Sarcophagus

by Ben Hammott

  Attracted by the tasty-looking, pale worm-like tendrils waving enticingly in the water, the trout approached the algae-covered rock to which they were attached. A swish of its tail darted it forward with its mouth open to receive the food. Though the fish sensed danger when the tendrils twisted together into a single form and stretched towards it, it had no time to react. With lightning speed, the tendril worm released its attachment on the alien rock that had been its home for thousands of years, and dived down its victim’s throat. The fish struggled to eject the thing that squirmed inside it, but failed and fell still as the alien parasite adapted to its new host. A few moments later, no longer in control of its own body, the fish swished its tail and swam away.

  The male fox glanced disinterestedly at the bright moon reflected in the stream when it lowered its mouth and lapped up the cool liquid. When something leapt from the water and flopped on the grass beside it, it sprung back into a defensive stance and stared at the plump, wriggling fish. Pleased by the unexpected easy meal that would cut short its hunt, the fox pounced on the fish before it wriggled back into the water. It ended the fish’s thrashing with one bite. With the meal clamped in its jaws, it headed into the undergrowth. After only a few steps, the fox convulsed, fell to the ground and lay still. A few moments later, it awoke. It picked up the fish that now had a rip in its side, and headed towards its den where the vixen and her newborn cubs waited for its return.

  The vixen stopped nuzzling her cubs, glanced along the dirt tunnel at the sounds of something entering her den and sniffed the air. Though at first reassured by the familiar scent of her mate, her keen sense of smell detected something else she couldn’t identify. She placed herself between her cubs and the tunnel.

  When the fox rounded the bend in the passage and saw the vixen waiting with her claws extended and jaws formed into a vicious snarl, its host sensed the oncoming fight and the likely damage to the bodies it needed to make use of.

  As the vixen prepared to battle her mate that was somehow different and a danger to her and her cubs, she crouched ready to spring. She watched the fish her mate carried slip from its mouth that opened wide. Before the fish hit the ground, something long and pale shot from her mate’s mouth, slithered around her and squeezed. Her struggles to be free from the constricting menace so she could protect her offspring were in vain, she flopped to the ground.

  The vixen’s mate settled to the ground and observed the transformation that took a few minutes and ended with her barely resembling her original form. The part of him that was still vaguely conscious of what was happening, looked on in horror as the thing drew breath and roamed its evil eyes around the small den. The cubs would be next and he was powerless to prevent it.

  CHAPTER 1

  Midnight Misery

  The four passengers in the small motorboat stared at the island as the pilot idled down the engine and let momentum drift them towards the rickety-jetty stretching out from the island.

  Through the trees and bushes that had reclaimed much of the shore, hints and shapes of the infrastructure that once greeted and processed visitors who had come to be entertained by the scares and thrills the island had to offer, could still be glimpsed amongst the gloom-shrouded overgrowth.

  Susan glanced back at the large luxury cruiser moored one hundred yards away and pictured her parents asleep in their plush cabin. She turned her worried gaze back upon the unwelcoming island. “Are you sure this is such a good idea?” Her previous alcohol inspired enthusiasm at the suggestion to visit the mysterious island they had all heard about was waning rapidly.

  “Yeah, it will be fun,” replied Gary, as he leaped onto the jetty with the bowline and fended off the boat to prevent it from ramming the jetty that creaked in protest with his every movement.

  Penny gripped the side of the boat that rocked violently from Gary’s sloppy departure. “Don’t back out on me now, Sue. I only agreed to come because you convinced me it would be a fun.”

  “Yeah, well now I’m here, fun is far from what I’m thinking it will be. Maybe we should turn back or wait in the boat and let the boys go exploring.”

  “Oh, come on Sue. You’ve both come this far so you might as well go a little farther, then you can brag to your friends back at collage that you’ve been on the island. If we get a signal you can tweet a photo to make them all envious.” Ryan switched off the engine, threw Gary the stern line and smoothly climbed onto the jetty.

  Protruding above the tree canopy, they glimpsed faint shapes of the imaginative constructions born from the macabre and creative mind of their long dead designer.

  Ryan held out a hand. “Well, are you two coming?”

  Susan looked at Penny. “I’ll go if you do, but if you want to wait here,” she said hopefully, “I’ll stay as well.”

  Penny’s eyes swept the shoreline; it looked creepy as hell. “I suppose we could go a little way and if we don’t like it run back to the boat as fast as our shapely legs can carry us.”

  “That sounds like a plan I can handle.” Susan grabbed Ryan’s hand and let him help her disembark. As soon as her feet touched the jetty, he pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers.

  Penny rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine climbing out on my own.”

  Gary rushed forward to help, but as usual, arrived when he was no longer needed.

