C
Chris_Reaper
Guest
Original poster
Just wanted to say that I am a HUGE H.P. Lovecraft fan and the following is my attempt to add on to his Cthulhu Mythos...hope you enjoy.
Northern Philippines, 1944
The harsh jungle sun is just about to give way to the coolness of twilight as the bright orange orb disappears behind a horizon of tropical bush. A large canvas backed truck slowly pulls into an Allied encampment on the edge of the tree line, it's worn visage showing the age and scars of war. A small platoon of American G.I.'s hop off the trusty vehicle, their faces just as grungy and malign as the truck they ride on. One of the last soldiers to exit the truck is a tall, olive skinned man. His face exudes youth, but his eyes betray the hard life of combat and fatigue. This is First Lieutenant Gabriel Alvarado, 11th Army Airborne Division.
"Alright platoon, chow in the mess than bed down! We gotta long day tomorrow!" shouts Gabriel in a half hearted tone.
Many soldiers just nod in acknowledgment, while others keep walking. Gabriel lets out a long winded breath as he begins to head to his own tent on the other side of the camp. Suddenly he is stopped by another man who walks casually over to him.
"Alvarado, damn good job out there today over seein the runway specs." says the man, one Captain Milfoil by name.
"Well thank you Captain, but to tell you the truth, these runway lay downs are getting a bit old. As soon as my transfer orders go through, I'll be lookin forward to hittin the skies again."
"Interesting thing, that's just what I came to talk to you about." says Milfoil.
A look of anticipation crosses the young officer's face "You mean my orders went through?"
"Well that seems to be the case, but…"
"Oh hot damn! That's great news Cap!"
"Now hold on Lieutenant, I didn't get sure confirmation of that, but there's a Colonel from HQ here to see you. He's in the far tent, he specifically asked to see you." says Milfoil.
"Well what about Captain?"
"Didn't say, but I figure it must be important if he's comin all the way down from Division Headquarters just to see you. I just reckoned it had somethin to do with your transfer orders." says Milfoil.
"Well that seems a bit off, I mean why would anyone come down from HQ…and a Colonel at that. Just to deliver some orders?" asks Gabriel.
"Well Lieutenant, there's only one way to find out." says Milfoil as he motions to the tent.
"Yea, I guess your right. Much obliged Captain." Gabriel says as he slowly makes his way to the far tent were he is supposedly expected.
A few moments later he dusts himself off and slowly pulls back the tattered canvas that leads to the tent's interior. The inside is dimly lit by a few lanterns and Gabriel can plainly make out a moderate size desk, a few charts and topographical maps. Looking out the open veil of the tent's other entrance is an equally tall man, with slightly graying hair and a strong build, wearing a full Army dress uniform. His back is turned to Gabriel and he seems not to notice the young officer's entrance into the tent.
Gabriel nervously exhales " Pardon my intrusion sir, First Lieutenant Gabriel Alvarado. I was told you wanted to see me sir."
The other man turns around, his face regal and his posture quite commanding. He sports a thin graying mustache. His deep hazel eyes convey the respect of experience and the wisdom of age. Gabriel's own eyes widen slightly as his arm immediately snaps into a salute in both respect and recognition as to who stands before him.
Colonel Michael Alvarado takes a few steps forward and a slight grimace crosses his lips "At ease Lieutenant."
Gabriel relaxes into an at ease posture "Sir, yes sir."
Michael's lips form into a full blown grin "That's it…not even a hand shake soldier?" he says as he extends his hand.
Gabriel takes the Colonel's hand and is yanked forward by the older man as the two of them hug warmly.
"Damn good to see you son…" says Michael as he pats Gabe's back.
"Likewise pop…" says Gabriel as he smiles in his father's embrace.
"Look at you, it's been almost a year. Well sit down, here have a drink." says Michael as he tosses his son a small flask.
"No thanks old man, I'll stick with the weak tea the locals got. Gotta keep sharp around here pop, you take one drunken step, you get your leg blown off by a land mine."
"I hear you…so tell me son, how's your tour of duty been out here so far?"
Gabriel slightly looks down and let's out a impatient chuckle "Look dad I don't mean to be forward here, but what the hell's goin on? Now you didn't come all the way out here just to shoot the shit, now did you?"
"Can't a dad come out to see his boy?"
Gabe slightly shakes his head "Gonna have to do better than that old man. This got somethin to do with my orders?"
Michael smirks as he takes a swig of whiskey "I always did say you were to damn smart for your own good." he says as he tosses Gabriel a small folder "Signed by Brigadier General Dela' Pore. Your orders went through, your to be transferred to the European theater as of 0900 hours tomorrow morning."
"Full fighter duty?" asks Gabriel with excitement.
"Thirteenth Airborne, flying fully armored P-38's."
Gabriel slams his fists on the desk and lets out a loud yelp of enthusiasm "Goddamit, you did your son proud Colonel. Thank you pop!"
"Now hold on ace, are you sure you wanna go through with this? Fighter detail in the European is no joke, those goddamn Germans can pluck a fly from five hundred yards."
