Short story for Saturday

I noticed I have 2 followers. I know is myself, I wonder who the other is?

Also this is the short story for Saturday. I was out all day and was, thus, away from my computer and unable to write. Normally I'd just write something on my phone and e-mail it to myself but I was also very busy and unable to do that.

So this is just one of the two entries you'll get today.


Murray Mader had gone missing. At this point he had been missing for 14 days. Maybe more.

"He didn't come into work after his vacation." his boss told the detective assigned to the case. "We tried calling his house but there was no answer. We contacted his next of kin to see if they knew anything but it was a surprise to them."

"That's when the missing person's report was filed." The constable said to the detective. "Mader had left for a two week vacation just after the holidays. He had made plans to go camping up at Pickle Lake."

"He coasted in on fumes. Parked his car at his camp site, rented a canoe and that was it." the camp attendant recounted. "I didn't think anything of it until you guys came. No one gets in or out of the park without going through our gate. We log all the license plates and check how long they've been here and charge them when they leave."

"Turns out two hikers spotted him out on the trails." the constable said.

"We saw someone that looks like the man you described." The one hiker said.

"He was camped way out on the trail. He didn't have a canoe so we thought he was someone who got lost." The other said.

"We offered to help him back into town, we still had our canoe."

"But he refused. Said he was headed in the other direction."

"We sent in helicopters and K-9 unit's to scout out the path he was on. We found a few more abandoned and make-shift camp sites, but no sign of Mader." The constable informed. "If he's not dead, We don't know where he could be. Or how long he's been on the move."

"Thank you, constable, that'll be all." The detective said as he shut the door to his office. He walked over to the desk and set his hat down beside the name plaque that read "Detective Mader." He picked up a photo on his desk and stared long at it.

"How could someone just, disappear like that?"

He set down the photo of him and his brother and left the office.