Curse of the Cat (CC,MATURE) COMPLETE - 7/12/09

[ken_r]

keepsmiling7
mary mary
destinyc


Chapter 31

That night at the old Mendoza ranch the Mendoza boys were clapping Julius on the back and offering him so many beers that if he drank all of them there might be a display of sparks and what else he did not know. Julius was very temperate. This also gave him points with Antonia’s mother and dad. Julius wasn’t doubted any more. When Julius saw that his finger tips had little green streaks, he excused himself and went outside. He was sitting in the dark when he felt Antonia’s hands on his shoulders. She took his sparking hands in her own. At first, Julius was frightened that the sparks would hurt her. He saw that the sparks were just entering her hand and she seemed to not be feeling anything. Antonia leaned to Julius and whispered, “My wonderful alien caballero.”

Max and Liz had always wanted as normal a life for their daughter as they could give her. “Señor, what do you expect? You are not of this world and you wife has lived in the world of the cat for most of a year. You must just guide her.” Esteban told him.

Max remembered these words. He and Liz had always tried to support Estelle. They went out of their way to not be too intrusive into her life. If she was to be the queen, then she must make her own way. She just shouldn’t have to do this alone. Max had now understood that Esteban had been guiding all of the children since their birth. Those games he played with them all had meaning. The language he spoke with them was the language of some ancient force.

Liz whispered, “Danny and Estelle are the only ones not finding companions. All of the rest of the children have found who, they as least think, they want to be with.”

“What does Estelle say to you?” Max asked.

“She still wants to hold out for Danny. She sees that he is with college girls, but she is hoping that he will see her, someday,” Liz explained.

“They are all so young,” Max stated.

“Yes, but many years ago so were we. She is the same age I was when I was shot. The age when you entrusted me with so much knowledge about all of you. She is only slightly younger than I was when I was faced with Tess and forced to give up my heart for her belief in destiny,” Liz told Max.

Now, it is our daughter who is trying to believe in a destiny. It is Estelle who is trying to follow her concept of destiny and that concept might prove to be no more real than the one Tess had,” Max recited. He then went on, “Life isn’t always destined. Sometimes, what we choose is what makes our destiny. Estelle has always believed that she was to be with Danny because that is what she wanted to believe. Reality might soon hit her. We must be prepared to not interfere, but to support whatever happens.”

Time passed. Danny and José were on their way to graduation. Jose intended to go on to graduate school at Cornell because he wanted to wait for June to finish. He, like his father, was going to law school. June was taking a degree in mathematics. She had decided that she wanted to be a teacher just like her parents. Danny wanted to return to New Mexico. He was applying to the Medical School at the University in Albuquerque. It was still over 200 miles from Roswell, but it was closer than Stanford.

Julius and Antonia were happy at New Mexico State University at Las Cruces. They went through their freshman year spending a lot of time together. Antonia wanted to get her teaching degree. She liked sports, but she didn’t want to teach Physical Education. Rather, she decided to study history and literature. Julius surprised many of the group. He was taking biology and wildlife management. His professors noticed that he had a lot of interest in big cats. He showed interest both in the local Mountain lion population as well as the big cats of South America.

Maybe, the sophomore year in high school is the first year students are really in high school. Freshmen were just so babyish that the school thought it had to care and over see everything they did. As a sophomore Estelle found she had a lot more choice in what she studied. She took a full college bound course. This included preparation for the Advance Placement courses that she would see in her senior year. Estelle showed a lot of interest in history. She was always reading about civilizations and how they were governed. The surprising interest she had shown was in personal defense. She was studying several forms of personal fighting.

When she first put on a pair of boxing gloves, Liz almost fainted. Max attended several of her first fights, but Liz plainly refused. Then, it was over. She, now, was into studying Japanese-styled fighting. This, Liz found not so frightening. As the year progressed, Estelle was constantly changing what she was studying. Next to Korean, then to Chinese and finally, she signed up for Junior ROTC or Reserve Officer Training Corp for her junior year.