"Well I don't mean to brag pop, but your lookin at one of highest rated pilots in Air Corps."
"Son, now I know your a top pilot, but you've been off fighter detail for about six months."
"Like ridin a bike dad."
Michael swallows hard and a somber look envelops his expression "Gabe I'd like you to re-consider those orders."
"Now why in the hell would I wanna do that? You know how long I've been waiting to get back in the air? Now what's the deal here dad? You come down to personally deliver my orders than tell me to re-consider…I mean what gives?"
"I hoped I'd never have to tell you this story…sit down son."
"Not till you tell me just what the hell is going on." says Gabriel defiantly.
The Colonel's voice suddenly takes on a harsh and commanding tone "I said sit down goddamit, that's an order."
Gabriel reluctantly sits across the desk facing his father.
"You remember what I told you about how your mother died?" asks Michael.
"Yea, complications while delivering me…what the hell does this have to do with my orders?"
"Just shut up and listen soldier. What I'm about to tell you I've never uttered to another living soul and for good reason. The truth about your mother's death and the nightmare that led up to it. Let me first ask…you still have those weird hallucinations and visions that you sometimes get?"
"Few and far between, I think I gotta pretty good handle on that, I almost feel like I can almost control it now…why?"
"But you do remember how bad they used to be when you were younger…the horrible nightmares and images you used to see." says Michael.
"I try not to…" says Gabriel.
"Well boy there's a reason behind all you've experienced thus far, and it all began the night were born…"
Bayous Of Louisiana…1923
I remember that night like it was yesterday. That dark old farmhouse, the night seemed almost dead itself. The air hung heavy and it was stifling, almost like we couldn't breathe. There I was in the second floor bed room watching in panic as my wife lay on the bed, about to give birth. Her screams echoed through the house, but for some reason didn't seem to dissipate. Those terrible shrieks still ring in my ears to this day. Acting as an impromptu mid wife was a somewhat older black lady me and Cindy had befriended named Flora Camille. She tried to calm Cindy down, but her screams just became more horrible, almost as if she were giving birth to the devil himself.
I just stood there, standing a few feet back, feeling cowardly but at the same time not daring to go any nearer. My gut groaned in fear as I knew that this woman in labor was not my wife. Like she had been taken over or possessed by something, some unclean force. As her labor continued my mind flashed back to how we met, to somewhat happier times. It was 1919, things were still at a bit of unrest. It had only been a year since the end of the Great War and my unit and I were stationed near Red Hook, New York. Recently I had taken great interest in alternative spirituality, occultist stuff you might say. That's when a friend of mine had introduced me to the Theosophical Society. A place where the upper crust of the New York elite met and discussed the teachings of one Madam Helena Blavastky, a famous mystic of sorts. The Theosophical Society believed in a group of cosmic gods known as the Old Ones, according to the writings of Madam Blavastky. Here I was introduced to the an inner circle who practiced various conjuring rituals to invoke the coming of the Old Ones…one named Cthulhu in particular.
It was here that I also met one of the most beautiful and charming women I had ever laid my eyes on…your mother Cindy. She was only eighteen at the time and I was nearly a decade her senior. Over time we grew closer and eventually fell in love. But of course this wasn't at all proper, since the coupling of a young beautiful blonde woman and an Army officer who was of mixed Spaniard and Gypsy blood, could never be accepted. We decided that nothing was going to stop us being together so we eloped and ran off to Louisiana, where my father had acquired some land holdings due to his wealthy stature in Spain. But before we left we chose to steal, for whatever reason a certain book, held as the highest prize for the worshipers of the Old Ones…a tome known as the Necronomicon. I don't know what we were thinking, but we took it and brought it with us to the bayous of Louisiana.
Over the next three years, Cindy and I grew more distant as she delved deeper and deeper into the nightmarish grasp of the Necronomicon. I begged her to stay away from it, but she refused. Soon I found out she was pregnant, but something inside me suspected there was something terribly wrong with this pregnancy, something unspeakable and monstrous.
Until the night she gave birth…I stood there, my eyes locked in horror as I saw Flora deliver the first child. The cries of the infant filling the room. Flora tried to show the baby to Cindy, but she violently repelled it, exclaiming that it was not her true child. I ran over and grabbed the baby, cradling it in my arms. In that moment I looked down and saw a beautiful baby boy, innocent and almost smiling back up at me. That was you, son. In all the doubt and fear I was feeling leading up to that moment, I knew in my heart that you were a gift and you were indeed mine.
Than things truly took a turn for the terrible. It seemed Cindy was pregnant with twins, but the sibling would turn out to be nothing like the first. As Flora delivered the second infant, she screamed in utter horror. In her arms was what could only be described as an abomination of nature. This thing had a squid like abdomen, it's head was elongated and terminated at a point. It's eyes were arranged in rows of six each, all were a sickly pale yellow color. Instead of arms and legs it had a mass of tentacles protruding from it's underside. There were two slits on either side of it's head which seemed to ooze puss mingled with blood.
Cindy jolted up and grabbed the infantile monster, laughing insanely. She cradled it as she began to chant the name "Yog-Sothoth".
