SFSD-X Short Story Smackdown

The Bride of Cthulhu

From deep below the sea's surface, awareness sparked in a creature that had been dormant. She had existed between alive and not alive, but was waking.

I am. There must be a reason. This pulse of life came from somewhere. I was once, and now I am again.

She trembled and shuddered, thrusting off her rocky coffin. Stretching her hundreds of tentacles into the water, she drifted into the currents.

If I am then it can only mean one thing: the stars are aligning for him to awaken. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. Using her mind, she sent out a summons to all cognizant creatures.

I must find the scepter. I am going home.

-----

Three Weeks Later, Maui

The sun-bleached sign said The Dive, which was as much the bar's name as its description. The sea-side shack had weathered a few too many tropical storms during its long life and it was getting ready to kick the bucket, and sooner rather than later.

On this particularly gorgeous day, a French marine biologist, an Egyptologist, an adventurer moonlighting as a vigilante and a Knight of the Freemasons walked into the bar.

They didn't know it but their coming together might just allow them to save humankind, or be the instruments of its destruction.

(Dum dum dum!)

The Frenchman ordered an algae and kiwi smoothie - a house specialty. The Egyptologist, Dr. Hanson, asked for a Pepsi (no cat hair). The adventurer asked for a Green Flash enflambé - another house specialty - hold the flames.

The Freemason Knight surveyed the small room from the doorway at first; she was looking for someone and had been for nearly three weeks. She had a strong feeling that her search was nearly over. Her answers should be in that very room!

She asked the barman for an Irish whiskey on the rocks. Sitting at a table in the back, she overheard the Frenchman saying 'Merci, monsieur' when he got his smoothie.

The knight rose from her chair slowly, stalked up to his table and carefully withdrew a shining gold scepter from her bag. Bringing it down with a bang on the table top, it rattled the smoothie and peanut bowl. Across the room, the adventurer half jumped from his seat, ready for a fight.

The Frenchman stared up at the frowning woman.

"I am looking for the man who can tell me what this is," the woman said. "I have followed his trail from France to Morocco, then to Egypt and now here. He is a great scientist and fights against unnatural evils in the world. I call this man...Bonaparte."

The Frenchman gaped in amazement first at her and then at the scepter. "Can it rheelie be?" he asked in a thick, froggy accent. "You have been trying to find me? I am Bonaparte, I am your brother!"

"Brother?" She asked. He rose to throw his arms around her. "Whoa, no touchy-touchy. You mean like we're siblings in our fight against evil?"

"Mais oui!"

Upon seeing the scepter, the Egyptologist appeared at the knight's shoulder. "Where did you find this relic and how dare you take it across borders with no respect to the Egyptian gods?" she demanded, outraged.

The adventurer came over. "Who are you?" he asked the knight.

"My enemies know me as the Mason. I am a knight of the Order of the Knights Templar and I protect humanity from dark forces."

"I'm Merry Can. Don't ask, the name's obviously an anagram for something much cooler. What do your friends call you?"

"The Mason."