The Dark Somnium - A UFO crashed in this small town. Then people started going missing.

Episode Date: April 24, 2024

This Creepypasta scary story was written by Kyle Harrison, check out more of their stuff here: https://www.reddit.com/user/Colourblindness/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

My best friend sent me a strange note. When I read it and knew what it meant, I felt the need to vomit. And that's exactly what I did. I vomited and tried to finish it. I wish I hadn't read it all because of what it meant, because of what it would do to me. Dear Peter, there are a lot of things that I want to say and not enough time to say them all. I wish I had more time with you. How long has it been?

Eight years since you left us? I know you said that you wouldn't come back here, and so far you've kept that promise. I hate that I'm going to make you break it, but you need to come back. There's something wrong here with the island itself. It's sick, Pete. The entire place is dying, and nobody is willing to admit it. They keep sending out flyers and brochures, encouraging tourists to snap a picture from that damn canyon, but nobody seems willing to admit something about that place is just wrong.

You knew the truth, Peter. I think that's why you left. But you need to come home. Please. This place needs you. I needed you. It's too late for me, though. Too late to stop what has happened.

So don't do this for me. Do it for everyone else. We need you, Peter. Sorry again for interrupting your life. Macy. I probably reread it three times, trying to convince myself that I was wrong about what it implied. But I've known Macy. since grade school.

This wasn't just a plea for help. This was a letter saying goodbye. I crumpled it up, then pulled up social media to confirm my fears. Macy had drowned the Sunday before. Nobody had bothered to even send me a notice of the funeral. That made sense, though. Considering that I hadn't been home in a while, Macy was off by two years, I thought. This September marks a full decade since I left the little fishing community of Greyfork.

I debated what to do next. I could have simply ignored her letter, kept living my own life here in Illinois, and not worrying about the life I had back there, but her letter disturbed me because of its contents. The Canyon. Most people don't know much about Grey Fork Island, except one key detail that our councilman had promoted like crazy since it happened. A large crater on the south side of the island is claimed to be the site of a UFO crash. Yeah, you heard it right. UFOs, aliens, the whole nine yards.

Our community thrives off of that nonsense, and it's done that for nearly 30 years. My grandfather, when he was alive, said that the impact occurred during the late 1910s. World War I was coming to a close, and most people were so focused on the European scene that a strange event in Midwestern America was small news. According to him, an object was seen by local fishermen off the coast of Greyfork on the evening of November 13, 1919. It was said to be long and silver and glowed brighter than a star. At a nearby military outpost, General George Aylesbury gave the order to shoot the object down. And that's exactly what happened, Grandpa said. The UFO was struck and crashed on the south side

of the island, creating a canyon that is now affectionately called Colton's Crater. Colton Ward was the first person on site to evacuate the canyon before the military swooped in and quarantined everything. Colton claimed he saw two massive, gray-skinned creatures emerge from the silver capsule. But then the army pulled him away and covered it all up, or so the story goes. When the public was allowed access to the site again, almost six years later, there was no UFO or any evidence to suggest anything had crashed there in the first place. Colton turned it into a tourist attraction, setting up a shop and a photo booth, and even a restaurant. It stayed in business and kept grayfork afloat during the Great Depression and World War II. However, in the late 50s,

astute miners realized quickly that the site was riddled with radioactive material, and because the contents of the crater were considered so dangerous, the south part of the island became no longer accessible to the public. Decades passed, and no one knew the exact details, but eventually it was decided that the levels of contamination were not considered lethal, as long as no one remained at the crater for a long time. And so the tourist trap was reopened, and Greyfork flourished again. If I was a betting man, I would suggest that palms were greased to get the legislation passed. I've only been around a short 35 years, but I know that money makes the world work.

And I also knew that the radioactivity at Colton's Crater had claimed many lives, my father's included. Eleven years ago, I saw my mother waste every dime she had trying to prove that his work at the site caused his death. It was for this reason I swore I had to leave and never look back. I couldn't let Dad's death consume me like it had her. Now, ten years later, another death connected to that damn canyon. This time, I couldn't just turn a blind eye. I checked my schedule and confirmed I had the time to take off for the funeral. Then I booked a ferry to get to Greyfork.