Liz told her that if she was asked and she thought the boy was a nice boy, it was all right for her to go to the prom. It wasn’t for lack of offers, but
Estelle didn’t show any interest in attending. Estelle was being noticed, by the boys. She had many occasions, if she wanted them, to date. She went out a few times just out of interest. She just wasn’t interested in making out as so many of them wanted to do. They were just boys and they didn’t interest her.

Bradley Stokes was what the school called a “super jock.” His ego, was continually inflated by the coaches, who were hoping to catch a ride on the back of his career. He excelled at every sport he went out for. He also, excelled at making any girl he set his sights on. Estelle was getting a reputation as being a very cold fish. She was so lovely that boys couldn’t help but dream about dating her. Brad made his brag and everyone watched to see how he would crack the ice princess. None of them knew that, actually, they should have said ice queen.

Brad enlisted help from a couple of the coaches, who should have known better. To be fair maybe, they didn’t have any idea of his intentions either. There was an all school program. It was to honor both the athletics department and also, the academic part of the school. One of the coaches suggested that since the school had already picked Estelle to represent the academics, maybe she could be paired with their choice to represent the athletic. That had been Brad’s plan.

There was always some tension between the two departments. The school, as a whole, thought this was a good idea. The program was set up. Estelle didn’t want to go, but her mother, Liz told her that if the school wanted her to represent it, she should participate. Estelle appeared that night like a magic fairy. She was so small and her golden tanned skin was set off by the light yellow dress her mother had bought. Bradley Stokes was actually wearing a black suit. The couple reined over the whole program. The school congratulated itself over having such a perfect idea.

After the program, the school had a party for the young people, sort of a mixer dance. Again, Liz had told Estelle she should attend. They would pick her up when she called them with her cell phone. Estelle did have a little fun. She danced with several young men, mostly from her college prep classes. A handsome young man came up and asked her to dance. She recognized him as a full back on the Football team. “Hi, you do not know me, but my name is Edwardo Mendoza. I believe you know my sister,” was his greeting.

Estelle was delighted to meet him. She didn’t know it but Edwardo was the bratty one who had welcomed Julius to the Mendoza house so long ago. They had fun talking about Antonia and Julius, what they were doing and what they thought the couple must must be doing. Edwardo was so much more willing to accept Julius, now, than he had been a year ago.

Next Brad came up. “We stood together through this whole ceremony. Would you please now dance with me?” Brad could be so likeable when he wanted to be. Maybe, better corrected, he was likeable when he wanted something. Estelle was no expert, but she would say that Brad was a very good dancer. He held her just right as he guided her across the floor.

The gym was decorated to be “romantic.” The lights were low and there were standing painted screens scattered about the room. Estelle didn’t notice as Brad guided her toward a corner that was completely blind to anyone else. He pulled her close. In his mind she was frigid and one of his powerful kisses would certainly thaw her. In his way, he saw her so grateful that she would do anything he said. Well, there were a lot of girls who had swooned for his attention, or at least pretended to.

Estelle felt her arms pinned by his strong arms. Brad bent her over backwards as he was kissing her chest. Of course, Estelle had dreamed of things like this, but the dreams always had someone she was very fond of. Well, they always had Danny, but she thought that sometimes, this might just not ever happen.

Brad was showering her with his kisses. He was working his way down to her breast. Estelle tried to push him away. He was so much stronger than she, that she couldn’t get free. Estelle thought of the old jaguar. All the children look to him for wisdom. He was long dead now. But, somewhere, something lent her strength. She flung Brad off her and against the painted screens. He went flying across the room.

There was no way that little girl had that much strength! When he looked at her, he didn’t see the lovely green eyes, green eyes yes, but they were the eyes of a large cat. Gone was the flowing brown hair and in its place was the head of a snarling cat. Brad wet himself. He had never seen anything so scary.

When he blinked to clear his eyes he saw the little girl in the yellow dress, surrounded by most of the football team. Brad hadn’t made his brag. Estelle had thrown him easily across the floor. There were even several cheers.

Estelle did dance again that night in the arms of Edwardo Mendoza. He lost his heart that night, but Estelle just couldn’t think of anyone but Danny.

