Stingers Part Two

Back at his computer he sat looking for his chewed pencil that somehow calms his nerves. Got a test in the morning that he forgot to study for? Just chew on a pencil and everything will be okay. It was a bad habit that left many chewed pencils in his wake.

“Now I don’t know if this is the correct way to handle this but I’m going to go for it anyway.” He said while his hands typed away on the keyboard. The middle finger on his right hand was deformed from a bicycle accident he had when he was a kid. Going around a corner from a small alley he had learned not to sip on that soda pop can while he steers. Doing so had left him in the hospital after he crashed into an oncoming car. Sure it could have been a lot worse but he was lucky; lucky that it was only his hand that got injured. It had healed and never really bothered him when he was typing but he seemed to struggle with other things. Things that anyone with a normal finger wouldn’t have trouble with.

An instant messenger box popped up on his computer screen. A message from Nighthumper questioned whether or not he had completed his assignment. It was getting late and he was expected for supper which was going to be pasta and chicken. His mother always made the best pasta and his stomach growled as he thought about it. On the computer screen the small messenger box awaited his reply. Nighthumper was his dad and he had created the user name during his college days. So far he hasn’t changed it, and every time Noah see’s the name appear on his screen he couldn’t help but hope that his dad did change it. He could just imagine the embarrassment of sitting in class and having this user name pop up asking if he had taken the garbage out or some other pointless question. All it would take is just one glance from his friends and he would be the laughing stock for the rest of the day, or week. Sure he could tell them that it was his old man behind the perverted name but they would still come up with many insults just for a laugh.

“Dad why don’t you change that damn name.” He asked the silent apartment air around him. He typed a message back.

Typing… “I’m almost done and I’ll be home soon.”

BUZZ…

Another buzz came from the room down the steps. Leaning to the left he peaked around the corner. He wondered if it was the same hornet he had just sucked up into the vacuum not too long ago but most likely not. The shop-vacuum was known to miss a few big pieces of dirt here and there but when it came to killing a pesky insect it had never failed.

BUZZ, BUZZ…

“What the hell…” he said as he heard another buzz coming from another insect. In the room beyond the kitchen there seemed to be more than one bug. Maybe the friends of the hornet he had killed earlier.

“I’m not even going to bother with that,” he said. There wasn’t much time left before he had to leave and he needed to get his work done. Going into class the next day tired and paperless wasn’t going to look good on him. And so he ignored the buzz and continued with his typing.

“The first time they created this mass was…”

BUZZ, BUZZ-BUZZING BUZZ…

“Can’t a guy get any work done?” He asked, and then. “If they want to join their friend then so be it. I’ll kill them just the same.”

He stood out of his chair not noticing the broken chewed pencil on the ground. He had stepped on it while he was entranced with his typing giving off a loud crack breaking the tip. That didn’t bother him but those pesky hornets sure were.

A stroll through his kitchen once again brought him to the small stairs leading to the front room. He smelled the stench of stink bugs but took no care to them as they were always quiet. They could fly around this room all day if they wanted just as long as they continued being quiet. Sure they stank but at least they weren’t two huge pulsating hornets…

“Why are they bulging like that?” He asked as he saw the two hornets flying around. The abdomen of both of them were moving in and out. Sort of like when a person breaths in and then out, but he shouldn’t be able to see these hornets breathing. “I wonder what Sanders would say about this?” The question floated around in his mind a few seconds and then flushed down an imaginary toilet when he saw that both of the hornets were coming his way.

“Woah no doh.” He said not sounding like a true computer professional. He dove back onto the steps and ran into the kitchen. Those hornets looked a little angry and he wasn’t going to risk getting a sting from one of those. The way they are pulsating might be an indication that the sting would be extra painful. He saw the two hornets turn and fly back away from the steps.

“Just man up Noah and suck those two bastards up.” His shop-vacuum sat there next to the small steps ready to deliver insect murder. He listened for the buzzing, and heard it on the other side of the room which was far away from the small steps.

“Okay I got this, there is no way I’m going to let two bees ruin my night,” but they weren’t bees they were hornets. Pulsating hornets ready to drive their massive stingers inside of Noah’s flesh.

One foot down onto the first step, and a slow breath in. The buzzing had stopped and all was very quiet. Another foot down onto the next step and another breath in. Still no buzzing but he thought he heard one of them giggle… hornets don’t giggle.

A sweat bead flows down his forehead and he takes the last step now standing in the room. His leg rubbing up against the shop-vacuum behind him made him feel safe. Ahead of him was the room which seemed to be void of the hornets. They must have landed somewhere over there on the other side hiding. Somewhere in a small nook or cranny plotting what they were going to do to Noah for sucking up their friend. For a split second he thought about apologizing to the pulsating insects, but then decided not to. Why should he say he’s sorry to a couple of bugs? That would be stupid and not something that would come out of a genius such as himself. His dad Nighthumper wouldn’t take too kindly to his son apologizing. Information Technology professionals do not do that. They are above such things and would never lower themselves to such weakness, or at least that would be how his dad thinks.

“Are you two ready to join your friend in the darkness?” He said. His right hand grasped the long vacuum hose while his other hand ready to flip the switch to the on position. He wasn’t going to be afraid of these two little insects. There was no way he was going to let them intimidate him to where he doesn’t get any more work done tonight.

“I’m sorry…” he said to the two hornets. “I’m sorry I didn’t turn my shop-vacuum on a lot sooner. You two bees are not going to ruin my night. I’m going to finish my work, and you two are going to take a ride into the darkness.” At that moment the two hornets came alive as they exited a small hole in the corner. They were still pulsating and they seemed to stop in mid-air staring at Noah. He noticed a large vein on the side of one of them. A large pulsating vein…

“To the death my friends, or should I say my enemies.” His deformed middle finger pressed down on the power button turning the shop-vacuum on. It roared to life as Noah stood there staring at the two flying warriors ready to do battle. It was time, and Noah lunged forward toward his destination.