Another of the short stories we'll be including in the upcoming book, "Off the Rails and Other Tales" is "Night Crawl". It's a short about 3 young people, in their early to mid 20s, trying to find a safe place to wait out a disaster that has befallen Earth. The world has suddenly become overrun with gigantic carnivorous insects. Walt, Rachael and Harry have reasoned that moving North, toward a colder climate, might be safer than staying down South in Florida, since the bugs seem to shy away from freezing climates. During their journey they become separated and in this segment Harry is trying to make it to the safety of a cabin before nightfall. The bugs are photophobic and mostly swarm at night.
From "Night Crawl":
It was just about dusk when Harry reached the cabin. He looked up at the darkening sky and realized that with all the tree cover the cabin was in that it had been out of the bright sunlight for quite awhile. The ground would already be starting to cool, signaling to the creatures that night was falling. Harry looked up and saw the small wooden cabin on top of the hill. There was an old pickup truck parked on flat tires next to it. He wondered if it still ran. Maybe he could make it back in time after all. If he could get air into those tires and get that old heap started…
Suddenly, the leaves that covered the ground a few yards away from him rustled. Instinctively Harry reached for the shotgun that usually resided over his shoulder. It was no longer there. He watched the pile of leaves intently and they rustled again. Then a bulge grew beneath the dirt to the left of them. For a moment the ground all around him seemed to writhe. He looked to the cabin, took a deep breath and charged for the front door.
As if thrown by a catapult a large black beetle leapt from beneath the leaves. Harry could feel dirt hitting his face and the back of his neck. He would have sworn the beast let out a war cry and he didn’t dare look back as he heard its six sharp feet pound into the dirt behind him. Harry jumped up the stairs to the front porch of the cabin and prayed that the door wasn’t locked. He turned the knob as his momentum pushed the door open. And then, in an instant he slammed the wooden door closed behind himself and thrust the full weight of his body against it. His 215 pound frame shook as the beetle struck the door a moment later. The door shook a couple of more times as the creature threw its body against it and then gave up. Harry reached into a corner and picked up the one-by-four that Walt’s Dad had used as a lock and slid it into the slats to bar the door.
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Obviously on the budgets we usually work with this story would be ambitious to say the least, but a slightly larger independent company could really do great things with it. We keep the main characters limited, the locations fairly simple and the potential for big scenes is there.
As a reader there a few very suspenful sequences to read and one or two I don't suggest reading just before sitting down to eat.
Keep checking back for updates. And please, spread the word(s).
From "Night Crawl":
It was just about dusk when Harry reached the cabin. He looked up at the darkening sky and realized that with all the tree cover the cabin was in that it had been out of the bright sunlight for quite awhile. The ground would already be starting to cool, signaling to the creatures that night was falling. Harry looked up and saw the small wooden cabin on top of the hill. There was an old pickup truck parked on flat tires next to it. He wondered if it still ran. Maybe he could make it back in time after all. If he could get air into those tires and get that old heap started…
Suddenly, the leaves that covered the ground a few yards away from him rustled. Instinctively Harry reached for the shotgun that usually resided over his shoulder. It was no longer there. He watched the pile of leaves intently and they rustled again. Then a bulge grew beneath the dirt to the left of them. For a moment the ground all around him seemed to writhe. He looked to the cabin, took a deep breath and charged for the front door.
As if thrown by a catapult a large black beetle leapt from beneath the leaves. Harry could feel dirt hitting his face and the back of his neck. He would have sworn the beast let out a war cry and he didn’t dare look back as he heard its six sharp feet pound into the dirt behind him. Harry jumped up the stairs to the front porch of the cabin and prayed that the door wasn’t locked. He turned the knob as his momentum pushed the door open. And then, in an instant he slammed the wooden door closed behind himself and thrust the full weight of his body against it. His 215 pound frame shook as the beetle struck the door a moment later. The door shook a couple of more times as the creature threw its body against it and then gave up. Harry reached into a corner and picked up the one-by-four that Walt’s Dad had used as a lock and slid it into the slats to bar the door.
+++
Obviously on the budgets we usually work with this story would be ambitious to say the least, but a slightly larger independent company could really do great things with it. We keep the main characters limited, the locations fairly simple and the potential for big scenes is there.
As a reader there a few very suspenful sequences to read and one or two I don't suggest reading just before sitting down to eat.
Keep checking back for updates. And please, spread the word(s).
Sort of frightening. I hate bugs even of normal size.
ReplyDeleteJust "sort of"? I guess we chose the wrong portion to tease with. The story is really a mix of suspense and action.
ReplyDeleteLoved it. Can't wait for updates. Would make a great movie.
ReplyDeletewell actually very frightening, but I tend to keep my eyes shut where bugs are concerned. Of course I cannot keep then shut while reading, but I do block images therefore sort of frightening.
ReplyDeleteBugs freak me out! Can't wait to check out more. I like the way you write. I think this book of short stories will be fun!
ReplyDelete