[ken_r]

mary mary
destinyc
keepsmiling7

Chapter 32

Time went by. The year, the classes and the summers all flew by as they do for youth. June and José got married. Julius and Antonia were now in their junior year of college. Julius was writing a paper on the life of the desert mountain lion. They were very secretive creatures but the pictures he obtained and the information he compiled impressed his professors. Danny was a second year medical school student. Estelle was a senior. She had no idea where she was going to go to school next year and she had no idea what she wanted to major in.

Tragedy struck. Esteban was killed by a hit and run driver. It was a dark sedan without of state plates. The windows were all dark, so there was nothing known about the driver.

No one knew how old Esteban actually was. “If I don’t get killed in one of the many wars my tribe wages or some night meet a jaguar who does not recognize me or who doesn’t care, I should live many more years,” he had said.

When called, Max asked to see the body. He quickly checked the cloth belt for the bag which held the head. There was nothing. As Max was going to reclaim Esteban’s possessions, he called first Michael and then Jesse. “The head is missing. Esteban is dead, killed by persons unknown. We need to search the site of the accident, but I do not think we will find anything,” Max explained.

Michael had just grunted, “Aliens.”

Isabel and Liz went into shock. “Max, please don’t let me go through that life again. Take my life rather than let me turn back into that cat,” Liz cried.

Isabel was in Jesse’s arms. “Does this mean that my life will bleed away? I should have been dead that night. I was preserved until the prince could be killed. Will my body just rot away like it was supposed to? Will my life now be over?” Isabel kept saying.

Jesse didn’t know what to say. He never really understood what had happened to her. She never could explain. Jesse knew that Isabel should have been dead, but she wasn’t. She proved that, every night when they laid together and he felt the soft supple body in his hands. She proved that, when she had given Jesse his son. Jesse knew that she was scared and he didn’t know what he could do about that.

Everything was upset. Estelle had been in line to be Valedictorian of her class. She explained that she had to leave school. If they could let her take enough final tests to graduate, she would appreciate it. The administration and the faculty were very disappointed, but nothing they could say, would change her mind.

Likewise, June and José told those at Cornell they had to return home for an emergency. They arrived in Roswell in time for Esteban’s funeral. Like his Uncle Max, Danny had to drop out of the medical program. Katherine had followed him to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. They weren’t going together. Still, she hoped someway, they might regain what she thought they had a long time ago. Danny called her the night before he was to leave. “I have to leave. I wanted to tell you in person. I do not know if I will come back to Medical school,” he said.

Katherine was crying, “I always hoped we could get back together sometime,” she cried.

Danny didn’t know what to say. They had always been friends but they had never slept together, nor had they ever made each other any promises. “I have obligations that are more important than anything else,” he stated.

“There was always something that kept me out. Is that what it is?” Katherine asked.

“There is a lot more than that. I have always liked you, but I never could love you. There are just too many other things that I can’t tell you about,” Danny said.

Are these things the reason you never could stay with any of your other girl friends?” she asked. Then, she pulled back and looked him in the eye. “Was there always someone else?”

Danny nodded, “Yes, someone who waited for me always. I tried to move on, but I can’t fool myself. She means more to me than anyone.”

That night was the hardest break up of a relation that never was, that Danny had ever experienced.

Danny was in Roswell the day of Esteban’s funeral.

Julius called Antonia. They had flirted with the idea of living together. Antonia just didn’t want to disappoint her family. They wanted a big Catholic wedding before the living together. “You should stay in school, but I am going to lose this semester,” Julius told her.

“Why, you have the rest of this semester and one more year before you graduate?” she asked.

Julius shook his head “Esteban has been killed. It is listed as a hit and run accident, but dad says it certainly was aliens. The head has disappeared. Aunt Isabel and Aunty Liz are terribly scared. We all are going to have to be together,” Julius explained.

Antonia released her arms from around Julius and went to her closet. She was very lucky that her roommate was not here this night. Antonia pulled out her suitcase and began to pack her clothes.

Julius pulled her away. “You don’t have to come. Just think how that would upset your family. This is going to be an alien battle. There is nothing you can do!” he told her.