I didn't pack a lot because I wasn't planning to stay for long. I figured a day or two would sort things out, and maybe I could leave before anyone realized I was even there. I guess that was a fantasy, because on the ferry, I had the misfortune to run into an old friend. A Philip West, former linebacker for the Greyfork Guardians, was also coming to the island for the funeral. Never thought I'd see you here, Pete. I thought you were gone for good. It's personal. Macy and I were best friends.

I said, as I looked toward the foggy shores of the small island, it looked so desolate. What she told you? Philip said with a mild laugh. Then he showed me a letter that he got from Macy. It was identical to the one I'd received. I took it, trying not to feel surprised, and then looked toward the shore again. Had Macy tricked me to get back on this miserable rock? If that was the case, my stay might be even shorter than I expected.

I thought sourly as I passed Philip the note back. When I got it in the mail, I found the whole thing quite odd. I haven't spoken to heard years. I left Graefork to have a better life, and I've had that good life. I got a wife and kids and nice paying job. This place doesn't even cross my mind. Macy's note was a shock to the system. How did she even find my address?

And why was she asking me to come back to this dumb old island to investigate a strange canyon? Makes no sense, honestly. I hated to admit that I hadn't considered all this before I left home. Philip was coming here to get answers, and I considered asking him if we should work together. But I never did get along with him, and I wasn't planning on making amends now. So I kept my mouth shut as the boat approached the docks, and the air horn announced we were free to leave. As I grabbed my bags, it began to rain, soaking my body as I ran toward the bus stop. Greyfork only had two bus lines ten years ago, and from the looks of things, not much had changed.

I stood there in the storm, debating if I wanted to ride a bus alongside Philip West. Then I saw a man holding a placard with my name on it, standing next to a black Honda SUV. I couldn't help but walk over to them, surprised that anyone would be expecting my arrival. He opened the door to the car, and I found myself staring at the current owner of Colton Canyon and one of my old girlfriends, Jennifer Ward. Get in, Pete. We need to talk. I didn't argue. I was mystified as to how she knew I would be here, but it didn't take long for her to reveal what was going on. I see that you got Macy's letter.

I got one too, by the way. Everyone that knew her did, urging us to come here to Grey Fork and check out what happened in that canyon. Jen told me as we drove away from the docks. Everyone? How many letters did she send? Over the years, a lot of people have left this island. I think if I'm counting you, I have found six people so far. that came back because Macy wrote them a suicide note and begged them to come home.

I said nothing as the storm got worse, and we drove towards the old bed and breakfast her family ran. Jan told me that she had a room for me and anyone else that had a note from Macy. I'm determined to learn the truth about my family's old stomping grounds. Old? Do you mean the wards don't have control of the canyon anymore? I asked as we pulled to the side of a building, and Jan offered me an umbrella. My father lost it in a gambling ring two years ago. Damn, fool. This place was keeping us from going bankrupt.

Now the new managers let me stay on as a housekeeper until the debt my father paid is gone. But that isn't your problem, Peter. Just get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow. And maybe all of us can get to the bottom of this. As I went upstairs to try and relax from my long trip, my mind kept spruce. spinning about the strange notes Macy sent. When I first saw it, I had assumed it was a personal plea to make me come to the island

and solve the mystery of the canyon. But now I was beginning to realize that I wasn't as close to her as I thought. Why had she brought so many of her old friends here, and how did it connect to the canyon that the wards had used as a tourist trap for decades now? As I settled into my room, I looked out the window toward the south end of Greyfork. long, thin canyon stretched into complete darkness, like a wound that would never heal. Something strange was happening deep in its crevices, and I needed to figure out what. I didn't believe in extraterrestrial life, but I was convinced this was not a natural phenomenon

