Illustrated Short Stories
He was waiting for his father. His Dad. One of the hunters.
The swift machines came gliding through the big opening they called the Gape.
One day he would be a hunter himself, he thought. One day, when he was proven worthy.
Another machine came by, yet another could be seen in the sky.
The little planes came through, in from the world outside, the Vast. One by one they flew by. His father was not among them.
The sun went down…
-It’s coming this way! Jerome the bell-ringer was shouting, almost screaming, his heart beating wildly. -Please, God! Help us!
Father Juan was staring towards the horizon. They had heard the rumours. A monster. Centipede body, mantis eyes. Big as a mountain. Destroying villages, castles and cities along its way.
-Only one thing can save us now… Come, follow me!
Jerome hurried after the priest as he ran down the stairs of the clock tower. They entered the door to the private chambers. A staircase went deep down underneath the cathedral cellars, a staircase Jerome never knew existed. At the end of a long corridor rusty hinges shrieked as the priest pulled an old door open.
The room was dark and humid, smelled of rot and dirt. The light from the fire torch fell on a small crystal box in a corner. The book inside was old, very old. It had strange marks on it, runes and symbols. Unholy…
A lonely paradise
in the darkest groves
Beauty
Safety
Death.
Come to me, come…
my child
Alone
forever
I made the sketch and draft for this many years ago, and it’s been…
Deep inside, he was, and he knew he was. Milliards of cells communicating with each other, innumerable connections close to infinity, existing beyond what they were capable of understanding themselves.
Contemplating, interacting with the world.
Creating something never seen before.
No one ever went close to the old house on top of the hill. The last family who lived there fled in a couple of weeks. Others before them had not been as lucky.
Now a car was driving up the driveway. Two children came out from the back seat. The driver helped their mother inside with some boxes and suitcases befre he drove off.
A shadow was watching from the window. Once again they would invade his home, once again he would have to defend his property. Just because he was dead, they thought they could come and take what was his.
They would regret this…
Cong stared over Mike’s shoulder. Mike turned slowly around. A tentacle rose up beside the boat, Another took grip on the fence.
Alaaaaaarrrm!!! Cong screamed. Huang, the last of the crew came running up on deck, pulling his pants up. He stopped. Mike was pulled out into the water right in front of him. He disappear in the waves.
Cong grabbed a machete from the table, charged. He cut one of the monstrous arms.
Grab something! He screamed to Huang. Fight!
Huang grabbed an oar, went running towards another arm. Something grabbed the oar, pulled it out of his hand. A huge eye were staring at him…