Flora came running to me and my newborn, very frightened. As Cindy continued to chant the house shook and otherworldly screams could be heard coming through the walls. It was at that moment I knew that Cindy was lost to me and chose to save what was left of my family, namely my son. I grabbed Flora and bolted out the door, holding my baby tightly. We ran down the steps and stopped just short of the front door.
"What in the Lord's name is going on here Mr. Alvarado!" shouted Flora.
I didn't answer and simply handed her the baby to hold, while I exposed a secret compartment hidden under the floorboards. Inside lay the remnants of my military days. I had a Thompson Sub machine gun and a satchel full of dynamite. You see ever since Cindy and myself moved out there, we had been harassed by a group of terrorist hoodlums who called themselves the Ku Klux Klan, who didn't take very kindly to a Spaniard Gypsy who was married to a white woman. Needless to say I took some precautions to keep my family safe as it were. Also in the bag was a small clay figure of a frightening entity, with feelers and bat like wings. Across the base was written only three words "Veni Foras Cthulhu".
Suddenly the horrible screams intensified inside the house and monstrous creatures of all shapes and sizes began to slowly lumber into the room…materializing from the shadows. I cocked the Tommy gun and began to fire wildly at the creatures, mowing a few of them down, when they suddenly froze in their tracks and took not another step further. Flora and myself than noticed Cindy standing at the top of the stairs, her night gown drenched in blood and holding the infantile creature in her arms.
"So it seems you've betrayed me Michael…with her." Cindy said in an almost ghostly moan.
"Well your certainly one to talk darling." I said motioning to the thing in her arms.
"This is the culmination of my union with one of the Old Ones. He is a Conduit, Michael…it is he who will usher them in."
"…and what about the other kid Cindy? Where does he fit into this insanity?" I asked, the anger rising in my voice.
That's when he…or it, walked into the room. The creature was nearly eight feet tall the nearest I could figure. This thing resembled a bat with its wings folded inward. It's head was rimmed by massive horns forming a sort of crown. It's face was nothing but a void of black shadow. In it's arms was the accursed book that had been the cause of all this.
"Very simply put mortal…tis my gift to you." said the creature in an almost guttural growl.
From my own studying of the Necronomicon I recognized this aberration as indeed one of the fabled Old Ones…this was the one known as Yog-Sothoth, in one of his many physical forms.
"Well I guess I should take some comfort that my wife decided to cheat on me with a god instead of some cheese dick down the road." I said.
"You see at the time of the conception of my Conduit, your wife was already pregnant with your seed. I opted not to destroy the child and instead decided that he co exist with my Conduit." said Yog-Sothoth.
"Well aren't you just the fuckin Humanitarian." I said.
"My lord Yog-Sothoth has decided to spare the child's life Michael and at the same time grant you a son. A piece to always remember me by." said Cindy.
"Now take your son and leave us mortal…for we prepare for the rising of R'lyeh." said Yog-Sothoth.
"I think your forgetting one thing…" I said.
Both Cindy and the monstrous deity turned to look quizzically when I suddenly produced the clay figurine of Cthulhu. I started to shout "Veni Foras Cthulhu" over and over, my voice getting louder and louder.
Out of nowhere an ear piercing sound bellowed through the house as I continued to shout the three words. All the misshapen monsters in the room including Yog-Sothoth himself seemed to be adversely effected as they began writhing back in pain, unable withstand the loathsome sound.
"Cthulhu doesn't like being upstaged Yoggy! It is he who is the true sovereign of R'lyeh, it is he who shall come through the gate first! Now face his wrath!" I shouted as I smashed the small sculpture onto the floor, instantaneously creating a small vortex in which fiery tentacles burst out consuming the other creatures one by one.
"No….why are you doing this Michael. Don't you see this is the path to the gods, you've ruined it all!" shouted Cindy.
I swallowed hard as a few tears ran down my face "Goodbye Cindy." I said as I began to fire off the Tommy gun towards an old overhead chandelier, causing it to fall and crash right on top of Cindy, Yog-Sothoth and the abomination they called their child. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that Flora had re-coiled at what I had just done.
It was than that I grabbed the bag of dynamite and lit the fuse of a single stick inside.
"Oh my God, what's that for?" shouted Flora.
"Just get back Flora!" I said as I tossed the explosives over to where the chandelier had crashed. I than turned back to Flora "C'mon let's get the hell out of here!"
We ran through the darkened house until we got to a back door. I furiously kicked the door out, not really noticing anything on the outside. As I helped Flora out of the doorway, she handed me the baby and I glanced up to see a look of shock on her face as she stared at something on the outside. I whirled around to see at least seven or eight hooded Klansmen standing not more than a few yards in front of us. Two or three were brandishing shotguns and the others held torches.
"Well, well, what we got here boys?" said one of them.
"Look bleach cricket, normally I find you clowns amusing. But trust me when I say, that now is really not a good time." I said, sweat running down my nose.
"We'll say what's a good time and what's not around here spic. Where's your little race traitor whore of a wife?" asked another.
"Oh you don't know the half of it chalk skin." I said.
