()%The Thing Within #ONC2023

Chapter 4

Remembering the crevice once more, I searched for it against the walls, but no such luck. I fumbled around along the walls for a while, and my hands touched a few things, flipping them like switches. At once, the sound of a motor-like engine began revving in the background. One by one, lights lit up, some breaking not long afterward, until only half continued to glow. Still, it was enough to illuminate the cavity and everything inside. And that's when I saw it—a strange spongy circular shape at the end of the sunlight, at the base of the floor that sloped higher in that spot. At the front of it, a semi-circular piece of glass, with the bottom part broken off, was held in place by a wooden frame. Looking at the floor, right beneath it, lay a thick piece of glass, matching the missing piece overhead. Was it through this that I'd seen the creature crawling?

Danny walked up to me, noticing it, too. "What is that?" he asked.

"This must have broken the day I discovered the dome. It must have been caused by the earthquake! And after it cracked, I remembered seeing—." I paused, knowing all too well the comments that would follow should I entertain such a discussion.

"The sound's not intensified anymore. I can't hear a thing you all are saying," Ben shouted down, his words echoing through the dome. The deafening noise was gone.

Danny, Sam, and I stared at him, open-mouthed.

Sam tried saying a few more words, but the effect was the same. How strange! Perhaps a switch had done something to the sound system. That was a good thing. The noise was way too deafening, anyway.

We turned our attention back to the broken glass before us. Reaching out, Danny tugged at it, which, to my astonishment, fell onto the floor without shattering. With it came most of its wooden edge, part of which turned to powder at the point of its impact on the dusty floor.

By now everyone, except Ben, had descended and begun approaching it, a look of wonder written on their faces.

Oliver bent down to examine the wood. "Interesting," he said, looking up at everyone. "Parts of the wood have given in to dry rot."

Simon shook his head. "This dome is that ancient? Amazing!" he replied.

While they discussed the rotting wood, I turned to look at the spongy material before me. Instinctively, I touched it and recoiled at its temperature. It felt unbelievably hot, not burning hot, but hot all the same.

Everyone took turns touching it, equally awed.

I slid my hand through it and pulled it out to see droplets of water coating my arm. I looked at the others, who looked equally intrigued. A thought struck me, and captivated by what was before me, I thought of one thing only. I was going in. Without thinking, I walked in, surprised that I could.

The temperature dropped drastically, as I pushed past several layers of spongy, heated material, mixed with droplets of a water-like substance that sprinkled over me. Stopping, I peered over my shoulder. I saw Danny, and judging from the others' voices, I knew everyone was right behind me. Thinking the passage was much longer, I pressed on with great speed until I soon reached the end of the passage. The passage was only about five feet wide! How unexpected! Still, it made sense. When the creature had crawled through, its huge body must have held it open, allowing me to see the daylight.

My eyes opened wide in disbelief as I looked upon a bluish-gray icy world where the desolate night sky with its heavy gray clouds loomed like a death-like cloak over the land, masking the stars' dim glow. Stars! The legend was real. All this time, there lurked another world right within our grasp—a world that we were also a part of.

I must have stood there, oblivious to everyone's wonderment, as I stared out into space amidst fragments of awe-inspiring expressions that filled the quiet night.

My trance was short-lived, however, as a revolting wail filled the blackness. Looking around, I spotted someone a little distance away, lying between a few pine trees clothed with fresh snow. I hurried over and in my haste almost went tumbling over a precipice so high I'd meet my death if I'd fallen over. Steadying myself, I peered over to see our mission commander, Danny, hanging over the edge, holding onto Oliver's hand. I held my breath as Danny grabbed onto Oliver's other hand and yanked himself over the ledge so fast it made my heart race. Thank heavens he was alright, I thought, moving away from the edge of the precipice.

Sam's voice drew my attention. "Did anyone hear that?" he asked.

I turned to see him walking in the direction opposite the precipice, his eyes scanning the terrain. He stopped suddenly. "You've got to be kidding me!" he said.

Everyone hastened over to him.

I followed along, my headlight illuminating the way. And then I saw it—the creature I'd seen only three months ago, wailing and flaring its multiple limbs about. But this time it wasn't wailing and looking to escape. Instead, it dropped a half dead body onto the ground before standing to face us. My eyes trailed the snowy ground to see two corpses lying nearby. The creature had been feeding!

It opened its mouth, emitting guttural grunt-like sounds as its huge tongue snaked out of its pointy-toothed mouth. Drawing nearer to us, on its eight limbs that appeared rigid one moment and snake-like the next. It stopped suddenly, its red eyes glaring at us. Slowly, its limbs raised, one by one, and in the blink of an eye, a web-like skin slipped over its limbs, covering them. Within moments, the limbs extended into giant wings, like a giant bat. The creature had changed from an eight-legged critter to a giant beast with wings, and seemed ready to pounce upon an intruder. If someone should run, it was us.

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