Nelson Nemo's Koi Pond Conundrum

A shady researcher's beautiful lakeside assignment gets far less luxurious when locals start going missing.

Unfortunately, my scheduled episode of Authors and Embers is not ready to be sent out today. Instead, please enjoy November’s short story selection a week early.

This is the story voters chose over “Poster Child,” to be included in the Stasis Collection. I never intended to write it. But I felt inspired visiting some lovely people in lake county.

It was originally supposed to be for paid subscribers only. But on re-read, I really like the shape this story took, and want to share it with you all. I’ve decided to split the difference, and make this story free for a couple days, before moving it into the paid archive.

Paid peeps, I have something else cooking that you’re gonna love.

Van peeled himself off the faux leather living room couch, breaking free of the fabric clinging to his sweaty skin. The breeze had died unceremoniously in the early overnight hours, sometime after he’d stumbled home from the bonfire.

The plastic lid of the coffee maker snapped shut. “Wondering when you’d ever haul your butt off the couch.” Nemo glared at Van from across the cabin with sharp green eyes. A pair of shades hung on Croakies around his neck, resting against the bright teal polyester of his dive shirt. “You sure were out late.”

“And you were up early,” Van quipped. “It’s called due diligence, Nemo. Intelligence gathering.” He trudged across the warped floor, navigating around a collection of alien-looking gadgets, sensors, and instruments that would’ve been the envy of Hollywood prop masters, and TV ghost hunters.

He leaned against the kitchen island opposite Nemo.

Nemo wrinkled his nose. “You still reek like smoke.”

Van brought a handful of his tee up to his nose, and shrugged. “Call it lake country perfume, buddy. ‘Sides, we’ll be in the water soon enough.”