Primal Spillane: Early Stories 1941-1942

The Sea Serpent

Wind-whipped waves made an angry demon of the sea. They rolled across the horizon in turbulent masses, blending with the heavy grey sky overhead. Here and there livid streaks of jagged lightning flashed down, lighting the whole ocean for brief seconds, followed by an ominous rumble of thunder more terrifying than any man-made implements of war. Here off Cape Horn the elements blasted together the defiance of the race of humans that battled on far-flung fronts, challenging them with a voice of terrible fury.

The people in the small villages on the Cape huddled together. Men in the boats who had seen the storm approach made for the shelter of the port, and breathed a deep sigh of relief when they tied up safely. This was no night for a seaman. When the winds roared down and the sea lashed itself into a frenzy of churning foam, queer things happened... things that were not made for the eyes of a man to see. For it was at this time that the sea told its secrets... and sent to the surface creatures to put fear into the hearts of the bravest person!

Hermann Heidt braced himself in the conning tower of the submarine and watched the waves break over the sleek metal hull. Behind him the ugly forms of five other subs were faintly visible in the dusk, following the U-120 as a dog follows its master. Those six submersibles had braved many a storm to reach their destination... the shipping lanes of the United States. Heidt grinned to himself. The craft were all of the newest, fastest and most deadly design that German experts could put upon the sea. With these as the basis of the Nazi fleet in the Atlantic the war would take a new turn.

The commander turned to the water-soaked form of the little man next to him. “Well, are you piloting this boat or not! Need I remind you that if we do not get through the pass to my satisfaction, your sister in our concentration camp will suffer!”

The little man nodded.

“I know,” he said softly, “but this night we should not travel. Terrible things happen... the devils below rise to kill!”

“Ha! What kind of nonsense is that! You people of the cape are all alike! You believe in every story a crazy sailor brings in! Now point out our direction.”

Little Henry Vinton poked a shaking finger ahead.

“Follow the coast line to the bend. There is the open sea. Now can you put me ashore?”

Hermann Heidt smiled, his wide-spaced teeth flashing.

“Yes, now you may go ashore—” he grabbed Vinton by the waist and flung him from the tower. “—if you can swim! Ha, ha, ha!”

Henry hit the slippery hull. His fingers sought a hold desperately, but there was none. A wave washed over the sub and he was gone. Fortunately, he was an able swimmer, and with the help of several waves managed to land shaken, but safe, on the beach. Slowly his eyes peered into the gloom.

He shook his fist. “You who make traitors from honest men, you who kill for the joy of it... the sea will take its revenge. It is something that you will not escape!”

THE sea was rising higher now. It was dangerous water for submarines, one of those waves could easily break the back of the stoutest hull! The commander shouted down the open hatch to an officer. “Contact the other boats. Keep in close order and submerge. We will have to sit on the bottom until the storm passes over.” Heidt closed shut the instrument cases and descended into the interior, slamming the hatch cover above him.

Orders were barked in thick guttural tones throughout the sub, and the dials began to move. Slowly, slowly the fleet went under. But even below the surface the surging of the sea could be felt. Feet were braced to counteract the pitching, and hands held tightly to the rails. One minute passed, then another, and with a slight bump the commanders’ sub lay on the bottom. At once the radio buzzed and the other subs reported that they, too, had come to rest.

Outside the water was black... darker than the darkest night. Not even the brightest searchlight could penetrate it more than a few feet. But there were eyes out there that could see... great staring eyes that took in every detail of these weird things that came down from above. Yes, the sea had a secret, a grim, terrible secret... one that had good cause to be feared. If Heidt could have seen the horrible feelers that were attached to the thing that felt the body of the sub, he would have gone stark, staring mad!

From the depths of the ocean, the storm had brought up a serpent of incredible size! Its long mottled form twisted through the water like that of an eel. Along its sides were row upon row of lights, there to attract other fish that were devoured immediately. Anything was prey for this monster, and now it was hungry. For long moments it wound about the U-120, feeling of its shape. The men inside felt occasional queer bumps, but credited it to the restless ocean.

