The Man Made of Smoke

Daniel “Dan” Garvie describes the ordinary service station where, decades ago, he encountered the man who would come to be known as the “Pied Piper” killer. Situated off the countryside motorway, the station ends in a single-story building that houses a rundown amusement arcade and a food court. When the Pied Piper enters the building, witnesses notice a man in a long, green coat walking through the space but will later have trouble describing his features. Hardly anyone sees the bedraggled, scared-looking boy trailing the man, even though the Pied Piper stops at a food counter, the amusement arcade, and a shop. The teenage boy manning the shop does briefly notice the boy, but only because he has an eye out for potential shoplifters. Emphasizing the world’s indifference, the Pied Piper repeatedly whispers his catchphrase to the child: “Nobody sees and nobody cares” (3). He heads to the washrooms at the back of the building with the child and waits. Years later, these details will appear in The Man Made of Smoke by Terrence O’Hare, said to be the definitive account of the Pied Piper killer and the children he abducted. Dan will read the book so many times that each line will be committed to his memory.