DISCLAIMER: This story is based upon the series, Charmed, that was created by Constance M. Burge. All Charmed characters are the property of Spelling Productions. The character of Randolph Carter is the property of the estate of Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The events of this story are inspired by the H.P. Lovecraft story, The Whisperer In Darkness. This story refers to events from my previous R&H Chronicles stories, The Old Ones and The Dark Planet.
THE PLACE: SOMEWHERE IN VERMONT
THE TIME: OCTOBER 16th, 2014
The day was cool as Rex Buckland and Hannah Webster stood by the road, talking to a young woman who was dressed in 1930's clothes. "Now, are you sure you understand what has happened now, Susan?" Rex asked.
"I think so," Susan replied. "I've been trying to get home now for nearly eighty years."
"Yes, you have," Hannah said, staring at the bridge that lay ahead of them. "Being a ghost, you just didn't realize the passage of time around you."
"Do you see the light now, Susan?" Rex asked.
"Yes, I see it," Susan replied. "My family is there, and so is Paul."
"The young man you were going to marry."
"Yes, him," Susan said, smiling. "Thank you both." With that, Susan turned and vanished, having finally moved on.
"Well, cross another vanishing hitchhiker off the urban legends list," Rex said as he and Hannah got back into their car.
"This story has been told so many times, some of them were bound to be true," Hannah replied. "I'm glad we helped this one."
"Well, we were in the area," Rex said as he drove the car across the bridge, glancing down at the river where the unfortunate Susan had met her death, nearly eight decades before. "I figured it was time for that poor girl to find peace."
"Yeah, we did a good thing," Hannah said and then asked. "So, how long until we get to where we're going?"
"A couple of more hours," Rex replied. "Bill's camp is deep in the hills." A couple of days before, Rex had received an e-mail from Bill Kline, a colleague at Stanford. Bill Kline was currently on an archeological dig in the hills of Vermont and had, apparently, found something amazing. From what Kline had described, Rex had immediately decided to head to Vermont. After having arranged for someone to cover his classes, he and Hannah had been on the road ever since leaving Palo Alto, several days before.
"I don't understand all of this," Hannah said. "They found some rock. So what?"
"It's not just a rock, Hannah, but rather what the rock represents," Rex said. "It's black, pure black. A very unusual rock to be found around here. However, it did happen once before."
"When?"
"Back in the 1920's, Hannah. A fellow named Henry Akeley claimed to have found a similar rock, with strange writings and symbols on it. He got in touch with another fellow, Professor Albert Wilmarth, from Miskatonic University about it. According to Mr. Akeley, it was like nothing he had ever seen before."
"Really?" Hannah asked.
"Yes, and that is why he wanted Mr. Wilmarth to look at it," Rex said. "However, he never got the chance."
"Why not?"
"Because both the black stone and Mr. Akeley mysteriously vanished without a trace soon after. To this day, the mystery remains unsolved."
"What do you think happened?"
"I don't know, Hannah. That's one of the reasons why we're out here. If Bill has found a similar stone, I don't want him suffering the same fate as the unfortunate Mr. Akeley."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Two hours later, Rex and Hannah had reached the village of Townshend, which was the closest civilized place to Kline's dig site. After checking into a local motel, Rex and Hannah had headed out on foot into the woods. They had not gotten far, when they encountered a group of people going the other way. Rex recognized them as the graduate students Kline had taken with him to the dig. "George," Rex said to the student, who's name was George Starnes, in the lead. "What's going on?"
"I don't know, Professor Buckland," George replied. "Professor Kline suddenly ordered us all to leave. He gave no explanation why."
"That's odd," Rex said. "So he's there alone now."
"Yes, he is," George said. "Do you know what's going on?"
"No, but I intend to find out," Rex replied.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Forty-five minutes later, Rex and Hannah finally reached Kline's camp site. "Sure looks empty," Hannah said.
