its just a horsefly: chapter 4

Viviann looked out at the bloody street's shock coursing through her body.

What happened? Why was there so much blood? Vivian looked at John, a solemn look on her face.

"Something terrible happened here, John." John sighed sadly packing the sleeping bags into the car.

"Yes, something terrible. it’s over now though." He said smiling, Vivian nodded a part of her wanted to ask what happened. The other part wanted to leave as fast as possible in fear someone would blame her for the calamity somehow.

"could you put the fire out dear?" John asked as he attempted to force the car trunk shut. Vivian nodded, grabbing a small water bottle from her bag. She dumped it on the fire, allowing the embers to turn black as they hissed dramatically. Vivian felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see a cheery old man, his slightly turtle-like face smiling at her.

"Excuse me, mam, do you know what happened here? I have memory problems, and I can't for the life of me find my grandson." Vivian looked at the old man empathetically.

"I'm afraid I don't know either, my husband said it’s over though." The old man tilted his head pointing to himself.

"Am I your husband?" Vivian thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"I don't think so? I think he's younger." The old man sighed sadly looking towards the car.

"I was afraid of that, it seems we're both lost in our fantastical stupor. Tell me, why a mantis?" Vivian looked at the old man confused.

"What do you mean?" Vivian asked the old man lifted his finger as he drew lines in the air.

"Well it could have been anything, a grasshopper, a spider, a centipede.... maybe not a centipede, those guys give me the shivers." Vivian looked at the man a little more confused.

"I don't think I understand." The old man chuckled.

"don't play dumb now, I understand. My grandson, he's one too... perhaps it’s best I haven't run into him, it'd hurt too much." Vivian felt an odd sadness coming over her at the old man's words. The old man looked at her surprised.

"you really don't remember, do you?" Vivian looked at the man confused. The man smiled, pressing something in her hands.

"Well I hope you remember soon." The old man hobbled away as Vivian looked at him. Thousands of horseflies surrounded the old man, erasing him from existence. Vivian felt a jagged hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see her husband’s disaturated eyes looking at her.

"Who were you talking to?" Vivian looked back at where the man was.

"I don't know," she said, John helped her into the car Vivian sat in the seat silently unfolding the paper. Buzzing filled her ears as she read the note. Vivian quickly tore the note up before the memory came back to her. John sat himself in the front seat shutting the door.

"Alright, we're all ready to go." Lux and Bee nodded, smiling Vivian looked at her husband.

"John? Did I forget something? about you?" John looked at Vivian, his eyes darting back and forth as he fiddled with the car keys.

"I don't think so, at least nothing important." Vivian nodded, noticing a small tint of green on John's cheek.

"You're probably right," Vivian told herself, ignoring the odd skin coloration. John pulled out of the parking lot. Vivian looked up at the sky, the hole in the sky seemed to have gotten bigger. John checked the radio clock; 11:30, Vivian peered out the window at the remaining survivors, some of them went back to their everyday life, some screamed at the sky to take them to heaven. Yet others made their way into the underground bus area. Vivian looked at John anxiously. A horse fly sat inside the car's rearview mirror trying desperately to get out.

"John, are we almost there?" John nodded calmly as the group passed the Boise city library.

"yes, honey." Vivian looked at the melted remains of the cars, an unexplainable fear in her heart.

"I don't know about this, I think we should find sheal-'' A loud banging came from behind the car Vivian and the other lurched forward from the car's momentum. Vivian looked out the window, a thin centipede-like figure crawled on top of the car staring at Vivian best it could.

"T-t-t-t-t-r-r-r-r-a-a-a-a-a-t-t-t-t-t-o-o-o-o-o-o-r-r-r-r-r-r" The creature growled, it lifted the front of its body swinging into the side window, cracking the glass. A look of panic came over John's face as he stepped on the gas. the creature swung side to side hooking its feet into the top of the car. Bee screamed as the feet grew long and sharp trying to puncture the car's contents. Lux grabbed Bee crawling into the car's trunk desperate to avoid becoming shish kabobs. The creature swung into the window again preparing to break through the glass.

"GET DOWN!" John screamed, Vivian slid into the bottom of the car. the centipede's pincers launched forward. Vivian screamed horrified.

"JOHN!!!" The creature wailed in pain as Vivian heard a loud crunching sound. an odd black liquid leaked down the car seat as the centipede's original confident screeches turned to a sound of pure unfathomable terror and pain.

A loud SNAP rang through the air as the creature swung away from the window desperately. Vivian peered over to the seat next to her. The mantis-like creature sat, the black liquid covering its body. Vivian screamed tears running down her face. The thing's eyes darted back and forth in a panic.

"Honey, honey, it's okay, it's me." Vivian looked at the mantis taking deep breaths, the hallucinations were getting worse. Vivian cried as she looked at her husband.

"John, John you're a mantis again, and the, the- the- that wasn't real, right John, tell me that wasn't real." John looked at the window, his tiny pupils searching for any other bugs as he contemplated his answer.

