In Deep - 5: Darkness

Getting the cylinder and the laptop out into the car without either being affected by the inclement weather was a laborious undertaking; however, with a backpack and a roll of bubble-wrap, I managed to get it done. I stowed the brain-jar in the footwell behind the front seats and trailed the cable up and over to the passenger side seat. Pulling the computer out of the backpack, I cracked it open and the screen flared to life, displaying the now slightly creepy electronic features of Rodney Parker. While he became adjusted to the new surroundings, I fiddled with the rear-view mirror.

‘Watcha doin, Benson?’ he asked.

I sat back to let him see the rubber squid now dangling from the mirror. I gave it a flick then punched the cigarette lighter, tossing my sodden smoke out into the wet night.

‘Is that one of my lures?’ buzzed the tinny voice.

‘Yep,’ I answered, lighting a new cigarette, ‘I’ve been meaning to come out and get one of these for ages.’

‘But...!’ I cut Rodney off before he got on a roll.

‘Yeah, buddy,’ I said ‘I know: I owe you $12.95. Consider me in debt.’

I gunned the car into life and cranked the handbrake off. Rolling the wheel, I moved through the gears and backed the car through a tight circle. The windscreen wipers flapped wet atmosphere off the glass as we faced into a homewards direction. I crunched a few more gears.

Off to one side, the brick chimney that backed Rodney’s shack exploded into rubble. A piece of brickwork bounced off my hood.

‘Woah!’ I cried. ‘What the Hell was that?’

‘What was what?’ yelled Rodney.

I rolled down my window and stared out through all of the meteorology: a huge shadow moved over Rodney’s shack. Suddenly, there was a screaming of corrugated metal: the shack crumpled like yesterday’s cigarette packet and fell into the swamp with a sad spray of electronic sparks. Where it had once stood was an immense darkness that surged forward towards us like a black, tentacular wave.

‘Gotta go!’

I slammed the car into top gear and planted my foot with emphasis. The engine complained as the wheels fishtailed in the muddy lane. We gained traction as several heavy buffets belaboured the rear window. As we sped out into the night and away from the damp depression, a hideous and bestial howl tore apart the rainy night.

I tapped the rear view mirror and saw teeth fading into the distance.

‘Right,’ I said, ‘time to get back into the city limits...’

I topped the levee and gunned the motor back towards home...

To Be Continued...