Infestation by Timothy J. Bradley

Author:Timothy J. Bradley
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2013-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Andy insisted on coming along with Gerry to see if the chemicals would really have any effect on the creatures. Gerry had finally agreed, inwardly glad of the company.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the temperatures in the school started to cool down. As they made their way over the ceiling panels, Gerry muttered, “It’s still got to be about eighty-five degrees in here.”

They stopped for a water break, and as they rested, sweating out the water almost as they were drinking it, Andy asked, “I don’t understand how insects can pick up a chemical trail like you’re saying. How does that work?”

“Humans do it all the time,” Gerry replied. “We respond to smells, which are just chemicals carried through the air. That’s how perfume works. Or why your mouth starts watering when you smell a burger.”

Andy felt his stomach rumble hungrily at the mention of a burger.

“Ants use chemical trails as a kind of map to find food. The first ant to find a food source leaves a trail back to the nest. That trail is then followed by lots of other ants, each leaving their own chemical trail to the food, reinforcing the original trail. Their antennae can pick up the chemical trail as well as vibrations. Some ants make a sound, or stridulation, using parts of their bodies as a way of signaling to other ants.

“One important use for a chemical signal is to sound an alarm if an intruder enters the nest, or ants from an invading colony attack. That’s what I think this chemical is.” Gerry held up a small beaker of clear liquid with a rubber stopper in it. “If I’m right, we should see a definite reaction from any surrounding creatures.”

“Do you think you know what these things are?” Andy asked.

Gerry said thoughtfully, “I’m not entirely sure yet, but from the autopsy, I’d say that whoever made these things started with ant DNA. Then they manipulated the heck out of it. Some of them must have escaped before the original owners of this building left and they’ve been living underground, feeding on the local desert wildlife until that earthquake or explosion we had. It probably damaged the nest and forced the things to go looking for a new home.”

“I guess they found it,” Andy said.

They finished their bottles of water and started moving again. Dust from the crawl space covered them, and Andy’s nose was running. He sneezed.

Gerry started lifting ceiling panels to find a corridor in heavy use by the creatures. He had to brush several black ants from the panels to avoid getting stung. They knew they were getting close to the big bugs when that weird buzzing noise they made grew louder.

The third corridor they checked was alive with a stream of the giant creatures moving swiftly up and down the hallway. They climbed over one another, touching antennae as they passed. The buzzing was deafening.

“Jackpot,” Gerry said to himself grimly. A shiver ran up his back. Despite

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