Did anyone else see the meteor last night over the east end?
Wednesday 28th July 2021 9.42pm
Was I alone in seeing that blazing meteor flying over the East End of London just now? It was about 10 minutes ago and was like a rocket burning across the sky. Unfortunately it’s a bit cloudy, but I could still see its flaming tail. Oddly, it didn’t make much of a noise and if I wasn’t looking in that direction, I probably would have missed it. It looked to be landing somewhere in the area around Victoria Park. If I didn’t have this article to finish tonight, I’d be out there having a look. Did anyone else see it? I’ve looked on Twitter and there were a few tweets about it. I’ve captured a selection below. Nothing about it in the news… Will keep watching. I can’t believe no one else saw this. Maybe I’d nodded off whilst writing and was day-dreaming. Or it might have been those three rum and cokes I had to help with my .. inspiration.
Mysterious BBC
Thursday 29th July 2021 9.15am
Looked on the BBC news website this morning and this story appeared. I took a screen grab and luckily I did because 30min later the story had disappeared! That’s very weird, but certainly worth investigating further. Perhaps this is the story I’ve been looking for…
Meteorite continued…
Thursday 29th July 2021 11.47am
Thankfully I’m not going mad! I really did see a meteorite flashing across the London skyline last night. A few people I know living close to Victoria Park told me they heard a massive explosion coming from the park around 9.31pm and a plume of smoke coming from the woods at the southern end of the park. There have been a few more mentions on Twitter about it, but nothing like you’d expect for something of this magnitude. I finally joined Twitter by the way; I’m The Outsider Inside (@outsiderinside8).
I contacted a few of my professional journalist friends and it was shocking to find out that none of them knew anything about this. Really really strange. If someone famous blows their nose, journalists seems to hear about it within 5 min. I should try and go over to Victoria Park tomorrow to have a look and see what’s what…
Investigating the crash site
Friday 30th July 2021 5.32pm
So, I went to Victoria Park. The whole area has been cordoned off. I chatted to one of the guys guarding access to the park and he said that a workman had discovered an unexploded V2 rocket in the park and so it’s been blocked off until the army come and either dispose of it or they perform a ‘controlled explosion’. Bulls**t! If the rocket landed in 1944, how come something was flying over the East End on Wednesday night? I looked it up and V2 rockets did land here during the war, very close to Victoria Park, but this doesn’t add up. My BS meter is going crazy. I’m going to look into this. I’m coming back tomorrow.
The lie continues
Friday 30th July 2021 6.05pm
Amazing. A story has now appeared on the BBC news website about the unexploded bomb in Victoria Park. The earlier story about the meteorite has been completely removed. But why? Why should the authorities make up such a story about a bomb rather than tell the truth about a meteorite. Something just doesn’t add up here.
A close call
Saturday 31st July 2021 10.12am
I decided to go back to the crash site. If I want to make a go of being an investigative journalist, I have to start taking some risks. This got my Spider Sense tingling that something other worldly could be going on. Why was no one talking about the crash? Lots about the unexploded rocket, but no one questioning its validity.
I got to the site early this morning, around 5.15am, so it was already getting light. There was still quite a lot of security on the site as the so-called bomb hadn’t been detonated yet. I followed the GPS coordinates I’d been given as to where the meteorite/rocket had landed, so crept through a hole in the fence I knew about that surrounded the park and stuck to the bushes. The crash had supposedly been in a wooded dell in the bottom centre of the park, so there were lots of trees to cover me. Despite the hour, there was a lot of activity around the crash site, but what I found intriguing was that it looked more like a crime scene than a bomb site. No military presence at all, only a few people wearing white paper suits. I moved into a position where I could see better. The site was protected by white and blue tents, but I couldn’t see a rocket or a meteorite. When I was checking out the site, two women arrived in a Ford Focus (Reg: AJ14 QPP) with Queen Mary University of London written on the side. They donned white paper suits and entered one of the tents. After about 15 min, they exited the tent carrying a small plastic box, like a lunchbox. They talked to one of the guards and left the site. I took a few photos of them, so will see what I can dig up.
