"Seven Serpents Waiting" is a short Cthulhu Mythos story by American author Ron Shiflet.
Synopsis[]
The demented Wendell Willis, having fled his home following the events detailed in "When in Leng…", seeks sanctuary in the Louisiana swamps with his old friend Tobias Jackson, a high priest of the snake-god Yig.
When Willis discovers that Jackson knows the secrets of serpent stealth, powerful magic which would allow him to reintegrate himself into society anonymously, he kills his former friend and enacts the ritual. What he does not realise is that Jackson has laid a trap for any who might try to steal his secrets, and the story finds Willis held captive in his magic circle, safe from the serpent-followers of Yig which surround him, but with nothing to eat or drink.
Characters[]
- Wendell Willis, a madman with a thirst for forbidden knowledge.
- Tobias Jackson, a swamp dweller who worships the Great Old One Yig.
Publication History[]
"Seven Serpents Waiting" has been published in Imelod #17 (October 2000), Lovecraft's Disciples (June 2006), and They Thrive in Darkness: Mythos and Madness (2018).