"Well, since Bill sent the graduate students away...," Rex said. He then raised his voice. "Bill? Where are you!?"
"Rex, thank God," Bill Kline said as he emerged from one of the tents. He was a middle aged man with slightly graying hair. "You actually came."
"Yes, I'm here," Rex said. "What's going on, Bill? Why did you send the graduate students away?"
"Because I wanted to keep this between us," Kline replied. "I swear this will blow you away."
"That black stone you found?" Hannah asked.
"Ah, you must be Hannah," Kline said. "Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise," Hannah replied.
"To answer your question, yes, it's about the black stone."
"Where is it?" Rex asked.
"Right this way," Kline said and led Rex and Hannah to a covered object in the middle of the camp. Kline paused for a moment, and then removed the cover, revealing the obsidian black stone.
"Whoa, that is unusual," Hannah said.
"Quite," Rex added as he knelt down to take a closer look.
"You can see why I want to keep this quiet for now," Kline said. "You can't believe the stories I've heard about these hills. Apparently the Native Americans had always avoided them, and even the locals are wary. Of course, you no doubt researched all those strange events that went on, back in the 1920's, when that other stone was found. The man that disappeared."
"Henry Akeley," Rex said, still examining the stone.
"Exactly," Kline nodded. "He claimed to have found a stone like this one, then he just disappears off the face of the Earth. I wonder what happened to him?"
"I might have an idea," Rex said. "There is writing on this stone."
"Yes, I've noticed it, but I've never seen anything like it before. That's why I asked you to come here, Rex. You're good with obscure languages and such. Have you ever seen writing like this before?"
"I have," Rex said. "And so has Hannah."
"Yes, it does look familiar," Hannah said. "Didn't we see writing like that on our trip to Yuggoth?"
"Yes, Hannah, we did," Rex said. He recalled the visit he and Hannah had made to the dark planet, Yuggoth, at the edge of the Solar System, a few years ago. It had been there that the Old Ones, evil entities from outside our universe, had planned their invasion of Earth. Only the combined forces of Good and Evil had been able to stop them, after a long and bloody war. In the end, the Old Ones had been sealed away in an empty dimension, hopefully for all time. However, they had left bits of their legacy behind, bits that Rex and Hannah have had encounters with over the years.
"Yuggoth? What's Yuggoth?" Kline asked.
"So, the Old Ones are connected to this?" Hannah asked.
"So it would seem, Hannah," Rex replied.
"What on Earth are you two talking about?" Kline asked. "What's Yuggoth? Who are these 'Old Ones'?"
"Beings you'd never want to meet," Rex said. "Bill, let me give you some advice. Drop this matter now."
"Drop it? What do you mean?" Kline asked.
"I mean that some things are better off left alone. This is one of them," Rex said.
"How can you expect me to..." Kline began, and then a look of suspicion came over his face. "Oh, I see. You want me to drop this, so you can swoop in and claim the credit for yourself. Is that your game plan? Some friend you are."
"Bill, that's not what..." Rex began.
"I think it is," Kline said, interrupting Rex. "This is my find, Buckland, and you will not take it away from me. That's all I have to say on this!" With that, Kline turned and stomped away in anger.
"That could have gone better," Hannah said grimly.
"I know," Rex replied. "How can I warn Bill about this, without revealing too much about ourselves."
"We could tell him the truth," Hannah suggested.
"Tell him about Yuggoth and that we've actually been there," Rex said, shaking his head. "He'd think we were mad. And if we tell him about ourselves, and our past..."
"I see where you're going with this, Rex," Hannah replied. "You're afraid he won't be able to keep quiet about us."
"Bill is a good man, but there are big temptations out there. I don't think you'd like to see the two of us on the front cover of the National Enquirer."
"No, I wouldn't," Hannah replied. "I remember what the Halliwell sisters told us about the time they got exposed to the world, and what it cost them."
"True," Rex said grimly.
"Weren't the Cleaners supposed to clean up events like that? Where were they? On vacation!?"
