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By Andy G. (otisblues@hotmail.com)
It was several years ago in 1986 that Josh Mills decided to take the summer off and return to East Texas the land of his childhood. He had just completed his graduate work in Philosophy and wanted a rest from the academic world. When Josh was younger he played guitar in various country bands throughout East Texas and Louisiana and decided he wanted to spend the summer playing music and hanging out.
He still had many friends who continued to be weekend musicians so after a few calls he easily found a band that could use a guitar player. He had no idea of how his life would change as he drove up to a VFW hall in July.
The night was cool for a southern summer night as Josh's car arrived at its destination, a small isolated VFW hall on the edge of a lake. The Sentra was loaded with a guitar, amp, and the various accessories required of a lead guitarist in a four piece country band.
Josh got out of his car carrying his guitar and walked toward the entrance. There was no way for Josh to know that tonight was the beginning of an adventure, an adventure deep into the dark horrors that lurk behind life and the vast seas of infinity.
"Hi," a bottled dark haired elderly lady greeted Josh. She was keeping tabs on those who entered the hall making sure everyone paid his or her five-dollar entry fee.
"Hi," Josh responded presenting his guitar case as his identification badge he was a member of the band. He walked into the dimly lit bar and dancehall and surveyed his surroundings. The building was small and the stage was only a few inches above the dance floor. It was located at the far wall. Josh proceeded over to the stage where some of the other members of the band were already setting things up.
Josh knew the other members but had not played with this particular grouping. These little bands changed every week. The leader of the band never knew for sure who would be playing with him.
"What's going on?" Josh asked Glen who was busy with the PA speaker. Glen was 59 and had been playing as long as Josh had known anything about music. Josh was 35 and had began playing in these clubs when was 18. He stopped playing for a time when he married a very jealous woman.
The marriage ended badly and Josh still had a few wounds. However tonight he was only interested in picking lead guitar and not worrying about much of anything. It would be nice to get lucky with a lady but he was not counting on this particularly at this lonely VFW. The $62.50 he would be paid was about enough to pay his bar tab and the gas bill for the long drive home.
"Not much," Glen said as he stood up to shake hands. "I hope we had a crowd tonight."
"Yeah, me to. It is always a lot more fun to play to a good crowd."
"Usually this place has a good crowd on Saturday night," Glen said hopefully. This particular VFW was located in the middle of nowhere on Grand Lake, a rather large manmade lake in East Texas. The members mostly consisted of elderly retired individuals living on the lake whose weekly excitement was the Saturday night dance.
The drummer, Hank Wilson, walked up about that time, "Ready to play some music?" he asked.
"Always," Josh responded.
"Come over here and meet my wife, Tiffany," Hank said as he walked over to a table where two young females were sitting.
"Hi," Josh said and the dark haired girl got up.
"Hi, I'm Tiffany and this is my friend Lacy." Tiffany was a small girl with a ring through her lip. Her dark pants were tight and her blouse was tied so it revealed her tattooed belly button. The tattoo caught Josh's eye. It had strange hieroglyphic looking script around a greenish colored blob. Tiffany was an attractive girl and her gothic tint including black painted fingernails added an erotic flavor to her.
"Hi, Josh," Lacy said. Lacy was a pretty blond. She appeared rather clean cut and contrasted greatly with Tiffany. However, Lacy looked as if she was a party girl. She was not drunk but was on her way to having a good time.
"Hi, Lacy," Josh responded noticing this was a cute girl even though he was easily 15 years her senior. Josh noticed she did not have wedding ring on her finger but she did have a strange looking ring with a greenish stone. He also liked the really cute smile she gave him.
"Come sit with us on break time," Lacy said.
"Sounds like plan but I've got to go set up right now. Talk you girls later." Josh walked toward the stage and began to prepare for the night's performance.
The band completed its setup. These type country bands were all over this part of the South. A group of guys got together and would play various easy three-chord songs ranging from country to old rock. Everything was played by ear but this music was meant to be play by ear, sheet music was not allowed.
The crowd of mostly elderly couples began to arrive and filled up most of the tables. The lights were dimmed, the jukebox was turned off, and the band began with an old Haggard song, "Today, I Started Loving You Again" and the night began.
When the first break arrived Josh walked over the table where Tiffany and Lacy sat after ordering a whisky and water.
"You guys sound great," Tiffany said as Josh neared the table.
