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The ocean's deep, indigo waves clawed at the coastal rocks of
Slurramfok. In the dark cave tunnels, which began in places along the
shore, James A Forthright and his assistant Mr. Bennington crept low and
quiet. Torchlight hovered above them in Mr. Bennington's strong hair
clad hand, lighting up pools of color on the cave walls. The Doctor
held a handkerchief to his nose to ward off the vile smell of the place, but
Mr. Bennington didn't mind.
"It reminds me of
mother's house." he had told Dr. Forthright a half hour ago,
"Mother always was a magnificent cook."
Two
pairs of boots ground slowly through Mrs. Bennington's Beef Stew Surprise.
Two pairs of boots held shaking feet and quivering toes. Two pairs of
boots kept two pairs of legs from taking flight out the small cave mouth and
across the loud sea.
Two sets of upset and twisted
innards.
The Doctor fell to his knees, making a loud
squish in the thick, green muck. The torchlight swept down after him.
"Here!" the Doctor peered closer with wide, white
eyes, then turned his head, lowered his ear into it, and said in a low
whisper "Right here, Bennington, hand me the torch and take up your
pick."
The sound of iron against rock rang through
the long jagged tunnel. The muck splashed, drenching them to their waists.
"Faster" growled the Doctor. Mr. Bennington roared and
struck harder. Chips of rock began to fly, nicking their knees and
breaking their skin, especially Dr. Forthright's soft, tender flesh.
With two more clanking blows they fell through the cave floor
and into the earth. All around them there was fire, below them a
wide gaping mouth. The fire's wind took them round and round.
"What-this!" screamed Bennington as he fell, half
his words garbled by the roar of the inferno.
"This-it" the Doctor's eyes were aglow with the flames' reflection.
"You-what-why-sonofabitch!" Bennington wailed as their
paper doll bodies spun and plummeted.
"Down-go-forever!"
"I-family-children-belligerent-thirty-five years!"
"Faithful-always!"
"Why-Why-Why" Bennington
started to cry.
"Thank-all-work"
"I-live-want-die"
The beasts' teeth snapped
shut above them.
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