The Lightning Tree


CALLIE'S NOTES: I was sent this after I posted about Frankly Frankie. I'm not sure how it figures into what happened to Serena, but it's very disturbing stuff.


Journal Entry 1 March 7

              Being a TA for electrical engineering undergrad students is the worst sometimes, one of the students said and I quote “Mr. Geff is this 1 or 2 currents?” When clearly the lab instructions say, we’re measuring voltage, which means the units will be volts. Also, when you’re figuring out the current on a circuit it’d be measured in ampere! Uh my dad was right, TA-ing is a headache, but it has had some perks. One of the nameless rabble introduced me to a radio show called Frankly Frankie and it’s pretty good. She’s a little weird, but her and I think maybe Vance or Vince, I’m not certain on his name are a lot of fun to listen to. I had her latest episode going this afternoon and she off handedly mentioned that there was a tree somewhere in town that “loves lightning.” So being the amateur meteorologist I am, I decided to investigate this further. Some general sleuthing over the course of a few hours turned up … nothing. Not a single person seems to be aware of this lightning loving tree.

My family figured that Frankie just made this up, since according to them Frankie is nothing more than the town kook who says crazy stuff all the time. There is a possibility that she’s just spewing crap, but also she did have a psychic dog on her show and I’ve only heard good things about it so who knows. I’ll see if I can find anything else out. Maybe I can find someone at school who knows a bit more than I do about weird weather phenomenon.  

 Journal Entry 2 March 18

I’ve been looking into the possibilities of a so called “lightning tree” for a week and half now and I think I found it. Up at Siesta Key there’s a small patch of grass with a lone tree that when you touch it, it shocks with a pretty decent volt of electricity. I have noted though that it only occurs the day after a storm, as if the tree is trying to release energy. I came back with some equipment that I borrowed from one of the meteorological professors at school, and found that it’s sending out what would be considered a low powered Taser’s worth of energy, not enough to kill but definitely enough to hurt. The next thunderstorm isn’t due for a few days so I’ll go back then with more equipment.

I tried to show one of my sisters what I found but she just brushed it off like it was nothing, like come on, really? This is proof! Then when I brought it up during Sunday dinner with the whole family they all just laughed saying that trees can’t send out electrical energy like that. I’m aware of what trees should and should not be able to do, that’s what makes this so fascinating, but no, I’m just the one with the crazy idea. They all refused to come look at it with me so I’ll just have to prove them all wrong. My parents pulled me aside afterwards asking if grad school was causing too much pressure. I had to reassure them for a few minutes that I was fine, like being an EE is not driving me crazy I just happen to have a new hobby, and also I’m studying electrical engineering. Come on, guys, of course I’m going to be interested in something dealing with lightning.

Journal Entry 3 April 5

I’ve come back twice now. So far I’ve learned that when a storm hits, for about 30 seconds to a minute the tree is struck by lightning that progressively picks up its pace to the point that it seems as if a bolt of lightning is coming down every second. I had to shield my eyes the first time I saw it; I was smart enough to grab some goggles the next time I came to see the tree. After the lightning ended I was expecting everything to be destroyed, instead the tree is completely fine, absolutely no damage done, can’t say the same about the area around it. It’s burnt to a crisp after the storm. The weird thing is that each time I’ve come back it looks normal. I’m not sure how long it takes everything to grow back but I’m thinking I should set up a camera. I wonder if the tree has some sort of healing properties that affect it immediately but it takes time for it to effect the area. But the most amazing thing is a small hole type thing opens at the base of the tree.

It’s sort of amorphous, but relatively small. It has no real color, I think, but maybe it does. I’ve been coming up with different experiments on how to get more information on it. I sent a camera in the last time on a remote-control car, it sadly did not come back despite my best efforts so I’ll need a new plan for next time. I’m not sure how to describe the hole, it’s like I look at it and all words leave my mind. The only thing I know for sure is that it’s about the size of my nephew, but then at the same time I’m not sure in what way if that makes any sense? Let me see, I’ll look at the hole and I know that things can go through it but I also know that I’m too big for it even though it’s actual size is unknowable. I’ve done about 5 sketches of it and none of them look correct, I don’t know there’s a lot going on with this hole of unknown origins.

