Dark Fantasy: The Curse of the Neanderthal
The Curse of the Neanderthal is another strange story from the Dark Fantasy radio series.
When artist, Amanda Loveland, pays a visit a visit to Nanaw canyon it is noon and she intends to paint a picture. She never finishes her painting because, as the light begins to fade from the day there is a landslide and the debris blocks the only way in — or out — of the canyon.
Night is approaching and although the canyon is picturesque in the daytime it is not a place where Amanda wishes to linger after dark because Nanaw has a reputation. It is said that the canyon simply oozes with ghosts at night.
Amanda walks for miles and is desperate to find a way out of the canyon. Then she sees a light shining on a human figure, a figure that she recognizes. It is her sister Grace and she is pointing to a way out. Amanda shouts to Grace, but her sister vanishes, leaving just the light, which continues to glow and guide her out. The light does not fade until Amanda is safely out of the canyon. When she looks over her shoulder the canyon is completely dark.
Amanda’s sister Grace lives in London, and could not, in normal circumstances, have been in the canyon, so when Amanda returns home she is desperate to contact he sister to check that she is okay. Fortunately, she is fine, still safe and sound in London. Amanda’s friend Hayes tells her that she must have seen a swarf.
Swarf are shape-shifting spirits that have often been seen in the area. Amanda’s husband Reggie thinks that this is ridiculous, then the trio notices something strange in Amanda’s unfinished picture: a strange, monstrous looking creature is lurking there, painted into the shadows. Amanda does not remember painting the creature and, if her perspective is right, the creature would be about eight feet tall.
The following day Amanda Reggie and Hayes visit the canyon, entering it from the other end, twelve miles away, and when they investigate the area Amanda painted they find some bones. They are very large bones but seem to be human. Later, their friend Dr Gustav identifies the bones and states that they are from a Neanderthal man. In the true spirit of science, he is very keen to take the bones with him and study them. There is, however, a stone tablet beside the bones and it has something written on it in an ancient picture writing. Amanda asks Gustav if he can decipher it and he can: “Who moves my bones will surely die as I have died.” Gustav can read the curse just fine, but he does not believe in its power and defies the curse of the Neanderthal man.
Dark Fantasy Radio Show: The Curse of the Neanderthal
(Listen to the Full Episode)