"That, Hannah, is a question for another day," Rex said. "Right now, we have a more immediate problem to deal with. Namely, this stone, and what it might unleash on the world if it fell into the wrong hands."
"So, what now, Rex?" Hannah asked.
"I guess for the time being, we leave," Rex replied. "Let's give Bill some time to cool down. Perhaps we can reason with him in the morning."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Several hours later, after Rex and Hannah had left, Kline was alone at the camp, examining the black stone. Although night had fallen, he was too excited to sleep. "My God, when I reveal this to the world, I'll be famous," he said. Suddenly, he looked up as he heard something crashing through bushes nearby. "Who's there?" he called. The crashing continued. "Is that you, Buckland? Trying to scare me off, are you. Well it won't work." Kline paused, but no answer came back from the bushes. It must be an animal, he thought to himself and turned back to the stone. Suddenly, the crashing stopped and footsteps and Kline heard heavy footsteps coming up behind him. Turning around, he said. "Okay, this had gone... OH MY GOD! NOOOOOOO!" Kline screamed as his eyes fell on what had come out of a horrible nightmare to visit him.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OCTOBER 17th
Rex and Hannah were on their way back to Kline's camp, hoping to convince him to see reason. "Frankly, Rex, I'm not holding out much hope," Hannah said.
"Yes, but we have to try, Hannah. We need to get that rock away from him."
"Good luck with that, Rex."
"Ah, here we are, and..." Rex broke off as he saw that the camp appeared to be in compete disarray. I don't like the looks of this, he thought.
"What the hell happened?" Hannah asked. "It looks like a tornado blew through here."
"I'm afraid it might be worse than that," Rex replied as he looked around the camp. "Bill? Where are you?" he called, but there was no answer.
"Where is he, Rex?"
"I don't know, Hannah, but we better find him." The two former Warlocks began methodical search of the camp. First together, then splitting up.
"Rex! Over here!" Hannah called, about ten minutes later.
"Coming," Rex said and quickly made his way over to where Hannah was standing, beside one of the tents. Rex was brought up short at the sight of Bill Kline lying on the ground. Kline's hair had turned snow white and nothing was showing in his eyes, except a look of complete and utter insanity.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A few hours later, in Townshend, Hannah watched as an ambulance carried Kline away, as Rex finished giving his statement to State Trooper Miles O'Brien. "Are you sure that's all, Mr Buckland?" O'Brien asked.
"Yes," Rex replied. "How is he?"
"Well, from what the local doctor told me, his body is more or less okay, but his mind," O'Brien paused. "Vegetable soup."
"I see," Rex said, sadly shaking his head.
"You know, Mr. Buckland, I grew up a county away from here. I've heard stories about these hills."
"So have we all."
"Anyway, thanks for your time, Mr. Buckland, Miss Webster." With that, O'Brien turned and headed back to his car.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Damn, I should have done something," Rex said, once he and Hannah were back in their motel room.
"Rex, what could you have done?" Hannah asked. "There was no way you could have warned him without revealing our past."
"I know that, Hannah. However, because I did nothing, a good man will probably be spending the rest of his life in an insane asylum." Rex was pacing around the room in frustration. "I should have acted the moment I saw that the Old Ones were connected to all this. We both know that anyone who has gotten mixed up with them in the past, has had a terrible ending. Bill Kline is just the latest casualty."
"Rex, what did happen to him?" Hannah asked. "Surely, the stone by itself couldn't have done that to him."
"No, you're right, Hannah. There's more going on here than we thought."
"In fact, how did that stone get here?" Hannah asked. "I thought the Old Ones never reached Earth. Good and Evil stopped them before that could happen."
"Yes, but..." Rex began, but then trailed off.
"What is it, Rex?"
"I was just thinking, Hannah. If you're going to invade somewhere, what is one of the things you do first?"
