They Came

by Gerry Tancreda

Doctor Richard Becken heard the phone ringing and prayed for good news.
How could this be happening in this day and age? He thought. Reaching the phone, he mustered up all of his courage and answered it. What he heard at the other end would change the lives of everyone in the entire world.

"Doctor," Simon screamed in his cell phone. "They are coming; I can see them, millions and millions of them!"

Dr. Richard Becken, a well-known scientist, commonly known as Dr. R, sat heavily in his chair. "Simon," he shouted into his phone, but the phone connection was lost. The world was waiting for him to come up with an answer to this insect invasion. Holding his head in his hands, he rocked back and forth in his chair. His loud booming voice echoed in the huge laboratory.

"What can I do?" He said repeatedly. "Nothing is working, nothing!"

***

Millions and millions of miles away, they were watching him.

"Mayto, can you see and hear him?"

"Oh yes, and it is wonderful Aro, he is upset and beaten. It won't be long now; the impregnation is happening so fast." Mayto and Aro clapped their webbed paws in glee.

***

Dr. R was sitting in a trance-like state when the phone rang again. With shaking hands, he answered it.

Simon spoke quickly, "We lost another three states, which makes seven in total. The President would like an update in three hours."

"Of course, Simon," the doctor said with more confidence than he felt, "come back to the lab and we can start compiling information."

Dr. R had begun to lean heavily on his assistant, Simon, since this tragedy began.

"Well doc, that is a problem, the insects are covering my entire building. We can't even see outside the windows."

Taking a deep breath and trying not to sound panicked, Dr. R replied,
"Simon, make sure everyone is wearing their masks."

"They are, doctor, but many are starting to panic, and I am afraid they are going to try and exit the building. Hold on a minute." After just a few seconds, he heard the coughing and screaming of hundreds of people being attacked.

"Doc," Simon yelled in the phone, "the bugs are coming in though the vents. Now that I have a closer look, they look like large fleas."

"Simon, we sprayed every insecticide known to man, plus others that were just invented. A flea or any other insect would die instantly. It has too be more than just an insect!"

Whispering, Simon replied, "I have to go.” “They are now swarming inside and the masks are not helping."

"Simon, Simon," he shouted, but Simon was gone. Hitting his fist against a wall Dr.R began to cry for all those that he had failed.

***

Melody Johnson and her boyfriend, Steve, were huddled in their favorite spot, the cellar of Steve's house. As they were hugging and kissing, Steve began to swat at a bug flying around his ear.

“Damn flies,” Steve, said, as he went to the shelf to get some bug spray.

Has he began to spray hundreds of fleas emerged from behind the shelving. Immediately, he was covered with them. As he began to scream, they entered his mouth. He fell heavily onto the cold, cement, cellar floor.

Melody hiding behind an old water heater watched in horror as Steve died. Muffling screams, she saw Steve’s stomach begin to swell. As she hid her eyes from the gruesome sight, she felt something crawling up her leg. In sheer panic, she jumped up and began swatting at her leg. A huge spider fell to the floor. Relieved, she sat down again to hide. Within seconds, she was covered with fleas. The insects were hiding underneath the water heater. Invading her mouth and going directly down to her stomach, they laid their eggs. As she lay dying, she saw her stomach begin to grow.

Within minutes, the tapeworms emerged from both bodies. They slithered up the stairs to the first floor. Seeing Steve’s parents dozing on the sofa, they slowly crawled into their mouths. Eating every human organ as they traveled down to the stomach of each victim.
Suddenly, the bodies of Steve's parents became alive again. The worms had taken over their bodies and assumed their identities.

Rising from the floor, the replicas of Steve's parents went about their daily duties.

The replica process went on through out the United States. Within days, the replica creatures began doing business as usual. Every dead human body was absorbed and became a living replica.

***

Still watching, Mayto was clapping at the significant progress that was being made. Aro, always the worrying kind, interrupted Mayto,

"How are we going to deal with this human."

