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."

The Horror Of The Mountain - PART 5

The fishermen were returning. Clarice was the first to discover the little person who waved in a desperate way.

"It's Carol!"

"She's happy to see us, that's for sure", Douglas said.

They finally reached the shore and heard her words.

"Patrick is bleeding! A monster has bitten him! We need help!"

Douglas turned pale. He and Stanley jumped into the water and rushed up to Carol. Ellie joined them - her eyes spurted with tears - in their reckless rush into the forest. Lynn was left behind with Maggie, James and the twins. A thought crossed her mind. Joseph!

"I hope nothing has happened to him! Follow the others, I'll join you later on!"

They caught a glimpse of Patrick, who was unconscious. Ellie shooked with sobbing.

"Lynn's sister is a doctor, she has taught her a lot", said Stanley. "We've got a first-aid kit."

Maggie couldn't remember if she'd ever ran that fast and that long. They finally approached the caravans. Lynn emerged, carrying Joseph.

"How is he?" Stanley asked. "Is he alright?"

"Yes, thank God! What about Patrick?"

"His arm has been ripped", said Douglas. "Stanley said that your sister is a doctor and that she has taught you a thing or two. You've got a first-aid kit...."

"Let's go inside our caravan", Lynn decided. "Maggie, take care of Joseph and the twins. They've seen enough."

Lynn dabbed cotton balls with healing ointment and wiped off blood.

"What are we going to do?" Ellie cried. "What can we do?"

"I'll wrap up his arm with this bandage. But that's not enough. It's a long way to the nearest hospital, but my sister works there - she knows more than me. She'll sew this wound. Patrick has lost a great deal of blood."

"We'll go at once", said Stanley. "Believe me Ellie, it's best for you to remain here. The twins and James will need you."

Lynn's sister Louise immediately took care of Patrick. A male doctor told them they could breathe out. Douglas placed himself in an armchair in the waiting room.

"Stan, I understand if you're frightened", he said. "So am I. But this won't change anything. We're going to camp out, relax and have fun. We'll stay."

"Listen to me, Douglas. I've got good reasons to believe Patrick was attacked by a puma or something like that. Remember those pictures at The Zoo? They showed injuries caused by wild animals. Suppose there's a puma somewhere. In that case, it'll be dangerous to remain here."

"Don't forget my gun", said Douglas. "I killed wolves once upon a time. A puma mustn't destroy our vacation."

Stanley sighed.

The Horror Of The Mountain - PART 4

"Let's go to the forest! Do you think the stump is still there? The one we found last year?"

"But Mum said...."

"We'll be back before they return. And Joseph is sleeping like a log. Nobody's going to run away with him."

Carol and Patrick started to walk and eagerly kept a lookout for 'the stump'. Well, it wasn't that remarkable. But to them, it represented a border. The stump concealed a whole world. You could meet nice animals with large legs, or bad animals like the grey eagles. They'd come at any time and their crying made the blood froze.

Carol pretended she'd become a fairy. Patrick observed the path which lead to the mountains.

"Don't go away! Don't leave me here!"

"I'll be right back", Patrick mumbled.

"The grey eagles will take you!"

Patrick disappeared behind the large trees.

"I didn't see anything", he boldly proclaimed, happily brushing the needles off. "We should go back to Joseph and..."

Patrick saw Carol's face and immediately became silent. Her eyes were filled with horror.

"Behind you", she whispered. "Behind you."

Both of them screamed. They saw an approaching animal. Its pattern of behaviour was threatening and aggressive. It suddenly attacked Patrick. This was the monster, the horror from the mountain....

He saw the jaws of the monster, he felt a terrible pain. Scraps of flesh spurted out on the ground. Patrick bawled. Carol threw a stone towards the monster. It ran away at lightning speed. Carol's hands still quivered as she cuddled up against Patrick. His forearm was all bloody. She ran towards the lake - there was no time to lose.