Francis The Descent: The Official Novelization

1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-83541-480-4
Verlag: Titan Books
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 224 Seiten

A tense and claustrophobic nightmare, this cult-classic is widely considered one of the best horror films of the 21st century. Written and directed by Neil Marshall, the director of Dog Soldiers and Hellboy, as well as episodes of Game of Thrones, Westworld and Hannibal. Scream your last breath. After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition. Their adventure soon goes horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground and they find themselves pursued by bloodthirsty creatures. As their friendships deteriorate, they find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive the creatures and each other.

Christian Francis is an author of the darkest of fantasy and the strangest of horror. In addition to his own works for both adult and YA audiences, he has written official novelizations for classic genre films such as 'Wishmaster', 'Vamp', and 'Creature' (aka 'Titan Find'). He has also co-written with the legendary horror icon Tom Holland (writer and director of 'Fright Night' and 'Child's Play') with the trilling horror/murder-mystery 'Killing Frank'.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Francis, Christian

Leseproben

Chapter 1

THE END

“Lean in!” Juno Kaplan yelped as the Hypalon raft crested above the colliding waters of the River Tay rapids. She clutched the nearest grip as the raft’s snubbed nose lifted and the icy torrent beneath catapulted the raft into the air. It crashed back down on the whitewater with a raucous splash, and Juno whooped.

Behind her, gripping their oars firmly, Sarah Carter and Beth O’Brien did not feel as victoriously feral as Juno. They were both leaning into the middle of the raft, ensuring they wouldn’t capsize as they bounded over the wash.

They wore bright yellow lifejackets and crash helmets securely strapped to their heads as they traversed the last legs of the tumultuous river.

“Forward!” Juno screamed, grabbing her oar and beginning to row.

On this command, Sarah and Beth leaned back out over the side of the raft and rowed in sync.

“Drop!” Juno yelled as she glanced back at her friends. “Isn’t this freaking awesome?!”

Her American drawl never failed to make Beth smirk. As the only American in the friend group, Juno often amused her British friends with her pronunciation and quirky Americanisms, and this latest exclamation was no different.

“It’s totally tubular!” Juno added as she fist-pumped the air, oar in hand.

“Cowabunga, dude!” Beth shouted in reply, a wide Cheshire cat grin plastered over her face. Her RP accent made her words sound intentionally ridiculous.

Sarah just shook her head and held on to her grip as the raft edged up on one side, then fell again.

As the water dropped away, the boat lurched forward and it fell four feet to the water below. They moved at speed downstream as the waters grew more and more violent around them.

“Stay alert,” Juno shouted, loving her leadership role. “Gonna get a bit wilder from here on.”

Sarah stared at Beth, wide-eyed and confused. Wilder? she thought. How could it get wilder?

The choppy waters tossed them about to and fro. Their bodies were yanked hard. Like rag dolls, they fell up and down, side to side, holding on to their grips for dear life.

The current dragged the raft at a furious pace. When they did not need to hold on, each worked their oars together, guided by Juno’s commands.

“Left back,” “High side,” “Lean in.” No matter what was called back, Sarah and Beth followed.

They may have looked less than enthusiastic about what they were doing, but that was only in comparison to Juno’s ebullience and overexcitement. Sarah and Beth loved this. They just had a hard time concealing their fear on this wild ride.

The waters churned and twisted them along. When the spume occasionally cleared, they could see the bottom through clear water. Large boulders lurked beneath the surface, each looking as if it were lying in wait to snag flesh or break bones. That is what Sarah thought to herself as she glanced over the side between her frantic oaring. These morbid thoughts were soon dragged away as she heard the sudden song.

“Come all ye young fellows who follow the sea,” Beth sang at the top of her lungs, barely audible over the roar of the water. “Wey hey, blow the man down.” She glanced at Sarah. “Come on. And pray, pay attention and listen to me.”

“Give me some time to blow the man down,” Sarah belted.

They merrily shouted this song as they rowed the rough waters ahead. Juno, though, was silent. Her excitement was dulled by the exclusion. She did not know that song and felt like a third wheel between Beth and Sarah, which was not anything new. Being the only American in the group often caused her to feel alienated, which she understood and never blamed anyone for but always tried to make up for.

As their song ended, Juno leapt at the chance. “Row, row, row your boat. Gently down the stream.” She turned as she sang loudly to her friends.

“Yes!” Beth shouted back. “Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily. Life is but a dream.”

The three screaming this nursery rhyme was secondary to the bellowing roar of the river. The crashing and smashing waves violently exploded into each other, soaking them and the raft as they rowed over it.

