The House of Mystery

The Thing in the Cellar

Part 1 of Evil Dead Rising

by Frank G. Murdock

Archeologist Raymond Knowby has made the discovery of a lifetime: an original copy of the fabled Al Azif, better known as the Necronomicon. But when he brings the ancient book to a remote cabin in the woods of Tennessee to translate it, he gets more than he bargained for. What is the thing in the cellar, and why does it horrify him so?

Author’s note: I’d like to give credit to the genius of H.P. Lovecraft for some sections of this story that I lifted from the tale “Dagon” and his creation of the dreaded Necronomicon, and the creative genius of Sam Ramie’s classic cult films, Evil Dead 1 and 2. So if some of this seems somewhat unoriginal, it’s not — it’s simply reimagined and expanded upon, sort of a prequel to Evil Dead. Anyway, hope somebody enjoys it. It’s a prelude to something bigger.

• Prologue: The House of Mystery Special 1988

• Chapter 1: Within the Woods

• Chapter 2: The Evil Dead

• Epilogue: The Library

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