Chapter 4: Things that Go Bump in the Night
"So, Lovecraft. Explain."
Ben shrugged waving his hand, "The man himself? Boring as hell. Saw glimpses of reality, got scared, wrote a bunch of books on the subject. Nothing interesting. His visions on the other hand…"
Throwing the cell phone to Alex, he sprawled on the carpet with his back to the wall. "I'm not going to pick apart all the stuff he got wrong and what he got right, so here's the brief version. Does the name 'Azathoth' ring any bells?"
His face blank, Alex nodded carefully, "The Blind Idiot God?"
"Yep, him. Demon Sultan, Nuclear Chaos, and a bunch of other pretentious names. You see, the big old moron was here first, and by 'here' I meant the universe. Well, not our universe. He- it- um, gender doesn't particularly apply to such entities, but let's go with 'he'- existed on a different plane of reality. Think of it like this: if, let's say, you're Azathoth, then his world would be Earth, and our world would be, uh, I dunno, this notepad? Yeah, something like this. You can write in it, tear out a few pages, throw it away, burn it down… And trust me on this, the idiot out there can do much worse with our world. Good thing that he doesn't particularly care."
Deciding for the sake of his sanity to treat the story like fiction, Alex asked, "Did he create our world?"
"Nope. He created bigger stuff, like Outer Gods."
"Outer Gods?" the human repeated. "Umm, okay, I know this. Shub-Niggurath, Yog-Sothoth…"
"…Hastur and Nyarlathothep," Ben finished. "The Big Four. They were the ones who- Not now! I'm busy, can't you see?!"
"Huh?" Alex looked around. "Who are you talking to?"
The entity raised his hand to forestall the questions and glared at the closed door, "Get out! I have this!"
The human teen followed his gaze, feeling curious and slightly apprehensive, "Is there someone in the house?"
Ben made a noncommittal noise. "Not in the house but behind the door. Get out!" he yelled again.
"Is this another of your… umm… kind?" receiving a nod in response the teen scratched his head. "Why don't you want them to come?"
Ben sent him an incredulous look, "Just a couple of minutes ago you were a gibbering wreck. Are you sure you want to meet the rest of us?"
Alex shrugged, "I feel okay now." Actually, he was feeling a bit too normal. It had to be the influence of whatever it was that erased his fear.
Ben gave him a skeptical look followed by a dismissive handwave, "Fine, it's your funeral. You can come in now!"
The door slowly opened.
Alex inhaled sharply and forgot to exhale, the blank numbness enveloping his mind. He stared at the pale, almost white hand with long metal blades attached to the fingers land on the floor. Another hand followed then the rest of the body – naked, hairless, strangely human with dog-like legs. The creature turned its head to him, large round eyes glowing with reflected light, and the corners of its gaping mouth lifted slightly, exposing dagger-like teeth in a parody of a smile.
With a strange sort of detached calmness Alex shifted his gaze to the widely open door and what was most certainly not his corridor behind it. Instead a dark street was visible with a yellowish lamp casting strange shadows on old cracked walls and concrete.
"Alex, meet the Rake and Empty City," Ben said, waving his hand first at the sickly thin beast then at the impossible street.
The Rake sat back on its haunches, tilting its head quizzically, then sprang forward, standing up on its hind legs and gripping Alex's shoulders for balance. The human teen ignored the sharp metal blades pressed lightly to his back and stared at the reflective eyes of the strange creature.
It opened its mouth and the hollow whispers rang out, slightly confused but somehow elated, "Lost, lost, lost one? Lost one, lost one."
Alex stared back, unable to answer from inside the blanket of numbness, but he didn't want to say anything, wishing only to listen to those beautiful, enchanting alien whispers.
The hypnotic spell was broken when the Rake screeched madly and lunged back, pressing itself to the floor. Ben snarled marching to the teenager and grabbing his chin, turning his head this way and that.
"What- you doin'?" Alex mumbled. Something wet was on his lips. He licked it off, tasting a coppery tang. Blood? Raising his hand he swiped clumsily at his face, feeling the nosebleed. Something warm dripped from his ears and down the sides of his neck. More blood? He sent Ben a questioning and slightly pathetic look.
