On December 14, 2008, the winds of Alaska kicked up one of the worst blizzards in history. The black sky wiped any indication of time and drove townspeople into their warm beds. Flight N3409 battled strong winds, poor visibility, and ice. It’s a wonder any person or plane survived the storm.
Tape recording #1
December 14, 2008
This disappearance case brought me to the small town of Bard, Alaska, just outside Quartz Lake. Ice fishing shanties of assorted colors, shapes, and sizes covered the frozen tundra of the lake. A small community, rooted in historical folklore, resides fifteen minutes from the lake. The town hall serves as an archive and contains many displays, artifacts, and other historical items that may help in my research.
Tape recording #2
December 17, 2008
I do want to note a gray haired, elderly woman cleaning the glass display cases in the town hall. I was startled, when she came up behind me and whispered in my ear, “pamru”, “pamru”, “pamru” with her crackly and hoarse voice. I attempted to ask her questions about the disappearance, but she refused to utter any other word. Although it’s not much, at least it is a tid-bit of information.
Tape recording #3
December 18, 2008
I settle nicely into a booth at the local diner for the fourth day in a row. I order my usual black, New Yorker style ‘Joe’ from the printed menu. After research at the town hall, I begin piecing together and reviewing the facts.
On December 12, 2008 Richard Jones disappeared. His body remains undiscovered so there’s no way for sure to say he’s dead or alive. He was your typical adrenaline junky and came all the way out here to fish himself the biggest Arctic char and claim bragging rights among his friends. Supposedly, he was dragged into the frigid waters while holding onto his fishing rod. The idiot should’ve let go, but who am I to judge. ‘Pamru’ means ‘to be trapped by ice with nowhere to go’. Did someone trap Richard in the ice? What was strong enough to pull a 6’5, 200 pound grown main through and underneath three feet of solid ice?
Note to self: the same elderly woman was seen walking through a hidden opening in the woods in the direction of Quartz Lake. Several minutes have passed and a few more locals disappeared through the same opening. The opening appears to be well hidden and unnoticeable to the naked eye.
Set back from the main street in town, a wall of dense evergreen trees line a secluded portion of Quartz Lake. A small footpath exactly 24 paces from the stop light leads to a wide opening on the lake. If standing in the clearing the entire lake is visible, but there is no other way to reach this area from the opposite direction. There appears only one way in and one way out.
Tape recording #4
December 22, 2008
As Christmas approaches, the locals continually ventured into the woods for long periods of time. They are difficult to talk to and avoid all questions relative to the case.
Observations so far lead me to believe that they are preparing for something out on the icy lake. What’s so special about that opening and where does it lead out onto Quartz Lake? Why is it not accessible to the public?
Tape recording #5
December 25, 2008
It’s about eleven o’clock in the evening and I managed to sneak behind an ice fishing shanty while following the trail of torches through the woods. My face was dirty from running into low hanging branches and tripping over a surface root while following the group staying just far enough back to remain out of sight. I heard slight chanting up ahead, but can’t understand the words. The air felt heavy with expectation. A low fog began to settle over the icy lake. I try to catch my breath and slow the panic surging my heartbeat, but the chilling air made it impossible. Apart from the creepy locals, the full moon cast monstrous shadows through the woods.
Note to self: there is something way fishier, pun not intended, going on here. I’ve never believed in myths and monsters but something is in the water! My advice? Don’t come here and don’t engage with the locals.
Observations: the locals have arranged themselves in a circle with their torches pointing towards the ice. Something is glowing. The ice was glowing in a perfect circle. The chanting stopped and all I can hear is my heavy breathing.
March 26, 2009
I don’t remember what happened. I wish I could tell you the things I saw next, but it’s like it never happened. And I’ll tell you again, I don’t remember walking off that plane. You play those tapes over and over again and I’m certain that’s my voice, but wait, where did those tapes come from?Something happened during that blizzard. There’s no way the plane landed in a town not on a map! For all I know I’m just part of the myths and history of Bard, Alaska now.
© 2017 Katie Pelissari All Rights Reserved. This is original content.
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