Suddenly Flora grabbed the Tommy gun and aimed it at the hoodlums.
"What the hell are you doing?" I asked in shock.
She looked at me with anger and determination on her face "Get out of here, run!"
"Flora, is that you…" said a third Klansmen as he walks up past the others. "If you don't get your black ass back to farm house, I swear!"
"Shut up…I'll be damned if I'm gonna be your punching bag anymore." She than turns back to me "I said run!" as she began to spray a hail of bullets towards the Klansmen causing them to scatter in every direction. "You keep him safe Michael, I'll hold them off! Now go…go now!" she said in between bouts of fire.
I had never respected anyone's courage more than I did at that very moment. The sacrifice this woman was willing to make for me and my child…to call her actions noble would be the understatement of the century. I could see that she had made up her mind and after a moment or two of begging with my eyes for her not to do this, I reluctantly fled holding the baby in my arms. It was after continuous fire that she inevitably ran out of ammunition. The Klansmen had re-grouped and began to creep ever closer, shouting taunts. Flora calmly lowered the weapon and her face took on a countenance of peace, as if she knew what was about to happen. In that instance several of the shadowy creatures burst the walls of the house causing the Klansmen to stagger back in panic. A split second later the house exploded in a fiery inferno. The tremendous force flattened trees for several yards out and the house was reduced to match sticks. I had run far enough away by that time to escape the brunt of the blast, but the violence of the explosion caused me to go partially deaf in one ear. Luckily, my newborn son hadn't been hurt either. Eventually I made my to California were I did my best to raise my son. I've never spoken of that night until now.
Gabriel looked on in disbelief as his mind was trying to process what he had just heard "What the hell kinda story is that?"
Michael smirked slightly "You can't make this kind of shit up son."
"Supposing all this is true, why would you wait till now to tell me all this?"
"For a very good reason. When you were drafted I was gonna try to use my clout to get you a cushy desk job, keep you as far away from the fighting as possible. But when you told me that you wanted to pursue being a pilot, I took a good hard look and decided to let you be your own man, but as a father I still wanted to try and protect you. But there was another reason. In the years following that one night, you had developed those terrible visions and nightmares. Digging in depth I found that it was quite possible you developed some kind of psychic spill over with your unnatural brother and possibly with Yog-Sothoth himself while in the womb. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that you yourself might in fact be a Conduit, a kind of back up plan for Yog-Sothoth, which would explain why he left you alive in the first place. I got word that the bastard might've tried again to sire another Conduit a few years later in a little town called Dunwich, Massachusetts. But that was hearsay. Now being a fighter pilot is dangerous enough, but I made sure that you were placed in the Pacific. The Japanese are damn smart, but their more practical than their Swazi counterparts. God forbid you were to be captured by the Germans, with their own dealings in the black arts, they would undoubtedly recognize you for what you were and try to reverse engineer your psychic link with the Old Ones…and I don't have to tell you what the potential outcome of that would be. I'll do whatever I can to keep you out of the hands of the Third Reich."
Gabriel rises up out of his chair, sadness mixed with anger is flushed across his face. He picks up the chair and smashes it on the ground "Now you look…I don't know how much of this bullshit is true. But you remember what you just said to me, that you decided to let me be my own man. You need to stick by that! You need to let me walk out here, orders in hand and let me decide my own fate! Now will you do that…I don't need you to protect me anymore pop."
Michael walks up to his son, tears welling up in his eyes. He snaps a salute "Good hunting Lieutenant…and God speed."
Gabriel returns the salute "Thank you Colonel and same to you."
As Gabe turns to exit the tent he looks back one last time to his father "It'll be alright pop, you'll see."
"I pray your right son, you take care of yourself."
At that, Gabe exits, leaving Michael standing in the middle of the tent steady tears running down his cheek "Whatever happens, I'm damn proud of you boy." he whispers.
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The moderate size room is flanked by the shadows of the many guards that line it's walls. The unmistakable emblem of the Nazi swastika can be clearly seen on their uniforms. Behind a small table sit's a high ranking German soldier in the Third Reich "SS". He casually smokes a pipe and motions with his hand…and act that signals one of the guards to open a far door. In walks a tall man, his face covered by shadow, at his side two more Nazi guards who escort him inside. The man stops just short of the light, his upper torso still shrouded in darkness.
"I am told you have something to offer us." says the SS officer behind the table in a thick German accent.
"Indeed I do…" says the shadowy man.
"You do realize that if I thought you were being the least bit disingenuous, I could have you killed." says the SS officer.
"If I were afraid, I wouldn't have surrendered to you, now would I? From our brief negotiations up until this point, am I to understand you have the book?"
The SS officer is handed a large tattered book, bound in black. He lays it on the table and dusts it off "It took some doing to acquire this."
The shadowy man begins to step forward, but the SS Officer slightly pulls the book back "However there is one thing that nags at me. If you have the potential knowledge to conjure up the entities that are supposedly in this book…why would you turn your back on your countrymen?"
