of the summer sky and an
occasional bird caught his eye.

Sims shook him again, more roughly.

"Speak, man, what happened?"

"Black light flashed down on the cow! Blackest light you ever saw!"

The group gathered around him in the yard, trying to make sense out of
what he said. So engrossed were they with his babblings, that none but
Mrs. Stewart was aware of the fact that Junius had entered the farmyard
and was eyeing them curiously.

"Junius!" she exclaimed.

"Moooo!"

The crowd looked up to see the ordinary, unlit Junius standing calmly by
the gate.

"Hurry and get the milk pail, Zack, Junius is all right now!" Mrs.
Stewart yelled happily to her husband, as Professor Sims and his
assistants led the hysterical trooper into the house.

High over the horizon, a faint, silvery disc was disappearing at
fantastic speed into outer space.



Transcriber's Note:

    This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ September 1957.
    Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
    copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and
    typographical errors have been corrected without note.





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