"Well, if I were planning it, I'd send scouts first. An advance party," Hannah replied. "Do you think that's what happened here. The Old Ones sent advanced scouts to get a lay of the land, before the main invasion took place?"
"Yes, Hannah, it would seem likely," Rex said. "This area might have been a base for those scouts."
"Rex, all that was thousands of years ago. You think those scouts might still be here?"
"It's possible, Hannah, however, there is much we still don't know. Hang on." With that, Rex trans-located out, returning moments later with his copy of the Necronomicon. "We might need this."
"So what's our next move?"
"Now, Hannah, we take another look at that black stone."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The state police had finished their examination of Kline's camp and had departed, when Rex and Hannah returned. The black stone was still where Rex and Hannah had last seen it, and soon Rex was hard at work, translating, while Hannah stood watch. Although what good would my powers be against anything like the Old Ones. Hannah thought and shuddered.
"Hannah, I might be on to something," Rex said suddenly. "If I'm reading this stone right, this area was inhabited by beings called the Mi-go."
"And they are?"
"Hang on," Rex said as he consulted the Necronomicon. Soon he had found the information he was looking for. "The Mi-go are a subspecies, created by the Old Ones. They are large, pinkish, fungoid, crustacean-like entities the size of a man. Where a head would be, they have a 'convoluted ellipsoid' composed of pyramided, fleshy rings and covered in antennae. They are about five feet long, and their crustacean-like bodies bear numerous sets of paired appendages. They possess a pair of membranous bat-like wings."
"Sounds like something out of a bad nightmare." Hannah said and shuddered again.
"Yes, Hannah, I don't think we'd like to meet one. No wonder poor Bill went mad," Rex replied and looked back down at the Necronomicon. "The Mi-go are capable of going into suspended animation for long periods of time. Hmmmmmm..."
"Suspended animation? You think that's what happened here?" Hannah asked.
"It might be," Rex said and turned his attention back to the black stone. "Yes, I'm getting it now. The Mi-go acted as advance scouts, but they were not only here in Vermont. Apparently, they also had outposts in the Himalayas, the Andes, the Australian Outback, Greenland, Antarctica, and many other remote places. There they could keep watch on humanity and report back to Yuggoth, without being seen." He indicated the black stone. "These stones were, in effect, the log books the Mi-go kept while they were here on Earth."
"So, when the war began, they put themselves into suspended animation. Waiting for the Old Ones to come and get them, which never happened," Hannah said.
"From what it says on this black stone, I'd say yes," Rex replied. "It would explain why Good and Evil missed the Mi-go. Thus they weren't banished to that empty dimension, like the rest of the Old Ones when the war ended."
"All these thousands of years, they've been here. Sleeping."
"Yes, Hannah. No doubt they've awakened from time to time, over the centuries, which no doubt gave rise to the legends of horrible creatures stalking these hills. Said legends started with the Native Americans and passed down into the European colonists when they arrived in the New World."
"So, all that stuff that happened here, back in the 1920's, that was one of the times the Mi-go were awake," Hannah said. "That man, the one who disappeared..." She searched for the name.
"Henry Akeley," Rex said.
"Yeah, him. Rex, do you think he somehow woke the Mi-go up?"
"It's possible, Hannah. That would explain his disappearance. According to the black stone, the Mi-go didn't like it when humans got too close. Despite being in remote locations, it did happen from time to time. I'm guessing that poor Bill finding this black stone, their log book, is what woke them up this time."
Hannah was suddenly struck with a familiar feeling. "Rex, we're being watched."
"Yes, Hannah, I sense it too," Rex said as he warily looked around. "Perhaps it might be best if we left this area for the time being. If it is the Mi-go, it's best that we not get a direct look at them.
"Considering what happened to Professor Kline, I would agree," Hannah replied grimly.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Once they were safely back in their motel home, Rex got in touch with Miskatonic University and asked them to e-mail copies of Professor Wilmarth's correspondence with Henry Akeley. Soon, he and Hannah were peering at Rex's laptop, glancing at the letters chronicling the mysterious events that took place in the 1920's, leading up to Akeley's disappearance.