"The Reich has the esoteric background and the resources I seek. The Allies are to far limited in their thinking. Besides…" the man steps into the light revealing the face of Gabriel Alvarado "…I think it's what my mother would've wanted".
Northern Philippines, 1944
The harsh jungle sun is just about to give way to the coolness of twilight as the bright orange orb disappears behind a horizon of tropical bush. A large canvas backed truck slowly pulls into an Allied encampment on the edge of the tree line, it's worn visage showing the age and scars of war. A small platoon of American G.I.'s hop off the trusty vehicle, their faces just as grungy and malign as the truck they ride on. One of the last soldiers to exit the truck is a tall, olive skinned man. His face exudes youth, but his eyes betray the hard life of combat and fatigue. This is First Lieutenant Gabriel Alvarado, 11th Army Airborne Division.
"Alright platoon, chow in the mess than bed down! We gotta long day tomorrow!" shouts Gabriel in a half hearted tone.
Many soldiers just nod in acknowledgment, while others keep walking. Gabriel lets out a long winded breath as he begins to head to his own tent on the other side of the camp. Suddenly he is stopped by another man who walks casually over to him.
"Alvarado, damn good job out there today over seein the runway specs." says the man, one Captain Milfoil by name.
"Well thank you Captain, but to tell you the truth, these runway lay downs are getting a bit old. As soon as my transfer orders go through, I'll be lookin forward to hittin the skies again."
"Interesting thing, that's just what I came to talk to you about." says Milfoil.
A look of anticipation crosses the young officer's face "You mean my orders went through?"
"Well that seems to be the case, but…"
"Oh hot damn! That's great news Cap!"
"Now hold on Lieutenant, I didn't get sure confirmation of that, but there's a Colonel from HQ here to see you. He's in the far tent, he specifically asked to see you." says Milfoil.
"Well what about Captain?"
"Didn't say, but I figure it must be important if he's comin all the way down from Division Headquarters just to see you. I just reckoned it had somethin to do with your transfer orders." says Milfoil.
"Well that seems a bit off, I mean why would anyone come down from HQ…and a Colonel at that. Just to deliver some orders?" asks Gabriel.
"Well Lieutenant, there's only one way to find out." says Milfoil as he motions to the tent.
"Yea, I guess your right. Much obliged Captain." Gabriel says as he slowly makes his way to the far tent were he is supposedly expected.
A few moments later he dusts himself off and slowly pulls back the tattered canvas that leads to the tent's interior. The inside is dimly lit by a few lanterns and Gabriel can plainly make out a moderate size desk, a few charts and topographical maps. Looking out the open veil of the tent's other entrance is an equally tall man, with slightly graying hair and a strong build, wearing a full Army dress uniform. His back is turned to Gabriel and he seems not to notice the young officer's entrance into the tent.
Gabriel nervously exhales " Pardon my intrusion sir, First Lieutenant Gabriel Alvarado. I was told you wanted to see me sir."
The other man turns around, his face regal and his posture quite commanding. He sports a thin graying mustache. His deep hazel eyes convey the respect of experience and the wisdom of age. Gabriel's own eyes widen slightly as his arm immediately snaps into a salute in both respect and recognition as to who stands before him.
Colonel Michael Alvarado takes a few steps forward and a slight grimace crosses his lips "At ease Lieutenant."
Gabriel relaxes into an at ease posture "Sir, yes sir."
Michael's lips form into a full blown grin "That's it…not even a hand shake soldier?" he says as he extends his hand.
Gabriel takes the Colonel's hand and is yanked forward by the older man as the two of them hug warmly.
"Damn good to see you son…" says Michael as he pats Gabe's back.
"Likewise pop…" says Gabriel as he smiles in his father's embrace.
"Look at you, it's been almost a year. Well sit down, here have a drink." says Michael as he tosses his son a small flask.
"No thanks old man, I'll stick with the weak tea the locals got. Gotta keep sharp around here pop, you take one drunken step, you get your leg blown off by a land mine."
"I hear you…so tell me son, how's your tour of duty been out here so far?"
Gabriel slightly looks down and let's out a impatient chuckle "Look dad I don't mean to be forward here, but what the hell's goin on? Now you didn't come all the way out here just to shoot the shit, now did you?"
"Can't a dad come out to see his boy?"
Gabe slightly shakes his head "Gonna have to do better than that old man. This got somethin to do with my orders?"
Michael smirks as he takes a swig of whiskey "I always did say you were to damn smart for your own good." he says as he tosses Gabriel a small folder "Signed by Brigadier General Dela' Pore. Your orders went through, your to be transferred to the European theater as of 0900 hours tomorrow morning."
"Full fighter duty?" asks Gabriel with excitement.
"Thirteenth Airborne, flying fully armored P-38's."
Gabriel slams his fists on the desk and lets out a loud yelp of enthusiasm "Goddamit, you did your son proud Colonel. Thank you pop!"
"Now hold on ace, are you sure you wanna go through with this? Fighter detail in the European is no joke, those goddamn Germans can pluck a fly from five hundred yards."
"Well I don't mean to brag pop, but your lookin at one of highest rated pilots in Air Corps."