"I, I can't, it's over now though, stay down, just to be safe." John turned his skinny neck looking towards the back.

"Is everyone okay?" Bee looked at John screaming as panic filled the air.

"What's going on up there?" Vivian said focusing on her breathing.

"it's alright, they’re just having a bit of a panic attack... I'm going to check outside, make sure they’re all gone." Vivian watched as a horsefly landed on the car's gear shift.

"No, John, they'll kill you! they'll massacre you! Please Just stay here!" It was too late though as Vivian heard the car door close. Bee's crying echoed from the back seat.

"Are you two okay?" Vivian asked, trying to calm down. Lux's voice chimed in from the other side.

"we're fine, honey, it's okay." Bee's whimpers came through their quivering voice sending chills down Vivian's spine.

"h-he's a monster! he's a monster! He killed it! He killed it just like he's going to kill us!" more house flies littered the car mirrors, cracking the reflections inside. Vivian reached up shutting the car mirror. something grasped around her arm the sharp pain of needles shooting through it as the thing tried to yank Vivian through the broken window. Vivian screamed as she yanked her arm down a long thin antenna pulled against her its grip tightening.

Vivian tried to breathe looking at the broken glass of the window. She moved her arm back and forth forcing the antenna into the sharp broken glass as she desperately tried to saw the attacker's antenna off. The attacker screams an inhuman noise as the pain shot through it. Vivian felt something else yank her up and down before the creature finally let go a loud squishing noise was heard coupled with more pained screeches. the front car door opened.

John sat himself back in the car seat, the mantis hallucination once again subsiding as he leaned into the seat, the black covering his Hawaii shirt. Vivian peeked out from the seat making sure there were no other unwanted guests in the proximity before sitting back in her chair. She looked at John, her body shaking as she tried to calm down. John started the car unable to say anything at the moment as his own fear began to show. The car drove faster, breaking the normal speed limit as it hurried to the closest form of shelter. Vivian looked out the window as a third horror had begun to attack the town, the large centipedes crawled around, picking off anyone the things from before had missed. stabbing into them and dragging them into the river nearby.

Wait, third? That's right, there was a hole, in the sky, it was destroying the world around them. Vivian breathed in desperately trying to keep herself calm. The horseflies surrounded the car trying to pry open the car's door as they drove. The driver grasped Vivian's arm in an attempt to comfort her.

"Are you seeing things again? Honey, it's-"

"Ripping open the door! It's GOING TO EAT US! JUST LIKE BUSTER, JUST LIKE JIM! JUST LIKE EVERYONE AROUND US! DON'T YOU GET IT? THEY'RE GOING TO KILL US!!!" Vivian grabbed the wheel from the strange man swerving in an attempt to shake the flies from the door. The man reluctantly pushed Vivian from the wheel.

"Honey, calm down, remember, it's not real, it's not there,"

"it's not real, it's not there, it's not real, it's not there, it's not real, it's not there, it's not real, it's not there, it's not real, it's not there, it's not real, it's not there, it's not real, it's not there, it's not real, it's not there," Vivian repeated the words over and over as she focused on a nearby gas station. The gas station rose from the ground, a small drive-in area appearing below it. people began running towards the area desperate to escape their fates. Vivian pulled on the stranger's arm.

"Is that real?" Vivian asked unsure, The man stared in awe at the small hidden area as a smile made its way to his face.

"Damn right it is!" The man turned the car making a B-line to the hidden bunker. The bunker door shut as the group made their way inside. the few people from outside stared at the car as Vivian and the others exited it. Amongst the crowd stood a man with a shotgun, three children clutched onto him looking her in the eyes. The stranger began to step out of the car after her. The youngest of the children screamed as her father pointed the gun at the man.

"GET AWAY FROM IT!" The man screamed as the stranger's eyes stared at him begging to be left alone. Vivian quickly moved in front of the gun.

"What are you doing? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" The father looked at Vivian confused.

"Lady move!" He grunted more forcefully. Vivian looked towards the man trying to keep her composure.

"I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"John, dear," John muttered as he kept his hands above his head. Vivian glared at the father.

"John, is a lovely man! I don't remember much but I know I wouldn't be here if he didn't save me!" The father looked between Vivian and John keeping his gun pointed at John's head.

"you don't get it, lady, that thing, it’s-" Vivian held her stance as she stared down the man.

"You're going to have to shoot me too." She said the father paused looking at his youngest who was now in tears. He sighed as he lowered his gun. He looked John up and down.

"one wrong move monster, that's all I need." John sighed as he went over to Vivian, a panicked look on his face.

"Honey, are you alright?" Vivian looked at John confused.

"I should be asking you that? Are you married?" John nodded his head with a small smile on his face. Vivian looked down defeated.

"Oh, well I'm sure she's a wonderful lady." John laughed

"Well, considering she just saved me from being gunned down, I'd say so." A content look of realization covered Vivian's face. As she held the man. the father glared at John grasping the smallest of his children. The little girl's original fear seemed to change to awe as she looked at John.

