The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

The Monstrocity 
by Kathleen McCluskey 

The old ship swayed and creaked as Captain Avery led the crew through the narrow passageways. The air was thick with the scent of salt and history. At the end of a dimly lit hallway, a battle scarred door stood sentinel. Its surface rusted and tarnished from the countless storms it had weathered. A lion’s head knocker adorned the door, its once majestic features now worn by the relentless passage of time. Captain Avery, his curiosity piqued by the mysterious allure of what was behind the door, approached the aged entrance with caution. He grasped the ring on the lion’s head, the cold metal sending shivers through his weathered fingers and knocked.

The door groaned open, revealing a room that was lost to time. Ancient artifacts adorned the walls and the air was heavy with the weight of forgotten tales. But what caught the captain’s eye was not the relics of the past but the monstrous creature confined within. Hidden in the shadows, the creature stirred, its eye gleaming of an otherworldly intelligence. Unbeknownst to the crew, the ship held a secret prisoner, a being from the depths of the unknown. The creature’s presence went unnoticed, a silent guardian confined within the bowels of the ship.

The creature’s skin, a sickly shade of green, seemed to bioluminesce in the dim light. The texture of its skin resembled ancient, weathered scales, hinting at a lineage that reached back into forgotten realms. The being’s mouth was a cavern of terror, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth. The teeth protruding menacingly, a testament to its predatory nature. Its breath, a noxious blend of decay and ancient evil, permeated the air around it. The stench lingered like a ghostly warning. Enormous talons adorned the creature’s limbs. The claws were as long as a man’s forearm, sharp and curved, ready to rend anything that stood in its way. Its limbs were sinewy and strong that hinted at a strength capable of hunting and capturing prey of considerable size.

In a moment of decision, Captain Avery, his face pale yet determined, took a step back. With a trembling hand he swiftly closed the rusted door, the lion’s head knocker clanged loudly through the deserted hallway. An ominous click echoed softly through the corridor, sealing the beast inside of its hidden lair. Captain Avery leaned against the door and caught his breath. The fear lingered but so did the burning curiosity. The old ship sailed on, carrying its secret burden. The crew were blissfully unaware of the supernatural presence concealed within.

As the captain continued his journey through the creaking corridor, the locked door served as a barrier between the world of the known and the world of the unknown. The lion’s head knocker stood silent, its secrets locked away. The crew were left to navigate the mysteries of the open sea, oblivious to the monstrous entity that lurked behind the tarnished facade.

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Fiction © Copyright Kathleen McCluskey
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

More from Kathleen McCluskey:

The Long Fall: Book 1: The Inception of Horror

Lucifer always cunning and intelligent challenges father to a battle of wits. Being the angel of light he casts a judgemental eye upon mankind. He begins a war with his fellow archangels and God. Michael, along with his siblings defend their home and mankind from their deranged brother. Broad swords and hand to hand combat drench heaven in blood. The four apocalyptic steeds are released, each having their own destructive power. Betrayal and lust are at biblical levels. Understand the very creation of evil and the consequenses that transpire in the first of THE LONG FALL series.

Available on Amazon!