Horror author Scott Lette (Arkham Tales) brings us a tale of terror for the Halloween Horror collection. Scott gives us a glimpse of a man vs. nature story from Australia.

Have these creatures returned from someplace else, and if so, why?

Quinkana Prodigius

Created by Scott Lette

FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND TORN APART BY MONSTER CROC PLAGUE
Posted Sat. September 27, 2008 3.35pm AEST

The Queensland Premier has declared a state of emergency in Far-North Queensland as the number of unexplained attacks from “land crocodiles” continues to rise.

“I have been in consultation with the Emergency Services Minister,” the Premier said during a Press conference in Brisbane today.

This situation first came to light Thursday, with the posting to Youtube of videos of a Townsville man being dragged from a car by creatures resembling long-legged, reptilian predators.

[Audio: “I thought I was going to die…”]

[Video: Police battle ‘mysterious creature’ (ABN News)]

[Map: Locations of reported attacks so far]

On the subject of military involvement the Premiere was “unequivocal”.

“We’re not ruling out anything at this stage,” the Premier said. “All options are on the table,” she said.

Professor Anne Falkner, an archaeologist from the University of Queensland, was “shocked and intrigued” by these videos. “These creatures seem to resemble some sort of Quinkan, similar in build to how imagined a Quinkana fortirostrum would move,” she said.

The Quinkan, named after an Aboriginal humanoid spirit from the Dreamtime, was believed to have died out 40,000 or so years ago.

“It would seem that we were wrong” the Professor said.

Residents are warned to stay in their homes or to follow the directives of local emergency service workers, police or the military in the affected areas until further notice.

MIKE TURROUGH: REPORT ON THE GROUND FROM NORTH QUEENSLAND
Australian Broadcasting Network
Broadcast date: 6/10/08

MIKE TURROUGH, REPORTER: As these graphic images show little is left of this four-wheel drive after the most famous of these attacks, fifteen kilometres to the south of Cooktown. This man tried to stop the carnage.

JOSEPH STAID, ECO-RESORT OPERATOR: By the time we headed out it was too late. We heard… I’m sorry. The sounds we heard. I’ll never forget those sounds.

MIKE TURROUGH, REPORTER: Although unable to save the family of four, Joseph Staid was able to record sounds of the creatures as they attacked fellow survivors later that evening.

[Audio: Gutteral sounds with strange croaks, grunts and cries. Repetitive blows struck to wood are heard in the background, punctuated by gunshots.]

MIKE TURROUGH, REPORTER: On manoeuvres as part of a joint exercise, Papuan Sergeant Joseph Tando found himself leading the defence.

SGT. JOSEPH TANDO, PNG OFFICER: We had guns, we did what we had to do. We saved lives.

MIKE TURROUGH, REPORTER: While there was victory here two nights ago, government officials fear that these attacks will continue. Professor Durai Singh of Sydney University explains.

PROFESSOR DURAI SINGH: These creatures are coming from someplace else. There’s no other explanation.

MIKE TURROUGH, REPORTER: Talk of a ‘quantum collapse’ has only intensified since the discovery on Friday that a section of the North Queensland coast including Bowen and the Whitsundays, has disappeared. Speculation that a CSIRO research was located here is flatly denied by the Prime Minister’s office. Mike Turrough, Far North Queensland.

About Scott Lette
Scott Lette is a former communications consultant and post-graduate from Queensland University of Technology specialising in creative writing and media production. As an author he has worked on various role-playing titles before turning full-time to his craft, writing for the small screen, theatre and the printed word. Having been published in two recent Chaosium fiction publications, the latest of which (Frontier Cthulhu) was a finalist at Origins for fiction in 2008. He is currently working on several projects and is seeking a home for his existing manuscripts. His current online presence is a humble one, popping by burgonet.livejournal.com you can catch his thoughts, ideas and get in touch.

Tags | cthulhu, halloween horror