BRIDGE CREATURE"217-Ancient (Roman? prehistoric?) stone bridge washed away by a (sudden and curious?) storm. Something liberated which had been sealed up in the masonry of years ago. Things happen."
H.P. Lovecraft, Commonplace Book
The thing had eight major arm-like appendages protruding from an elliptical body, six of which were tipped with flipper-like protrusions, the other two being tentacular. Four of the web-tipped legs were located at the lower end of the body, and used for walking upright. The other two were near the head, and could be used for walking near to the ground. The head joined directly to the body; it was oval and eyeless. In place of eyes, there was an abominable sponge-like circular organ about the centre of the head; over it grew something hideously like a spider’s web. Below this was a mouth-like slit which extended at least halfway round the head, bordered at each side by a tentacle-like appendage with a cupped tip, obviously used for carrying food to the mouth. The whole thing was more than a simply alien and horrific monstrosity; it was surrounded by an aura of incredible, eons-lost evil.
A bolt of lightning seemed to crash directly on the bridge, and the shattered stonework of a support momentarily revealed a circular seal, carven with an immense star, before the waters rushed to conceal it.
An’ then somethin’ went past the winder — big an’ black an’ shiny, like a fish.
The sketch and the Necronomicon illustration had not reproduced everything; they had not shown the transparency of the half-gelatinous flesh, revealing the mobile organs beneath the skin. Nor had they shown the globular organ above the brain, at whose use Chesterton could only guess shudderingly. And as the mouth fell open when they stirred the body, he saw that the being possessed no teeth, but six rows of powerful tentacles interlaced across the
opening of the throat.
Ramsey Campbell, The Horror From the Bridge
H.P. Lovecraft, Commonplace Book
The thing had eight major arm-like appendages protruding from an elliptical body, six of which were tipped with flipper-like protrusions, the other two being tentacular. Four of the web-tipped legs were located at the lower end of the body, and used for walking upright. The other two were near the head, and could be used for walking near to the ground. The head joined directly to the body; it was oval and eyeless. In place of eyes, there was an abominable sponge-like circular organ about the centre of the head; over it grew something hideously like a spider’s web. Below this was a mouth-like slit which extended at least halfway round the head, bordered at each side by a tentacle-like appendage with a cupped tip, obviously used for carrying food to the mouth. The whole thing was more than a simply alien and horrific monstrosity; it was surrounded by an aura of incredible, eons-lost evil.
A bolt of lightning seemed to crash directly on the bridge, and the shattered stonework of a support momentarily revealed a circular seal, carven with an immense star, before the waters rushed to conceal it.
An’ then somethin’ went past the winder — big an’ black an’ shiny, like a fish.
The sketch and the Necronomicon illustration had not reproduced everything; they had not shown the transparency of the half-gelatinous flesh, revealing the mobile organs beneath the skin. Nor had they shown the globular organ above the brain, at whose use Chesterton could only guess shudderingly. And as the mouth fell open when they stirred the body, he saw that the being possessed no teeth, but six rows of powerful tentacles interlaced across the
opening of the throat.
Ramsey Campbell, The Horror From the Bridge
Yow.
ReplyDeleteAs always ...I Love your artwork.... outside of Paris, there is an old Roman stone structure beneath which the Romans imprisoned a Demon.... the Perrie de Courtard.... sorry about the spelling.... they said that a bit less than fifty years ago that the the structure was then an unrecognizable hill covered in brambles.... I thought that you might find this interesting since the Romans supposedly imprisoned this thing beneath this stone structure.... Dr. Theda
ReplyDeleteohhhh I'm gonna read more about that!
ReplyDelete