《The Brain-Eater》 Prologue The storm clouds rolled over the warm, summer waters of Wickham Lake, bringing much-needed cool air and the promise of rain. Lightning flashed from cloud to cloud with a growing sense of urgency as the entity inside it searched for the perfect spot. It had come to this planet, to this very town, in the 1950s - learning human language, customs, and ideas. More importantly, it had learned the basic biology of the species. All living things on Earth were carbon-based and their molecules were easy for the entity to manipulate. Its first attempt had been crude and left the victim scarred. That would not happen again. This time its approach would be more subtle. In the same way humans kick over a fire ant bed to watch the little insects swarm, the entity wished to see how the people of Wickham would react when it destroyed their little nest. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Target acquired, the being gathered itself and rode a lightning bolt straight into the shallow part of the lake. There it found a small, simple creature and willed its consciousness into the thing¡¯s body. Normally, lightning would have killed anything in that part of the water, but the entity quickly reshuffled the critter¡¯s molecules to form a cyst that would keep it safe until the proper time. Now all it needed to do was wait. Infection - Day One Thursday: July 30, 2020 Emma Morgan laughed with delight as she and her two friends, Jazmine and Kayla, splashed around in the shallow waters of Wickham Lake. The girls were looking forward to their Senior year but preferred the freedom that summer brought. Emma was known as the ¡°smart kid¡± in school and was determined to make Valedictorian next year. Everyone knew she was destined for great things, sometimes making her peers a little jealous. Emma didn¡¯t let that get her down. She figured she¡¯d rather be smart than pretty. Any fool could be pretty. Jazmine Lee hit Emma on the head with a purple pool noodle and grinned mischievously as if reading her mind. Unlike Emma, Jazmine was a true beauty. Her flawless ebony skin glistened with drops of water and her long, lovely black curls were meticulously tucked in a swimming cap. She was easily the most gorgeous girl at school and she knew it. Unlike most good-looking girls, however, she was not stuck-up or vain. She wanted to go to Easthallow University like her sister Tess so she worked hard for her grades. Nobody got a scholarship to that college for being pretty ¨C or, as Emma liked to say, ¡°pulchritudinous.¡± Unlike her friends, Kayla Miller had little interest in higher education. Her grades were passing but not great. What she lacked in beauty and smarts, she more than made up for with courage. She had to be bold when dealing with her family, especially her older brother Andy. She came from a rough family and had no problem telling people exactly what she thought. Her shoulder-length red hair complemented her pale skin and the ever-present spray of freckles on her face. She didn¡¯t have Jazmine¡¯s allure, but Kayla was cute enough and unafraid to go after what she wanted. She had fought with a couple of girls last year over some boy and was known as a bit of a troublemaker. Jazmine and Emma were both a good influence on Kayla, however. When she was around her two friends, she kept her behavior in check. The girls would go their separate ways in less than a year and, despite their plans to the contrary, Emma knew they would probably lose touch. She didn¡¯t want to think about that now - none of them did. They were determined to enjoy every moment of fun they could. They giggled at the attention they were getting from some of the boys nearby. Scott Johnson and his friends were laughing and sneaking looks at the girls as they played with a beach ball. Rumor had it that Kayla had slept with Scott last year, but Emma didn¡¯t believe it. Kayla accepted Jazmine as a friend, but she would never date a black guy. Her family didn¡¯t believe in that sort of thing. Jazmine nudged Emma, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look now but Cody Mitchell¡¯s watching you.¡± Before she realized what she was doing, Emma glanced at Cody. ¡°Hey!¡± Jazmine elbowed her. ¡°I told you not to look!¡± Emma couldn¡¯t help it. She¡¯d had a crush on Cody for a few months now but doubted she¡¯d ever get a chance to date him. Cody was good-looking with his wavy brown hair and easy smile. He was popular, a football player. He could have any girl he wanted. There was no way he¡¯d be interested in her. And yet, Cody was staring at her and not in a creepy way. He saw Emma¡¯s brief glance at him and whispered something to his buddies. They made their way over to the girls and Scott asked, ¡°Can we join you ladies?¡± Emma blushed as Jazmine asked, ¡°Of course. What are you guys up to?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Jay Collins, the youngest of the three boys, said, ¡°we were going to play a little water volleyball. You game?¡± Kayla smirked, ¡°You don¡¯t mind getting beaten by a girl?¡± ¡°What makes you think you can beat us?¡± Scott asked. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Jazmine laughed, ¡°Because your boy can¡¯t keep his eye on the ball.¡± She nodded in Cody¡¯s direction. Now it was Cody¡¯s turn to blush. Emma was mortified. ¡°No volleyball then,¡± Scott replied. ¡°Got any other ideas?¡± He grinned knowingly at Jazmine, who bopped him over the head with her pool noodle. ¡°I have an idea,¡± purred Kayla. ¡°How about a chicken fight?¡± Jay smiled slyly in Kayla¡¯s direction. ¡°Do you want to ride me, baby? Or do you want me to ride you?¡± He had quite the reputation for getting into as many girls¡¯ pants as he could. She moved closer to him and said in a sultry tone, ¡°I¡¯m more than you can handle.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± Jay said. ¡°Kayla will be my partner. Scott, you and Jazmine team up. And Cody, you¡¯re with Emma.¡± As the other four made their way to their respective partners, Cody looked at Emma and asked, ¡°Are you ok with this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Emma replied shyly. ¡°Hop on then,¡± Cody offered her his shoulders. They played for half an hour: Kayla on Jay, Jazmine on Scott, and Emma on Cody. The girls used their pool noodles to splash each other and joust, each one trying to knock the others off the boys¡¯ shoulders. It was all fun and games until Kayla, trying to hit Emma with her pool noodle, accidentally slapped Cody hard in the face. He went down backward into the water with Emma right behind him. Surprised, Emma did not have time to hold her breath. She tumbled backward into the lake and hit her head on a large limb that was just below the surface of the shallow water, knocking her unconscious. Her nose filled with lake water. Her trachea spasmed, trying to protect her lungs from the encroaching water. She felt none of it, cradled as she was, in silent oblivion. Suddenly, Cody¡¯s strong arms lifted Emma out of the water, and he carried her to the shore. The other four teens quickly followed suit and gathered around as Cody laid Emma on the dry ground. ¡°Call 911!¡± Jazmine shouted, and Scott ran for his cell phone. Kayla, horrified that she had hurt her friend, sobbed, ¡°Emma, wake up! Oh, God, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Cody lowered his face next to Emma¡¯s mouth and was relieved to find that the girl was breathing. ¡°She¡¯s ok. She¡¯s just unconscious is all.¡± He was glad that he had been a lifeguard last year or he might not have known what to do. He put Emma in the recovery position: left arm bent on the ground with palm up, right hand above the left shoulder, right knee bent. He gently turned her over on her left side, now stable on the ground, and raised her chin a bit so she could breathe more easily. The girl stirred and immediately coughed out a little lake water. Her lungs ached but her head felt even worse. She blew as much water out of her nose as she could. Emma realized how close she had come to drowning. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all ok now,¡± Cody smiled at her and she smiled back at him feebly. Scott ran up to them and announced that an ambulance was on its way. Emma waved them away, ¡°Tell them to cancel it. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You should really get checked out,¡± Cody said. ¡°You¡¯re the one who should get checked out,¡± Emma said. ¡°Your nose is bleeding.¡± Cody instinctively put his hand to his nose and shrugged at the blood on his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s just a nosebleed ¨C no big deal.¡± Kayla turned to Cody. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, both of you. I never meant to hurt you.¡± Emma nodded and Cody patted Kayla on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Kayla. We know you didn¡¯t.¡± The ambulance arrived and a couple of EMTs rushed to the scene. Jazmine told them what happened and Kayla fell sobbing into Jay¡¯s embrace. They quickly determined that neither teen was seriously injured but recommended that Emma go to the hospital for further observation. Despite Emma¡¯s crush on Cody, she readily agreed. She felt a headache coming on.