"Son, now I know your a top pilot, but you've been off fighter detail for about six months."
"Like ridin a bike dad."
Michael swallows hard and a somber look envelops his expression "Gabe I'd like you to re-consider those orders."
"Now why in the hell would I wanna do that? You know how long I've been waiting to get back in the air? Now what's the deal here dad? You come down to personally deliver my orders than tell me to re-consider…I mean what gives?"
"I hoped I'd never have to tell you this story…sit down son."
"Not till you tell me just what the hell is going on." says Gabriel defiantly.
The Colonel's voice suddenly takes on a harsh and commanding tone "I said sit down goddamit, that's an order."
Gabriel reluctantly sits across the desk facing his father.
"You remember what I told you about how your mother died?" asks Michael.
"Yea, complications while delivering me…what the hell does this have to do with my orders?"
"Just shut up and listen soldier. What I'm about to tell you I've never uttered to another living soul and for good reason. The truth about your mother's death and the nightmare that led up to it. Let me first ask…you still have those weird hallucinations and visions that you sometimes get?"
"Few and far between, I think I gotta pretty good handle on that, I almost feel like I can almost control it now…why?"
"But you do remember how bad they used to be when you were younger…the horrible nightmares and images you used to see." says Michael.
"I try not to…" says Gabriel.
"Well boy there's a reason behind all you've experienced thus far, and it all began the night were born…"
Bayous Of Louisiana…1923
I remember that night like it was yesterday. That dark old farmhouse, the night seemed almost dead itself. The air hung heavy and it was stifling, almost like we couldn't breathe. There I was in the second floor bed room watching in panic as my wife lay on the bed, about to give birth. Her screams echoed through the house, but for some reason didn't seem to dissipate. Those terrible shrieks still ring in my ears to this day. Acting as an impromptu mid wife was a somewhat older black lady me and Cindy had befriended named Flora Camille. She tried to calm Cindy down, but her screams just became more horrible, almost as if she were giving birth to the devil himself.
I just stood there, standing a few feet back, feeling cowardly but at the same time not daring to go any nearer. My gut groaned in fear as I knew that this woman in labor was not my wife. Like she had been taken over or possessed by something, some unclean force. As her labor continued my mind flashed back to how we met, to somewhat happier times. It was 1919, things were still at a bit of unrest. It had only been a year since the end of the Great War and my unit and I were stationed near Red Hook, New York. Recently I had taken great interest in alternative spirituality, occultist stuff you might say. That's when a friend of mine had introduced me to the Theosophical Society. A place where the upper crust of the New York elite met and discussed the teachings of one Madam Helena Blavastky, a famous mystic of sorts. The Theosophical Society believed in a group of cosmic gods known as the Old Ones, according to the writings of Madam Blavastky. Here I was introduced to the an inner circle who practiced various conjuring rituals to invoke the coming of the Old Ones…one named Cthulhu in particular.
It was here that I also met one of the most beautiful and charming women I had ever laid my eyes on…your mother Cindy. She was only eighteen at the time and I was nearly a decade her senior. Over time we grew closer and eventually fell in love. But of course this wasn't at all proper, since the coupling of a young beautiful blonde woman and an Army officer who was of mixed Spaniard and Gypsy blood, could never be accepted. We decided that nothing was going to stop us being together so we eloped and ran off to Louisiana, where my father had acquired some land holdings due to his wealthy stature in Spain. But before we left we chose to steal, for whatever reason a certain book, held as the highest prize for the worshipers of the Old Ones…a tome known as the Necronomicon. I don't know what we were thinking, but we took it and brought it with us to the bayous of Louisiana.
Over the next three years, Cindy and I grew more distant as she delved deeper and deeper into the nightmarish grasp of the Necronomicon. I begged her to stay away from it, but she refused. Soon I found out she was pregnant, but something inside me suspected there was something terribly wrong with this pregnancy, something unspeakable and monstrous.
Until the night she gave birth…I stood there, my eyes locked in horror as I saw Flora deliver the first child. The cries of the infant filling the room. Flora tried to show the baby to Cindy, but she violently repelled it, exclaiming that it was not her true child. I ran over and grabbed the baby, cradling it in my arms. In that moment I looked down and saw a beautiful baby boy, innocent and almost smiling back up at me. That was you, son. In all the doubt and fear I was feeling leading up to that moment, I knew in my heart that you were a gift and you were indeed mine.
Than things truly took a turn for the terrible. It seemed Cindy was pregnant with twins, but the sibling would turn out to be nothing like the first. As Flora delivered the second infant, she screamed in utter horror. In her arms was what could only be described as an abomination of nature. This thing had a squid like abdomen, it's head was elongated and terminated at a point. It's eyes were arranged in rows of six each, all were a sickly pale yellow color. Instead of arms and legs it had a mass of tentacles protruding from it's underside. There were two slits on either side of it's head which seemed to ooze puss mingled with blood.
Cindy jolted up and grabbed the infantile monster, laughing insanely. She cradled it as she began to chant the name "Yog-Sothoth".