Between the gusting wind that pushed them at an incredible pace and the relentless current that dragged them along, the raft careened round the twists of the river with little control as it entered the lower course.

As they floated onward, the rocks on either side of the riverbank loomed high, cutting out any battling autumnal winds. Within a few moments, they had gone from hurtling over a cacophony of waves to drifting on peaceful ripples of shallow waters.

They could not help but burst out laughing, their song giving way to giggles.

Sarah gripped her oar, basking in her adrenaline-fuelled glow. They all did, feeling like they’d just won a battle as dopamine rushed through them.

Juno had the largest grin of all, naturally, and she turned to Sarah and Beth while barely holding in her exhilaration. “You think it’s over, don’t you?”

“It isn’t?” Beth asked as her smile faltered.

Juno nodded ahead of them. “Calm before the storm, babe!”

Sarah peered ahead, and just beyond this stretch of river, the waters grew choppy again. The noise was even more turbulent than before. “What is that?!” she shouted to Juno.

“That,” Juno replied in a raised voice, “that is the meat grinder!”

Beth could not hold in her laughter. “Who names it that?”

“We can quit now if you want,” Juno added. “It’s the last part, but it’s the most dangerous and the most fun. Trust me.”

All three began to backpedal to slow the raft down.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for this yet,” Sarah called out as she felt a strong urge to quit. “Bit above my skill set.”

Not giving them much more time to think, the strong current tugged them along harder and harder.

“Well?” Juno asked as the thunderous noise ahead heightened. “Last chance.”

Sarah peered farther downstream and could make out figures standing on rocks just beyond the rough waters.

“They’re watching you, Sarah,” Juno said as she also noticed them. “Let’s make ’em proud, eh?”

Even though she could not see their features, Sarah knew it was Paul. Her husband. Her perfect husband. And Jessica. Her daughter. Her perfect daughter. Never an argument between them. Never a harsh word was spoken from their lips. She often felt that her life was too ideal to be real.

“Sarah!” Beth shouted, grabbing her attention. “Whad’ya say?”

Juno turned expectantly to them.

“Fuck it!” Sarah said with a sudden bravado. “Let’s do this!”

*  *  *

On a large flat rock overlooking the end section of the rapids, in front of the steps leading down to the car park, Paul Carter crouched next to his five-year-old daughter, Jessica. Both were wrapped up in padded coats, woollen hats, and thick gloves. Though not winter, the chill was biting.

“Here comes Mummy,” he said as he wrapped one arm around his daughter.

“Is that her there?” Jessica asked, pointing at the furthest point of the rapids.

“Yes, can you see her? She’s the one at the back on the boat on the left-hand side.”

Jessica jumped on the spot. “I can see her! It’s Mummy!”

*  *  *

“Ladies,” Juno said, “remember to hold tight and keep rowing, no matter what. Even if you feel like it’s not doing nothing!”

“Alright?” Beth looked at Sarah.

“Alright!” Sarah replied, determined.

“All-fucking-right!” Juno repeated. “Come on now, row!”

All three quickly thrust their oars into the water and began to row the raft towards the edge, across the point of no return.

The current pulled hard at the raft. With a stomach-churning yank, they were dragged over the edge and into the fray.

There was no more controlling their fate. They were, at the behest of nature, just witnesses to the river’s incredible power.

With one hand on a grip, Juno screamed for joy.

Sarah and Beth were both the same as they held on to their grips for dear life.

The crashing water threw them every which way as the boat seemed to twist beneath them, bouncing off rocks on their way down.

“Mummy, Mummy,” Jessica cried out in happiness as she saw the raft enter the calm waters at the base of this “meat grinder”.

All three on the raft held the same wide-eyed expression. Relief, excitement, hyper-focus, and joy collided to render them temporarily speechless.

Eventually, Juno giggled. “Wanna do it again?”

No one answered, but Beth just shook her head with a smile as they drifted across the calm basin.

“Mummy,” Jessica cried out again.

Sarah smiled as she waved at her family, and all three in the raft began to paddle towards the shore.

“You did it!” Paul called out. “You did it!”

Juno, glowing with the thrill of it all, glanced back at Sarah. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” she said. “Admit it—I was right! This was awesome and not hard at all?”

“Piece of piss,” Beth added.

Sarah burst into a sudden laugh. Even though this was an established course, a place where few were ever seriously injured, it still made her glad to be alive.

Juno had been right. This was fun. This was needed.

As the raft hit the riverbank, Juno stood and waved to Paul and Jessica.

“Shall we?” Beth asked Sarah in a...