The popular horror anthology Creepy Pod just released the narration of my story.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Lgum5h5KoNrLPKLSZWsrB

https://fearflicks.blogspot.com/2024/11/mayong-and-mahabharata-legends-of-black.html

https://fearflicks.blogspot.com/2024/11/whaley-house-san-diegos-gateway-to.html

https://fearflicks.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-haunted-house-of-greater.html

Please listen here or here.

Here is the link to my new horror podcast mini-series. If you are a fan of podcasts like Knifepoint Horror, the Magnus Archives, and Tanis, give this one a listen! https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/resurrectingdicknash

I don't usually go on here but I've finally found the right combination of alcohol and free time, to tell someone about this.

When I was younger, I used to visit my uncle to hunt at his cabin in the UP.

He was somewhat estranged from the rest of the family, but I never understood exactly why. My mom certainly worried about him sometimes, but she still kept her distance. I guess there was rougher history there than anyone wanted to tell me about as a kid.

He always seemed nice to me. A little scary to look at, with the missing eye and the way he would grind his teeth when he wasn't talking, but he loved to joke and listen to music.

Of coarse none of that was ever allowed when we were hunting. Can't be scaring the deer, after all.

He gave me lots of life advise and told me stories about when he was my age, hunting with his dad (my grandpa) who I never got to meet.

All in all a fun guy and a great friend, but there was one sort of strange thing that he would do sometimes.

Every once in a while, when we were hunting, he would lead us both to this clearing.

He never told me when we were headed there, or how to find the place, so I was always surprised when we got there.

Like, we would be headed out, or back to the cabin and suddenly we would be off the beaten path and a little bit later we were in this clearing where no trees were.

I think the reason there were no trees was because of the rocks. They were these flat grey stones the size of dinner plates, that were embedded in the dirt all over the place.

My uncle would walk to the middle where there was a stack of them. They where about an inch or two thick. Stacked into a pillar at least 4 feet high.

the first time he brought me there, he told me "Stay here and don't touch anything." then he walked over to the stack of rocks and stood there for a minute.

I saw him pull a hair out of his head and put it on top of the tower. We just left after that.

I asked him what that place was, but he told me it was nothing and that I shouldn't worry about it.

We went hunting together every few weeks, and every month or so we would take a detour to that stoney clearing, and there would be something sitting on top of the pile of rocks. Usually berries or seeds.

He would always leave something. Usually it was some food like jerky or small coins. Then we would leave.

Before we left he would always measure the stack with his hand. Like he was measuring how tall it was getting.

I was only there twice the times that he took another stone and stacked it on top of the rest, which I never understood because He always yelled at me if I got board ant started picking at them while we where there.

One time was different than the rest.

We showed up and on top was an animals toe. I don't know what kind, it looked like it could have been from a bird, or a large rat or something.

He just stared at it for a while before he told me to go home early.

When I told him I didn't know the way back, he didn't question it, or give me direction. He just looked at me, then up at the sky for a few seconds. Then he said "Right. lets go."

We got back to the cabin really fast and he told me to head home early. He didn't give a reason.

I saw him walking back into the woods while I was leaving. He didn't mention it the next time I saw him, and things went on like normal for a while. Eventually I noticed the pinky finger missing on his left hand.

I asked him when He had lost it and how, but he claimed it was years ago when he was a kid.

I know he was lying. I watched his hands very closely when he first started teaching me to use a rifle. He wasn't missing any fingers back Then.

When I was 19 I got a very serious girlfriend, and stopped visiting him as often.

We still went hunting every month or so, but he didn't bring me out to the clearing anymore.

Then one day he called my mom.

I got back to her house for lunch and she told me that he had called and asked her to send me over. She said he was sick, and had been for a few days.

I hopped in my car and drove out to his cabin. It was late September, and already the sun was behind the trees by the time I arrived.

I found him in his bed, he was wrapped in his blankets, and coughing as he spoke.

I asked him what he needed, if he wanted me to cook or drive him somewhere. He said it wasn't that bad. but he grabbed my hand and said he needed me to do something very important for him.

"Take my bag. It's in the chair by the door." He said "I need you to go into the forest and take it to the courtyard."

"What court yard?" I asked, confused?

"The stones!" he coughed "Go to the circle of stones in the woods, you've seen it before. Just put something on top of the rocks!"

I was kind of unsure what was going on. "Okay, but I don't know how to find it? where is it even at?"

"Just go north from the cabin. You'll find it."

I tried to get him to give me better directions, but he kept coughing for several minutes like his lungs were falling out.

Finally he pulled himself together and grabbed my arm as tight as he could.

"Just give them whatever they want. Please. It has to be tonight!" he was fighting hard just to speak.

I told him okay. I grabbed his bag and a flashlight and started jogging.

Those woods seemed so different at night.

I searched for what must have been an hour. Keeping north using the compass attached to his bag. I had no idea where I was when I found the clearing.

The place was dark and silent, and the pillar of stones was just standing there waiting for me. I don't know why I was so afraid. I felt like if I looked away it would move or something.

I could see something shiny on top, reflecting the light from my flashlight as I approached.

An eye from a deer. Still wet and soft, like it had just been plucked straight out of the skull. It still had jagged strings of muscle attached to the back.

Is that what I needed to give it? An eye?

I could have been staring at it forever. I didn't know what to do. I knew what it was saying but I didn't have anything like that.

I searched through the bag I'd brought but I didn't know what to put on top. I found my uncles hunting knife in the side picket.

I could feel the deer looking at me, wile I held it. I couldn't do it.

I could hear all the bugs in the forest screaming at me while I searched through my uncles bag. He had money, acorns, food, rope, kindling.

I got so sick of looking up at that eye staring back at me. I just threw it all on top.

I dumped the whole thing out. I shook out every last seed and coin.

I panicked. The realization just hit me. Right when I buried the thing in crap.

It was looking at me.

It was staring right at me from the moment I entered the clearing. Like it knew exactly where I was going to be.

I had to leave. It was like my blood was acid, and all the hairs in my body were hot needles in my skin.

I sprinted faster than I ever had before. I ran straight back the way I came, until I found a familiar foot path. I didn't slow down for anything, not until I had my hand on the handle of the cabin door.

I apologized for startling my uncle when I came in, and he just reached for me. Calling my name.

"Anon! is that you? what did they want? did you pay them?"

"I did." I lied to him "It's all taken care of." He relaxed so much when I told him that.

He thanked me and offered for me to stay the night with him, because of how late it was. I declined. I just didn't want to be there any more.

I said goodbye and I got in my car and started driving. I floored it all the way back to my moms house, despite the rough gravel road.

I could feel the woods staring at me through the passenger side window. I made it half way there before they just stopped. Suddenly the feeling was gone.

Four days later we got the news that he died in his sleep.

No signs of struggle or break in. He just got sick and died, apparently.

The land went to his ex-wife who sold it soon after. I never went back, and I honestly never want to.

And I don't really want to know what was going on there either.

I feel bad about lying to him. I wonder if he would blame me.

It's better not knowing.

Warning: This content contains intense themes of trauma and abuse. Viewer discretion is advised.

"This is no imaginary tale—it's a harsh reality that happened.

"Do you know what pain really is? I doubt it. Have you ever been so terrified of someone that death seemed easier than escaping? What do you know about fear, when the very thought of breaking free feels impossible?

Imagine sitting in a restaurant, just another day, until suddenly someone smashes a glass and uses the shards to tear your clothes apart? Or felt the searing agony of your skin burning, and the sickening smell of your own flesh cooking?

What do you know about real pain? When the person you might love smashes a beer bottle on your head, when someone grips your hand only to slice it open with broken glass. Have you ever been humiliated, slapped in a café in front of fifty strangers, and been too powerless to fight back?

These aren't just nightmares—they're the hellish reality inflicted by people who are more monsters than humans. Their cruelty doesn't just scar one life; it spreads like poison, turning the lives of everyone around them into a living hell.

And maybe… maybe I was one of those unfortunate souls. One of the cursed… who found themselves bound to a beast wearing human skin."

Have you ever met someone like that? Because if you have, you’ll understand… there’s no escaping a nightmare like that.

Even now... even now, I'm still suffering the consequences of a single wrong decision."Just letting one wrong person into my life—this one mistake has ruined my entire existence. What you’ve heard are merely the sparks of my story; there’s much more—much darker—that I haven’t yet revealed.

I stood alone on the deck of the research vessel "Nautilus," gazing out at the vast, unending Pacific Ocean.

The horizon stretched endlessly in every direction, a seemingly infinite expanse of deep blue that reflected the sky's shifting moods.

The gentle sway of the ship beneath my feet was a minor comfort against the storm of emotions churning within me. Excitement, anticipation, and a whisper of fear mingled together, creating a sensation I had never quite felt before.

My heart raced in rhythm with the waves, each beat a reminder of the monumental journey I was about to undertake.

Today was the day I had dreamed of for years—a chance to dive into the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the world's oceans. As a marine biologist, this moment was the culmination of my life's work and preparation.

The countless hours spent studying, the rigorous training, and the meticulous planning had all led to this singular point in time. I would be descending over 36,000 feet into a world that remained mostly unknown to humanity, a place where the pressure is so immense that it crushes almost everything in its grasp, and the darkness is so absolute that even the faintest light struggles to penetrate.

This dive was more than just a scientific expedition; it was an exploration into the very heart of the Earth's mysteries.

What secrets did the Mariana Trench hold?

What lifeforms had adapted to survive in such an extreme environment, where the laws of nature seemed to be rewritten?

These questions had haunted my thoughts for as long as I could remember, driving me forward even when the challenges seemed insurmountable.

The ocean breeze tousled my hair as I stood there, lost in contemplation.

I knew that the descent would not be easy.

The journey into the unknown was fraught with risks, from the immense pressures that could crush the submersible to the unpredictable nature of the deep-sea environment.

But these dangers only fueled my determination.

The fear was real, but it was tempered by the thrill of discovery, the knowledge that I was on the brink of witnessing something no one else had ever seen.

As I took a deep breath, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. The fear, the anticipation, the excitement—they were all part of the experience, a reminder that I was about to step into a world few had ever dared to explore.

The dive into the Mariana Trench was not just a journey into the depths of the ocean; it was a journey into the depths of my own resolve, my own desire to push the boundaries of what we know about our planet.

