Hidden Myth

"Oomph!" Grunting, I slam into the back of my couch, barely dodging the fireball. It explodes behind me, sending a wash of painful heat over me.

Wasting no time, I get back to my feet just in time to jump over my couch. The second gout of flame powers into the couch, shoving it back and taking me with it.

What is this thing? A humanoid creature made out of red ants and spewing fire? Ugh, might as well call the thing a fire ant. . . . I know, a bad pun, but the heat is on with this one.

"Hold still, and your death will be quick," the things gravelly voice sounds, just as the fire alarm goes off.

"Sure," I say, trying to milk the sarcasm. Peeking around the edge of the couch, I see the fire ant slowly stepping around the furniture to get a clear shot at me. "Giving up has always been my style anyway."

Looking behind it, I see the door to my apartment up in flames. Well, at least now I know where that first attack hit.

The thing's mandibles open wide, and I super-speed to my last hope of escape: my back window, over twenty stories up.

Crash!

The window shatters as I dash through it, and I find myself once again falling from a deadly height. Panic grips my heart, and for a second I freeze before remembering to grow my wings.

Too late I feel the drain on my system as pain in my shoulder blades shatters my consciousness, and I black out.

* * *

I'm not sure if it's the impact that wakes me, or if . . . naw, it's definitely the impact. My body aches as I lift my head, and see a flickering shadow lean out of a broken window. I watch in horror as the thing shakes, scattering itself and sending ants flying in all directions.

Somehow my apartment building starts moving away from me. In confusion I watch as the wall slides past me, and then of all the absurdities, the large building actually turns.

Now wait a minute. . . . Rolling over, I find myself nestled into a decent sized dent in the top of the Orange Bubble.

"How the. . . ." I trail off as my car comes to a stop, and the driver's side opens up. It takes me a moment to coordinate rolling off of the vehicle, as my wings get in the way. They must have slowed my descent enough to land almost safely. I have to tuck them in tightly to my body as I slip into the driver's seat.

To my surprise, the car doesn't immediately get moving. I don't know how long before the fire ant coalesces and comes after me, but it shouldn't take long before it's on my trail again. Then I realize my vehicle is waiting for me. It strikes me as odd that sometimes it will act on its own and other times, wait for me to do something.

Where can I go, though? The sun is just setting on the horizon, and I don't know where Becky or Lisa work; but even though Lisa is a martial artist, I don't want to get either woman involved in this.

My mind goes to Jennifer Lansbury and how sad she's going to be that I'm going to end up standing her up. I'd call her, but I lost the paper with her name and address on it, and I'm not sure if my phone survived the fall.

Without warning, my car pulls back out into traffic, and I turn to see the fire ant forming back up as it comes out of my flaming apartment building. Thankfully it's not spewing fire into traffic as it begins chasing me. Also thankfully, with all the rubberneckers passing my burning building, the monster gets slowed down. Somehow the Orange Bubble is able to find an opening, and soon the beast is far behind me.

But where am I going? The last thought I'd had was. . . .

"No," I say, realizing what my VW Beatle had picked up on. "I can't involve her either! Guard Lansbury isn't going to be able to help. Find Angela or Brooke! One of them will know what to do." If my car takes my advice, it doesn't show. I try to take control of the wheel, but it won't budge, and the pedals do nothing.

Finally I give up, and just watch the scenery zoom by. It takes a force of tremendous will to remove my wings, without blacking out.

I'm surprised when my car pulls up outside of a grocery store.

"What are we doing here?" I ask, but my question is answered as Jennifer walks out, pushing a cart full of food. "No, I won't involve her," I declare, but the Orange Bubble betrays me by honking twice.

"Mr. Snow?" Even through the closed door, I can clearly hear her.

Sighing, I open my door and step out. "I hope that's for dinner," I say nodding to the food in her cart, "because I'm famished." I don't want her involved, and try not to let on how hard my heart is still beating in my chest. Supernatural monsters trying to kill me is NOT a good way to end the day.

She just stares at me, shock painted plainly across her face. "What are you doing here? How did you find me here?" she manages to get out after a couple of uncomfortable seconds. "I was certain you wouldn't show up, but how did you know I was here? And what happened to your car?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" I ask, trying to act cool and nonchalant. "The Orange Bubble is really smarter than I am, and brought me here." My car actually revs up a bit as I say that. Just how smart is my vehicle?

She pushes her cart closer to me, a scowl marring her face. "Are you making fun of me, Mr. Snow?"

"No!" I promise. "Please, call me Lyden." She's now facing me directly, angrily meeting my eyes.

"Didn't you have a good enough laugh at me at work? Did you really have to stalk me and tease me some more?" I can smell a bit of liqueur on her breath.

What the heck? I thought she'd wanted to meet me after reading my email.

"Dang it, Jennifer, I told you that wasn't my intent, and I'm not here to make fun of you now. I—"

"Oh my god, why are your clothes burned?" she asks suddenly, cutting me short. She grips my shoulders, flipping me around, and as I look down I realize that my pant legs have been charred. I guess that thing had come closer to cooking me than I thought.

"Yeah, see, I was at this BBQ, and this guy showed up thinking I was the main course—"

"You even have ants on you," she says, and I feel a chill enter my bones.

"A-a-ants?" I stammer, and turn to look. I find one immediately. It's crawling across my shoulder.

"And what did you do to your shirt? You have two large holes in the back. Lyden, you weren't at one of those S&M bars were you? I know how kinky some men get." While I'm happy to hear her getting back to her normal self, the fact that I'm finding ants on me is enough to set my teeth chattering. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Or do you want me to do something with it?"

I'm looking around furiously, trying to watch all directions at once. The monster has to be close. What's that shadow over by that truck? Is that a chittering sound I hear by that car? I can barely hear anything over the sound of my own heart thumping painfully in my chest.

"Jennifer," I say, trying to keep my voice calm, but knowing that my fear is bleeding into my tone, "Whatever you do, don't turn around."

I can see the thing clearly now, stepping under a street lamp, and walking calmly towards us.

"What do you mean, don't turn around? Hey, who is that?" Of course she doesn't listen. Why should anyone listen to perfectly good advice?

Well, if my advice is going to be ignored, I might as well dispense some more. "Don't worry about that. Just get in my car, and let's go."