"You'll live," the entity grumbled letting go of his chin and sending an angry look at the Rake. "And this is why I'm the one who has to explain!"
The Rake looked down growling unhappily and crawled closer, bumping Alex's shin with its hairless head.
"It says it's sorry," Ben said. "Forgot that you're human in all the excitement, I guess."
"Uhhh… It's okay?" Alex mumbled unsurely. He lifted his hand, trying to wipe off the blood with his sleeve. "I hate blood."
Dark laughter rang out in response, "You are in for the surprise then."
The Rake made a strange sound, its pointed ears twitching and metal claws tapping the floor with irritation. Ben growled, discarding his human guise and lengthening his claws, "And how long were you listening in, you damn mutt?"
"I have better things to do than listen to your yapping," a dark canine shape melting into existence in the middle of the room sneered, and Ben bared his fangs.
"Get off your high horse already! You are not impressing anyone!"
The massive form growled threateningly, its human-like teeth the first thing to solidify, and stepped closer to Ben, "I'd love to tear you apart, you arrogant upstart."
Ben smirked, the tips of his foot-long claws coming to rest under the creature's chin, "Look who is talking! You were the youngest of us before I came around. Bloated Woman found you what, fifty years ago? Damn shame that she did. Would've been better for everyone, if you died that day."
The creature – enormous dog with bloodstained-looking crimson and red fur – prowled forward, Ben stepping back with each step it took. Literally pressed into the corner, Ben wrinkled his nose in disgust, turning his head away, "Ugh, you stink! Take a bath every now and then, will you?"
The dog growled, one massive paw hitting the wall inches from his face, "Shut your mouth before I bite your head off!"
Ben sneered, wrapping his stone fingers around the paw, "Stop trying to bully me. It didn't work before, and it certainly won't now."
The dog growled then gave a startled jerk when a hand touched its flank. It turned around and looked blankly at the perpetrator.
Alex fearlessly ran his fingers through the thick fur, feeling a bit surprised that it wasn't wet despite looking bloodstained. "Is this the actual color?" he asked curiously, ignoring the startled look from the massive creature and the maniacal grin spreading across Ben's face.
The dog stared at him then said gruffly, "It is." It twisted sharply with more speed and maneuverability than expected from a creature this big and raised its paw, crooked claws hovering dangerously close to Alex's face. The teen stared back and shook the offered appendage as if in greeting, "I guess you're the Smile Dog? I'm Alex, nice to meet you."
Smile Dog quickly jerked the limb away, lowering it to the floor and sitting back on its haunches. Ben laughed and the Rake nodded in approval. The dog stared at both of them for a second then gave Alex a calculating look, "Hmm, perhaps someday."
Stepping back the creature slowly melted out of reality. Alex blinked a few times, feeling the calm haze lift slightly from his mind, "That was… weird."
"That was awesome!" Ben corrected gleefully. At the annoyed look from the Rake, the entity waved his hand, "I know what you're trying to say. No, we won't stop fighting until he stops being a massive douche. He is the one who started it anyway!"
Still feeling dazed, Alex sat on the edge of his bed. The Rake immediately climbed near him, lowering its head on his lap. Alex stared at the creature for a moment not quite getting what it wanted then cautiously ran his hand over the bald head and down the protruding spine and ribs. The Rake shifted a little to get more comfortable and started purring like a monstrous cat.
"Ain't that cozy," Ben huffed. The Rake opened one eye to give him a look that clearly said how little the creature cared about his opinion.
A fluttering sound came from the open window, and Ben marched towards it with a frustrated noise, grabbing the crow that just landed on the sill with both hands. "Why are you here too?" the entity demanded as the bird looked at him calmly with too intelligent eyes. "I have it covered!"
A simultaneous shudder run through every Fear present and Ben groaned miserably, "The Crossroad of Trials? Really?!" The entity buried his face in his hands, "Today really isn't my day, is it?"