They (the scientists exploring the North Pole) were sure they were the only ones out here on the icy tundra. However, they were in for a rude awakening when they came upon a dozen or so frozen "statues." The scientist had a stunning epiphany upon closer inspection, realizing they were not sculptures after all.
The strange thing they found will soon be all over the news…
The scientists have no credibility
People still had trouble trusting the scientists despite all the images they had taken of their findings. I couldn't believe a word of their narrative; it seemed like some kind of horrible plot. Yet the proof was there for anyone to see…
What an amazing find
After several media outlets sent reporters to the "statues'" locations to verify the scientists' outlandish claims, the public began to take them seriously.
Perhaps they had some misconceptions regarding the North Pole.
An Odd Vacation
The instructions were plain and easy to understand, as they usually are on excursions, but this was no ordinary one. Sure, there were surprises on every trip, but this one was going to be extraordinary. After all, it was an entirely new and unprecedented shock.
A Negative Opinion
From the moment they stepped foot inside the facility, odd occurrences had begun. Perhaps it was the unusually cold weather, but something didn't seem quite right. There was an ominous aura, as if anything might go wrong at any second.
Regular Exploration
The researchers were there on a routine mission. The study of the ice caps melting needs continual monitoring. They cared deeply about their work and the world they were helping to protect, making their revelation all the more shocking given the gravity of global warming.
Coming of Age
When the scientists showed up at the base, it was really out of the ordinary. They came ready to continue the research and take over from the previous crew, but found that the latter had already departed. Someone should have been at the study all the time, but they had disappeared. For what reason may they have strayed from their base?
Ignored Group
That's a rather scary thing to hear. The researchers attempted to get in touch with their contacts for information, but inclement weather made communication difficult. No one could tell them for certain what happened to the disbanded squad. What happened? Did they depart early due of the weather, or did they just give up? Worse still, did they ever get back to their house?
The Time Period Will Be Two Weeks
The following two weeks were rather uneventful, but the crew wasn't sure what else to anticipate. It was still raining, which made it impossible to talk to anybody. There was still a pervasive sense of doom and gloom. Speculation about the whereabouts of the disbanded squad was widespread. Was it safe for them to stay?
The Airwaves
Up until a scientist was notified that a radio had picked up a signal, the investigation was proceeding well. They alerted the sleeping scientists and requested a repeat broadcast. After hearing the message, all four of them sprang out of their grogginess and tiredness. The signal was obviously an emergency!
The Cry for Help
Even though the radio connection was intermittent and faint, the pleas for assistance were clear. The individual on the other end of the telephone kept repeating certain coordinates over and again. The scientists hurriedly recorded them and attempted to communicate with the other end, but the weather became more severe. We were about to enter a period of heightened difficulty.
There's Absolutely No Contact!
The connection failed and the transmission went dead. The researchers didn't know what they should do. No additional bases in the area were reported to be staffed at the time of their visit. This time of year is quite cold and gloomy. It was risky, and the government's permission was required for their visit. Just who else may be in this room?
You Have No Other Option
It was imperative that the scientists take action. After all, the call had been a cry for help. If the tone of the call was any indication, someone, or more than someone, needed assistance. It turned out that the often mentioned coordinates weren't all that far from home. You couldn't make a better selection of alternatives. They needed to be there.
Location
It would be tough to get around. Getting to the locations from the base would normally take a few hours, but due to the weather, it would likely take a whole day. It would be tough, but certainly doable. But what about those who desperately need assistance? Will they make it through the day? What if the scientists get there too late?
Permission
Moreover, the coordinates pointed to a location that scientists had never investigated previously. It was near, but it went in the opposite direction of what they were looking for. They weren't used to going there, so it was also out of the way. A special permit would be required, but could they acquire one before the storm knocks down communications?
Absence of Contact
The researchers tried to contact their supervisors through radio, but the lines were still dead. They were spending their time trying to get approval, which was obviously impossible. The team had to make their way to the locations to provide assistance to anyone was in need. If they wanted to locate anybody still alive, they had to begin moving.
It's a Done Deal, There's No Room for Discussion
Leaving was a decision that was made without any hesitation. Despite the danger, the experts unanimously decided they would do anything they could to help whatever was out there. As quickly as possible, they made preparations. It would not have been prudent to go without first preparing their studies to be unattended for a few days. The time had come, at last, for them to go.