And as the preparations for the dive continued around me, I knew that I was ready to face whatever awaited me in the darkness below.

My training had been grueling. I had spent months preparing for this mission, including mastering emergency protocols and learning to operate the intricate systems of the submersible alone.

I endured countless hours in a hyperbaric chamber, acclimating my body to the crushing pressures of the deep sea.

Physical conditioning, mental fortitude exercises, and meticulous simulations had all led to this moment.

Despite the training, a part of me remained apprehensive.

The immense pressure down there could be fatal, and the isolation was profound. But the allure of discovering new species and contributing to our understanding of Earth's final frontier made every risk worth it.

The submersible, "Deep Explorer", was an work of engineering, designed for a solo journey into the abyss.

Its sleek, elongated teardrop shape was built to endure the enormous pressures of the deep sea. The titanium hull was reinforced with layers of composite materials, and it was equipped with high-definition cameras, robotic arms for collecting samples, and a suite of scientific instruments. The interior was compact, designed to accommodate me and the essential equipment. With just enough space to operate the controls and conduct my research, it was both a marvel of engineering and a tight squeeze.

As I donned my thermal gear, designed to protect me from the freezing temperatures of the deep, a rush of adrenaline surged through me.

The crew worked with practiced precision, performing last-minute checks and securing the submersible. With a final nod to the team, I climbed into the submersible and sealed the hatch behind me. The cabin lit up with the soft glow of the control panels, and a low hum filled the space as the systems activated.

With a final nod to the team, I climbed into the submersible and sealed the hatch behind me, the sound of the outer world muffling into silence.

The cabin lit up with the soft glow of the control panels, each light representing a different system coming online. The low hum of the engines filled the space, a steady reminder of the power and technology that would carry me into the depths.

I adjusted my seat, double-checked the instrument readouts, and took a deep breath, trying to quell the mixture of excitement and anxiety bubbling inside me.

The final command was given, and the "Deep Explorer" was lowered into the water.

The transition from air to water was seamless, the submersible gliding smoothly beneath the surface. As the surface above quickly receded, I felt a growing sense of claustrophobia take hold.. The once-bright sky faded from view, replaced by the inky blackness of the ocean's depths.

Initially, the descent was through the epipelagic zone, where sunlight still penetrated, casting the water in hues of blue and green. Fish darted around the submersible, their scales catching the light in flashes of silver. The water was alive with motion, teeming with life in a vibrant aquatic dance. But soon, the sunlight began to weaken, the bright rays filtering down in delicate, shimmering beams that grew fainter with every passing meter.

As I continued downward, the mesopelagic zone—the twilight zone—enveloped me. Here, the light was dim and eerie, a perpetual dusk where the outlines of creatures became shadowy, and bioluminescence began to dominate the scene. The submersible's lights revealed schools of fish with glowing bodies and eyes like lanterns, creatures adapted to the eternal twilight of this realm. The temperature dropped noticeably, and the pressure began to increase, causing the hull to creak softly.

Further down, I entered the bathypelagic zone—the midnight zone. All traces of natural light were gone, replaced by an all-consuming darkness that pressed in from every direction. The submersible's floodlights cut through the blackness, revealing strange, ghostly creatures that seemed more alien than earthly. Giant squid, translucent jellyfish, and other bizarre life forms drifted by, their movements slow and deliberate, as if conserving energy in the cold, oxygen-starved waters.

Finally, the abyssal zone came into view.

The darkness here was absolute, a void that seemed to swallow the light entirely. The pressure was immense, almost crushing, a force that could obliterate any vessel not specifically designed to withstand it. The water was near freezing, a hostile environment where only the hardiest of life forms could survive. It was in this foreboding realm that the "Deep Explorer" would continue its journey, deeper still, into the unknown.

«Entering the abyssal zone,» I murmured to myself, trying to steady my nerves. «All systems normal.»

My heart pounded as I descended further into the Mariana Trench.

The pressure outside was immense, and the depth was overwhelming. The trench itself is a colossal underwater canyon stretching over 1,550 miles long and 45 miles wide, plunging nearly seven miles deep. Here, the pressure is over a thousand times greater than at sea level, and the temperature hovers just above freezing. It's a realm of perpetual darkness, where only the most resilient creatures can survive.

As the "Deep Explorer" continued its journey, the world above seemed a distant memory.

Each moment brought me closer to the profound, unknown depths of the Mariana Trench. Alone in the submersible, I felt like an intruder in this alien world, yet the thrill of discovery pushed me forward. This was my dream realized, and the mysteries of the deep awaited.

The descent continued, and as I passed the abyssal zone, the darkness deepened, and the pressure increased. I had been alone in the Deep Explorer for hours, the only sounds were the steady hum of the submersible's systems and my own breathing, amplified by the tight confines of the cabin.

I focused on maintaining calm, though my heartbeat was a steady drumbeat against the silence.

Physically, the pressure was starting to make its presence known. I could feel a slight, almost imperceptible tension in my chest, a reminder of the 1,000 times atmospheric pressure pressing down on me. My muscles ached from the prolonged stillness, and the cold was penetrating, despite the thermal gear. The temperature inside the submersible was regulated, but the cold seeped through in subtle ways. Every now and then, I shifted in my seat, trying to alleviate the stiffness, but the confined space left little room for movement.

Mentally, the isolation was the greatest challenge. The darkness outside was complete, a vast, impenetrable void that seemed to stretch on forever. My only connection to the world outside was the faint glow of the submersible's instruments and the occasional flicker of bioluminescent creatures passing by. I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, the scientific mission that had driven me to undertake this expedition.

As I descended further, a brief crackle of static over the comms signaled the inevitable—the connection to the surface was lost.

I had anticipated this moment, knowing that the extreme depth and crushing pressure would eventually sever the fragile link. The electromagnetic signals that enabled communication struggled to penetrate the dense layers of water and rock.

The deeper I went, the more the signal deteriorated, until finally, it could no longer reach the surface.

This was no cause for alarm, though; it was an expected consequence of venturing into one of the most remote and hostile environments on Earth. The Deep Explorer was equipped with advanced autonomous systems designed to handle such isolation. It could record data, navigate, and operate its instruments without external input, relying on its pre-programmed directives and my manual control.

Yet, despite the advanced technology, the loss of connection was a stark reminder of how truly alone I was. There was no longer a tether to the world above—no way to call for help, no reassurance from the crew. I was entirely on my own in this pitch-black void, relying solely on the integrity of the submersible and my own skills to complete the mission and return safely to the surface.

The Deep Explorer was holding up well. Designed to withstand the immense pressures of the hadal zone.

The control panels were alive with data, and the floodlights cast a stark contrast against the encroaching darkness. The sub's robust titanium hull, reinforced with layers of advanced composites, ensured that I remained safe.

Passing through the hadal zone was like entering another world entirely. The hadal zone is characterized by extreme pressure, near-freezing temperatures, and complete darkness. The submersible's advanced sonar systems painted a picture of the surrounding terrain, revealing towering underwater mountains and deep ravines. It was a landscape of harsh beauty, sculpted by forces beyond human comprehension.

As I approached the ocean floor, the anticipation was palpable.

My eyes were fixed on the monitors, eagerly awaiting the first glimpses of the trench's floor. The pressure outside was immense, but the submersible's integrity was holding strong. I had prepared for this, but the reality of reaching the deepest part of the ocean was both thrilling and daunting.

Finally, the submersible touched down on the floor of the Mariana Trench, ending what had felt like an eternal descent into the abyss.

The descent was complete.

As I settled onto the floor of the Mariana Trench, the enormity of the moment began to sink in. The darkness was absolute, an almost tactile presence pressing in from every direction. The only source of illumination was the submersible's floodlights, slicing through the murk to reveal the barren, alien landscape that stretched out before me.

A profound sense of solitude enveloped me, more intense than anything I had ever experienced.

It was as if I had journeyed to the edge of the world, where no light from the sun could reach, and no other human had dared to venture. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional creak of the submersible's hull adjusting to the immense pressure. In that moment, I realized just how isolated I truly was—miles beneath the surface, with nothing but the cold, crushing deep surrounding me. The weight of the ocean pressed down not just on the submersible but on my very soul, a reminder that I was a lone explorer in a place few had ever seen.

The landscape was otherworldly, a stark contrast to the vibrant marine environments I had explored in the past.

The seabed was a mix of fine sediment and jagged rock formations, sculpted by the unimaginable pressures of the deep. Towering pillars of basalt rose from the floor, their surfaces encrusted with strange, translucent creatures that pulsed with an eerie bioluminescence.

The terrain was dotted with hydrothermal vents, spewing superheated water and minerals into the frigid water, creating plumes that shimmered in the floodlights. Around these vents, life thrived in ways that defied the harsh conditions—tube worms, shrimp, and other exotic organisms that seemed more at home in a science fiction novel than on Earth.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself of the extensive training that had prepared me for this moment.

The robotic arms of the Deep Explorer were nimble and precise, allowing me to collect sediment and biological samples with ease. The seabed around me was a surreal landscape of alien formations and strange, glowing organisms. The samples I gathered felt like a triumph—each one a key to unlocking the secrets of this remote part of the ocean.

For a while, everything seemed to proceed normally. The bioluminescent creatures danced in the submersible's floodlights, their ethereal glow providing a mesmerizing view of the trench's ecosystem. I carefully maneuvered the submersible to capture these creatures and collect sediment samples from the ocean floor. The data was consistent, the samples were intact, and the mission was going according to plan.

Then, something changed.

I noticed a shift in the behavior of the creatures around me. The once-active bioluminescent jellyfish and deep-sea fish suddenly vanished into the darkness.

An uneasy stillness settled over the trench floor. My pulse quickened as I scanned the area, trying to understand the sudden change.

I strained to see beyond the reach of the submersible's lights, but the darkness was impenetrable.

The floodlights illuminated only a small, controlled area, leaving the vast majority of the trench cloaked in shadows.

That's when I saw it—movement in the darkness.

It was elusive, just beyond the light's reach, but unmistakable. The sand on the ocean floor began to shift, disturbed by something unseen. And then, the legs emerged—long, segmented, crab-like appendages that seemed to belong to a creature far larger than anything I had anticipated.

As I adjusted the controls, the submersible's lights swept across the area, and I caught more glimpses of these legs moving through the sand.