Flora came running to me and my newborn, very frightened. As Cindy continued to chant the house shook and otherworldly screams could be heard coming through the walls. It was at that moment I knew that Cindy was lost to me and chose to save what was left of my family, namely my son. I grabbed Flora and bolted out the door, holding my baby tightly. We ran down the steps and stopped just short of the front door.
"What in the Lord's name is going on here Mr. Alvarado!" shouted Flora.
I didn't answer and simply handed her the baby to hold, while I exposed a secret compartment hidden under the floorboards. Inside lay the remnants of my military days. I had a Thompson Sub machine gun and a satchel full of dynamite. You see ever since Cindy and myself moved out there, we had been harassed by a group of terrorist hoodlums who called themselves the Ku Klux Klan, who didn't take very kindly to a Spaniard Gypsy who was married to a white woman. Needless to say I took some precautions to keep my family safe as it were. Also in the bag was a small clay figure of a frightening entity, with feelers and bat like wings. Across the base was written only three words "Veni Foras Cthulhu".
Suddenly the horrible screams intensified inside the house and monstrous creatures of all shapes and sizes began to slowly lumber into the room…materializing from the shadows. I cocked the Tommy gun and began to fire wildly at the creatures, mowing a few of them down, when they suddenly froze in their tracks and took not another step further. Flora and myself than noticed Cindy standing at the top of the stairs, her night gown drenched in blood and holding the infantile creature in her arms.
"So it seems you've betrayed me Michael…with her." Cindy said in an almost ghostly moan.
"Well your certainly one to talk darling." I said motioning to the thing in her arms.
"This is the culmination of my union with one of the Old Ones. He is a Conduit, Michael…it is he who will usher them in."
"…and what about the other kid Cindy? Where does he fit into this insanity?" I asked, the anger rising in my voice.
That's when he…or it, walked into the room. The creature was nearly eight feet tall the nearest I could figure. This thing resembled a bat with its wings folded inward. It's head was rimmed by massive horns forming a sort of crown. It's face was nothing but a void of black shadow. In it's arms was the accursed book that had been the cause of all this.
"Very simply put mortal…tis my gift to you." said the creature in an almost guttural growl.
From my own studying of the Necronomicon I recognized this aberration as indeed one of the fabled Old Ones…this was the one known as Yog-Sothoth, in one of his many physical forms.
"Well I guess I should take some comfort that my wife decided to cheat on me with a god instead of some cheese dick down the road." I said.
"You see at the time of the conception of my Conduit, your wife was already pregnant with your seed. I opted not to destroy the child and instead decided that he co exist with my Conduit." said Yog-Sothoth.
"Well aren't you just the fuckin Humanitarian." I said.
"My lord Yog-Sothoth has decided to spare the child's life Michael and at the same time grant you a son. A piece to always remember me by." said Cindy.
"Now take your son and leave us mortal…for we prepare for the rising of R'lyeh." said Yog-Sothoth.
"I think your forgetting one thing…" I said.
Both Cindy and the monstrous deity turned to look quizzically when I suddenly produced the clay figurine of Cthulhu. I started to shout "Veni Foras Cthulhu" over and over, my voice getting louder and louder.
Out of nowhere an ear piercing sound bellowed through the house as I continued to shout the three words. All the misshapen monsters in the room including Yog-Sothoth himself seemed to be adversely effected as they began writhing back in pain, unable withstand the loathsome sound.
"Cthulhu doesn't like being upstaged Yoggy! It is he who is the true sovereign of R'lyeh, it is he who shall come through the gate first! Now face his wrath!" I shouted as I smashed the small sculpture onto the floor, instantaneously creating a small vortex in which fiery tentacles burst out consuming the other creatures one by one.
"No….why are you doing this Michael. Don't you see this is the path to the gods, you've ruined it all!" shouted Cindy.
I swallowed hard as a few tears ran down my face "Goodbye Cindy." I said as I began to fire off the Tommy gun towards an old overhead chandelier, causing it to fall and crash right on top of Cindy, Yog-Sothoth and the abomination they called their child. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that Flora had re-coiled at what I had just done.
It was than that I grabbed the bag of dynamite and lit the fuse of a single stick inside.
"Oh my God, what's that for?" shouted Flora.
"Just get back Flora!" I said as I tossed the explosives over to where the chandelier had crashed. I than turned back to Flora "C'mon let's get the hell out of here!"
We ran through the darkened house until we got to a back door. I furiously kicked the door out, not really noticing anything on the outside. As I helped Flora out of the doorway, she handed me the baby and I glanced up to see a look of shock on her face as she stared at something on the outside. I whirled around to see at least seven or eight hooded Klansmen standing not more than a few yards in front of us. Two or three were brandishing shotguns and the others held torches.
"Well, well, what we got here boys?" said one of them.
"Look bleach cricket, normally I find you clowns amusing. But trust me when I say, that now is really not a good time." I said, sweat running down my nose.
"We'll say what's a good time and what's not around here spic. Where's your little race traitor whore of a wife?" asked another.
"Oh you don't know the half of it chalk skin." I said.
Suddenly Flora grabbed the Tommy gun and aimed it at the hoodlums.
