Plot Hole

by Haley Nguyen

No one knows where the hole came from. The hole, pitch black and seemingly endless, appeared one day in the space between two points. The two points were Town A and Town B. 

Scientists from NASA, after hearing about the hole, stopped by and demonstrated their intelligence. They dropped a tracking device into the hole and waited for it to fall. The object never landed and the tracking data never went through. In fact, the second the device was dropped, the hole seemed to swallow it. The tracking mechanism hooked up in the computer van went haywire and even caught on fire. The scientists from NASA said they would be back to gather more data but never returned. 

There was some controversy about ownership. The hole of unknown origins had come into being on the line of separation—half of it was in Town A and the other half was in Town B. The two towns reluctantly agreed to co-own the hole, but the agreement satisfied neither party. They often fought, and the issue over the hole only reinforced their differences. 

The hole was surprisingly useful. When the landfills filled up, all the extra waste was dropped into the hole. Then the landfills were dropped into the hole. When a house caught on fire and was ruined beyond repair, construction workers razed the house’s remaining infrastructure and dropped it into the hole. The hole was endless and never filled up. 

No one realized right away, but the hole was getting slightly bigger as more and more stuff was thrown into the abyss. Over the years, the hole grew but only by an amount so slight that it was unnoticeable for some time. When a hurricane decimated both towns, though, and all the resulting physical damages were pushed into the hole, people in both Town A and Town B started to take notice. 

Was the hole always this big? Someone asked. 

Did it just get bigger? Another person asked. 

If the hole was getting bigger, what side was the hole more on? was the question on everyone’s mind. 

The two towns measured the hole, and as it turned out, the hole was now slightly more on Town B’s side. Town B announced full ownership of the hole. Town A rebelled, arguing for the original agreement of co-ownership. Tensions were raised, and there was an uncomfortable electricity running in the air. Mayor A moved to get closer to the hole with his own measuring tape, and Mayor B followed in hot pursuit. 

My measuring tape is better, Mayor B said.

Mine is more accurate, Mayor A said. 

The two fought over measuring tapes, and when Mayor B pushed Mayor A’s measuring tape to the side a little too forcefully, Mayor A lost footing. Everyone watched as time seemed to slow. Mayor A fell into the hole. 

The pregnant silence soon burst with chaotic yelling between both Town A and Town B. Town A called Town B a town of murderers, while Town B said the death was not their fault. A townsperson from Town A stole Mayor B’s measuring tape and measured the holes again. The hole had increased with Mayor A’s death. Now it was more on Town A’s side. 

Chaos ensued as each town gathered as much stuff as they could to throw into the hole and increase its size on their side. Smaller objects like books, toys, and kitchen appliances were thrown into the hole. The hole increased. Medium-sized objects like chairs, porta-potties, and fire hydrants were thrown into the hole. The hole increased. Large objects like houses, cars, and government buildings were thrown into the hole. The hole increased. After houses had been emptied and streets razed, the hole was measured again. 50% on Town A and 50% on Town B. 

There were no more items to throw into the abyss, and even if there were, each item only grew the hole by the smallest margin. Only one thing could make the hole grow fast: bodies. 

Pets were thrown into the hole first. The hole was measured. It was more on Town A. Then the worst of the worst criminals were thrown into the hole. The hole was measured. Town B. Then bad but not terrible criminals. Equal. Then petty thieves and white-collar criminals. Equal. Then non-criminals. First, the elderly. Second, the kids. Third, the adults. Equal. Equal. Equal. 

Now there were only two people left. Mayor B and the newly named Mayor A, the former Mayor A’s twin brother. The two, recognizing their towns’ foolishness, had no choice but to jump into the hole together. 

The hole, now huge, grew even more to encroach on two points. The two points were Town C and Town D. The towns began to argue over ownership of the hole. 

Haley Nguyen is a senior English major and Bassini fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. She is an avid reader and writer with a particular interest in manga. Her favorite horror mangas are Tokyo Ghoul, Chainsaw Man, and Fire Punch. She is from Philadelphia.