The Complete Creeping Darkness

by Greyson, Quinn

  “Who are illegally occupying the west banks…” someone yelled.

  “We’ll cover that next week,” Ms. Holloway said.

  “Bullshit,” Peter said.

  “Hey suck it jewball.”

  Peter jumped out of his desk as the bell rang.

  Ms. Holloway gave Peter a look to leave it alone.

  He looked outside, at the grey sky and the giant dark ball in the sky.

  Peter looked at the class as they started putting away their stuff, he wasn’t entirely sure who yelled at him, but he was hungry, so he packed his stuff and left.

  ***

  Peter retreated to the cafeteria for lunch. The cafeteria was located right beside the courtyard. A giant enclosed replica of the Garden of Eden. A place for students to go on breaks or to eat lunch and during the spring the area is decorated with beautiful and exotic flowers. It was cared for by a combination of the botany class and the caretakers. Right now it looked barren and desolate. They brought in the flowers that needed a lot of sun to the greenhouses. So now he stared out at a dying green space. A few students still sat out there, with faint light and cover from the rain.

  He sat down and Maddie came up behind him and gave him a kiss. She throw her stuff down beside him and sat down.

  “Some of the kids are getting depressed and anxious,” she told him.

  “You told me it’ll probably only get worse,” he responded as she started eating.

  “So what’s new, learn anything?”

  “Nothing I didn’t already know,” he answered.

  “Meatballs! Yum!” she said and stabbed her meatballs with her fork.

  Alessandro entered the cafeteria, for some reason he caught Peter’s eye, maybe his distressed mannerisms. He walked down the cafeteria steps looking a tad disheveled. He walked over to Peter and Maddie.

  “Have you seen Sophie?” he asked in his accented voice.

  “No, what’s wrong?” Maddie asked.

  “Mi familia, Italy, Europe, everything…” he said quickly.

  “What? Slow down!” Maddie told him.

  “Those creatures form the holes!” he said and looked around, “I have to go find Sophie.”

  He had totally forgotten about the holes. Apparently, they had sprung up everywhere, every continent, and almost in every country, but no one knew what they were. But mostly in hotspots, mainly in the southern hemisphere and Europe enjoying a hot spell. The East coast was also enjoying a early summer.

  “What creatures?” Maddie asked in her usual curious manner.

  Alessandro shrugged.

  “Demons! I don’t know. Maybe from hell!”

  Maddie smiled at him.

  “Europe’s been swarmed. There’s like nothing left…” he said, “They just came up like armies from hell and…”

  “You probably just heard a false report or a hoax,” Maddie suggested, she could see how broken he was, he wasn’t faking.

  A streak of fear shot through Peter and his stomach knotted in the old familiar way, this couldn’t be true, could it?

  “I mean underground creatures, or demons or what are they aliens?” she half heartedly joked.

  “I don’t have time for you or your stupid questions,” Alessandro said and turned around. He spotted Sophie walking into the cafeteria with Rachel and headed for her.

  “I wasn’t, I’m just saying let’s be realistic,” Maddie protested with a hint of a smile on her lips.

  “Okay, fine, but you’re mocking Alessandro for reporting something to you. Don’t you think that’s a little hypocritical?”

  Maddie gave Peter a dirty look, waved her head a little and then smiled a reluctant smile.

  “I suppose what you’re saying makes sense. But come on... really?”

  His cell phone started vibrating. He pulled it out and flipped it open. It was a message from his brother.

  CALL ME!

  He dialed his number.

  “Go check on your girlfriend,” Peter said.

  He looked at the growing circle around Alessandro and Sophie. Sophie didn’t look too pleased. He thought Alessandro wanted to leave.

  “Hi,” he said as his brother answered his cell.

  “Peter! Can you get to New York?” he asked him.

  “I suppose so, what’s going on James?” He asked him.

  Maddie walked over to him.

  “Who are you on the phone with?” She mouthed.

  James, He mouthed back.

  “Listen Peter, I’m not saying this to scare you, but if you don’t get here now you’re going to die!”

  “No, not scared at all,” he said and shook his head at Maddie, “I mean I was just told that giant monsters invaded Europe, but why be scared? What is going on? World War III?”

  “World War III would be preferable than to what’s happening at the moment.”

  “Sure. What’s going on in Europe?”

  He was silent.

  “How do you know about that? That’s classified.”

  “I have sources, besides we have a little thing called the Internet.”

  “I don’t have exact details, but as of this morning massive coordinated attacks have been carried out in Europe, Australia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East, parts of Asia and in parts of North America,” James explained.

  “So it’s true?” Peter’s stomach fell. He knew it was all going to change. Life would never be the same again after this call.

  “What’s going on?” Maddie asked growing impatient. He raised a finger.

  “You’ll be safer here; we have a place to go in case of these types of situations. I’m assembling the rest of the family.”

  “I can’t just leave!” Peter protested.

  “You can, and you better. It’s just a matter of time before Main Street America is attacked.”

  “What’s attacking us?” He asked again.

  James sighed.

  “Bugs! Giant… Praying mantises or something. Details are sketchy! Just get going before it’s too late!” he ordered.