"Well Aro, I have been thinking about that, the best bet is to use the weakness of the human brain".

Aro scratched his beard and looked confused.

Mayto, clearly annoyed, said slowly, "Aro...you better clear that antenna of yours, we have been watching the humans for a thousand years. Clearly, we know some of their weaknesses".

Aro, nodding his head yes, left Mayto to make his plans.

Mayto sat in the control ship and began thinking of Dr. R and the President of the U.S. Tapping his long brown webbed paw against the control panel of the ship, he spoke aloud.

"So," he said to no one. "Doctor R is the key to infecting the President.” Mayto began swirling in his chair as he continued. “There are two reasons I don’t want to replicate him. The first is, the President might pick up that something is wrong and the second, and the most important … I want his body.”


"Damn!" Mayto yelled as he pounded his web fist on the wall, I really thought that we had a full proof system. It took centuries to find the method to turn our people into worm-like creatures, and have our super insects infect the human body with worm eggs. I still shiver at the genius of this method to invade the earth. Hopping off his control seat, he roamed the ship's cabin.” One mistake was made,” he yelled, as he kicked the wall. Body temperature, not one of us thought that the humans are warm and we are cold. Holding his head in his webbed paws he continued, “Damn ...We have it all, the brains and the bodies of the humans, but not the body temperature.”

Mayto stopped and laughed. "I got it" he said, “What a simple solution. I think the humans call it amnesia.” I will contact the replica called Simon and give him my instructions."

***

The annoying ringing of the alarm clock jarred Dr. R from a fitful sleep. Reaching over to the nightstand, he turned the alarm off. As he lay in bed, he began to remember the terrible dream he had. He turned slowly to face his wife, and moved closer to feel her body. As he reached for her hand, he moved quickly away. Her hand was ice cold.

Feeling her husband's movement, Sidney turned to face him. "Well, good morning, husband and how are you this fine morning."

"Sidney," Doctor R said, as he felt her forehead, "I think you are sick. You are ice-cold. It feels like you have no … body temperature."

Sidney yawned and smiled. "Richard, my love, you are just paranoid that I am getting sick. I feel fine. Come closer, and let me feel your forehead. Placing her hand flat against his forehead, she cleared his memory.

“Yes!”” Just as I thought, you have a high fever. I told you over and over to cut back your hours at the laboratory."

"Well," ... Richard mumbled," I do have a bit of a headache."

"Then that settles it, today you take a day off and just stay in bed. Wife's orders."

As Sidney got out of bed, Richard was amazed at her beauty. Sidney noticed her husband looking at her and laughing said,

“No bedroom fun now, maybe later. I will get you an aspirin."

"Sidney, wait I want to tell you about this horrible dream I had."

As his wife sat on the side of the bed and looked into Richard's eyes, his mind went blank.

"So ... Tell me about the dream, the short version please, I want to get you that aspirin."

Richard tried to remember but could not. "Guess what?” “I can't remember it."

"Age, my husband, age, you are getting old. Laughing, Sidney left the room to make coffee and get the medication."

As soon as she left, the phone rang; answering it, Richard heard Simon's voice.

"Well doc, you sound happy this morning."

Smiling, Richard said, "Hello Simon, how are you today, buddy?"

"I'm good, just tired, I called to remind you of the appointment with the President in an hour."

"What," yelled Richard, as he jumped off the bed. “I didn't know about any appointment."

"Calm down. Richard, you just forgot an appointment, big deal."

"You know I never forget anything, Simon!"

"Well, today, you did, now get dressed and I will pick you an in about forty minutes. Goodbye, see you then."

As Richard hung up, he began to worry what was happening to him, he never forgot anything. "Oh well," he said aloud, "perhaps I am getting old."

After dressing and taking the medication that his wife insisted on, Richard started to feel more like himself.

Right on time, Simon drove up in his brand new black Lincoln.

