At the same moment I became aware of a penetrating, disagreeable
odor, nauseating and horrible. I had risen to my knees and
remained so, while Harry and Desiree stood on either side of me.
The thing continued to move toward us, very slowly. There was
not a sound. The strength of the odor increased until it was
almost suffocating.
Still we did not move. I could not, and Harry and Desiree seemed
rooted to the spot with wonder. The thing came closer, and we
could see the outlines of its huge form looming up indistinctly
against the black background of the cavern.
I saw, or thought I saw, a grotesque and monstrous slimy head
stretched toward us from about the middle of its bulk.
That doubt became a certainty when suddenly, as though they had
been lit by a fire from within, two luminous, glowing spots
appeared about three feet apart. The creature's eyes--if eyes
they were--were turned full on us, growing more brilliant as the
thing came closer. It was now less than fifty feet away. The
massive form blocked our view of the entire cavern.
I pinched my nostrils to exclude the horrible odor which, like
the fumes of some deadly poison, choked and smothered me.
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