Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Sanctuary

by John Xero


Find somewhere high, somewhere safe. Hide.

The white noise of the monsoon-born storm transcended anything Simon had experienced in England, it was deafening and terrible, biblical. The walls rattled and shook and he feared the chapel would be torn apart.

The locals had warned him of such weather, and the things it drove above ground: things better left unseen, unimagined.

He shivered and pulled the blanket around himself. Superstitious nonsense.

He almost missed the rough shouting, half-stolen by the storm. Then there was a heavy, urgent thumping on the doors. He went to unbar them. Some company would be good.






(Originally written for Lily Childs' Friday Prediction)
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26 comments:

  1. R.S. Bohn15 February 2012 at 12:58

    Hehehe. Sanctuary, indeed.

    I hope it's Cthulhu.

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    1. John Xero16 February 2012 at 07:40

      Ha ha! =D

      Thanks, Rebecca. I'm not sure Cthulhu would be so polite as to knock... ;)

      Delete
  2. Zaiure16 February 2012 at 20:55

    Who is at the door? Is it someone looking for help... or something better left unimagined. ;)

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    Replies
    1. John Xero17 February 2012 at 13:16

      Oh... I'll leave that to your imagination... I'm sure it'll do a fine job, Zaiure... ;)

      Delete
  3. Peter Newman17 February 2012 at 13:08

    I bet it's somebody come to read the meter. Those folk come at the strangest times...

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    1. John Xero17 February 2012 at 13:19

      Ha! =)

      Or a special delivery... "sign here, please, pay no mind to the teeth and claws..."

      Delete
  4. Emma Newman17 February 2012 at 15:44

    Killer last line sir, I take my hat off to you. x

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  5. Jack Holt17 February 2012 at 18:05

    "It's a High Hide. A High Hide! See you go up and you hide, high."
    "Actually it'll put them at a very convenient biting height."

    I was thinking of this, for some reason. ;-)

    Nice work!

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    Replies
    1. John Xero17 February 2012 at 18:40

      "Ooh, aah", that's how it always starts. But then there's running and screaming. ;)

      Thanks, Jack. =)

      Delete
  6. Larry Kollar17 February 2012 at 18:18

    Someone's knocking at the door, somebody's ringing the bell.

    Always listen to the locals.

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    Replies
    1. John Xero17 February 2012 at 18:45

      Ha, we English have never been so good at listening to the locals, always think we know better... ;)

      Delete
  7. Tony Noland17 February 2012 at 20:01

    Great feel to this. Ignore the locals at your peril, indeed!

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  8. Cat Russell18 February 2012 at 03:28

    Yikes! So... he's that desperate for company? Hopefully he'll still be needing his imagination after his guests arrive!

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  9. Adam B18 February 2012 at 03:46

    I hope the thing at the door is selling Girl Scout biscuits or Avon products. Loved the description of the monsoon storm.
    Adam B @revhappiness

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  10. Steve Green18 February 2012 at 13:23

    "Something wicked this way comes"

    Open the door Simon... and let's see what the wind blows in ...

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    Replies
    1. John Xero18 February 2012 at 14:26

      Thanks, Steve. =)

      I seem to have put everyone in mind of a quote or other, this week.

      'Opening the door' is such a classic horror fulcrum, isn't it?

      Delete
  11. Sonya19 February 2012 at 01:26

    The idea of weather driving "things" from below ground is deeply spooky. Very nice!

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    1. John Xero19 February 2012 at 07:07

      Rising water levels and all that... who's to say that vermin are the only things living below... ;)

      Thank you, Sonya.

      Delete
  12. Helen A. Howell19 February 2012 at 03:30

    Oh dark, chilling! Don't open the door do you hear me!! ^__^

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    1. John Xero19 February 2012 at 07:08

      Ha ha! If I've got you shouting at the screen, Helen, I'm doing something right! ;D

      Delete
  13. Katherine Hajer21 February 2012 at 01:40

    I've been in a rainfall at the tail end of monsoon season that was bad enough. Being stuck in a monsoon *and* there's nasty stuff coming out of the ground... eeek.

    I sense this will not end well.

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    Replies
    1. John Xero21 February 2012 at 14:50

      Yeah, I don't think he's having a good day, Katherine... ;)

      Delete

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