  “I’ll… shit really?”

  “Really.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Don’t try, do and Peter?”

  “What?”

  “Don’t get yourself in too much trouble, it’s only an hour drive. I’ll debrief you when you get here, got it?”

  He nodded his head.

  “Okay, bye.”

  He hung up.

  “What’s going on Peter?”

  He looked down at his cell and then outside.

  “Maddie the one time I really needed you to be right. Bugs from below are invading the surface world.”

  “Really?” she replied.

  “Giant ones!” he continued.

  “It can’t be giant bugs,” Maddie said and turned to look at Alessandro and Sophie still arguing. “We should check on them.”

  “And why not?” He asked.

  “Bugs only grow according the oxygen in the atmosphere, we’ve been poisoning the atmosphere, not exactly ripe conditions for the growth of super bugs.”

  “Or maybe the perfect conditions. Didn’t you ever see Godzilla? Or better yet, if you’d like a biblical apocalyptical approach to this: God blew up a star to herald in the birth of holy flesh, I’m sure he can create giants bugs to show up mankind!”

  Maddie scratched her head, “I guess, but if that’s true, we’re in a lot of trouble.”

  Chapter 14

  Alessandro wanted to go to Italy, an idea Sophie was totally against. And although Peter didn’t like her or him, he did have to agree it was pretty impractical.

  “If there is something going on, going into the heart of the storm may not be the best idea,” he told Alessandro.

  “He’s right for once and I’m not going to Italy!” Sophie told Alessandro.

  Alessandro looked at her and smirked.

  “And who invited you? You can do whatever the hell you want,” he said rather roughly to her. One thing about Alessandr
o, he wasn’t much for manners.

  The gang was outside standing by Maddie’s Mercedes, Maddie offered Alessandro a ride to New York, since we were driving there anyhow.

  “If you don’t go with him, come with us. We’ll be safe,” Maddie told Sophie.

  “I can’t, my parents…”

  “We’ll call your parents. You can’t stay here, things are going to get bad!” Maddie pleaded.

  “Hey if she doesn’t want to come…” Peter interjected.

  “She wants to come!” Maddie yelled at Peter, “Right?” she asked turning back to Sophie.

  Sophie looked around, still on the fence. Maddie told her everything and when Maddie told you something you always believed it.

  “I don’t know. Riding in the car with these two for an hour...” she said looking at Peter and Alessandro.

  “If we’re going, we should go. I still have to stop for gas,” Peter told them.

  “She’s coming! I’m not leaving her here,” Maddie said. “We’ll be right back. Go say good-bye to everyone and we’ll pack.”

  They all looked at the school.

  “I’ll miss it though,” Maddie lamented.

  “Should we say too much?” Peter asked.

  “What’s the point? Is anyone going to believe us?”

  “Worse, what if they do?” Sophie said.

  “Alright, well to each their own. I’m not going to, but a warning to your besties isn’t too bad of an idea,” Maddie said.

  ***

  Soon they were on the road. They drove ten minutes, entered the outskirts of New Haven and stopped for gas. The gas station was the only thing around for miles and seemed so out of place during the middle of the night, but during the day it was jam packed.

  Alessandro went inside the store with Sophie, still arguing about Alessandro going to Italy. He offered to pay for gas and was even getting them some road snacks.

  Maddie stood beside Peter as he filled up the car. The warm wind ruffled his short hair and blew her hair gently into her face.

  “How is he planning to get to Europe exactly?” Maddie asked him. “I mean won’t everything be pretty much shut down. It’s already pretty tight.”

  That was true, although the world had not come to a complete standstill, security was still ramped up. Countries feared attacks from one another.

  “Apparently he’s got a plane waiting for him. His parents are some sort of bigwigs.”

  “Who’s aren’t around here?” she asked, “I’m just saying the practicalities of this seem stupid.”

  He shrugged.

  “Just repeating what I heard is all. His plan, not mine. He’s going to stop in Manchester and take another plane or a boat to mainland Europe.”

  “Hmm, doesn’t seem that smart.”

  “Sure it does, he should really take Sophie.”

  She smacked his arm.

  “Stop it! You don’t know what Sophie means to me.”

  “BFF’s forever!” He joked.

  “No, we’re BFF’s,” she corrected.

  “It’s his life, let him do what’s he’s gotta. I couldn’t stop you and you couldn’t stop me,” he told her.

  She touched his face and moved closer.

  “Oh, I could try.”

  “And maybe succeed,” he laughed and kissed her hand.

  “He’ll be going into a war zone. Thousands are probably dead.”

  He laughed.

  “Sweetie with an event this big, try millions.”

  “Well you seem pretty calm.”

  “I was training to a be a soldier, I’ve conditioned myself to hide fear as best as I can. Sometimes it’s easier than other times.”

  “So you’re scared?”

  “Terrified. We have no idea how encompassing this attack is. There could be no safe haven.”

  A chill ran over him as Peter said those words. He realized that here he was in a small town, far from any real danger. He wondered what was going on in all those other cities. And how close America was to being attacked. This was an unconventional war. Not like the old days, more like the war on terror. The lines weren’t drawn in the proverbial sand. Not like the good old days.