Achievement unlocked
Tuesday 3rd August 2021 4.59pm
I’ve found out who the two women from Queen Mary were. They’re from my alma mater [updated]; the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences. A old friend in the Estates & Services Department was able to fish out a vehicle acquisition form for the morning of the 31st July made out to a Professor Gemma Stevens. However, a quick look at the SBBS webpage found no mention of her! So I had a chat with one of my old lecturers in the school and he sent me a photo of Professor Stevens saying that her work was “TOP SECRET” and that they weren’t allowed to discuss it. He did say that the woman with her was probably Dr Rifa Khan, who was her research assistant on a government-funded project.
Identity revealed
Wednesday 4th August 2021 11.32am
More evidence
Thursday 12th August 2021 2.34pm
There is definitely some form of conspiracy at work here. I’ve found out a few bits of information about the Department of Astrobiology, but it’s very hush hush. It’s government-funded, millions of pounds of grant money, but lots of it is off the books. Most members of staff at SBBS I talked to were quite scared and apprehensive of saying too much about the department, but the one or two who did speak said that there weren’t many members of the department, that they researched EXTREMOPHILES, tiny creatures who can live in the most hostile of environments, that they didn’t mix with other members of the school and that they kept themselves to themselves in their labs that they believe are located on the ground floor of the Fogg Building at the Mile End campus.
One said that access to the department was by password only, but no one knew what this was. I must get access! What secrets must lie behind those doors?
Stuck
Wednesday 25th August 2021 5.23pm
No luck. No one knows or no one wants to tell me the password to access the Department of Astrobiology. Someone mentioned it could be an anagram, but you still need the relevant scrambled word to start.
Also, I keep hearing the phrase “The Filia Project”, but have no idea what it means.
Where is Professor Stevens?
Friday 27th August 2021 7.42pm
Professor Stevens has gone missing. I’ve been following her every morning when she goes into work with her husband, stopping off for a coffee on the way, and every evening when she leaves work for home in Wapping. But this morning, she was nowhere to be seen. Her husband came in alone this morning and left alone this evening. A quick walk past their flat in Vaughn Way revealed nothing. Very odd. Perhaps she’s ill…
One door closed, many more opened
Monday 30th August 2021 8.02pm
Well, I’ve finally discovered what’s happened to Professor Stevens. And it’s quite shocking. She’s an in-patient at the Tower Hamlets Centre for Mental Health. I followed her husband, Dr Gary Stevens to the Centre and a little asking around and many coffees found out that he was visiting his wife who had been admitted a few days ago. I’ve not been able to find out the reason
Time to make a move
Sunday 5th September 2021 4.17pm
I’ve been putting all my evidence together and I think I might have a strong story here. I’ve made a pitch to the story editor of The Guardian to write a piece on meteorites, aliens and government conspiracies. Let’s see. It’s probably too “out there” for The Guardian, but who knows!
Disappointment
Thursday 9th September 2021 10.45am
Well, that was a quick decision! The Guardian’s editor flat out turned down my story, as he said it was incomplete and without confirmatory evidence wouldn’t be taken seriously. I suppose he’s right, I’m still way off a full story, but I’ll keep working on it. I feel that understanding something about Professor Stevens’ condition might help, so I’m going to see what I can find out…
A shocking turn of events
Thursday 16th September 2021 8.49pm
Gemma Stevens died this afternoon. Apparently she tripped down a flight of stairs at the Centre and broke her neck, killing her instantly. I received a phone call from The Guardian editor this evening asking whether I’d like to write a short article about the incident for tomorrow’s newspaper, so I’m hard at work on it now (with a short break to write this!).
I’ve got until midnight to polish it off ready for the early edition. I’m really pleased that he thought of me to write it, but I suppose I’m the best person for the job as she’s been a major part of my life for the last few months. The happiness at getting my first real paying job is tinged with sadness too as I was starting to get to know Gemma and her story was very intriguing.
I’ve still got no idea what she was doing, why she was receiving psychiatric treatment or what the FILIA PROJECT is?
Perhaps one of you dear readers could help me?
A solemn visit
Saturday 2nd October 2021 3.25pm
I finally plucked up the courage to visit Gemma Stevens’ grave in Tower Hamlets Cemetary Park this morning. It was a horrible day, chucking it down with rain, but that felt appropriate. I felt pretty shitty exploiting her for a good story, but I’ve vowed to find out what happened to her, hopefully with your help.
There was a beautiful bunch of flowers left on her grave, I presume left by her husband and daughter. Rebecca’s only 7. I can’t imagine what she’s going through.
I wish I knew what “The Stars Will Reveal All” means. Something she wanted adding to her headstone, so must mean something significant…