Hoax - No Hoax

*** Please note: this story is a continuation of No One’s Going to Believe This. ***

January 27, 2023, at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time – It had been seven days since the transmission was received by the Green Bank Telescope located in Green Bank, West Virginia located in the Allegheny Mountain Range.

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On the Friday prior, Bobbie Sagan had been led away by General Hensfield after he had encouraged her to ‘go for a walk.’ There had been some debate about a message received from space and eventually led to the involvement of General Hensfield and the President.

Just prior to being led away, Bobbie was the one remaining person to agree that no one was going to believe the message received by the radio telescope. She remembered thinking; I wish I could just disappear.

As the General and Bobbie returned from their walk that night, Bobbie announced in front of the team that ‘no one’s going to believe this.’ At that moment, the team had agreed to keep silent about the message. She remembered the sense of extreme tension in the room, yet everyone kept silent. Bobbie felt sick to her stomach and felt she had betrayed herself. As such, she hadn’t yet realized the full consequences of her decision.

Dr. Shaw left for home and Dr. Phillips returned to his station.

General Hensfield instructed Bobbie to go home, given the events of the evening. Knowing she was quite shaken, he offered to follow her home to make sure she made it safely.

Bobbie lived alone in a small house in the country and back a wooded lane. The house had been her mother’s, but Bobbie took ownership a few years back following her mother’s death. There were only five houses on the lane, which was about a half mile long. She knew her neighbors, but only interacted with them a couple of times a year.

As she pulled into her driveway and parked, Bobbie noticed two vehicles had also pulled into the driveway. One was the General, but she had no idea who the other was. She exited her vehicle and looked back toward the General. He stepped out and ask if he could go in the house for a minute. She began to feel uneasy.

Bobbie replied hesitantly, “Um, okay. Who’s in the other vehicle?”

“A colleague. Don’t worry about. I just have a few questions before I leave. Let’s go in.”

She unlocked the side door and they both entered and stepped into the kitchen.

“May I offer you a drink?”

“No thank you. Your home is quaint. How long you lived here?”

“Most of my life.”

“You live alone?”

“Yes.”

“You have any pets?”

“No. Where’s all this going?”

“I’m sorry but given the events there’s some question about the authenticity of the message. You’re going to have to come with me.”

Bobbie felt her eyes watering, “What? I didn’t do anything.”

“It’s a formality at this point. You’ll need to pack a bag with some overnight items.”

“This isn’t happening. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Just get a bag together.”

With that, Bobbie collected some things and was escorted to the last vehicle in her driveway. She took a seat in the back and off they went to some federal building downtown. She remembered being in the building but couldn’t quite place it.

Bobbie had been detained for seven days. She’d been psycho-analyzed and tested for a week with no other interaction. She hadn’t even seen the General since he was at her house. She certainly hadn’t packed enough clothes for a week and had become growingly frustrated.

She was confined to a wing of the building and was free to roam the hallway but that was the extent of her freedom. She had repeatedly asked questions about being detained with no answers.

The clock ticked toward midnight and Bobbie was still awake. She had become so accustomed to working the nightshift and on weekends that she couldn’t break the sleep cycle. She sat in the chair by the window staring into lighted parking lot wondering if she’d ever be able to return to her house or even her job. She loved her job.

Then came five very loud and quick succession knocks at her door that nearly stopped her heart. She leaped from her chair and stared into the small window on the door. She recognized it was the night guard but wondered why he knocked so loud.

She walked toward the door while trying to calm her nerves and opened the door. It was the night guard and standing behind him was General Hensfield.

“There’s a General Hensfield here to see you,” the night guard stated matter of fact.

“Yes, I see that. Come in.”

With that the night guard walked away and in walked the General.

The General started, “Please have a seat.” Pointing to the chair she had just occupied. She took her seat and the General slid over another chair and right in front of her. He sat leaning forward and uncomfortably close.

“My apologies. You were only supposed to be here two days. I was called away last minute earlier in the week and arrived back just moments ago. How are you?”

“How am I? …I’m fine I guess, but I’d be lying if I wasn’t concerned about being here for a week. I didn’t bring enough clothes.”

“Yeah, my apologies again. Let’s get down to business,” he stated abruptly.

“Let’s.”

“You an attention seeker?”

“What? No. I mean…what?”

“You like attention, yes?”

“Well, I like to be recognized for a job well done, if that’s what you mean. You know, I want to get ahead in this field.”

“Exactly, so you’ll do most anything to get it.”

“I’m not following.”

“This elaborate hoax. This is no way to achieve recognition.”

Bobbie thought carefully, “So that’s what this is about. Everyone thinks it was a hoax.”

“Well, wasn’t it. You tell me.”

“Isn’t it possible someone else is responsible for the hoax and I’m the fall guy?”

“Do you have enemies?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Then why you? Unfortunately, you’re in a no-win situation. If you admit to the hoax, you lose. If you don’t go along with the group, you lose.”

“If I go along with the group, I also lose.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true, but you already went along with the group, so it’s a moot point.”

“I can’t believe this is happening. I’ve done nothing wrong. Why am I here? I’ve already agreed with the group. You want me to admit it’s a hoax and take the fall? You son of a…”

“A message was received in English from space. It’s preposterous, in my view and many others. No one’s going to believe it. Perhaps I’m closed minded, but it’s so farfetched it must be a hoax.”

“I had hope. That is, I had hoped it was authentic because it was farfetched.”

“That’s gullible, you’re gullible…”

“…and you’re closed minded,” She shouted. “I should have the freedom to explain myself without being called a liar or – as you so eloquently stated – gullible.”

“I will not be made out to be a fool. To consider going public will make us all out to be fools. We’ll be eaten alive by the press and most every citizen,” he yelled back.

The general reached out and placed his hand on Bobbie’s knee and said in a calming voice, “Listen, let’s not resort to yelling and name calling. I just want you to look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t create the hoax.”

Bobbie took a deep breath and looked him square in the eyes, “I didn’t create the hoax.”

The General patted her knee three times and not another word was spoken. The General left the room and soon after another government official entered Bobbie’s room instructing her to gather her things. She drove Bobbie to her house and drove away without so much as a ‘good night.’

Bobbie was permitted to return to her work and the hoax was never again discussed. She spent the next several years in the same house and at the same job, but she was never able to shake the idea that she was always being watched and therefore lived in fear.

She’d disappeared from her own life.