happening here. Aliens or not, I would find the truth, if not for Macy, then for my own sanity. I told myself for years that Greyfork was nothing but a bad memory that I needed to run away from. I told myself that my father's death was just his own fault and that my leaving was for the best. I had to be right about this, or the last ten years would be for nothing. The funeral home was located near the middle of the island, an old stone structure that probably dated back to colonial times. Jen promised we would talk after the services, but honestly, my mind was on seeing my family there at the church. I hadn't said anything to any of them about my return, so when my mom

caught my attention across the pews. I knew that this trip was a mistake. I tried my best to get lost in the crowd, but Mom found me as soon as the service ended. You have some nerves showing up here. She shouted at me and pointed a finger straight in my face. She looked terrible and smelled of booze. Lower your voice. I told her as I saw the townspeople give us odd looks.

I don't see why I should. You come here to your friend's funeral, but you didn't even bother to help bury your own father. Can we go somewhere to talk about this? I pulled her towards the entrance of the church. Philip had heard our exchange and thought he was going to be a gallant knight. Mrs. Thorne, is Pete bothering you? Stay out of this.

I told him. There were words exchanged that I can't repeat. Then he hit me. My mother stopped the fight from getting worse and told me to come to her house. I had a bloody, broken nose to men, so I didn't argue. When we got there, she nursed my wound with weary, drunken eyes. seemingly lost between joy and anger to see me again. You shouldn't have come back here.

I'm starting to realize that. I told her as I took an ice pack to my throbbing head. I told her about the note Macy had sent and the ones others had received. Her face went pale when I mentioned the canyon. You can't go down there. There's evil in that place. It killed your father. I wasn't sure I believed her, but I urged her to tell me what had happened ten years.

years ago, as much as she didn't want to, I convinced her I wouldn't go to the crash site if she told me. It was a bad winter. Your dad had just lost a job with the lumber company over on the west side of the island. Even though he'd been almost 20 years, it meant nothing to them. Times were tough. The money on Grey Fork was drying up. The only business that seemed to have stood the test of time was that damn canyon. Howard Ward still owned it back then, and he clapped. let your dad come aboard as a supervisor. They needed people willing to take groups deeper into the canyons. Thrill seekers.

Everyone was trying to prove that the aliens were there. A bunch of nonsense. I thought and, well, your dad, your dad felt the same. As long as it gave us a way to keep a roof over your head. After those first few weeks of work, though, your dad began to act. strangely. He would put in extra shifts trying to find large groups

to take into the canyon. He would never explain what exactly they saw down there, but his face told me everything. There are secrets buried in there, Peter. And your dad let it eat him alive. I later found out that a lot of the people that he took on those tours

never left the island, or at least there's no document of their departure. She showed me the article that had paperwork from Colton's Canyon. She had been collecting them. For what purpose, I wasn't sure. There were discrepancies, where some of the information didn't match what Dad had put down. It was like they were keeping two sets of books. You're saying these people disappeared in the mine?

Something happened to them. Why is there no record of them leaving Greyfork? She asked. I shook my head, not wanting to believe such a tale. There are a lot of people here, Mom. You can't hide this. Not for this long. I told her.

She seemed angry that I didn't believe her and went to her attic to retrieve one final item, a journal that Dad kept, which she claimed held the truth about the caves. I looked through the journal. Most of it was just ramblings and thoughts of Dad trying to figure out more about the canyon. Reading this showed that he was losing his grip on the canyon. reality near the end, the guilt of what he did to those people. It killed him. Sure enough, as I reached the end of the journal, I saw that his ramblings became nothing

but gibberish, along with weird drawings that reminded me of what the old tales said aliens looked like. When did you find all this? Five years back. Took me a lot to get Howard to cough it up, but I think he realized the cave was evil as well. I think he lost the rights to the canyon on purpose. Otherwise, if he had stayed owner, I think he would have eaten a bullet, too.

