Monstrous by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Author:Thomas E. Sniegoski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse

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“Where did you park?” Mallory asked Nancy. She pushed the button on her key, and a large, bronze-colored vehicle beeped and flashed its lights.

“I didn’t drive today,” Nancy replied as if just realizing this bit of information. “I came in with a friend!” she added, her voice rising.

“Don’t worry,” Mallory said. “I’ll take you with me.”

“Get in,” she ordered.

Nancy raced for the passenger door as Mallory climbed into the driver’s seat, slamming the door closed. Quickly she looked around, checking all the mirrors for signs of anything coming after them.

“Do you think the others made it?” Nancy asked, reaching for her seat belt.

Mallory did the same, eyes going to the rearview for another look. “I don’t know. I certainly hope that—”

Something moved rapidly across the lot, disappearing from view as it neared the car. Quickly Mallory turned the key in the ignition, feeling a sudden, nearly overwhelming sense of panic.

Just as the SUV was struck from below.

Mallory and Nancy screamed in unison as something pounded the underside of the vehicle, making it rock from side to side.

“What is it?” Nancy cried, frantically looking out the windows.

“I don’t know!” Mallory shouted, slamming the car into drive and lurching forward, smashing into the Chrysler minivan parked in front of her. “Shit,” she hissed, putting the car in reverse and stomping on the gas again. The SUV lurched back, but then the tires began spinning as if stuck on ice.

“Why aren’t we moving?” Nancy cried, her voice rising with panic.

“I don’t know!” Mallory yelled again, that answer seeming to be perfect for everything that day. She stepped harder on the gas pedal but only succeeded in making the engine rev all the louder. She looked again into the rearview mirror and felt the grip of terror as she watched the floor of the parking garage move with insect life, a living wave flowing beneath the car.

Having lived through many New England winters, she found herself suddenly thinking of her brother Denny’s advice on how to get through snow.

You have to rock it.

And she did just that, putting the car in drive, surging forward into the van, before reversing and attempting to back up again. She was actually having some success. The car’s tires caught, and Mallory managed to drive about six feet away when they were once more struck from beneath. This time the blow was so powerful that it lifted the front of the car, and as it crashed back onto the floor, the air bags deployed, filling the interior of the vehicle with white powder.

Mallory was stunned, the taste of blood in her mouth.

“What?” she found herself saying aloud. She tried to focus and looked over to see Nancy leaning forward, her bleeding face pressed to the rubbery pillow as it slowly deflated.

“Hey,” Mallory said, reaching over and giving Nancy’s shoulder a shove.

The yellow jacket just appeared, sinking its stinger into the flesh below Mallory’s thumb.

She screamed, pulling her hand back as Nancy moaned. There were more yellow jackets inside the car, and she reached for the knob to close the air vents.

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