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Writer's pictureMark Sanders

Chapter 24: Deception

Blogtober 2023

They returned to the sinkhole before sunset to take their positions and witness the progress made by the dead quarrymen. The diameter of the hole was big enough to swallow a bus, but from the edge of the crater, they couldn’t see any sign of a ship within.


“I just had a terrible thought,” Nicole said. “What if there isn’t a ship down there?”


“What else would it be?” Clarkton asked.


“More of those creatures,” she replied. “We’ve not even seen this one. There may already be more than one.”


“We’ll have to take that chance,” Clarkton said. “We’re committed to this plan for now.”


They brought two vehicles; the department SUV and Murphy’s own pickup truck. They had argued over who would play decoy in the truck and who would accompany Clarkton into the crater, but when Murphy pointed out that Nicole didn’t know how to set off the bomb, she acquiesced.


“Besides, if we don’t make it out, this gives you the best chance of getting away,” Murphy said. “You’ve got a lot more years to live than we do.”


“Don’t go digging our graves yet,” Clarkton said. “I don’t intend for this to be a suicide mission.”


“You both be careful,” she said. “I’ll turn on the stereo as soon as the sun’s down.”


Clarkton and Murphy drove around to the other side of the sinkhole, leaving Nicole in Murphy’s truck, testing out the ultraviolet spotlight and hoping their deception would fool the creature.


Photo credit Adobe Stock #292546366

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