The entity initiated the amoeba¡¯s transformation from cyst to flagellate to trophozoite. The thing¡¯s pseudopods filled with protoplasm and it began to move steadily upward, consuming cells as it went. The entity felt a wicked glee as it further altered the tiny creature¡¯s DNA. It would not just infect its host - it would spread the entity¡¯s poison as far as possible. Naegleria fowleri, the ¡°brain-eating¡± amoeba, was on the move. Infection - Day Two Friday: July 31, 2020 Emma woke up with a terrible headache. The doctor said her CT scan was ok but she did have a concussion. She reached over to her nightstand and grabbed a bottle of acetaminophen. She swallowed two of the blue capsules as her mother walked in with her breakfast. ¡°Morning, Emma,¡± Mrs. Morgan said. ¡°I brought your favorite: chicken soup, dry toast, and ginger ale.¡± Emma smiled weakly. ¡°I don¡¯t have a stomach virus. Just a headache.¡± ¡°I know, dear,¡± her mother replied. ¡°But you need to keep up your strength. The doctor said to rest.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Emma said, taking the tray. ¡°I just feel like a migraine is coming on.¡± Mrs. Morgan smiled sympathetically. Emma had been having migraines since she hit puberty, just as her grandmother did. ¡°Do you need me to stay home with you today? I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°No, Mom,¡± Emma sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You go on to work and I¡¯ll stay here and watch TV.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mrs. Morgan asked. Emma nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure. You know how much I love daytime TV soap operas,¡± she quipped sarcastically. Her mother laughed. ¡°You can always watch PBS. I remember how much you loved those shows when you were little.¡± ¡°That was the best part of being sick,¡± Emma admitted. ¡°Well, that and the chicken soup.¡± Mrs. Morgan smiled and said, ¡°Ok, I¡¯m going to work. If you have any problems, call me. You promise?¡± ¡°I promise,¡± Emma replied and swallowed a spoonful of soup. After her mother left, Emma finished her breakfast and lay back down. She thought she might feel better if she took a little nap. She drifted off to sleep thinking about Cody, smiling as she remembered him giving her his phone number. Despite her intention to only nap, she slept for the rest of the day.
¡°Emma¡­¡± the voice whispered. Someone was calling her name. Was she dreaming? Her mind was clouded and confused. The voice spoke again, louder this time. ¡°Emma¡­¡± This isn¡¯t real, she told herself. ¡°I assure you, my dear,¡± the thing said, ¡°this is quite real.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The girl tried to peer through the haze, searching in vain for the owner of that voice ¨C a voice she did not recognize. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. The entity laughed, ¡°I am an agitator of men - for today.¡± Emma shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that means.¡± She kept looking around for some point of reference but found none. Whatever this strange place might be, there seemed to be no way out. ¡°I wish to study your kind,¡± it said. ¡°I would have preferred to explore with Miss Miller but you will suffice.¡± ¡°Kayla?¡± she asked. ¡°What about her?¡± The strange being chuckled, ¡°Kayla¡¯s great-grandfather and I spent some time together in, shall we say, close quarters. She¡¯s like family to me.¡± ¡°Her great-grandfather? You mean Old Man Miller?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the voice said. She was puzzled. ¡°He died in the 50s. They say he was so evil that God struck him down with a lightning bolt.¡± Soft laughter surrounded her as the invisible presence replied, ¡°He met his god in that lightning bolt.¡± Emma shook her head, ¡°This is ridiculous. It¡¯s just the concussion talking.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Of course it is!¡± the girl retorted. ¡°God doesn¡¯t hurl lightning bolts. Well, I guess Zeus did but the real God doesn¡¯t.¡± The entity paused, considering Emma¡¯s last remark. ¡°I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± she snapped. ¡°You¡¯re not God.¡± She was already tired of this conversation. ¡°Are you certain?¡± it challenged. She groaned and put her fingers to her temples, ¡°I¡¯m certain that my head hurts too bad to listen to any more of your nonsense.¡± ¡°The pain will soon pass,¡± the entity soothed. ¡°Forever¡­¡± ¡°So I¡¯m dying, right?¡± the girl retorted in disbelief. ¡°Because of a concussion?¡± The voice responded, ¡°Well, not from the concussion, no.¡± Emma sighed, ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dying because I am devouring your brain.¡± The words made her sit up and take notice. Could this headache be a symptom of something worse than a concussion? Her intelligence was her greatest asset. The thought of losing it gave her real fear. The girl shuddered with fear. ¡°What?¡± she asked weakly. ¡°You¡¯ve got a nasty little creature in your brain - one that I am currently controlling.¡± ¡°How did that happen?¡± she wondered. Her captor explained, ¡°You inhaled the lake water and the amoeba within it.¡± Emma struggled to recall her 9th grade biology lesson on amoeba. They were single-celled organisms, ubiquitous but invisible without a microscope. She also remembered a recent news story about someone who had died from exposure to such a creature. A brain-eating amoeba¡­ ¡°It is true, isn¡¯t it?¡± she whispered. ¡°You¡¯re killing me.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the presence promised. ¡°But before you die, we must put the citizens of this town to the test.¡± Emma wailed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! I just want to wake up! Please!!