The story in one page
Graham Dean is an artist plagued by emerald-hued nightmares of coiling shadows beneath the waves of San Pedro. While his traditional doctor dismisses the visions as overwork, his neighbor Doctor Yamada recognizes the signs of an ancient, non-human science. The entity Morella Godolfo, a creature of the depths, uses a 'black kiss' to bridge the gap between their forms. Dean finds himself sleepwalking into the surf, where a physical and spiritual swap occurs. Trapped in a reptilian husk while the sea-beast inhabits his human face, Dean must commit a final, violent act of self-destruction to stop the monster from walking among men.
Who's who
- Graham Dean
An impressionable artist suffering from persistent, planned nightmares.
- Doctor Yamada
An occultist who understands sciences not bound by mundane physical laws.
- Morella Godolfo
A predatory sea-creature capable of inhabiting human forms.
- Michael Leigh
Dean's uncle who rushes back to San Pedro to intervene.
What it's really about
- Soul Transference
- The vulnerability of the human psyche to ancient aquatic forces.
- Occult Science
- Hidden knowledge that bridges the gap between myth and biology.
Why it's memorable
- The vision of green translucent light where dark shadows swim slowly.
- Dean using animal fangs to bite his own human throat in a cave.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Dean, inhabiting the reptilian body, attacks his own human form — now possessed by the beast — just as Yamada and Leigh arrive. Yamada fires his revolver, killing both bodies and ending the cycle of possession.
For your book club
- The rejection of modern psychology in favor of ancient, supernatural explanations for mental distress.
- The physical horror of seeing one's own eyes look back with alien intent.