That night, I reviewed Dad's journal, writing down what little I could make sense of. There were charts and geological surveys amid notes relating to the military outpost on the east side of Greyfork. From what I was reading, Howard Ward had an arrangement with the military to maintain the site and continue the tours and despite the dangers of radiation. If this was true, the army was knowingly sending people down there, but why? What did they hope to accomplish? I knew the answers had to be in the canyon. I gave Jan a call in the morning and asked where her father was these days. Dad?

He's at the local psych ward, Morning View. He lost his marbles after he lost the business. I thanked Mom for all her help and hurried to the psych ward. I had only days left in Greyfork, and I was determined to make it. the most of it by learning what I could about this half-century mystery. My initial speculation was the army was hiding some kind of experimental weapon down in the cave, but when I met Howard Ward, everything changed. On the drive up to the hospital, I came up with a good lie about why I was there.

Jennifer had sent me there, and I was a family lawyer. There were documents that needed to be finalized for the canyon that he had failed to take care of two years prior. It was good enough to not raise any eyebrows from the staff. But when Mr. Ward met me in the commons room, he wasn't fooled. You ain't my family lawyer. He muttered as I closed the door. You dated my Jenny.

I remember you. Before you call your nurse and shove me out the door, you should take a look at this. I gave him Macy's suicide note first, then my dad's journal. What is this supposed to mean to me? Notice anything? The writing here is the same. For almost a decade now, people have thought my father died a madman, and then I thought the same thing about my closest friend.

But that was just part of the cover-up, wasn't it, Mr. Ward? I asked. He diverted his eyes, which told me I was on to something. My mother believed that people being sent to that crash site were being killed. What was really happening to them? Why don't you go there and find out for yourself? I plan to do that next, once I find a way. From what I hear, the new owner has the same sweet.

deal you had with the army. You knew that those people were being used for some ghastly exploitation, didn't you? He shook his head and looked toward the window. You understand nothing, boy. You think this is the army? He was so small-minded. This is much bigger than anything this planet is ready for. Aliens? You expect me to believe that aliens are behind this? I saw them, Peter. Tall, gray-skinned beings with eyes like fire. They spoke to my very soul, twisted my mind. They controlled me. They've been controlling me all along. They are the ones who brought you back to this island. My mouth felt dry as he finished speaking. It sounded absurd. What would extraterrestrials want with someone like me or Philip or Jen? Why were they gathering us? Tell me the truth, Mr. Ward.

Did you kill those people? Instead of responding, he began to smash his head against the wall, and I shouted for the nurse. By the time they arrived, he had fallen unconscious. I quickly gathered what I brought and made a phone call to Jen to meet me near the canyon. I think I have an idea about the canyon. Can you get the others to come? Everyone except Philip is here. He went to Macy's gravesite.

I told her to meet me around noon and then pulled up alongside the small cemetery. Just as Jen said, Philip was there looking down at the grave. What do you want, Pete? He snapped as soon as he saw me. Jennifer told me you were here. I want to make amends. I lied. I needed him to come to the canyon too, because he had received a letter from Macy.

That meant he was connected to all this somehow. Looks like your mom stitched you up. Guess I went a little too hard. He said with a shrug, what brings you back here? I asked, gesturing toward the grave. I think we're all asking that. Jen told me that others got the same letter from Macy. It feels like we've been guided here for a purpose, and I wish I knew why.

Philip admitted, I did my best to not let him know I felt the same, but offered some encouragement to get him on my side. The answers are in that canyon. Jen is getting the others to come there this afternoon. You should come, too. I think the only way we can learn what's happening is if we go together. Wes shrugged and nodded, walking to the rental car he got. I'll come.

But if this turns out to be another waste of time, Pete, I'll knock you down again. As he drove off, I scratched the back of my head and wondered what he meant. What moment in our past did he consider a waste? I checked the time and went to get my things before driving toward the canyon. My hope was to resolve this mystery and be on the evening ferry to the mainland, but that never happened. As I arrived, I saw that the old buildings used for ticket sales and memorabilia looked like they were about to fall apart. part. The new owner must not be trying to keep it looking fresh, I realized. I saw everyone gathered next to the building. Jen didn't seem amused that we were all summoned here.

