The Brain Invaders

Chapter 21

The sea slug wriggled up my right leg. It was slimy and cold. I wish I hadn’t worn shorts. My heart beat so fast that it physically hurt.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump!

Be calm. Stay calm. Think of something nice, I told myself. I pictured my favorite place – the beach. I felt scratchy sand sift between my toes. I heard thundering waves pound the beach. I saw tiny diamonds sparkle in the hot sand. I felt cool water rush over me as I rode a wave. Then I saw sea slugs in the ocean, thousands of them, swimming toward me, all trying to get inside of me. I was no longer calm. My body twitched slightly. Did the sea slug feel it?

It crawled up my arm and stopped. Did it suspect I wasn’t asleep? What did it want? Was it going to stay on my arm? Was it staring at me?

The leader continued to call numbers. I waited and waited for the slug to move. But it didn’t.

Finally, it slipped off my arm. I heard it flop on the floor. It was gone, for now.

“G-550,” the leader called.

It was Cassie’s mom’s turn. The table shook slightly. I heard her push out her chair and fall to the floor. 

Don’t look, Cassie, I thought. Don’t open your eyes.

The leader continued calling numbers. I wondered if the sea slug that lived inside of Cassie’s mom was going to crawl up Cassie’s leg. I cracked my right eye. .

It was! That gross slug was crawling up Cassie just like the one that had lived inside of my mom had crawled up me.

I hoped Cassie would remain calm. And still. There was nothing I could do for her. There was no way I could help her. She was on her own.

Suddenly, there was silence. The leader had stopped calling numbers. All of the sea slugs must be out of the humans, I thought. I felt a mist.  I was sure it was coming from the sprinkler system.

I waited a few minutes. I wondered if the sea slug was still crawling on Cassie. I opened my eyes. Cassie’s head was lying on the table, her left cheek up. The sea slug was coiled on her head, a part of it covering her cheek and eye. I was sure Cassie was going insane. It was time for war, and I was ready.