Daniel Cranston was the oddball of the neighborhood—the one that never ventured too far from his house or stopped for a chat. His sightings were on the verge of a rarity, and the only time people were ever really reminded of his existence was when he would be outside tending to his lawn. The few who did know him would say he was unhealthily fixated with that perfect plot of grass, and that if his behavior were ever properly diagnosed, it would read as borderline obsessive compulsive.
Other than the town grocer, Daniel often took to the local hardware store to rummage through the gardening center. It had been his fifth trip this week, but today was different. Today he would purchase a new product—“Bug-B-Gone.” The new formula had just been released and he was more than eager to try it out.
“You’ve bought enough of this stuff to wipe out all the bugs in town,” the clerk chuckled nervously as he looked at Dan with a slight hint of concern on his face.
“It’s okay,” replied Daniel flatly. “It’s not like the bugs matter anyway.”
The idea of a bug free lawn had Daniel smiling from ear to ear as he practically jumped out of his car upon entering the driveway. He immediately went to the yard and started spraying like a madman—his eyes and smile growing wider as he saw the insects turn over on their backs. Passers-by were fearful as they witnessed Daniel’s maniacal behavior and kept their distance, watching from across the street, behind closed windows. Dan would sleep well tonight.
After hours of thoroughly inspecting his lawn, Daniel retired to bed feeling accomplished—but his thoughts were quickly interrupted by a small chirp, similar to that of a cricket. His eyes opened wide as he traced the sound back to his bedroom window. It was there that he noticed a small beetle-like object clinging to the outside of the pane. Daniel was furious, immediately running to the garage to get his beloved Bug-B-Gone. But as he walked downstairs, he heard the familiar sound once again, only this time much louder, as if it were right behind the front door. He slowly pressed his ear against the cold oak and was instantly bombarded with the loud and unrelenting chirping. Panicked, he quickly ran to his bedroom and stayed there, frantically covering his ears from the unbearable cacophony of insects.
Daniel sat there until dawn, half awake with hands firmly pressed against his ears. It wasn’t until the light from outside hit him that he realized the noise had stopped. Still in his pyjamas, Daniel quickly made his way to the car and drove himself straight to the hardware store where he picked up every brand of bug spray available. The cashier made a quick remark, but Daniel paid no attention. Instead, he threw his credit card on the counter and hurriedly wheeled his shopping cart out the door. All he could think about was getting home and trying out the deadly cocktail of new poisons.
He then began spraying, covering his entire lawn in a thick cloud of fumes. The vapours were hard to endure, as the neighborhood children coughed and gagged upon passing by, but Daniel was not phased by the insufferable toxins, and continued to spray until he was sure nothing could possibly survive.
That night Daniel went to bed with a satisfied grin on his face. But as he began to drift off, he was awoken by a strange, sweet-smelling substance in the air. Daniel followed the scent to the window, and sitting there, clinging to the inside of the pane, was the same beetle-like object from the night before. Daniel raised his hand in anger to squash the mysterious pest when suddenly, the honeyed fragrance grew stronger, causing Daniel to become lightheaded and dizzy.
Daniel stumbled around before falling hard on his bedroom floor. And right before blacking out, watched as thousands of insects emerged from the vents, all spraying that same strange, sweet-smelling substance.
—
Credits to: Roader (terror-tortellini.tumblr.com)
Other than the town grocer, Daniel often took to the local hardware store to rummage through the gardening center. It had been his fifth trip this week, but today was different. Today he would purchase a new product—“Bug-B-Gone.” The new formula had just been released and he was more than eager to try it out.
“You’ve bought enough of this stuff to wipe out all the bugs in town,” the clerk chuckled nervously as he looked at Dan with a slight hint of concern on his face.
“It’s okay,” replied Daniel flatly. “It’s not like the bugs matter anyway.”
The idea of a bug free lawn had Daniel smiling from ear to ear as he practically jumped out of his car upon entering the driveway. He immediately went to the yard and started spraying like a madman—his eyes and smile growing wider as he saw the insects turn over on their backs. Passers-by were fearful as they witnessed Daniel’s maniacal behavior and kept their distance, watching from across the street, behind closed windows. Dan would sleep well tonight.
After hours of thoroughly inspecting his lawn, Daniel retired to bed feeling accomplished—but his thoughts were quickly interrupted by a small chirp, similar to that of a cricket. His eyes opened wide as he traced the sound back to his bedroom window. It was there that he noticed a small beetle-like object clinging to the outside of the pane. Daniel was furious, immediately running to the garage to get his beloved Bug-B-Gone. But as he walked downstairs, he heard the familiar sound once again, only this time much louder, as if it were right behind the front door. He slowly pressed his ear against the cold oak and was instantly bombarded with the loud and unrelenting chirping. Panicked, he quickly ran to his bedroom and stayed there, frantically covering his ears from the unbearable cacophony of insects.
Daniel sat there until dawn, half awake with hands firmly pressed against his ears. It wasn’t until the light from outside hit him that he realized the noise had stopped. Still in his pyjamas, Daniel quickly made his way to the car and drove himself straight to the hardware store where he picked up every brand of bug spray available. The cashier made a quick remark, but Daniel paid no attention. Instead, he threw his credit card on the counter and hurriedly wheeled his shopping cart out the door. All he could think about was getting home and trying out the deadly cocktail of new poisons.
He then began spraying, covering his entire lawn in a thick cloud of fumes. The vapours were hard to endure, as the neighborhood children coughed and gagged upon passing by, but Daniel was not phased by the insufferable toxins, and continued to spray until he was sure nothing could possibly survive.
That night Daniel went to bed with a satisfied grin on his face. But as he began to drift off, he was awoken by a strange, sweet-smelling substance in the air. Daniel followed the scent to the window, and sitting there, clinging to the inside of the pane, was the same beetle-like object from the night before. Daniel raised his hand in anger to squash the mysterious pest when suddenly, the honeyed fragrance grew stronger, causing Daniel to become lightheaded and dizzy.
Daniel stumbled around before falling hard on his bedroom floor. And right before blacking out, watched as thousands of insects emerged from the vents, all spraying that same strange, sweet-smelling substance.
—
Credits to: Roader (terror-tortellini.tumblr.com)
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