The sounds of scraping and shifting sediment grew louder, and I realized that multiple creatures were moving around me. The legs moved with an eerie grace, and every so often, I would catch a fleeting view of one of these beings passing through the gloom.

One of the creatures drew closer, coming within the periphery of the submersible's lights. It was still too far for a detailed view, but it was clear that this was no ordinary crab. The appendages were enormous—much larger than the so-called "Big Daddy," the largest crab known to science.

My heart raced with a mix of fear and excitement. Could I have discovered a new, colossal species of crab?

Determined to document my findings, I activated the submersible's high-definition cameras and focused them on the area of activity. The images on the monitor were grainy and unclear, but they captured the shadowy forms and the massive legs moving through the sand.

The idea of having found the largest crab ever recorded filled me with excitement.

But as the creature drew closer, a sense of unease began to overshadow that initial thrill. The movement was not just large—it was deliberate and methodical, as if the creatures were deliberately surrounding me.

My training had prepared me for many scenarios, but I had never anticipated encountering a potential swarm of massive, unknown creatures.

The submersible's instruments began to register fluctuations, and the sediment around me seemed to churn more violently. I noticed that the creatures were not just moving—they were converging, as if drawn to the submersible's presence.

The sense of being watched grew stronger, and a chill ran down my spine despite the warmth inside the cabin.

But then, silence descended like a heavy curtain, and the darkness around me seemed to swallow even the faint glow of the submersible's instruments. I waited, my senses heightened, searching for any sign of the giant crabs, but nothing moved, no sound, no glimpse.

The sand around remained still, as if the aquatic life had been repelled.

Then, a subtle sound emerged from the side of the submersible, a sort of light tapping, as if something was exploring the metal walls with curiosity. I quickly turned, my eyes fixed on the metal surfaces that formed the cabin's shield.

What could be on the other side?

The ensuing silence seemed to challenge me to find out.

Suddenly, a loud bang shook the submersible.

The window glass rattled and I nearly jumped out of my seat, my heart pounding. With instinctive speed, I whipped around to face the source of the noise, my eyes locking onto the main viewing port.

To my horror, I saw that something had slammed into the thick glass, leaving a web of crackling marks etched across its surface. The jagged lines spread like fractures in ice, distorting the murky darkness outside

A cold sweat broke out across my skin as the terrifying reality sank in—if that glass hadn't held, the submersible would have imploded under the crushing pressure of the deep. In the blink of an eye, I would have been obliterated, killed in less than a second, with no chance to even comprehend what had happened.

The pressure down here was so immense that the slightest breach would have meant instant death, my body crushed and flattened like an empty can underfoot.

I forced myself to steady my breathing, trying to make sense of the chaos outside. Through the murky darkness, I could see shadows moving with a disturbing, unnatural grace. My mind raced as I tried to identify the source of the threat.

I stared in horror, my voice barely a whisper as the words escaped me: «What in God's name are those things?»

The creatures I had initially thought were crabs revealed their true nature as they drew closer.

They were not mere crustaceans; they were towering, nightmarish humanoids with multiple legs that moved more like giant, predatory spiders than crabs.

Their bodies were elongated and gaunt, standing at an unsettling height that made them all the more menacing. Draped in nearly translucent, sickly skin that glowed with a ghastly, otherworldly light, they looked like twisted remnants of some forgotten world. Their torsos and waists were unnaturally thin, while their long, spindly arms extended forward like elongated, skeletal claws, ready to ensnare anything that crossed their path.

As the creatures drew closer, I noticed another unsettling aspect of their appearance. From their spindly arms and along their gaunt backs sprouted membranous appendages, resembling the delicate fronds of deep-sea algae.

These appendages undulated and drifted with their movements, almost as if they were alive, giving the impression that the creatures were part of the ocean itself. The algae-like strands were thin and sinewy, some stretching long and flowing like tattered banners in the current, while others clung to their bodies like decayed fins.

The effect was eerie, as if these beings had adapted perfectly to their dark, aquatic environment, merging with the deep-sea flora to become one with the abyssal world around them.

These appendages added to their grotesque appearance, making them seem even more alien and otherworldly. It was as if the creatures had evolved to blend into their surroundings, their bodies designed to navigate and hunt in the inky darkness of the trench.

The sight of these algae-like membranes, shifting and pulsating with each movement, made them appear almost spectral—ghosts of the deep, haunting the dark waters with their unnerving presence.

Some of these horrifying beings were wielding crude, menacing spears, crafted from what appeared to be bone or a dark, coral-like material. The spears were jagged and barbed, adding to the grotesque aura of the creatures.

Their heads were shrouded in darkness, but I could make out a pair of eerie, pulsating orbs where their eyes should be, casting a malevolent, greenish glow that seemed to pierce through the gloom.

As they drew nearer, the creatures began to emit low, guttural sounds—an eerie mixture of clicks, hisses, and what almost sounded like a distorted, unnatural whisper. It was a chilling noise that seemed to resonate within the submersible, making the very air vibrate with an otherworldly hum.

At first, I assumed these sounds were just mindless animalistic noises, a natural consequence of whatever twisted physiology these beings possessed. But as I listened more closely, I began to realize there was a rhythm to the sounds, an almost deliberate cadence that suggested they were not just noises, but a form of communication.

The clicks were sharp and rapid, like the tapping of claws on glass, while the hisses came in slow, deliberate bursts. The whispers were the most disturbing of all—soft, breathy sounds that almost seemed to form words, though in a language I couldn't begin to understand.

The noise sent a shiver down my spine, heightening the sense of dread that had taken hold of me.

It was as if the creatures were communicating, coordinating their movements, or perhaps even discussing me, the intruder in their world.

The thought that they might possess some form of intelligence, that they were not just mindless predators but beings with a purpose, filled me with a new kind of terror.

As I observed them, it became evident that the loud bang I had heard moments earlier was the result of one of these spears striking the glass of the submersible. The sight of the menacing creatures and the damage to the glass intensified my fear, underscoring the growing danger they represented.

The creatures advanced slowly, their spider-like legs moving with a deliberate, almost predatory grace.

They pointed their crude, jagged spears directly at me, their eerie, pulsating eyes glinting with malevolent intent. 

As they closed in, a low, guttural sound emanated from deep within their throats—a noise so alien and foreboding that it resonated through the walls of the submersible, making the very air seem to vibrate with dread

Panic surged through me, and for a moment, I was utterly lost.

The realization that I was completely alone, with no way to call for help, hit me like a wave of icy water. The communication link with the surface had been severed as expected upon reaching these depths, but the finality of it now felt crushing.

I had always believed I was prepared for anything this expedition might throw at me, even death if it came to that. Yet now, face-to-face with these monstrous beings, I realized how desperately unready I was.

My mind raced, but no solutions presented themselves, only the terrifying certainty that there was nothing I could do to stop them.

My entire body was gripped by a paralyzing fear.

The submersible, designed for scientific exploration and equipped with only basic instrumentation, was utterly defenseless against such a threat.

My hands shook uncontrollably, and in my panic, I accidentally brushed against the control panel.

To my surprise, the robotic arm of the submersible jerked into motion. The sudden movement caused the creatures to flinch and scatter, retreating into the dark waters from which they had emerged.

As they backed away, the eerie sounds they had been emitting shifted, becoming more frantic, the rhythm faster and more chaotic. It was as if they were warning each other, or perhaps expressing fear for the first time.

The quick reaction of the robotic arm had inadvertently frightened them, giving me a precious moment of reprieve.

Seizing this unexpected opportunity, I scrambled to initiate the emergency ascent. My fingers fumbled with the controls as I engaged the ascent protocol, the submersible's engines groaning to life with a deep, resonant hum. The submersible shuddered and began its rapid climb towards the surface.

Each second felt like an eternity as I watched the dark, foreboding depths recede behind me.

The terror of the encounter was still fresh, lingering in the back of my mind like a shadow that refused to dissipate.

My thoughts spiraled uncontrollably as I imagined the countless ways the situation could have ended if the robotic arm hadn't jerked to life at that critical moment.

I could vividly picture the glass shattering under the relentless assault of those monstrous beings, the submersible imploding under the crushing pressure of the deep, and my body being torn apart in an instant—an unrecognizable fragment lost to the abyss.

As the submersible accelerated upward, every creak and groan of the hull seemed amplified, each one a reminder of how perilously close I had come to disaster.

My heart pounded in my chest, and with every passing second, I found myself glancing back into the dark void, fearing that the creatures might regroup, their malevolent eyes locked onto me, and launch a final, relentless pursuit.

The rush to safety was a desperate, frantic bid to outrun the nightmare that had emerged from the depths, a horror so profound that even the vastness of the ocean seemed small in comparison.

Yet, amidst the overwhelming fear, another thought gnawed at me—an unsettling realization that I had encountered something more than just terrifying monsters.

These beings, grotesque as they were, had exhibited signs of intelligence.

The way they wielded their weapons, their coordinated movements, and even the eerie sounds they emitted suggested a level of awareness, a society perhaps, hidden in the deepest reaches of the Mariana Trench.

When we think of intelligent life beyond our own, our minds always travel to distant galaxies, to the farthest reaches of the cosmos where we imagine encountering beings from other worlds. We never consider that such life might exist right here on Earth, lurking in the unexplored depths of our own planet.

The idea that intelligence could evolve in the crushing darkness of the ocean's abyss, so close yet so alien to us, was terrifying.

It shattered the comfortable illusion that Earth was fully known and understood, forcing me to confront the possibility that we are not as alone as we believe.

As the submersible continued its ascent, the questions persisted, haunting me as much as the encounter itself.

What else lurked down there, in the depths we had barely begun to explore?

And had I just witnessed a glimpse of something humanity was never meant to find?

The darkness of the ocean's depths might hide more than just ancient secrets; it might conceal a new, horrifying reality we are not prepared to face.

I'm making this record as a warning to all who may come across it - never, NEVER! attempt to enter the catacombs of Paris through secret passage that lies hidden beneath the streets of the city. For within those dark and winding tunnels, there is something inexplicable and evil that resides the forbidden tunnels lurking beneath the City of Light.

First I would like to point out that the people I will mention here have had their names changed with the intention of protecting their memories and their identities. I hope that my decision is understood and respected by all.

With that in mind, I will now begin the account of my Paris catacomb experience that forever marked my life.

