Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Horror of the Heights
Soelasticandgelatinouswasitthatneverfortwosuccessiveminuteswasitthesameshape,andyeteachchangemadeitmorethreateningandloathsomethanthelast.
"Iknewthatitmeantmischief.Everypurpleflushofitshideousbodytoldmeso.Thevague,gogglingeyeswhichwereturnedalwaysuponmewerecoldandmercilessintheirviscidhatred.Idippedthenoseofmymonoplanedownwardstoescapeit.AsIdidso,asquickasaflashthereshotoutalongtentaclefromthismassoffloatingblubber,anditfellaslightandsinuousasawhip-lashacrossthefrontofmymachine.Therewasaloudhissasitlayforamomentacrossthehotengine,anditwhiskeditselfintotheairagain,whilethehuge,flatbodydrewitselftogetherasifinsuddenpain.Idippedtoavol-pique,butagainatentaclefelloverthemonoplaneandwasshornoffbythepropelleraseasilyasitmighthavecutthroughasmokewreath.Along,gliding,sticky,serpent-likecoilcamefrombehindandcaughtmeroundthewaist,draggingmeoutofthefuselage.Itoreatit,myfingerssinkingintothesmooth,glue-likesurface,andforaninstantIdisengagedmyself,butonlytobecaughtroundthebootbyanothercoil,whichgavemeajerkthattiltedmealmostontomyback.
"AsIfelloverIblazedoffbothbarrelsofmygun,though,indeed,itwaslikeattackinganelephantwithapea-shootertoimaginethatanyhumanweaponcouldcripplethatmightybulk.AndyetIaimedbetterthanIknew,for,withaloudreport,oneofthegreatblistersuponthecreature’sbackexplodedwiththepunctureofthebuck-shot.
