When a big storm comes, you can feel it in the air. The ozone charges the
atmosphere and you know, just know, there is something beyond the realm of
the ordinary about to happen. Staci liked storms though. She liked facing
such power, knowing at any moment she could be enveloped by it. Her mother
had dragged her in the house more than once as she stood in the backyard
watching the lightening reach down to caress the earth with a deadly touch.
She faced things head on. That was her gift.
October 2, 2003 10pm
Staci yawned. This had to be the most boring history assignment she'd ever had. She tossed her notebook off the bed and stretched. Grabbing her favorite Ann Rule book off the nightstand, she flipped through it. Now this, was fascinating stuff.
She couldn't decide what she wanted more, to become a criminal psychologist or go into forensics. But of course, she had to make it through high school first. Yawning again, she looked at the clock. It was past ten and she had a quiz first period. "Better get my ass to sleep," she figured and fumbled with the alarm, setting it to six a.m.
"Just one more thing to take care of first," she thought as she made her way down the hall to the bathroom.
Leaning over the sink, Staci brought her mouth to the faucet, slurping up the water slowly. She savored the cool sensation of it pouring down her chin. A soft gurgle emanated from the overflow hole at the front of the basin. Two hairy, jointed legs protruded from the tiny porcelain opening. Pawing at the air, they reached out.
Staci pulled back wiping the water from her chin.
"Ugg!" she exclaimed. A small spider not more than two inches long crawled on the mirror. It's eight legs reflected into sixteen.
"God those things are creepy," Staci murmured looking at the small invader. She could see its jointed legs, the moisture that was caught in its hair- covered body. It was repellent.
She blinked.
Curiously, she could see the details of the spider as if it were under a magnifying lens. What the hell was going on? It's mandibles clicked as it cleaned the maw of its mouth. The sound amplified a million times. Rooted to the spot, fascinated and disgusted at the same time, Staci stared.
Another spider appeared in the sink basin crawling from its porcelain cave. "What the..," she leaned in closer.
Staci could hear it skittering its way along the bowl. "Ok, that's it!" she stated. "I've had enough," she reached down and pulled her slipper off. Raising the slipper for a killing blow, she glanced in the mirror and froze.
There was a spider in her hair! And then another! And another! Her breath caught in her throat. She cried out and began swatting at her head. She could feel those jointed legs crawling on her scalp. She could feel their hairy bodies rubbing her skin. She danced around the room screaming and hitting at herself. Spinning and pulling at her hair as tiny little mouths starting biting.
A flood of arachnids spilled from the overflow. They came up the drain and poured out the spout. The showerhead began to vibrate as a cascade of spiders filled the tub. The toilet gurgled and belched up even more spiders.
Staci screamed even louder. Throwing herself at the door and pulling, it wouldn't budge. They were crawling up her legs! She could feel them under her pajamas. She smacked herself repeatedly trying to staunch their flow up her pants legs. She could feel them now in her most intimate area. They were wiggling and insinuating themselves into every crevice.
Staci opened her mouth wide to vent her utter horror but no sound was forthcoming as the swarm filled her mouth. A buzzing grew in her head. Louder and louder until it engulfed her entire world.
Drawing in a ragged breath, she threw herself backwards plowing into the headboard with a wump. Staci looked around her bedroom in shock.
The alarm clock continued its incessant buzzing.
******************************************************************
Beyond the invisible veil, a figure watched. A sly grin split his scarred features.
"So it begins."
October 2, 2003 10pm
Staci yawned. This had to be the most boring history assignment she'd ever had. She tossed her notebook off the bed and stretched. Grabbing her favorite Ann Rule book off the nightstand, she flipped through it. Now this, was fascinating stuff.
She couldn't decide what she wanted more, to become a criminal psychologist or go into forensics. But of course, she had to make it through high school first. Yawning again, she looked at the clock. It was past ten and she had a quiz first period. "Better get my ass to sleep," she figured and fumbled with the alarm, setting it to six a.m.
"Just one more thing to take care of first," she thought as she made her way down the hall to the bathroom.
Leaning over the sink, Staci brought her mouth to the faucet, slurping up the water slowly. She savored the cool sensation of it pouring down her chin. A soft gurgle emanated from the overflow hole at the front of the basin. Two hairy, jointed legs protruded from the tiny porcelain opening. Pawing at the air, they reached out.
Staci pulled back wiping the water from her chin.
"Ugg!" she exclaimed. A small spider not more than two inches long crawled on the mirror. It's eight legs reflected into sixteen.
"God those things are creepy," Staci murmured looking at the small invader. She could see its jointed legs, the moisture that was caught in its hair- covered body. It was repellent.
She blinked.
Curiously, she could see the details of the spider as if it were under a magnifying lens. What the hell was going on? It's mandibles clicked as it cleaned the maw of its mouth. The sound amplified a million times. Rooted to the spot, fascinated and disgusted at the same time, Staci stared.
Another spider appeared in the sink basin crawling from its porcelain cave. "What the..," she leaned in closer.
Staci could hear it skittering its way along the bowl. "Ok, that's it!" she stated. "I've had enough," she reached down and pulled her slipper off. Raising the slipper for a killing blow, she glanced in the mirror and froze.
There was a spider in her hair! And then another! And another! Her breath caught in her throat. She cried out and began swatting at her head. She could feel those jointed legs crawling on her scalp. She could feel their hairy bodies rubbing her skin. She danced around the room screaming and hitting at herself. Spinning and pulling at her hair as tiny little mouths starting biting.
A flood of arachnids spilled from the overflow. They came up the drain and poured out the spout. The showerhead began to vibrate as a cascade of spiders filled the tub. The toilet gurgled and belched up even more spiders.
Staci screamed even louder. Throwing herself at the door and pulling, it wouldn't budge. They were crawling up her legs! She could feel them under her pajamas. She smacked herself repeatedly trying to staunch their flow up her pants legs. She could feel them now in her most intimate area. They were wiggling and insinuating themselves into every crevice.
Staci opened her mouth wide to vent her utter horror but no sound was forthcoming as the swarm filled her mouth. A buzzing grew in her head. Louder and louder until it engulfed her entire world.
Drawing in a ragged breath, she threw herself backwards plowing into the headboard with a wump. Staci looked around her bedroom in shock.
The alarm clock continued its incessant buzzing.
******************************************************************
Beyond the invisible veil, a figure watched. A sly grin split his scarred features.
"So it begins."