¡± Laughter came from every direction again as the alien, impossibly ancient and deliberately malevolent, took control of Emma¡¯s brain. Infection - Day Three Saturday: August 1, 2020 Emma awoke around noon to a terrible pounding in her head. The migraine hadn¡¯t gone away. If anything, it was ten times worse. She groaned as she pulled herself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. She didn¡¯t remember her dream. She didn¡¯t remember much of anything. When she turned on the light, her head exploded with pain and she thought she might throw up. She stared into the medicine cabinet¡¯s mirror and was shocked at how bad she looked. Her hair was stringy and her complexion sallow. Gingerly, she opened the cabinet and looked for her migraine medication. There was none left. She sighed heavily and went back to her room. Emma knew she was supposed to stay home but she desperately needed her medicine. Normally, she would have called her mother as they had agreed, but Emma¡¯s mind was foggy and she felt this urgent need to get out of the house. As she struggled to put on her jeans, Emma wondered if she should ask someone to drive her into town. Never in a million years would she have asked Cody, especially considering how sick she looked, but it seemed like a good idea now. She really shouldn¡¯t go out alone. She grabbed her phone and sent him a text. ¡°Hey, this is Emma. Would you drive me into town so I can get my medicine?¡± Cody immediately replied, ¡°Sure, when do you need to go?¡± ¡°Now,¡± Emma typed. ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡±
Cody eased the car into Emma¡¯s driveway and smiled at the thought of her calling him so soon. He liked Emma. Sure, she may not have been the prettiest girl at school but she was very intelligent and unfailingly kind ¨C two characteristics that Cody appreciated. He wondered why he had waited so long to talk to her. His smile faded quickly as he saw Emma stumble down the driveway. She looked terrible. Her hair was damp and tangled, her skin a sickly yellow. When she got into the car, he saw that her eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Are you ok?¡± Cody asked with genuine concern. Emma nodded woodenly and said hoarsely, ¡°Drive.¡± Cody said nothing as he pulled into the street and headed toward the store. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Emma looked very sick. Perhaps he should take her to a doctor instead. As if reading his mind, Emma said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just have a migraine.¡± A few minutes later they pulled into the ShopMart parking lot. Cody parked in a disabled spot, something he would never normally do. He didn¡¯t think Emma would be able to walk very far. He opened her door and helped her get out of the car. Her skin was on fire and growing more yellowish orange by the minute. He knew something was terribly wrong. ¡°Emma, you¡¯re really sick,¡± he said with concern. ¡°Let me take you to a doctor.¡± Emma shook her head. ¡°I need my...think of this¡­¡± Cody took her gently by the shoulders and looked straight into her eerie eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a migraine. Your skin is yellow. You¡¯re burning up!¡± He brushed a lock of her damp hair aside and begged, ¡°Please, let¡¯s go the hospital.¡± Angrily, Emma pushed him back and growled, ¡°Canceling Christmas!¡± He was shocked at her attitude and her gibberish. He didn¡¯t know Emma as well as he would have liked but he did know that she had a reputation for being considerate of other people¡¯s feelings. She must really feel bad to jump all over him like this. He felt as if he were on the edge of a cliff ¨C as if this choice would affect him for the rest of his life. Should he respect Emma¡¯s wishes or rely on his judgment? If he took her to the hospital, she might never forgive him. But if he didn¡¯t, she might die. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the hospital,¡± he insisted. Emma stared at him blankly, her eyes unfocused and her mouth opened in a wide, stupid grin. ¡°You have to go, you know, to go to the pharmacy, there are a lot of very smart people and you have to do it. Think of it¡­won¡¯t have a town.¡± She exhaled a cloud of orange dust right into his face. Cody choked as the pollen-like particles quickly filled his nose and lungs. He tried to cough up the powdery substance but only succeeded in breathing in more of it. As he stumbled backward, Emma grabbed him with sudden strength, shoved him into the passenger¡¯s seat of the car, and slammed the door. He wouldn¡¯t be bothering her again. Satisfied, she slowly staggered into the store.
Tess Lee smiled as she checked out the last customer, more than ready for her one o¡¯clock lunch hour. She was a pharmacy assistant at ShopMart where she worked during the summers. She was about to start her third year at Easthallow. She couldn¡¯t wait to start medical school and become a full-fledged pharmacist. Like her little sister, Jazmine, she had no problem working for what she wanted. Tess had heard about the incident at the lake so she was alarmed to see Emma shuffling down the aisle toward the pharmacy. She didn¡¯t look well at all. If Tess hadn¡¯t known about the girl¡¯s accident, she would have said it was zombie makeup. The light orange skin and weird gait would have fit in perfectly at a Halloween party. Emma stepped up to the register and said, ¡°Migraine.¡± Tess could feel Emma¡¯s feverish skin from across the counter. She took one look at the girl¡¯s jaundiced, bloodshot eyes and replied softly so no one else would hear. ¡°Emma, are you sick? Let me call your mom.¡± ¡°No!¡± Emma shouted, glaring at Tess. ¡°I need it - almost a cleaning¡­¡± Tess was taken aback by the nonsense. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Take a look,¡± Emma frowned. ¡°Nobody has done more¡­¡± Tess said, ¡°Let me call someone to come get you. You need to see a doctor.¡± Without waiting for a reply, she picked up the phone. Emma continued, ¡°When did you become¡­a black person?¡± Once again, her mouth opened wide and blew another stream of orange dust into Tess¡¯s face. Tess gasped as the cloud quickly sought out her nose and mouth, too fast for anyone else to see. She dropped the phone and fell to the floor. As two of Tess¡¯s fellow assistants rushed to her side, Emma smiled and walked away.
