ASJ #2 x MAYC #21538

2nd story of the collection "A Strange Journey"

In the first installment of our tale, our journalist Samuel begins his perilous journey to the icy cold region of Antarctica. He had heard rambles from a strange old sailor in „Icy Ale” tavern that an ape had been marooned somewhere in the vast frozen wastelands.

The legend said his ship had crashed into an iceberg during The Great Storm, throwing the ape overboard. He swam tirelessly to the nearby frozen shore in search for shelter. Minutes and hours turned into what seemed years. Finally, he reached his destination. Tired and shivering, he searched for shelter. But there was no shelter to be found. Everywhere around him all he could see is ice and icy cold dark water spreading as far as the eye can see. Ever since then, tattered and torn, the ape had become imprisoned on the ice. Far from his home in the now distant green woodlands. Soon whispers could be heard that this was no ordinary ape... For it was an ape that looked like no other and was never seen by human eyes.

Intrigued by the legend, Samuel finished his ale and set out to find what had happened to the ape to cause his disfigured never before seen physical state....

Upon his arrival to the coldest region on Earth, Sam docked his weather torn boat near to where the ape had shipwrecked in the legend. He noticed something glowing beneath a fresh coating of newly laid snow. What was this strange green substance? It was almost magical; he was mesmerized with the liquid. „I’m here. “He thought to himself and started to look around.

Off in the distance he could see barrels stacked on each other and started making his way to them. Soon he found himself outside of a hollow in the frozen walls of a nearby cliff. It also emitted the smell and glow of the strange liquid he saw before. Sam cautiously approached the entrance, unprepared for what he may find hidden away amongst the snow and ice....

Approaching the hollow he could smell the odd odor in the cold air, a scent that could only be described as putrid. Like rotting fish meat that had been left to rot for a couple of days during a hot summer week, or in this case month. Looking down he noticed that the floor was moving in front of him, getting darker as he entered the hollow. After taking a few dozen steps inside the hollow the floor was completely black. Sam crouched down to take a closer look. On his knees he realizes what was causing the floor to be moving… The floor was covered in worms. Dark as the night sky and just as terrifying. Making their way up his hands, feet and knees. He jumped off his knees in pure panic and started to shake violently while screaming for his life. Unfortunately, it was too late. The worms slowly made their way up his waist and under his clothes. A whisper could be heard coming from back of the hollow… Sam glanced in the direction where the sound was coming from, but all he could see was darkness. Slowly he started making out some the hushed whispers, it was an old pirate chant.

“Take me down with ye, for the captain ‘s now lost. Cut the lines, burn the sales, take me down with ye…”

Sam’s eyes were now staring into the darkness completely lifeless. No longer was he trying to remove the dark abyssal worms that had already made their way to his chest and neck. He was almost entirely consumed by them.

As the hushed chanting slowly stopped, Sam started hearing faint and irregular footsteps. Like someone was limping and dragging a piece of wood behind him. The monstrosity appeared out from the shadows, making its way to our now petrified hero. As soon as he stepped into the faint light that was coming from the entrance of the hollow, Sam could finally make out its face.

Yellow eyes that could no longer be closed due to the cold. A greenish tint to the face with giant dark worms coming in and out of the nostrils. A few yellow rotting teeth could be seen, but not much could be made out from the worms that were coming out of its mouth. Now Sam knew why he could barely make out the chant. This thing could barely speak! Melting and mutilated skin with boils, cuts and bruises everywhere that shimmered in the cold and ice. Once he recognized the sailor’s hat with the sigil that resembled the one found on the sunk ship. He realized it was the ape he was searching for.

As the ape continued to make his way to Sam slowly, he tried to muster all the strength he had left to free himself from the worms. But it was no use, all he could hear are the footsteps that started getting closer. Finally, Sam started yelling for help. As soon as he opened his mouth the worms made their way inside. Now all we could hear was the sound of choking as we slowly watched our favorite journalist fall to the ground. Consumed in the eternal darkness.

“Take me down with ye, for the captain ‘s now lost. Cut the lines, burn the sales, take me down with ye…”

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