My new website has my entire book 'Where Heavens Meet,' complete with color photos, made available to the public for free. It's quite amazing to see, as it was put up by a professional design publisher. I am very proud of the results and look forward to the public's reaction.

We will also be including color photographs of Hurricane Andrew's massive devastation never released to the general public before on the web site. This will be under the 'Photo Gallery' section of the Hurricane Andrew link on the main page. I will undoubtedly be sued by the Miami Herald, and possibly the Sun Sentential in Ft. Lauderdale, for releasing these photographs never made available to the public before. Both newspapers withheld the photos from the public and the rest of the news media. Had I not stolen them by literally 'stuffing them down my pants to get past the armed guard' they never would have had a chance of being been seen by the public.

When you take into account that over 10,000+ people died during Hurricane Andrew (1992) in South Dade, Florida, and that many wounded survivors died in the aftermath because none of the injured were ever rescued out of the aftermath's devastation, the threat of a law suit hanging over my head seems very insignificant. Amazing isn't it, that over 10,000+ victims died in that horrendous tragedy and the former Bush Administration was able to keep it a secret? More amazing, when one realizes that the massive devastation and deaths far exceeded the World Trade Towers tragedy...

I am a former 'true documentary' filmmaker and in 1975 I received the prestigious 'Gold Venus' for my movie which aired in all the U.S. theaters, Canada, and thirteen foreign countries in thirteen foreign languages. I am the only woman in the world ever to have received the 'Gold Venus,' and in addition, I am the person who began worldwide ecology in the film industry. By the way, there were only a total of 18 'Gold Venus's' ever presented to filmmakers from around the world. Steven Spielberg also holds the 'Gold Venus' as does George Lucas, and Oliver Stone.

My expertise was in the field of wildlife, so as you can see I was already a 'trained observer' when I had the 'Lime Grove Encounters.'

Betty Hill and I became very good friends after I had the encounters, and like Betty, the UFOs persisted in making themselves known around me. There were witnesses who observed the UFOs around my home as well.

My name is known around the world, as you can well imagine. Derrel Sims came to my home to study me. Dr. William Roll of the Rhine Institute (Duke University) spent quite a bit of time studying me. Timothy Good is another of my colleagues and friend. Along with Phillip Mantle and Dr. Bethrow Schwarz.

What follows below is a detailed report of my two Lime Grove Encounters.

It was the time of day I loved most.

My apartment was in the back, quiet and isolated from the rest of the complex. It faced the lime grove directly. A grove which had been abandoned long ago, now left to fend on its own. Ten steps out the front door and there I stood, in the midst of my delight. Rows and rows of lime trees, stretching for miles beyond sight, now deserted and still there to explore. My dogs loved it as much as I did. We walked it every single day, often miles at a time, until both dogs and I were too weary to take another step. It was our private little haven, created just for us, or at least I liked to think of it that way.

There were hushed secrets, whispered rumors, which circulated in conversation amongst the residents of the apartment complex. "Don't move back there," I had been warned beforehand. "Strange things happen in that grove."

"What kind of things?" I had asked, my curiosity peaked by the mystery of it all.

"Just strange kinda things," my neighbor quietly advised. He leaned a little closer, "No one ever stays back there very long. They move right out. Whatever you do, stay out of the lime grove. It isn't safe..."

The thought of a deserted grove not being safe, mildly amused me since I had spent years working in remote swamps, secluded forests, and in deep dark seas. After alligators, bears, poisonous snakes, and sharks, what more could possibly be strange? I had done it all. At least, I thought I had.

The day I had moved into the apartment, I noticed a strange inscription on the front door, facing the outside. Someone had taken a sharp tool and heavily engraved the words 'May God protect us'. The message had been deeply carved. Whoever inscribed it had spent a lot of time doing so. I thought the message seemed a bit strange but I never connected it to the subtle warnings I had been given by other residents. I more or less assumed whoever wrote it must have been religious.

I had four rather large canines. Two of them weighed approximately seventy pounds, the other two weighed approximately a hundred pounds apiece. The apartment rules stated no resident could have more than one dog, and only a small one at that. The manager kindly turned her back on my canine situation because my dogs were well trained and my apartment was always immaculate. Of course, being friends with the manager helped just a tad.

The grove had been abandoned for quite some time. The weedy grass was overgrown and easily reached a height of three feet tall. The lime trees were stunted in growth from lack of attention and care. There were rows of twig-branched trees mixed amongst leafy trees still able to sprout occasional limes. The only thing that disrupted this picturesque scene were gigantic two-story transformer poles. These ran the entire length of the grove, extending well beyond its reach. They carried huge electrical cables all the way to the Florida Keys.

Once in a great while during the summer, a handful of crop-pickers would show up to pick the few limes that grew. The dying trees were in such bad condition, they did not yield a great deal of fruit. Other than the crop-pickers, I never saw anyone in the grove. Everyone I knew was too afraid to enter. Even the children were not permitted to play in or around it.

All four of my dogs were trained to attack. I had trained them myself. Knowing they were very protective and devoted, I felt safe and comfortable. Secure with them at my side. They were all alert animals, obedient to my every command. It was obvious they would not hesitate to aggressively protect me under any threatening circumstance.

