THE "HORROR."
(By R.. Sutcliffe, 0.5.8., : G, Brown Street, >/, Royal Oak, age 16.)
"Murder! Murder!" he screamed, and as the floor beneath him opened he was hurled into the blackness below. Only The Horror knew that below lay sharp, jagged rocks, lapped by the rising tide. Only The Horror knew why he had chosen this poor, defenceless man for his last victim. As Malery watched the Spaniard disappear, hf cried aloud. But the hooded, shapeless Horror caught him between the eyes. with a loaded stick. Down he went. Snakes, crocodiles, spiders, all slimy, creeping, slippery terror were in the air. Green slime made feet slip beneath him. Malery didn't know how he'd come there or why. He could never think clearly or connectedly now. Since The Horror had chained him— but. when had that happened ? What had he, Malery been before? He didn't know. It hurt him to think back. These terrors that were floating about him, he knew they were unreal. .They were only illusions. Yet he was frightened. Yes, terrified.. He felt that he could not stand it any longer. The strain was telling on his brain—something was bound to give way, to break. "Mother! Mother!" Unconsciously he cried out the words. What they meant, he did not know. A light streamed through the loathsome darkness. A hooded figure stood at the head of this light. A low chuckle came from it. "Come out here, my boy. Come out here." Terrified, trembling in every limb, Malery obeyed. As he approached the figure it seized him and sent him hurtling forward. Bleeding, he got to his feet and fell back aghast. Facing him were twelve figures, hooded in a deep bkek "Who are you?" he cried. "The Horrors," they answered in unison, "the nightmares of " Realisation struck Malery. He lashed into The Horrors with both fists. "Malery, Malery, whatever are you doing?" It was his mother's voice he heard. "I told your father not to take you to that talkie picture. And as for pork pies and coffee afterwards " Malery was busily engaged in active combat with his pillow.
THE "HORROR."
Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 176, 27 July 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)
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