As Mike blinked wake again. The familiarity of his surroundings slowly seeped into his consciousness. The ceiling above him, the contours of his room- Mike stared at a Ceiling that seemed familiar, back on Jellsius 4? Or not? It all felt unmistakably like home?! Or new temporary Lodgings on HOLLIEN? Not quite-in fact, not at all! He raised his head off a PILLOW with a start!?! With a jolt of realization, he sat up in bed, his heart racing with the sudden clarity of his surroundings.
His Apartment! Mike was back in his London Apartment!!?
This relief flooded through him as he took in the familiar sights- the soft glow of streetlights filtering through the curtains, the faint hum of the city outside. It was a stark contrast to the surreal experiences he had just moments ago, drifting through unknown realms in the depths of sleep.
Taking a deep breath, Mike let the reality of his return wash across his mind and over his body, grounding him in the present moment. It was a comforting sensation, knowing that he was back in the familiar confines of his own space, far removed from the mysteries and uncertainties of the dream world.
With a sense of gratitude for the simple comfort of home, Mike settled back onto his pillow, allowing himself to relax in the warmth of his bed. As sleep beckoned him once more, to return to whatever dream or reality that is cursing his mind, he drifted off with a contented sigh, grateful for the sanctuary of his London Apartment.
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Awakening suddenly, as Mike’s eyes darted around his apartment, his mind raced to make sense of the peculiarities he was experiencing. He leaped out of his old bed and found that he was completely naked! Looking about in a state of near Panic, he noticed a pile of neatly folded clothing and a pair of his old Boots- now polished Boots stacked at the end of his bed! These hinted at a care-taker’s touch, yet the absence of any memory of how he came to be naked –or even there only added to this mystery?!
He looked around his room and saw the same old second-hand furniture that he had before. With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, Mike approached the Mirror in his bathroom, his heart pounding with anticipation. The sight that greeted him was both familiar and bewildering- a deep suntan adorned his face, arms, and lower legs, contrasting starkly with his usual appearance. Before all this latest Dream-fantasy, he had been experiencing the most enlightening dream anyone could have ever enjoyed.
Confusion swirled in his mind as he scrutinized his reflection, searching for any clues to unravel this enigma. Yet, aside from the unexpected Tan, his inspection revealed nothing out of the ordinary- no puncture marks, burn marks, or abnormal abrasions to face or body he could detect. But could find nothing out of the usual except Moles and the odd small Pimple or two that he could account for no trace of any altered appearance.
A sense of unease settled over Mike as he grappled with the inexplicable changes that had occurred during his slumbers. Questions buzzed in his mind, demanding answers that seemed frustratingly out of reach. He had not deliberately been in the Sun at all, and besides, the weather has not been that warm for this time of year in London either. Determined to unravel the mystery, Mike resolved to delve deeper into the events that had transpired while he slept. With a curious and puzzled expression on his face, and a resolve to uncover the truth, he set out to piece out the fragments of his fragmented reality, determined to uncover the secrets hidden within the folds of his mind.
A sense of unease gnawed at him as he tried to make sense of the inexplicable. Could it all be a figment of his imagination, a lingering dream that had seeped into his waking consciousness. Or was there something mor sinister in the play, something beyond his understanding?
As he stood there, grappling with the surrealness of it all, a nagging feeling tugged at the edges of his understanding—a feeling that whispered of secrets waiting to be uncovered, of a mystery lurking just beyond his grasp.
Turning back to his Bed--Mike quickly dressed, and noticed, yes, his Clothes had been Laundered!? There was something else odd in the Room. Mike’s mind raced as he tried reconciling the familiar objects scattered around his apartment with the reality that he knew. With freshly laundered clothes.
