The Shell II - PART 2

Jordan sighed. The plastic bag laid in his desk drawer, waiting for his attention. They'd found it on the previous evening, he and the other three enthusiasts. The bag had been buried in a clod of earth - totally untouched. Jordan decided to open it. There were lots of dirt, grass and dead insects. The digging in the bag was a tedious doing. Jordan fell asleep.

He woke up an hour later and felt something trickle down his cheek..... Blood! There was something sharp beneath the dirt, he had a slight wound in the forehead. He digged freneticly and found a fan-shaped shell. Its stench made him turn his nose up. The shell seemed to be a little bit charred. A red liquid made his finger wet. The drop quickly coagulated.

Uncle Jeffrey's face was fiery red.

"My niece? Are you saying that my niece has been treated with LSD -- for the period of a year?!"

Sandie overheard the call.

"Mr Knives", dr Brown kindly said. "I don't think you understand this...."

"You're nuts!" Jeffrey screamed.

Dr Brown sighed.

"I have different methods of working. I'll give you the necessary syringes...."

"Not on your life!!"

Sandie hung up. Dr Brown had injected a drug in her blood....

A few days later, she had her first bout against the abstinence. She had to get to the hospital, dr Brown had to give her the drug. She kept her plan to herself, but still looked back after each bend of the road. If Jeffrey chased her in this heat, he really was a fool. The pain in her head got worse. Downhill and uphill again.... The trees became blurred. She suddenly caught a glimpse of a big white building which resembled the hospital.... The bike tipped over.

The Shell II - PART 1

After the lapse of one year, Sandie is finally discharged from the hospital. To her horror, she discovers that she has been treated with LSD. While the addiction is growing stronger, traces of a certain object suddenly appear. The shell from the nightmares....

Sandie stared into space. Today, she'd escape from this miserable existence - she'd forget about the accident.

"Doctor Brown wants to see you."

She turned around and saw the young nurse who was patiently waiting for her.

Doctor Brown was the most unbearable physician in the entire hospital. But he was also the most handsome - and consequently a favourite with the vain and immature nurses. He was responsible for Sandie's medicines and case books.

"You'll be discharged today. How do you feel?"

His disagreeable smile made her shudder inside.

"Good. My uncle will come here, he's visiting an old friend near by and...."

"I know. He asked me to tell you about....."

"What has happened?"

"Your aunt Mandy and your cousin Thomas have been killed in a car accident."

Visual pictures suddenly started to rush about in her brain, like a quick multislide presentation. Mandy and Thomas?

A dark-haired nurse entered the room. She greedily run her eye over doctor Brown.

"Nurse Norah, please hold Sandie's hand while I take out the necessary things."

"Yes, doctor Brown", the cringing voice said. "By the way.... I'm working late tonight...."

"Give her 3 injections", Brown said, ignoring the sensual tone. "Be quick about it."

Sandie clenched her teeth. She saw doctor Brown and nurse Norah leave the room. The darkness surrounded the little bunk.

Sandie shut her eyes. Croaking sounds filled her head. Strange purple fishes swam above her, beneath her, behind her. She heard loud voices. The nightmares from the past had been put to flight. For the time being.

The Shell - PART 2

She tore the door open and looked around. Everything seemed to be alright. The shells were in their aquariums. But the strange sound was unpleasant. Where did it came from? Sandie remembered the big, stinking shell. The sight of it made her scream. It was covered by a red liquid which suddenly split up. Little green lumps slowly arose. It was five enormous worms with bodies resembling cactuses and bloodshot eyes.

Sandie flinched. The worms were getting out of the aquarium. They would attack her. Unless.... She grabbed a spade and waved with it. One of the worms immediately attacked her middle finger. Sandie had never felt such a pain. It cut through her entire body.

Ten minutes later, she woke up. In the beginning, she only heard drawn out screams and distant voices. She laid on the floor, surrounded by red pools of blood which smelled like the shell. Aunt Mandy and uncle Jeffrey bended over her. Jeffrey held a pistol.

