Not Rats!

Robert couldn't believe his good fortune. The house was a steal at the price he paid for it, and in surprisingly good upkeep considering its size and age. The former owner, an eccentric professor of antiquities, had left the place spotless. Despite the hysterical gossip of some old timers in town, Robert was content with the acquisition. Rumors of the occult and the professor's mysterious disappearance weren't a concern for a rational man such as he.                                                           The only minor issues that he had encountered thus far were some peculiar noises, late at night, issuing from the cavernous basement of the house. An examination of the basement had revealed the likely culprit; an ancient stone well sunk into the dirt floor at the far reaches of the area. Apparently the well had at one time been sealed by a rather sturdy looking iron banded wood cover, Which now lay oddly broken a few feet from the opening. Robert surmised that the uncovered well was allowing access to the basement by vermin. Rats. Or perhaps a family of raccoons? There weren't any traces of pest activity in the area but what other explaination could there be?               He made a mental note to purchase fresh batteries for his flashlight, the inner basement was without any wiring or lighting arrangement that he could discern. He would also pick up some large traps and poisoned bait tomorrow evening on the way home from town. The services of a professional exterminator were a frivolous expense. He might do some research regarding the indecipherable script carved into the masonry of the well at some point. If he got around to it...

Inspired by various horrors that go bump in the night, specifically in the tradition of H.P. Lovecraft. The author is a personal favorite. The image was completed over a week's time, working late at night. The software is Poser and Photoshop.

Happy Halloween!