Nemo, 2009
As part of my blog, I'll be posting some old fiction stories I wrote back in the day. I'll be posting them in installments. So, without further introduction, here is the beginning of a book entitled Nemo, 2009
Sheriff Haas was only casually watching the T.V. from the chair inside his office. There was a newswoman in her early thirties, Laura Reddish, reporting a story about the small town of Escalante. The story was old news to him. He was the sheriff of Escalante.
“Big news from the small town of Escalante, Utah,” Reddish was reporting. “A bizarre and unparalleled terrorist attack was launched, and quelled, all within the last forty-eight hours, and all outside the knowledge of the U.S. government.”
Sheriff Haas wondered just how much Laura Reddish really knew about the recently-quelled terrorist attack.
“The perpetrator of the attack,” Laura continued, “is reported to be a man named Samuel Sarard, who has been living in Escalante under an alias for some time. Due to the sensitivity of the investigation still underway, nothing else is known about Sarard. Details regarding the nature and extent of the attack are also being kept classified. But what we do know is that the attack was launched on Sunday, November 22nd. The government’s role in this matter is strictly post-investigational. The spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security had this to say regarding the matter.”
The newsfeed cut to a shot of a woman speaking at a news conference being held outside the Escalante Sheriff’s Office.
“Obviously, we are proceeding with caution. We are hesitant to disclose any further information until we are certain that the threat has been neutralized.”
A reporter asked a question to the spokeswoman.
“What exactly did this threat involve? And how many lives were in danger?”
“All I can say is that this terrorist threat was unprecedented, both in the mode of the attack and the number of possible fatalities,” the spokeswoman responded. “Terrorists are becoming smarter. Attacks are no longer limited to physical damage. Our economic, environmental, and political infrastructures are becoming increasingly exposed and targeted. This threat was no exception.”
The spokeswoman gave a long pause.
“Now, as far as fatalities are concerned, every single American should be grateful this attack failed. These are initial reports only, but our experts estimate that as many as forty million people could have died as a result of this act of terrorism.”
The video on the T.V. cut back to Laura Reddish.
“You heard that number correctly,” Reddish said. “A staggering 12 percent of every single American could have died as a result of this failed attack.”
A picture of a man with wavy blonde hair, roughly in his thirties, appeared on the screen. His eyes were a light mix between green and brown. Sheriff Haas sat up and took notice of the picture of his friend Jeffrey Dyss.
Reddish continued: “The spokeswoman went on further to state that were it not for the quick thinking and extraordinary service of local search-and-rescue employee Jeffrey Dyss of the Escalante National Monument, countless innocent American lives would have been lost. The Department of Homeland Security promised that Jeffery Dyss would be duly recognized for his efforts.”
The newsfeed again cut to the press conference, and a very brief video of Jeffrey Dyss is seen.
“The heroic Jeffery Dyss was in attendance at the press conference. When asked to comment on the matter, Dyss simply smiled and cryptically commented, ‘My name is Nemo.’”
Inside the Sheriff’s office, Laura Reddish turned the television off and her image on the screen faded to black. Reddish paused then turned to the Sheriff.
Haas was in his mid-forties, average height, and had a strong build. His brown hair was much longer than a normal police officer’s hair would be.
Reddish spoke, somewhat enigmatically: “Thus it is that the most dangerous — and potentially the most deadly — terrorist threat the world has ever faced appeared without warning, and then just as quickly disappeared; lost to the annuals of time.”
Reddish put her arm on the sheriff’s desk and leaned forward.
“This recording doesn’t even begin to tell the true story of what happened here.”
Reddish paused, waiting for a response. None came. She pressed harder, playing almost all of the cards she held in her hand.
“This is the untold story of a obscure southern Utah town, the disappearance of three hikers, and the near-destruction of the entire Southwest. But why is this story untold? The concept of the attack was simple enough, and yet it failed.”
Haas stared emotionlessly at Reddish.
