Southern House
Page 28
Inside, the cave opened up into a cathedral-like world of smooth rock and dripping crevices. There was an opening at the top, which let light in. The light shined like a spotlight onto the cavern floor, illuminating an area about five feet across. That was where Bennie needed to go.
The floor of the cave was covered in dirt and guano. The ammonia smell of the bat shit burned his nose and made him want to leave, but Bennie kept moving toward the light.
When he reached the area where the beam of light from above fell strongest on the dirt floor, Bennie crouched down and began to dig. There were a few small plants and some moss that grew in the sparse light and he pulled those free.
He scraped at the dirt beneath with his right hand first, then, when the fingers on that hand were raw and bloody, he switched to his left. The dirt and rock was hard and although he was barely making a dent in the floor, he kept digging. When the fingers of his left hand were ruined, too, Bennie searched around the cave floor until he found a good sized rock. He scraped away at the cave floor, never losing heart, but feeling the aches and pains from being eighty-something and crouching for hours in the dirt. His arms and legs began to cramp, but he ignored the pain and pressed on.
The light was fading inside the cave, and Bennie knew if he didn’t find what the master had told him was here, he’d have to leave and come back in the morning. His hole was nearly two feet deep now. The rocks were tearing into the thin flesh covering his knees, but he paid no attention.
He scraped with the rock, his third he’d pried from the cave floor, across the dirt frantically. Sweat poured off his brow and he had to keep brushing his long gray hair out of his eyes.
The last light of day was fading from above when Bennie scraped the floor and something happened. The line where he scraped was glowing. He scraped some more, and more dirt came free from what was underneath. Renewed, he scraped and brushed dirt off faster, revealing the illuminated subfloor. Now he had cleared the entire area where he had been working. He stepped out of the hole and looked down at what he had uncovered.
The Mandelbrot pattern swirled, colorful in the gloom, casting bright light into the cave. Bennie was not afraid. The light and patterns spun across his face. He was smiling. He knew what this meant.
The Master was close.
END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Deloy lives and writes in Middle Tennessee with his wife, two girls, and two dogs. He enjoys combat firearms training and collecting knives. His first novel, Life Suspended was published with Dark Recesses Press. His short stories have appeared in The Horror Library Volume 1, Neonomicon, Nocturne, Lighthouse 4, Splintered Dreams Anthology, and The upcoming Jack Ketchum Tribute Anthology from Hellbound Books.
Other HellBound Books Titles
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For Jody, growing up in the late eighties and early nineties in the small Louisiana town of Hammond with his best friend Jack was filled with wonderful childhood memories.
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From beyond the grave, a murderous wife seeks to complete her revenge on those who betrayed her in life; a powerless domestic still fears for her immortal soul while trying to scare off anyone who comes too close; and the former plantation master - a sadistic doctor who puts more faith in the teachings of de Sade than the Bible - battle amongst themselves and with the living to reveal or keep hidden the dark secrets that prevent any of them from resting in peace.
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Worship Me
Something is listening to the prayers of St. Paul's United Church, but it's not the god they asked for; it's something much, much older.
A quiet Sunday service turns into a living hell when this ancient entity descends upon the house of worship and claims the congregation for its own.
The terrified churchgoers must now prove their loyalty to their new god by giving it one of their children or in two days time it will return and destroy them all.
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Demons, Devils and Denizens of Hell: Vol, 2
The second volume in HellBound Books' outstanding horror anthology fair teems with tales of Hades’ finest citizens – both resident and vacationing in our earthly realm…
Compiled by the inimitable P. Mattern and featuring: Savannah Morgan, Andrew MacKay, Jaap Boekestein, James H Longmore, Stephanie Kelley, Ryan Woods, James Nichols, P. Mattern, Marcus Mattern, Gerri R Gray, and legion more…
Shopping List 2: Another Horror Anthology
Once again, HellBound Books brings you an outstanding collection of horror, dark, slippery things, and supernatural terror - all from the very best up and coming minds in the genre.
We have given each and every one of our authors the opportunity to have their shopping lists read by you, the most wonderful reading public, and have the darkest corners of their creative psyche laid bare for all to see...
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