Escape: A Dark Tale from Innsmouth

Tales from Innsmouth, Book 5

By: Ashley Lister

Narrated by: Ashley Lister

Events in Innsmouth are moving to a climax. The Esoteric Order of Dagon are determined to bring about the end of the world with the summoning of the Elder God: Dagon. The order’s leaders refuse to acknowledge the repercussions of their act. And they are determined to make the seas boil and the dead rise as they prepare for Armageddon.

But one fearless lecturer from Innsmouth University understands the impending perils. He believes the Esoteric Order can be stopped. And all he needs to do is to help three dangerous individuals escape from Sefton Institute for the Criminally Insane.

From the book:

“Good evening to you all”, Sophia said. Her cheerful voice sounded odd in the sombre gloom of the empty studio. “It’s a pleasure to see so many familiar faces here, as well as a handful of new ones”.

She smiled around the unlit room with a level of sincerity that Ellie thought was more plastic than an inflatable sex doll. Sophia’s smile lingered a little too long in the direction where Ellie sat, as though she was trying to make a good impression on a guest of honour. Then, as though sensing her silence might be off-putting to some members of the audience, she snapped back to attention and said, “We have an excellent storyteller this evening, and I hope you’re all going to enjoy what he has to say”.

She paused again and a ripple of polite applause crackled through the empty room. Even though there was genuine enthusiasm behind the clapping, the acoustics deadened the sound so it echoed like nothing more than the snapping of dead twigs on a bonfire.

“Because some of you are new to the group”, Sophia went on, “and some of you were probably drunk the last time we went over the rules, I figured I’d just go through the main things once again before we begin”.

She didn’t bother waiting for anyone to speak. She was clearly savouring her position in front of an audience.

“First,” Sophia began. “The Explorers Club meet once a week. As you’ve all realised now, we meet in abandoned buildings, a different one each time, and we always have a guest storyteller. The guest will usually tell us about some supernatural experience they’ve had. And the one rule we insist on is: it has to be a true story”. She glared into the darkness of the studio, as though silently challenging anyone to dispute this claim.

No one said a word and Ellie could feel tension thickening the air.

“This is extreme entertainment like nothing you’ve ever experienced”, Sophia insisted. “We’re in an abandoned recording studio this week. We’re breaking the law by being on the premises. And we’re listening to a real-life ghost story from a genuine witness to the paranormal”. Her gaze shifted around the room, starting on Ellie and then circling back to her after passing a cursory glance over each of the other attendees. “I’m sure you’ll all agree, there are few scarier ways to experience a ghost story than whilst you’re sitting, illegally, in the dark of an abandoned building, hearing a first-hand account of something that should not have happened".

©2021 Ashley Lister (P)2021 Ashley Lister