Chapter 12: Out Of The Frying Pan

The Trappeur's passenger compartment was filled with a solemn silence as the vehicle trundled deeper through the caves and tunnels that crossed through the Earth. Neither Sandra nor Bombardier had expected to be running from the monsters. Suddenly, the Trappeur swerved into another large cavern. Fortunately, no Inhumanoid forms lay in wait for them this time. Instead, the cavern floor was strewn by boulders.

In the driver's cab, Herc and Auger marveled the scene.

"I'll go get you and Bright some samples." Auger muttered as he undid his restraints and prepared to exit the vehicle.

A pair of high-powered suit lights pierced the darkness of the cavern as Auger ventured forth.

"Anything interesting about the boulders?" Herc asked.

Auger ventured over to one.

"Looks like some kind of amalgamation of granite and slate. I'm going to drill through now."

Auger revved his suit's drill and put it to the boulder. Immediately, the boulder shot off the ground and assumed a humanoid form.

"Sorry about the drill. I just didn't expect you to be…well, alive." Auger pleaded.

Suddenly, the cavern floor opened up as D'Compose burst through it.

"AUGER! GET BACK TO THE TRAPPEUR!"

Auger was paralyzed by sheer terror as the monster loomed over him.

"AUGER! DO YOU READ ME?"

In the cab, Herc's orders to Auger were met by silence. Just then, a readout appeared on his station's workscreen.

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DOOR OPENED.

SANDRA SHORE HAS LEFT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.

Outside the Trappeur, Sandra ran towards Auger.

"Auger, do you read me?"

"Sandra? Is that you?"

"Who do you think it is? Herc needs you back in the Trappeur ASAP!"

"Easier said than done. I'm pinned down by our old buddy D'Compose."

"I'll distract him. Now move it!"

Sandra broke into a full sprint as she approached D'Compose. Auger took the hint and bolted back to the Trappeur.

"Yeah! Come and get me!" Sandra shouted.

In her taunting of D'Compose, Sandra failed to notice she was backing up towards a rock. She fell backwards, and was soon staring up at the monster.

"Sandra! Move it!" Auger ordered over her suit link.

"I've turned turtle! I'm going to need help in getting up!"

D'Compose leaned in to get a full view of Sandra.

"Take this." she muttered as she grabbed a magnesium flare.

As the flare lit, D'Compose staggered backwards and indadvertedly scratched Sandra, his claw cutting a gash in her suit. What happened next was an event that none of its witnesses would ever forget, one that no mind, no matter how warped, could ever fully imagine.

Sandra began to grow taller and taller. As she gained height, she burst from her suit as if it were a tin can. All the while, her body was racked by some eldritch necrosis as portions of her flesh disintegrated to reveal bone, while her skin jaundiced. Her eyes turned blood red, and horns grew from the top of her head. The scene was something that only Bosch could have conceived of, and only then if he was on some form of hallucinogenic drugs.

"I AM ONE WITH D'COMPOSE!" the former Sandra exclaimed.

Herc closed his eyes as he brought the Trappeur to as a high a speed as possible and drove it into the winding tunnels ahead.

They say that you should know your enemy. Frankly, this is one case where ignorance is bliss. he thought.