Story 1: Scientist's Log
[12/7/2007 12:31 AM]
A new find was brought into the lab today. Men working the demolition of a condemned warehouse at this facility discovered a rusty oil barrel that seemed to exude cold. Preliminary electromagnetic field readings yielded chaotic data before the equipment died. Barrel appears to be constructed of stainless steel and, again, radiates cold.
[13/7/2007 9:00 PM]
We opened the barrel today inside a sealed chamber. The chamber immediately frosted over and an unidentified entity was found within the barrel. It appears to be gaseous and black, as if the very light surrounding it is to be "sucked in" by it's presence. It appears to be sentient, but does not communicate in any understood way. Biological matter that comes into contact with the Entity seems to disintegrate.
[14/7/2007 10:11 AM]
An intern entered the sealed chamber alone today, without his hazard suit. We...we didn't see him again. The Entity has double in size since being released from containment. It has become aggressive. We are sealing off the chamber immediately in light of it's flesh-consuming properties and rapid growth. All research is halted.
[14/7/2007 11:00 AM]
It's gone. God help us, it's escaped!
Story 2: Genetic Memory
Many classic horror icons, such as Giger's Xenomorphs, Silent Hill's Pyramid Head, and other disturbing creatures, share common characteristics. Pale skin, dark, sunken eyes, elongated faces, sharp teeth, and the like. These images inspire horror and revulsion in many, and with good reason. The characteristics shared by these faces are imprinted in the human mind.
Many things frighten humans instinctively. The fear is natural, and does not need to be reinforced in order to terrify. The fears are species-wide, stemming from dark times in the past when lightning could mean the burning of your tree home, thunder could be the approaching gallops of a stampede, predators could hide in darkness, and heights could make poor footing lethal.
The question you have to ask yourself is this: What happened, deep in the hidden eras before history began, that could effect the entire human race so evenly as to give the entire species a deep, instinctual, and lasting fear of pale beings with dark, sunken eyes, razor sharp teeth, and elongated faces?
Well, I'd say be careful out there. But it's a little late for that.