Reddish continued: “A slow news day provides the perfect opportunity for a story that no one will forget. Unfortunately, November 22nd, 2009 was not one of those days. Health care bills and economic woes were pressing upon people’s minds like never before. It’s no surprise that this strange event in this small Southern Utah town transpired with relatively no news coverage.”
Reddish continued with a hint of sarcasm in her voice: “And we’ve all been patiently waiting for more information to be revealed. But as you and I both know, no government agency out there would dare release the details of this attack.”
Haas finally broke his silence. “But why?” he asked. “Why will no one release any new information?” Haas lifted both hands as if to present two options. “Is the information too dangerous or too ridiculous?”
Reddish pointed her finger excitedly. “Exactly,” she said. “In all my interviews and extensive research, I have yet to come across anyone who even believes all the details of this story.” She paused. “I don’t blame them. I hardly believe it myself. But with your help, Sheriff Haas, all the details of this bewildering attack will finally be revealed and chronicled for the whole world.”
Haas paused for a long time. He shifted his head in thought then turned back to Reddish. He spoke his next words very slowly.
“What do you know about the fountain of youth?”
Reddish rolled hers eyes a bit and shifted in her stance. She moved to a chair in the office and sat down. Now she spoke impatiently, practically, legally.
“In regards to the preposterous and peculiar nature of this attack, many people have asked me about the fabled fountain of youth and the possibility of deliberate disappearances.”
Reddish fixed her gaze on the sheriff.
“I’d like to be perfectly clear about this,” she said. “Though Jeffery Dyss, the self-proclaimed Nemo, may believe in the legendary fountain of youth, I have never in all my investigations discovered any shred of evidence that such a fountain exists.”
Haas rubbed his head and smiled.
Still,” he said slowly. “There is that thorn in your mind, a thorn continues to burrow deeper the more you learn about this attack. There is a matter for which you cannot account.
A long pause.
“The matter of a deliberate disappearance.”
November 21st, 2009
A Deliberate Disappearance
“Not all those who wander are lost!” -JRR Tolkien
Davis Gulch is a beautiful sandstone canyon inside the Escalante National Monument. The canyon’s towering orange walls rise above a small desert stream running through it. There are large cottonwood trees growing along the length of the stream, and desert flora grows along the floor of the canyon. A small hiker’s trail cuts through the vegetation.
In this particular canyon on November 21st, 2009, the leaves on the trees accurately reflected the fall season.
Sarah Callahan walked down the Davis Gulch trail. She paused to enjoy the scenery. Two of Sarah’s friends, Trent and Monique Richards, followed Sarah along the trail.
Sarah, Trent, and Monique were college students attending New York University. Each of them was in their early twenties.
Sarah pulled her hair into a pony tail.
“What’s your rush, Sarah?” Trent asked. “You haven’t hiked this fast the entire trip.”
“It’s the final leg of our trip,” Sarah replied. “And there is the legend of Davis Gulch.”
“The legend of Davis Gulch?” Monique mimicked. “You sound so mystical. Let’s hear the story.”
“I’ll tell you later,” Sarah replied.
As the group continued to hike down the canyon, they passed a pitched tent. An older man, Edward Koch, was standing outside the tent. He waved.
“Beautiful day,” Koch said.
Sarah’s group stopped to talk to him.
“Can’t ask for any better,” Sarah said. “Do you know how far to the end of the canyon?”
“Not far,” Koch said. “Half an hour, maybe.”
“That’s good to hear,” Sarah said. “We’ve got to be heading back soon. We’ve got a plane to catch tomorrow morning.”
“Where are you visiting from?” Koch said.
“New York,” Sarah replied. “Thanks for the info. We’ll see you around.”
Sarah and her group continued hiking down the canyon. As they hiked, Sarah’s mind wandered to the legend of Davis Gulch, and the deliberate disappearance that occurred here 75 years ago, perhaps to the day. She could hardly have imagined that she and her little group were destined to repeat that disappearance that very night!