"Thanks." Josh sat down across from the two girls.
"We started not to come tonight but Hank wanted us to and so far we are having a good time," Lacy explained as she continued to sip her beer.
"Yeah, we have been really busy at the house and we needed a break," Tiffany added.
"Yeah, you have to take a break now and then. And with a little alcohol even these VFW's can be a lot of fun." A slow country tune began playing on the jukebox so Josh took this opportunity to asked, "How about a dance, Lacy?"
"Sure," she eagerly responded as she stood up.
As Josh and Lacy embraced on the dance floor, Josh felt the firmness of her young body. It felt good and she was not shy in pressing her breasts against his chest as they slowly rocked to the rhythm of the music and glided around the wooden floor. The dance ended much too soon for Josh. He noticed during the twirls Lacy knew the trick of pressing her hips just the right way against his leg to make sure he knew she was a woman. Since Josh's divorce and return to school he had not had much time for women. He was hoping this might change tonight.
The break was soon over and it was back to playing music. Josh spent all of his breaks talking and dancing with Lacy so it was no surprise at the end of the night that Lacy invited Josh to come with Tiffany, Hank, and her to grab a bite to eat.
The Sentra now loaded with Josh's music equipment, and more importantly Lacy followed Hank and Tiffany's pickup truck as they drove from the parking lot. There were no restaurants opened at this time of the night so they were going to Hank and Tiffany's home for something to eat.
"So what do you do in the real world," Josh asked Lacy as proceeded to Hank's.
"Not much, just hang around," she answered.
"I mean do you work and stuff?" Josh quizzed.
"Oh I work mostly as a waitress and sometimes at WalMart," Lacy answered with a noticeable alcohol infected tone.
Lacy lean back in the seat and as she reached up to brush her hair the moonlight lit the stone in the ring. "That is a very unusual ring," Josh commented as he took her hand in his to examine the ring.
"You don't have any idea how unusual this ring is," Lacy said
"What do you mean?"
"It is a magical ring," she answered in a cryptic tone.
"Ok, I'll take the bait. What does your magic ring do that is magical," Josh asked playing alone.
"Nothing so far but soon we are going to," Lacy suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence. "I can't really talk about it. It is a secret."
As Josh held Lacy's hand he examined the ring with one eye while keeping the other on the road. The ring appeared to be a silver band with a small greenish black soapy looking stone with golden flecks. As Josh looked at the stone it stone had a hypnotizing effect on him. It was the sounds of the rocks hitting the car that brought him back to the fact he was driving 60 miles an hour and was about to loose control as the car went off the road. He quickly jerked the car back on to the road and decided to concentrate on driving rather than jewelry.
It was a very dark night even with the moon. Hank and Tiffany's house was about a 20 minute drive to reach. Josh and Lacy continued their small talk and soon Josh was directed to turn the Sentra down a tree lined dirt lane that went for about a hundred yards. At the end of the lane a house appeared and Josh began to have a bad feeling about things. His first thought as the house came into view was this was just the place for a serial killer to be hiding out. The same time as this thought arose in his mind he felt a hand on his knee.
"We are here," Lacy said as smiled and continued to rub his knee for a moment.
The house did not appear very large and had a very archaic feel to it. It was like something one would find in Europe, a two story structure that looked as if it had housed many generations. Hank unlocked and opened the heavy wooden door. They walked inside. Inside the house appeared much larger than Josh had first thought as they drove up the driveway.
The main living room was dimly lit and had very high ceilings. There was a fire going in a large opened fireplace but that did not help the depressing mood of the room. However, Lacy rubbing against him as they entered the room ignited a much more pleasant feeling in Josh, a feeling that this would be a very good night. Looking into Lacy's young eyes clouded most of Josh's reasoning abilities.
"Come on in and get warm," Hank said as he sat on the couch by the fire. It was unusually cool for a southern summer night.
"What do you want to drink," Tiffany said as she went to the bar and turned on the CD player. A bouncy sort of Jazz song began resounding through the two speakers on either side of the bar.
Josh seeing their bar was well stocked said, "Crown and water."
Soon Josh was nursing a drink. He sat close to Lacy and he felt more than just the warmth of the fire in the fireplace. The strange house, the booze, and Lacy's soft touch all added to a rather surrealistic atmosphere that Josh was finding very intoxicating.