Quite a few times when strolling my dogs through the grove, I had the distinct feeling my every move was being watched. It was an eerie feeling. The dogs never barked to indicate a stranger lurked. All of my dogs would have reacted to the slightest indication of another person. Or even the presence of another animal. A few times the feeling was so incredibly powerful, I intentionally hurried them to another location in the grove. I do not scare easily so even my behavior seemed strange. I became so uncomfortable with the situation, I openly discussed it with a long time friend.

On this particular May day, which forever changed my life, I had already walked the two German Shepherds before dusk. Nothing unusual had happened in the grove during our thirty-minute stroll. I returned them to the apartment and took the two most aggressive dogs of the pack, a big black male Labrador and a giant male Schnauzer. Both excited animals were leashed as we entered the grove.

We cut through the nearest clearing to walk on the other side of the grove. The side isolated by surrounding woods. I ran the dogs on this side because no one could see us and no one dared to go back there.

As soon as we had cut through the clearing, we turned left and headed toward SW 152nd Street. We had walked approximately ten feet, when suddenly out of nowhere, I heard what sounded like someone chopping down a tree! I stopped abruptly! The noise stopped. From the sound of it, the chopping seemed to be right on top of us. But the incredible thing was neither dog had reacted. Instead, both dogs stood calmly at my side wagging their tails and waiting for me to continue on with the walk. The chopping had been so loud, I could not figure out what was going on. Had I imagined it? I knew I hadn't. Why weren't the dogs barking though?

I stood very still, waiting to hear the noise again. Everything was deathly quiet. Even the wind had died. Suddenly, it happened again! I quickly turned my head to look through the rows of sparse trees. Exactly three rows over, approximately thirty feet from where I stood, was the strangest sight I had ever seen!

Standing there quietly watching me was the oddest - the strangest - the most bizarre looking being - I had ever laid eyes on! So outrageously strange that at first glance, I honestly thought someone was standing there in a Halloween costume! I clearly recall thinking, 'Is this some kind of joke?'

Then it hit me. Really hit me hard! That was no costume! It was real!... I absolutely froze. Too shocked to move or even think about trying to.

The dogs looked directly at it. Their reaction was unbelievable! Instead of lunging forward to aggressively ward it off, both dogs simultaneously laid down on the ground, putting their heads on their front paws and closing their eyes. Two trained attack dogs, who would not hesitate to attack, laid down and appeared to be asleep! The entire situation was so bizarre I could not believe what was happening! It was as if my mind had suddenly gone mad! Half of it insisting, 'This is not real!' The other half arguing, 'Oh yes it is! This is very real!'

It was the haunting eyes that took my breath away. Those big-black-almond-shaped eyes, staring back at me. Not human. Not animal. Solid black eyes without pupils. Without eyelids. And not a trace of any white-of-the-eye showing. So big in proportion to the rest of the strange face, they dominated it. Like the spine chilling affect of a hooded cobra, they stared back, daunting, not blinking. Locked in an eye-to-eye showdown. Silently powerful. Waiting, just waiting, for me to make the first move.

It was all so insane! Yet so real!

The harder I tried to identify what I was looking at, the worse it got. The being's head was similar to a human's but with obvious striking differences. There wasn't any hair on the head, or the rest of the body, and from the looks of it never had been. The skin was a grayish color with a slight pinkish hue. Appearing to be non-porous, the texture of it reminded me of the soft skin of a dolphin.

The circumference of the head was much larger than that of the human. Particularly around the temporal and occipital lobes, resulting in an exaggerated, distended looking forehead. The overall structure was pear shaped, coming down into a non-descriptive chin. The nose appeared too small in contrast, as if nothing more than two tiny nostrils. The mouth was about half the size of a human's. No well defined lips, making it appear more like a small slit.

The arms were long and emaciated looking, with no visible muscle tone. Following the arms down to the hands, I was reminded of the orangutan ape, only because this emaciated arm extended into a hand with long fingers. But unlike the ape, the thumb was located in the same place as the human hand.

It took several moments to realize there were a total of six digits on each hand! Five fingers and one thumb. I could not believe my eyes! I had to recount them several times for it to sink in. Each time I came up with the same figure. Six digits on each hand!

It suddenly struck me how incredible this being was! Still trapped in a mental tug-of-war, I repeatedly tried to identify what stood before me. I had no reference point to identify it with because I had never seen anything like it. The basic characteristics of the body were human. But the grayish non-porous skin and solid black almond eyes - which I assumed were some sort of protective lens - with a total of six digits on each hand, did not fit any description I knew of.

What was it?!

The abdominal area was small in circumference, frail looking, with a small potbelly. There was no definition of muscle tone. This added to the overall appearance of the upper torso looking emaciated. And yet, this emaciated look did not carry through to the lower portion of the torso.

The legs were definitely contoured like those of a human. But unlike the human's, they were a sharp contrast to the rest of the body. Extremely muscular, well-defined tone, to the point of almost being overly developed. The muscular the legs of a trained athlete. Bulging tight muscles protruded in the thighs and calves. Adding to the startling contrast of the small feet. Although shaped like human feet, they appeared to be too small for the size of the powerful legs. Almost 'child like' in comparison to the well-developed legs.

Since we stood in such close proximity to one another, I knew its height fell in the four foot tall range. It was definitely smaller than I was. Based upon my own height of 5'3", I guessed it to be about 4'9" tall.