  Penny wobbled from the creaking jetty put in motion by Gary’s rushed enthusiasm and grabbed at his arm to stop from falling back into the boat.

  “Sorry,” apologized Gary, guiltily.

  Penny released her grip and smiled warmly. “No harm done and your intentions were good.” She turned, gazed along the jetty at the shore and sighed. “Let’s get this done before I come to my senses.”

  Gary led the way to shore.

  Twenty minutes later, Penny and Susan staggered through knee-deep undergrowth that seemed to wrap around their legs as if trying to prevent their escape. Barbed vines reached out for them like monstrous tendrils, snagging their clothes and hair, scratching their skin. They fought to stay upright when they stumbled on uneven ground and rocks concealed beneath the thick vegetation; both knew the terrible consequences a fall would bring.

  Things, fast and heavy, crashed through the undergrowth behind them. Howls terrifying enough to curdle blood increased the girls fear to the verge of panic.

  As Susan sprinted across a clearing, she glimpsed moonlight reflecting on water through the trees. It had to be the shoreline. She glanced behind to check on Penny and wished she hadn’t. The look of abject terror on her friend’s face matched her own. The reason leapt into the clearing and spurted for Penny with its jaw parted wide to receive her flesh. It was upon Penny before Susan’s warning had formed on her lips. She turned away as another of the monstrosities appeared and growled at her. She knew if she lived through this, Penny’s terrified screams would haunt her for the rest of her life. There was nothing she could do for her friend; she had her own life to save.

  The beast’s pounding footsteps drew nearer. Though she wanted to take the most direct route to the water, Susan dodged amongst the trees in the hope it would slow her vicious pursuer. She now knew some of the rumors associated with the island were true and they should never have set foot on it, but hindsight wouldn’t help her now. The glimpse of a wooden hut covered in moss and creepers gave her hope she might survive. It was one of the buildings they had passed earlier when they had first stepped ashore. She pictured the sign they had all read fixed to the top of the small hut, WELCOME TO HORROR ISLAND. And underneath, a little smaller: YOUR SURVIVAL IS NOT GUARANTEED. They had tried to make light of it at the time and had laughed, they were not laughing now.

  At first, though creepy, their exploration of some of the islands strange amusements were thrilling and Susan had begun to think the rumors of the deaths and missing people had been exaggerated, if they had happened at all. That all changed when Gary and Ryan entered the gaping mouth of the monster train tunnel ride. Though
Penny and her own bravado had increased, it hadn’t reached the point that would coax them to enter the foreboding darkness of the tunnel. They had remained outside and watched the boys’ flashlight beams grow distant before they disappeared. The screams that shortly followed had startled them, but Susan had rolled her eyes at Penny, both thought the boys were playing about and trying to scare them. However, when thumping footsteps echoed from the tunnel, they had aimed their flashlights into the darkness and seen the glowing eyes and the monstrosities highlighted when they came closer, they knew the boys’ screams had been real and both were probably dead. The blood dripping from the approaching jaws was all the confirmation they needed. They had fled.

  A few steps past the hut, Susan saw the jetty and the boat. If she could reach it, she would survive. As adrenaline powered her desperate sprint along the jetty, she worked out what she had to do to get the boat moving and escape the monster chasing her.

  Untie the ropes.

  Push boat away and jump in.

  Switch on engine and full throttle it to safety.

  She could do this.

  She would tell her parents what had happened.

  Dad would know what to do.

  She reached the gnarled wooden post the stern-line was tied to. A yank of the hanging end released the knot. Thumps shook the jetty. Susan forced herself not to look at what was coming in fear she would panic. If she panicked, she would die. The bowline wouldn’t release like the first. Gary had tied a different knot. She didn’t waste what little time she had untying it, but slipped it up off the post and dropped it. The thumping footsteps grew louder, nearer. Susan silently screamed at her senses to remain calm as she gripped the side of the boat, shoved away hard and jumped in. She almost tripped on landing when the boat tipped and rolled, grabbing the back of the pilot seat kept her upright. She turned the key as she sat. The engine started. Thumping footsteps shaking the jetty were almost upon her. She slammed the throttle forward to its limit. The bow rose as power spun the propeller and shot it away from the jetty. The footsteps ceased. She had done it. She was safe.

  The boat rocked fiercely when something heavy landed behind her. She sobbed and shook uncontrollable. The monster snarled. With quivering lips and terror masking her features, Susan slowly turned her head. The monster leapt. Teeth lined jaws filled her vision. She screamed.

  Note from Author

  Thank you for purchasing and reading my book. I hope you found it an enjoyable experience. If so, could you please spread the word and perhaps consider posting a review on Amazon or your place of purchase, it is the single most powerful thing you can do for me. It raises my visibility and many more people will learn about my book.

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