The Kaikoura Horror

1

"I fancy you'd be able to help me with this problem, Dusang," remarked Colonel Uxbury one particularly frigid June morning, leaning back in the armchair across from the famed detective. The latter, hearing this, drew carefully on his hookah.

"Indeed?" There was an amused tone in Dusang's voice. "I assume you'll be enlightening me, Uxbury."

"Naturally," said Colonel Uxbury, drawing on his cigar, "but at the moment, I'd like to enjoy this cigar. Would you oblige me to smoke this one before I inform you of the problem?"

"Naturally," returned the other. Uxbury sighed luxuriantly, then leant back in his chair, puffing away at his cigar. Absently, his eyes gazed out of the window. Dusang lifted the newspaper placed next to him and began to peruse it. Several moments elapsed, and then Dusang suddenly said, "But surely, Uxbury, if you had just woken up earlier, you could have struck it."

"Yes," replied Uxbury angrily, "it enrages me just to think about it--"

Then, realizing the significance of Dusang's words, he suddenly sprang to his feet and stared at Dusang in disbelief. "Thunderation! What is this new trick? Have you finally developed telepathy? How could you know what I was thinking?"

Dusang laughed carelessly. "You need not be alarmed, I beg. As I've often remarked to you before, this is merely child's play. You first drew my attention when you leant back in your armchair, and then fixed your eyes rather pointedly upon my newspaper. The particular section of the newspaper you were looking at was the lottery column. I knew you were thinking about yesterday's lottery. Afterwards you looked down at your shoes, which I can see that they have been splattered with mud in such a way that it could've only been caused by a fall. To further confirm my conclusions, you clutched your left arm, and winced slightly, which was enough to tell me that you had fallen yesterday-- the mud is not fresh, and has dried up. It is very probable that you had attempted to run for the lottery, but had fallen, because you were in quite a hurry. Afterwards you glared rather angrily at that omnibus which was parked out- side the house several minutes ago-- that was enough to tell me that you had fallen while attempting to catch the bus. You had told me several days ago that your automobile was currently under repair, so that was enough to tell me that you were attempting to take the omnibus. You were bewailing your misfortune at being unable to strike the lottery, so naturally I was able to follow up your thoughts with a statement which startled you so much."

"Thunder and blazes!" snapped Uxbury, chewing angrily on his cigar. "Might as well get down to business, what with you startling me!"

He continued seething for several minutes, and then continued. "You must understand, Dusang, that this problem is far from ordinary. It's a problem which has nearly caused me to pull all of my hair out. I cannot believe such a thing is possible, but it has transpired."

Dusang drew on his hookah. "Continue."

Uxbury chewed again on his cigar. "Several days ago, we received a very peculiar report at the police station. A person by the name of Dr. Nirthan Truly turned himself in at the police station, claiming that he was responsible for an act of wanton destruction. He described what happened in very fervent terms. In the beginning, of course, we were skeptical of his account-- and, as you will see, we had very good reason to be.

"According to Dr. Truly, he had dreamt of a truly bizarre event, involving, of course, himself. Apparently, he had dreamt that he had transformed into a giant, squid-like humanoid, towering over a pagoda. In his shock, he accidentally swung his arm around and smashed the pagoda to pieces. Following that, he jolted awake, and to his surprise, he saw that his clothes were soaked in seawater. Furthermore, he felt a stinging pain in the arm that had supposedly smashed the pagoda to pieces, and he also discovered traces of brick powder on that arm. As such, he believed that what he had dreamt had actually happened."

Dusang's eyes flashed beneath that tiger mask, but he did not say anything. Uxbury continued. "Of course, we thought it was preposterous. But moments following that report, a call was suddenly put in to the police from Kaikoura. The caller was hysterical, but we were able to glean from him that he was one of the survivors of a pagoda destruction."

Uxbury leant forwards. "According to this survivor, he had seen a giant, squid-like humanoid, swinging its arm at the pagoda, moments before it was destroyed!"