Wendell and the amber waves

Sunset, and all is well. It had been well for a long time. Wendell wasn’t complaining. Sometimes no news is good news. He sets down the instrument and walks a few paces around the worksite. His neck had stiffened from holding it in one place for so long.

However, they would be done within the hour. Returning to his task he wonders again what had happened here. It made no sense and furthermore there was nothing to indicate what had happened. He is almost ready to give up. Yet his thorough nature wouldn’t let him.

He adjusts the instrument’s sensitivity a fraction more, but it makes little to no difference. Clearly an event had occurred, but evidence was nil. Then where did they go? He checks the view port again, and there is nothing unusual.

Wendell

So where the heck did they go!? How does an entire town’s worth of people, disappear? Moreover, without any trace or distress? Wendell scratches his head absently. Nothing he has found explains anything. Because they hadn’t found…anything.

There were signs that people had been here. 1713 souls according to the town registrar’s records. That had been as of two weeks ago. Furthermore the town was small but nestled between two larger micro cities. There were no reports of missing persons in either of those places, just Timberland.

Timberland was a small incorporated town and had been here for decades. Not only was the town old but also historic. With this in mind, Wendell had felt some trepidation when the call had come in. It had seemed like a joke, until about an hour, after the first units had responded.

Now they were in full investigation mode and it was proving to be pointless so far. It was as though everyone had boarded a bus and left. However, everyone had remembered to lock all doors and turn off ovens, or park cars and turn off the motors.

Wendell feels chills break out across his skin. This had a sinister feel, however he couldn’t say why. And he walks back out of the worksite, and turns to look again at the impact point.

Amber Waves

The crater wasn’t too deep, but would require an excavator. The equipment was en route. It would begin arriving later this evening. Wendell tries to look closer at what is in the crater. His skin crawls and the fine hairs at the base of his skull, stand on end. He feels the void. A vibration that feels off somehow.

He knows they will take the object to a place in the desert. Additionally, the town of Timberland would become classified. Possibly redacted. Wendell grimaces. This was gritty work. He watches as the object in the crater pulses and begins to glow. Amber waves ripple outward and now Wendell is missing too.