The Lurker at the Threshold : A Horror Mystery by Brandon Berntson (books under 200 pages .txt) 📗

. again.  Your ineptitude started this whole, blasted mess.”

“Before, you said it would’ve happened regardless.”

“I changed my mind.”

“Everything turned out fine.  I don’t know why you’re so upset.”

“Have you seen the city lately?  It’s in shambles.”

“I think the President is going to help.  He’s offering us Monster Aid, or something like that.  Mayhem Aid.  Mayhem and Monster Aid.  They just passed a bill for it in the Senate.  It happens.”

“You really know how to downplay everything, don’t you?

“Things work themselves out.  I attribute it to higher forces, of which I am now becoming a believer.  I’m on the good list.  How is Amelia?”

“Her stutter is back in full force.  That’s to be expected.  You know, monsters and mayhem and all that.  Doctor said she’s a little traumatized.  It’s to be expected.  But she’s okay, emotionally.  Newt has been a gem.  He’s taking care of her. Service, he said.  Love is based on service without expecting anything in return.  That’s the point of living.  I think the Elder Gods would agree.”

“There are lessons to be learned from the darkness that prowls the night,” Macky said.

Millie shrugged.

“Which leaves us with the grand Mr. Kalabraise.  Innsport’s hero in many ways.  How is our beautiful cocker spaniel?”

Mr. Kalabraise was in a small, cushioned bed Millie had brought from home.  Macky thought it was only right. It felt good having the fearless dog with them.  She was curled up asleep after a meal of liver and onions.

“Aside from giving her a bath, which she detested, she is doing just fine,” Millie said.  “I do not like the look of Mr. Kalabraise with blood on her face.  It isn’t right.”

“Hey, she saved everyone.  She took out that freaky Wilbur Whateley, and she took out that Brown Jenkin thing.  What kind of hideous creature was that anyway?”

“I big, blind, bucked-tooth rat.”

“She proved herself the most courageous of all. Except for me, of course.  Don’t bother to thank me.  I risked life and limb to . . . get this . . . bargain with the Elder Gods.  I’ll tell you, it was no laughing matter, Mill.”

“You don’t even remember anything,” Millie said.  “You were drunk.”

“Be that as it may.  I . . . remember a . . . cave . . . I think.  And some freaky, one-armed creatures that spoke in . . . rhyme . . . I think.  And some Ubba-Sambatha-Gregorian chant character.  And the Elder Gods, of course . . . I think.  I remember a silver light.  Or was it an orange light?  Either way, it doesn’t matter because obviously, whatever I did worked.  I persuaded them to help us.  Me, Devlin Macky, Supernatural Sleuth, Private Eye in cahoots with the Elder Forces of Light and . . . what was that word?”

“Benevolence.”

“Benevolence.  Right.  It’s a tongue twister.”

“Especially when you’ve been drinking.”

“Doesn’t matter.  Elder Gods.  Outer Gods.  Monsters and mayhem, and we still came out on top.  Again.  See, Mill, it pays to fight for the good side.  That’s not your everyday, average, amateur sleuthing.  That’s just great detective work.  Deducing.  That means figuring things out.”

“Uh-huh,” Millie said.

“Dimensions, portals, gates, monsters.  All of it.  Armitage and his quick wit.  Capshaw’s clever defensiveness.  Mr. Kalabraise’s fearless courage.  And what did you contribute?”

“I pleaded with Nyarlathotep for your life.  And I bought you a bottle of bourbon.  I figured you’d earned it.  Especially since you didn’t get the compensation you were promised.”

“Are you being serious?”

“Yes.”  She reached into a bag she had on one of the chairs in front of his desk and put the bottle on his desk.

“Wow!” Macky said, his eyes lighting up.  “Would you look at that?  Everything has its own reward.  You did better than all the rest, Mill.”

“Hardly.”

“Mill?  What’s the matter?”

“I feel bad. Dev.  My faith is in doubt.  And yours is growing. Which I’m thankful for.  But I never quite felt like myself during this whole charade.  That Sarnath thing got into my head and changed me somehow.  I think it changed all of us.  It bothers me. I feel like I’ve been pretty strong in these situations, but this time, I just didn’t know what was wrong. All those monsters and gods. Everything.  The people in the city who lost their lives.”

Macky looked at her for a long time.  “Pull up a chair, Mill.  And let’s have a toast.  I want to tell you something.”

“What?”

“Nodens said things are just different from his perspective.  Death, horror, madness, evil.  It all serves a purpose, it serves a greater good, even if we can’t see it. Even if we never see it.  I thought that was the best we could do under the circumstances.  But it gave me some peace.”

She looked at him for a long time.

“What?” he asked.

“So we’re just supposed to accept evil and pain and suffering?”

“Not accept it, Mill.  I think you’re missing the point.”

“Which is?”

“Love and death.  Pain and compassion.  They go hand in hand.  We can’t have one without the other.  No sacrificial love without evil.  No compassion without pain.  It’s not very promising, I know.  But it’s the best I have.”

She nodded.  “Maybe.  Thanks, Dev.”

“Good.  Now, let’s have a toast.”

“To what?”

“To spreading light.  And providing a service to humanity in the face of all our fears.  To love, light, and victory over the darkness.  And . . . I bought a book, and I want to read to you.”

“Oh, my gosh, you didn’t,” Millie said.

“I did.”  He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a thin, small paperback, the kind you find in a drugstore.

“What is that?”

“Rex Stout.  Ever read him?  The Nero Wolfe series?  Oh, man, this is just great stuff.  Not like Weird Tales, maybe, but still pretty good.”

“But you don’t read.  I’m