Like any other young person my age, I was very adventurous and loved exploring unknown places, always looking for thrills and challenges.

My parents were always very strict with me, forbidding me to go to places they considered "inappropriate" like parties and going out with friends. I felt trapped, like I was being deprived of experiencing the outside world like other young people. Which only fueled even more the desire to venture outside the limits imposed on me.

Like any other young person my age, I became rebellious.

I lied to my parents that I was going somewhere, but I was breaking into an abandoned house or exploring some tunnel or underground cave with my friends who shared the same interests.

But that wasn't enough.

I wanted to go further, see new things and feel more of that butterflies in my stomach that only adventure can provide. That's why when my friend "Zak" called me and said he'd discovered a location on an unsealed sewer entrance to the Catacombs of Paris, I was all for it.

If you've never heard of this place or have only a brief acquaintance, the Paris catacombs are a gigantic underground network of tunnels and galleries that extend for about 300 kilometers under the city of Paris, France. The catacombs, originally built as quarries around the 18th century, were turned into public ossuaries in the late 18th century, and are currently visited by tourists as a historical and cultural attraction. The catacombs contain the remains of millions of Parisians who were moved there after the city's cemeteries closed.

Due to their age and fragility, the catacombs have strict access rules to protect cultural heritage and the safety of visitors. In addition, the catacombs are a real underground labyrinth, it's not difficult to get lost in there. For these reasons, visits are highly regulated and controlled. Entering the Paris catacombs beyond the permitted areas for visitation was strictly prohibited, violating this rule could result in fines and other legal penalties.

I should have stopped there but at that time all my rebellious mind had in my head was: everything forbidden tasted better.

We called another friend "Sebastian" and started planning everything. When are we going, what would we take and how would we not get lost. The last one was solved by Zak, we would use luminescent paints.

And yes, when I look back I realize how stupid this all was from the start.

I don't remember what lie I told my parents, but they believed it. And I was able to meet my two friends without any problem.

Entering the catacombs of Paris through a secret entrance in the sewers was always going to be the adventure of a lifetime. I was very excited and looking forward to this adventure so different from the ones I've done before.

Zak led the way, he took us down to the sewer where the entrance to the Ossuary is said to be. It took us about twenty minutes to find that entrance, because Zak actually didn't know of a location at all, he just heard a rumor that there was an entrance here.

The entrance was narrow and dark, with only a shaft of light coming in through the crack at the top. Zak was the first to enter, followed by me and Sebastian. We managed to smell the strong and unpleasant smell of sewage in our nostrils, but that didn't stop us from moving forward.

It was then that we saw a steep staircase leading even deeper. We walked down the stairs cautiously, carefully watching each step we took. The sound of water running through the pipes echoed throughout the place. But that didn't bother me, after all, I was focused on finding something new.

We arrived in a huge underground room with dirty damp walls and a slippery floor. The flashlights we carried illuminated only a small part of the room, and the surrounding darkness made it even more frightening.

At first I wasn't sure if we were entering the Ossuary or if it was just one of the sewer corridors, but then our flashlight beams began to reveal a few bones here and there, until an entire walls adorned with bones and human skulls gave us a macabre welcome.

As we made our way deeper into the catacombs, the air grew stale and musty. The damp walls seemed to close in around us, and the darkness was all-consuming. But instead of feeling afraid, we feel like those brave youtubers with channels aimed at urban explorers who enter forbidden places like this. And that was amazing.

The Paris catacomb was an incredible gallery of macabre art. It was impossible to deny the morbid beauty of that place.

The walls were lined with stacked skulls and human bones, forming grotesque and frightening images. I couldn't help feeling that I was being watched through the hollow eyes of hundreds of skulls.

I grabbed my cell phone and started filming around, capturing every detail of the historic structures, until an eerie sound echoed through the dark tunnels.

Everything was silent, until Zak said "Relax you pussies, it must have been just a car passing overhead" He emphasized his statement by pointing to the ceiling above us.

We relaxed after that, Zak's words made sense. We were somewhere under the city, there couldn't be anything here, the sound could only have come from the surface.

As time went on, my earlier enthusiasm was turning into another feeling, which I refused to show to my friends, as I didn't want to tarnish my facade of a great and courageous adventurer. But I couldn't deny that little voice telling me something was wrong was getting louder.

Filming Sebastian walking side by side to a wall full of piled up human bones as he said "look at this!" "This is so cool!" helped me to recover a little. Until then I noticed Zak enter a different corridor and move further and further away.

"Zak! Don't go wandering around aimlessly, you know it's easy to get lost around here!" I shouted, but Zak just responded with his typical arrogance.

"Easy, Mom! I just want to take a look around these halls. Before you know I'll be back"

I rolled my eyes and continued filming Sebastian. I was used to Zak's habit of drifting away from the group and somehow never getting lost.

It was from that point on, that our adventure turned into a nightmare.

Suddenly Zak screamed from one of the hallways, causing me and Sebastian to turn around in alarm.

I shouted his name and shined the flashlight on all the corridors entrances nearby, but I couldn't find him. Then sounds like bones creaking and clinking echo through the galleries, making my blood run cold.

"Zak, this isn't funny you bastard!" I yelled loud as I shined every entrances I could see, believing Zak was purposely trying to scare us.

And then I realized that Sebastian was frozen, looking with eyes filled with utter terror in my direction, more specifically behind me. And then I heard a low, inhuman snarl.

Slow and terrified I turned around. The flashlight shook in my hands, but I kept the grip as tight as I could to illuminate whatever was behind me.

I had explored many unknown places in my life, I saw so many things, so many stories to tell, but never, never I had never seen anything like it before.

Before me was a creature that could only be described as something resembling a giant centipede made up mostly of several bones of various widths and thicknesses, and what appeared to be exposed tendons and muscles. In place of its head was a massive human skull with large, sharp teeth stained red whose origin I refused to believe.

That gigantic thing moved slowly with its many twisted legs towards us, staring at us with large empty eye sockets as it rose with the front part of its long body until it surpassed our height and almost touched the ceiling.

For a moment, we simply stared, unable to believe what we were seeing. Until the grotesque creature released a high-pitched, screeching sound that made us shiver to the bone.

We ran without looking back, trying to keep a strong and steady pace, following the luminous paint that Zak used to mark the way to the exit. But it was when we heard the creature heavy footsteps and its jaws grinding that the adrenaline took over our body.

I dropped the backpack to get rid of the weight and Sebastian did the same. At some point in the panic I lost my flashlight and cell phone too, but at that moment material things didn't matter.

Miraculously I managed to make my escape to the exit, but when I looked back to see if that monster was still following me, I realized with horror that Sebastian was no longer behind me.

I headed back to the entryway again, even though all my instincts told me not to. I screamed Sebastian's name as loud as my lungs would allow, but the darkness only answered me with silence.

That experience changed me forever. I will never be the same fearless adventurer I was before. I managed to escape with my life, but the price I paid for my recklessness was high. I lost my best friends and now I live with this bitter and deserved guilt for the rest of my life.

It was late Friday night when we finally got to bed after spending a strange evening at Amy's friend's house. Samantha had us over for dinner and afterwards was anxious to show us an old book that she received from the estate of her aunt. It apparently contained all sorts of incantations and magic spells. I never believed in any of that shit but she convinced Amy to let her experiment. She instructed Amy lay on the couch, then Samantha held her hands out as she recited something I didn't understand. Suddenly Amy clutched her twinkie as she moaned in delight. "Holy crap! I just had an orgasm!" exclaimed Amy.I thought they were both just pissing with me. Samantha said it was my turn, so I thought it would be fun to play along. I chuckled as I reclined on the couch. She held her hands over me and babbled more of that nonsense. Suddenly I felt powerful surges soak me with cum. I must of had a terrified look on my face because Samantha and Amy both broke into laughter. It was so embarrassing and I ran to the bathroom to try and clean myself up. After I returned, I made some excuse that Amy and I needed to be getting home. Samantha thanked us for stopping by and being her first test subjects. Then she said there was one more spell she wanted to try before we left. Amy seemed excited, so I reluctantly agreed. Samantha told us to hold hands as she looked at the book and spoke a few more strange words. I felt nothing this time. She said it might take a while before it manifested. We both thanked Samantha for the dinner and an enlightening evening as we said good night.The morning light was streaming in through the bedroom windows as I yawned and stretched. Amy was still asleep with her back to me. I pushed off the covers and crawled out of bed, but something didn't feel right...

"Holy SHIT!!! My freakin' cock is gone!!!"

My outburst woke Amy. When she saw me standing there her mouth dropped open. All I had left was a puffy slit between my legs. Suddenly she got a weird look on her face and reached under the covers. She leaped out of bed whimpering and jumping around with a big woody bouncing and swaying!"What the fuck happened to us!" she shouted.Just then I remembered Samantha saying something about it taking while before the spell would take effect. "Dammit!" Amy immediately dialed Samantha and frantically told her what happened. Samantha sounded surprised that it really worked and told Amy that the spell should last from sunrise to sunset. At that moment we realized that we would be stuck this way for the next 11 hours or so. I was on the brink of a panic attack. Amy was a little more composed after talking to Samantha and did her best to calm me down. "Now listen to me, it's Saturday, we have nowhere to go and nothing to do. So let's just relax and make the best of it."

She reasoned with me while stroking her new novelty. This had to be the craziest role reversal in history. I finally felt brave enough to run my hand over the location where my best friend used to live."Damn Amy, this is so different!"

"If you miss it that much, feel free to play with mine. I think it's even bigger than yours used to be."

"Sure go ahead and brag."

"Come on, I want you to play with it."

I reluctantly took hold of her boner and squatted down to gently lick the tip. I heard all sorts of verbal expressions as she was experiencing something totally new. I'm not gay, but I always wanted to know what it was like to suck on one. It was a nervous thrill as I slid my lips over the head. Feeling it in my mouth was such an intimate sensation! I was swirling my tongue around and stroking the firm shaft.

I continued until she pulled me up and we began kissing. I could feel her tool pressing against my belly and was soon to find out what it was like to be fucked. She pushed me backwards onto the bed then jumped in beside me. Her hand reached down and I could feel her fingers sliding around. She knew exactly what to do and in just moments had me rocking my hips in a frenzied panic.