A few seconds later, she reached the clearance aisle. A middle-aged couple was sifting through the items. Emma ambled over to them and began to speak. ¡°It could have been negotiated,¡± she croaked. The lady turned to her and, startled by the girl¡¯s odd appearance, took a step back. The man looked at Emma quizzically and said, ¡°What?¡± Emma continued, ¡°No more cows.¡± More orange particles began congealing in her throat, waiting eagerly to infect its next victim. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the man replied sternly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the clearance...and I could have done it easily but your¡­ he couldn¡¯t get it done.¡± Emma opened her mouth wide and sprayed the couple with another cloud of orange dust. She didn¡¯t wait for them to inhale it. The particles would find their mark.
The Electronics department was empty except for Mateo Garc?a, who despised slow days like this one. They seemed to drag on forever. His head was buried in his phone so he didn¡¯t see Emma until she was right in front of him. She placed her hands on the counter and leaned in. ¡°I know more about¡­more than even the ¡­.¡± she rambled. Mateo¡¯s eyes went wide as he took in the girl¡¯s disgusting form. She looked like a Cheeto with a scraggly mop of wet hair. ¡°What are you supposed to be? Some kind of creepy clown?¡± Emma rolled her eyes at him and said, ¡°You can¡¯t say it anymore. It¡¯s not allowed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not allowed?¡± he frowned. ¡°Ellen Ripley,¡± she continued. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Mateo grimaced. ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± Emma opened her mouth wide. ¡°Whoosh!¡± She sprayed yet another orange cloud into Mateo¡¯s face.
Back at the pharmacy, Tess¡¯s coworkers sprang into action. One called an ambulance while the other went for a bottle of water. Tess didn¡¯t care about them. She didn¡¯t care about anything. Ignoring their pleas, she opened the heavy security door and made her way to the parking lot where she found Cody¡¯s car. He was sitting in the passenger¡¯s seat, blankly staring ahead and waiting for instructions. Tess opened the back door and slid into the seat behind him. They exchanged no words. They didn¡¯t need to. It wasn¡¯t their job to think ¨C only to obey. Emma moved toward the front of the store with Mateo and the clearance couple in tow. She stopped at one of the aisles and took a large bottle of ketchup. As they reached the door, two EMTs rushed past them toward the back of the store. The group went straight to Cody¡¯s car. Mateo climbed into the middle of the backseat. The man sat next to the door and the lady sat on his lap. Emma slid into the driver¡¯s seat. She cranked the car and drove out of the ShopMart parking lot. While everyone was busy here, she would move on to the next target. She didn¡¯t want anyone in the small town of Wickham to feel safe.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of Amy¡¯s Diner and sat down at a large table. Kayla Miller worked here during the summer to earn extra money and she was in charge of that section of the diner today. She smiled as she approached their table and said, ¡°Morning all. What can I get you today?¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Her smile faded quickly as she took in Emma¡¯s bizarre appearance. ¡°Emma?¡± she whispered, her eyes going wide. Emma nodded at her friend. ¡°Very tough. Very smart.¡± She took a bottle of ketchup from the table and began squeezing the condiment directly into her mouth. Kayla looked at the other customers curiously. She knew Cody and Emma, of course, Jazmine¡¯s sister Tess, and the Hispanic guy was familiar ¨C Mateo, she thought. She did not know the man and woman who were with them. They all looked strange - like mannequins. Her sense of self-preservation, the one thing she had honed to perfection during her harsh upbringing, screamed for her to run away. Emma swallowed the ketchup, ¡°It¡¯s a witch hunt. No more bacon.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I start you off with some coffee while you look at the menu, ok?¡± Kayla forced a smile and briskly walked into the kitchen so that Emma could not see. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Jazmine, who answered on the second ring. ¡°What¡¯s up, girl?¡± Kayla kept her voice low and as steady as possible. ¡°Jazmine, have you talked to your sister today?¡± Jazmine replied, ¡°No, she¡¯s at work. Why?¡± ¡°How about Emma?¡± Kayla added, brushing past Jazmine¡¯s question. ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to either of them today,¡± Jazmine said. ¡°Kayla, what¡¯s going on?¡± Kayla paused. What was going on? Was she getting all worked up about a stupid joke? That didn¡¯t seem right. She could see Cody and Emma getting a bite to eat together but not with Tess, Mateo, and the other two people. And the way they had all behaved ¨C all of them sitting there motionless except for Emma who was eating ketchup and spitting out word salad. Not normal¡­not normal at all. ¡°Kayla?¡± Jazmine repeated, clearly puzzled. The answer burst out of Kayla, ¡°They¡¯re all here at the diner and they¡¯re acting so weird and I don¡¯t know what to do!¡± Jazmine sighed. Kayla had a flair for the dramatic sometimes. ¡°Slow your roll, girl. Start at the beginning.¡± ¡°Emma, Cody, Tess, that Hispanic kid in 10th grade, and a couple of strangers¡­they are all here at Amy¡¯s,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Why would Tess be with them?¡± Jazmine wondered. ¡°What are they doing?¡± The cook walked by so Kayla put the phone closer to her lips and whispered, ¡°They aren¡¯t doing anything. Just sitting there. And Emma¡¯s babbling¡­I can¡¯t make sense of it.¡± Her friend thought for a moment then said, ¡°Maybe Emma¡¯s concussion is worse than we thought.¡± Kayla nodded, ¡°Definitely, but I still don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on with the rest of them.¡± ¡°Maybe they are just pranking you,¡± Jazmine suggested. ¡°Hold on,¡± Kayla breathed as she heard screams from the seating area. She peeked through the diamond window in the kitchen door. Emma was standing over a young couple with a small baby. Kayla couldn¡¯t make out any words but she stopped caring when she saw Emma open her mouth impossibly wide and blow orange dust into the air. The girl¡¯s eyes widened as her friend continued to exhale more of the strange substance. Tess and Cody stood at the door so no one could get out. The unknown couple manhandled anyone who tried to escape. Mateo was missing. Thinking quickly, Kayla opened the door just enough to get her phone outside. She recorded a brief video of the chaos then whispered again into the phone, ¡°Emma¡¯s spraying some kind of orange powder on everyone. Cody and Tess won¡¯t let anybody leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jazmine asked unbelievingly. Her friend gasped, ¡°The orange stuff went into everybody¡¯s noses and mouths! Then they became mannequins too.¡± ¡°Kayla,¡± Jazmine sighed, ¡°this really isn¡¯t funny.¡± Kayla snapped, ¡°It¡¯s no joke. I¡¯ve got it on video. Be there in in five!¡± She picked up her keys and ran for the back door.
