A horror fan since childhood, a geek by nature, and a jokester by heart, Ian believes entertainment, no matter what form it takes, combined with laughter, is the best medicine to combat life's challenges. His favourite movies amongst many others are Aliens, The Thing, LOTR, and Star Wars.
His next release is in the upcoming anthology, "Invasion Of The Saucer-Men from Mars" from Specul8 Publishing to be released this July in time for World UFO Day.
He is a father and is currently living in Melbourne, Australia with his partner, son, two stepdaughters, and 4 cats, which is enough of a horror story on its own.
You can follow his exploits on Facebook at Ian Gielen - Author
THE LAST HUNT
by
Ian Gielen
Blood dripped down off the edge of the sloping cliff face, splashing onto the canopy of the thick forest far below. As the lifeblood flowed from the gaping wound in its chest, the quivering form it belonged to, ceased its motion. Above it, a blood-soaked creature lifted its hand, filled with sharp claws, to its mouth and devoured the warm flesh of the lifeless body below. Its mouth, brimming with glistening, dagger-like teeth, consumed the flesh with ease.
Satisfied, the creature rose and sniffed the air, relishing the coppery metallic smell of blood, and froze. There was a different smell, the recognizable odor of perspiration and anxiety that could only originate from a survivor, someone who had somehow escaped its fury. The creature set off in pursuit with a primal roar. The hunt was not yet over.
#
Henry, wheezing and struggling to catch his breath, finally reached the open door of the laboratory at the edge of the forest. This is where it had all started.
Henry was a hunter and a very good one. One of fifteen that had been approached and hired by a mysterious scientist for a trial hunt of a new creature that he had created using god knows what kind of concoction. He had zoned out at the rather unbelievable briefing, just eager to get the job over and done with, get paid and get out of there.
Now he wished he would have paid attention. The drivel that Dr Lawrence had spouted to hire him had felt full of false truths. He should’ve trusted his instincts and left while he had the chance. Too late now. It was certainly too late for the fourteen other hunters, now lying in pieces all over the forest. He was determined not to join them. He needed to find Dr Lawrence and somehow get him to contain the creature once again.
Opting for stealth, Henry moved through the shadows, searching every room for the elusive doctor but finding no trace.
Outside, the creature’s distant rage-filled roar and its rampage through the forest signalled its approach. It wouldn’t be long before it tore through the doorway. He needed to be gone before it did. He searched the last few rooms, but there was no sign of the doctor. It appeared as though he had run as soon as the hunt began, anticipating its result.
The creature was close now. His growing sense of urgency compelled him to flee before it became too late. Before he could make his exit, a colossal, fur-clad form catapulted itself through the doorway, colliding with him and propelling him into the wall. With his final breath, Henry could only manage a choked cry before a massive paw, armed with razor-sharp claws, ripped his throat apart.
#
Henry woke up with a start, feeling the dampness of his sweat-soaked bedsheets sticking to his body. Though the ending was different, the rest of his nightmare had played out with the same sights, sounds, and emotions as that fateful day just two months ago. After wiping away the last drops of sweat from his forehead, he took a moment to regulate his breathing. When he finally glanced up, he froze in fear. There was a figure, shrouded in darkness, standing by the foot of his bed.
“Hello Henry.”
It was Doctor Lawrence. His face, once vibrant and full of energy, now pale, worn, and haggard.
“It’s good to see you again. You didn’t think you could get away that easily, did you?”
“Dr Lawrence? What are you doing here? I thought you were dead.”
“On the contrary Henry, I have been working on a new formula, one that I have perfected, unlike my previous failure, the one that sadly caused that tragic incident you were a part of. But now, let me introduce you to my success. Henry, meet Bigfoot, the new and improved.”
The sight of the monstrosity that appeared from behind the doctor sent a shockwave of fear that numbed him to the bone. The creature was at least seven feet tall, its entire body coated with thick brown fur, which did little to hide the bulging muscles beneath. Bathed in moonlight pouring in from the nearby window, its eyes shone with a fusion of animalistic rawness and an uncanny human-like wisdom, evidence of the doctor’s successful genetic engineering.
“You recall George, don’t you? He was one of your fellow hunters, who was close to becoming a casualty of my unfortunate first experiment.”
He looked at the monstrosity beside him with a smile and placed his hand on its arm.
“Sometimes science has failures in the name of progress, but now the formula is perfected. A pure amalgamation of Silverback and human DNA forming the ultimate bioweapon. One that will net me millions of dollars. Offers are already starting to roll in.”
He settled his gaze on Henry before continuing, “Now it’s only the loose ends that I need tidying up, the last one being you.”
He gestured to the creature beside him, directing it towards Henry. Illuminated by the moonlight, the creature’s teeth gleamed like needles as its lips curled back. It advanced towards Henry, relishing the sight of his terrified expression.
Henry stood frozen as the creature loomed above him, its piercing gaze locked with his own. The creature tilted its head in curiosity, examining him with intense eyes that flickered with brief recognition, only to be replaced by a primal fury. With a horrifying show of force, it seized Henry’s head and violently tore it away from his body, splattering the walls with a spray of blood. The creature’s roar echoed through the air, a terrifying display of its primeval fury and dominance. It tore into Henry’s remains with relentless aggression, while the Doctor observed silently before leaving the creature to gorge itself.
With his future secure, the doctor smiled in satisfaction. The world would soon look very different now that myth had become reality.