After sitting talking for a few minutes Hank arose and said, "I've got an early day tomorrow so I am headed for bed. You guys enjoy yourself, there is plenty to drink." With that he walked up the stairs and left Josh with the two women.
"I think I will have another drink," Tiffany said was she went to the bar. As she walked she began to sway with the music that had changed to a Latin rhythm beat. She seemed to enjoy the music and continued dancing as she return with her drink. The alcohol was affecting Tiffany swaying and it was obvious she liked the effect.
"Move your cute little ass," Lacy instructed Tiffany as Josh and she sat on the couch watching the dancing.
Tiffany took a large sip of her drink and began to put on a show. Swaying to the beat of the music she began to move her hips in a most seductive fashion, first from side to side and then from front to back in a most provocative motion. She turned around to show us her cute little as and when she turned back around her blouse was unbuttoned. This revealed her tiny but sexy bra that held her small 32A breasts. As she continued to dance she unclasped the bra and freed her small breasts for all to see.
As Tiffany danced Lacy moved closed to Josh and invited him to her by massaging his thigh. Armed with alcohol and desire Josh took the invitation and soon his arms surrounded Lack with his hand caressing her breast. A long wet kiss began as Josh and Lacy's tongue made each other's acquaintance. When Josh next looked up Tiffany was continuing dancing but was now completed nude and smiled their eyes met.
Josh was consumed with the passion of the evening but could not help but noticed as he stared at Tiffany the movement of her body was creating light patterns that glowed before his eyes. Even with the strong sexual excitement of the night a part of Josh's mind wondered about the light playing tricks on his vision and whether he had been slipped some drugs.
These thoughts quickly faded as Lacy stood up and began to undress. Josh found it difficult to focus but his body was responded to Lacy's seduction. Lacy now stood nude before him with her perfect 34 C breasts inviting him to her. As Josh stared at Lacy he had more difficulty with his vision. He could not define the perimeter of her body. She seemed to merge into everything.
However, he continued to be consumed with the passion and that was all that mattered as they embraced and began the animalistic mating. The explosion of sex rocked Josh and he lost consciousness in the bliss of the moment.
Josh did not know whether it was night or day when he awakened. He was lying on a small bed in a dark room. There did not appear to be any windows but there was a small lamp lit on desk in the corner. The memories of the night returned to him in a rush. It was not like him to pass out. He could control his liquor so he again wondered if something extra had been added. He smiled when he remembered the sex. It was fantastic sex. Lacy was some hot woman.
Josh quickly slipped back into his blue jeans and shirt. His billfold appeared intact so he got up and walked to the door. He was relieved it was unlocked. He stepped out and found himself in a dark hallway. Somewhere in the house he heard drums beating and their rhythm invoked an uneasy tension deep within. They sounded something like Indian tom-toms.
"Just another strange Jazz tune," Josh thought to himself brushing aside the anxiety of this weird place.
Josh found his way back into the living room where they had been last night. No one was around so Josh found a bathroom and then located the kitchen. He toasted some bread and sat eating it when Tiffany appeared.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked with a smile. "I know Lacy did."
"Yeah, I slept fine," Josh thinking he had a bit of help in sleeping.
"Why don't you stay for a while? We have plenty of room and Lacy is very good company as I'm sure you now realize."
"Yes, she is very nice," Josh replied considering the invitation. It was now Sunday and he had no particular place he had to be. It might be fun even with the weirdness of these people and he sure would like to spend some more time with Lacy especially bed time.
Lacy walked in as Tiffany and Josh talked. Josh greeted Lacy and even with her sleepy eyes and pulled back hair she was very attractive. Josh decided he would take Tiffany up on her offer as long as it was okay with Hank. These were some strange people but when it came to Lacy her strangeness only serve to increase his desire for her.
They spent the day lounging on the patio overlooking Grand Lake. Hank and Tiffany smoked a couple of joints but Josh was pleased that Lacy declined. Josh never cared for Marijuana but felt that what people did in their own home was their business.
After lunch Lacy gave Josh a partial tour of the house. The library was very impressive. Lacy explained this house belonged to Hank's great grandfather who loved old books. Some of the books were antiques and Josh noted numerous volumes of philosophy ranging from Plato to Sartre. There were also volumes that he did not recognize.
"Come here and let me show this rare book," Lacy said as Josh thumbed through a leather bound volume.
"This book is very ancient," Lacy said.