Mateo positioned himself at the back of Amy¡¯s Diner. He had orders to let no one out so, when Kayla Miller burst through the door, the boy immediately moved to stop her. He roughly took her arms and pushed her back into the kitchen. Kayla had no time to think - no time to consider the consequences of her actions. Above all else, she was a survivor. She seized a pan of hot grease and threw it at the boy. He screamed horribly and clutched his ruined face. Kayla shoved past him and got into her car. She whipped out of the parking lot and floored it on the highway. She couldn¡¯t get to Jazmine soon enough.
¡°Oh my god,¡± Jazmine whispered worriedly as she watched the short video of the attack at the diner. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Kayla nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it either and I was there.¡± Jazmine closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. As fearful as she was for her friend Emma, she was ten times more afraid for her sister. Tess was a no-nonsense kind of person. She would never ditch work and she would certainly never hurt anyone. ¡°What is that orange stuff?¡± Kayla wondered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Jazmine replied, ¡°but look at the effect. Everyone she breathed on became zombie-like, just like Tess.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let anyone escape,¡± Kayla shuddered. ¡°And Mateo¡­he was at the back door when I tried to leave. I had to¡­¡± She began to cry. Jazmine was shocked. She had never seen her friend this upset. ¡°You had to what?¡± ¡°I threw hot grease in his face!¡± Kayla wailed. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let me leave.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Jazmine reassured her as she pulled Kayla into her embrace. ¡°You didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± The two friends hugged until Kayla¡¯s sobs became soft whimpers. The girl might have had a tough upbringing but she was no murderer. Jazmine wondered what she should do. Her first instinct was to rush to the diner and confront Tess but something told her that wasn¡¯t the right move. She also quickly discarded the notion of calling her parents. She didn¡¯t want to involve them unless she had to. ¡°We¡¯ll call 911,¡± Jazmine decided. ¡°The police will know what to do.¡± Kayla frowned, ¡°Do we have to get them involved?¡± Jazmine nodded, ¡°I think we do. This is more than you and I can handle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Kayla whispered, ¡°I know how you feel about cops.¡± Her friend sighed. It was true ¨C Jazmine did not like dealing with the police. Too many black people had been killed for no good reason around the country. But she knew that not all cops were bad and that they were trained to deal with situations like this. ¡°We don¡¯t have a better option,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m calling them now.¡± Ten minutes later, Jazmine threw her phone across the room and let out an uncharacteristic yell. ¡°They don¡¯t believe me!¡± ¡°What did they say?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°That they didn¡¯t appreciate my little prank,¡± Jazmine mimicked the dispatcher¡¯s smartass tone. ¡°That I should find something better to do with my time. That I could go to jail for tying up emergency lines.¡± Kayla sighed, ¡°It¡¯s up to us then.¡± Jazmine nodded, clearly worried. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Kayla thought for a moment, ¡°Do you have some those N95 masks? ¡°Yes, Tess brought home a bunch of them during Covid,¡± Jazmine nodded. ¡°Good,¡± Kayla breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Get a couple of them and wait for me.¡± Jazmine looked at her, alarmed. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To get something,¡± Kayla replied. For once in her life, she was glad that her big brother had taught her to shoot.
Emma looked around the diner, satisfied with her progress. Everyone here was now under her control. It was time to start the real work. She turned to Cody and said, ¡°Violent marbs.¡± The phrase would have meant nothing to anyone except her victims. Cody walked to the kitchen and took a large cast-iron skillet from a nearby table. Mateo was on the floor howling in pain but Cody took no notice. He returned to the seating area and waited for Emma¡¯s approval. She nodded, her mouth moving but no words coming out. Cody stepped to every zombified patron, including Tess, and hit them in the head with the heavy object, killing a couple of older people instantly and knocking the rest unconscious. They didn¡¯t try to defend themselves. They were, above all else, obedient. If Emma wanted them to die, then they would gladly do it. She turned to Cody, her head rolling around weirdly as if her neck were broken, and gave him one last instruction. ¡°Guard the potatoes¡­¡± Cody nodded dumbly and reached for a large steak knife. When Emma walked out the door, he was sawing through an unconscious Tess¡¯s neck.
Kayla ran into her house and straight to the den where the gun cabinet stood. She quickly rifled through a nearby desk and found the key. Her hands were trembling so badly that she could barely unlock the thing. She chose a Glock 17 for herself and a Smith and Wesson M&P380 for Jazmine. The girl was pretty sure that Jazmine had never fired a gun in her life so she wanted to keep things simple. She grabbed ammo for both guns and whirled around only to bump into her father. Henry Miller, ¡°Sonny¡± to his friends, frowned at his daughter. He didn¡¯t like people going through his things, especially his guns and knives. ¡°What ya doin¡¯ with my guns, little girl?¡± he growled. He took a swig of Johnny Walker Red from the bottle he held in his right hand and pushed Kayla back into the room with his left. ¡°I was just going to do a little target practice, daddy,¡± she said unconvincingly. Henry nodded as if thinking it over, ¡°Target practice, huh?¡± He took another drink. ¡°Thought ya¡¯s workin¡¯ at the diner today.¡± Kayla thought quickly, ¡°I decided to work a half-shift.¡± It was just her luck that her father was home - and drunk as usual - instead of Andy. ¡°Half-shift?¡± Henry laughed. ¡°Half-shift don¡¯t pay no bills around here.¡± He stepped closer to her, glaring down at his daughter as if he couldn¡¯t decide whether to hit her or kiss her. Either one was possible. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, daddy,¡± she said, turning her head away should he try either. The smell of alcohol and stale cigarettes made her feel queasy. ¡°I just needed to blow off some steam today. I¡¯ll work a double tomorrow, I promise!¡± Her father walked over to his favorite recliner and sat down, taking another drink from the almost empty bottle. ¡°Better work two doubles. Ya gotta pay fer that ammo yer stealin¡¯.¡± The girl sighed with relief. She couldn¡¯t believe she was getting off so lightly. She took a step toward the door. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what yer really up to, girl,¡± her father slurred as he turned the TV on with his remote control. Kayla froze. ¡°Daddy?¡± Henry¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°You runnin¡¯ around with that black girl again, ain¡¯t ya?¡± ¡°Jazmine is my friend,¡± his daughter insisted. ¡°She¡¯s a good person.¡± ¡°She ain¡¯t nothing but a ni¡­¡± Kayla cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t you say it, daddy! Don¡¯t you dare say that word!¡± Henry gulped down the last of the whiskey and slammed the empty bottle onto the coffee table. It was a miracle that the bottle didn¡¯t break. He got up from his chair and staggered back over to the frightened girl. ¡°I¡¯ll say whatever I want to in my own damn house!¡± he shouted in her face. Kayla instinctively took a step back as her father closed in. Why had she picked today to challenge him about her friend? Henry slurred, ¡°My granddaddy was a Klansman, ya know. Put the fear o¡¯God into tha¡¯ filth.¡± He smiled as he remembered some of the stories that his grandfather, Charley Miller, had told him. Henry wished he had been born in that era. He would have given them all hell ¨C blacks, Jews, Catholics, it made no difference. They were all scum to him. ¡°I know, daddy,¡± Kayla whispered, hoping to mollify him a bit. ¡°He¡¯d be mighty disappointed that one o¡¯his blood prefers the blacks to her own kind,¡± her father continued angrily. ¡°Probly would beat yer ass for it.¡± He raised his fist and swung at his daughter¡¯s face. Kayla dodged him and ran for the front door. Rage turned to surprise and surprise turned to agony as his fist plowed right through the glass door of his gun cabinet. Blood streamed from the awful cuts on his hand and wrist. Henry howled in pain, ¡°Get back here, girl! Now I¡¯m gonna beat yer ass!¡± Kayla ignored him and got into her car. There would be hell to pay but she¡¯d deal with that later. Right now, she had to give Jazmine a crash course on guns.