"The worms are dead", Mandy said. "I'll take you to a hospital."

Only then, Sandie discovered that one of her fingers were gone.

"I'll stay here", Jeffrey muttered.

"Are you angry?" Sandie asked.

"No, of course not. Your cousins could have done the same thing. I'll set the shells on fire."

As Sandie looked out of the car window, she could see the nightmare be burnt out.

The End

The Shell - PART 1

Sandie didn't recognize the house. It had undergone a total restoration, but then her aunt and uncle had always wanted a basement. Its little windows attracted her attention.

"What's in there?"

"I'll show you", uncle Jeffrey calmly said.

She noticed that the cold increased at the very bottom of the basement. Jeffrey suddenly stopped in front of a big door and opened it. They entered a hall full of wooden benches. At a distance, Sandie caught a glimpse of some aquariums.

"What's in them?" she asked.

"Shells".

Sandie sighed.

"Perhaps not that interesting to you", Jeffrey admitted. "But it's my hobby. I've collected them ever since I was a kid."

Sandie glanced at the biggest aquarium. She saw a gigantic shell, almost wide open.

"Oh, that one is special", Jeffrey mumbled. "I don't know what to do with it. It smells terrible."

He walked away and didn't notice that Sandie was left behind. She opened the aquarium and observed the shell. A disgusting smell immediately met her. You'd think it was spew.

"I've got to help Eric with his homework", Jeffrey shouted. "I don't mind if you stay down here - as long as you keep an eye on the shells."

"No problem!"

She heard him shut the door and got an idea: she would open one of the bottles and pour out a little into the shell. Sandie seized the black bottle and got the cork out. The liquid was black as well. What if she'd pour out more of them? What would happen? She'd always liked experiments.

In a little while, ten bottles were empty and lined up in front of her. The shell was besmeared, the liquids ran into the hole. Sandie was worried about the bottles. She'd have to hide them, otherwise Jeffrey would discover her experiment. A safe-deposit box became the rescue. And she was lucky. It wasn't locked.

During the dinner, Sandie pretended to listen to aunt Mandy.

"Come on, tell us", she eagerly said. "What's down there? Jeffrey is so secretive."

"Shells", Sandie answered. "Nothing but shells."

"Really?" Aunt Mandy disappointedly said.

"Unfortunately", Jeffrey laughed. "No swimming-pool, no doll house, no statue. Just my shells...and their liquids. I don't want them to decay...."

A rapid thought dashed through Sandie's head. Something was wrong.

"I must go down again", she resolutely said.

"What?" Mandy exclaimed. "But my strawberry ice cream...."

"I'll eat it later."

The Hidden Horror

Corinne knocked at the door. It was opened by a tall man in a black jacket.

"I assume that you want a room. Any particular number?"

"Number 17, please."

The man took out a file and started to turn over the pages.

"You're actually my first guest today. Nowadays, this place is quite empty - it was different when my father was alive. He painted the sign out there...."

Corinne looked around in the little room. Paintings depicting rabbits covered the walls.

"My father was fond of rabbits. Sign your name here...."

Corinne made a careless signature.

"Well, you've got the key. My name is Michael De Boute."

The room was plain. It consisted of a brown wardrobe, a big window, a black desk and a single bed.

"This door leads to the basement", Michael said. "At one time, my father used it as a laboratory."

"Laboratory?"

Corinne knitted her eyebrows.

"Let me explain. My father was extremely decent, he never used animals in his experiments. However, he prepared medicines for them. He never used animals in his experiments, the very thought of it would have shocked him. My father...."

"Don't worry, I believe you", Corinne said in a low voice. "I need something to drink."

"Yes, of course. I have a hunch that there's a bottle of champagne somewhere."

De Boute poured out the refreshment. Corinne stared at the grey door, the door leading to the basement. Michael was hiding something behind it, something secret....

