The Lovecraftian Thing a Day (2018) No.197: Dr Chuck Tingle’s Guide to the Void

‘Throughout history, philosophers, scientists and artists has all attempted to quantify The Void in a way that can be understood by the limited brains of human beings, bigfeet, dinosaurs and unicorns...In fact, any attempts to fully grasp the complex nature of The Void should be done so under extremely limited circumstances...Those who’ve gotten too close to fully reckoning The Void have had their minds collapse in a devastating moment of cosmic horror, consumed but the existential darkness of this supernatural abyss’.

Thus begins Dr Chuck Tingle’s Guide to The Void - simultaneously a cosmological travel guide, a bestiary, a philosophical disquisition, and a self-help book delineating the wonders and terrors of the zone of nihilistic Lovecaftian horror which exists outside of the multilayered timelines of the Tingleverse, and which is antithetical to all that is represented by the Tingularity (the conceptual centre of the Tingleverse).

Here we find the realm of Void Crabs, Worms, Shrieking Masses (of which the best known example is Domald Tromp), Bubbling Horrors, Greater Cosmic Horrors, and other monstrous beings; notably, Dr Tingle reveals that devilmen also have their origin in The Void - needles to say, I have now come to the conclusion that Chuck Tingle’s neighbour, devilman Ted Cobbler, is most likely a manifestation of one of Nyarlathotep’s Thousand Forms.

There is wisdom here too, especially regarding the call of the lonesome train - which we must all board one day - and which those who dwell in close proximity of The Void are more likely to hear:

‘Usually arriving late at night, the call of the lonesome train is what keeps us up and worried...it is also a normal part of life. The fear that we feel when we hear the train’s call is part of what motivates us to accomplish, build, and love throughout our timeline. Unfortunately, there are many buckaroos who find the call of the lonesome train arriving earlier and earlier in the evening, until eventually it is pulling up to the station throughout their day. This is a devastating way to live, and any buckaroos who finds themselves in this situation should seek professional help immediately...although it may seem hopeless at times, there are a few proven ways to make slight adjustments to the train’s schedule. Sometimes being with your friends and loved ones can cause the call of the lonesome train to drift by much fainter than before, and sometimes it won’t even cruise past at all.’

Nice.