Friday, December 3, 2010

The Crystal Chamber

This story was published Wednesday in Luna Station Quarterly's "Drabble" issue and was selected as one of their stories of the week. 

The second survey crew landed near the object embedded in the southern hemisphere of a dead world. They’d lost contact with the first team months ago.

The artifact resembled an enormous crystalline worm buried in the earth. A nearby cave led them down into a chamber filled with alien devices. Numerous bones lay scattered all around.

What they thought was the artifact blocked the passageway on the opposite side.

A portal was set into the construct, lined with spikes that sparkled like icicles.

They understood too late as the chamber began broadcasting black noise.

The worm was ready to feed.

15 comments:

  1. Deft descriptions in such a short piece with great effect. Wonderful
    Adam B @revhappiness

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  2. Adam;
    Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

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  3. -Shudder- Whew, what a story!

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  4. This is great!!! Love the 'black noise' bit.

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  5. demonesprit:

    Thanks! I'm glad you like the story!

    Jason;

    Thanks for reading and commenting! Glad you enjoyed it!

    Ramsey;

    Thanks my friend! Black noise is unnerving, probably paralyzed the poor people. Worm has many talents for catching his prey!

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  6. Good short Maria, this worm loves a good survey team, eh? :D

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  7. Steve;

    Thanks! Yes, it does. But really, one look at the bones would've sent me running the other way. Thanks for the comment!

    Catherine;
    Thanks! Appreciate it! Glad you liked it.

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  8. Another chilling story Maria! I don't normally enjoy sci-fi, but you always manage to change that somehow.

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  9. Yes, don't think I would stick around to investigate after seeing the bones.

    How well you write horror, and you convey it all in just a few sentences!

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  10. Huge space worms need dinner, too. Why not a survey team? Good story!

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  11. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I recommend unmanned drones!

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  12. Maria, a nice dark tasty tidbit. Nice descriptions.

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  13. Things aren't always what they seem.

    Really well done in such a short piece. This reader got the whole story, including what happened to the previous team. Very tight writing.

    Excellent.

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