Today is the first anniversary of when I started to work for the “Bureau”. I have completed all my training and from now on I will start working on cases. Mostly it’s still a desk job. I am in charge of collecting data on possible threats, assess the situation, determine possible counter strategies, and identify suitable civilian operatives to contact if necessary. I am still a rookie so most of the case files I get are things more senior agents don’t want to deal with. Reports of UFOs, sightings of bigfoot, complains about haunted houses, etcetera. Usually, I can dismiss any of these cases within an hour. I usually find inconsistencies between witnesses’ stories or find out that the witness has been known to have substances abuse issues or they are prone to tell lies, or that they are in therapy for some kind of psychological disorder. In other words, the stories are not reliable and not worth of the ” Bureau “’s time.

This Monday I received such a report that I have not been able to dismiss. A man from a small town in Colorado has reported that while he was hunting a big shadow passed over him and block so much of the sky that, in that patch of forest, it looked like night had descended early. He also reported that while this happened a strong wind flew between the trees and all the birds fell silent, so much so that no noise could be heard. Then as fast as it happened it stopped. The shadow gone, the noise of the forest restored. I have looked for some background information on the man. Jacob Fitzgerald, 65 years old, retiree, ex-police chief, widower, two sons, John (45) and Richard (40) both married, three grandchildren, Jason (15), Billie (10) and Peggie (5), no known mental or medical conditions, no drug habits, no drinker (on account of his father dying of it). Initially, I thought maybe the gears in his brain are just starting to go, as it often happens to people when their routine changes after retiring. I called the new police chief of the town hoping he will have more information for me. I was surprised to hear that Mr. Fitzgerald was actually still pretty spry for his age, and surely not losing his mind, as he was still often consulted by the new chief about any unusual crimes happening in the town. He told me the only reason while he left the force is that they have a mandatory retirement age in their town for high-risk jobs like policemen and firefighters. The chief told me that Mr. Fitzgerald life had not in fact changed that much since his retirement, he still saw most of his police buddies almost on a daily basis, either at the shooting range, the bowling alley, or the local pub (where he religiously drinks only ginger ale). If something strange was going on in his head they would know. That is exactly why, when he reported the incident to the station, they took him seriously and files an official report.

- Honestly, if he was anyone else in this town, I would have put it up to a heat stroke, or too many beers, or maybe just inexperience with what is out there in the woods. But the man was born and raised in those woods, he has been hunting since he was 5, he served in the army, and does not drink a drop of alcohol or takes any drugs. If he says he saw something strange there I’ll bet something is going on in those woods.

He also told me that he did not have the men to investigate the incident given the apparently innocuous nature of it and all the tourists causing trouble in town for the summer but he will keep an eye out for anything strange and will let me know if anything happens.

Ok, no explanation, but the “Bureau” combs every day through thousands and thousands of reports from all over the country. There is bound to be a few that can’t be explained. And as the local police said, it was unusual but nothing seems to warrant concern. I guess nothing was too strange... yet.

Has been a week since I first received the “Colorado” report. I just clocked in and I am walking to my desk. I am welcomed by a voluminous file addressed to me by my division chief. It’s marked 07092012. It’s the same case file. I open the folder and I found a collection of pictures and several transcribed testimonies. One picture shows a mountainside covered in snow and pine trees except for a more or less arrowhead shaped patch. The picture is attached to a statement reporting the size of the patch as 100 feet long and 30 feet wide, covered in the debris of trees, a few burnt earth patches and signed wood, and no snow. In fact, the whole area seemed to emanate heat almost like someone had built a big fire there only a few hours earlier. A second picture showed plumes of smoke rising from some nearby mountains. Since the smoke was detected as coming from a protected area nearby, local rangers were dispatched to investigate but found no remains of a fire. Instead, they found a patch devoid of snow and trees similar to the first one and burn marks on a nearby rock formation. They described the marks as if caused by a giant flamethrower. Looking at the third picture I can only agree. This was followed by more sightings of the shadow by local hunters that also reported a sharp decrease in their sighting of deer and other game.

The case is starting to get interesting and gather attention from the “bureau”. I receive almost daily more pictures and more testimonies. A few agents have also been dispatched without any significant results. I have finally decided to call in a consultant. My division chief has approved it quickly since the guy was already vetted and flagged as a potential agent years ago, but deferred his decision to pursue a Doctorate. He was in fact my college roommate and we were approached together by the “Bureau” during our senior year. His name is Nick Davinos... but I always called him Doc.