Even though there was nothing by which to indicate it, I instinctively knew this being was male. He wore odd looking clothes, made out of a weird metallic looking substance. A substance not made of cloth. I had ever seen anything like it before. It appeared to be thinly layered, hugging his body like an outer sheath of protective metal skin. So tightly contoured, even the slightest body bulge was obvious. A thin metal cloth, impervious to tears or frays, yet capable of giving way with each bodily movement. His chest was covered by something that resembled a short-sleeved, silvery white, metallic tee shirt. It had a distinct sheen to it like tight fitting spandex. So did the shiny black shorts he wore. Even the shiny black fitted ankle-boots were made of the same metallic substance. There weren't any buckles, buttons, zippers, or laces on his shoes or clothing. As I stood there staring at him, I wondered, 'How did he get those boots on?'

During our stand-off I had quite a long time to observe him. Repeatedly looking him over from head to foot. He stood there quietly doing the same, neither of us moving. Finally, he took the initiative by leaning over toward the tree next to him, hiding his head from my view. The rest of his body remained in plain sight.

My initial shocked reaction was immediately followed by fear. Yet I was driven by curiosity. I had never witnessed anything like this before! Beyond extraordinary! I had no idea any form of life such as this ever existed. Even the acute awareness of being in a deserted lime grove by myself was not enough to make me panic. The intrigue and impact of standing before a living being so phenomenal, so extraordinarily fascinating, was more predominant than any fear. Fleeing the scene would have been the last thing in the world I would have chosen to do.

As I stood there watching to see what he would do next, a slight movement in the next tree next caught my attention. I quickly looked toward it, shocked by the sight that greeted me. Hanging on a branch was the strangest looking animal I had ever seen. So inexplicably strange, I could not identify it!

The fur on the creature was a prominent bluish-gray color. The sight of it so startling, I could hardly believe my eyes! Had I not personally witnessed it myself, I never would not have believed it possible for fur on a living creature to be that color. The coat had a thick rich appearance and exhibited a healthy sheen, indicating a well-cared for animal. Well cared for indeed! Animals living in the wild do not have groomed healthy coats because of the elements and hardships they are constantly exposed to. The length of the fur was about three to four inches, unusually thick and finely textured. Exactly like the texture of short-hair felines but there was nothing else cat-like about it.

I assumed it hung to the branch with paws, even though I could not actually see any. The length and thickness of the fur prevented me from doing so. The position in which it was hanging reminded me of sloth. It even moved in a slow sloth-like manner. But the body shape and color was all wrong. I could not see any indication of a tail. I couldn't distinguish a head either. I assumed the head was positioned on the other side of the body, making it impossible to observe. I kept thinking, 'Come on! Move your head so I can see it! Please, move your head!'

Trying to estimate the body weight was impossible to do because of the thick fur. Although the creature hung in a curled position, I could tell the body was long. Much longer and fuller than the body of a raccoon or possum. The roly-poly abdomen didn't match either.

The moment I spotted the creature, I began receiving telepathic communication. The telepathic thoughts were so strong, I had to logically disqualify them by going through a step-by-step process of reasoning.

The first message came to me quickly. "This is a possum..."

I immediately followed this telepathic suggestion with my own logical deduction, "No! This is not a possum! This animal is not the right color of a possum! The fur is all wrong to be a possum! The body is too big to be a possum! And besides, it does not move like a possum! This animal is definitely not a possum!"

A slight delay occurred before receiving the second telepathic message. "This is a raccoon."

Again I had to reason, "No! This is not a raccoon! This animal is not the right color of a raccoon! The fur is all wrong to be a raccoon! The body is too long and too wide to be a raccoon! And besides, it does not move like a raccoon! This animal is definitely not a raccoon!"

Immediately following the suggestions, I found myself reacting in a manner totally out of character. Definitely not a course of action I would have chosen to carry out of my own volition! I wasn't aware of receiving any form of telepathic suggestion. If I had, I would have rejected it immediately. Once I had logically deducted the creature was neither possum or raccoon, all my conscious thoughts ceased.

I suddenly discovered myself tugging on both leashes. The dogs opened their eyes, lifted their heads, and calmly sat up. They then stood as if nothing unusual prevailed. Both completely oblivious to the strange being and the creature. I proceeded to calmly walk away from the scene with them at my side. As if, we were simply continuing on with the walk we had begun earlier.

My movements felt mechanical. Robotic in a sense. In a trance-like state, I kept walking as if nothing had ever happened. When I had taken about fifteen steps away from the site, my conscious thoughts suddenly jolted back! My reaction was instantaneous. I stopped dead in my tracks and burst out loud with, "What the hell was I looking at?!"

The dogs reacted to the sound of my voice, whining excitedly with waggy tails. Instantly I spun around and broke into a run! Racing back toward the site with dogs eagerly leading the way! Straining the at the leashes. Struggling to pull me faster.

While running, I quickly formulated a plan for my next course of action. Rationalizing from the being's-point-of-view, I had to have appeared pretty intimidating. I was bigger and I had two huge dogs. My advantage placed him in a bad position. But I didn't wish to harm him and somehow I had to communicate this. The best way would be for to sit down on the ground with the dogs. The body language (commonly used by wildlife observers) would hopefully communicate that I was not aggressive.

When we reached the area he had been standing in, I noticed how quickly the dogs calmed down. This was odd behavior considering they had just been running excitedly. Before I had time to mentally question it, they sat down beside me. But unlike before, they were alert, watching me for the next move. I quickly scanned the area hoping to see the strange being. Much to my great disappointment he was no where to be seen. The strange looking animal had disappeared too.