"BaH!" the toddler screamed as she pointed at John. The older of the kids put a hand on the toddler's shoulder shushing her.

"Vivi, don't be rude!" the older girl whispered, John looked at Vivi smiling. The father pointed to a group of beds far away from the rest of the group.

"That's where he'll be sleeping, I keep watch ALL NIGHT so if you so much as move an inch from there..." Vivian looked at the man confused by his odd behavior. John nodded as he stumbled over to the area the man was pointing at. Bee peered around the wide space under the gas station.

Has this always been here?" They asked looking at the boxes upon boxes of fresh food rations. The man nodded, picking up the toddler.

"Yes, I built it myself, I'd say it took about 50 years to figure it out. definitely worth it, considering the hell outside." Bee nodded before fully processing the man's words as they looked at him confused.

"really? you don't look a day over 30." The man sighed, rolling his eyes as he turned away from the person.

"Imagine that." He said unamused, Vivian peered at the wall behind the man a picture of a boy with bits of milkshake on his face was pinned to the wall along with a long-faced boy with big eyes. The man looked at the photo for a moment before turning to Vivian.

"I hope you realize what you just did lady, because if not you're in for a very unpleasant surprise." Vivian looked at John who sat alone on the bed. She gave the man a deadpan look before charging to where John sat nuzzling up to her husband.

"Well, he must be fun at a party." she said as they watched the man guide the other people to where they were supposed to sleep. John sighed looking at his hands. He opened his mouth before quickly closing it, hesitating as he finally began to speak.

"honey, I think, I need to tell you something. about the day we met." Vivian looked at John who looked back at her before averting his gaze.

"Never mind." Vivian cocked her head.

"What? what is it?" John shook his head, his eyes briefly meeting the small girl's. Vivian accepted the silence, taking out her notebook as a new thought entered her mind.

"How did you kill it? that thing, on the car?" John's face went pale as his eyes darted across the room.

"scissors." he said

"scissor?" Vivian repeated confused, John nodded.

"There were scissors in the glove box. You didn't see it but I just took those and chopped." Vivian's confusion increased.

"And what about the stabby thing?" John nodded his eyes, still looking away from his wife.

"I, I dodged it, and it got stuck in the windshield." Vivian thought to herself trying to determine if a windshield would have been strong enough. John touched her hand gently interrupting her train of thought.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, any of that. I didn't know what else to do." Vivian scoffed

"oh, you were just defending yourself, no harm in that. I probably would have died otherwise." Lux came to join the group carrying some of the snacks left over from their night in the parking lot. Bee hesitated towards the group, their eyes meeting John. John sighed,

"Bee can I talk with you somewhere private." Bee shook their head, distancing themselves from John. Vivian looked at Bee confused they didn't seem to be scared of John before, it was that man, it must have been. All this "monster" talk must have scared the daylights out of her. John looked at Vivian.

"Honey, could you go grab the sleeping bags? they should be in the trunk." Vivian nodded rushing over to the car trunk, she looked back at her husband. why? Why did such awful things have to happen to such a kind man? The father wandered over to Vivian helping her pop open the car trunk.

"Thank you," She said as she shuffled through the piles of things. The father looked at the car's contents confused.

"You all seem awfully prepared." Vivian smiled meekly nodding as she tried to remember why she was underground.

"John got everything together, if that man knows how to do anything, it's prepare for a disaster." The man looked at Vivian baffled before turning back to John.

"you mean, IT did that?" Vivian nodded slightly annoyed.

"He's a HE, not an IT, and of course he did! He's always kept me safe, even if it leads to him getting hurt." Vivian slammed the car angrily. The man sighed as he walked after her, the three children in tow. The toddler pointed to John as she began waddling towards where the group set up camp.

"BeH-BaH." She blubbered, her father picked her up looking at his two other children. He handed the little girl to the second oldest boy who Vivian estimated to be about 8 years old. Before muttering something to him. he nodded looking at Vivian before he walked away. The father opened his mouth ready to say something else. Vivian walked away hoping to avoid the whole conversation. the man yelled at her from a distance.

"Make sure you have a flashlight on you! it can get dark down here!" Vivian rolled her eyes as she found her way back to the others. Bee sat by their significant other they seemed a little calmer than before. The rest of the night was spent figuring out a game plan for getting home. Vivian felt slight doubt enter her heart.

John was a good man, but everything that happened today made her realize there's a lot she didn't know about her own husband. There was a lot John hadn't told her. Vivian stared at the page that was ripped out of her notebook. A part of her knew, she knew what it said. she saw it herself but maybe it was a lie? or a joke? yes, it was just a joke, John would never do something like that, not HER John.

John held Vivian close to him; his skin was cold, probably from the rain. His pupils were as small as a grain of rice, probably from the shock of the world around them. His hands were bumpy and sharp, From driving their car? No, it wasn't a good reason but it was the only reason Vivian wanted to think about. John looked at her smiling, Vivian smiled back at him. She didn't know anything, what she did know though, was John was good. John, was safe.