Sanctum Arcanum

by Alexander Kautz

  The tracks leading inward had become covered in ice from the moisture and bitter cold. The walls all about were wet and glistened in the beam of my light, the darkness growing deeper with each and every step. I now feared the unseen and sincerely dreaded the possibility of what might be waiting ahead.

  “Steady, old boy--,” I had whispered while attempting to keep my shattered nerves company, “It couldn’t be too much farther ahead now.”

  “Beware—be still--,” I heard the demon whisper in warning, “For something foul dwells in the depths of this place. Do not awaken it—step lightly, draw no heavy breath—make no sound….”

  The full horror now took hold of me, as cautiously marking each and every step, I held the light low and remained absolutely silent. I listened intently to the dripping of the water in the depths, the whistle of the wind from tunnels far below. I trembled, swallowing hard to the sound of the blood rushing through my temples and my own pounding heart. I had attempted to step lightly and upon the posts that lined the little tracks, but stumbled, the sounds of rocks tumbling halting me in mid-step!

  In the living world and with all things moving, this would have barely been noticed. But here, and within a blackened stone tomb where neither light nor sound ever reached, it was the equivalent of an earthquake. I stood in wide-eyed terror, listening, praying for it to end! The echoing fading as it traveled ever downward and into darkness, and unseen places far beyond.

  I had waited for absolute silence. As standing there and barely uttering the sounds of breathing, I watched the shadows for any sign of movement. There was not a single sound to have been heard from anything or from anywhere. I had just begun to move when the warning came sharply, halting me without a thought! “Even now it stirs in the darkness—,” The demon sounding unsettled, the panic sent my nerves to scream, “Do not move, do not even dare to breathe….”

  At that very moment I had peered into the blackness of the tunnel before me and seen a faint reflection…. Had something moved? Was it the glistening of wet scales or the glimmer of insect eyes in the darkness? I had swallowed hard, trembling as I contemplated my own terrible ending! Would it tear me limb from limb and begin devouring the flesh from my convulsing and still living form? Or drag me shrieking into some deep cavern, where it’s young would burrow into my flesh and slowly drain the life from out of me? The fear was causing me to become careless, almost stumbling where I stood! “Move now—move silently, but be swift--,” The demon instructed, “Time grows short.”

  Nervously raising the flashlight, I struggled with a shaking hand, slowly following the trembling reflection now cast upon the cave floor. Peering ahead, I sighed suddenly with relief. For the glistening that I had first seen, had only been the edge of the pit from where we had previously cast down the book and cane.

  There was a gently tug upon the cable that came three times. Returning the motion, I now signified that everything was still alright.

  Moving ever so cautiously, I crept to the edge of the precipice and, lowering the light, dared to peer within. It dropped into a large cavern some fifty feet below. Being filled with water, stalactites and stalagmites, it was infinitely older than the chamber above.

  Without hesitation I pulled the cable tight and carefully activated the remote. As hanging suspended, it ever so slowly began to lower me into the blackness. I had crept ever downward, horrified by what might be waiting, but knowing there was little choice. Suspended from the cable above that dark and foul water, I gazed into its hazy emerald depths, fearing the worst. “Make no sound—be still--,” The demon whispered, “For you now enter into its lair …”

  My feet had just reached the cave floor. Standing knee-deep in freezing water, I was soaked to the bone. Moving ever so slowly as not to stir even the slightest of disturbance, I began searching the room with the beam of my light. The cavern was enormous and something that I would never have expected. It had likely been the gas-filled chamber which had caused the explosion killing so many miners so long ago. It was the very same pit from where I had nearly fallen as a young boy….

  My attention focussed entirely upon the slippery and uneven floor of the cavern, I halted suddenly. My eyes focussing, I had caught the impression of something resting just beneath the water’s surface. Ever so cautiously I had leaned down, careful not to drop the light, and gasped in absolute horror as I saw what remained of an enormous, clawed and hideous insect about the size of a large melon! Pale as a ghost, I gazed down upon the monstrous thing in the dim glow of my light.

