Additional Note: There are several scenes, or things going on in multiple locations, at the same time. I jump around a bit. I hope you aren't confused. Wait til the end of the story, please before you ask what happened to who or so on. At the end of the story, though, let me know if I've forgotten anything. This was really nerve-wracking to write. Thanks

Chapter Two, The Wedding

The butterfly's body looked to Emily like a very small snake, about four inches long. The body could move and wriggle like a snake. The one Emily was looking at raised its body and looked at her.

"Oh my God!" screamed Zora. "Get that thing away from the table!"

She ran toward it, waving her hands. The bug was scared, and reared up. Emily saw the head moving, and realized it was about to strike.

She pulled Zora out of the way, just as the bug spit. A greenish substance flew across the room, landing on a carved rabbit in the 3D tree. The rabbit dissolved.

"Oh my God!" screamed Zora.

"Remain calm," said Emily. "Get my friends."

Zora was flustered. Emily grabbed her, and said firmly. "Get my friends, now!"

Zora was shocked by the tone, nodded, and ran.

Emily shut the doors. She ran to the bartender, who was in shock from the incident.

"What is that thing? Is it...dangerous?"

"I do not know. You must tell the people in charge to shut down the lodge. No one must enter this room."

He nodded and left.

"Emily?" called Matt, behind him was Becker. Both dressed for the wedding, Becker in his dress blues. "What's going on?"

"Ah!" screamed Zora swatting at several of the creatures. "Get away! You'll ruin everything!"

"You must not agitate them," said Emily.

Becker and Matt watched as one of them spit, but Zora again, managed to avoid it.

This time, a vase of flowers was hit. Slowly the glass dissolved, water flooding the table.

"What the hell?" asked Becker.

Matt examined the vase, and the residue left. "Some kind of acid," he said, looking back at the butterflies. "Those things aren't from this time," said Matt. "We need to seal off this room."

"I sent the bar man to tell management," said Emily.

"Where'd they come from?" asked Becker. "There's no anomaly in here."

"We need an ADD," said Emily.

Becker sighed. "Jess has a portable one in her bag. I have emergency EMDs and a closing device in the cabin."

Matt nodded. "Go," he said.

Becker ran out on the Veranda, and motioned to Lester. "Incursion."

"You're joking." Then he saw Becker's face. "You are not."

Becker shook his head. "In the conservatory, my rucksack: EMD's."

Lester nodded and chuckled. "That's why you're head of security: you're paranoid and prepared."

Becker smiled. "I have more, and a closing device in the cabin. Tell Jess what's going on. You can handle things here?"

"Of course. Abby and Connor?" asked Lester.

"I'd like to keep them unaware."

"Sure you should do that?" asked Jack.

Becker stared at him. "Get back to Connor, this doesn't concern you."

Jack laughed. "Dangerous creatures at my sister's wedding don't concern me? Abby's smart, she'll figure something is wrong."

"Then you should keep her from finding out," said Becker.

Just then, Zora ran out of the Kingdom Hall screaming.

"Yeah, not happening," said Jack.

"Killer butterflies! They'll destroy the wedding!" cried the hysterical venue coordinator.

"Madam," snarled Lester in a whisper. "Control yourself. You are instigating a panic."

"Yes! Everybody panic!"

"No," hissed Becker. "We want calm."

"Calm? Are you insane? Those things spit acid at me! Twice!"

Jenny walked confidently over and slapped her. "Stop this! You need to lead! You're an employee, correct?"

Zora took offense. "I am event coordinator here at Zahare Animal Park, ma'am!"

"Good. We need coordination. You need to alert the staff that we have a...situation."

Becker smiled at Jenny. Out of the ARC for years, but easily falling into step.

"Jenny, handle this woman. Becker, we need that closing device. I'll get Jess on the ADD, locating the anomaly and coordinating are staff. Jack, for now, keep the groom and bride out of this."

Jack looked at the director of the ARC, then nodded, and headed back to the Conservatory.

Meanwhile, Matt and Emily were in the Kingdom Room, trying to corral the horde of acid-spitting butterflies. Matt dumped out a plastic bin of animal printed favors.

Emily watched the creatures, observing their behavior.

"They are sniffing the flowers," she said.

"Of course, pollen."

Then, however, they moved off.

"Maybe not."

