Horror Story 2955 - The Screams of the Vara

Dark and mysterious — that is how this planet seems. From up here, aboard the research ship Vara, the planet Hades-2 looks like a boiling ocean of ash. The storms dance like living things, and on the dark side, lightning in toxic yellow and sharp grey lights up the sky. No sun, no starlight — only the furious weather that swallows everything.

My name is Kath. I am twenty-four, a young engineer, fresh from university. This is my first job away from Mentor, my home planet. I often sit in the common room of the Vara, by the window, reading the geologists’ reports about the ruins below.

Yesterday I helped Daniel Kenton, our chief engineer, prepare the shuttle that launched today. On board were Captain Tisiphone Heptane, proud and calm; the geologists Felix Ryze and Silvana Mandoo; and the soldier Niox Dawu.

I watched from the window as the shuttle went down into the storm. Lightning clawed around its hull. My stomach tightened. For hours, only static came through the radio. “Surface reached.” “Structures... very weathered.” “We go deeper.” Then came one sentence I will never forget: “We found a skeleton. Very well preserved. We are bringing it back.”

When they returned, I saw no skeleton — only a sealed black container rolled into the research section. Later, in the corridor, I heard Yugo and Thomas whispering: “…the skeleton was hollow.” “Like a container?” “The scans showed no cavity.” My hands trembled. Hollow inside. Like a container?

That night, walking to my cabin, I saw shadows on the wall — moving, flickering. I froze. A huge shape hung from the ceiling, its limbs wrong, not human. It lifted someone — the shadow of a body — then the body went limp. I bit my lip to stop a scream and stepped back.

I had to warn the captain. The direct way was blocked, so I went through the research section — forbidden area. The door was open. That was already wrong.

The smell hit me first. Metallic, sweet. The floor was slick. Blood. Everywhere.

The bodies — Silvana slumped in her chair, Felix on the floor. Their faces sunken, skin grey, as if every drop of life was gone. And the black container — broken open from the inside.

“Oh my God...”

Daniel was behind me, his face white. “Did you see that?” A scraping sound filled the room. We looked at each other — and ran.

The ship groaned. Sparks flashed. Something heavy crawled through the metal corridors. I tripped, caught on a beam. “Daniel! Help me!”

He looked back, eyes wide with panic. “It’s coming,” I said. “Help me!” But he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Kath.” And he ran.

I struggled, cried, until a hand grabbed me — the captain. “Move!” she shouted, pulling me free. We ran. Then the thing came from the dark.

It grabbed her, lifted her up. She fired, but the shots disappeared into its body. Blood hit my face. She screamed — then silence.

I ran, covered in her blood. The door to the bridge was locked. I banged on it. Inside, Daniel stared at me. “Open the door!” I screamed. He ignored me, trying to start the ship. Systems failed. No signal.

“Daniel! It’s coming!” I shouted, hitting the glass. “You can’t leave me!”

The thing was close. My heart pounded. I ripped open the side panel, crossed the wires. Sparks flew — the door opened.

Daniel turned, furious. “Damn it, Kath! You ruin everything!” He grabbed me. We fought — hands, elbows, nails. Consoles blinked red, alarms wailed.

“We must escape!” I cried. “There is no we!” he yelled.

He was too strong. He forced me down — then a shadow rose behind him.

The thing was on the bridge. It took him first. Lifted him up. His scream ended fast. His body hit the controls. A button pressed.

The quantum drive activated.

Sirens. Lights. The bridge shook.

I screamed as the creature crawled toward me — its body a wave of living darkness.