There was a strange tingling and suddenly my muscles tensed as a powerful contraction shocked and amazed me! The sensation radiated from between my legs and spread over my body in a wave of satisfaction! "Amy I think I just had my first orgasm!!" She laughed and moved on top of me. I spread my legs wide and could feel her cock searching before it slipped inside. It was a sense of closeness that went way beyond anything I ever imagined, like she had become a part of me.

She grabbed my ass and pushed in deeper, then began to thrust. It was wild watching her boobs heave as she slammed into me. My hands were against the headboard trying to hold myself in position. She had such powerful hips! The moans grew into shouts of passion, then suddenly I heard her cry out as her face lit up in amazement. I was being filled up with pulses of juicy cum. The motion finally stopped and we both laid there looking at each other in disbelief. The revelation of what each other's climax felt like would change us forever. I lost track of how many times we fucked that day, but each one was a wonderful adventure.

The next morning we woke up to find everything back to normal. I was relieved but a little disappointed too. I'm sure we will be paying Samantha another visit to see what else she can conjure up.

Tales from Beyond the Pulsing Door presents: The Ballad of a Holy Man

In the late 1960s a Priest was interviewed regarding the mysterious death and mangling of Phillip Dauterive. His description of events leaves a number of suspicious gaps in terms of the Father’s involvement, but also the very nature of what is “allowed” to happen in our earthly realm. Did the father witness demonic possession? Supernatural forces? Or is he just protecting himself from the consequences of his actions?

*** 

I…well let’s see here it’s…3:51am, August 6^(th) in the year of our lord 1900 and 68. I…understand that anything I say might be…oh. Yes, I’ve been read my…Miranda? Miranda rights and I have opted to speak without the presence of a lawyer. I am of sound body and mind, and I am aware that the things I say in this recording may be used as evidence against me in later litigations. However, I thought it important to explain what I witnessed now, while it’s still fresh and I…well I’m not sure I could sleep if I wanted to anyway. What’s that? Oh, yes, I…I suppose I should start with an explanation of how I…well I guess I’ll just get right into it.

I joined the priest hood nearly ten years ago. Prior to that I was a student at oxford. I was finishing my Master’s in theology when I experienced my first…uhm...well encounter I suppose. And encounter with that would commonly be referred to as a demon. I-o-officer please I promise that this is relevant…please. Thank you I- no…no I don’t need any water I’ll be alright. *Clears throat* Anyway…I suppose there’s something well…life altering about observing definitive proof of otherworldliness. In ’63 I was ordained after four years or so of practice. I wasn’t exactly popular in seminary. Everyone knew who I was and why I was there. I suppose my fascination with possession and demonology combined with my abrupt shift into the priesthood from academia raised some skepticism as to the extent of my faith…of my devotion. Why, I remember once that another pastor slipped what appeared to be a used condom into my wastebasket in an attempt to have me removed *chuckling briefly* Oh…pardon me…yes officer I’ll get to the point.

I didn’t become a man of the cloth because I wanted to perform exorcisms but, well, my reputation pigeonholed me a bit. Pardon me for saying so but…what’s the least honorable job you could have as an officer of the law? Beat…cop? Well, yes then consider my tenure as a priest akin to that of a beat cop. Nobody wanted to take calls or complaints about possession so I became the sort of…go-to on those issues. And then just last year well…that’s when I moved to the states. There are a bounty of possession claims out here you see and…well as I mentioned I’d never been very well liked. I think they believed that sending me here was a bit of a punishment. Or at least a way to get me out of their hair. What? I…well I suppose yes. I don’t quite care for your phrasing, though. I am not “claiming” to have been performing an exorcism at the time of…death. I’m explaining that when it happened I was in the middle of performing an exorcism. Please...I promise there’s a reason I’m telling you this if you’ll just…please.

In my years as a priest I’ve attended to hundreds of calls from people who said they were possessed or haunted, that their loved ones were…well you get the point. Before tonight I had performed dozens of exorcisms – first under the guidance of a more senior priest and then on my own. *pause* What? I…well…I don’t know if I believed that they were really hosting a…demon in their body but…you see the spiritually inclined, those of great, powerful faith, they tend to…look for the lord a bit more than they let the lord come to them…if you catch my drift. That’s why the vast majority of “possessions” end with me burning a bit of sage, reciting a passage from John or Matthew, and then taking my leave. When I do actually have to perform an exorcism it…it involves a lot of what you might call “smoke and mirrors.” Most of what I do is an effort to comfort people, which is why nobody was ever hurt or anything close to it in any of my previous...what? I…I don’t see how that matters. Whether or not I believe in god is irrelevant and…I don’t think I’d like to answer that question. *pause* Hah…you act as if you’ve never heard of a godless priest. They’re much more common than you think, officer.

*Clears throat* Right. About two weeks ago I was first contacted by Mr. Dauterive claiming possession. As with any instance of demonic claim, my first reaction is a healthy dose of skepticism. We spoke on the phone and then met in person and I…he was…very unwell, officer. No, no exactly, it was unlike any other case I’d taken before. Hm? Well…yes I did say I’ve seen…paranormal creatures but never, not once do I believe I encountered actual demonic possession inside another human. But officer you must understand this man…Mr. Dauterive was sick in a way that I could instantly recognize as supernatural. It was almost as if he…had a heartbeat…behind his eyes. His body was covered in scrapes and scratches and his skin was grey and leathery which…well in my line of work it’s not all that uncommon but his eyes…they had sunk back into his skull for what felt like forever.

I…pleaded with Mr. Dauterive to seek medical help. I could tell something was very wrong with him, very wrong indeed. He told me that he had tried but when he entered the clinic his doctors would hiss and scream at him. He said that he believed that the…entity was making him see things, or perhaps that it was manipulating the behavior of the people in his life. By the time he came to me he said it had been months since he’d even been in the same room as another person…I felt I had to help him. So I…what? Well y-yes of course I’ll explain how we got to the graveyard. Officer please, I don’t know if you’re under the impression that I’m enjoying myself but I assure you I am not. You said you wanted my unabridged testimony and you’re getting it. If you don’t like what you’re hearing I can always call my lawyer. *Pause* No…no of course that’s not a threat. I’d just like to continue if that’s alright…thank you.

So, as I mentioned he first contacted me two weeks ago and after several days of back-and-forth he seemingly vanished. This happens quite a bit. People…get cold feet, “cure themselves,” etcetera I’m sure. But something about the state of Mr. Dauterive was scratching at the back of my mind. This morning I decided to pay him a visit. After all his apartment was not even a mile’s walk from my abode. I knocked on his door and noticed that it was ajar. I probably should not have but I decided to push it open...just to...you know, make sure he was alright. But no sooner did my wrist flick to lightly shove the door on its hinges that I saw him…standing right there. Facing me. Clear as day. He was…in a trance of sorts. He told me that he had been waiting for me. For how long I…it looked like he hadn’t moved for days.

I did my best to comfort him. I sat him down and got him some water…but he refused to drink. He kept insisting that he could “Sweat it out.” That if he dehydrated himself to the point of expiration that finally the creature would have nothing left to feed on. Naturally I informed him that I was calling an ambulance. I picked up the phone an began to dial the new 9-1-1 number, but as I held the phone in my hand it began to sizzle and pop…no…no officer not the line. The phone. It was as if someone had poured acid onto it. It was painful to the touch. I dropped it! I then turned to Mr. Dauterive to demand an explanation, but he was gone from the room. All that was left was a note…this note. Yes…no I’m not surprised, it’s Latin. I’ve studied enough of it to make sense of what it says. It reads: I am unsafe. I took them all before it could. I buried them in Morton’s cemetery. I will show you. Midnight.

Why didn’t I what? O-officer I don’t think you understand how jarring it was to see…well…I suppose hindsight allows us to see things more clearly then, doesn’t it? I think we can both agree that I’m not sitting here because I made a series of well-informed choices, can’t we? Time eked by like a thick scoop of molasses as I waited for the clock to strike midnight. I arrived at the graveyard nearly an hour early…something about being there made me feel…well…not at ease but…I guess I felt like I couldn’t be snuck up on that way. Sure enough, when the clock struck midnight there he was. He faded into my sight. Almost like had been standing there the whole time. The edges of his form twisted into the foreground almost like a child’s pop-up book. Like he came from nothing, and nowhere. There was silence.

“Who did you bury, Mr. Dauterive?!” I asked, quite loudly I might add. It was at this time I realized that he’d never told me his first name. Hm? Phill? I see. When I asked him that, he didn’t answer with words. He folded his way over to…what appeared to be freshly dug and buried graves. Yes, I said folded. He didn’t walk. He didn’t move. It was as if his plane of existence was an illustration on the blinds of a window. As if someone was twisting the pole of the blinds, gently spinning him like a wretched cartoon…a flip book! That’s what they’re called! Yes I know it sounds ridiculous, how do you think it felt seeing it?! Whatever was happening to him, it was hurting him. People…they’re not meant to move on whatever plane he was moving across. It made him bleed. His motion was perforated, like every other window blind was slicing his skin open, while the others sewed him  back up. This, nearly a hundred times just for him to move a stone’s throw over to the graves he’d dug.

I had seen enough. The time for questions had come and gone. I revealed my crucifix and bore the holy text, reciting from memory like I had so many times before, but he was unimpressed. It had no effect whatsoever. He just kept pointing at the graves. There were three of them. One, then the other, then the…he…had a wife? Two children…I…I didn’t know. I didn’t dig anything up, why would I? No. No he didn’t…I mean he wasn’t…being violent. He looked…suspended. As if he was being held in place by something that isn’t meant to hold things. Something that knew it was…breaking a…cosmic rule of sorts. Finally, I ask what it wanted. Mr. Dauterive replied. He said that he was too weak to host the entity. That it needed a new…vessel. He…*choking up* he said that those graves were…“so it couldn’t take them.” I…I didn’t know what he meant but you…you’re telling me he had…*sniffle* Officer. I want to be clear about something. You may find Mr. Dauterive’s fingerprints on the bodies of his family but…but I assure you that whatever he did to them he…he was trying to protect them. I…I think it’s important that his name not be sullied because he…because of what it made him do. You…what? Surely you don’t think I…officer kindly have some decency! Here I am, spilling all of my innards on the table of your confession room and you…insult me with an accusation like that?! No…no I will finish my story. And whatever…bastardly accusations have for me can wait until I’ve said my piece.