The Following Morning After That
The scientists would have to stay till sunrise before they could go. They were all miserable while waiting, but it was for the best. They had to take extreme precautions not to perish in the attempt to preserve lives. And despite everybody's best efforts, the natural surroundings were still risky and unpredictable. They had to go through with the expedition despite its difficulty.
Consistently Slow
It didn't seem possible, yet the weather swiftly deteriorated, putting a damper on the trip plans for the day. However, they were only making incremental gains, and by the time they were getting closer to the coordinates, everyone on the team was exhausted. And to make matters worse, nobody had shown up yet.
Strategic Approach
It was intended that once the persons were located, assistance in getting them back to the base would be provided. However, things were becoming challenging, and people were becoming exhausted. It seemed like they would have to set up camp for the night. However, everyone's minds wandered to the radio message they'd received. They couldn't just abandon those individuals to their fate.
Speculations
In order to reach the location, the scientists had to climb one more ice slope. The trip had been long and arduous. They spent the whole trip wondering whether somebody had managed to sneak out here without their noticing. And how they managed to get in without their bosses finding out is even more intriguing.
There Was No Trace Of A Crash
Maybe a jet or chopper might fly above, the group speculated. Perhaps others in need hadn't yet come. Unfortunately, no debris could be found. There were no traces of a flying machine. In reality, there was something utterly unexpected and out of the ordinary. There was significant confusion about what exactly was being observed.
Construction
The intensity of the wind and snow had decreased somewhat, allowing them to make out a shape or form. It was out of the ordinary and seemed impossible. It seemed to be an ancient home with a modest stone wall around it. Even what may have been trees in a garden were without their leaves. Just what was happening, anyway?
A Catastrophe!
It wasn't just that, however. There were people standing in every corner of the garden. They seemed to be humanoid. Had the needy people in this area been cut off by the cold? The appearance was really undesirable. Where did it go wrong? How could it all have been real? If there were humans who had been frozen, the scientists had no explanations, but they assumed they were dead. But they had to investigate further.
They were so shocked they couldn't speak.
The majority of the researchers were speechless from shock. They didn't know what else to do than approach each other. When they came closer, what kinds of horrors would they find? No one could figure out how the home and garden fit together, but if these were the individuals in need, it was a catastrophe.
There Is No Logic Here
The scientists ran as quickly as their bulky clothes would allow toward the figures. Even though the storm was easing up, the journey was still risky. What was going on had to be revealed to them! They had come this far, and nothing made any sense. A resolution was in sight.
Statues
They sprinted for one of the individuals as they drew near. The only reason they took off their safety glasses was to have a closer look at the situation. The figurines, like almost everything else in this garden, were sculptures. But it didn't clear up any of the questions. Who or what was the recording meant for, and how did we get ourselves here?
Vacant home
The study crew did not stop digging until they had examined the whole neighborhood. The only area they hadn't visited was the home next to the statuary garden, which seemed ancient and deserted. The home was in an extremely out-of-the-way location, making it impossible to guess what may be within.
The lock had been broken.
After reassembling, they all made their way cautiously toward the entrance. One of the scientists tentatively pushed and tugged on the doorknob, and to everyone's amazement, the door opened. They had to have been mistaken; nobody could possibly have built a home in such a faraway, inaccessible spot, right?
There's still food in the cupboards.
After inside, the crew found that the situation had become even weirder. The home's inside seemed to be in very excellent condition, and all of its amenities were there. Someone recently visited this place, since there was food in the cabinets. What are the odds that the previous distress caller still resides in this house?
I'll be spending the night.
The scientists, exhausted from their exploration of the house, decided to take a break and spend some time here. After stripping off their outerwear, they decided to spend the night at this location. They needed to rest so that they wouldn't be so weak if a prospective new inhabitant showed there, and that was the main reason.
Matthew remained alert
In a short amount of time, night had fallen, and the academic team had all found comfortable sleeping arrangements. The trip had clearly worn everyone out, but one of the scientists, Mathew, was having trouble falling asleep. The odd sculptures kept popping into the man's head.
The man rose to his feet
While everything they had seen that day was bizarre, Mathew found the sculptures to be particularly strange and even frightening. A rationale for the items' presence was required. Frustrated that no one still among the living could explain it, the guy abruptly rose up.