"Miskatonic sure have a lot of notes on these events," Hannah said.
"One of their graduate students, a fellow named Randolph Carter, has made a hobby of researching strange events here in New England. All these notes come from him," Rex replied as he studied the notes. "Well, Hannah, according to said notes, Akeley found his black stone in a cave in the woods, near a stone circle. He brought it back to his remote farm, and that's when the things began to get scary."
"Yeah, it says Akeley began hearing noises outside at night," Hannah added as she peered at the notes. "In the mornings, he would go out and see strange footprints."
"Here are some pictures of them," Rex said as he clicked the keyboard. The two former Warlocks found themselves looking at tracks unlike any known animal.
"Looks like the Mi-go were stalking Akeley."
"Yes, Hannah, it would seem so," Rex said. "By taking their stone, he disturbed them, and they didn't like that."
"Tell me about it," Hannah replied.
Rex brought up the final notes. "When Akeley suddenly stopped writing, Wilmarth went to Akeley's home to check up on him. Akeley was gone, and so was the black stone he'd found. An investigation into his disappearance found nothing."
"Well, the authorities had no idea what they were looking into, Rex."
"True," Rex said. "I think I'd like to take a look at that stone circle. We'll go in the morning, after breakfast."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OCTOBER 18th
Rex and Hannah easily found the stone circle. It stood in a clearing, deep in the hills. "Not exactly Stonehenge," Hannah said. Aside from being in a perfect circle, the stone pillars looked rather ordinary.
Rex, meanwhile, had been moving from pillar to pillar, carefully examining them. "No, Hannah, not Stonehenge, but this circle did serve a purpose."
"Which was?"
"I believe this is the location of a gateway, a tunnel through the fabric of space itself, created by the Old Ones. It connects Earth to Yuggoth," Rex said as he continued his examination.
"The dark planet," Hannah said slowly. "Is this where the Mi-go first arrived here?"
"Yes, Hannah, it is. This is probably one of many such portals around the world." Rex paused for a moment, and then said. "And this is perhaps where they can go back to Yuggoth."
"How?"
"With the Necronomicon, I can reopen the portal," Rex replied. "It all fits. Clearly, the Mi-go needed the powers of the Old Ones to open and close the portal. However, when the Old Ones became engaged in the war with Good and Evil, that became impossible. Hence their decision to go into suspended animation"
"Why didn't they use another copy of the Necronomicon?" Hannah asked. "There were lots of copies around back then."
"Because that would have contravened their orders to stay under cover," Rex said. "The Old Ones programmed the Mi-go to follow that directive without question."
"Do you think that's what they've wanted all along? To get home?" Hannah asked.
"I'm not sure, Hannah, but there is only one way to find out."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A short while later, Rex was standing by the stone circle, holding his copy of the Necronomicon. "Here goes nothing," he said and read a passage from the page he had opened. The words were nothing like anyone had ever heard before.
This language has not been spoken for thousands of years, Hannah thought to herself.
Once Rex had finished, the ground inside the stone circle vanished, replaced by what looked like a vortex leading into infinity. "I'd say it worked," Rex said. "Come, Hannah, I think we should retreat to a safe distance before the Mi-go arrive."
"You don't have to tell me twice," Hannah replied.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The Mi-go clearly knew the portal was open. As Rex and Hannah watched from a safe distance, they saw the shape of the creatures as they arrived and, one by one, disappeared into the vortex.
"I can barely see them," Hannah said.
"That is most fortunate, Hannah, considering what happened to Bill Kline and the other poor souls who've seen the Mi-go up close and personal."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The whole process took several hours, but, once the last Mi-go had passed through, the vortex vanished. Moments later, the stone pillars crumbled and fell to the ground, indicating that this particular portal was forever closed.
"Are they all back on Yuggoth now, Rex?"