Antonia turned to Julius. He could see the green streaks running down her arms. “You don’t love an alien without alien rubbing off on you.”

“I am not an alien,” Julius told her.

“You could have fooled me. You didn’t ride that bull without help from somewhere. Earth boys don’t talk to big cats or rodeo bulls. Do you want me to go on?” she asked.

Julius chuckled, “I guess, it is how you look at things. Just be sure.”

Antonia snapped her suitcase shut, “I am sure. Everyone in the group has someone to stand with them except for the queen and Danny. Let’s hope this might bring them together.

The funeral was difficult. Max did find a preacher to recite words over Esteban. The preacher, when he learned about Esteban’s beliefs and his life, made a speech about souls passing through the world and touching so many with their presence. The rest of the service was just those who knew Esteban reciting something they would always remember. The surprise was senator, Claudio Alvarez. He told how the shaman had come to America to help Doctor Evans and his wife. Of course, Maria went on about the wonderful coffee. The children who were now all grown up, all sang a song in that strange language. Antonia was so surprised that she knew the words and understood them. Yes things do rub off.

Chapter 33

A slender blond man came up to Max at the end of the funeral. “The prince is now freed so we need to have a meeting. I believe you will listen to our terms now.”

He was surprised when a tiny, raven-haired girl stepped in front of Max. “You will address me and you will show proper respect, or just like we said last time, we will kill you. In three days, we will meet you where you met with my parents long ago. Be there. Our terms will not be so pleasant.”

The slender man was taken back. The impudence of that child was too much. She should be enslaved and sold to the pleasure palaces. He would deal with her in, what did she say? In three days.

Max had no idea of how many the Anterian group would be. The earth people would have several to represent them. Estelle walked up to the senator. “Would you delay your return to join our parley?” she asked.

Claudio thought he would be the first representative of an earth government to face representatives from another planet. He wished he could find his old buddy, Governor Bill Richardson. The governor had faced North Koreans, crazy South American presidents and rebels from jungles all over the world. Wouldn’t he like to add aliens from outer space to the diplomats he had negotiated with?

The Antarians sent word that they needed seating for seven. On the Earth side were the original three Roswell aliens, their spouses, Kyle and Serena. That made eight. Then, there were the five children, Antonia and the senator, which made seven more. Estelle would be the leader and she was hoping that Danny would stand beside her.

None of the men understood, but Liz was insistent and the other women agreed that Estelle’s appearance would set the tone for the meeting. Liz bought her a grey suit to be worn with a white blouse and her hosed feet in high heels. Estelle had walked in high heels, but she hated them. Liz stated, “What the rest of us wear in not important. The queen must present a regal appearance.

At the last minute, Philip decided he should be there. Jesse concurred, so the Earth side now had one more. Max, Michael and Kyle stayed all night at the cabin to preserve the safety of the meeting. “It would be like those damned aliens to try something to hurt us and completely derail the meeting,” Kyle growled Max built a large fire in a fire-pit outside the cabin. He kept it burning brightly all night so no one would have any wrong ideas about them being there.

When the Antarians arrived, all six of them were met by Max. After an affable charade was made the Antarians milled around at their end of the table.

Estelle entered, wearing her business-like suit and her black hair pulled back tightly against her head in a bun. She stood at the head of the table. There was a chair on either side of her. She was followed by José and June, then Julius and Antonia who took their place on the right side of the table. The chair just to her right was empty. On her left, Jesse took his place followed by Isabel, then Max and Liz with Maria and Michael finishing the Earth end of the table.

The speaker from before took his place at the other end of the table. To his right, was left an empty chair. On one side of his end of the table, the two original emissaries took their place and on the other, the three new ones sat down. Nothing was said as everyone seemed to be waiting for something.

On the Earth side, it was Danny who took his place beside Estelle, followed by Philip Evans who took a chair just behind Jesse where he could consult with Jesse. Along with them was the Senator Claudio Alvarez who took a place beside Michael. Estelle stood and, looking at the Antarians, she spoke, “We agreed to meet to express our anger at what we are sure was an aggressive act in killing our tutor, benefactor and friend, Esteban.”

