The Cracks in the Labyrinth

Chapter 14 (Part 3)

First, it was one. Then, two, and three. He then closed his eyes not to see them anymore.

It was a rain of millipedes, falling from the bleachers above him.

Horrified, Adam gave out a shriek and backed away against the wall, crawling to a corner that reeked of beer and piss. The world grew blurrier, and the sounds faded. This is hell, he thought. Drenched in a cold sweat, he wanted to find something to cover himself with, not only to get warm but to prevent those things from touching his skin.

When he felt the grip of someone trying to pull him out of there, his legs reacted on its own. Arching his back, almost as if his whole body was convulsing, he kicked out at the reaching hands.

"Don't touch me."

"Adam!"

They called his name. Who was it? The radio announcer again? The drunk baseball fan? Instead of these, he tortured his mind with other uncertainties, more important questions of what lay in store for them: What will the invaders do to Bianca and Dario?

"It's me," said a woman's voice.

I have to protect my brother and sister. He threw a wild right that missed the mark, but his sudden leg movement caused his attacker to lose her balance and fall hard on the ground.

"You killed B!" he shouted.

"What the hell, dude!"

For a moment, there was utter silence.

"Lili?" He took another look at her. "No. You are not her."

Every word that came out of his mouth was a struggle.

"Why are you speaking like that? Are you drunk?"

"It is you," he recognized her once she squatted beside him.

"Who else?"

He expected that beautiful face he'd fantasized for so long to come into focus as she drew nearer, but instead, he found deep darkness in her eyes that frightened him.

"Get away from me!" he pushed her, or at least tried to; his strength was failing him.

"Oh God," she whispered. "You are not drunk. Somebody help!"

A National Guardsman appeared within a few seconds, looking flustered.

The fear that choked Adam after meeting Lili's gaze was nothing compared to the terror that overpowered him when he saw a humanoid creature using the soldier's skin as a disguise.

He isn't human. He can't be!

Why did nobody realize this? It was obvious! This abomination was wearing a person's body as a suit, and it didn't fit him well. He hadn't a chin, but insect mandibles clenched together to appear like a jaw, and instead of cheekbones, he had a pair of antennae hiding under his mask of flesh.

"He's one of them!"

"Sir, calm down."

"Mr. Comedian, stop fighting. We want to help," she tried to steady his head between her hands. "Jesus! You're burning up."

"I'm sorry," he said, glad that Evi had come back to him after all this time. At least he'd ask for her forgiveness before dying. "I failed you and B."

The soldier radioed for medical assistance as curious baseball fans gathered around them. None of these people were human anymore. He could see it now. The millipedes had broken through their skulls from the inside out, wriggling like a worm emerging from the ground. The faces of those surrounding him were dripping with blood, and their eyeballs were black and lifeless.

Adam covered his own eyes, trying to shield himself from this hellish vision.

"What is happening to him?" Lili asked.

"Beats me," the man replied. "Drugs?"

"He was fine a moment ago." She gasped. "Fuck! His ankle."

"What's wrong with his leg?" said the National Guardsman.

More time must have passed than he'd realized with each blink Adam took. When he focused on his surroundings again, he noticed he wasn't under the stadium bleachers anymore. First-aid volunteers wearing puffy green and blue jackets were moving him on a stretcher.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Sir, you had an allergic reaction."

"What?"

"Did something bite you? An insect?"

"A millipede," he replied.

The first-aiders exchanged glances. The flashing light of the parked ambulance made everything go red every few seconds.

"Should this be happening?"

"We have to sedate him."

"No!" Adam pleaded. "I have to stay awake."

"We need to—"

"Where's Lili?"

"Here," she appeared on his left side.

"What is this place?"

"The stadium parking lot."

He lifted his head and stared at the back of the floodlights illuminating the baseball field. The roaring of the fans erupted a second later.

"Sir, please, stop moving," said the closest volunteer as he produced a syringe.

"Stay away! All of you!"

"Honey, listen. You are on fire. They need to inject you. It's for your own good."

"You are crazy if you think I'm letting them touch me," he paused. "Crazy... or one of them."

The male first-aider grabbed his arm as did the soldier.

"You will die if we—"

"I don't care," Adam shouted, struggling to free himself.

Two more people came to grab hold of him.

"Get the fuck off me!" He cried. "Evi, please. Don't want to lose my mind. I want to be me."

The needle pierced his skin, and it all went silent before a black numbness engulfed him.

To be continued...