And again, another Pile of folded Clothing sat on a Chair by the Front Door of his Apartment. He went across to pick them up and held the top Fabric item up to his Face height, saw it fall to the floor as it unfolded itself and was drawn down by Gravity. It was a Beige-colored Robe, ornately decorated with Silver and Golden Braid designs, almost Arabian in style, but strangely like nothing on Earth he had seen before. At least not here? Mike cast this Robe down, to drape across the Chair, then walked across to a small Table next to his Bed. He saw his Apartment Key, and reaching to pick them up, was shocked to be looking at a small Black Guitar Pick with a Diamond Motif upon it!?! This was all so strange and weird! The 'Dream', the Robe/Gowns, this Guitar Pick, the Sun Tans!!! No, this could not be?? the mysterious Robe with its exotic design, and the unexpected appearance of a Guitar pick adorned with a diamond design—all of it seemed to defy logic and reason.
With a deep breath, Mike resolved to confront this enigma head-on, determined to unravel the threads of strangeness that had woven themselves into the fabric of his reality. Whatever lay ahead, he knew one thing for certain: he couldn’t ignore the signs any longer. The time had come to delve into the unknown and confront the mysteries that awaited him, no matter how bizarre or unsettling they may be.
Mike sat down on the Bed for what seemed like an eternity trying to digest all these bizarre occurrences. It occurred to him that he had not seen his Black Les Paul Guitar around his Apartment anywhere? No way...had he been Robbed as well as everything else? He hurried to put on a set of his street clothes that he located. They smelled musty—like months old…but this could not be so? Looking at his Coat hanging up on a Hook on the Wall next to his Front Door, Mike got up and went to check his Pockets. He had his Wallet inside the Right-side Pocket, and he checked to see if it contained what he remembered? Absolutely everything he expected was still inside of the Wallet. Cash, Driver's License, Cards of various Identity. He put on his Jacket and holding his Key, locked his Front Door on the way out. He was going down the Local Pub and felt that he needed a Drink VERY BADLY.
As Mike stepped out into the cool London evening, the weight of these fantastic and strange occurrences still hung heavily on his mind. The absence of his beloved Black Les Paul Guitar added yet another layer of unease to his already troubled thoughts. Had he been robbed, or was there another explanation for his disappearance? In yet, his Wallet and Money and other personal items were still in place.
As he made his way down familiar streets towards the local Pub, he couldn’t shake the feeling of disquiet that gnawed at him. The discomforting chatter of the city enveloped him, providing a welcome distraction from the mysteries that plagued his thoughts.
Entering the Pub, Mike sought relief in the familiar ambiance- the warmth of the dimly lit interior, the sounds of glasses clinking and laughter echoing off the walls. He found a seat at the Bar and ordered a drink, the cool liquid offering a respite for the turmoil in his Mind. Mike left the Bar as he found it was becoming noisier and sought the welcoming calm of a table seat. He sipped his beverage. Sipping his drink, Mike allowed himself a moment of reflection, pondering this strange turn of events that have unfolded since he awoke. It had All BEEN a Dream then? Despite the unsettling nature of his circumstances, he felt a glimmer of determination flicker within him- his resolve to uncover the truth, no matter where it might lead.
With a newfound sense of purpose, Mike lifted his Glass in a silent toast to the Journey that lay ahead. Whatever mysteries awaited him, he was ready to face them head-on, armed with nothing but his wits and the unwavering desire to unravel this enigma that had taken hold of his life.
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Mike had sat down at a Table on his own, he knew nobody else in this Public House anyways. If he did see a familiar face—he was not into talking much in any case. As he nursed his Pint of Lager, he found the simple pleasure of enjoying a drink in this Pub. With each swallow, he felt a bit of the tension ease from his shoulders, the rhythmic rise and fall of the bubbles in his glass soothing his frayed nerves. He watched as the Bubbles rose and formed a layer of promising Foam. His Pint had a good head on it. He took a sip, - then ‘downed’ purely half of his Pint. It was a welcome relief. Something was normal around there anyways. He took another Drink of his Pint, and decided he would get himself another Lager when this one was done. He relished the flavour as the Hum of conversation drifted about him like smoky clouds of soundwaves.