The speaker for the Antarians stood. “We do not deny the attack and execution of the human called, Esteban. We claim right because he held the relic of our prince which you so foolishly refused to return. Now that we have liberated that relic, the prince is free to take form again and return to his rightful place at this table.”

The door opened and a cold wind blew in. Antonia shivered and held tightly to Julius. Isabel, her features totally blank, could barely sit at the table. The figure was a man. A very old and crippled man, whose formerly blue eyes were now a dusty gray. His shock of yellow hair was now a tangled mop of almost white. His savagely handsome features were twisted and palsied. He glared at Maria who glared back with a hatred that almost, matched his own.

Maria reached under the table and took out the machete and placed it on the table, the blade and point facing directly at the shattered prince. She could feel the quiver of Michael powering up for a blast. That semblance of the former prince could only growl, but the speaker put his hand on the ragged shoulder and the prince took his place beside the speaker.

The attention of the Antarians was now all directed toward little Estelle. If they were thinking of overwhelming her, they had to think again. She felt the touch of Danny’s hand on her leg as she stood and she knew that she had plenty of support. “We have buried our hero and you have your wretched prince in form again, what more do we have to discuss?”

The speaker tried to address everyone at the table, but Estelle brought a gavel that Max had given her that morning. Philip had used the gavel when he was president of the Lion’s Club in Roswell. Max told her, “Gramps said to use this to keep order.”

“You will address me as I will address you and not that poor excuse of a prince beside you. Any dialog will be between us,” the queen demanded. The gavel made a smart smack on the table.

This time the speaker made no mistake. “The terms for us to leave you in what peace you can find until we need to change them. The terms so that your former queen, the usurper of the position which should have belonged to the sister of Kivar, can live in what misery we decide to leave her. She will still suffer the curse of the cat at night, but we will still give the former king her company as wife in the light. The terms will allow the princess, the sister of the former king, to continue living and not rot as her body was intended to.”

“You speak of former king. That is incorrect. I have taken the position held by my mother, but my father has not yet stepped down,” Estelle said.

“But, my queen, when you took the position of the queen by our law only the king can be your consort. Are you willing to commit incest to keep hold of your position? The speaker asked. “I do not see any sign of a consort or promise of one at this table.”

For the first time, Estelle faltered. Was her position going to be challenged on a technicality? Danny stood. “There was a promise. It was made long ago when Esteban asked me to always stand by Estelle in all that she did. The promise was buried in my memory. It was made so long ago that until after his death, I did not remember it. The queen has but to accept me and I will be her consort, advisor and strong right hand.” Danny began to chant in the strange language they had been taught. He spoke and the others answered, even Antonia. She was surprised that she knew exactly what was said. The speaker tried to break in, but they just chanted louder. Statement, response, they went on for about 15 minutes.

When they were through Danny spoke. We are now married in our eyes and the eyes of those who surround us.” Danny turned to Max, “I am sorry Uncle Max, but I must take your place.”

Max nodded, “I always hated the throne. Maybe, it won’t sit as hard on your shoulders.”

Estelle spoke, “Now, we will continue if there are no more questions about my authority.”

The speaker glared at Danny. He had not been prepared for that. His glance then, went to Maria. The speaker wanted to say, ‘that damned Earth bitch,’ but he didn’t even dare think that. Michael was holding his hand shoulder high and the sparks were jumping between his fingers. Maria also, was now holding the machete. Last time, she had to have help swinging it, but if that speaker or that lost vision of a ragged prince said another thing, she was going to prove that she could swing it as well by herself.

The speaker thought again. These people were so uncivilized. The woman who bragged about taking the head, thus the soul, of the prince, was almost eager to take another. Her consort was only waiting for an excuse to blast something. He looked at the new queen. She was calm and collected, but the young people along side her were very nervous. The speaker had no idea what they might do. He was going to concentrate on the young queen. She had to be the week point. Before he could collect his thoughts, the ruins which once had been Kivar stood up. “No matter what this council says, you,” he pointed to Liz. “will spend the rest of your days half in the world of men and the other half in the world of the cat.” His shrunken gray eyes turned to Isabel. Oh, I take away the promise for you. Princess, your body will quickly revert to the decay it would have had except for the interference of those primitive meddlers. Those so called spirits, which dwell there, shall feel the wrath of an Antarian born prince.”