Emma smiled as she heard the sirens from across town. Someone must have found her handiwork. Cody would take the fall for that little massacre. She was free to continue. She pulled the car into a church parking lot and hid behind the building. Her brain was swelling so she knew she only had about a day left. Tomorrow she would step up her game. The infant in the car seat beside her let out a soft coo. Infection - Day Four Sunday, August 2, 2020 Brother Brooks tapped his foot as the congregation sang, ¡°Nothing but the Blood.¡± It was one of his favorite songs and was perfect for any sermon. He led the members in a brief prayer and stepped up to the podium to speak: ¡°Good morning. Please turn in your Bibles to Romans: chapter 8, verses 5-8. Let¡¯s read these together.¡± For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ¡°Friends, what does it mean to be ¡®carnally minded?¡¯ It means you¡¯re only interested in earthly pleasures. You¡¯re more interested in doing what feels good instead of doing what is right. You¡¯re more interested in your own well-being instead of that of your neighbor. Instead of virtue, you practice vice. You care about the word of men rather than the Word of the Lord.¡± The main door of the church swung open and Emma staggered in. Brother Brooks was taken aback at her disheveled appearance but was determined not to let it show. Unlike some people, he was glad when strangers came to the church - even those who looked like death warmed over. The girl slowly crossed the foyer and stood at the back of the worship hall. The pastor continued. ¡°We have seen it happen in this wicked age, haven¡¯t we?¡± he asked, slipping back into his cadence. ¡°People following celebrities and politicians instead of the Lord. People trafficking in hate and fear.¡± He paused again as Emma stood there quietly. He wished she would take a seat. It was getting awkward. ¡°We are called to be spiritually minded, my friends. We¡­¡± ¡°The Chinese Communist Party,¡± Emma said. Now everyone turned around to stare at the girl and several people gasped at her discolored skin. The congregation whispered, wondering if they should be afraid. Despite his misgivings, Brother Brooks said, ¡°Miss, would you like to take a seat?¡± Emma ignored him, ¡°Looking at it very strongly.¡± A couple of deacons stood up and made their way back to her. Up close, they could see her bloodshot eyes. Was she sick? Drunk? Mentally ill? They murmured something to her but she just ignored them. ¡°He can¡¯t compate,¡± she continued. ¡°Argentina, great guy.¡± Brother Brooks smiled reassuringly at his flock, ¡°Let¡¯s take her to one of the Sunday School rooms and see if we can give her a little help.¡± He picked up his sermon again, ¡°This is what the ¡®spiritually minded¡¯ do. We love our neighbor as ourselves.¡± One of the deacons put his hand on Emma¡¯s shoulder but she shook free and yelled, ¡°Venezwearla¡­bing!¡± She threw back her head, mouth opened wide yet again, and sprayed the entire church in the orange dust. Thirty seconds later, Emma and her new congregation of 80 people walked out of the double doors and down the street.
Jazmine blinked away tears as she aimed at another tin can. Despite all her practice yesterday afternoon and this morning, she wasn¡¯t very good at shooting. The thought of having to use the gun made her sick but she didn¡¯t have a choice. Not long after Kayla had returned to her with the firearms yesterday, Facebook had exploded with the news of the massacre at Amy¡¯s Diner. Cody Mitchell had been arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder ¨C one of those killed being Jazmine¡¯s beloved older sister, Tess. She had sobbed all night in Kayla¡¯s arms but the tears kept coming. Kayla sat a few feet away, listening to a police scanner. She knew it wasn¡¯t safe to go home so she had stayed at Jazmine¡¯s the previous night. Now she was glad of it. Her friend didn¡¯t need to be left alone after such heartbreaking news. If Old Man Miller knew she had spent the night at Jazmine¡¯s house, he would have had a stroke. No, Kayla thought. He would have burned down the Lees¡¯ house. She was glad he¡¯d died before she was born. The scanner buzzed. ¡°Bert, what¡¯s your 20?¡± a female voice asked. Bert replied, ¡°I¡¯m over at the dollar store on the north side of town.¡± The woman continued, ¡°Be advised, we got a report of a crowd trying to get into Wickham Grocery.¡± ¡°A crowd?¡± the officer asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal on Sunday after church.¡± ¡°Bert,¡± the dispatcher sighed, giving up on the formalities. ¡°After yesterday we can¡¯t take any chances. Go check it out.¡± Now it was Bert¡¯s turn to sigh as he and his partner Jake finished their hamburgers. They were in the dollar store parking lot but they were eating instead of working. Sundays were usually slow and they¡¯d been called in the previous afternoon. Bert had seen a lot of bad things on the job but the diner incident was horrifying. He had never seen a decapitated head. He never wanted to again. ¡°10-4,¡± he responded. He turned on his lights and pulled into traffic. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Kayla shouted at Jazmine. ¡°Dollars to doughnuts, that¡¯s where Emma is.¡± Her friend¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready for this.¡± Kayla tried to reassure her. ¡°We may not even need to use these things,¡± she nodded at the gun on the patio table. ¡°It¡¯s just a precaution but keep it close.¡± Jazmine nodded and put the gun into her coat pocket. She was scared at the thought of shooting someone but her grief for Tess overshadowed that. Cody Mitchell was no killer, the girl knew. Emma was the real culprit. Jazmine focused her anger on her one-time friend. It was the only way she could find the strength to go after Emma. ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Kayla urged, ¡°we¡¯re just two blocks away. We can get there before the police do.¡± The girls jumped into Kayla¡¯s car and sped away.