After entering the car and looking around at the leather upholstery and state - of- the art sound system. Richard made a loud whistle sound and jokingly said,

"Simon, I pay you too much!" I can't even afford a car like this."

"Richard, let's just say they were almost giving them away at the dealership." Laughing, Simon kept his eyes on the road and kept driving.

As they entered the White house, Richard noticed that Simon was holding a small-unwrapped brown box.

"Simon, are you bringing the President a present?"

"Richard, don't you remember telling me to bring the President's favorite cigars?"

Rubbing his chin and looking into the distance, Richard replied, "No I don't,
and I don't remember what this meeting is about."

Just as he said that, the President entered the room.

“Richard, I am so glad to be out of that bunker and seeing you!” “Does this mean all is well?”

As if on cue Simon opened, the box and thousands of fleas attacked the President and his bodyguards.

Running, choking and swinging their arms the President and his group fell to the floor. As they fought for breath, the fleas entered their mouths and invaded every part of their bodies.

Richard was stunned and could not cry out. He had been surrounded by a wall of fleas. Every time he tried to move, they smothered his face but did not enter his body.

Slowly, a tape-like worm emerged through the mouth of each victim. As the worm left the body it came from, the body seemed to cave in as if it were empty inside.

After slithering around and stretching, the worms re-entered the bodies.
First, the replica President stood up and then each of the others. They all shook hands and laughed.

The President's aide walked over to Richard, put his arm through the wall of fleas, and touched each side of Richards head. As he did this, Richards’s memory left and so did the fleas.

“Mr. President, so happy to see you, Richard said smiling.”

“I wanted to meet with you today, Richard, to congratulate you for all the hard

work you have done for this country. “

“Smiling, Richard said It has been my honor to serve you.”

“Thank you again, Richard. “ Well, I must cut this short. I have another meeting.”

After his brief meeting with the President, Richard returned home to find his wife reading the newspaper in the kitchen.

"Honey, I am so glad you are home early. I have a lovely idea."

"Okay wife out with it," laughed Richard," how much is it going to cost."

"Not a dime, my dear," Sidney walked closer to Richard and looked into his eyes. "I want to make love."

Taking a deep breath and looking deep into his wife's eyes, Richard smiled.
Sidney laughed and said, "Let's go to the bedroom."

Caving in to his wife's demands, he followed her to the bedroom and undressed.
Walking over to the side of the bed and looking down at Richard, Sidney laid on top of him fully dressed.

Without warning, Sidney shed her replica body and began slithering up and down Richards' body. Slowly at first then faster.

Kicking and screaming, Richard tried to push this thing called Sidney off him.

He was too weak to fight her off. Sidney entered his screaming mouth, and twisted and turned inside his body. Each of her movements felt like an axe cutting open his insides.
He continued trying to scream, but she immediately bit into in vocal cords to stop him.

As she was ready to bite into his heart, Sidney thought, What a great meal you are.

***

Mayto, waiting in the control room began to get impatient.

He looked through the portal to earth and he could see that Sidney was just about finished.

Finally, he thought. She is mine, not his, and I am not used to waiting for her.
Hearing her calling him, his nerves settled down.

When Mayto reached earth, he was amazed at the beauty of the land. The portal did not give a good view of the planet.

Slithering up to Sidney their bodies intertwined. Mayto felt comforted for the first time, in a long time.

Moving on into the bedroom, Mayto entered the body of Richard, and Sidney entered her body.

Smiling she grabbed her lovers hand and said," Mayto, I think it is a good idea if I begin to call you Richard."

Looking back at her he smiled, and nodded.

"Richard, how shall we continue with our invasion?" Sidney asked with anticipation.

"Well, next week there is a meeting of the foreign country leaders, we will start there and continue slowly. All of our people will be here very soon."

As Sidney hugged Richard, she whispered in his ear, "Let's go to the oval office and see our son."