Fan Fiction - a sneak peek

[BrutalDeluxe]

Thanks to various members on this board I've finally gotten the motivation up to turn my ideas in action. The next few posts are a work in progress for me. Inspired by the whole Global Dispatch idea, my story is/will be about a British anthropologist sent to the fledgling colony of Australia to document the flora, fauna and indigenous Australians. He ends up discovering a lot more than he bargained for.
Unfortunately as I have a short attention span I tend to write the most interesting parts first and then link them together later. But I'm putting it out there and I hope you enjoy it. Hopefully the experience will encourage me to keep on writing.
I apologise in advance for the way it is presented. Eventually I'll stick it up on a site made for this type of trash... er... fiction ;D

[BrutalDeluxe]

I emerged from the dense woods into the glaring light of the day. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust; everything seemed dazzlingly bright in comparison to the dank, shady recesses of the Australian bushland. Before me stretched a vast clearing populated by a type of tall grass approximately eight feet in height. The clearing ended about half a mile from where I stood, dissolving into woods similar to those through which I had trekked for the last three hours. I proceeded wearily through the dry, brown grass. It never ceased to amaze me just how quickly this land changed. The grass crunched and crackled under my feet and occasionally I would catch the hint of the cool summer breeze upon my face.

I stopped to take my bearings, wet my brow and take a swig from my canteen. The grass seemed to be thinning as I proceeded toward the other end of the clearing and here and there were barren stretches of land. Through the stillness I perceived the unmistakable sound of movement and it suddenly dawned on me that I was not alone. Save for the odd snake I had seen nary a creature since I broke camp that morning. What on earth could possibly be roving around out there? I fancied it being a kangaroo as they seemed to prefer these lowlands, but as I drew closer to the source of the commotion an eerie chill passed over my body. Whatever it was, there was more than one. Amidst the thumping and the sound of rustling scrub, there was something coarse and guttural, something unearthly. I had been on this strange continent for long enough to learn the distinct sounds and calls of the local wildlife. Indeed, many a sleepless night had been spent memorising their unique noises to allay my fears for the when next they returned. The tumult that resounded in my ears was unfamiliar to me and it was this unfamiliarity that made me uneasy. With cat-like cautiousness I parted the tall grass in front of me and it was then I first sighted the horrific creature.

How can I describe what I have tried so many years to forget? My hands tremble at the mere thought of its grotesqueries. What I beheld from my vantage point in the grass was a large, grey-brown blob roughly the size of bull. This is where any similarity ended. I was side-on to the creature, yet I could discern no sturdy limbs upon which it propped itself. Instead it had a cluster of whip-like tentacles towards the bottom of what could only be described as its "face", several of which grasped a fully grown kangaroo. For a moment I marveled at the sheer size of this strange being. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. Its oily skin gleamed in the bright afternoon sunshine as it swelled and ebbed, no doubt struggling for breath in our harsh atmosphere. Dark eyes as large as dinner plates regarded the ensnared kangaroo steadfast and coolly. For its part the kangaroo offered up a mild struggle, crying feebly with the effort, but it was clearly outmatched for strength. Then, in an instant a fleshy slit below the creature's voluminous eyes opened up and a thin, semi-transparent tube shot out and pierced the neck of its captive. The kangaroo thrashed wildly for a moment and then was still. I stifled a gasp of horror, and I suddenly became aware of how dry my mouth had become. Transfixed, I watched as this monstrosity drained the blood of that poor animal and tossed its lifeless body a couple of feet away. For a while this alien, this "thing" sat motionless save for a few tentacles swaying in the cool breeze and then, with a measure of awkwardness, it began to turn.

The loathsomeness of its laboured movement stirred me from my stupor. I lowered my left shoulder and swung loose the rifle I carried incase of an emergency and this was such an occasion. I brought the solid wooden stock up to my shoulder and squinted down the barrel. All of my instincts were screaming at me to flee, however the false courage the cold steel of rifle gave me and the fact I was satisfied there was significant distance between me and the creature, kept me rooted to the spot. My trembling hands tried to steady the gun sight that danced before my eyes and my nervous mind questioned whether a bullet would fell such a beast.
Before I knew it I was staring straight into black, pool-like eyes of the creature from another planet. At sight of me it froze. It was probably as startled by my appearance as I was of it. What seemed like an eternity passed and it made no movement, its tentacles lay still, splayed out before its heaving body. Sensing for the first time that perhaps I was dealing with an intelligent being as opposed to a mindless animal, I lowered my rifle slightly and raised a free hand. "Hello" I stated uneasily, my voice lacking both power and conviction. The creature continued to stare ceaselessly at me and I could feel the tension in the air constrict like a hangman's noose. Without any given indication the being bellowed a subhuman note which echoed upon the wind and shook my very bowels. Had it made any motion toward me I would have surely fired upon it out of sheer panic, however it sat still, glistening and panting heavily.

Behind the row of trees at the opposite end of the clearing, not even fifty yards away, a humming began to emanate followed by the unmistakable hiss of steam. I stood stunned as I tried to comprehend what I was hearing. Were my ears deceiving me? Had my exposure to the elements and the sudden appearance of this creature caused a break in my sanity? The humming began to rise in intensity, growing to a high-pitched whine. There was another hiss and I fancied seeing a shot of bilious green steam rise above the tree line. At the sight of this I began to slowly backpedal into the tall grass. Clearly something was going to occur for which I was ill prepared. At the time I had no idea how ill prepared I was.

[BrutalDeluxe]

And then I saw it! A shiny metallic giant rose over the treetops, clattering and hissing like some kind of mechanical serpent. At this point whatever courage I had been able to muster abandoned me. I slung the rifle back over my shoulder and fled through the grass toward the other end of the clearing and possible shelter beneath the leafy expanse of the bush. My legs burned with the effort as I tried to propel my tired frame through the scrub at a speed I would never come close to matching. As I approached the row of ferns and ghost gums on the edge of the clearing I felt a warm kiss on the back of my neck before hearing a faint buzzing and then a loud roar. I chanced a quick glance over my shoulder as I stumbled along to see the expanse of scrub where I had been previously standing now ablaze. Twelve foot flames crackled and licked hungrily at the sky and through the shimmering haze I could see the terrifying steel goliath surveying all before it.

I ran along the uneven bush floor until thoroughly exhausted and hid myself behind a couple of fallen, moss covered granite slabs. Above my ragged gasps for breath, I could still make out the distinct sound of burning grass and the various utterances made by that wretched machine.

[Anim8tr]

Suspenseful and entertaining right from the get-go. Good work Brutal, keep it coming!

[EvilNerfherder]

Nice work, Brutal. Keep going!

[Acid Lee]

Excellent! I love your descriptions in this. I can picture the scene being played out as I read. Always a good sign ofm a story. A hint of suspense in there - love that too. I like to feel nervous. I hope you continue this and post it up onto FF.Net. You'll get a lot of positive feedback for that.

[BrutalDeluxe]

Thanx for the positive feedback everyone!
I wasn't aware of FF.Net until I read your story Acid, so hopefully soonish I'll post it on there and continue on with it.
I can see it unfolding in my head, I just have to bash it out on keyboard.

[Acid Lee]

Good for you! We need more WOTW writers over at FF.Net

[Luperis]

That's really good, Brutal!
Entertaining and interesting... can't wait for more ;D