CHAPTER IV: "THE SOUND IN THE DARKNESS"
The morning of the 12th, our group was allowed to go deckside. The salty sea and wind was a welcomed sensation after being below deck for two entire days. It was then that we met with the Professor. When inquired about Phillips, the Professor simply stated that he was involved in written records regarding our voyages to Ujelang and would not be joining us on deck.
He stated that he had been informed that we were due to arrive in the vicinity of Ujelang Island on the 24th, where we would be met by the chartered ship to be transferred for the remainder of our journey. To my suprise, it was Ward who spoke up and directly asked the professor about the mysteriousness of Phillips and the seemingly secretness of any particulars regarding our expedition.
The Professor, obviously suprised himself, stated that the intentional secrecy was to prevent any knowledge to be leaked about the relics in the sea from reaching other, more sinister researchers, whom might attempt to arrive first- claiming the relics as their own. As for Phillips, the Professor simply stated that he was from Innsmouth and was quite an unusual personality when it came
to working with persons unknown to him- as he preferred reclusivity for his persistant studies. He assured us that there was no matter in which to be concerned of, except the task at hand: locating the relics and bringing them back to the United States.
He continued by stating that he would be in checking the condition of the stored equipment this evening and stated that we should do the same. He concluded that the salty air might have damaged or otherwise corrupted some of our more sensitive camera equipment.
Ward, as well as myself and the others, were not so sure of the professors explainations.
Later that night, Edward and I decided to go into the cargo hold to watch for the Professor as Crawford and Ward attempted to watch for the presence of either the Professor or Phillips. Although Edward and I placed ourselves in a perfect and concealed position to observe the Professors crate, there was never an indication of the professor.
After meeting at our bunks, Ward stated that he had, indeed spotted the professor entering into a cabin located in the upper level at or around 10pm- but he never exited. Our conversation turned in scope from this point forward. The professor had provided us with a flimsy explaination and overtly lied to us about checking the equipment. The four of us decided that night that we would find out what was really happening and decided to try again later. Our reasoning, at that time, was that if we were to risk our lives on this journey, we should have complete disclosure of all information and if it took catching the professor in a red-handed lie, then so be it. As I had said beforehand- if we had known what hellish truth was to be revealed, I would have killed the professor myself right then.
Our attempts to watch the crate were fruitless until the night of July 20th. Edward and I were almost caught off guard by the professor skillfully navigating amoung the crates and was constantly checking over his shoulder in an attempt to discover any pursuers. He held a torch in his left hand and something tucked under his right arm. Arriving at the crate, he placed his torch on the top of the crate and opened the book. I could not see what book it was, but it appeared a newer book. Holding the book in his left hand and raising his right hand into the air, he uttered:
"Ia! Ia! Cthulhu F'thagn!" (14)
After this recitation, he placed down the book and raised his right sleeve. It the dark, we could barely make out some sort of mark or possibly a wound on his wrist. Edward was beginning to shake and I placed my hands on his shoulder to quiet him.
We watched in horror as the professor slid open a small door in the top of the crate and placed his right arm into it. The professor grimaced in pain and grunted aloud. He began writhing in pain and knocked his torch off of the crate, breaking it- leaving Edward and I in the abyssmal darkness...trying not to be discovered. Our fears rose as we sat in that damned darkness and it grew to monsterous proportions as the only noise we could hear was a strange type of sucking and clicking sound coming
from the area of the crate.
NEXT CHAPTER V: "A Foreshadowing and an Arrival"
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