Wickham Grocery had two sets of automatic double doors so there was no way the employees could have kept Emma¡¯s people out, even if they had known what was about to happen. The girl ordered all 80 of her minions into the store - half blocking the doors and the other half rounding up the customers in the back and bringing them to the front. Emma walked in and the zombie-like congregation parted for her. ¡°The swift and swepp, you know,¡± she announced. The manager, Doug Williams, bravely stepped forward. He often fell asleep at night imagining that he did one heroic feat or another. This was his chance to live up to those dreams. ¡°Take whatever you want. I won¡¯t press charges.¡± The strange, orange girl cocked her head, ¡°Will you sacrifice for the furniture?¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want,¡± Doug said, hands patting the air. ¡°Will you just let these people go?¡± Emma scowled at him, ¡°That¡¯s a nasty question.¡± The manager frowned in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I call them hostages!¡± she exclaimed. The customers and staff gasped with fear. Panicked parents either picked up their little children or tried to hide the kids behind their backs, hoping that nobody would see. Other people started recording on their phones. Everyone knew what had happened at the diner yesterday. Was that what was happening now? Doug continued bargaining, ¡°If you need a hostage, take me. Let the others go.¡± Sweat was dripping down his face and into his eyes. He tried to slow his rapid breathing but he couldn¡¯t. This wasn¡¯t going down like it did in his dreams. This was real and far more terrifying. Emma stepped closer to Doug and said, ¡°Take a look at the oranges¡­ ¡°The what?¡± Doug asked, realizing that he couldn¡¯t reason with the girl. She was clearly impaired. ¡°The oranges,¡± Emma repeated. The thick dust filled her lungs, threatening to burst in a gory spray. It was almost time for the grand finale. Just a few more words¡­ ¡°The kidney has a special place in the heart,¡± she quoted. People looked at each other quizzically, unsure what the girl was saying. Doug didn¡¯t understand it either. He hoped someone had called 911. This kid was delusional. Emma looked at them all, her potential new converts. She wished she had more time to spread the disease but her body wouldn¡¯t last much longer. She calculated that her next batch of zombies would total almost 70. That would bring her little band up to 150. Those 150 would go on a killing spree until she breathed her last. She tilted her head back, opened her mouth, and spoke the final phrase, ¡°Will rip et doo, aaaaaah¡­¡± The cloud of orange particles streamed out of her and flew directly into the noses and mouths of her next victims.
Kayla and Jazmine whipped into the parking lot of Wickham¡¯s Grocery and were horrified to see nothing but orange dust through the windows. Emma was inside and she was about to have a full-fledged army of followers. They couldn¡¯t allow that. ¡°Masks!¡± Jazmine shouted as Kayla got out of the car. The girls put on their N95 masks, hoping the fabric would protect them from the dust. As they ran toward the store, they saw the strange granules quickly disappearing as they found new hosts. Kayla took the gun out of her purse and, nodding at Jazmine, walked to the store entrance. ¡°Emma, come out!¡± Kayla shouted, her voice a bit muffled by the mask. The door opened and 10 of the zombies walked out ¨C five to the left and five to the right of the door. Emma came out and stood silently between them. ¡°How could you do this?¡± Kayla cried. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Their friend took a step forward and replied, ¡°I had a brain transpant.¡± The girls looked at each other worriedly. A concussion might explain the weird speech but it didn¡¯t explain the dust and the zombies. Jazmine frowned, tears still running down her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop it, Emma. You killed people!¡± Emma froze as the entity inside her decided to make itself known. Her body spasmed and jerked, her head twisted weirdly. A strange gurgle escaped from her lungs as the thing took over every living cell. It was no longer just lurking in her brain. Now it was in total control of the puppet body. ¡°Kayla Miller,¡± it smugly stared at her. ¡°My favorite little human. How¡¯s that great-grandpappy of yours? Oh, that¡¯s right. I killed him.¡± Both girls were taken aback at this declaration. Old Man Miller died in 1953, way before any of the friends had even been born. The entity smiled, ¡°Done him in right and proper with a lightning bolt. Crude, I admit, but effective.¡± It nodded toward Jazmine and smirked, ¡°Hanging around with - what do you call them now ¨C African Americans? Your daddy¡¯s not going to be happy about this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what he thinks!¡± Kayla exclaimed. She gripped her gun tightly. ¡°I only care about stopping you.¡± ¡°Stopping me?¡± it laughed. ¡°This body is going to die soon but, before it does, 150 of my loyal soldiers are going to slaughter as many of you humans as possible.¡± Jazmine willed herself to be calm. ¡°Why do you keep calling us ¡®human¡¯ as if you aren¡¯t one of us?¡± ¡°You should know,¡± the entity said. ¡°You¡¯re the smart one. The smartest one now that Emma¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Where do you come from?¡± Jazmine asked, afraid of the answer but more afraid of not knowing. ¡°What are you?¡± Emma¡¯s body drew itself up as proudly as it could given her terrible state. ¡°It would take more time than I have to explain everything to you. Suffice it to say that I am visiting your pathetic little version of the universe and I¡¯m here to perform an experiment on your town.¡± Jazmine shuddered with dawning understanding. ¡°You¡¯re an alien.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t human?¡± Kayla snapped. ¡°Then I have no problem killing you where you stand.¡± She drew the gun and pointed it at Emma¡¯s head. At this range, she couldn¡¯t miss. If the presence was afraid, it didn¡¯t show it. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill your friend, Kayla? One of the few people who has ever given a damn about you? I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± Kayla replied. ¡°I¡¯d be doing Emma a favor. She would never want this. Besides, you said she was going to die anyway.¡± The thing shrugged, ¡°Then do it.