"Marc Laidlaw - The Vicar of R'lyeh" - читать интересную книгу автора (Laidlaw Marc)

The Vicar of R'lyeh
by Marc Laidlaw


Story Copyright (C) 2007, Marc Laidlaw.
Images Copyright (C) 2007, Rudy Rucker.
6,200 Words.



тАЬLet anything be held as blessed, so that that be well cursed.тАЭ
тАУ Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers



Glorious afternoon, warm and breezy among green hills dotted with sheep. Looking down from his sylvan
lounging spot upon the village with its twin spires, Geoffrey heard a mournful bell coming from the towers
of Barchester Cathedral, and almost immediately thereafter noted a small dark shape making its way
across the dewy grass from the open doors of the church. A faint distortion followed the pedestrian, as if
air and earth were curdling in its wake. He blinked away the illusion, but the feeling of oppression grew
until he clearly saw that yes, тАШtwas the vicar coming toward him with some message he suddenly felt he
did not wish to hear. Meanwhile, the tolling of the bell had grown appalling. As the little man struggled up
the hillside, he seemed to expand until his shadow encompassed the town itself. Abruptly the vicar stood
before him, the pale features of the meek country parson tearing into soft and writhing strands like the
points of a wormy beard. The vicar scowled, revealing five segmented ridges of bone, teeth akin to the
beak of a sea urchin. Geoffrey did not wish to hear the vicar speak, but there was no stopping his ears.

тАЬYou up, Geoff?тАЭ The voice, its accent inappropriate, was first wheedling, then insistent. тАЬRтАЩlyehтАЩs
rising!тАЭ

He forced his eyes open. Somehow the phone had lodged itself between his cheek and pillow. The voice
of his boss went on.

тАЬGeoff, are you there? Did I wake you? I know you were here late, but weтАЩve got an emergency.тАЭ

тАЬMm. Hi, Warren. No. I wasтАжI was getting up.тАЭ

(7:43 by the clock.)

тАЬCalculations were off. Fucking astrologers, right? Anyway, weтАЩve got to throw ourselves into it.
MarketingтАЩs in a tizzy, but let them be the bottleneck. I think if we dig in---тАЭ

тАЬGive me тАжтАЭ Shower, skip breakfast, grab coffee at a drive-through, traffic. This was bad. тАЬтАжforty-five
minutes?тАЭ Very bad.

тАЬYouтАЩre a pro, Geoff.тАЭ

Very bad. Cancel all plans. Forget about rest until this thing was done. Already resigning himself to it.
Exactly how off were the calculations? HeтАЩd soon find out.