Menace of the Mists

"Menace of the Mists" by H. L. (Horace Leonard) Gold is a science fiction novella that throws readers onto the wild landscape of Venus, where four humans face a terrifying enemy. The story centers on a group, including MacAloon, struggling for survival against hordes of smart, monstrous centaurpedes rising from the ocean depths to threaten their iron mine. The characters grapple with fear, loss, and strategic planning as they fight off wave after wave of attacks. The narrative builds tension with each assault, highlighting the grim reality of their fight, especially after a fellow companion is lost. In the end, ingenuity and a willingness to risk everything come into play, when Mac formulates a risky plan to break the creatures' control, sparking a brutal confrontation that ends in a narrow, yet meaningful, win for humanity.