¡± Despite her bold words, Kayla struggled with the notion of killing her former friend. The gun shook in her hands as she thought back to all the good times she and Emma had together. She knew that, if not for Emma¡¯s acceptance of her, she would likely have been a drunk like her father. Maybe even something worse. She owed Emma the kindness of a quick death but found that she couldn¡¯t pull the trigger. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± the entity laughed. ¡°You are just like the rest of your kind. You can¡¯t accept what¡¯s going on and you don¡¯t have enough courage to do anything about it.¡± ¡°But I do.¡± A shot rang out as Jazmine, pointing her gun at Emma¡¯s chest, pulled the trigger. The girls¡¯ ears rang painfully as the bullet lodged itself in Emma¡¯s lungs, orange dust escaping from the hole and reaching desperately for Kayla and Jazmine. The powder could not get through their masks, however, so it dissipated quickly. Emma staggered back and fell to the ground. ¡°That¡¯s for Tess,¡± Jazmine whispered, still pointing her gun at Emma¡¯s limp form. Kayla put the gun back inside her pocket and ran to the dying girl, who was struggling to breathe. She put her arms around Emma¡¯s shoulders and hugged her tightly. Kayla didn¡¯t know much about medicine but she knew enough to realize that this wound was fatal. ¡°Hands in the air!¡± a voice behind them commanded. Bert and Jake had arrived. Jazmine, surprised by the officers¡¯ presence, partially turned. All Bert saw was a black girl pointing a gun at him. After yesterday¡¯s gruesome incident at the diner, he was on edge. His finger moved of its own volition. Another shot rang out and Jazmine¡¯s head exploded as Bert¡¯s bullet ripped through it. Kayla watched in horror as her last friend collapsed, motionless on the pavement. She screamed, ¡°Why?!¡± Emma reached for Kayla¡¯s arm, choking as she tried to form words. It was so hard to do anything other than wheeze. Bright red blood was running from the wound and out of her mouth. Emma had spent her whole life trying to help others. There was one more thing she could do for her friend. She had to warn Kayla about this creature, this thing that would never stop until it grew bored of tormenting them. ¡°c- c- cr¡­¡± Kayla bent her head down near Emma¡¯s lips as the dying girl whispered two last words. Emma warmly smiled at Kayla then died.
Time seemed to stand still as Emma¡¯s army regained their senses. They looked around in confusion. Hadn¡¯t they been at church? When and how did they get to the supermarket? They didn¡¯t remember a thing. Even Doug, who had tried to be so brave, couldn¡¯t remember what had happened. More cops arrived and took charge of the scene. One of them guided Kayla away from Emma¡¯s corpse and put her in his car. The police chief took Bert¡¯s gun and badge ¨C standard procedure when an officer shot someone. There would be a lot of questions but, after the bizarre murders yesterday, he knew there would be no serious repercussions. The other officers went inside the store to assess the situation and take what statements they could. They were relieved to find that no one else had been killed. An ambulance rolled up and a pair of EMTs, the same ones from the lake, rushed to Emma and Jazmine. Finding both girls dead, they went inside to see if anyone needed assistance. In all the commotion, no one noticed a small millipede crawl out of Emma¡¯s nose and scurry across the sidewalk. The entity was disappointed that it didn¡¯t get to complete the experiment. It hadn¡¯t counted on Jazmine¡¯s anger. What it did find fascinating, however, was how the two girls responded so differently to their fear. The ¡°brave¡± girl was paralyzed by it. The ¡°angry¡± girl was emboldened. Humans were just as irrational now as they had been in ¡¯52. The thing suspected that they always would be. It would find out for sure during the next visit. It would not make the same mistakes again. It was time to go back home to the real universe ¨C the one composed of what humans called ¡°dark matter.¡± As it had done 67 years ago, it waited for cloudy skies. Epilogue Life went back to normal for the small town. The people had a memorial for the deceased and paid to have a monument erected in Wickham Park with the names of all the victims on it. Emma¡¯s name was on that plaque but Jazmine¡¯s wasn¡¯t. It seemed quite unfair to Kayla that the perpetrator got that honor while the hero who had stopped her was made an outcast. Someone had to pay. The official word was that Cody Mitchell had drugged Emma and murdered everyone at the diner. He was tried on eight counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree aggravated assault. Despite Kayla¡¯s video, Cody was found guilty. He maintained his innocence and swore that he didn¡¯t remember anything but none of that mattered. Cody was sentenced to death. Someone had to pay. Mateo was permanently blind. Some people said that was a good thing considering the boy¡¯s melted face. He spent the rest of his life wondering why God would allow such a thing to happen. Someone had to pay. Emma¡¯s bizarre behavior was explained away as a new kind of street drug. It was fatal if ingested but cleared after a few hours if it was inhaled. Her body was sent to the CDC in Atlanta for further study. They found no sign of the orange dust and determined her secondary cause of death to be ¡°primary amoebic meningocephalitis,¡± PAM for short. Clearly, she had been infected the day she almost drowned. Wickham Lake was closed for the rest of the year, nobody allowed in or out. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Someone had to pay. Amy¡¯s stood vacant that winter but was torn down for scrap the following spring. Despite the diner¡¯s reputation for the best slugburgers in town, people didn¡¯t want to eat there anymore Someone had to pay. Sonny Miller blew his brains out a few weeks after the incident. Nobody knew why and nobody cared. He probably had it coming. Someone had to pay. The less people talked about that summer, the less they remembered. That was the secret of how humans dealt with such tragedy: they found someone ¨C anyone - to punish and then they moved on.
Kayla sat at her desk and took a drink from her father¡¯s whiskey bottle. Now that Emma and Jazmine were gone, she didn¡¯t care anymore. She had spent the first 48 hours after their deaths in a drunken stupor. The guns had been her idea, after all. It was her fault that her friends were dead. She opened the browser on her laptop and guided the cursor to the search bar. She had forgotten about Emma¡¯s last words until today and she wondered what they might mean. Slowly, she typed the odd phrase: crawling chaos Kayla clicked on the first link and began to read.