Ashes on streets linked to missing persons

The beginnigs of the short story.

Ashes are found on the footpath in Liberty Square in Thurles. People are confused. But it's quickly forgotten.

Mary Madden, who worked in Thurles and lived in Galmoy is missing from her home. She is a reliable person so people are surprised. But nobody suspects any link between the ashes and human remains, let alone those of Mary Madden.

Some days later more ashes are found, this time on Harmony Hill in Sligo.

Then it becomes a regular feature. People in Ireland are being struck down and all that remains is a heap of ashes.

Every time ashes are found people are reported missing.

The Government is worried. It calls in the secret service agencies of Germany, US, UK, Israel and Canada.

They set up an office in Shannon. Every day now 10, 20, 30 people are reported missing as more and more ashes are found.

At first they think the culrpit is in Ireland, then they think it is terrorism. Some sort of trial runs before a major attack on some world power city.

The Russians, half jokingly, wonder might it be 'something' from another planet. But why only is this happening in Ireland?