"Bats in the Belfry" is a short Cthulhu Mythos/Thomas Carnacki crossover story by British-born author William Meikle.
Synopsis
Paranormal investigator Thomas Carnacki discovers a portal to the Outer Darkness located inside an ancient church and opened by the ringing of its bells. He is successful in closing it and beating back its guardian - the Outer God Yog-Sototh, or perhaps one of its avatars - with the aid of a mysterious entity in the guise of a large ginger tomcat.
Characters
- Thomas Carnacki, occult detective extraordinaire.
- The Ginger Tom, a guardian of the portal disguised as a housecat.
- Reverend John Wilkinson, a rural priest who appears to have a certain affinity for the supernatural.
- Mrs. Wilkinson, John's wife.
Publication History
"Bats in the Belfry" was first published in Tails of Terror by Golden Goblin Press in 2018. It was later included in the collection of Meikle's own works Carnacki: Starry Wisdom and Other Stories in March 2021.