It struck me odd that he could have disappeared so quickly. I stood there quietly, scanning the area as I strained to listen for sounds. Everything was quiet except for the panting dogs. I realized things were just a bit too quiet. I glanced back down at the dogs. They were too calm for having just run the distance. Their behavior was a dead give-away. The being had to be in the immediate area. In all probability, somewhere very near.

I stood very still, barely daring to breathe. Listening for the sound of breaking branches or the rustling of leaves. When suddenly, he darted out from behind a tree! And, broke into a run!

I yanked both leashes! Jerking the dogs to their feet! And, the chase was on!

The being clutched a silvery-white metallic bag up to his chest, tied at the top with a strange looking silver rope. The bag was much like the type of burlap bag one would use to carry an animal in. It was quite obvious from the size of the bag and the way in which he carefully cradled it to his chest, the bluish-gray creature was inside. In holding the bag, I could clearly see his left hand with all six of his fingers spread wide apart. The instant he sprang into a run, the rope flew over his right shoulder.

At that moment I would have sold my soul for a camera. What I witnessed was way beyond my human comprehension or understanding. If I had not seen it myself, I never would have believed it possible.

The way he ran was incredibly shocking! He ran exactly like an African deer known as the gazelle! His feet barely touched the ground, he sprung up in a forward motion. I estimated each leap he made, straight up in the air, to be three feet high. He covered yards with each independent stride. The distance he covered not possible for a human being to achieve.

He could have easily outrun me in a heartbeat. But he didn't. Instead, he paced himself so we ran neck-to-neck, parallel to each other, approximately thirty feet abreast.

There was something else I noticed about the incredulous way he moved. While standing back by the tree, noticeable when he leaned over to hide his head, I noticed he moved his body queerly. He appeared to float or glide his body through the air. His movement was similar to the way astronauts move about in space. Weightless astronauts float their bodies through the air, as opposed to pushing their body through the air. The being appeared to move his body the same way, although not quite so exaggerated. There was only one exception. The being, unlike the astronauts, maintained precise control and co-ordination over his body. He directed it with ease.

The weightless sensation and lack of gravitational pull, became extremely evident when he broke into a run. He moved quickly but each movement looked like slow-motion-grace. So mesmerizing, I could not take my eyes off him! Not even for a split second.

We ran parallel to each other for quite a distance. I would estimate between five to six short city blocks. While doing so, he kept sending me a telepathic message. It was the same word repeated twice as one word. "Biente-Biente." I do not speak or understand any languages other than English. But because this was sent through telepathy, I immediately perceived the meaning to be, "Welcome! - Come hither." Sent as a friendly gesture meant to entice me to follow.

I was not able to get a confirmation of the meaning until I did the Art Bell Show, Coast to Coast AM. During the live broadcast, Art stated on the air, "I have just received a fax from Charles in Mexico, confirming the meaning of "Biente-Biente." It is the friendly version of Castilian Spanish meaning, Come, friend!"

During the chase, we ran through an area of about fifty yards, where the lime trees had died off and fallen to the ground. There was nothing to obstruct my view. I had plenty of time to observe his movements.

After passing through the clearing, the terrain abruptly changed to overgrown weeds and underbrush. Massive tangled vines blanketed the lime trees, creating a natural tunnel. He darted into it and disappeared. The moment he did, I ran into a wall of stench! The same affect as if someone suddenly shoved smelling salts underneath my nose. The burning stench so strong, so repulsive, I immediately experienced a violent wave of nausea. It smelled like a combination of sulfuric acid and formaldehyde mixed together. So pungent, the fumes burned the lining of my nostrils.

The moment I ran into this wall of stench, I instinctively knew there were others like him in the same area! I perceived they were in the tunnel, where they had been waiting for him all along.

I realized that I was out numbered!

Frightened out of my wits, I turned on my heels as fast as I could, heading in the opposite direction! Zigzagging through the grove with both dogs racing at my side! Too scared to cut through the clearing that lead to the other side of the grove. Mainly because, I had to run directly through the endless rows of trees. How could I be sure they weren't lurking there? I felt safer staying on the path because in the far distance I could see the road at the end of the grove.

I ran all the way up to SW 137th Avenue, ducked under the bob wire fence, and stepped out onto the road. From there, I had to walk about a quarter of a mile to reach the apartment complex. By the time I reached my apartment, the sun had already set and darkness had set in.

There were a number of problems created by what I had experienced. My body was pumping out adrenaline as fast as it could. I was aware of being in shock. I had just witnessed the most phenomenal discovery of my life. Yet, I could not pick up the phone and report it to the newspaper or police! I couldn't risk jeopardizing years of credibility I had worked hard for. I had to talk to someone! But the question was who? This was not something I could just pick up the phone and say, "Hey Mom, guess what just happened to me!"

I needed to talk to someone who trusted me. Someone who understood things like this. I decided to call a friend of mine. We spoke for hours as I repeatedly went over the lime grove encounter in detail.

"I can't identify what I was looking at!" I vented my frustration.

"An alien," she replied. "The type known as the Grays."

"But if it was an alien, why would it have been so careless to be in the grove during daylight? Surely it wouldn't have risked being seen by a human!" I argued.

"Maybe it wasn't as careless as you think. Maybe it wanted you to see. Maybe... it had been watching you. You've told me there are times when you walk the dogs, you have the distinct feeling someone is watching. I've heard you say it quite a few times."

"Maybe the meeting was intentional," she stated emphatically.