"Thank you very much. I'd like to go to bed, I'll get up early tomorrow."

Michael smiled.

"Good night then."

Corinne cuddled up in the bed and quickly fell asleep. She was awakened by a piercing scream. It was Michael.... And it came from the basement.... Corinne opened the grey door. She saw a preciptous staircase. Michael laid on the stone floor. A large white rabbit was hanging over him - but it no longer resembled a rabbit. The body had enormous proportions and the teeth were dripping with blood.

"Shoot it!" Michael screamed.

He pointed at the gun on the wall. Corinne tore it off and aimed at the terrifying animal. At the same moment, she caught sight of a large white poster on a cage.

CAUTION. Experiment number 29.

It made her blood run cold. It was true.... She took the gun and pulled the trigger of. The large rabbit collapsed.

The End

The Horror Of The Mountain - PART 7

James shouted at the twins to shut their eyes. Lynn pressed Carol close herself, trembling with sobbing. The little girl was dead. Ellie hugged her sister-in-law.

The two pumas got hold of Patrick's shoulders. Stanley and Douglas were tearing at each of his legs.

"Let go of my son", Douglas growled. "Let go of my son, you carcass!"

A third puma joined them. It tore off Stanley's hands. Lynn fainted. The twins fell backwards into the water. The two pumas immediately attacked them. Ellie Treeton saw their mutilated arms and legs sink down to the bottom. A cascade of water demolished the bloody surface. The fourth puma slashed Ellie's stomach.

Maggie cried.

"Mum! Mum! Wake up!"

But Lynn didn't move. Douglas desperately tried to defend himself against two pumas.

"James!" Maggie screamed. "Fetch the gun!!"

James ran to his family's caravan and tore the door open. He knew that the gun was in the chest. And the key was hidden away under a hat. James grabbed the gun and ran out. He fell on the gravel. The delay became devastating.

He rushed down to the lake and shouldered the gun.

"Dad!!" he bawled. "Maggie!! Do you hear me?"

It was dead silent. James looked through his binocular. Not a living soul.... It meant that....

"Joseph", James thought to himself. "Joseph."

The End

The Horror Of The Mountain - PART 6

Upon his return, Patrick attracted a great deal of unreserved attention. The twins touched his arm and peeked at the stitches. Douglas wept a few tears, Ellie practically drowned little Joseph's voice.

Three days later, Maggie, Sam and Clarice took a walk in the forest. On the way home, Clarice wanted to play hide-and-seek among the trees. She had found a perfect hiding-place under the cover of a large branch. Maggie would never be able to find her. Clarice suddenly heard distant sounds. Paws tramping on the path, a growling.... She gave a cry and rushed up to Maggie.

"Monsters! They'll eat us, they'll eat us!"

"You're mistaken", said Maggie. "There are no monsters."

"They're here!" Sam whined.

"Let's go back", Maggie mumbled. "Come on."

About twenty metres from the base camp, dozens of pumas kept a sharp eye on the families....

July 23th was a hot day.

"Let's go to the lake!" Douglas shouted. "We'll have the sun chairs, the radio, the ice cream.... It'll be terrific!"

Patrick and Carol were diving. They saw lots of crabs and tried to seize them, but the little shellfishes were too quick. Carol caught sight of something else, something on the shore.... It appeared to be large, very large.... As she carefully approached it, she felt an inconceivable pain. The puma had scratched her neck. Patrick screamed. Another puma plunged into the water and seized his foot.

Stanley gesticulated on the shore.

"Hey! Anybody seen Carol and Patrick?"

Douglas and Lynn immediately jumped into the water. Ellie remained in the sun chair - deathly pale and ready to cry.

"What about Sammy and Clary?!" she screamed.

"Don't worry, Mom", said James. "They're with me - on my back."

Maggie suddenly caught sight of Carol.

"Oh no. Oh no."