Is It Still Out There?

By CaptNemo and Thomas P. Tiernan

There Be Monsters Here!
 

Looking for a good scare?

Does the Unknown give you the chills?

Ever wonder what to say to a snarky dragon?

Are you interested in user-friendly time travel?

Is something waiting for you in the woods down the block?

Ever wonder what happened after the War of the Worlds ended?
 

I knew you'd say Yes. That's why you're here, right? I'm here to entertain, but I don't mind costing you a few hours of sleep.

In this book, you'll encounter:

 

Encounters with some nasty things in the woods.

A little girl and her uncle whose hobby is time travel.

A reporter who almost loses his head looking for a story.

A group of farmers waiting for the aliens to visit them.

A Martian exploring an empty Earth for signs of life.

 

Just remember, it's perfectly safe outside in the dark. The noises you keep hearing are not for you to see. Stay safe and have fun reading these tales of fright and suspense.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas P. Tiernan
• Release date: Jul 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201388003

Book preview

IS IT STILL OUT THERE?

Introduction

Welcome one and all to my second collection of tales best not read before you go to bed. Within these pages are terrors never seen before. The usual scary stuff. It's not to say you won't be a bit stimulated, perhaps even scared. But it's my fondest hope that my little excursions into realms best left alone will entertain you and, perhaps, make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Now, what have we in store this time? Well, no spoilers, but I can tell you this much. Things are not as they seem in the tales that follow. Time, and even reality, are a bit out of joint. All the better to entertain you. Have fun and leave the lights on. It’s easier to see what’s lurking in the room with you as you read. Enjoy, and try to tell yourself, there's nothing outside making that scratching sound.

Cover Photo by kakisky at Morguefile.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Is It Still Out There?

Time, Space And That Stupid Watch

Negotiations With A Guileful Dragon

Night Of The Little Gray Men

Uncle Roger And The Really Dumb Interdimensional Spies

A Clearing In The Woods

War Of The Worlds- The Final Retribution

Death Drops In

IS IT STILL OUT THERE?

One special summer had been the best of Alex’s life. He had turned ten as school ended, and always treated his birthday as winning for the school year. He and his brother Fred had done their usual activities, and more. They and their parents had gone to Oregon for three weeks. His family spent two of them at a seashore cabin in Bandon. There were huge rolling dunes, horseback riding, and hot chocolate before the big roaring fireplace.

They spent the rest of the summer in the Gully, a wooded region winding through the town of Harper for miles. A small creek ran through the Gully. Ruins of the old buildings protruding from the steeper sides of the location. Kids used them as the Alamo or post-apocalyptic ruins used these in their never-ending adventures. Two tunnels under roads were entrances to ancient tombs filled with mummies or Indians or even zombies.

One evening, just ten days before school started, the meteor passed overhead. It was a big one, drifting across the sky and passing the bright half-moon located just off the horizon. Other than this object, the skies were empty.

Wow, said Alex as they watched the blazing ball in the early evening sky. A huge glowing ball, mixing red, orange, and blue.

What the hell is that? asked Larry. Fear popped into his eyes, his knees growing weak.

Language, said Fred, the youngest of the bunch. Fred could be with them because of Alex, who was the Leader because no one else wanted to be.

Shut up, squirt.

No, you shut up. Fred stepped up to him and stepped on the tips of Larry’s sneakers. Larry backed away.

Let’s follow it down the street, said Alex.

They ran off down East Cliff Road, doing their best to follow the meteor as it passed over head. As they watched, blue chunks flecked off and burned away. But one big dark blue chunk broke off and did not go dark. It landed in the trees near them.

It fell down in the Gully, said Gail the Nerd. Gail thought she knew everything about everything. In truth, she had as much knowledge as the rest of them. Still, she baffled them often enough for her to earn her nickname.

Yeah, you’re right, said Alex. Let’s find out where it dropped.

Um, I don’t think we should, said Larry. We should tell someone.

What are you, a wimp? asked Fred. They looked at each other, then at Larry.

Yeah, he’s a wimp, they said in unison. They high fived each other, including Larry. They ran down the street to where the road dipped into the trees. They made their way to the end of Maryknoll Street. It led to the path cutting through the Gully and leading up to Meadow Road and School #2 and #16, a half-mile away.

They moved as a small herd onto the well-worn path half the town used to get through the Gully. The miasma of rotting vegetation and a thick marsh humidity grew stronger as they walked. An old wooden bridge crossed the creek. Its red and green paint had long ago gone to the elements. Alex and the group got to the bridge and stopped. On this side of the creek, a path ran in both directions, more or less parallel to the water’s edge.

Got anything? asked Larry. He took up the rear spot in the group. For their protection, he always stayed in the back when in sticky situations. Chicken, the others said.

Not yet, said Gail. She adjusted her glasses with her dusty hands.

There! said Alex. Off to their left, deep in the Gully, was a glow that wasn’t there yesterday. Alex held a finger to his lips, and they moved down the path as quiet as they could. The crickets and frogs were making so much noise their words faded not ten feet away. But each of them knew the rules for Monster Movies. When sneaking up to find out what the monster was doing, you didn’t say anything until it saw you. And you couldn’t leave until you got a good look at it.

Are you sure the rules apply at a time like this? asked Larry.

Of course, said Gail. Name one movie where the heroes ran off before they learned what they were facing?

How about The Creeping Terror?

That crappy thing? Gail shook her head.

Larry shrugged. I watched it on television with my sister last night. It just popped into my head.

That’s not a good example at all. She stopped talking and turned her attention back to not stepping on the back of Alex’s shoes.

The glowing grew in size as they got closer. They heard a crackling sound like millions of popcorn kernels bursting. They saw the houses up at the top edge of the Gully, dark and silent.

Alex held up his hand, and they stopped. The crickets and frogs aren’t chirping, he said.

Yeah, said Fred.

Let’s go now while we’re still not eaten, said Gail.

Like those scientists in ‘X - The Unknown’, Phil said. Remember?

Yeah, I remember, said Alex.

A much better movie than The Creeping Terror, said Gail, looking at Larry.

Alex saw a feud brewing and cut it off before it blew up. So, let’s get out of here real quiet like.

The gang creeped back, one step at a time. They knew the path so well none of them stepped off it as they moved. When they passed the old double tree stump, they perceived they were close to the bridge.

Then they noticed the luminescence. In the middle of the fiery orange glow, two red spots appeared. A low moaning roar reached the