But Matt couldn’t tear his eyes away. The people, human beings, the rulers of the world, reduced to little more than a stream of meat for some near immortal beast that lived in this underworld. As he watched he could make out strange creatures like a cross between lizards and spiders, dotted with bulging eyes, enormous in size, crawling along the sheer rock face, and letting long tongues unfurl, dipping them into the falling mass of humanity to lick up some of the bodies and then scuttle back to cling to the rock and digest their easy prize.

Matt felt the victims’ hopelessness and would have cried out in despair himself but he felt a strong tug at his arm, and so shook his head to clear away the dark thoughts. Adira was right; it was too late now for these people.

“The doors.” Adira motioned to the massive red granite gates.

At their base, four figures now stood. One was unmistakably Charles Drummond; a second was easily a foot taller with a cowl pulled over its head; and before them was what looked to be a pair of children.

“Come; here is where we settle this.” Adira ran toward the odd group, Matt and Abrams following. The dark sand made a dry squeaking beneath their feet, and Matt breathed hard, working overtime to try and shut out the cacophony of tormented wails that surrounded them.

Abrams had his gun up, and Adira had the muzzle of her assault rifle pointed dead center at Drummond as they came to within fifty feet of the foursome. Matt still couldn’t make out who or what it was with the cowl up over its head, but the smaller figures were unmistakably girls, no more than ten or eleven, perhaps even twins. They wore matching dirty pyjamas and clung to each other, their faces streaked with tears, and their garments with blood.

Drummond held up a hand. “Welcome.” He flashed his luminescent smile. “Professor Matthew Kearns, Major Joshua Abrams, and of course, the warrior woman, Captain Adira Senesh. I’m so glad you could all make it…this far.”

Adira and Abrams spread to either side of the figures. Matt saw the girls’ eyes light up, perhaps with something like hope. One mouthed a word to him – Help.

Matt stayed stony-faced – he’d heard that plea before, and it hadn’t been from a human.

Drummond waved an arm around. “Don’t be so gloomy. Yes, it is hot, and yes it is dark, and sure, it’s very noisy.” He grinned. “But these are all small prices to pay to be witness to a new dawn…or perhaps a very ancient one. Cthulhu rises, the Great Old One. His physical form is taking shape as we speak. At the peak of the planetary alignment, his physical form will combine with his spiritual essence, and then a page will be turned on this world.” Drummond smiled apologetically. “Humankind’s turn is over.” He shrugged. “And as well as the human sheep, so will go the real sheep, and the cattle, elephants, whales, and just about anything that proves a good meal.” His smile widened.