BY: DEATHSTRIKE
As Great Cthulhu forced his mountainous bulk through the cave entrance, other members of
the crew began to collapse, joining Chekov, who was now writhing and screeching on in the
ground, wide-eyed, shoveling handfuls of dirt into his mouth. Kirk looked away, afraid
that even he would succumb to the insanity. He heard Spock lose all hold on himself, his
logical mind having no way to cope with the living madness which slavered and gibbered
before them. He cried out, a horrible scream, far worse than any Kirk had heard while the
Vulcan was in Pon'Far. Then, through shielding hands, he saw Spock drop to his knees,
cackling and babbling mindlessly. All the logical rules of the universe had been callously
shattered, for no laws, no theories, could define or explain the blasphemy that was
Cthulhu.
Keeping his eyes averted, Kirk screamed "Don't look at it!" He saw ensign
Marion off to his left and yelled "Marion, whatever you do don't look at it!"
Then he began to drag the fear-shattered bodies of his crew toward a more sheltered spot,
deeper in the brush. As he did so, he heard the shouting and screaming of the
Sleestack-things growing louder, and felt the impact of giant footsteps as they came
nearer.
Still shielding his eyes with his hands, he glanced forward and saw the Sleestack hybrids
coming toward him, pointing, dancing, bellowing, barking...as if performing some bizarre
ritual. The stench of fish and death was becoming overpowering...he could barely stand it.
The angles of the cyclopean masonry and hieroglyphs were bringing vertigo. The sounds of
the Sleestack were deafening...and mixed in were the howls and ravings of Cthulhu
himself...pulsing out in such a deep timbre that they were more felt than heard.
As Kirk reeled, he saw Sulu jump up and begin twisting and leaping in a frenzy, joining
the cultists. Spock jumped forward as well, and soon his whole crew were savagely baying
and screaming in unison with the Sleestack and the thumping bass of Cthulhu's ravings.
For Kirk, everything was merging together...he could barely see...he could barely
hear...he tried to think, to make sense of it all, but couldn't. His will was being
drained...and he began to stagger. As he did, his guarding hands fell away from his face,
and everything was revealed. Before him writhed a group of humans and Sleestack/Deep
Ones...but aside from appearance there was no difference between them, as all gyrated,
stumbled, and screamed like zombie animals. They danced mindlessly and crazily at the feet
of Great Cthulhu, who towered over Kirk and the revelers like a living mountain, a
testament to utter chaos and insanity. The world faded away for Kirk, who began bellowing
and leaping as he joined the horde in madness.
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