  It was curled in a fetal position and had large mandibles and claws tucked tightly beneath. It floated, seemingly bobbing along the murky bottom. I soon realized that it had just been a shell, and something long cast off. But then, where was the adult creature that had apparently shed this exoskeleton? I slowly turned and peered into the surrounding darkness….

  “What you seek is there--,” The demon’s whispers guided me once more, “Just beyond the waters and among the rocks ahead.”

  Turning the light, I suddenly saw the faint reflection of the blue crystals of Marlowe’s old cane. And directly beside that was the book, appearing entirely unaffected by its damp surroundings.

  Moving cautiously upon trembling legs that swiftly numbed in the chilling water, I carefully made my way toward the rocky crag. But within doing so, I just happened to look down and just off to the side. Suddenly halting and staring, I swallowed hard while realizing that part of what I had first assumed to have been the rocky edge, were in fact the remains of another insect shell! Easily as large as a man or bigger, it rested upon its side, slowly decaying in the murky green waters. It was pale and bore a striking similarity to the first, but with far more legs and much larger claws and mandibles. If this was merely some second stage shed, I could only ponder, dare imagine the size of the adult?

  There was a gentle tug upon the cable that came twice. I returned the signal and ever so slowly moved toward the cane and book. My feet slipping dangerously upon the silt bottom of the cavern, I carefully and quietly made my way upward and into the rocks. In less than a few moments I had retrieved the book and cane from where they had rested. Hurriedly slipping them into the canvas bag, I tied it securely closed and hung it about my neck. “Go now by the way you came—and disturb nothing in passing,” The demon instructed, “For it slumbers just beneath the water and at the bottom of this cavern….”

  Moving with deliberate determination, I slowly made my way back. Each step carefully calculated and placed, as while attempting to avoid slipping, or disturbing the murky waters. The stillness in that place was ominous. As careful as I was being, it seemed that even the slightest of motion in the water echoed deafeningly in that place.

  Although terrified beyond my wits and being desperate, I had moved painfully slow, continually peering back as I now feared the worst. I was startled, gasping and covering my mouth with a hand as not to cry out in fear! As I stared, the incandescent shadows caused by my flashlight’s beam upon the water eerily danced upon the ceiling and cavern walls.

  It was just as I had reached the opening to the tunnel above, upon hearing an indistinct sound, that I had turned back to look. It came as a faint scraping or shuffling, like the sound of a broom sweeping the floor. Ever so slowly I turned the light of my beam back into the cave. Listening, following the noises, as my light passing all around now focussed on the ceiling above. My eyes became wide as what I saw there now stole my breath, and even caused my heart to skip a beat! For clustered in the hundreds, possibly thousands, were gathered larvae for as far as the light would reach! They were everywhere, pulsating, suspended and gathered evenly about the opening from where I had first entered….

  It didn’t appear as though I had disturbed them, but I swiftly lowered the light, unable to look upon the enormous maggots which likely waited for the following spring. My God, they had been breeding, brooding down here the entire time! If they escaped, the town and possibly the entire world would suffer a hideous en
ding!

  Looking to the opening and where the ghastly thing hung suspended, I carefully centered myself beneath and activated the remote. The cable silently drawing me upward, I gazed in horror while approaching the nightmares waiting above! The only sound having been the scraping of the steel cable upon the stone lip within ascent.

  I held my breath, fearing any movement or sound as I neared the horrid things. Their pale and bloated bodies now wriggling, as about the size of a large dog, began moving ever so slightly! Seemingly appearing to have crept ever nearer, they cluttered about my only escape! Had they sensed the cable, seen the light, or heard the sounds of my desperate movements in the cavern below? Unwilling to halt the winch or give up hope, I continued upward, closer, closer, closer!

