Strangers From The Skies - Brad Steiger-pages

Page 45 of 128

Page 45 of 128
Strangers From The Skies - Brad Steiger-pages

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internally." magnetic field. "As it shot upwards," the beleaguered companions noted, "it emitted a brilliant light and a piercing, high-pitched whistle." Nearly exhausted with the incredible donnybrook in which they had just engaged, the two Swedes continued on their journey, each agreeing that they should keep the story to themselves. "We knew that people would only laugh at us if we were to tell them this fantastic story," the men said later. "And the authorities would probably have us committed to an asylum. Besides, such publicity wouldn't do either of us any good." But that terrible stench seemed to stay with Hans and Sitg. It seemed to have scarred their nostrils with its terrible odor. And their insides felt as though they had been turned upside down. "We endured it for three days," Hans told newsmen, "then we decided that we should see a physician. We were afraid that those monsters might have permanently damaged us in some way, perhaps The doctor, after a careful and puzzled examination of the two men, told them that he could find nothing wrong with either of them. But the horrid, piping whistle still vibrated in their ears, and they still seemed fouled by the vile scent that had been exuded by the grasping blobs. At last they decided to make a public statement of their experience and face up to the mockery and undesirable publicity which they knew was certain to follow such a declaration. For twelve hours, Stig and Hans were questioned and examined by officials from the Swedish Defense Staff, psychologists, doctors, and police. The multiple barrage of questions was unable to find the young men ina single contradiction or inconsistency. They made an offer - which was quickly accepted - to take the experts and the press to the spot where they had seen the saucer and its nightmarish crew. There, still visible, were the indentations which the space vehicle's landing tripod had made in the soft soil of the clearing. The psychologists concluded that their examination, conducted under deep hypnosis, had indicated that the two companions had definitely been caught in some mysterious