Some time ago I began adding short snippets of text whenever I emailed a document to myself; I think that I was worried that an email with an attachment and no body text would be rejected, so I needed some quick filler text. At that time I was unfamiliar with the “lorem ipsum” which is the standard of copywriters and printers, so I made up a phrase: “Master of Shellfish.” Occasionally that would change to “King of Shellfish.” Eventually I started adding little details that began, in a Lovecraftian way, to tell the tale of a horrifying creature that slumbered beneath the sea.
Here, on this blog, I will begin to share some of those little snippets, from emails to myself.
I could see his mottled carapace glistening with saltwater, and his distended eyes and grasping whiskers; and he spoke in tremulous and awful tones.
It continues:
His carapacious brow breaches the briny depths, and out of ancient caverns under the earth his minions flock to see him rise, slowly. The pillars of the world quake as he shakes of his slumber, aeons of effluvia and accretions running in rivulets over his broad and knobby back.
The King of Shellfish wakes; tremble, worlds, to hear his quavering bellows!
One day, the crustaceans and spiny things who see no light will rise from their inky depths to walk amongst us. And we will be afraid.