  I had closed my eyes and tucked in my arms in that final moment as I slipped narrowly between them! I was dragged swiftly onto the cavern floor above, had rolled away from the edge and scrambled desperately to my feet! “Beware—be still--,”The demon whispered, “Be gone from this place…” There came a tug at the cable and I returned the signal, slowly turning and ever so carefully making my way back down the tunnel.

  I had walked between the tracks, avoiding rocks as best as I was able in the darkness. My mind filled with panic and utter horror, I kept thinking about those things in the cavern! They had to be stopped and somehow destroyed, but how?

  I had followed the length of the cable as it was now slowly drawn in from behind me. Rich had assumedly understood that having safely made the ascent, I now returned and was rewinding the cable. There was little sound as the truck had been some distance from the mines entrance. But the scraping that it did make upon the tracks behind me now caused sudden alarm!

  There was the sudden screeching and squealing sound that echoed like madness through the mine! A sound so out of place in the depths of that icy hell that I had not dared to look back. I ran madly toward the distant glow that was the mine entrance, freedom and escape from the cave!

  I had followed as quickly as possible, gasping and stumbling upon bitter cold and wet legs. And still the sound came from somewhere in the darkness, the bowels of that place, a terrifying shriek resounding with death and certain doom!

  I had literally fallen from out of the mouth of the mine and dropped into the deep snow! As assisted by my waiting friend, I shouted, “Run! We need to get out of here!” We had left everything behind, except for the cane and book! Running like madmen, Rich desperately ripped the harness from me and unclipped the cable, “What just happened back there?” He gasped, while winding and locking the cable into place on the winch.

  “The cavern is infested!” I choked out the words while still out of breath, “I found huge pupae from an adult molting—and the ceiling is absolutely covered in maggots!”

  “Then we can’t leave--,” He cursed, cutting me off as I had attempted to explain, and saying, “We can’t leave them alive—not knowing what they will do to that town, or anywhere else that they manage to get to!”

  The guilt of this knowledge and fear of the possibilities had caused us both to question the moral obligations. But swallowing hard, I had just looked back at my friend, “You’re absolutely right. No matter what happens—we have to stop them, right now and right here, but how?”

  “I don’t know--,” He stared about in a state of utter panic and desperation, “We could seal the entrance.”

  “They burrow--,” I informed him, shoving the bag with the book and cane into the back seat, and said, “They would dig their way out easily enough. We have to burn them, find a way to somehow set fire to everything in that cavern.”

  “I saw some forty gallon drums in that shack just outside of the mine--,” He shrugged, “They had flammable labels. If it combusts, it explodes. We just have to make some kind of a wick.”

  “If we caused an explosion up here, the resulting avalanche would bury us with it.”

  “It’s like you told me before--,” He started the truck, pulling in before the mouth of the cave, and said, “We can’t take the chance of even one of those things escaping. No matter what…”

  “So what do you propose that we do now?”

  He had looked over at me and the expression in his eye told me that I was not going to like what he had planned. Needless to say, my instincts had been absolutely right…

  We had rolled the six drums from the little wooden shack and rested them several yards before the entrance to the mine. It was apparent by the warning tags that they contained something highly flammable and explosive. But when we had opened one and spilled some of the contents, could not define exactly what it had been.

  “Do you think that one of these would fit down into the mouth of that hole in the tunnel?” He looked over at me while carefully examining the lids on the drums.

  “Easily, you could drop a cow through that without touching the sides. But, how do you intend to get them down that tunnel without making enough noise to wake the dead?” I stared into the darkness of the tunnel behind us, “It’s at least fifty yards to where the tracks separate into the two tunnels.”

  “I forgot about that. There’s a split in the tunnels down there.” He looked to where the two separate sets of tracks ran almost side by side, “One that was used for traveling down into the mine, and the other for returning with ore.”

  “Yes—that’s right.”

