On the BorderlandAustin, F. Britten (Frederick Britten)
Science
On the Borderland
Austin, F. Britten (Frederick Britten)
English fiction -- 20th century; Paranormal fiction; Short stories, English
With a red-hot thrust through his shoulder, a sickening faintness in
which the floor seemed to rise up to his knees, Jensen tottered back
to the charthouse wall. Fighting for consciousness, he dimly saw his
comrade hurl himself upon Horst--someone’s arm high in the air holding
a revolver, another arm high with it, clutching at the wrist below the
weapon.
Then commenced a terrible silent struggle where the only sound was the
short gasps and sobs for breath of the two men swaying with the motion
of the ship. They hugged close, face upon face, in a murderous wrestle
where neither dared shift his grip. Both were big-framed, powerful,
but Lyngstrand had the advantage of youth. They came, inch by inch,
slipping on the floor, past Jensen leaning dizzily against the wall.
He saw them through a red mist where the electric lamp glowed vaguely,
unmoved like a nebulous start above the tensely locked embrace where
life fought for human continuance.
Inch by inch, they moved onward. Jensen, his vision clearing, though
impotent to move, saw now that Lyngstrand had the inner berth, that
Horst was being gradually, slowly but surely, thrust toward the open
door. He saw one of Horst’s hands free itself, grip at the door-post,
cling to it. He saw the awful terror in the eyes that glared upon his
relentless adversary.
Minute after minute the tense and silent struggle at the door
continued. Still clutching at the door-post, Horst was gradually borne
backward. His feet still in the charthouse, his body, save for that one
gripping hand, was bent back out of sight into the darkness.
Suddenly his fingers relaxed their hold. Their feet tripped by the
raised threshold of the door, both disappeared headlong in a heavy thud
upon the deck outside.
Jensen heard a sharp exclamation, the gasp of bodies that are rolled
upon--then the quick scuffling of feet. Agonized for his comrade, he
dragged himself painfully toward the door. Just as he reached it one
ghastly piercing scream rang through the night.
He gazed out to see two closely locked bodies disappear over the
bulwark.
The dark seas lifted a foaming crest as the _Upsal_ rolled.
YELLOW MAGIC
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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