The Menace

By Cyrina O.

     It was an unseasonably warm Indian Summer night, especially for the end of October in the Midwest. There were no stars twinkling in the sky, though, and the moon didn’t even have the faintest glow. The town was completely surrounded by darkness. It was like every warm-blooded creature was hiding, but from what?

    Actually, they were trying to conceal themselves from the great Menace that plagued their usually mediocre lives.

    The historic epidemic began on a pleasant afternoon a couple of days earlier with a young girl, little Theresa, who decided to walk home after school to take advantage of the beautiful weather. It was a tragically fatal mistake.

    The Menace landed on her right shoulder, taking only a slight nibble from her soft flesh. This caused the little girl to instinctively whirl around and slap what she assumed was an annoying classmate’s hand. However, she found herself waving at air – there was nothing there.

    Theresa hadn’t a clue then that this was the beginning of the Menace, or that she wouldn’t be long for this world.

    Merely a few hours later, she was feeling the torturous effects of the Menace’s venom. But once it started, the whole town knew, for she let out a blood-curdling scream that could be heard for at least two miles. The sharp pain that seared throughout every inch of her body struck abruptly as it slowly tore her down. Seven hours later, with constant moans coming deep from her soul, poor little Theresa was dead.

    The Menace annihilated 15 others over the course of a few day before the townspeople figured out what was going on, but by then it was too late. It was after a rich resident named Carmella went out for her daily minute of fresh air, when she received her lethal pinch. A few hours after that life-zapping bite, Carmella gave her last words: “It was the Menace…” But she was unable to finish the sentence before she drew her last breathe.

    Finally, when the town realized what she was speaking of, pure panic ensued. Person after person cowered inside, and even whole were locked out of safety, because no one dared to let the Menace in. They took no chance in doors or windows to be opened. Some even sealed every known crack and opening to the outside world in their homes.

    But every attempt was futile.

    The Menace’s finest hour was on Halloween, when it formed a massive swarm. This swarm ravaged everything in sight – buildings, people, pets – even roads were uplifted. Few of the living escaped with their lives. Nothing was safe.

    Once the clock struck midnight, it was suddenly all over, as quick as the ordeal had started. All those not yet dead unexpectedly healed in a flash, although their memories of the incident were wiped clean. Any and all evidence of the Menace was also gone, vanished into thin air. The town was left with few people remaining and much work to build it up from scratch.

    Now, you’re probably wondering how I know this story is true. One girl, who chooses to remain anonymous, managed to escape from the town early that fateful Halloween, before things got ominous. She’s tried for years to tell others this story, but no one would pay her any mind. I, however, happen to believe this girl, because she’s my mother.

    I still can’t believe this whole thing started from a single teeny mosquito. So watch out when it’s particularly warm around Halloween – this could happen again.