ELDRITCH HORRORS: DARK TALES

The Jest of Yig

by Don Webb

(Excerpt pp. 288-290, Eldritch Horrors: Dark Tales)

The book began this way,

Thoughts in our minds are like snakes in a field, the snake veers from sight to blindness, curving not to here and not to there. The field hopes that the snake will curve and coil over its most delicate parts, so that it may shudder in orgasm. The snake, the serpent of the Eden of our minds, sees not the field, and knows not Nug, the maker of the field, nor Yeb, the gardener thereof. In the First Circle we learned how to make our thoughts most alive, so that weight see see our minds from their perspective; in this Circle I will reveal more of Chief Gray Eagle’s lore so that we may make the field more aware of the snakes.

The name “Chief Gray Eagle” looked like a pretty transparent fiction, somewhat after the figure of “Don Juan” in Carlos Castaneda’s books. Apparently Dave had conjured this figure to be the source of his wisdom. Well, I thought, whatever sells the product. I read on.

The book didn’t turn out to be the nonsense I thought it would be. Oh sure, it was full of Oooga-Booga names likeYig, Nug, Yeb, and Byatis—but some of the things about the “unnatural nature” of consciousness made sense, the observations about how our personality was like a constrictive skin that should be shed regularly, really got me thinking about my life—my mistakes and triumphs; and the speculations about the purpose and nature of sentient life—although alien (and maybe a bit frightening)—seemed correct.

Ω

I had meant to write Dave right away, but you know how such intentions are. When I did write him care of Byatis Press, I included my email address, but his letter came back snail mail.

Dear Mike,

I’m not on-line. It’s hard to get a provider out here in the boonies. I tried it for awhile via a long di$tance provider, which quickly became too much of a habit. I’m glad you like the second book. Books Three and Four have just gone to print and I am busily doing Five.

I am thinking of setting up a school here, where I can give one-on-one instruction, or small classes, something like that. I’m getting my lawyer to look into the tax aspects, insurance liability things like that.

You should come out. I’ve found something here, something I can’t talk about in the books, but something real and mysterious. I want the old gang out here. I want to show you things, things you’ve never dreamt of. I’d like you to be the first.

Besides, the lake is pretty and there’s some great caving, I remember how fond you were of caves.

Best,

David.

He and I wrote back and forth a few times. I read Book Three in the series, which was more disturbing than profound. Book Four didn’t get distributed here. Each time I wrote I always put down my phone number, but Dave never put down his—and directory assistance wouldn’t provide it.

Then Alkemi Semiconductor laid off half of its staff, and I applied for a job at Wisconsin Data Systems. I got the job and a month to move, and I rented a truck.

I decided to go through Oklahoma, drop in on Dave.

Ω

While I was passing through Dennison, Texas on my way to Gilliam, I caught the tail end of a radio broadcast mentioning David’s latest book and a riot. I listened to the radio for hours afterward, but never heard it again.

(...)

Read this and other dark stories in the printed book.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Paul S. Kemp:
One Thousand and One Words

W. H. Pugmire
Recompense of Sorrow (brand-new Sesqua Valley!)

Ron Shiflet
Out of the Frying Pan

Don Webb
The Jest of Yig

Gary Hill
Rest in Peace, Jeremy Randall

Simon Bleaken
Ashanna's Whispers

Leigh Blackmore
The Return of Zoth-Ommog

Thomas Strømsholt
Devouring Darkness Hovers

Benjamin Szumskyj
A Haunting From Beyond

Linda Navroth
The Specimen

Dan Clore
The Dying God

Blake Wilson
The Door to Nowhere

Paul Mackintosh
The People of the Island

Henrik Sandbeck Harksen
The Bibliophile