Josh examined the cover. Attempting to sound out the name Josh read, "Necronomicon by Abdul Alhazred. Never heard of it." Josh shuttered as he ran his hand over the book's leather like cover. It was as if it he could feel the antiquity of another age. Josh and Lacy spent a few minutes in the library examining the old volumes but they were more interested in enjoying each other than reading.
Josh and Lacy spent the rest of the day relaxing on the deck and the day ended with a nice dinner. As they retired again to the main room Hank and Tiffany excused themselves leaving Josh and Lacy alone.
"I will be right back," Lacy said as she rose from the couch.
"Ok, hurry back," Josh replied.
In a few minutes Lacy returned to the room wearing a sheer black bra and panties covered with a see through nightgown. Josh liked what he saw. However, he had not got so caught up into things as to be careful what he drank. This day he mixed all his own drinks and took care that nothing extra was added to anything he consumed.
As a result there were no perceptual problems when he watched Lacy walk over to him. There was no blurring of boundaries as he took her into his arms. He had a great view of her breasts as he grabbed her bra with his teeth and pulled it down revealing her dark nipples. There was only fantastic sex as he slipped off her panties and she straddled him in a most sensual way. Josh did not pass out as he erupted inside her but enjoyed everything to the max.
"That was fantastic," Jack said a few minutes later as they lay before the fire.
"Yes, it was," Lacy replied as she laid her head in Josh's lap looking up at him.
It was then Josh noticed the drums. The stereo was not playing so who was beating those drums.
"Is that Hank playing the drums in the middle of the night? It sounds like frigging tom-toms," Josh asked Lacy.
"No, that is something you do not want to know about," Lacy replied suddenly looking serious.
"What do you mean?"
"You just never mind. We had a wonderful time and that is all that matters. I have to go to bed. You can sleep in the first room down the hall," Lacy said as she got up.
"Why don't we sleep together? Josh asked.
"Not tonight. Good night," she said and kissed him on the cheek as she left him alone in the large room.
Josh was not ready to return to bed. This weird house did not have a TV so he decided to return to the library for a while before he went to bed. While looking through the books he found what appeared to be Hank's grandfather's journal. It began on 1 September 1920.
"This should be an interesting read," Josh thought as he sat down in a large chair.
The first few pages indicated this was a combination diary and notes on various subjects. As Josh read further he learned Hank's grandfather was interested in cults or at least one specific one. As he scanned the journal he found mention to a very ancient God, Cthulhu. The story went that Cthulhu was a strange looking huge creature that could transverse the stars when the stars were in the right position. However, it appears now is not the time.
When the stars were in a bad position Cthulhu dies but does not exactly die since it can't die in the sense that we know death. Hank's grandfather thought that the beginning of the new millennium would be the time the stars would return to the correct position. And as Josh read on he learned the right time was now, sometimes in July, 2002.
Cthulhu needed help to return to this existence and be awakened from its death sleep. That is why even in death it attempted to contact human by using their dreams. This information was gathered by many Shamans eons ago and thus began this cult's mission of returning Cthulhu to its dominion over the universe.
"I wonder if Hank is into this crap." Josh asked himself. The more he read the more it appeared that Hank's grandfather certainly believed in Cthulhu. Josh had always been very skeptical about anything metaphysical.
He believed that there were a lot men who did not know reality from fantasy but he also believed that there were a lot of men that knew this kind of thing had no basis in reality. Josh felt the dogmatists of the world were mostly feeding their insecurities rather than having privileged information about their particular God. As Josh pondered this he noticed the drums had again begun beating.
"I wonder where the hell those drums are coming from." Josh asked just as he turned the page in the diary. As Josh sat listening to the drums he flipped through the pages of the journal. Toward the end he found a diagram of a house that contained many passages. The diagram indicated six secret passages that all lead to a great hall somewhere beneath the house.
"I wonder. This can't be this house. This is Texas not Transylvania." Josh said to himself as he studied the map. "If this diagram is of this house and I go to the third row of books and take out the 7th book I will find a switch."
Josh walked over to the bookcase and found the appropriate row of books. "Son of a Bitch," Josh exclaimed as he pulled out the 7th book and found the switch. He pulled it. He watched as the bookcase swung around and there was an opened passage. The sound of the drums was now a little stronger.
Josh entered the passage and noticed that it sloped downward. He walked for about 50 yards and found the passage curved to the left still sloping downward.