What did you call us here for, Pete? The tour only works if we get a whole group. We go down there together and get the truth. It's that simple. That was another lie. I didn't want to admit it, but ever since I arrived, I had been telling such lies to the people closest to me. I wanted to know what this canyon was hiding, and I was willing to do. whatever it took to find out, even if it meant that these people might get hurt in the process. I didn't know for sure we would be safe, but I had to keep pushing forward. The tour guide was an older gentleman, probably not connected to the new owner at all. Much like my father, this was just another clueless local trying to make ends meet.

They asked us all for our driver's licenses. They seemed happy to see that all of us were locals. I hadn't really checked to make sure about that, but I found the information odd. So many people have tried to leave Grey Fork over the years, and now something has drawn us back. Howard Ward believed it was extraterrestrial in origin. My mother believed I had something to do with the government. I wasn't sure what to think anymore, as we all boarded a cart and our guide took us into the canyon. Despite the fact that it was a clear day, once we were deep enough, the rock walls prevented any light from shining down here. It occurred to me that even though this place had such an impact

on my life, this was my first time coming here. Maybe I always knew it was trouble, I thought. As we drove, the guide mumbled the same old legend that all of us had heard before. Of course, they didn't mention the radiation poisoning that nearly closed this place down for good, but I decided to push my luck and ask. Are people still getting sick? Is it really safe to come down here? Why did they close this place for so long?

The guide gave me a cold stare as we got toward the deeper parts of the cave. apparently not expecting someone to know about that part of the story. This place has never done anything like that. It's just bogus rumors. It heals people. You'll see soon enough. He parked the car and urged us all to follow deeper. The path led underground.

All of us were silent as we walked into the cave, and I asked Jen if she had ever come here before. My dad said I couldn't. He said he didn't want me to wind up like the people he sent down here. That made my stomach do flips, as I asked the others the same thing, and I soon learned none of us had ever been in this canyon before. But all of us grew up here. We knew about this place. So why did we never come? I asked aloud. As if to answer my question, the guide punched a keycode into a door in front of us and told us all to enter a very dark, cold room. But I saw something glowing inside. Mesmerized by it, I walked into the room and stared up at what looked like a glowing green.

stone. It had to be at least the size of a small car. It had markings all across its exterior, but none of them resembled any human language I understood. I couldn't help but feel my heart skip a beat. So it really was aliens this whole time? I asked in amazement. The guide laughed and remarked, this is just a meteorite. Nothing special here, but I'm not surprised you've heard the rumors about the aliens. It's kind of our spill to sell tickets. Or are these? Or are the Markings then? Philip asked, as he tried to reach out and touch the stone. Before he got close, he jolted back.

Feels like the damn thing is on fire. Beats me if I know, I just work here. The guide said and encouraged everyone to take as many pictures as we wanted. You'll see your equipment doesn't work down here anyway. People enjoy that part of the phenomenon. I pulled Jen and Philip to the side, whispering in their ears, we need to find a way to go deeper. tells me that this guide is only telling us half the story. Let me see what I can do.

Jen said with a wink and strolled over to the guide to start flirting with him. I was amazed at how she was able to trick him. It was like flipping a switch. How much time do we have? As much as we want, I guess. That old dude didn't know anything, and I'm starting to think there's nothing here. I suggested we needed to check the rest of the cave and make sure there weren't any secret passageways.

This couldn't possibly be all that was hidden here. I thought as we spread out to the crevices of the room. As we looked around, I noticed other markings that matched the glowing stone near the base of the floor. The entire room, as a matter of fact, seemed to be somehow connected in some way. It made me wonder if, when the guide brought us inside, if we had stepped inside something. There's something here, Jen said, pointing near some kind of pedestal. It was large enough for her to stand on. As we cleared away other debris, I realized there were more similar eyes.

items on the floor. Each resembled a standing circle that was big enough to remain perfectly still on. As Jen stepped onto one of them, the stone sunk into the floor and gave off a glow just like the central orb. There are enough pedestals here that all of us can stand on him. In fact, I think it's the exact number of people in this room." Philip commented. We took a closer look and determined he was right. Maybe something happens when we step on them altogether? I guessed. Immediately the others wanted to try try. I was the last to stand on a pedestal, and as I did it, I immediately felt unsettled.