"What the hell are you doing?" I asked in shock.
She looked at me with anger and determination on her face "Get out of here, run!"
"Flora, is that you…" said a third Klansmen as he walks up past the others. "If you don't get your black ass back to farm house, I swear!"
"Shut up…I'll be damned if I'm gonna be your punching bag anymore." She than turns back to me "I said run!" as she began to spray a hail of bullets towards the Klansmen causing them to scatter in every direction. "You keep him safe Michael, I'll hold them off! Now go…go now!" she said in between bouts of fire.
I had never respected anyone's courage more than I did at that very moment. The sacrifice this woman was willing to make for me and my child…to call her actions noble would be the understatement of the century. I could see that she had made up her mind and after a moment or two of begging with my eyes for her not to do this, I reluctantly fled holding the baby in my arms. It was after continuous fire that she inevitably ran out of ammunition. The Klansmen had re-grouped and began to creep ever closer, shouting taunts. Flora calmly lowered the weapon and her face took on a countenance of peace, as if she knew what was about to happen. In that instance several of the shadowy creatures burst the walls of the house causing the Klansmen to stagger back in panic. A split second later the house exploded in a fiery inferno. The tremendous force flattened trees for several yards out and the house was reduced to match sticks. I had run far enough away by that time to escape the brunt of the blast, but the violence of the explosion caused me to go partially deaf in one ear. Luckily, my newborn son hadn't been hurt either. Eventually I made my to California were I did my best to raise my son. I've never spoken of that night until now.
Gabriel looked on in disbelief as his mind was trying to process what he had just heard "What the hell kinda story is that?"
Michael smirked slightly "You can't make this kind of shit up son."
"Supposing all this is true, why would you wait till now to tell me all this?"
"For a very good reason. When you were drafted I was gonna try to use my clout to get you a cushy desk job, keep you as far away from the fighting as possible. But when you told me that you wanted to pursue being a pilot, I took a good hard look and decided to let you be your own man, but as a father I still wanted to try and protect you. But there was another reason. In the years following that one night, you had developed those terrible visions and nightmares. Digging in depth I found that it was quite possible you developed some kind of psychic spill over with your unnatural brother and possibly with Yog-Sothoth himself while in the womb. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that you yourself might in fact be a Conduit, a kind of back up plan for Yog-Sothoth, which would explain why he left you alive in the first place. I got word that the bastard might've tried again to sire another Conduit a few years later in a little town called Dunwich, Massachusetts. But that was hearsay. Now being a fighter pilot is dangerous enough, but I made sure that you were placed in the Pacific. The Japanese are damn smart, but their more practical than their Swazi counterparts. God forbid you were to be captured by the Germans, with their own dealings in the black arts, they would undoubtedly recognize you for what you were and try to reverse engineer your psychic link with the Old Ones…and I don't have to tell you what the potential outcome of that would be. I'll do whatever I can to keep you out of the hands of the Third Reich."
Gabriel rises up out of his chair, sadness mixed with anger is flushed across his face. He picks up the chair and smashes it on the ground "Now you look…I don't know how much of this bullshit is true. But you remember what you just said to me, that you decided to let me be my own man. You need to stick by that! You need to let me walk out here, orders in hand and let me decide my own fate! Now will you do that…I don't need you to protect me anymore pop."
Michael walks up to his son, tears welling up in his eyes. He snaps a salute "Good hunting Lieutenant…and God speed."
Gabriel returns the salute "Thank you Colonel and same to you."
As Gabe turns to exit the tent he looks back one last time to his father "It'll be alright pop, you'll see."
"I pray your right son, you take care of yourself."
At that, Gabe exits, leaving Michael standing in the middle of the tent steady tears running down his cheek "Whatever happens, I'm damn proud of you boy." he whispers.
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The moderate size room is flanked by the shadows of the many guards that line it's walls. The unmistakable emblem of the Nazi swastika can be clearly seen on their uniforms. Behind a small table sit's a high ranking German soldier in the Third Reich "SS". He casually smokes a pipe and motions with his hand…and act that signals one of the guards to open a far door. In walks a tall man, his face covered by shadow, at his side two more Nazi guards who escort him inside. The man stops just short of the light, his upper torso still shrouded in darkness.
"I am told you have something to offer us." says the SS officer behind the table in a thick German accent.
"Indeed I do…" says the shadowy man.
"You do realize that if I thought you were being the least bit disingenuous, I could have you killed." says the SS officer.
"If I were afraid, I wouldn't have surrendered to you, now would I? From our brief negotiations up until this point, am I to understand you have the book?"
The SS officer is handed a large tattered book, bound in black. He lays it on the table and dusts it off "It took some doing to acquire this."
The shadowy man begins to step forward, but the SS Officer slightly pulls the book back "However there is one thing that nags at me. If you have the potential knowledge to conjure up the entities that are supposedly in this book…why would you turn your back on your countrymen?"
"The Reich has the esoteric background and the resources I seek. The Allies are to far limited in their thinking. Besides…" the man steps into the light revealing the face of Gabriel Alvarado "…I think it's what my mother would've wanted".