  “So, if we dump these drums between the rails of the track going down, then theoretically, as long as the tracks are still solid, this stuff should flow freely and right into that damn hole.”

  “We have no idea of knowing for sure. It might just leak out around the tracks, or run down into the adjoining tunnel.”

  “Then we need some way to get these drums into that hole--,” His eyes flashed around the area as he tapped a finger to his lip, “And then get out of there fast and ignite everything. I know that you didn’t want to go back into town. But I’m going to need a few things…”

  Before I could even say a word he had run toward the opening of the mine, retrieving a board from the ground, and marked the distance between the rails. Hurrying back, he slapped at my shoulder, “Get into the truck—I’ve got a plan!”

  3:45 p.m.

  We had gone straight to the little dealership in town, where purchasing a skidoo and trailer, we parked the truck behind their building “What on earth are you doing?” I had gasped, watching as he hitched the trailer behind the skidoo and waved for me to join him. “We don’t have time to talk—just trust me.” Stunned and uncertain as to what he was doing, I had hopped on behind him as he started the skidoo, “Hold on, we’ll be running out of daylight soon! So, I’ll have to hurry!”

  “What are we doing?” I held on for dear life as we sped out onto the road and then toward the highway. “It’s better that I don’t tell you--,” He shouted as we raced up the highway through the flurries and deepening snow, “Just hold on and trust me!”

  We had arrived at the mouth of the mine much faster than before. Even while towing the little trailer, the skidoo managed the terrain far better. I had almost fallen while attempting to climb off. I could hardly walk as the soaked clothing and wet boots had become frozen, and left little feeling in my legs and feet.

  “We need to get you out of that stuff and warm, before you end up with frost-bite!”

  “Don’t worry about me—I’ll manage!” I limped while following, as he unhitched the trailer and dragged it toward the mine.

  “Do you mind if I ask what you’re doing now?”

  “I thought that it would’ve been obvious by now?” His features were long and drawn, as raising an eyebrow, he adjusted his glasses. Shrugging, he shoved the trailer wheels in between the tracks, and hurriedly moved around to load the first drum.

  “You’re going to load the drums and roll this thing down into the mine.” It had finally all dawned upon me, as assisting him, I suddenly halted in thought, “But how are you going to ignite it all?”

  “With this--,” He w
aved his Zippo, “I’ll leave a trail of gas--,” He motioned toward a large fuel can that he had brought from the truck, “And once the last drum goes down the hole, I’ll run back and light it all.”

  “Now, hold on!” I had gasped, grabbing at his wrist, “There must be a million things that could go wrong?”

  “All that we need is for one to go right.” His optimism was inspiring, but still left me terrified.

  We loaded the drums onto the trailer, and though quite heavy, it still rolled freely and stayed between the tracks. He then went about and loosened the metal bands that held the lids sealed, and running a cord through the loops that held them, kept the end to the front of the trailer. “If this works properly--,” He said, “When I dump these and pull that cord, all of the tops should rip free as they go into that hole.”

  “And if they don’t?”

  He grimaced, and changing the subject, said, “Let’s not think about that. Just help me with these, would you?”

  We had managed to load all the drums onto the trailer, where loosening the lids, he attached the cord and looked back at me, “Alright, I’m going to poke a hole in this gas can, so that it leaks as I roll this down the tunnel. That way, it’ll fill the tunnel with gas, and nothing will get out of here alive once this goes off.” He revealed a small timer device strapped to four small cylindrical bars, and quickly attached them to the nearest drum, “These are called sea-lion bombs. They’re quarter sticks of dynamite that fishermen use to scare off seals. There should be enough fuel fumes down there by the time that this goes off—that it’ll blow that cavern to the moon.”

  “What do you mean, you will?” Arguing adamantly, I stood before him, “If you think that I’m going to allow you to attempt this alone, then you’re even crazier than--,” I thought for a moment while looking over the explosives, “Than you already are!”