The room was colder and more claustrophobic, darker. Something is off. The others were already standing on the pedestals, preventing us from stopping what we had set in motion. The stone in the middle of the room began to glow even brighter, and I felt my body become heavy, and then we started to float. What the hell is happening? I'm not sure. Try to push yourself to the door. I told her. As soon as I uttered the words, I saw the door was beginning to shut behind a wall of stone.

We were trapped in this room, and it felt like I was beginning to suffocate. The stone began to spin, and its glow blinded my vision. I could feel my skin began to blister and burn, cracking across my arms and turning my pigment to dull gray. Just as suddenly as it had begun, we fell back down to the ground, all of us gasping for breath and feeling the need to throw up. What the hell just happened? None of us had an answer. I noticed the stone was still spinning. I don't think we are out of the woods just yet.

Near where the door had been, I heard voices and saw people that looked like miners entering the cave. My arms felt too heavy to lift, but I tried to get their attention. One of them raised a gun to Philip and ordered him to stand down. I soon realized these were army officers, likely coming to investigate what had happened. I raised my hands over my head, my vision adjusting to the room. That was when I saw Jennifer. Her body was dull and devoid of color.

Her skin cracked and brittle like rocks. I looked down at my own body and realized the same thing it happened to me. Something in the room had transformed us. The soldiers kept shouting orders as we tried to stand. Stop! We need your help! Philip pleaded as one of the officers kicked him back to the ground. It was as though they didn't understand what we were.

We were saying. Then they used the blunt end of the rifle and knocked him unconscious. I was next. I found myself struggling to even fight back. The world around me went black before I could even scream. We woke up chained to metal tables. It took me a moment to realize we were no longer in the canyon. I couldn't shout to the others to check to see if they were all right. As I focused on the objects in the room, I saw a calendar near the door. October, 1976. That couldn't possibly be accurate. I thought, as I heard voices outside of where they were holding us. The military officials had returned.

A man in his late 50s entered the room and noticed I was awake. Water? He offered, uncapping a bottle. You've made a mistake. We're civilians. We live here on Greyfork. Son, I know exactly who you are. I've been expecting this day for nearly 70 years.

I got a good look at him. trying to figure out if he was bluffing or just insane. You don't look a day over 55, and that would be pushing it. What the hell is going on here? Are you involved in this cover-up at Colton's Canyon? You ask a lot of questions. Colton's been closed for years now. In fact, we were waiting for your arrival to reopen the place.

He said as he sipped his water and walked toward the next table. The person there thrashed and tried to fight back as the office. officer took a syringe and plunged it into their chest. You have no idea what you are, do you, son? He turned around and showed me the vial of blood he had extracted from them. It gave off the same bright light as the stone in the canyon. I know you're violating our human rights. I have a lawyer back in Illinois.

Your lawyer hadn't even been born yet. You think I'm joking? The man said and turned to a monitor, flipping it on to show the newscast. This is 1976? You know that we are from the future? Who are you? I felt as though my brain was overwhelmed with this information, as he took my blood as well and smiled. I'm here to make sure you fulfill your destiny.

As he left, I turned to the other person, wishing I could find a way to break our bonds. None of this made any sense, but I was determined to help us escape. A few hours later, masked techs arrived and began to pump drugs into the other. other prisoners. The army guys stood by watching and wrote reports as the test continued. My friend writhed in pain of first, but then it became so overwhelming that they just laid there and let them do the test. What are you trying to accomplish? I asked the army officer. The ADU comes from the year 2023. That's almost 50 years ahead in our time. Yet you have traveled backwards in time, and your physical body will continue to reverse in the timeline the longer

you stay here. Such an ability is remarkable and worth studying. It could easily help the entire human race to fight old age. So were you just guinea pigs? Seventy years ago, you appeared in the canyon like a fire descending from heaven. You nearly lost all sense of humanity, but After we procurgy corpses from the UFO, we discovered the truth. Despite your alien exterior, your cellular structure was still human. We have been studying it ever since. I'm living proof that the treatment can work. I should be dead by now, but your blood has kept me alive.

