Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Horror of the Heights
"Butamoreterribleexperiencewasinstoreforme.Floatingdownwardsfromagreatheighttherecameapurplishpatchofvapour,smallasIsawitfirst,butrapidlyenlargingasitapproachedme,untilitappearedtobehundredsofsquarefeetinsize.Thoughfashionedofsometransparent,jelly-likesubstance,itwasnonethelessofmuchmoredefiniteoutlineandsolidconsistencethananythingwhichIhadseenbefore.Thereweremoretraces,too,ofaphysicalorganization,especiallytwovast,shadowy,circularplatesuponeitherside,whichmayhavebeeneyes,andaperfectlysolidwhiteprojectionbetweenthemwhichwasascurvedandcruelasthebeakofavulture.
"Thewholeaspectofthismonsterwasformidableandthreatening,anditkeptchangingitscolourfromaverylightmauvetoadark,angrypurplesothickthatitcastashadowasitdriftedbetweenmymonoplaneandthesun.OntheuppercurveofitshugebodytherewerethreegreatprojectionswhichIcanonlydescribeasenormousbubbles,andIwasconvincedasIlookedatthemthattheywerechargedwithsomeextremelylightgaswhichservedtobuoyupthemisshapenandsemi-solidmassintherarefiedair.Thecreaturemovedswiftlyalong,keepingpaceeasilywiththemonoplane,andfortwentymilesormoreitformedmyhorribleescort,hoveringovermelikeabirdofpreywhichiswaitingtopounce.Itsmethodofprogression—donesoswiftlythatitwasnoteasytofollow—wastothrowoutalong,glutinousstreamerinfrontofit,whichinturnseemedtodrawforwardtherestofthewrithingbody.
