© Google Maps / Don Darkson
George Van Tassel started constructing the Integratron the year I was born. He claimed aliens from Venus gave him the plans, which doesn’t seem likely given Venus’ harsh environment. Surface temperature in excess of 800 degrees, and atmospheric pressure 90 times that of Earth’s at sea level. Not a likely place to find life.
The Integratron is supposed to be capable of rejuvenating living tissue, anti-gravity, and time travel, none of which I’m seeing as I stand inside of what is now a tourist attraction. Still, Van Tassel’s sudden death at age 67 has never been explained. Maybe spending too much time in here is damaging instead of healing. I think Van Tassel was contacted, but not by aliens, and certainly nothing wanting to help humans. My name is David Norliss and I investigate spiritual phenomenon. I don’t think aliens gave Van Tassel the plans for the Integratron. I’m looking for demons.
I wrote this bit of flash fiction in response to a weekly prompt based on a view from Google Maps. The idea is to write a piece of fiction of around 150 words based on the prompt. Full details can be found at What Pegman Saw.
For more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit InLinkz.com.
Visit Wikipedia for more information on the Integration as well as its creator George Van Tassel.
Oh, I named my character after the protagonist in the 1973 made-for-TV thriller The Norliss Tapes starring Roy Thinnes.
This story has a word count of 149.
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Dear James,
Interesting story. I can think of a few leaders throughout history who heard the same voices. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks. I have no way of knowing if Van Tassel actually believed everything he said, or his state of mind, but for the sake of my story, I assume he’s vulnerable to being deluded by malevolent supernatural forces.
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And that is why we call it fiction. 😉
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True that.
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Mr. Van Tassel was nothing if not confident. Demons, aliens, or both? Nicely done.
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Confident, yes. Accurate? Probably not.
Thanks for the complement.
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He heard a different drummer, that’s for sure.
Fun twist on an already strange story.
Tracey
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I didn’t want to write about aliens, so what else was left?
Thanks.
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Technically, demons are spirits…and much more interesting the the usual aliens, since one then can explore the dark sides of the question. I like this one very much!
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Thanks, Q.
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A great twist at the end James, Excellent work.
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Thanks. I thought of pursuing the alien angle, but I know too much about Venus to take that seriously.
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You seem to have dumped aliens for demons, and thankfully the resultant fiction is much better. It somehow rings menacingly true.
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That was my intent, Neel. Thanks.
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Authentic voice, and a creepy and plausible take on Van Tassell.
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