The word 'alien' was extremely uncomfortable, awkward, for me to use. I cringed every time I heard it. Definitely out of place for my life. By no means a part of my vocabulary or background. The word 'being' sounded more tangible.

I had difficulty coming to grips with it all. Everything had suddenly become so foreign and bizarre. Whatever happened to that nice peaceful stroll just before dusk? I knew what I had seen was real but with no reference point to mentally identify it with, nothing made sense. The more I tried, the worse it got. The worse it got, the more I tried. Round-and-round in circles I went, until I finally exhausted myself.

Having very limited knowledge on UFOs and ETs, did not help at all. I had never investigated the subject. Only briefly did I question the existence of other life, like any other person who has little or no experience of such things. Ideally, I truly believed there had to be other life forms existing throughout the Universe. To suddenly be confronted by a being so obviously foreign to this planet, on my planet!, was a ten-thousand volt shock! An entire lifetime of snug security had just blown up in my face!

What was this being? Who was this being? Where had he come from? How did he get here? How long had he been here? And, what were his intentions? And, why the lime grove? Why? Why? Why?!

I was fully aware I had experienced fear during the encounter, a very real fear of the unknown. But not enough fear to keep me out of that lime grove. I wanted to see the being again. Obviously I had not been harmed in any way, a thought I kept pondering over. My fears had been self-created, a side-product of mental shock. My only regret was not being able to adjust to the shock quick enough to eliminate the fear during the confrontation. Had I been able to accomplish this, my actions and reactions might have been different.

The next morning I went back into the grove as soon as it was light enough to see. I found the exact spot where the being had stood and looked at the lime tree carefully. A few big branches had been cut off. But they weren't lying on the ground. There weren't any signs of footprints because the grass was too long and thick. I traced the path of the chase, carefully retracing it with the dogs, but there was no indication of anything unusual having occurred. I knew what I had witnessed was very real. I had had a lot of time to observe the being and every course of action he had taken. This was not enough for me. I wanted to see more, knowing if it were possible to do so, the second time around would be different. I would have the benefit of a reference point, a memory to relate to, helping me adjust to their strangeness.

There was only one minor problem. This was not my decision to make. I could do nothing other than wait and hope for a second chance.

All four dogs lay on the floor sound asleep, exhausted after a long run through the grove. Two of them slept by the open window about ten feet away from the sofa where I sat. Although the late evening air felt refreshingly cool, there was no breeze coming through the window. A thought that had crossed my mind earlier when I noticed how quiet it was. An outside light with a 60 watt bulb lit the otherwise pitch-black night. The old fashioned carriage lamp stood on the front lawn, approximately five feet away from the window. With the inside lights turned off, I could see out into the small yard quite clearly.

My attention was suddenly drawn toward the ceiling. A faint mint-green cloud-like light began to form at the junction of the ceiling and wall, opposite to where I sat. I watched it slowly spread across the ceiling and down the wall, expanding into what looked like a cloud of early morning mist. Stunned by the extraordinary sight, it took me a few moments to realize what was happening. The mint-green misty cloud kept expanding as it swirled throughout the room, hovering and clinging to the ceiling. Some of it drifted toward the floor like cigarette smoke lazily settling.

"Something strange is happening," I whispered into the phone.

"What?" my friend asked quickly.

"I don't know what it is," I tried to explain. "You’re not going to believe this but there's this mint-green mist floating in my living room. It's weird... Real weird."

"What do you think it is?" she asked.

"Beats me," I answered. "Never seen anything like it before. Just don't hang up. Whatever you do, don't hang up!"

"I won't," she said with concern in her voice.

Before anything else could be said, I saw movement outside the window. When I glanced over at the screen, I could hardly believe what I saw! Two big almond shaped eyes curiously stared back at me.

I nearly fell off the couch!

My heart shifted gear, pounding as if it were going to explode. I remember thinking, 'My God, they are real!' I felt a strange combination of relief and shock as I stared back with my mouth wide open. Right in front of my eyes was exactly what I had hoped to see one more time! Peeking through my window screen in an almost child-like manner, those big almond-shaped eyes curiously looking back at me.

I knew immediately this was not the same being I had seen in the grove. Although the physical traits were identical, the facial features were slightly different. It seemed quite obvious I was now looking at a female. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind.

She shifted slightly, moving her body over to the center of the screen. As she did, I became aware of another being with her. A smaller one, who peeked around the right side of her body, then quickly ducked back behind her. I immediately identified this being as an adolescent male, who from the looks of things, was too timid to step out on his own. Instead, he would sneak a peek, quickly duck, waiting a moment before daring another fleeting glance!

It was such an incredible sight that it made fearing them impossible. Every once in a while the female would tilt her head with that slow-motion movement, as if she were in awe. I, on the other hand, sat on the couch absolutely glued in position, with my mouth dropped open in sheer astonishment. Mesmerized by the peeking whatever-they-were-beings, unable to verbalize even the most basic human sound. Vaguely aware that somewhere in my hand I held a telephone receiver with a hysterical woman on the other end. While four well-trained watch dogs slept peacefully on the floor. As if this weren't enough, a mint-green mist hovered across the ceiling. It was one of those rare, inexplicable situations, too outrageous to give fear much credence. Besides, there wasn’t a whole lot I could do about it.

"K.T.! Talk to me!" my friend kept urgently insisting.

"They're here..." I finally managed to whisper just audible enough for her to hear.