They flew over the cake, sniffing the sweet icing. Luckily, they didn't like it either. They left the four-tiered animal print cake alone.

"Connor will be pleased," said Matt.

"They are not exhibiting normal insect behavior. They should go for the vegetation," said Emily.

"No. They are some other, evolved species. I don't know of them, though," said Matt. "They're definitely future creatures."

Emily nodded.

The butterflies investigated the fruit, looking over it for a moment, then flew on. When they located the meat, they reacted instantly.

They swarmed on the appetizers: the bacon skewers, chicken wings, and prawn cocktail, beginning a feeding frenzy.

Emily stared in alarm.

"Great. They're meat eaters," said Matt, sarcastically.

"That have the ability to spit an acidic venom," she added.

At that moment, the doors burst open, and a tall middle-Eastern man walked in.

"What's going on? Why is my bartender raving about mutant butterflies?" he asked. "What the hell are those?"

"Not sure, yet," said Matt. "I don't think anyone should get close, at the moment."

"This my Lodge. I demand to know what's..." the owner trailed off, as he saw one of the butterflies, dripping pieces of appetizers from its mouth.

"Stay back and do not alarm them," said Emily.

"Butterflies are harmless," the owner said, uneasily.

"They don't eat meat, either, Mate," said Matt. "These aren't butterflies."

The owner shook his head. "What..."

The bartender burst back in, with several employees, all carrying insect spray. "Shoot the mutants!"

"No!" screamed Matt. It was too late, the bartender sprayed.

The butterflies immediately reacted, spitting at the humans.

"Ah!" cried the bartender, acid landing on his arm, quickly burning into his skin.

"Oh my God!" cried one of the employees.

"Get out! Close the lodge! Keep everyone in their rooms!" cried Matt.

The owner nodded, grabbing the screaming barman, and the others, and leaving.

Matt clung to Emily, and backed away from the butterflies. They hovered in the air, staring at the couple, moving slowly closer.

Becker ran down the stairs, and commandeered a lodge car. He drove frantically to his cabin.

Lester burst into the Waterfall Lodge, quickly adopting a calm demeanor.

"Jess, we have need of you momentarily."

She snorted, curling Abby's hair. "The only one that has need of me, Lester, is the bride."

Lester ran over, grabbed his wife from off the couch, and pushed her towards Abby's hair. "Darling, you take over, you're smashing with hair. Come on, Jess."

"What's wrong?" asked Abby.

"Wrong?" laughed Lester. "Nothing's wrong. Don't be silly. The...uh...Captain is just about to strangle someone, and Jess needs to snog him. Come along, Miss Parker."

He quickly grabbed Jess, and dragged her out onto the veranda.

"Lester! What are you doing?" Jess cried. Then she saw his face. "Something is wrong."

"Incursion. Deadly butterflies."

"Please, tell me you're drunk."

"I wish I was, believe me. We need to find the anomaly."

"Where is everyone?" she asked.

"Becker's getting more firepower and the locking device, Jenny is handling the insane wedding planner, and Emily and Matt are inside the reception room with the creatures."

"Right. Let me get my equipment," said Jess. She plastered a huge smile on her face, and went back into the Lounge. Giggling she said, "That boyfriend of mine, always homicidal. Just a few seconds more while I calm him."

She grabbed her bags, smiling incessantly, and backed toward the door. "I'll soon have him calm as a baby."

She disappeared.

"Something's up," said Abby.

"Of course, dear," said Mrs. Lester. "I wish I could tell you otherwise. At any rate, your hair is done. James is right. I am smashing with a curling iron."

Meanwhile, Connor was playing video games, blissfully unaware of the events. Jack, nervously looked out the windows, but said nothing. The screaming got louder, though, and he decided he needed to see where the creatures were. He stepped onto the veranda.

Abby burst into the conservatory, wearing only her robe.

"Hey, Come for a last minute tryst?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, Connor. Something's wrong. Everyone's left and not come back, and Lester and Jess are acting weird."

"Nah. I'm sure everything is fine."

Just then, several screams came from the veranda.

"Or not."

They ran out to see dozens of strange flying creatures, swarming the guests.

"See! I told you!" cried Zora. "Killer butterflies!"

"Oh my God," said Abby. "Incursion on our wedding day."

"Yep. Should have known," said Connor.

End of Chapter Two