The Fire at Haven

The Tommyknockers

This thread traces the expanding forest fire from an initially hidden emergency into the event that exposes Haven and forces its inhabitants toward a final reckoning.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Smoke from the Woods Smoke from the Woods from "The Tommyknockers". Smoke from the Woods A fire begins A fire starts near Bobbi’s property and grows beyond local control.

Smoke from the Woods from "The Tommyknockers". Smoke from the Woods A fire begins A fire starts near Bobbi’s property and grows beyond local control.

Smoke from the Woods A fire begins A fire starts near Bobbi’s property and grows beyond local control. Smoke becomes visible to distant observers, drawing attention toward a town that has kept outsiders away. The wrong kind of response Rescue and fire crews cannot reliably enter the contaminated zone. The obstacle is not simply distance or flames but the changed air around Haven.

Rescue Crews Fail Rescue Crews Fail from "The Tommyknockers". Rescue Crews Fail A lethal perimeter Firefighters and wardens approach from several towns, but vehicles fail and people become ill.

Rescue Crews Fail from "The Tommyknockers". Rescue Crews Fail A lethal perimeter Firefighters and wardens approach from several towns, but vehicles fail and people become ill.

Rescue Crews Fail A lethal perimeter Firefighters and wardens approach from several towns, but vehicles fail and people become ill. A crash and multiple deaths demonstrate that the danger extends beyond Haven’s residents. A public emergency The lack of reliable information turns the fire into a widening crisis. Authorities can see the smoke but cannot yet reach its source safely.

Gardener Escapes the Yard Gardener Escapes the Yard from "The Tommyknockers". Gardener Escapes the Yard A narrow path through fire Gardener drives the Tomcat through his burning garden while residents pursue him.

Gardener Escapes the Yard from "The Tommyknockers". Gardener Escapes the Yard A narrow path through fire Gardener drives the Tomcat through his burning garden while residents pursue him.

Gardener Escapes the Yard A narrow path through fire Gardener drives the Tomcat through his burning garden while residents pursue him. A homemade weapon and the surrounding flames create a shifting barrier between him and the ship. Pursuit intensifies Several residents die as the fire and devices overtake them. The town’s collective command becomes harder to distinguish from the fire’s uncontrolled spread.

The Ship Emerges The Ship Emerges from "The Tommyknockers". The Ship Emerges A spectacle beyond concealment Gardener powers the spacecraft and pulls it from its ancient bed in the earth.

The Ship Emerges from "The Tommyknockers". The Ship Emerges A spectacle beyond concealment Gardener powers the spacecraft and pulls it from its ancient bed in the earth.

The Ship Emerges A spectacle beyond concealment Gardener powers the spacecraft and pulls it from its ancient bed in the earth. The ship rises through smoke and fire, visible to witnesses outside Haven. The secret is lost Photographs, eyewitnesses, and the broad fire make concealment impossible. The world’s governments now have reason to intervene.

The Town Is Sealed The Town Is Sealed from "The Tommyknockers". The Town Is Sealed An external cordon Authorities surround Haven as the fire spreads toward Newport.

The Town Is Sealed from "The Tommyknockers". The Town Is Sealed An external cordon Authorities surround Haven as the fire spreads toward Newport.

The Town Is Sealed An external cordon Authorities surround Haven as the fire spreads toward Newport. Military personnel and investigators take over the perimeter, while altered residents remain trapped inside. Aftermath begins The forest fire burns on as the town’s population and infrastructure collapse. The ship is gone, but the contaminated zone and its consequences remain.

August 19, 1988, early afternoon

August 19, 1988, afternoon

August 19, 1988, late afternoon

August 19, 1988, evening

August 19, 1988, night