"Who's there?!" she demanded impatiently.

"They are..." my floundering voice trailed off. "You know, them. The 'them' from the grove..."

"Where? There?! In the apartment?" her horrified voice asked quickly. "Oh-my-God!... I'm calling the police!"

"No!..." I answered quickly. Scaring off the visitors was the last thing in the world I wanted to do! I wanted to see them. "No, don't! Let's just see what they do."

"What they do?! Where are they? Inside the apartment?" she asked, her words racing with dreaded anticipation.

"No... Outside, peeking through the open window," I whispered, trying to keep the sound of my voice down so I would not scare them off.

By now, my eyes had adjusted to the outside light. I was able to see the details of their faces. The female's facial features were very distinguishable. I was amazed at how delicate, and in an unusual way, how startlingly beautiful she truly was. Her huge almond-shaped eyes were solid black with no apparent eyelids or eyelashes. I could see her eyes clearly. The blackness appeared more like a protective membrane or lid covering the eye itself. A common physical trait often found in creatures inhabiting water, or using water as part of their natural habitat. A trait also associated with non-porous skinned creatures, such as amphibians and aquatic creatures.

As soon as I realized the truth behind the dark sinister-looking eyes, I discovered they no longer appeared to be intimidating. Instead of associating them with the cold unblinking eyes of the cobra, I suddenly discovered myself associating them with the warm luring eyes of the dolphin. A creature I had had quite a bit of experience working with. I had many wonderful memories of sharing the ocean water with those amazingly intelligent mammals.

Once I adjusted to the strange physical features, I found the female to be quite precious. She was obviously inquisitive, yet at the same time a little timid. I could not help wondering what I looked like to her. Did she perceive me as intimidating? Or had she been able to adjust to my strange appearance quickly? I had to smile at the smaller one behind her, with his peek-a-boo glances. He behaved just like a shy human youngster.

To be in their presence and take this all in was one of the most breathtaking moments of my life. What could possibly be more extraordinary, more fascinating than the incredible beings right before my very eyes? All I could think of was how wondrously gentle they were. It was very obvious from her body language and non-aggressive behavior.

"My God..." I whispered, "they are so precious. I wish you could see this..."

"Precious!" my friend blurted out as if I had totally lost it. "Precious?! What are you talking about?"

"Yes, precious," I repeated softly, so as not to scare them away. "Precious, as in adorable. I think the one up against the screen is a female. She keeps tilting her head so she can get a better view of me. The one behind her is a young male. He's shy..."

"My God! Be careful!..." my friend's fearful voice responded. "What are they doing?"

I was too caught up with the scene at the window to answer her repeated questioning. My eyes magnetized to the curious faces as I wondered how to communicate that I meant them no harm.

It briefly puzzled me why the dogs didn't wake up and leap at the window. Then I remembered their strange behavior in the lime grove. I realized the dogs had once again been affected by their presence. In all probability, this sleep syndrome was some kind of induced trance. I sat there amazed by their method of protection. Thinking how much more humane it was than harming animals that might pose a threat.

The female slowly raised her hand and carefully placed it on the screen. The palm side of her hand faced me with her fingers spread apart. There they were again. Those six digits raised right before my eyes. Exactly what I had witnessed in the lime grove.

"Holy sh... Six digits!" I whispered excitedly to my friend. "Six fingers in all! She has her hand up on the screen! It's incredible!"

"Six? Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yep, I'm sure," I whispered back, recounting them silently to myself. As I did, the female moved her head, slightly tilting it so she could see around her placed hand. The moment our eyes locked, it suddenly occurred to me what she was doing. "Hold on!" I whispered excitedly into the phone. "I want to try something."

"K.T.! What are you doing?" I heard my friend shouting nervously, as I placed the telephone receiver down in my lap. I intentionally moved as slowly as I could, hoping not to scare them off.

Ever so carefully, so cautiously slow, I extended my right hand in the same position she held, with my fingers spread open, as if our hands were reaching to make contact. The sight of both reaching hands is one burned in my memory. Even when I saw Michelangelo's masterpiece, The Creation, my emotions fell short of this breath-taking moment.

Our eyes remained fixed on each other, locked into position, exactly like our extended hands. Precisely then, I distinctly perceived a telepathic communication, every bit as clear as if the words had been audibly spoken.

"Protector of life... Protector of life..." the gentle words echoed through my head, in my native language. She moved her head ever so slightly and I heard the words again, "Protector of life." I instantly perceived this was the designated name chosen for me.

There have been few times in my life when I have experienced such tender feelings of compassion and gentleness emanated by another. Any lingering fears or doubts I may have had ceased to exist. From that point on I perceived us as two individuals bonded by a mutual admiration and respect for one another.

She was standing before me as the caretaker of the adolescent. Her role identifiable as a protector of life. As I watched, it suddenly occurred to me, I too was a caretaker for a male adolescent. My role, as his mother, identifiable as a protector of life.

It was that simple yet that profound.

"Thank you..." I thought back humbly. "Thank you..."

With that, the younger being peeked out again, lingering there as he watched. The female removed her hand from the screen and I slowly lowered mine.

I picked up the telephone receiver that had been temporarily lying in my lap. Suddenly, I was aware of my panic-stricken friend, now scared out of her wits. "K.T.? K.T.!"

"I'm still here," I whispered. "Everything's okay."