"Yes, Hannah, they are," Rex said, nodding his head. "After all, that's where they've wanted to be for thousands of years now. Our job is finished here, Hannah. No one need worry about going into these hills again."
"Looks like we've saved the day again, Rex."
"Yes, we have," Rex replied. "Unfortunately for Bill Kline, we were too late. I guess sometimes we can't save everyone."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Later, back in their motel room, Rex and Hannah were talking to Randolph Carter on the laptop via Skype. "I just want to thank you for your help with those notes you sent us, Mr. Carter," Rex said.
"Think nothing of it," Carter replied from his dorm room at Miskatonic University. "I'm sorry about your friend, though."
"Thank you," Rex replied.
"I've spoken to the Dean. They will be sending someone to pick up that black stone. I think it will be much safer here at Miskatonic University under lock and key."
"I couldn't agree more, Mr. Carter," Rex said.
"Anything associated with the Old Ones should be locked away," Carter continued. "Yes, I know all about the Old Ones. I fact, I know about a lot of things, Mr. Buckland, that would probably freeze your blood solid."
"Well, then, Mr. Carter, perhaps the next time Hannah and I come across anything that has to do with the Old Ones, we'll look you up."
"I look forward to working with you," Randolph Carter said, smiling, before he terminated the connection.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
After checking out of the motel, Rex and Hannah were soon driving home. "Rex, I've been wondering something," Hannah said as she glanced down at the Necronomicon, which she had on her lap.
"What is it, Hannah?"
"Those other Mi-go outposts in Antarctica and those other places you mentioned. Do you think they're still out there?"
"Yes, Hannah, I do. And as long as no one disturbs them, then they'll likely stay there."
"Shouldn't we do something? Tell someone?"
"And what would we tell them, Hannah?" Rex asked. "Be on the lookout for a bunch of extraterrestrial monsters? No one would believe us. And if they did, we might draw unwanted attention to ourselves.
"Does that mean we can't do anything?" Hannah asked.
"Hannah, the only thing we can do is watch and wait. After all, we both know what to look for."
"Not to mention we can now call upon the help of Randolph Carter," Hannah pointed out.
"Yes, we can," Rex replied. "I'm eager to find out what else he knows. From his comments to us, I get the feeling it's quite a lot."
"That's true," Hannah said and then smiled as a sudden thought came to her.
"What is it, Hannah?"
"If only that guy who does that Ancient Aliens shows knew how right he was. In that context, maybe that show does belong on the History Channel."
"Yes, perhaps it does," Rex said.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OCTOBER 20th
Rex and Hannah noticed the teenage girl standing by the road. "Shall we?" Rex asked.
"We should," Hannah said. They pulled the car over by the teenage girl, who had short, brunette hair and was dressed in 1950's clothes. She looks like she's just stepped out of a time warp, Hannah thought. In a way, she has.
"Oh, thank you," the girl said as she got into the back of the car. "I've been waiting for ages for a ride."
"I suppose you have," Rex said.
"Becky. My name's Becky," the girl said.
"I'm Hannah, this is Rex," Hannah replied.
"Nice to meet you both," Becky said. "It's been so hard to get a ride. A lot of people just drove by like they didn't even see me."
Because they didn't. Most people can't see ghosts, Hannah thought to herself.
"Let me guess, you're trying to get home." Rex said.
"I am," Becky said with relief in her voice. "I was in a bad car accident a few hours ago. My parents will be so worried about me."
I don't think so, Becky, Hannah thought.
"One question, Becky, what year is it?" Rex asked.
"What year? It's 1957, of course," Becky replied.
Fifty-seven years, Hannah thought, sadly shaking her head.
"So, can you take me home?" Becky asked.
"We can, Becky, but it won't be the home you think it is," Rex said, as he exchanged glances with Hannah.
Looks like another vanishing hitchhiker will soon be finding her way home at last, Hannah thought.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!
REX AND HANNAH WILL RETURN!