As his glass neared empty, Mike contemplated getting another Pint. The prospect of another cold, foamy Lager beckoned to him, offering a reprieve from the uncertainties that loomed over his mind. With a nod to the Bartender, he signaled for another round, the anticipation of the next Pint already bringing a faint smile to his lips. In that simple act, he found a semblance of normalcy—a reminder that amidst the strangeness of his circumstances, there were still moments of comfort and familiarity to be found, even in the most unexpected places.
A Mike watched the Bartender refill another glass with another Lager Pint, as sense of relief washed over him. The familiar routine of ordering another drink felt like a small victory amidst the confusion and uncertainty that clouded his mind. The chatter of the Pub and the sound of Glasses provided a comforting backdrop to his thoughts, offering a sense of camaraderie in the shared experience of enjoying a drink together in a community.
Looking around the Public House, he spied on those who he thought were some familiar Faces of some of the other 'Locals'. A Television was on behind the Bar. There was a News Hour program showing, and some Headlines were being re-capped. Mike was only half-paying attention to the News, while still trying very hard to understand all these strange things about what he had dreamed and what was, or was NOT, in his Apartment. He thought to his missing Guitar. If someone had broken into his Apartment, why was his front Door not damaged, his Wallet intact, too many things just did not add up? This was craziness.
His attention was jolted away from concentration upon this weird set of circumstances, by something unusual he half-heard on the Television News Program.
This perked his attention 150 Percent! His attention snapped to full on Alert as he listened to the Television’s broadcast. His ears straining to filter out the background chatter and buzz of the other Customers.
The mention of an unexplained Radio Signal from outer space, repeating at regular intervals, sent a shiver down his spine. It was as if the Universe itself was echoing the mysteries that had been haunting his own life recently. The Broadcaster’s words painted a picture of intrigue and wonder—a signal from a distant Galaxy, half a billion Light-years-away, sending burst of Radio Waves in a precise 16-Day cycle! The significance of this discovery was not lost on Mike as he contemplated the implications of such a phenomenon.
Fast Radio Bursts, FRBs, had long captured the imagination of Scientists and astronomers, offering tantalizing glimpses into the mysteries of the cosmos. But the discovery of a repeating pattern, coming from a single source, added a new layer of complexity to this puzzle.
...."Last year, the Fast Radio Burst Research Facility in British Columbia, Canada, detected eight new repeating Fast Radio Bursts, including this signal. The repeating Signal was traced to a massive Spiral Galaxy around 500 million Light-Years away. Researchers hope that by tracking the origin of these mysterious Bursts, they can determine what caused them. So far, they have traced single and repeating Fast Radio Bursts back to very different sources, which deepens the mystery."
As he absorbed the news, Mike felt a surge of curiosity mingled with a touch of apprehension. What could be the cause of these enigmatic signals? Were they the product of natural phenomena, or perhaps something more…otherworldly? Lost in thought, Mike pondered the implications of this discovery, his mind racing with questions and possibilities. In the vast expanse of space, where mysteries abound and the unknown beckons, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the boundless wonders of the Universe.
Mike was gob-smacked!!
...."The first repeating F.R.B. was traced back to a small Dwarf Galaxy containing Stars and Metals. Another was to one of the Spiral arms of a Milky Way-esque Galaxy. It was also within a Star-forming region of the arm, the Researcher said. The discovery of a 16.35-day periodicity in a repeating F.R.B source is an important clue to the possibility of Life elsewhere...."
Mike dropped his Pint at this point! Smashing the Glass and dousing what remained of his Lager across the Table.
He instantly realized that he must buy another Guitar with the Money he had left and continue Busking, or better yet, join a Band and earn more serious Cash than a few coins a night in Chump-change, down the 'Rabbit Hole' of a Subway Tunnel.
He at that moment knew that the answers to his burning questions lay elsewhere, He knew that he had to make his way to Western Canada, and somehow to this Research Station.
His adventure was only just beginning.
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END OF CHAPTER XI: ‘THE TEN BELLS’ /or ‘WHEN TEN BELLS TOLL’.
and the continuing adventures of, 'BELT OF ORION’: The real INSIDE Story.
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