*Clears throat* now…as I said it looked like every time he moved it hurt him greatly. So I… I told him to stay still. I addressed the creature that had control over him directly. I firmly asked it to let him go. It was at that moment that things changed. Things around us…darkened. Yes, it was the dead of night but…somehow, the shadows gained shadows of their own. It got cold. Very cold. I thought…for a moment I thought it had taken me to hell. Our surroundings began to drip like warm wax…as if reality was an oil painting on a canvas that had been sitting too close to the fire place. But it was so, so cold. Like no cold I’ve ever felt. It was in my bones it…if felt like there were frozen maggots crawling through my veins. My eyes adjusted to the darkenss just in time to see. From Mr. Dauterive’s body…it emerged. It didn’t make sense…it wasn’t right. It was…it was just bad math! I mean it came from him. It didn’t…exit through his mouth like ectoplasm…it didn’t leave the way we imagine a soul exits a body, nor did it shed him like dead skin. What I mean is that the…creature…the entity shifted into view as Mr. Dauterive shifted out. I…I don’t know if you’re familiar with a…hologram? It’s…it’s an optical illusion where if you adjust…if you shift your perspective one image becomes another. And that…it’s how it appeared. But it was real. And again, it…seemed to cause great pain.

Officer I don’t think you understand what I’m explaining. I’m not a physicist but what I saw did not align with the way we understand the world. Not through science and certainly not through god. I was shaking. It was so cold and I was so scared. It was humanoid. A…collection of tiny moving bits that I suppose could have taken on any shape. But the form it chose was…upsetting. I dropped to my knees and prayed. Really, truly prayed. I begged for salvation. I begged for it to stop. And do you know what happened then? Do you know what I received in return for my desperate request? The…monster…almost as if it heard me…approached. Not…not like a creature would walk or move. It flipped and crinkled it’s image like a flurry of origami folds until it was in front of me. It…it didn’t move through space, it moved space around it. And then it touched me. Its bitter, blindingly hot finger made contact with the space between my eyebrows and I felt a flood of pain and dread the likes of which I have not the time, strength, or inclination to describe. It held me, frozen, for a thousand lifetimes as it forced me to watch all the ways in which it created and destroyed life. I watched myself die, I watched my children die…I watched the world break into unspeakable war, genocide, famine. I watched you die too. Finally, finally, he let me go. And as my hollow eyes locked onto his ever shifting, crawling arrangement he whispered to me at the volume of an exploding hydrogen bomb…“nullus deus.”

…No god. After all that…after everything it showed me. That is all it had to say. And then it was gone. I was back in the graveyard. Mr. Dauterive was dead and mangled…as you found him. So I ran straight here and…well I’ve been under your supervision ever since. No I…I know it sounds crazy but I…officer? H…hello? But I…I swear they were just…we were…no. No…you…you released me. You let me go…I…I can’t do it again…I cant…please…please don’t send me back! I…oh…I feel it…inside…I see it…I see you…

…no god.

After years of listening and looking to the stars for signs of intelligent life, most believed that we were alone in the universe. You can imagine the astonishment and dismay when thousands of massive alien ships who had tracked our radio broadcasts suddenly appeared in the sky.

The visitors were called Necromancers and had been surveying the galaxy for an abundant source of food. They were carnivores and warm human flesh quickly became their favorite. Powerful mind control was used to numb their victims as they were eaten alive.

After generations of gluttony, earth's adult population had reached extinction. The youth were all that remained. Necromancer leadership established large breeding mills to replenish the numbers. Each facility selected their most well-endowed teen keep the herd impregnated.  All other adolescent males continued to be auctioned off at local markets to feed the Necros.

My name is Kendra and this has become the way of things. Most girls like me work as servants until we mature enough to breed at the mills. I have faithfully served at a Necromancer compound for many seasons. Lord Clarr and his mate Giselle have always treated me with kindness. My duties include cleaning and meal preparation.  Lord Clarr makes a daily trip to the market to select a healthy candidate for the evening feast.

Today I was organizing things in the kitchen when he returned with another boy for me to prepare. As usual, the cutie was under his mental influence and had no idea what was happening. His naked body was breathtaking and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Although I shouldn't let myself get too aroused, because he was here to be eaten just like all the others.

My job is to craft a taste temping masterpiece. His mental state gives me the freedom to do anything I want. I always start by shaving the entire body from the neck down. After the skin is silky smooth, he receives a proper washing. Finally it's time to lay down on the serving tray which he does at my request. I like to add sliced fruit as a garnishment. Those little extras make an attractive presentation, and for an irresistible glow he receives a spiced oil rub-down. Giselle's customary appetizer is a plump juicy erection, so my oil soaked hand moves briskly until he grows long and hard.

   "Yes you like that, don't you." I whispered.

I leaned over and kissed his lips pretending that he was my one true love while continuing to maintain his erection.

Dinner time had arrived so I quickly covered my clueless friend with a large red linen. The cart was pushed through the kitchen doors and moved into position. After receiving a nod from Lord Clarr, I dramatically unveiled the main course. Giselle's eyes lit up when she saw the her favorite treat glistening with oil and still fully engorged. After respectfully bowing, I stepped back to watch.

Insted of starting the meal, she began to fondle him and make sensual noises. Lord Clarr shook his head in frustration. He couldn't wait to sink his teeth into that tender flesh but he let his mate have her fun.

She was vigorously stroking when he began to breathe rapidly and grip the edges of the serving tray.  I was standing on my tip toes trying to see everything.  I knew he was almost there when he started to point his toes and arch his back. My twinkie was dripping with excitement. Suddenly there were stressful shouts of panic as pulsing streams of white liquid gushed all over his tummy.

Giselle smiled like she was proud of her acomplishment. After licking up the pool of warm gravy her mouth descended over the entire length. This part is disturbing to watch even though he feels no pain. I winced as her head jerked to the side tearing it off.  She glared at Lord Clarr while she chewed and swallowed like she was threatening him. He chuckled at her theatrics.

They both began to attack and devour the rest of my friend, viciously pealing away his flesh. The boy's euphoria continued until his body fell limp. After they had gorged themselves, the only remaining sound was the occasional burp while they relaxed in their chairs. I didn't even know his name.

I refilled the drink containers and was complemented on the meal. This time their gratitude made me sad. Both retired for the evening and it was time to clean up the remains.

I sleep with Giselle to help satisfy her personal needs. We also enjoy talking and she has become like a mother to me. Recently I confessed that I had started to bleed. She said we needed to keep this development our little secret or I could be taken away to a breeding mill.  I was looking forward to the promise of sex and leisure for the rest of my life but also felt flatteted that she didn't want to loose me.  Unfortunately my rapidly developing chest was becoming more and more dificult to hide.

One evening Lord Clarr requested my presence in his chamber. I was met at his door and instructed to disrobe. This had never happened before and I wasn't sure what to expect. It was also the first time I had seen him without clothing. He lifted me onto the bed and was told to relax as he began to run his hands all over my body. His mental influence made me desire him more than anything and I became soaked with anticipation.

The sight of his growing erection was thrilling because I knew that he was pleased with me. He spread my legs wide and supported his weight over top of me so I wouldn't be crushed. It was like a feeling of glory and fulfillment as he slowly eased the tip of his shaft inside of me. My breasts were being squeezed firmly as he pushed in deeper. I had to grip the sheets to brace myself when he started thrusting. I could not contain my crys of joy and was hoping Giselle would not hear.

There was an intense sensation building inside me. Suddenly something wonderful immersed my body in thrilling waves of pleasure!  I pressed my face into his chest trying to muffle my scream. Moments later I heard a series of stressful groans and was flooded with his warm juice. He withdrew and rolled onto his back with a sigh of relief.

I just laid there smiling, realizing how much fun it was to breed.

The next day was my own. I strolled through the flower gardens enjoying the aromas that filled the air. I felt privileged to dwell in such a beautiful place. That afternoon as I was on my way to the kitchen for a snack, I overheard Lord Clarr speaking to a colleague.

I kept out of sight and listened. He was going on about some underground remnant of humans that had become resistant to the mind control. He was concerned that this could threaten the Necromancer way. There was an urgent tone to his voice. I became very upset that these evil humans would seek to destroy my wonderful life.

"The Uptown Diner"

As I got my eyes to focus I could see that I was in a dimly lit cement block room. There was just a flickering fluorescent bulb overhead. My head throbbed as I tried to piece together how I had ended up here, totally naked and strapped to a cold metal table. My wrists and ankles were bound tightly with restraints that were biting into my flesh.

"Hello there Bradley," a voice purred from the shadows. A tall woman stepped into my view. "My name is Sarah, and I'm sure you're wondering what's going on."

I could feel my heart pounding. "What is this place and why am I here?!!"

"Don't worry sweetheart, you'll find out soon enough. But first let's get something out of the way."

The woman produced a syringe filled with a clear liquid. "This won't hurt, much" she whispered. There was a mischievous grin as she approached with the needle.

"No, please!" I struggled against the restraints, but it was no use. With stinging pain she injected the liquid right into my ball sack! In just moments I felt a warm sensation rush through my loins. Then there was a strange surging feeling as I noticed my cock suddenly becoming long and firm.

"It works like magic!" she boasted as she stood there fondling my fresh erection. Just then the door to the room opened, and two more women entered pushing a cart laden with various instruments and what looked like a serving dish. One of them spoke up enthusiastically, "Damn Sarah you really hit the jackpot this time."

"Yes, I was pleasantly surprised myself." Sara said as she gently stroked my boner. Then she let go and picked up a glistening metal blade from the cart. "You see Bradley, your manhood is quite valuable. Our restaurant has a very exclusive clientele. They pay top dollar for the finest exotic dishes, and tonight one of the patrons requested a delicious and difficult to obtain, human penis."

I was devastated by the horrifying revelation! I desperately needed to escape from these psychopaths, but how? The restraints were holding me firmly in place. I watched helplessly as the other two began washing my cumbersome shaft.

My stomach churned at the thought. "Please, don't do this. There must be another way."

"I'm afraid not. This is the price you pay for letting a beautiful stranger buy you a drink and not notice the drug she added to it. Now let's get this over with."

As the knife inched closer, I thrashed against the restraints, but it was futile. How could this be happening! I felt the sharp instrument slice into my skin and begin sawing. I cried out in excruciating pain!