As Josh walked along the hall the air grew cooler and there was dampness to it. Josh continued to hear the drums now mixed with another sound he could not place. Josh continued his progress.
"I can't believe this. I have to be in an underground cavern. This is frigging East Texas. There are no underground caverns around here. Yet here I am and this damn hall keeps going." Josh thought to himself as he continued walking on a downward course.
The hall was lit by strange dim lamp every few yards. The walls were dark with no coloration. The floor sloped downward and continued to curve to the left. The floor was covered with a soft material that now seemed wet. Josh could now identify that the sounds he was hearing were human voices, but at this distance he could not make out individual words. He could hear grunts, moans, and even laughter but could not decipher them.
After about 5 minutes of careful walk Josh came to an intersection. His hall and a hall to the right seem to merge into the hall Josh had been transversing. The hall was wider here and made a sharp turn. As Josh rounded the corner he found himself staring at a statue.
"I must be in frigging horror movie," Josh said at he looked at the statue. "This makes the creature in Alien looked like damn kitty cat."
The statue stood on a pedestal about 4 feet high. The statue itself was about 2 feet high. It looked something like the combination of an octopus, a very ugly human with the wings of a dragon all made out of some gross gelatinous leathery like protoplasm.
Upon closer inspection Josh could see it exhibited exquisitely artistic workmanship but somehow this made it worse. Josh was beginning to feel sick to his stomach as he continued to study the bas-relief. The creature had an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers on a scaly, rubbery-looking body with prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long narrow wings behind it. The overall effect projected an evil malignancy of bloated corpulence that was squatting and looking directly at Josh with an evil glare.
Just as Josh was feeling the full effect of this creature staring at him the volume of the drums increased and the voices of the participants changed. Human voices seemed to devolve into animalistic fury heightened by howls and squawking ecstasies that reverberated through the hall. Josh had never heard anything to approximate these sounds and could take it no longer. He ran back up the hall into the library and quickly shut the bookcase. It was time for a drink.
Josh quickly pushed the book shelf back into place and walked out of the library. The drums could still be heard but only faintly. Josh fixed himself a large Scotch and went to his room.
"Tomorrow I am getting out of this damn place," he said to himself as he downed the Scotch.
Josh did not sleep well that night but upon awakening his plans on leaving did not work exactly as planned. It took Josh some time to get to sleep but then he overslept. He was awakened by Lacy.
"Josh, I have to talk to you," Lacy whispered in a frightened voice. "I don't know what I've gotten myself into," she continued. "You have to help me."
Josh quickly arose from the bed. "What are you talking about Lacy? I was planning on leaving this morning."
"No, Josh, please, you can't leave right now. I need you," Lacy pleaded.
"What the hell is going on here Lacy?"
"There is a lot going on and if it continues it will change everything. I mean everything. You don't know what Hank and Tiffany are planning. I think they are going to do it tonight." Lacy explained almost hysterical.
"I still don't know what the hell you are talking about."
"They are going to awaken Cthulhu," she whispered in a gasping voice.
"That is a bunch of bull-crap. There is no such thing as a Cthulhu."
"Josh, you don't know. It really exists. I have seen it. The stars are now perfect and Hank and Tiffany know what they're doing."
Lacy held up her hand, "This ring is one of the keys."
"What kind of key?" Josh asked.
"This ring belonged to my grandfather who was a friend to Hank's grandfather. It is said my grandfather saved Hank's grandfather from a fate worse than death. Over the years this ring was passed down to my mother and then to me. It was two years ago Hank discovered his grandfather's ideas about Cthulhu and decided he could handle things that his grandfather could not. He feels that with his knowledge and the power this ring will give me we will be successful, successful beyond imagination. He says we can have anything, I mean anything at all. I thought it was all kind of fun and did not really believe the story. I was just having fun. That is until last night and I saw something that should never be seen. I saw a portion of the living Cthulhu and it was horrible."
"You don't really expect me to believe all of this Lacy," Josh asked.
"You have to believe me. They are going to do it tonight and you and I have to stop them." Lacy pleaded. "Hank is convinced if he is successful he will be the most powerful man on earth. I heard him say Kings and Presidents will bow before him. Hank is really a wonderful man but something has happened to him and I am very afraid. I tried to talk to Tiffany about it but she became angry and threatened to tell Hank. Please Josh you have to help me. There is no one else I can turn to."
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