As he finished the sentence, he used the vial of blood on himself, smiling mercilessly as we were poked and prodded. So yeah, you will be my test subjects for as long as possible. It's for the betterment of mankind, you know? Something deep inside me became so angry. I started to feel like I did in the cave. My skin blistering and burning. I felt a surge through my limbs as they broke free from the bonds.

The tech nearby tried to sedate me, but I subdued them and tried to free the other man alongside me. We need to find the others. I said, my body feeling light as a feather as I searched the outer hallway. The nearby rooms had our friends in them, and as I started to use my newfound strength to force the doors open, I found that some of them hardly even looked human anymore. I stepped into the next experiment chamber where Philip was thrashing around on the floor like an animal.

His body was elongated like a snake. His skin stretched beyond measure, and his eyes bulged as he struggled to breathe. I realized in that horrible moment where the stories of the gray aliens were coming from. They were turning people just like us into these monsters. I realized as Philip tried to reach out in desperation toward me. I knew I couldn't help him. I sealed the door shut and told the others to make sure we didn't open it. We're running out of time.

We need to find a way out of here. Jennifer said as she joined us. It looked like the mutations hadn't affected her as greatly, but she was still struggling. Deep scars in her face resembled gills, and I wondered if we would even be able to breathe oxygen again once the transformation was complete. Jennifer saw what had happened to Philip and did her best not to panic, shouting orders to the others as we moved to the second floor of this prison. Just as we got to the top of the steps, I heard the door we had sealed fall apart. It sounded like a bomb going off. Philip was following, and he was angry, screaming and attacking everyone that he got close to.

In front of us, soldiers attempted to barricade our escape, and I found myself acting like my friend. Whatever they had done to us gave us extraordinary strength, tossing them aside like ragdolls. As we reached the outside of our prison, I found myself unable to move because of the brilliance of the sun. Jennifer shrieked and fell to the ground, her eyes no longer able to handle the light. The soldiers surrounded us, and I thought for sure our escape was in vain. The officer that had first found us approached me, a smile appearing on his face. Amazing. You are just like the aliens I met 70 years ago.

You're a miracle. The next stage of a human evolution. He ordered us to be taken to the crystal chamber. Despite our effort to fight back, we were escorted into a boat and soon found ourselves transported to Greyfork to the canyon. I wondered if I was going insane, and if I wasn't, how long until I would be. I watched the waves of the lake crash against the boat. As we reached the canyon, the soldiers led us through a different passageway. This one was littered with corpses, gray-skinned aliens that looked like they'd become

part of the cave wall. Except I understood how these creatures were once human like us, taken from our present, brought here to this cruel place to be experimented on. We've been manipulated since the start. I thought, as we were forced into the crystal room again. Despite the fact that we were missing Philip, our bodies began to experience the same symptoms as before. I prayed for unconsciousness.

The room around us began to glow and shimmer, and we were again hurled into an unknown space. This one looked much different than before. The cave almost resembled a control room. I stumbled over to one of the monitors to get an idea of where we were, but the other than the readings made no sense. If I was reading it correctly, we were flying above the surface of the earth. An alarm blared near the crystal.