But the serpent was gradually becoming irritated. Every other creature that he had ever approached had fled in mortal terror. This new thing made no move. The giant tail flicked against the plates... a long needle-like barb shot out... and glanced harmlessly off. That tail held a stinger that would kill a whale in a second, and here was an enemy that resisted it! With unbounded rage, the serpent lashed into the metal fish, gaping mouth open wide. Huge tusks flashed and it came down on the forward gun. Metal rasped, ripped, and the gun was a shambles!

Hermann Heidt felt the shuddering of the ship. This he did not like. Perhaps there was something in the grotesque stories that Vinton had told. At any rate, it was better to brave the waves above than to stay here while his brain seethed with wild notions.

“Attention!” he shouted. “Get under way. Radioman, reach the others, tell them to surface and proceed to the destination!”

Men scrambled to stations and the electric engines churned. The sub rose slowly as the water was blown from the tanks. On all sides, five others went up, keeping a safe distance with the aid of their new precision instruments.

At the first motion of the boat, the serpent recoiled. Its tiny brain was not enough to cope with this situation, but he was so enraged that he would not let it end here. The unearthly fish, as long as three U-boats put together, followed the sub to the surface... then it saw the others. At once it thought that this was a mass attack, for it had happened before. Several fish of the same breed had banded together to fight it out, but it was an unsuccessful attempt.

The hatch covers in the six conning towers banged open. The captain of each ship stepped out. Heidt stood looking out over the sea when the officer behind him gasped and stumbled. “Herr Kapitan... look!”

Heidt turned. His eyes grew wide, his jaw dropped. Before him a huge head reared up out of a wave, a head all out of proportion with human standards. Suddenly Heidt saw the forward gun... and the marks of teeth. He screamed once... then the serpent charged!

Tremendous coils went above the sub, turning it half over on its side. Heidt grabbed the rail and held on, but the other man was not so fortunate. Over he went... and teeth snapped shut, blotting out a death yell! In the other subs there was a moment’s confusion, then men leaped out and dashed to the deck guns. Shells screamed out over the water, but in the half-light, and with the violent pitching on the boat, they missed.

But the reverberations were felt by the giant of the sea. He turned, and in a moment was amongst the subs. The tail streaked out at the deck of one, and every man went overboard, while the gun was smashed from its moorings. Cannon fired madly. The men knew that they dared not submerge... and they could not possibly outrun this nightmare! Suddenly there was a horrifying series of shrieks. The serpent reared over the U-123 like a snake over a mouse. The great body smashed down once... and the sub broke in two!

Immediately it was back to the others... darting at each, deadly tail slashing and teeth snapping. The U-126 was next. For a moment the monster disappeared, and it looked like he had enough, but suddenly the U-126 was tossed out of the water like a wooden chip. It crashed back to the surface, rolled over and disappeared. The serpent saw that this was an easy way to dispose of the foe, and in an instant two more went under, leaving only a trace of wreckage on the surface.

On the rear deck of the U-120, Heidt screamed at the men to fire. The creature had left them to attack the other boat. The gun flashed as the serpent threw its coils about the U-122. The cracking of the sub’s shell could be heard even at this distance. Then... the shell hit! It pierced a coil... but exploded inside the sub! The serpent released his victim, and with a bubbling of oil and air the sub slid into the depths!

Then... the serpent was on the U-120! Heidt shrieked... he looked into the huge eye of the monster... and that was the last thing he ever saw. One mighty swipe of those jaws cleared the deck of all life. A wave hit the uncontrolled sub and carried it toward the beach. The monster cast one look at it, and satisfied, went back to the black depths of the sea to nurse his wound.

Weeks later, Henry Vinton came upon a strange sight. High upon the beach where the waves had tossed her was the abandoned, lifeless hull of a submarine. Still visible in large numerals upon the sides of the conning tower was “U-120”... and the forward gun was ripped off. There, plainly outlined in the twisted metal were the marks of teeth. Teeth larger than any man would believe possible... unless they actually saw them... and some did! Henry Vinton shuddered and moved on...