The Loch Monster (Close Encounters of the Cryptid Kind Book 6)

"Grit swirled as something large left the silty lake floor blinding the crew of the DarkScan just long enough for the creature to escape their sight. Drey strained, willing Horshact to pursue it, but the weight of the submersible made for slow maneuvers. The beast was at least three submersible-lengths ahead of them, and she could see the hull of what looked like a boat above. Horshact made a split second decision and dropped their ballast. With the release of the ballast DarkScan catapulted, and her fins brushed the creature’s flipper. Startled by the touch it flinched, and curled to plunge past into deep water. But soon it needed air and stroked to the surface. The video cameras caught the creature as it inhaled and dived. DarkScan was unable to follow, having released all of her ballast. The creature reappeared in the screen... and for a moment, Drey stared into its eyes."

The Loch Ness monster exists, but is it responsible for terrorizing the lakeside? When perky cryptozoologist Drey McFee teams up with her ex boyfriend Boyd Simmons to investigate, she comes to a frightening epiphany. Maybe the cryptid they are investigating isn't the cryptid they should be hunting.

Deborah Cannon is the winner of an Honourable Mention for her short story TWILIGHT GLYPH to be published in The Canadian Tales of the Fantastic anthology, September 2014 (Red Tuque Books)