  But nothing bad ever happens in New Haven, Connecticut. He was grateful, because he had Maddie to protect now.

  “You’re so tough,” she said and started walking away.

  All around the gas station were large fields, which was where Maddie’s attention was turned.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’ll be right back,” she yelled over to him.

  There was a low rumbling at first. Just trucks or something Peter told himself. Suddenly the pavement started to crack all around him.

  “Maddie? Maddie!” He yelled.

  She turned and looked at him. The gas nozzle beeped at him and scared him.

  He put the hose back into the pump, really hoping there was some sort of automatic gas turn off in case of earthquake.

  Suddenly all the power went out. He reached into the car and turned on the lights.

  “I think something’s going on,” Maddie said quietly as she continued toward the field.

  He ran over to her.

  “Maddie hold on.”

  “Look!” She said pointing at the ground. “It’s caving in.”

  She was right, at first a small hole appeared in the field and it slowly grew bigger and bigger. Soon they stood on the precipice of an abyss.

  “Jesus Maddie, we should get going, this isn’t smart, this is the opposite of smart,” he said, fear creeping into his voice.

  Then the noises. A long howl, unlike anything anyone had ever heard. The hole continued expanding and the two of them continued backing up. Maddie tripped and screamed. He grabbed her.

  “Now can we go?” he asked, she nodded.

  “Thank you, I don’t need to see what’s going to come out of that.”

  They ran out of the field and unto the broken pavement. Sophie and Alessandro stood by the Mercedes.

  “What’s going on?” Sophie asked.

  “Get in the car!” Maddie yelled.

  Everyone scrambled to get in the car. The gas station wasn’t that overly busy in the first place, but cars started pulling in and out. They had the top down in the Mercedes and they could hear the far away battle cries and howls. They pulled out of the parking lot and started driving away from the source of the noise.

  “We should go back to the school,” Maddie suggested.

  “No, New York!” Alessandro urged.

  Peter stopped the car and looked over at the town with their pretty lights. It almost reminded him of Christmas. Then the entire city went dark.

  “How could they turn out the power?” Sophie asked.

  “It’s not like they’re in the best shape in the first place,” he said dryly.

  “I don’t think whoever’s out there knocked the power out, with the increased usage, I’m thinking it was just a matter of time. I think we did it, we have an outdated electrical grid. I’m willing to bet the entire east coast is without power now,” Maddie said.

  “Which leaves everyone as sitting ducks. I really doubt we’re the only city being attacked,” he added.

  “Attacked?” Sophie questioned.

  He shrugged and looked at Maddie.

  “Well… I don’t know, I’m just guessing. Uhm, okay, back to the school then?”

  “You guys told me…” Alessandro began.

  “Shut up, let us just re-group,” Peter said and pulled a u-turn.

  They raced down the street past the gas station. It looked suddenly very deserted. He drove towards the next set of lights. There was a traffic jam, a small one, but one nonetheless.

  “What’s going on?” Sophie asked.

  There was an accident. More and more cars came just adding to the chaos and piling up on it. This way was probably the most popular way to get out of New Haven, unless you wanted to go to New York, which was in the opposite direction. He looked in the re
ar view mirror and saw an incredible sight; it looked like a swarm of locusts flying straight for them.

  “Should we get out?” Sophie asked.

  Screaming answered her question and Peter unbuckled his seat belt and stood up.

  The creatures had landed in the crowd and were attacking people. They were almost as big as people and outnumbered them.

  “Shit!” Peter muttered and sat back down.

  He took off the emergency brake and slipped into reverse, he backed up and smacked into a car. He went to go forward when one of the creatures jumped in front of his car. He slammed on the brakes.

  It shielded its eyes. The gang could see the creature as clear as day. It looked dirty, maybe from digging. It looked like a giant praying mantis. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Its teeth were sharp and it looked like its forearms were made of razors. It had six legs. Four to walk on and two as forearms.

  “That thing is so ugly!” Sophie declared.

  He couldn’t argue with her. But he doubted it was created with aesthetics in mind. It was a killing machine. Pure and simple.

  A man ran in front of it and was knocked down by a pursuing creature. The man looked out at us as the creature spread its wings. The man stood up and the second creature struck out with its front two forearms, grasping him. It pulled him close and chomped down on his neck.

  Sophie and Maddie let out cries of shock. There was little they could do for him. The creature facing them slowly walked towards the car, it smacked the lights, but not breaking them.

  “Turn off the lights,” Alessandro urge as the creature jumped on the hood.

  The girls screamed again.

  It swayed, as it inched closer and closer to the windshield.

  Peter hit the gas, knocking the creature off balance; it lurched forward and planted its forearms through the windshield. One of the forearms cut Peter’s arm as it scraped past and the other one narrowly missed Maddie’s head. Peter slammed on the brakes, the exiting forearm sliced him again.

  “Damn it!” He yelled and grabbed his arm.

  “Let’s go!” Alessandro yelled.

  Peter hit the gas again, he ran over the stunned creature and tried to navigate the mess of cars, screaming people and attacking creatures.