Cobwebs

3

Suddenly, the insects from the basement burst out of the windows. It prompted Riley and Raven to hide in a tree nook.

"What is happening?" Raven shivered. "One minute it was peaceful, and the next all these... what are these?"

Riley managed a shrug. "Like hell I'd know every insect buzzing about. I'm no entomologist."

A hornet among the swirling swarm somehow noticed them. She approached the spider and the moth, and landed on a tiny branch close to them.

"What's going on?!" Riley demanded. "Why is everybug so riled up?"

The hornet hummed gently. "What are we, but pests in the eyes of humanity? A spider, for being an eight-legged predator, fears for its looks. A moth, for letting her children feast upon their reservoirs of food, that they use as protection and style. And I, a hornet, for building my home in their abandoned walls, and fiercely protecting it.

"We are done being trifled and stomped over. Done being disregarded and killed out in unjust acts of pure genocide. Done with being spat in the face by humanity." She continued. "The time for our revenge has come. The ParaSisters and their Sons are leading the attack. Choose to side with us and we will emerge victorious above humanity, in our rightful places."

Holy shit. This was a full-scale uprising.

Raven timidly scooted further into the tree nook. "What happens if we don't side with you..?"

"Then we won't do anything to you." The hornet deadpanned. She seemed to glare at the two. "Unless you somehow side with humanity. Then it's personal."

"That's good to know." Riley noted to herself. "Other than the uprising, is there anything else important we should know about?"

The hornet seemed to nod. "Quite so. Do not harm the ParaSisters or their Sons. Those are the black wasps and the humans that appear insectile, however subtle or great their modifications are."

"Wait what?!"

Without warning, the ground shook as something large bursted out of the side of the house. Glass, wood and debris scattered everywhere. It scared off the swarm.

What emerged from the rubble could only be described as... inhuman. It looked like the girl Riley and Raven had seen earlier. Except now the girl was much larger, and half praying mantis.

Her scythe-like hands reached upwards and the wings on her elongated back spread out magnificently. She let out a roar that silenced everything.

After a few moments, the hornet was gone and the swarm dispersed. The ParaSon screeched again and jumped into the air. The sounds her wings made as she flew away reminded them of a helicopter.

And then Riley and Raven heard screaming. Horrible screaming. The sounds of pain and agony.

It made them even more paranoid. They covered the entrance of the nook with a tiny leaf in an attempt to block out the screams.

It helped, but barely.