The Creature


"I've got it," I trap the monster fly in an empty can and slam the opening on the ground.

"We should investigate this," Terra says pulling out her scalpel. 

"Let it go," Ben urges her.

We've been trying to catch one of these beasts for days. They're small but their poison drives people mad. They wander off to caves to be eaten by much larger creatures. We aren't sure how but we believe they're working in a symbiotic relationship or perhaps even part of the same organism. We've been trapped on this island and slowly these monsters have been picking us off. Survival depends on figuring out how to stop them. If we can start with one of the flies, that'll be enough.

"Terra, perhaps we can talk behind that tree," Ben walks away and Terra follows.

I don't know what his problem is with me, but it doesn't matter as long as we get home. I hope they're quick with their discussion as the fly is starting to become aggressive and even stronger it seems. I can feel it smashing against the side of the can with more and more energy each time. I hear Terra scream and want to follow but can't release this fly. Our future might be dependent on it.
"Let it go," Ben says to me face now melting off in a gooey grey paste. Slowly creeping towards me, becoming more monsterish by the moment. Watching Ben means I stopped paying attention to the can. The fly had begun to eat through it and had now grown enough to bite down on one of my fingers. Ben's now mostly slime body slowly began to join the fly. It grew larger repeatedly until it had my entire hand its' mouth. I attempted to bang my hand on the ground as what remained of Ben watched.

"Don't fight it, you'll be a wonderful addition to the coalition," emotionless words spoken from a husk of a man.

"Get the fuck off me," I keep yelling.

It doesn't help. The monster devours my hand I feel every tooth shredding flesh further and further up my arm. The gunshots do nothing to stop it. Two of my coworkers have already been devoured. Why is this thing still hungry? I pound at the beat's head and still it does not give in. I scream out in pain no longer having the energy to fight back.

I shoot up in bed startled by the sound of screaming. A few seconds pass before I realize that I'm the one screaming. I wipe my head and shiver as the cold sweat leaves my face. This is the third time I've had this nightmare. I've never woken myself up screaming before. They say nightmares are how guilt manifests when we've done something wrong. I'm not sure of what I've done, but it has to be horrible for this to be my punishment.

https://12amfiction.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2a842c03cba8936f49449c4d4&id=7ba7106ed7