Jennifer reached for it with her bony hands and activated a communication device. Unidentified aircraft. This is General George Aylesbury. Stand down or be fired upon. No, God, no. I think they're going to shoot us down. My head was spinning, but I knew what was. happening, even as the monitors told us missiles were firing upon us. We had been thrust

into the distant past when the UFO first crashed on Grey Fork, except we were the ones piloting the ship that was about to crash. The ship began to go up in flames as the missile struck us, and I held on to whatever I could. The massive metallic ship hurtling towards the surface, rocks and glass and debris crashed all around us as we hit. The merciful darkness, my only comfort as I became pinned under the rubble. I am not sure how long I stayed there. When I heard voices approach, I saw army officers shooting at my friends, killing them without even realizing they were hurting their fellow man. I found the strength to shout to them, and the officers hesitated when my voice sounded human.

They instead stunned me and removed me from the rubble, dragging me to a transport that would take me away from the canyon. As I left the control room that was now buried in the cave, I apologized to Jennifer, hearing her ragged voice. beg for death as I was taken away. Approximately 30 minutes later, I was in chains before the same man I had seen in the 70s, except he looked slightly younger. You speak all language? He asked, as several of his doctors took samples of my blood. I'm from the future. I am human like you. I told him weekly. A human, that's not possible. Such a wild claim would require you.

evidence. I used the only idea I had available and gave him a few details of the coming years, including what would happen here in Greyfork. The general rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Amazing. Such technology is beyond even our wildest dreams. I'm sorry to say this, but you'll have to stay here and be monitored. We need to know everything we can about this year.

U.F.O. And the powers it gave you. Should we put him with the other? An officer asked. The general gave a nod, and I was dragged back to the barracks. Once in my cell, I took the time to mourn my friends. Jennifer, Philip, and the others were dead all because of my actions. I looked across the room and saw another figure there in the shadows. The figure looked familiar, but different.

I took a step closer and called out to them. Then I heard a voice I knew I couldn't mistake. mistake. Peter, you got my letter. Macy? You, what have they done to you? I said as I saw her mutilated body. We were both no longer the people we had once been.

Nothing that I didn't want to happen. I knew you would be here eventually. It was fate. Macy said wistfully, the others are dead, Macy. I told her. She didn't seem phased by this news. dark eyes glistened like the stars. In the time we come from, I went to the canyon like so many had before us.

I wanted to learn what secrets it held had I was thrust into the past, just like you. They tortured me, experimented on me, and did unspeakable things to me that no human should endure. Then it occurred to me that I was no longer human. The stone, it had changed me. Powers beyond our understanding have manipulated time and space for us to be a part of their plan. And I at least understood why when the stone spoke to me, sending me here to the distant past. I got closer to her, trying to understand what she was saying. It sounded like madness, but I had already experienced so much that I knew it had to be true.

The stone, is that the real alien life form? It's been altering our body for a purpose. Peter, don't you see it? We are ushering in the next chapter of humanity. Our planet will be forever changed thanks to what they've done to us. You mean the stone tricked us, sending us back into the past because it knew these soldiers would use us as guinea pigs? You saw the corpses in the canyon. More fodder for its endless hunger, Peter.

We are simply slaves to it now. The soldiers are no different, even if they don't realize it. Their thoughts and actions are all being driven by their greed and desire for power. Power the life form will never give them. I found myself unable to stand, the overwhelming meaninglessness of my life crushing me as I shook and cried. I had tried so hard to escape Greyfork, but it had always been a part of me. Everyone and everything I ever knew was just a cog in the machine of a power beyond my imagination. Now my only hope was death one day, either at the hands of the soldiers or the alien that

had changed my body and made me in its image. How long will we be here, Macy? She didn't say anything for a moment. She had resigned herself to this fate as well. Forever. I think we're trapped here as long as we live. And even if we die, we become a part of the living ship that altered our bodies. This island.

All of this, we are all fuel to its appetite." I wanted to cry and to laugh, but the only response I really had was anger. That anger led to silence over the years, as the soldiers used us again and again to experiment on themselves, unaware they were being used by the very ship that had crashed so long ago. Eventually, I knew I would become part of the ship, too, like so many others. My only passion over the years became writing this account, hiding it from sight and storing it for the future. One day, far from now, perhaps in the time that I come from, someone will find this account

and learn the truth about Greyfork. There are aliens here, and we are the monsters that have made this hell.