At family dinner this week my parents pulled me aside again to ask if everything was ok since I had become more fixated on the “special tree” according to them. I felt it was best to just lie to them and say I had given up on it, they seemed so relieved. I feel like they know something about the tree and haven’t told me because they want to keep the discovery to themselves. Why else would they all act this way?

Journal Entry 4 May 7

              Ok so there’s been only one storm in the past month and a half and I nearly missed it. I’ve been itching to go back there but with no storm there hasn’t been a point to. So the storm happened while I was at work in the lab but luckily I was able to fake being sick and get out early, I quickly grabbed the new gear I came up with and was able to set up before the storm started. Using a broom handle some string, and a few mirrors all sitting on an old rubber car, my invention went into the hole of unknown origins, or HUO for short, all while trying to use a camera with my feet. It was difficult but I somehow managed, sadly though, the picture I took showed nothing.

Like in the pictures I can see everything around the portal clearly but the HUO itself is completely out of focus. Just supper fuzzy in all 10 of the pics I was able to get, I’m starting to think the only way to find out what’s in there is to go in myself. On the one hand, I can feel it calling to me right now, and I’m miles away. On the other hand, I’d be walking into a HUO while I have a life and responsibilities. Can I just leave them all behind? What about my family, even though they haven’t been the best people to be around recently, they still matter. At least I think they do. I’ll need to think about this for a while before I make a decision.  

Oh, and on top of that, the secondary camera I set up to survey how the grassy patch around the tree? Also a bust since someone stole it, but I thought I hid it so well! What if one of my family members followed me and took it to make sure I didn’t learn anything? That might be reason enough to go in.

Journal Entry 5 May 28

I haven’t been able to think or do anything for the past 9 days besides returning to the HUO. There’s only been one storm and I feel like I can sense another one coming on the horizon. All I want is to go there with each oncoming storm. The feeling gets more intense with each day. I lost my job as a lab TA since I haven’t shown up or called in sick in the past week. My parents called the cops on me at the last family dinner because, according to them, I’m a safety hazard. I was able to get out of going anywhere though. One of them asked me some questions while the other talked to my family, afterwards I heard them all talking saying that based on my answers they can’t take me in and to just try to get me some kind of help.  

I mentioned the tree not even remembering I told them that I had given up on it. Everyone at the table freaked out and told me I can never go back. That just made me so angry, who are they to say what I can and can’t do with my time? They all just want to keep what the HUO is to themselves, don’t they? I can tell they all known what is in there and they just don’t want me to be a part of it. It’s just like when we were kids and my siblings would keep me out of everything. Now they just have the backing of our parents.

Journal Entry 6 June 3

              It’s still calling, I want to go back and get close to the HUO. I nearly went in during the last storm. I just started to reach for it letting my fingers grace just outside of the rim of the HUO. It felt so cold but somehow inviting, almost like it wanted me. I don’t know how I stopped myself from going in. I think I may have blacked out, because I’m back in my room but all I want is to go back. I have to go back. Its call is getting so loud; I can hear it at every waking moment. It’s also in my dreams, I can see it so clearly when I dream like I’m actually there. Tendrils come out of the HUO and bring me into it and I feel calm. I have to go in. I don’t care what anyone else says, it feels like the HUO is the only thing that cares for me.

I haven’t left my apartment to go anywhere but the portal in I don’t know how long. I can’t tell if I’ve lost my mind or if everything is perfectly clear now. I feel like if I just let myself go into it, then everything will fall into place.

Journal Entry 7 June 5

              I’m going back, I don’t care. I can’t care about anything other than the portal. I must know what it’s hiding and why it wants me. It knows my name, it knows my secrets, and I need to know why. I will find out what it’s hiding and I will tell everyone the secrets it holds. Then they’ll all believe me, then they’ll know that I’m just as good as they are.

Newspaper Clipping June 22

              Local Sarasota resident Geoffrey McKinion, age 27 has been missing for two weeks much to the worry of his friends and family. The authorities were notified by the Mckinion’s family one day after their disappearance, due to the fact that McKinion had been exhibiting odd behavior for over a month, with the local police department having to get involved in an incident. The authorities ask that if you have any information, or have seen Mckinion to contact their tip line, they also ask that if you see him to call 911 immediately, for he may be a danger to himself and others. 






  


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