The female turned her back toward me and suddenly leaped off the porch, the same way I had seen the being in the grove leap when running. The young male followed right behind her. Again, their body movements seemed to be in slow-motion-grace, as if the gravity did not affect them the way it does us. Subsequently, there would be many times afterward, I would find myself wondering if these gentle beings had come from a place that had a heavier atmosphere.

"They're gone," I said to my friend. "Hold on a moment. I'm going to step outside and see if they are still around..."

"Oh God... Don't do it!" my friend's terrified words pleaded.

Ignoring her plea, I placed the phone down and stepped outside. I squinted my eyes and scanned the shadowy rows of lime trees, but saw nothing unusual. I strained to listen for sounds, but all was silent.

They were gone.

It never ceases to intrigue me the way in which this encounter was handled. The beings had chosen to approach me in a gentle, unobtrusive manner. Indicating to me their intentions were not to instigate alarm or fright. The very presence of a female with an adolescent was something I, as a female, could readily identify with. This in itself put me at ease immediately.

The behavior I witnessed that evening was definitely based upon a trusting, nurturing, and protective relationship. The same kind of bond we humans associate with love.

The following day I felt driven to do a drawing on a circular piece of wood and paint it. I am not the best painter in the world, however when it was completed, I could not help but admire the unusual creation. The strange design resembled a three-point-symbol of some sort. Although I had no way of proving what the symbol meant, I intuitively felt it symbolically represented the words, 'Protector of life.' A symbol that became so dear, I would always keep it as an invaluable keepsake right outside my door.

To complicate matters, I was naive on the subject of extraterrestrials. It never dawned on me there just might be serious repercussions resulting from an encounter. So when I found myself suddenly confronted by two United States Government Officials, I was a little more than startled.

On the second day following the encounter, I decided to walk the dogs in the early part of the afternoon. I took the two most aggressive males first. Four dogs running through the grove at the same time was too much to handle. Once in a while I would attempt it but generally speaking I walked two at a time.

As usual the grove was quiet. We had already walked the entire length, which took at least an hour. I purposely took my time, often stopping to look around for any signs the beings might still be present. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

On the way back to the apartment I suddenly began experiencing an eerie feeling. I had the creepy sensation I was being followed. I stopped and looked through the trees, scanning the area thoroughly. I did not see anything unusual. The premonition was so strong, I could not move forward. I turned around to look behind and discovered a black car off in the distance. Just sitting there idling, far enough away as not to attract the attention of the dogs. The moment I spotted it, I realized the car was following me. I suspected it had been for quite a while.

I was caught in a sticky situation. Being on the wooded side of the grove, no one else could see me. The closest road was at the end of the grove, too far off in the distance for any passing motorist to notice me. Furthermore, the apartment complex was located on the opposite side of the grove, making it impossible for the residents to hear any noise from where I stood. Even the loudest scream would go undetected. Besides, being the middle of the weekday most residents were at work.

I rationalized the best thing to do was to play along with the stalking game a little bit longer, until I could figure what was going on. I leashed the dogs in order to keep them at my side. Both animals were extremely protective and would not hesitate to ward off any threatening danger.

Tugging at the leashes lightly, I turned and continued walking, as if I had not noticed anything unusual. Twenty yards later, I stopped and spun around on my heels. The slow-moving car stopped abruptly, obviously waiting for me to continue. I stood there and waited, intentionally staring directly at it. The sleek black car did not move. I now knew it was not going to turn around and drive away simply because I had made it clear I was aware of their presence.

At that point I had several options. I could turn and run, but that would take me further from my apartment. The next choice was to head for the clearing, which cut directly through to my apartment complex. That choice meant I had to start walking toward the car. It seemed to be my best option. Without any hesitation, I began to walk the dogs toward the ominous-looking car, hoping it would stay stationery. If lucky, it might even turn around and drive away.

Unexpectedly, the car started coming toward me. This time it moved faster, steadily increasing its speed. My body broke out in a cold sweat. The leashes dug into my hands as I gripped them even tighter. Like a rolling drum, the car kept building speed, moving closer and closer. My heart pounding right along with it.

I broke into a run! If I had any hopes of reaching the clearing, I had to keep on running right toward the oncoming vehicle, hoping to reach the clearing before the car reached me.

The excited dogs zeroed in on the car moving toward us. They strained at the bit, struggling to run even faster! Both barking wildly at the fast approaching intruder. I knew if we could just reach the clearing, we might have a chance of being spotted by someone wandering around the apartment complex. Being in an area visible to others, might just be enough to ward off the driver.

At one point I considered darting between the trees but knew the jutting branches would only serve to slow me down. It would be too cumbersome to try and run between trees with a dog on either side of me. If either one got tangled in the hanging branches or around the base of a tree, I would be forced to stop. I had both leashes wrapped around my wrist as well as my hand. There would be no way possible I could just release the leash to set the dog free.

Miraculously, we reached the clearing just by the skin of our teeth and darted into it before the car actually reached us. So close, I could hear the sound of the motor right behind us. My heart sank when I realized it turned into the clearing also. Before I knew what was happening, the car pulled out ahead of us, swung around, and came to a dead stop. Instantly blocking our path. We had no choice but to stop.

Now I was pissed!

Too out of breath to speak, I glared at the two strange men sitting in the front seat. My subtle greeting was returned with a sly slow grin only a gloating victor would do. It even served to intimidate my dogs, who by now, were viciously growling and snarling. Normally two hundred pounds of frothing attack dogs would be enough to scare off any stranger. But from the looks of things, this was not going to be the case.