Estelle’s green eyes grew almost black. Max saw the Antarian genetics he had passed on to his daughter. “You will be silent former prince. If you continue to remind us of your transgressions, we shall take our revenge again. Remember, we all think of you as a plaything swinging by the hand of our friend over our cribs. Your power is now gone. Much of it was given to us. Even if the others of Antar back you, you still have no power compared to us.”

With this threat, the six emissaries all stood and lifted their hands against the Earth creatures. The Aliens of Roswell, now standing, all were preparing a power war. Maria was holding her machete, silently praying, “Carlos, you helped me last time. Now I will show I can do this myself.”

The humans of Earth had the most to loose. They were, except for Maria, helpless, it seemed, to either defend themselves or attack. Claudio stood up. “Do I understand that you people are threatening citizens of Earth, much less citizens of the United States?” he asked.

The Speaker was distracted and thus, the other aliens all stood still, as he turned to the before silent, Claudio. That is, all stood down except the malformed creature who used to be Kivar. He was glaring at Maria and she back at him. Michael was standing beside Maria and if Kivar made any move, Michael would start the first intergalactic war right now. “Who are you?” the speaker asked.

“I am Claudio Alvarez, senator of the United States of Earth. I was invited to represent mine and other governments at this parley,” Claudio proudly declared.

The speaker sternly turned to give Claudio his attention. “At this time, we have no quarrel with anyone except for these refugees of our world who have made their home on your planet,” the speaker stated.

Danny leaned over to whisper in Estelle’s ear. She announced in a strong voice, “Then turn your attention to us and leave off the claims of your fallen prince. It should be clear that his time has passed. If you do attack us, there is certainty that the governments will take offense. Leave off the mistaken claims of prince Kivar and put forth your own claim. Kivar has been freed from the artifact. It was taken as a prize of war and used by us, as your own words declared. His power was drained through the ages and now resides in the children raised by the spirit of the cat.”

There was a loud moan from Kivar. He raised his hands and only the tips of his fingers sparked and sputtered. José, who had been sitting beside June holding his hands with the tips of his fingers together said, “Is this what you are looking for O’ prince?” José moved his hands apart and there were sparks jumping from hand to hand. This was where Kivar’s power had gone through the years that Esteban was draining him into the children.

The door was flung open. Everyone was surprised to see the figure of Esteban standing before them. No one was as surprised as the Antarians. They were so sure that they had seen the last of the meddlesome shaman. When the earth vehicle had hit him and they quickly recovered the relic, they thought they had taken the magic away from those Earth people. They had brought six members this time because they thought that with six, they could easily over come the three Antarians of Earth. They also were counting on the power of the prince. This time, it would be the Earth people who would bow.

This was not the Esteban who had sat with the children, played games and taught them the language of the cat. Nor, was it the Esteban who brought Maria her coffee. Only Max, Michael and Maria had ever seen this Esteban. This was the person who had brought Isabel back to life and also, driven the lycanthropy from the body of Liz. This was the almost naked shaman, clad only in a string breechcloth. On his shoulders was the skin of the jaguar and surrounding him was the almost transparent shape was the figure of a gigantic jaguar.

“Tio Esteban,” Estelle called out.

The figure turned. “Yes, my queen, that was a name that I once used. Now, the Tio Esteban you all knew is part of the forest. But what he gave to you will long live on.” He turned to the Antarians, “You were warned about the curse of the cat when you were here before. Now as I promised, the curse will be on you.”

The six antarians in unison fired six power blasts at the apparition before them. The blast shot out from their fingers straight toward the facsimile of the old shaman.

