Glistening, black goo coated the surface of the penguins’ pool.
Albino birds huddled, squawked on land. Though blind, the gentle giants could sense the presence of something unnatural.
I thrust a cattle prod into the “slick,” zapping the dark mass, startling its many eyes open.
Tentacles formed, flailed.
Ragged mouths cried, “Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!”
Then, silence.
I radioed other keepers. “Shoggoth escaped its tank again. Stunned it. Bring barrels for transport. Don’t forget the lids.”
Had to discover how the creature was getting loose!
Its jailbreaks were giving the Deep Ones needless confidence and always threw Nctosa and Nctolhu into frenzies.
sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 550px, (min-width: 750px) calc((100vw - 130px) / 2), calc((100vw - 50px) / 2)"
alt="Blood Bank Security System by M.D. Smith IV"
class="motion-reduce"
loading="lazy"
width="1200"
height="630"
>
sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 550px, (min-width: 750px) calc((100vw - 130px) / 2), calc((100vw - 50px) / 2)"
alt="The Attic Door by B.G. Smith"
class="motion-reduce"
loading="lazy"
width="1200"
height="630"
>
sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 550px, (min-width: 750px) calc((100vw - 130px) / 2), calc((100vw - 50px) / 2)"
alt="Off of the Screen by Alethea Paul"
class="motion-reduce"
loading="lazy"
width="1200"
height="630"
>
sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 550px, (min-width: 750px) calc((100vw - 130px) / 2), calc((100vw - 50px) / 2)"
alt="Head-mounted Camera Discovered on Skull by S.F.J. Painter"
class="motion-reduce"
loading="lazy"
width="1200"
height="630"
>