Both men were meticulously dressed in expensive looking dark suits. Real clean cut looking, with short cropped haircuts and dark navigator sun glasses. I knew the look well, having grown up with it from childhood. The shiny black sedan with government plates, just another reflection of the stereo typed image.

Even though I was still fuming over what they had just done, I did feel somewhat relieved knowing they were with the government. Still angry, I did nothing to try and stop the loud annoying barking, even when the men began to wince impatiently. The man sitting on the passenger side of the car, plugged his ears with his fingers, trying to block out the stereophonic effect. Taking my own sweet time about it, I gave the command for the dogs to stop. The noise stopped immediately and both animals obediently sat down at my feet.

The man sitting on the passenger side of the car slowly rolled down the window. From that point on the conversation went like this.

"Good afternoon, ma'am."

I responded with a slight nod, indicating I was annoyed.

The driver leaned over a little further so he could see me better. "You live around here don’t you?"

Being leery of him, I answered with, "Why do you ask?"

The driver grinned smugly, "Well, let’s just say we’ve seen you around."

Around where, I wondered?

"We’re with the United States Government," the driver added. He reached over to the black briefcase sitting on the seat and opened it up. Quickly grabbing a black wallet, which he then handed to his partner sitting on the passenger side. The man took it and flipped it open, shoving a badge out the window for me to inspect.

Since I held both leashes in my hands, I knew if I were to step forward to inspect it more closely, the dogs would lunge for the car. I stayed my distance, glancing at the badge from where I stood.

"Federal Branch of the U.S. Government," the man on the passenger side added.

"We noticed you live over there," the driver turned slightly, pointing in the correct direction of my apartment. "Apartment F, right on the grove..." his voice trailing off as he turned to look back at me.

Interesting, I thought. Seems like everybody knows where I live these days.

The man holding the badge withdrew his hand from the window and put the wallet back in the briefcase. "We’re interested in knowing if you’ve ever seen anything strange in this grove," he said as he closed the lid shut. He turned back to face me, watching my expression intently.

"Strange in what way?" I asked, pretending to be slightly bemused. I did not appreciate the fact they knew so much about me but I tried not to show it.

"Strange as in weird," the driver shot back impatiently, emphasizing the last word a little too strongly.

I didn’t like the direction the conversation was going. So I decided to play dumb. "Hmm..." I answered in the best Southern drawl I could muster up. "Well no, can’t say as I have. I never see anyone in the grove, other than a few crop pickers. But they hardly ever come here. One time I did see a wild goose in the grove. Scared the hell outta me. Flew out from under a tree! Right over there..." I pointed to the exact place, trying to act as helpful as I could.

"That’s not what we mean," the man closet to me said quickly.

"Are you sure you’ve never seen anything strange in this grove?" the driver persisted, the tone of his voice reflecting disbelief.

"Well, if you could tell me a little more about what you mean, maybe I could help," I offered. The irony being, all the while I kept thinking, come on boys, spit it out! I know darn well what you’re looking for! Now let’s hear you say it! Tell me what you know!

"You would know what we mean," the driver snapped sarcastically. It was more than obvious he was irritated, his tense jaw giving him away. I figured right about that moment he was probably just about as annoyed as I was.

From that point on the conversation continued to go around in circles. They gave me their business card. It did not indicate which branch of the government they were with. But in the upper right hand corner of the card, there was a raised emblem of the White House done in solid gold. It was very impressive looking.

In the center of the card it read, United States Government Agent. Underneath it, was a telephone number with a Broward County exchange. Before handing it to me, they wrote down their names and a beeper number, asking me to beep them immediately should I see anything 'strange' going on in the grove. They stressed it did not matter if it were day or night, I could beep anytime.

They did politely ask for my name and wrote it down as I gave it to them. However, I suspected they already knew it, as once during the conversation, they mentioned they had spoken to the apartment complex manager. They did not elaborate any further.

For the next few months, every time I stepped into the grove, they were there, waiting in the black sedan. No matter where I chose to walk the dogs, they were always within viewing distance. Often they would pull up right outside my apartment (in the grove area) and sit there for quite a while.

A polite form of intimidation, as I used to think of it.

I called my friend, who was married to a retired police officer, and asked if they would mind taking a look at the business card. Explaining, I could not figure out which branch of the government this was supposed to be. The couple came right over and looked it over thoroughly. Much to my disappointment, they could not identify it either.

Being curious, I had to call the number on it just to see what would happen. The conversation was very strange, to say the least. This is exactly what was stated.

"Yes?" a woman’s voice answered after the first ring.

I was a little taken back, wondering if I had dialed the number correctly. The manner in which she answered the phone did not sound like the government’s way of doing things. However, I continued on with, "Hello. My name is K.T., and I was given a card with this number on it, by an agent. He instructed me to call if I saw anything unusual in the grove." Interestingly enough, I did not elaborate on the location of the grove or who the agent was.

"Hold on," she answered immediately and put me on hold.

I heard the line ring once. A deep voiced man picked it up with, "Yeah?"

Again, I was taken back. "Hello, my name is K.T. and..."

"I know," he interrupted me immediately.

"I saw something strange in the grove," I replied.

"What?" he asked.

"Well, just a little while ago, I saw two horses racing down the grove with riders. I’ve never seen horses in the grove before."

He slammed the phone down and the line went dead!