With a surge of determination, I focused every ounce of my energy on freeing myself. I pulled against the restraints, feeling them give ever so slightly. The women were too engrossed in their work to notice. I gathered all my strength and pulled again with everything I had. The bindings snapped and I fell to the floor wincing in pain. The women turned in shock, but I didn't waste any time. I grabbed the blade from the floor and lunged at the nearest bitch, thrusting the knife into her side.

She screamed and fell backward. I stumbled to my feet, bloodied and disoriented but determined to escape. I dashed towards the door, hearing the others yelling behind me.

"After him!" one shouted.

I burst into the hallway with my heart pounding. I had to find a way out. I ran blindly, turning corners and dodging obstacles with the sounds of pursuit growing louder.

"There he is!" a voice screeched.

I rounded another corner and skidded to a halt. Before me was a set of stairs leading upwards. Without hesitating I sprinted up ignoring searing pain shooting through my groin and praying this path would lead to freedom.

As I reached the top, I found himself in a large kitchen bustling with activity. Chefs and servers glanced up in surprise, but I didn't stop. I pushed past them hearing dishes crashing to the floor with the exit in sight.

"Stop him!" someone yelled, but I was already through the door, bursting into the night. I ran as fast as I could with the cold air biting at my exposed skin. I was loosing momentum due to the trauma and blood loss. Behind me, I could hear the distant shouts of my pursuers, but I didn't look back. I was running on pure adrenaline and focused on one thing: survival.

I recognized my surroundings and noted the location of that ungodly temple of sin. I vowed to return and burn it to the ground. 

Tales from beyond the pulsing door presents: The Man With Square Teeth

The inaugural installment of TBPD and the inspiration for the series. The man with square teeth is based on a true story, artfully extrapolated. Listeners are encouraged to re-listen to this episode as additional entries are published. For those interested in the grand plot of TBPD, this episode will be your anchor. For all others, enjoy!

This story is available via audio narration via the following links:

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***

I find it strange sometimes, the way someone can get a feeling that crawls alongside them. The sort of…feeling of “being watched” as Buggs Bunny would put it. It’s amazing – we all experience it. And then we tell each other that it’s imagined. I don’t believe in the supernatural because I’ve never seen proof, but there are times where the logical side of my mind does battle with the irrational. This is a tale of one such time.

It started when I got a dog. A floppy little chicken nugget with ruby hair and an inescapable smile. At the time I was living in a gated community – not the nicest of places, but enough sidewalk to get my little pup some exercise. Puppies require multiple walks a day, sometimes within the same hour. January 14^(th) was the first time I took my dog for a walk past the patch of grass that changed my life.

We (the dog and I) were walking along the sidewalk. The glow of dusk had just faded into the silent blanket of night. Him, sniffing and snorting; trotting in front of, beside, and behind me. And me, mostly making sure that I didn’t step on his tail. Then it hit me – like a needle in the back of my neck. I felt…a presence. I snapped up and glanced over my shoulder just in time to see the lights of an apartment pop on. All of the lights. All at once. It took about five or six seconds for me to understand what was happening – it was the model apartment. The one the leasing office shows to people who are interested in renting. I breathed a sigh of relief and continued my walk. What a strange coincidence – that I would turn my head just in time to see those light go on.

The very next evening it happened again. It must have been the same exact time. I couldn’t believe it. But it happened again. The feeling, the look, the lights. This time I was a little more prepared, so it was nowhere near as startling. Yet for some reason, rather than moving along, I felt compelled to look in to the apartment. The blinds, all of the blinds, were drawn such that I could clearly see inside of any room I chose. Looking through the sliding screen door I could see the living room most clearly. It was pristine. The walls were bright and white, like a hospital room. The couch was eggshell and unscuffed. On the brown ottoman sat a tray with some fake silverware, a plate, and a French press. A tasteful sheepskin rung, standing lamp, and light wall décor rounded out the room. It was uncomfortably neat. It was the sort of set up you would expect to see in a 1950s home – a place for everything and everything in its place. But why? Why did it have to be so neat? What consequences awaited anyone who would dare disrupt the pristine setup? I was rambling to myself, so I shook it off and moved on.

For a third night (January 16^(th)) I passed by the apartment again. It was well into the night, and the lights were off this time, which admittedly brought me some comfort. I walked passed the sliding screen door, satisfied. On the way back home I deliberately retraced my steps. As I passed the apartment again, it happened. The lights came on. A chill shot down my body. There was the same setup, perfectly untouched. The lights couldn’t have been on a timer. The past two nights they came on at dusk. The moon was high in the sky this night. So why did they come on? And why do they continue to come on as I walk by? Are they on a motion sensor? If so, why didn’t they come on the first time I walked by? I had had enough of my own questions, and I decided it would be best to take a different route on my evening walks.

A few days went by and I forgot. But then the strangest thing started happening. I don’t remember the exact date it began to happen, but gradually, I found myself gravitating back toward the apartment. Suddenly every night I was walking by the same sliding door. And not on purpose either. In fact, some nights I would deliberately avoid the patch of sidewalk that led past that brightly lit, sterile living room; but for whatever reason I would lose my train of thought, or get distracted. And there it would be. The 20 foot stretch of sidewalk, beckoning my footsteps. Calling me.

Over time my thoughts became more invasive – more erratic. I began to picture the creature that would dwell in this plastic, contrived apartment. I remember one night I stared straight into that screen door, hypnotized, imagining his manifestation. I couldn’t help but picture him in my minds eye. There he would be sitting on that eggshell couch. Dressed well. Clad in a 50’s style pinstriped suit, a bowtie, and a bowler derby hat. And he had always been sitting there. Right there. Clear as day for anyone who focused hard enough to see him. But something was wrong. It was all wrong, in fact. The suit fit him too well. The tie draped straight out from his neck. There was no separation between the hat and his hairless head. Was he even wearing clothes at all?

I leaned in closer. His eyebrows were drawn on…perhaps with marker. His skin was pale and powdered. He sat on the couch staring straight ahead, such that I could see his entire side profile. He had no nose. He had no eyelids. I’m not sure if he understood that people blink. My thoughts raced as my imagination filled in the rest of his structure. His hands were in what appeared to be pockets, but there was no beginning or end. They just faded into his upper thigh. He had no lips. The skin was there, but they lacked the pouty blush that distinguishes lip from skin on the human face. This was a ruse. Why put on such a show? Why even try to convince me that you’re human?

I was ready to leave and keep walking, but my shoes felt as if they were cement. I couldn’t stop staring into the room, picking apart my imaginary man, desperate to make sense of his anatomy. Then something unexpected happened. I lost control of my imagination. What had once been a translucent delusion was now a solid figure sitting before me. Expressionless, he craned his crooked neck in my direction. His head was a perfect 90 degrees east, the remainder of his body completely perpendicular. Slowly, a forced, trembling smile came across his face, exposing 32 perfect squares, residing in his mouth. They were not curved like the human mouth. The angles of his smile were impossible, they made no sense. An the teeth…oh god the teeth – the teeth were perfectly straight, and perfectly square. The same bleached, hygienic white as the walls. And there he sat, impersonating a smile, as if he believed that I would feel less threatened. It was as though I could melt right through the screen door and join him had I wanted. And I felt compelled to. Why did I want to sit down with him?

After what felt like hours I snapped out of my trance and shuffled off, surely leaving my dog quite confused. I checked my watch – I had only been stuck in that fever dream for a minute or two. It was as if time stood still when I was perched in front of that apartment. I didn’t sleep well that night. I couldn’t get those teeth out of my head. Or the smile. Raised eyebrows, crinkled cheeks, the blank spot where a nose should be. It was awful.

I never looked in that apartment again. I would walk past it, despite my best efforts, and note from the corner of my eye that the lights were always on now – even in the day time. I would pass it at night, the living room lamp’s hum somehow audible form my position. Most nights, in addition to the blinding light emanating from the apartment was a blurry dark figure in my peripheral. I dare not look directly through that sliding screed door. What if he was actually sitting there? What if my imagination hadn’t run wild? What if I turned to look and found a horrid creature staring at me, waiting to catch my glance? What if all he needed was my attention to lure me in? What if that smile was real?

A few months later I moved. I never had to walk past that dreaded apartment again. I thought that would be the end. But I’ve never been a hard sleeper. Many nights I’ll wake up and, just for a moment, feel the presence of the man I’ve seen before. Even as I write this now I can picture him, sitting quietly, waiting. I dream of him sometimes. In most dreams he can’t see me. But once in a while he can. And I know that he can because in that moment it happens again. My feet become heavy, my eyes gloss over, and the turns to show me his two-dimensional, uninterpretable smile. I fear that no matter where I go, or how many years pass by I will be unable to escape him. The man who quietly haunts the corners of my darkest delusions. The man with square teeth.

Overgrowth

Deep in the rainforest a mushroom simply named “The Prosperity Mushroom”, with special properties was found. Every plant that was in contact with its mycelium had grown exponentially in size. Bananas the length of an adult male's arm, and mangos twice the size of a soccer ball. The possibilities were endless with this miracle fungus, if only I could make the food grown edible. The issue I keep running into is that the toxicity of the mushroom ends up in the end product. Any food grown and eaten would force the consumer into a violent fit of hallucinations and hysteria. Due to the side effect, the entire project is kept under wraps at a secret location. 

Funded by the US government, my team has tried almost everything to get something to grow. Every combination of fruit and vegetable. Some have much success, some never even start. All of them have the same issue with toxicity. Laura, Bryant, Ahmed, and myself were ready to give up on the entire project. To keep any trace of this mushroom from being cultivated, and sold on the drug market we were poised to destroy it entirely. 

As the last of the Prosperity Mushroom was placed into the furnace, Bryant spoke up and asked me to hold off. He had an idea that may turn the project around, and actually yield viable results. He wanted to mix the Prosperity Mushroom with another fungus, while at the same time growing a plant with a creeping vine to help boost viability. He chose the Chaga mushroom for its detoxing abilities, and pumpkin as that was one of the vegetables we had left in the seedling stage.

Ahmed and Laura helped with the process and I oversaw their procedure. Almost immediately we saw results. The vines stretched out fast enough for the eye to actually see. It was truly magical watching this plant grow before our eyes. I ran to get a camera to record our progress, and by the time I came back the vines of the plant had extended far out in every direction. Giant golden flowers started to bud along the thick green tendrils. The bed we used for growing the plant could hardly contain the entirety of the massive plant.

