Invasive Species Part One Read Online Free Page B

little affect on Derek’s rampage. He pursued them into the corner of the room. He had to slap one that tried to run between his legs. The other two crashed into each other.
    “See, Bub. Nothing to be afraid of.”
    Bub came undone from its ball and pointed one of its clammy digits behind Derek. “They are carriers of DNA. You have generated a beast. A level six!”
    Derek’s eyebrow cocked as he checked over his shoulder. There was nothing except a shiny liquid splotch on the grounds and walls where the spheres had exploded. In a second, that changed. The liquid ignored the rules of gravity, each puddle spiraled into the air and met midway—a foot in front of Derek. The combination expanded like a balloon animal made by some invisible clown. A really sick and nasty clown who liked giant dog-man hybrids with fish fins and three pronged tentacle arms.
    The beast roared and thumped the ground with its tentacles. It was at least ten feet tall. Derek thought he might have time to look it over and spot a weakness like on the lanky stick monster. But a tentacle chucked him into a wall instead.
    He scrambled to his feet before the next attack. Managed to stop the second swing of at tentacle by catching it with both hands. He pushed it back. Trying to twist it as if it were an arm he could break. But it could turn as much as it wanted to and lured Derek in, and then pounded him with its other tentacle. Derek lost count. And consciousness.
    Then it stopped. It tossed Derek to the side in search of a better fight.
    Bub jumped out and focused its mind. The alien glared at the beast like something should be happening. The beast swatted the alien away. It was headed for Beth. She trembled behind the hairy man thighs suspended in the liquid tube. They didn’t shield her for long. The beast swung its tentacle, bursting the tube and its occupant.
    Beth retreated.
    But there was something Beth had always had within her personality. There was a boy named Michael Kelley who had been haunted by Beth’s fist since the third grade when he tried to kiss her. There was Nathan Merolla, a drunken college guy who still found himself oddly attracted to Beth even after she sent him to the emergency room.  There was also Jenny Cline. Beth still felt like giving her a good pounding. Figured the beast would have to do.
     
    Derek came to. The beast burst into purple morsels of gross. Beth Bailey stood ready for more. There was only a slight brim of sweat on her forehead as she soon experienced the warmth of the victory.
    “Told you she was better than you,” Bub said.
     
    Derek was about to contest Bub’s statement. But then he saw Melinda.
    Her eyes were red. “Say that again.”
    “Your mom is a terrible cook. I’d rather eat dog food, the mushy kind.”
    Derek knew this was true. It had come from his mind though he had known better than to say it. The imposter had plucked it as if it were the right thing to say.
    “Are you trying to be funny?” Melinda wasn’t sure.
    “Your mom is mean. She has big hips and three chins.”
    What the hell! Derek couldn’t believe the things coming out of his mouth. He would never say that to Melinda even if it were slightly true.
    “It’s a good thing you take after your dad.”
    “Wow, I didn’t know you wanted to get out of dinner with them that much. Maybe you should consider getting take-out tonight.”
    “Oh no, my dear Melinda, I think dinner would be most enjoyable. I think I could have a lot of fun there.”
    “Are you drunk?”
    Derek could feel the imposter forcing a smile, “A little. I’ll be sober soon. I should go to the bathroom and freshen up.”
    “Okay?” Melinda was confused. The imposter walked passed her and entered a small bathroom. It turned on the sink, rinsed its hands, wiped its face and then looked directly into the mirror. Derek could feel the piercing and plastic eyes glaring through the mirror right back at him.
    The imposter promised, “I can make it