NAME: Sands Outside Time
DATE: 2024-06-13
TAGS: horror, cosmic horror, desert, Old One

Thou wakest, thine eyes opening upon an unfamiliar, sandy vista. The land is silent save for the sound of a cool breeze, and the air holdeth no notable scent. Thy hand seeketh thy belongings - a rugged explorer's garb, an old, wide-brimmed hat, and a similarly time-worn backpack. Twenty years have passed since thou didst purchase these humble wares, a mere lad of thirty then, with purse light and ambition high. They have nevertheless served thee faithfully, weathering time and hardship with nary a complaint.

Rising, thou dustest off the clinging sand, much of it refusing to leave thy clothes. Ignoring the unpleasant sensation, thou turnest thine eyes towards the horizon, seeking some landmark amidst the unending expanse. The sun hangeth low, a pale orb peering wanly over the desolation. 'Tis dawn, or mayhaps dusk - the two are nigh indistinguishable with the star rooted in place. The lukewarm ground is bathed in an eerie orange glow, offering scant comfort despite its ominous hue. A dryness claweth at thy throat, yet it inspireth no thirst within thee. Though common wisdom dictateth that thou shouldest drink in spite, thy hands reach not for thy supplies. Instead, thy mind goeth vacant, and thy body stumbleth forward as if drawn by some unseen force.

Accompanying thy dazed stroll through the wasteland, the sand whispereth beneath thy feet, its soft rustles reinforcing the omnipresent hypnotic aura. Time loseth meaning, uncounted hours blurring into an endless present. How long hast thou walked? None can tell. Thy legs feel no weariness, thy mind no fatigue.

At last, a dark shape emergeth in the distance - a pyramid, its sides smooth and implacable, adorned with dancing symbols of colours beyond earthly ken. Its monolithic form loometh over, beckoning thee with an almost hypnotic allure. Unable to resist its call, thou walkest towards it. Thy pace is uneven and staggering, yet it mattereth not. Nothing mattereth in the face of such majesty. Yes, nothing mattereth but to ascend to this pyramid's peak.

As thou drawest nearer, thy stomach churneth. The structure's angles are wrong, impossibly wrong, and its sinister silhouette appeareth to shift and change, seemingly welcoming thine approach. 'Tis as if this masonic behemoth is alive, pulsing with some unholy life force. Though thou hearest it not, thou art certain that within its depths echoeth a vast and otherworldly heartbeat. Thy mind drowneth in terror, failing to comprehend the eldritch geometry comprising the pyramid's form. With a start, thou turnest to flee, the ancient tomb fading behind thee. Ah, if only thou wert strong enough to continue, if only thou couldest reach that wonder! Fearing thine own thoughts, thou shunnest them, quickening thy desperate escape to a sprint.

From the corners of thine eyes, thou seest more bizarre structures: peculiar towers scraping the heavens, oases teeming with exotic flora, tiny, irregular huts that appear larger within than without - each sight prolonging thy panicked flight. After a long while, thy terror subsideth, and thou collapsest to the floor. Thy fatigue is not physical, but mental in nature. Thou surveyest thy surroundings, pleased to find no unusual sights. The sand feeleth soothingly normal, its touch calming thy nerves slightly. Several gusts of wind hit thine ageing face, offering a similar solace. Thy scar-covered hands tremble while playing with the sand.

The moment of relief passeth, giving way to a storm of whispers. They swirl around thee, speaking in tongues foreign to man and even to the universe itself. Thine unconscious mind straineth to comprehend the incessant chants and obscure narratives, catching glimpses of forbidden lore. Accounts of ancient civilisations, tales of realms beyond the cosmos, and prayers to beings of unfathomable wisdom and power flood thy thoughts. With each word from these abominal voices, thy sanity frayeth. Thou hast not the urge to flee, nor to cover thine ears, for this overwhelming cacophony appeareth to permeate the very depths of thy mind, seemingly originating from within. The noxious dissonance fadeth, yet the incomprehensible utterances continue to course through thy head.

After another period of walking, the landscape twisteth and warpeth once more, revealing a city of cyclopean stone structures. Their towering forms bend and contort as if in agonising pain. At times, neighbouring buildings cover the sky, arching together, only to then separate, letting gloomy half-light shine through. Following along one of the streets, thou spottest an alley shimmering with an obscure light. Curiousity compelleth thee towards it, yet the passage proveth impossible to explore - corners of buildings collide with thee from afar, defying all laws applicable to ordinary matter. Unwilling to experiment further with this alien geometry, thou approachest an intersection of broader avenues. Staying close to the centre of one of these pathways, thou traversest the town with ease. Though thy mind yet reeleth in the midst of these moving shapes, the accompanying vertigo hath somewhat abated.

Thy journey through this queer cityscape continueth. For the first time, thou noticest that the surrounding structures have strange kinds of doors and windows, seamlessly integrated into the walls as if afraid of marring their perfect façades. There are also differences in the colours of the buildings. Thou canst only assume that the indescribable yet easily perceptible variation in their hues serveth as an indicator to their purpose. The profound complexity of the designs fascinateth thee, inciting a sense of admiration and reverence for the race that once populated these streets. This must be the pinnacle of architecture, a marvellous and unachievable peak of technology. At a blink, the colossal city vanisheth, leaving naught but sand in its wake.

...

Above this land, beyond mortal perception, floateth the bloated corpus of an Old One. Ancient symbols crawl and morph across its body, hinting at secrets untold. Its appendages bend and undulate in unthinkable ways, both immeasurably distant and infinitely close to every point of space. Its eyes, piercing and all-seeing, cover the desolation with a cold, uncaring gaze, its void-like depth reminiscent to that of the vast cosmos. The futile venture across this timeless desert, too, lieth within its view. Unknown to the unfortunate traveller, the unforgiving grasp of this realm releaseth none.