It ceased to rain
Mathew, who couldn't sleep either, got up and peered out the house's only window. When he realized the storm had passed, he quickly changed back into his winter boots and headed out. The scientist knew he had to take a closer look at the sculptures.
It's still freezing outside
Perhaps there was something he hadn't seen at first. Then he quietly opened the door and left. Even though it was still quite cold outdoors, the blizzard had passed, and a full moon meant that he could now see without his snow goggles. Mathew approached one of the sculptures and whipped snow off it with his sleeve.
It's time to get out the magnifying lens!
Then, he got out his magnifying lens and gave the whole thing a thorough going through, starting at the bottom and working his way up. After observing the odd bodies for a few minutes, he realized they were likely constructed from stone or metal. At least, he thought so until he stared directly into the eyes of the statue.
Both of his eyes widened
When the researcher saw it, his own eyes widened. Things that had before baffled him began to make sense to him all of a sudden. Mathew backed up a few paces and yelled as loudly as he could towards the house, letting anybody on his team was inside know that they needed to come outside immediately.
Using a camera
From the interior of the home, he believed he could make out the sounds of people talking. While waiting for someone to do anything, Mathew snapped a few shots. Without evidence to back up his newfound knowledge, no one may ever trust him.
Another woman in science
Another female scientist had awakened and was now approaching him from behind closed doors. The lady was halfway between the home and Matthew when she was abruptly halted in her tracks. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to take another step.
At something she pointed
Her arm was the only part of her body that could move. The female researcher was wagging her finger in Mathew's direction. At first, Mathew thought his coworker was pointing at him, but then he noticed she was pointing behind him.
Mathew reversed direction
When Mathew swiftly turned around, the scientist fully comprehended his colleague's emotion. His disbelief was mixed with relief. There was no other possible reason for the earlier emergency signal. Then, panic began to take hold of him. Time was of the essence, and they had to go immediately.
Leaving on a plane to go back home
We are now around three months removed from that time. For some time now, the researchers had been back in their own homes without incident. They made it back to base camp after much difficulty and quickly contacted the project supervisor back on the mainland. A request was made right away to send a plane to pick them up and return them home.
Making an effort to win over the crowd
The scholarly team has spent the past several months, really since the week they returned, attempting to spread the word about what they discovered that fateful day in the North Pole. Mathew had taken images over there, but even so, nearly no one would trust them.
Just one TV news channel
They spent days trying to get the entire team engaged, but in the end, just one news outlet cared. Even this station wasn't going to print rumors without evidence, so the board decided to send a crew to look into the situation. This turned out to be a very different story than I had anticipated.
Coordinates were given out
The study team was glad to have its scientific legitimacy validated by at least one institution. They agreed to the request for information and gave up the GPS locations for the legislation. The TV news network was successful in mounting an investigation and gathering evidence.
Article appeared in print
About two weeks after the group returned, the news outlet was ready to run the whole tale. The scientists' presentation outlined the group's background, mission, and progress toward their North Pole goal, with a special emphasis on Mathew's leadership position. Three days later, the piece startled the globe when it was published.
A safe haven in the Arctic
Despite popular belief, there were really quite a few people living in the North Pole. Criminals had made a home in a given region because they had begun stashing their goods there. Several criminals had established permanent residence there throughout the years.
Involvement of a global police force
Up until this point, it had been a huge success story. It would be impossible for law enforcement to keep an eye on the goings-on in this area, making it ideal for illegal enterprises. After a joint investigation with an international police squad, they uncovered a plethora of sculptures that had been taken from private collections over a long period of time.
Cast-in-gold Figures
Thieves have been using this massive, frozen garden to stash the largely gold sculptures. The investigating team at the station assumed the numbers were being kept here until they could be sold. It was also determined that a jetty and a cargo boat were present in the area, both of which were likely employed in the transportation of the objects.
Put on trial: suspects
Surprisingly, the multinational research team was able to identify and apprehend the vast majority of the perpetrators quite quickly. Even before the piece went to press, the suspicions were being investigated, and a separate group of scholars had been tasked with tracking out the statue's true owners.
This is the fabled North Pole!
Because of the scientists' findings, the North Pole is now a topic of conversation across the globe. As a consequence of these interconnected occurrences, the North Pole is now heavily policed, rendering it useless as a hiding spot for criminals.
The events of this story are entirely fictional and are products of the author’s imagination. Images included are meant for illustration purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.