I congratulated my team on a job well done. Making sure to give Bryant credit for coming up with this idea. Exhausted from being awake for endless hours, I asked them to watch over the plant. That if it starts to bear any pumpkins to come and get me. I volunteered to be the first one to consume the vegetable. The master keycard was left with Bryant in case of emergency. I made my way to my room, and with great confidence fell fast asleep on my cot. I dreamt of my team being credited with ending hunger around the world. Of our discovery being used in Space, where astronauts could grow food in conditions that didn’t allow anything to grow.

I took a huge inhale as I shot up from my sleep. The usual recycled air that dried up my nostrils, occasionally leading to nosebleeds, had a much more natural feel to it now. There was some moisture held within, and a subtle earthy scent filled my nose and lungs. It brought a smile to my face as I made my way toward the lab. My body came to a stop of its own free will. As I turned the corner to the long hallway leading toward the lab, vines covered the floors and walls. It clung to the ceiling as I could watch it growing toward me. Gigantic yellow and white flower buds scattered throughout this jungle of a corridor.

I called out to my colleagues, and waited a few seconds for a response. Tangled in the vines I saw movement. An unnatural jerking of human limbs, and vine wrestled free from entanglement. It fell to the floor on its back, frantically trying to roll to its stomach. Finally righting itself, the creature stood on four feet. It was clumsy in its first steps, tripping over vines and bumping into the wall. After it stumbled a few steps its head jerked in my direction. Its dark green face opened up, and it let out a weak screech. In the blink of an eye it dashed in my direction. Still clumsy in its movements I turned and ran. The nearest door was the quarantine room, used for when we tested the produce. As I slammed the button to close the magnetic door, the creature had reached its hand inside trying to grab me. With a creak the creature’s forearm was separated from its body and twitched on the floor. I backed to the other side of the room, until my back was against the wall. The creature screamed and frantically slammed against the door.

I stood in shock watching the hand of the creature convulse and then stop. As it did, the green turned brown and started to shrivel up into itself. The creature on the other side of the door had gone silent. I searched the room for any protective gear I could find. Luckily in case of emergency we had a hazmat kit inside of the quarantine room. I put on a respirator and protective suit. I had no weapon available, but I was going to make a run to the supply room nearby. Inside were plenty of tools used in the cultivation of the plants we grew. As I made my way to the door, I stopped to examine the dried up hand on the floor. It was exactly like the dried up vines of a pumpkin. On the hand was a finger with a small diamond ring. It was Laura’s hand. The realization of my colleagues being turned into these abominations made me sick to my stomach.

I hit the button on the wall to open the door, ready for a clash with Laura. Luckily she had scurried off, probably back into the vines. The vegetation was already growing around the corner, inching closer to me by the second. I walked slowly and quietly toward the supply room. After a couple moments I approached the door. I pulled it open with a creak, and as the automatic lights turned on Laura was standing in the middle of the room. Her back was toward me. When the lights turned on her head started jerking in all different directions at the change in her environment.

She hadn’t noticed my presence yet, and the machetes were in between her and I. I stepped further into the room, approaching the shelves. I silently pulled a machete off the rack, always keeping an eye on Laura. With the blade in hand I stepped closer to my colleague. When I was a couple feet away I said her name. She swung around to meet my gaze, face opened revealing the thorns that filled the void. I called her name again, her head cocked unnaturally to the side. A chittering sound, similar to that of a rattlesnake came from deep inside her.

She moved quickly as she lunged toward me. No longer clumsy, she grabbed my arm as I tried to back away. Her rough skin and strong grip tore at my protective suit. I swung the machete at her forearms, hacking both off with a single blow. She showed no reaction to the pain, as new arms started to regrow. She sprinted toward me, and shouldered me against the wall. I shoved back, and raised my machete as she stumbled backward. Arms and hands now both fully regrown she lunged for me again. This time I brought the blade down on her cranium, slicing clean through the brain cavity. The creature dropped to the floor, and blood poured out from the wound.

I waited for Laura to begin to heal, but it never happened. Her body turned brown, and started to shrivel up just like her hand before. I stepped to examine her to find that the inside of the head still contained her brain. That must have been the reason why she knew to go to the supply room and wait for me. She knew that I would need something to protect myself. If Laura knew that, then Bryant and Ahmed knew that I needed the master keycard to escape the lab. I grabbed a second machete, and lassoed it around my wrist. I stepped out into the hallway, which was now overtaken by gigantic creeping vines.

I stepped back into the hall, half expecting it to grab me and turn me into an abomination. The tendrils didn’t seem to notice me being there, so I proceeded toward the lab. Stepping carefully to not trip over the roots. The further I walked, the more dense the vegetation became. The budding flowers had now bloomed, and were filling the halls with pollen. The pollen was similar to walking through a smokescreen, making it hard to see even a few feet in front of me.

As I approached the doors to the lab, a chittering sound droned from behind me. I turned and raised my machetes ready to defend myself. Nothing was there, yet the sound kept getting louder. Then suddenly the sound came to a halt. I frantically looked around for the abomination, searching the dense air for any sign of movement. Content that the worst was ahead of me, I turned slowly to enter the lab. As I did, a hand reached down from the ceiling, grabbing at my face. I lunged backward, away from my assailant. Losing my respirator in the process.

I took a shallow breath in, and it felt like I had inhaled hell itself. That was when I realized, it wasn’t pollen that had filled the hallways. It was spores, and they were now filling my lungs. I writhed on the floor in agony, my lungs searing hot. I was in so much pain that I hadn’t realized that the hand that had grabbed my face was now around my throat. A mouth was opening, revealing the pitch black, thorned darkness inside. As it neared my face I shoved as hard as I could at the creature’s chest, knocking it to its back. I attempted to roll to my feet, but my arm was grabbed by the creature. The sharp thorns on its arm dug deep into my wrist. Blood began pooling inside of my suit. I kicked the monster hard in the chest, its grip slipping and letting go. Realizing I still had a blade strapped to me, I held it tight in my hand. I swung down on the creature's head, freeing my colleague from his prison.

I felt around for my respirator, and put it back on. The burning slowed as I stopped inhaling the spores in the air. Feeling dizzy from the loss of blood, I sat down with my back on the door of the lab. I ripped off my belt and wrapped it tight around my arm in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. The light in my mind was beginning to fade, but I couldn’t stop now. I was so close to getting out of this nightmare. I forced myself to my feet, and shoved the door open. The lab had been transformed into a vined jungle. I jumped in fear as a loud splat filled the room. Looking up, I saw enormous pumpkins growing along the ceiling. I watched another giant pumpkin fall and explode as it hit the ground. Seeds shot out across the room.

Then I saw another creature, standing between me and the way out. Around its neck hung the master keycard. It was Bryant, and he had slowly started walking toward me. He was hunched over, his body tweaking as he approached me. I kept the distance between us, until my back hit the wall. Bryant began to chitter with excitement as he got closer to me. The dizziness had really begun to take effect, rendering me unable to move. Bryant was now just a few feet away, his arms outstretched reaching for me. With my vision now almost completely black, I watched a pumpkin land directly on his head. It exploded as it made contact, pelting me with seeds. They managed to find their way inside my tattered safety suit. I watched Bryant’s flattened head smack against the floor. Then I blacked out.

I have no clue how long I was on the ground for. When I woke up, the bleeding had stopped. I plucked the keycard off of Bryants neck. As I clumsily approached the exit I felt like my body had become very stiff. My bones seemed to creak with every step. With almost no coordination, I slammed the keycard against the scanner. The door opened and the last bit of light for the day hit me in the face. In the darkness of the lab, I hadn’t noticed the new green hue to my skin. I put my hands in my mouth, to find rows of thorns had replaced my teeth. With a hazmat suit full of seeds, I started to walk. I walked toward the sun setting on the city that was less than a night's walk away.

Well.. I did not think much about it, and did not wanted to share it...

I work in Iceland in a hotel. It is quite stressfull enviroment and we have alot of meetings. They are usualy causal, just me and my coworkers sitting in a managers office and talk...

It started last year... one day is repeating... I cannot really say, if the Whole day... I dont really investigated it, I am quite busy person and I dont have much mental energy left to dive deep into it.. But!

My job is mostly stereotypical, which is why I did not payed alot of attention to it.. I just thought "it just seems like its repeating, because you do the same routine every day" ...

But the truth is, that I just cannot understand, how can I do ALMOST everything the same every day.. it is not That stereotypical :D

---This Dejavu is like this, .. I am coming to work... Ill greet my two coworkers.. go to do my job , talk to couple of people... then on a break, I ll go to the managers office, where other 2 coworkers join me. We sit and laugh and complaint about some people. My manager is drinking a energy drink, one of my coworkers eating snickers. My coworker is standing next to me, and I sit on a chair closer to the door.. than I get a strange feeling, like I am looking at this situation from Above ( edit: more like in the tunel from above.. like you just see clearly the middle, everything else is out of focus) ... like not that my "spirit" left the body and is flying above me... just my consiousness is kind of aware, that I am not in a cotroll of this situation... everything seems to be simulated.. not real.. as I remember, I can almost predict who will say what, who is going to stand / sit where, what jokes are they going to use etc.. then I ALWAYS say "Wtf? This already happened! this is Dejavu!".. right then I have something like a flashback to all the previous times, it happened... My coworkers just stare at me, and my manager says something like " you said it the last time" .. and we laugh a bit... idk.. strange ... ----

Then I usually forget right away, that this happened, as we are quite busy at work... (Edit: I forget it right away, just the strange feeling left.. and I have a broken shattered partial memory of that situation...)

I just randonly remembered today, that this is happening, so I wanted to share that here.. it happened at least 10-15 times... always the same.. It does not really have a meaning...

I am quite rational person with 2 university diplomas... I have 60 people under me in my department.. I dont concider myself a person, that is easely self conviced about something like that.. quite opposite... I consider myself a sceptic... Also.. it did not happened 1-2 times.. but at least 10 ( As I remember ) or probably more...

What do you think? Does someone has same experience?

If anyone has any interesting scary stories they would like to be narrated, let me know! Send me the link and permission! :D

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