Continue reading the next chapter >>
Introduction
Sheriff Haas was only casually watching the T.V. from the chair inside his office. There was a newswoman in her early thirties, Laura Reddish, reporting a story about the small town of Escalante. The story was old news to him. He was the sheriff of Escalante.
“Big news from the small town of Escalante, Utah,” Reddish was reporting. “A bizarre and unparalleled terrorist attack was launched, and quelled, all within the last forty-eight hours, and all outside the knowledge of the U.S. government.”
Sheriff Haas wondered just how much Laura Reddish really knew about the recently-quelled terrorist attack.
“The perpetrator of the attack,” Laura continued, “is reported to be a man named Samuel Sarard, who has been living in Escalante under an alias for some time. Due to the sensitivity of the investigation still underway, nothing else is known about Sarard. Details regarding the nature and extent of the attack are also being kept classified. But what we do know is that the attack was launched on Sunday, November 22nd. The government’s role in this matter is strictly post-investigational. The spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security had this to say regarding the matter.”
The newsfeed cut to a shot of a woman speaking at a news conference being held outside the Escalante Sheriff’s Office.
“Obviously, we are proceeding with caution. We are hesitant to disclose any further information until we are certain that the threat has been neutralized.”
A reporter asked a question to the spokeswoman.
“What exactly did this threat involve? And how many lives were in danger?”
“All I can say is that this terrorist threat was unprecedented, both in the mode of the attack and the number of possible fatalities,” the spokeswoman responded. “Terrorists are becoming smarter. Attacks are no longer limited to physical damage. Our economic, environmental, and political infrastructures are becoming increasingly exposed and targeted. This threat was no exception.”
The spokeswoman gave a long pause.
“Now, as far as fatalities are concerned, every single American should be grateful this attack failed. These are initial reports only, but our experts estimate that as many as forty million people could have died as a result of this act of terrorism.”
The video on the T.V. cut back to Laura Reddish.
“You heard that number correctly,” Reddish said. “A staggering 12 percent of every single American could have died as a result of this failed attack.”
A picture of a man with wavy blonde hair, roughly in his thirties, appeared on the screen. His eyes were a light mix between green and brown. Sheriff Haas sat up and took notice of the picture of his friend Jeffrey Dyss.
Reddish continued: “The spokeswoman went on further to state that were it not for the quick thinking and extraordinary service of local search-and-rescue employee Jeffrey Dyss of the Escalante National Monument, countless innocent American lives would have been lost. The Department of Homeland Security promised that Jeffery Dyss would be duly recognized for his efforts.”
The newsfeed again cut to the press conference, and a very brief video of Jeffrey Dyss is seen.
“The heroic Jeffery Dyss was in attendance at the press conference. When asked to comment on the matter, Dyss simply smiled and cryptically commented, ‘My name is Nemo.’”
Inside the Sheriff’s office, Laura Reddish turned the television off and her image on the screen faded to black. Reddish paused then turned to the Sheriff.
Haas was in his mid-forties, average height, and had a strong build. His brown hair was much longer than a normal police officer’s hair would be.
Reddish spoke, somewhat enigmatically: “Thus it is that the most dangerous — and potentially the most deadly — terrorist threat the world has ever faced appeared without warning, and then just as quickly disappeared; lost to the annuals of time.”
Reddish put her arm on the sheriff’s desk and leaned forward.
“This recording doesn’t even begin to tell the true story of what happened here.”
Reddish paused, waiting for a response. None came. She pressed harder, playing almost all of the cards she held in her hand.
“This is the untold story of a obscure southern Utah town, the disappearance of three hikers, and the near-destruction of the entire Southwest. But why is this story untold? The concept of the attack was simple enough, and yet it failed.”
Haas stared emotionlessly at Reddish.
