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"On the Threshold" is a short story by British author William Meikle.
Synopsis
Two scientists attempting to access other dimensions tear a hole in reality which allows something to come through and begin what appears to be a hostile takeover. Luckily for them, they figure out that the universe has a natural barrier to such events in place and, after they remove their system protections, an eldritch guardian banishes the thing back to its own world.
Characters
- John, a scientist working on the practicalities of other-dimensional access.
- Connon, John's partner, far more zealous in his pursuit of knowledge.
Publication History
- Ominous Realities: The Anthology of Dark Speculative Horrors (2013)
- Dread: A Head Full of Bad Dreams (2016)
- Into the Black: Tales of Lovecraftian Terror (2019, 2021)
- Lab: Three Tales of Weird Fiction (2020)
Behind the Mythos
Despite containing no references to either the works of H. P. Lovecraft or the greater Cthulhu Mythos, Meikle's inclusion of "On the Threshold" in the collection Into the Black: Tales of Lovecraftian Terror indicates his belief that it follows in the spirit of such works. Additionally, the description of the entity which breaks through from another dimension (itself a common trope in Lovecraftian fiction) is virtually identical to that of a being from two of Meikle's other short stories, "Bats in the Belfry" and "The Last Quest", which was a manifestation of the Outer God Yog-Sototh.