The longest blast, maybe, went 18 inches. The less powerful ones barely cleared 12 inches. Changing it to metric gave about 45 centimeters to about 30 centimeters and did not make it look any better. The stream of all the blasts just fell to the table to bounce around like the sparks of a child’s sparkler from the Fourth of July. This was not a shield like the Antarians used against each other but rather something just sucked the energy from the streams as they leapt from their hands.

The Jaguar god, for want of a better name for him, just stared as the streams of power just ‘piddled’ on the table before him. “Your prince is now, both lifeless and powerless. Take his empty shape with you as you leave. Don’t litter. “Toss no mas.” That was the motto of New Mexico.

“Not these children and maybe, not their children, but someday the descendants of these children will make the trip to your world. Beware of when they do. You brought your war to them and they will return, with generations of help, from such as I, to conquer your worlds. They now, know of you and they will be looking for you. The ‘Curse of the Cat’ is that, those you abandoned here, for whatever reason, will eventually come back to rule your worlds. You came in three ships. I will allow you one to return with the shadow of the prince. The others will be turned over to the children of the cat. That will hurry the time it takes to, finally, reach your world,” they figure which used to be Esteban declared.

The six Antarians as before, seemed to go away from any direction you saw them from. The Prince, trying to scream was pulled as through a pin hole and with an audible pop he too disappeared.

The Jaguar god turned to Claudio. “I presume you will know who to contact to take possession of the space ships. I suggest a world council to study and back engineer their construction.” With that, he faded away. No one saw him or anything like him again, with one exception. Estelle and Danny, much later, traveled for what they intended to be a two year stay in the Amazon to work at the mission clinic. He met them there. Just as he had done in Roswell, he blessed their children.

Epilog:

Fifteen years later:
Doctor Estelle Guerin had returned from the Amazon several years eariler. She now, had completed her Doctorate of Philosophy in Mathematics, a subject she had shown no interest before the last meeting of the Antarians. She had been requested to work on the “Deep Space Exploration Project” by the director, Senior Senator, Claudio Alvarez. She had departed from the United States almost five years after the Antarians had left, having completed her Bachelor’s degree from Stanford in Philosophy. She, Danny, now her husband by all cultures and her infant son, Alex, had gone to the mission. Danny just said that was something he had to do. Many scolded her for taking her baby, but she said, “The jungle should be the safest place in the world for a child of the cat. Danny had carefully taken Maria’s machete with them. He buried it deep in the forest. The original village, where Liz had been kept for that hard year, was scheduled to be destroyed. A major project would be built at the site. There were only a few people left who remembered the gringos who aided in the war against the prince who misused the cats.

Danny worked in villages for three years in which time Estelle had two more sons. The villagers at the new village where the clinic was located were mildly surprised that several of the local shaman would spend time at the Guerin house and that they showed so much interest in Estelle’s three children. After their three-year stay, they bade the villagers a tearful good bye and returned to the States. Estelle went back to finish her school and this time, she changed her studies from philosophy to mathematics. Her only reason. When fighting the devil, the only weapon that has ever worked is mathematical reasoning. Most of her friends never understood this.

Jesse was now retired from the law firm Ramirez and Ramirez. He and Isabel quietly lived in Roswell. José traveled on behalf of the Ramirez company between Roswell and the east, handling problems of the Deep Space Exploration Project. He wasn’t always away from home because he and June had four girls.

Julius was able to find out amazing things about the desert Mountain Lion. They were not endangered at all. There were a large number of them. Julius showed a remarkable ability to find information about their lives. Regarding Julius and Antonia’s life at home, they had a boy and a girl.

Doctor Evans and his wife Liz lived in the ancestral home of his parents, Philip and Diane having passed on several years before. Liz still had dreams sometimes about the cat, but when they came, there was always a raven-haired beauty with green eyes standing close and the dreams quickly faded.

The elder Guerin Family of Michael and Maria had a very long life. Maria with her song writing and Michael, now, having time to totally devote to his art.

Lord Kivar had stolen power from the forest, which he had no right to have. He had touched so many people. With their children multiplying so fast, it would not be long before Antar would either make treaty with Earth or bow before them. That was the “Curse of the Cat.”