Terror Beyond Light by Carole Rae & Sam B.

Hello all! The time has finally arrived (over a year late might I add)! My friend and I have been working on this little piece for a while. It got shoved to the back burner because of life, but I dusted this off and now I am ready to share our little story that was inspired by HP Lovecraft. We hope you enjoy! :)

Terror Beyond Light

Written & edited by: Carole Rae

Story creation & edited by: Sam B. 

Thunk!

The razor fell from my hand as the Egg jolted. I can only guess that we hit an air pocket. Which can only mean one thing… we were getting close to our destination…. The Black Hole.

A smile crept upon my lips as I beheld myself in the small mirror in the bathroom. I finished shaving quickly; missing a few spots in my haste to hurry. I didn’t bother cleaning my small hairs all over the sink, because were getting closer to my destiny. To my fate. To my greatest accomplishment.

I rushed out the door and hollered, “Did you FEEL that! Can you FEEL it? We are so close, Langston!” I looked over at my silent companion as I sat down in the pilot’s seat. He was ever silent, but his eyes always held such hope. His hair was dark ebony and his eyes glittered blue, “Chap… you seemed to miss a couple of spots shaving! You must HAVE felt that jolt too. Look at us. So close!”

Turning my attention out to the black oblivion in front of me. I looked for any signs of this black hole. It had to be close. For days there had been a quiet nothingness. Smooth sailing. Not a single bump or asteroid. Space could be kind to travelers, or it could be an evil mistress. Much like the sea in a lot of ways.

After I had my degree, I joined this rag-tag group of scientists and travelers. My colleagues and I all had a single goal in exploring this place we call heaven. It was up to us to prove to the world that there was much, much more. However, my colleagues were too scared to do what had to be done. Without a thought or care, I loaded up the Egg in the middle of the night and took off. I had my theories and I would prove it to my team and to the world. They would celebrate my name forever. The thought curled my lips and I exclaimed to Langston, “It goes against all laws of science. My colleagues said it can’t, shouldn’t be done, but we can, and we will.” I snickered and then looked over at Langston who was smiling brightly and there was a twinkle in his eye. Yet, like normal, he said nothing, and I turned my focus out towards the black sea of space.

Thunk! Thunk!

Another couple of jolts. I held tight to the wheel and adjusted some nobs. My heart was pounding. I looked up and still nothing.

Thunk! Thunk!

My knuckles went white trying to hold the Egg together, “C’mon old Bessie! We can make it! God is on our side!”

And then it appeared.

Larger or more beautiful than I could imagine. A spiraling black hole was there pulling and tugging on us like a deprived lover.  I wanted to jump and dance, but the Egg started shaking and bolting forward. This was it! This has been what I have been looking for! My life’s dream, “Langston old chap! WE ARE CROSSING INTO A NEW WORLD!” I managed a glance at him, and he was pale, but smiling, “No need to fret old boy. We have this! The Egg can handle it.”

Looking back to the looming blackness in front of us, I leaned back, and I pushed the Egg forward.

The Egg began to rattle and shake the closer we got to the Black Hole. I may not be the best Christian, but I made a quick prayer as I increased the speed. In an instant, we were being dragged into the Black Hole. Every travelers’ dream. My theory would be proven right, and I would earn my seat next to the geniuses of the world like Einstein.

All sense of time and sense of self fluttered away as the Egg bounced around in a frenzy against the utter powerful forces that were now out of my control. We were traveling beyond the speed of light. I heard a scream. It must’ve been Langston. I tried to call out to relax him and tell him all would be well. This would end soon, and we would find ourselves on the other end of this deep, dark hole of the unknown. I, the weary traveler, would survive this and be remembered for all of time as the Father of the Black Hole.

The Egg rattled and twisted and tumbled around. Lights of all different colors sped around us making me want to vomit. There was no noise, just a terrible silence of rushing lights and rushing colors. The Egg shuddered and groaned, but it would not relent. I pushed it forward. There would be an end. There had to be end. Another scream. Again, I could not get the words to come out. My world fluttered by me and I could not make up or down. Our Egg bounced around uncontrollably through this unimaginable tunnel.

As quickly as it started, it stopped.

Our things fell to the floor in a clutter and crash. I rubbed my eyes and croaked a question, “Langston. Are you all right?” I looked over to him. He looked a horrible mess. His eyes were bulging out and his face was flushed. He nodded at me and I nodded at him. A mutual moment of understanding passed between us.

I finally looked out to see where we had stopped. If I had been a woman, I would have fainted at the sight of it. We were surrounded by an array of clouds in all different colors. Matters of all different shapes and hues floated around us. An ancient universe. This was surreal! White dots scattered around us as if they were miniature stars that we could grab and hold. Everything in me wanted to open the Egg’s hatch and grab one of these stars. The beauty of it brought tears to my eyes. However, something nudged at my brain. There was something off with this place we found. The laws of physics seemed to be null and void. I shook my head and then I turned my eyes to Langston, his eyes had tears as well, “I believe we found Heaven dear boy! Ha!”

In my zeal, I jumped up and ran to my desk. I dug around for my notepad and camera. I would write about this Heaven on the other side of the Black Hole and take a mountain of photos. None would believe me without it.

Finally finding everything I needed in the mess, I turned and then I saw the most terrible of sights. My camera and my notepad fell to the floor. I walked back to my place at the controls. I could not take my eyes from what was now in front of us.

The tentacles and claws were surreal and ghastly. It lumbered mere meters away from us. It seemed to glide effortlessly among this ancient universe. I then looked into the Eye and maw that are darker than the blackest abyss and what defied my very understanding of reason. An utter absence of all light.

I cried out, “No God would allow such a damned creature to exist. THERE IS NO GOD!” It stared into my very soul. I could feel its tentacles in my mind reaching, grasping for something. I tried to back away. I tried to look away. I tried to go to my seat and drive us away, but I was cemented in place just staring into the terrible and empty ebony of the Eye and maw.

The terror in front of me said into my mind, “YOU WILL KNOW ME.”

A scream filled the Egg. I finally broke away from the terror’s gaze and I ran to Langston. A tremor caused me to slip and drag Langston down with me. As I fell, a crack filled the air. I looked down and, in my hands, there was Langston looking up at me with hysterics in his eyes. A drop of blood from my eyes fell onto him. I touched the cold surface and I looked down at the small crack right by his arm. I looked into Langston’s eyes and back at the blood. My gaze caught a shimmer of small silver letters on a dark green board right above his head, “PROPERTY OF LANGSTON CORP”. A hoarse and insane laugh left my lips.

More droplets of blood poured from my eyes and now from my nostril. I looked down at myself covered in blood and then out the window at the terror. It was closer and reaching out with its clawed tentacle. I laughed manically and said, “I’ve seen things, things from dreams. Dreams filled with screams. Oh, those horrible things.”

All went black and I fell forward, crashing upon the mirror. The last words I heard were, “You will know me.”

The End.