Reddish continued: “A slow news day provides the perfect opportunity for a story that no one will forget. Unfortunately, November 22nd, 2009 was not one of those days. Health care bills and economic woes were pressing upon people’s minds like never before. It’s no surprise that this strange event in this small Southern Utah town transpired with relatively no news coverage.”
Reddish continued with a hint of sarcasm in her voice: “And we’ve all been patiently waiting for more information to be revealed. But as you and I both know, no government agency out there would dare release the details of this attack.”
Haas finally broke his silence. “But why?” he asked. “Why will no one release any new information?” Haas lifted both hands as if to present two options. “Is the information too dangerous or too ridiculous?”
Reddish pointed her finger excitedly. “Exactly,” she said. “In all my interviews and extensive research, I have yet to come across anyone who even believes all the details of this story.” She paused. “I don’t blame them. I hardly believe it myself. But with your help, Sheriff Haas, all the details of this bewildering attack will finally be revealed and chronicled for the whole world.”
Haas paused for a long time. He shifted his head in thought then turned back to Reddish. He spoke his next words very slowly.
“What do you know about the fountain of youth?”
Reddish rolled hers eyes a bit and shifted in her stance. She moved to a chair in the office and sat down. Now she spoke impatiently, practically, legally.
“In regards to the preposterous and peculiar nature of this attack, many people have asked me about the fabled fountain of youth and the possibility of deliberate disappearances.”
Reddish fixed her gaze on the sheriff.
“I’d like to be perfectly clear about this,” she said. “Though Jeffery Dyss, the self-proclaimed Nemo, may believe in the legendary fountain of youth, I have never in all my investigations discovered any shred of evidence that such a fountain exists.”
Haas rubbed his head and smiled.
Still,” he said slowly. “There is that thorn in your mind, a thorn continues to burrow deeper the more you learn about this attack. There is a matter for which you cannot account.
A long pause.
“The matter of a deliberate disappearance.”
Part 1
November 21st, 2009
A Deliberate Disappearance
“Not all those who wander are lost!” -JRR Tolkien
Chapter 1
Davis Gulch is a beautiful sandstone canyon inside the Escalante National Monument. The canyon’s towering orange walls rise above a small desert stream running through it. There are large cottonwood trees growing along the length of the stream, and desert flora grows along the floor of the canyon. A small hiker’s trail cuts through the vegetation.
In this particular canyon on November 21st, 2009, the leaves on the trees accurately reflected the fall season.
Sarah Callahan walked down the Davis Gulch trail. She paused to enjoy the scenery. Two of Sarah’s friends, Trent and Monique Richards, followed Sarah along the trail.
Sarah, Trent, and Monique were college students attending New York University. Each of them was in their early twenties.
Sarah pulled her hair into a pony tail.
“What’s your rush, Sarah?” Trent asked. “You haven’t hiked this fast the entire trip.”
“It’s the final leg of our trip,” Sarah replied. “And there is the legend of Davis Gulch.”
“The legend of Davis Gulch?” Monique mimicked. “You sound so mystical. Let’s hear the story.”
“I’ll tell you later,” Sarah replied.
As the group continued to hike down the canyon, they passed a pitched tent. An older man, Edward Koch, was standing outside the tent. He waved.
“Beautiful day,” Koch said.
Sarah’s group stopped to talk to him.
“Can’t ask for any better,” Sarah said. “Do you know how far to the end of the canyon?”
“Not far,” Koch said. “Half an hour, maybe.”
“That’s good to hear,” Sarah said. “We’ve got to be heading back soon. We’ve got a plane to catch tomorrow morning.”
“Where are you visiting from?” Koch said.
“New York,” Sarah replied. “Thanks for the info. We’ll see you around.”
Sarah and her group continued hiking down the canyon. As they hiked, Sarah’s mind wandered to the legend of Davis Gulch, and the deliberate disappearance that occurred here 75 years ago, perhaps to the day. She could hardly have imagined that she and her little group were destined to repeat that disappearance that very night!
Continue reading the next chapter >>
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