Mystery

Tuesday, October 9th, 2012
“May I speak to Anton Heft, please,” requested the professional voice over the phone. Anton was finishing up another roof for Steve when the phone rang. He was in a filthy pair of ripped-up blue jeans that looked as though they’d been through several years worth of roof jobs. His filthy tank top was rolled and tied around his forehead like Jim McMahon’s headband. The combination of the dirt, humidity and roof tar smeared various shades of black and gray all over his body and clothes.
By Anton Mathias Heft about a month ago in Fiction
THE LORD OF THE DYNAMOS
James Holroyd was the chief attendant of the three dynamos that powered the electric railway at Camberwell. A practical electrician from Yorkshire, he was a rough, domineering man—fond of whisky, violent in temper, and proud of his knowledge. He mocked religion, believed only in machinery and profit, and treated those beneath him with cruelty.
By Faisal Khanabout a month ago in Fiction
The Silent Climb
In a peaceful village nestled between vast hills and serene lakes, lived a boy named Ayan. He was known for his quiet nature, yet his mind was bursting with dreams. Unlike his peers who were satisfied with routine, Ayan longed for adventure, exploration, and achievement—all synonyms of the ambitions he nurtured silently.
By meerjananabout a month ago in Fiction
The Silent Climb
In a quiet village nestled between green hills and calm lakes, there lived a boy named Ayan. He was quiet by nature, often seen sitting under the old fig tree with a faraway look in his eyes. While others played, he would sketch mountains, write in his worn notebook, and stare at the peaks beyond the horizon.
By meerjananabout a month ago in Fiction
The Lantern in the Attic
There was a house on the edge of the village that no one spoke of, not unless the wind was still and the night felt too long. It stood at the top of the hill, half-hidden by ivy and time, its windows clouded with dust, its porch sagging under the weight of years. The other children said it was cursed. They claimed they’d seen shadows where there should be none, heard laughter when the house had been empty for decades.
By meerjananabout a month ago in Fiction
The Window That Waited
In a quiet corner of the city, where the traffic never quite quieted and the buildings leaned into each other like old friends, stood a weathered apartment block with peeling paint and a rusted fire escape. It wasn’t grand or new, but it had stood for decades, holding stories in its walls.
By meerjananabout a month ago in Fiction
The Ballad of Lydia and Christopher. Runner-Up in Mismatch Challenge. Top Story - January 2026. Content Warning.
[YouTube Video Filmed in 2021] A: This castle is creepy as hell and old as shit. I swear we probably just stepped in some dirt and ruined our new shoes but that's beside the point.
By Annie Kapurabout a month ago in Fiction
THE GLOMAR PARADOX: WHY IS THE CIA CLASSIFYING A "ROCK"?
The official narrative was supposed to be watertight. We were shown the charts, we were given the press conferences, and we were told, in no uncertain terms, that the object known as 3I/ATLAS was of natural origin. A dirty snowball. A cosmic curiosity. NASA closed the case, dusted off their hands, and told the world to move on. But on December 31, 2025—while the rest of the world was distracted by New Year's Eve fireworks—the Central Intelligence Agency quietly blew a massive hole in that narrative. In response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) inquiry regarding records held on 3I/ATLAS, the CIA did not say "We have no files." They did not say "Please contact NASA." Instead, they deployed the most infamous phrase in the history of espionage. They stated they can "neither confirm nor deny the existence or nonexistence of records." The Meaning of "Glomar" For those who don't speak the language of intelligence, this is known as the "Glomar Response." It is a legal shield designed for one purpose only: to protect national security secrets. You use it when the mere admission that a document exists would reveal a classified operation or a sensitive technology. Stop and think about the implications of that for a moment. If 3I/ATLAS is just a chunk of ice and nickel, as NASA claims, why is the CIA involved at all? You don't classify geology. You don't invoke national security protocols for weather events or random asteroids. If it were truly natural, the CIA would simply say, "We don't track comets." By refusing to deny the existence of records, the CIA has inadvertently confirmed the one thing NASA tried to hide: 3I/ATLAS was treated as a threat. The "Good Cop, Bad Cop" Routine What we are witnessing is a classic bifurcation of the truth. On one stage, you have NASA. Their role is to keep the public calm. They highlight the lack of radio signals. They talk about "outgassing" and orbital mechanics. They are the "Good Cop," assuring us that the universe is boring and safe. Behind the curtain, you have the CIA. They are the "Bad Cop." They looked at the same data—the prominent "anti-tail" pointing toward the Sun, the geometric locking of the rotation axis, and the industrial-grade nickel composition—and they didn't see a rock. They saw a Trojan Horse. The intelligence community operates on risk assessment, often called "Pascal's Wager." Even if there is only a 1% chance that an object is an artificial probe, the impact of being wrong is catastrophic. So, they investigate. They track. They analyze the threat level. And most importantly, they bury the findings. The Black Swan Event This is the definition of a "Black Swan" event—something so rare and unpredictable that it breaks all standard models. The CIA's non-answer suggests that high-level discussions took place regarding the nature of this object. Was it a sensor? Was it a weapon? Was it a derelict ship? If they had found nothing, the files would likely be boring enough to release. The fact that they are hiding them suggests that the internal assessment at Langley contradicts the public press release from NASA. They are hiding the doubt. They are hiding the fact that for a few weeks in 2025, the most powerful government on Earth wasn't sure if we were being visited. The Silence is the Answer The ancient city of Troy fell because they assumed a wooden horse was a gift. The CIA exists to ensure we don't make the same mistake with a "gift" from the stars. NASA wants you to believe the book is closed. But the Glomar response tells us that in the dark vaults of the intelligence community, the file is very much open. They aren't telling us what they know, not because there is nothing to tell, but because the answer is too complex—or too terrifying—for a press conference. 3I/ATLAS has faded into the darkness of deep space. But the paperwork it left behind is now classified. And in the world of shadows, silence is the loudest confession of all.
By Wellova about a month ago in Fiction
The Silent War the World Is Already Fighting
The Silent War the World Is Already Fighting When people think about war, they imagine soldiers, tanks, and explosions. But today, some of the most dangerous battles are happening quietly—without gunfire, without borders, and often without the public even noticing. This is the age of cyber warfare, and it has already changed how nations compete for power.
By Wings of Time about a month ago in Fiction
How to Survive an Alien Abduction
1. Introduction It is no secret that the river is not as safe as it used to be. The threats that have risen against us have multiplied on a massive scale. I’m not talking about bears, eagles, or even one another, I’m talking about a far more formidable foe. Many have said that they are just a myth or a scary bedtime story for your fingerlings, but the truth is, they’re out there lying in wait for us. If they weren’t, we wouldn’t have seen so many disappearances as we have in this past season. Make no mistake, aliens are very real. That is why I’m here to tell you exactly what you need to do in the event of a close encounter.
By Levi Dickson2 months ago in Fiction
THE REMARKABLE CASE OF DAVIDSON'S EYES
I. — The transitory mental aberration of Sidney Davidson, remarkable enough in itself, is still more remarkable if Wade's explanation is to be credited. It sets one dreaming of the oddest possibilities of intercommunication in the future, of spending
By Faisal Khan2 months ago in Fiction
Preface and Epigraph
Preface This story blends fiction and non-fiction using actual memories shared by my son Toby and me. Before each chapter, you’ll find a memory from our lives; most of them true and written as accurately as I remember. The real memories are woven throughout the story and intertwined with the main narrative. Though this story dives into some heavy moments, Toby was never in danger of losing his life.
By Anton Mathias Heft 2 months ago in Fiction