MrBallen

It really looked like someone had just detonated a bomb there. A few minutes later, the smoke started thinning out and Gregorio could finally see into this crater. He walked up to the edge and his eyes widened from a combination of fear and wonder. The crater was filled with a dark green liquid.

The liquid had a consistency somewhere between maybe water and sludge, and it was bubbling as if it was simmering. Gregorio pinched his nose through the bandana. The egg smell coming off of this crater was so strong that he felt sick to his stomach. He walked around the perimeter of the crater, kicking at the shards of clay and jagged rock that littered the ground.

The liquid had a consistency somewhere between maybe water and sludge, and it was bubbling as if it was simmering. Gregorio pinched his nose through the bandana. The egg smell coming off of this crater was so strong that he felt sick to his stomach. He walked around the perimeter of the crater, kicking at the shards of clay and jagged rock that littered the ground.

The liquid had a consistency somewhere between maybe water and sludge, and it was bubbling as if it was simmering. Gregorio pinched his nose through the bandana. The egg smell coming off of this crater was so strong that he felt sick to his stomach. He walked around the perimeter of the crater, kicking at the shards of clay and jagged rock that littered the ground.

It looked like someone had smashed a huge vase to pieces. Gregorio scanned the horizon. It seemed like he was the only person who'd come to investigate this plume of smoke. He figured the neighboring farmers must be worried that whatever crashed into the ground was a bad omen. A lot of his neighbors still believed in ancient spirits.

It looked like someone had smashed a huge vase to pieces. Gregorio scanned the horizon. It seemed like he was the only person who'd come to investigate this plume of smoke. He figured the neighboring farmers must be worried that whatever crashed into the ground was a bad omen. A lot of his neighbors still believed in ancient spirits.

It looked like someone had smashed a huge vase to pieces. Gregorio scanned the horizon. It seemed like he was the only person who'd come to investigate this plume of smoke. He figured the neighboring farmers must be worried that whatever crashed into the ground was a bad omen. A lot of his neighbors still believed in ancient spirits.

But after a while, it struck Gregorio as kind of odd that not even an emergency vehicle had come out to survey the scene. Something had just shot out of the sky and smashed into the earth. It felt like that was the kind of thing police would want to know about. But Gregorio knew help would not be coming from his village.

But after a while, it struck Gregorio as kind of odd that not even an emergency vehicle had come out to survey the scene. Something had just shot out of the sky and smashed into the earth. It felt like that was the kind of thing police would want to know about. But Gregorio knew help would not be coming from his village.

But after a while, it struck Gregorio as kind of odd that not even an emergency vehicle had come out to survey the scene. Something had just shot out of the sky and smashed into the earth. It felt like that was the kind of thing police would want to know about. But Gregorio knew help would not be coming from his village.

Only about 250 people lived in Carancas, so it didn't have its own police force. The authorities were located in the nearby town of Desaguadero, which was about seven miles up the road. Gregorio wasn't sure if the folks in Desaguadero would be able to see the smoke plume from there. If they couldn't, he worried that the authorities might not even know this happened.

Only about 250 people lived in Carancas, so it didn't have its own police force. The authorities were located in the nearby town of Desaguadero, which was about seven miles up the road. Gregorio wasn't sure if the folks in Desaguadero would be able to see the smoke plume from there. If they couldn't, he worried that the authorities might not even know this happened.

Only about 250 people lived in Carancas, so it didn't have its own police force. The authorities were located in the nearby town of Desaguadero, which was about seven miles up the road. Gregorio wasn't sure if the folks in Desaguadero would be able to see the smoke plume from there. If they couldn't, he worried that the authorities might not even know this happened.

Gregorio jumped back on his bicycle and pedaled to the house of a neighbor who owned a motorcycle that Gregorio knew he'd be able to borrow. It was going to be up to him to raise the alarm and he had to get out there fast. About 20 minutes later, Gregorio parked his borrowed motorcycle in front of the police station in Desagüedero and then walked inside.

Gregorio jumped back on his bicycle and pedaled to the house of a neighbor who owned a motorcycle that Gregorio knew he'd be able to borrow. It was going to be up to him to raise the alarm and he had to get out there fast. About 20 minutes later, Gregorio parked his borrowed motorcycle in front of the police station in Desagüedero and then walked inside.

Gregorio jumped back on his bicycle and pedaled to the house of a neighbor who owned a motorcycle that Gregorio knew he'd be able to borrow. It was going to be up to him to raise the alarm and he had to get out there fast. About 20 minutes later, Gregorio parked his borrowed motorcycle in front of the police station in Desagüedero and then walked inside.

He was greeted by a tired-looking receptionist with the phone pressed to her ear. It seemed like she'd been talking to people for hours. Three deputies were talking loudly about an airstrike. It took a minute for Gregorio to realize what was going on. The police did know about this explosion.

He was greeted by a tired-looking receptionist with the phone pressed to her ear. It seemed like she'd been talking to people for hours. Three deputies were talking loudly about an airstrike. It took a minute for Gregorio to realize what was going on. The police did know about this explosion.

He was greeted by a tired-looking receptionist with the phone pressed to her ear. It seemed like she'd been talking to people for hours. Three deputies were talking loudly about an airstrike. It took a minute for Gregorio to realize what was going on. The police did know about this explosion.

One of them had seen the orange streak in the sky, but they thought that Karankas had actually been struck by a missile. Gregorio waved down one of the officers and explained he had seen a crater filled with this green ooze that smelled terrible. The officer disappeared into a back room for a moment, and then he returned with the chief of police.