The runaway barely had time to scramble to her feet. Felicia was shocked and terrified at the sight but Agnes did her best to keep her cool. She wasn’t as grossed out or afraid of insects as she used to be. But she had to admit that this time things were getting out of hand. With so many of these bugs crawling around, she doubted that even her pheromones were going to be able to keep all of them in line.

She noted when they crept closer, the shuddered and seemed confused. But the looming shadow of Arthur from the other room seemed to get them through the confusion. Agnes could only shake her head, mortified by what was going on. They weren’t living creatures anymore, they were more like robots just carrying out orders.

Teeth ground, knuckles tight, Agnes locked eyes with the man as he came into view. Looking at him closely, she finally began to realize that indeed he was the same man. She recognized that look of arrogance and hatred in his eyes. Exactly the same as before. Though his body definitely looked far more worse for the wear.

Arthur’s lip twitched as he stood in the doorway, leaning on his can. Around his feet, insects stood like the lines of a miniature army, all ready to go on the attack.

A familiar buzzing in her chest and Agnes could feel her herself ready for the coming fight…

“You,” was all Agnes said as she growled at the man. “How did you…?”

“Survive?” Arthur finished, breathing heavily and struggling to stay situated on his cane. “You’d be surprised, sweetheart.” The contempt stuck his words like venom. The man didn’t want to talk to the likes of her. He was only interested in one thing. “You’re going to pay for what you did to me,” he hissed. “You turned me into…this!” he snapped and motioned towards himself.

Agnes shook her head. “Mister, I didn’t do that to you. You did it to yourself.”

The words were obviously not what the man wanted to her. The young runaway could practically hear the man grinding his teeth into dust. He was mad, absolutely over the top mad in relation to what he perceived she had done to him. And having the blame put squarely upon himself only seemed to make him even angrier. There was no doubt in Agnes mind that this was not going to descend into a fight for her life.

A blood vessel nearly popping in the man’s head, Arthur screamed out in bloody rage as she slammed his cane against the ground! Spittle hanging from the corner of his mouth, he turned his murderous gaze onto Agnes and growled.

“**** YOU!! I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL YOU MYSELF!!”

But he wasn’t the one to take the first step. It was the blanket of creepy, skittering insects that began the charge. Agnes gulped and began to back away.

“AGNES!!” Felicia screamed.

The runaway paused, hoping, praying that her pheromones were going to be enough to stop the mindless insects from attacking. But even as they got within inches of her, she quickly realized that it was not going to be an option. They were still coming and they were coming on strong. Panic settled in as she realized she probably was not going to be able to protected this time. She had to run. Not only for herself, but for her friend as well.

“Come on!” Agnes yelled as she jumped over a thick line of ants and dashed to Felicia’s side.

Felicia quickly took the cue and dashed after Agnes as they bolted into another room.

Arthur, not to be so easily stopped, snarled as she slammed his cane into more display cases and shuffled off after the pair of women. As more insects spilled onto the ground, they quickly came to attention and joined the ranks of his miniature army.

Agnes, meanwhile, was focusing on how to get not only herself out of this, but getting Felicia to safety as well. She was kicking herself for bring Felicia here. She never had good luck with bug shows or museums. They always seemed to descend into some kind of madness and life threatening situation! Why couldn’t she just have a normal life?

Screams echoed out behind her and she knew that she was running out of options. She couldn’t just let Felicia go one way, while she went another. Arthur was seeing only red and was going to take down everyone that he came across. No, they had to keep running, at least until Agnes could figure out what to do!

So from room to room the pair dashed. They hid when they could, but the issuing screams from other museum goers was so disturbing that they were quick to move again. Felicia was getting tired, Agnes was panicking for a way out, and Arthur was not giving up. It truly was a terrifying time. Agnes could feel her heart close to thumping out of her chest. But she couldn’t give up. Not yet. Not now.

“I…I…I can’t,” Agnes breathed heavily as she leaned back against a wall. Both herself and Felicia had just burst in through the doors of another room, which looked like a children’s area and found that they were lacking anymore doors to leave from. Too tired to back out now, both merely leaned against the wall to attempt to figure out their next move.

Felicia nodded in agreement. She too was exhausted and leaned down, trying to catch any semblance of her breath.

Agnes shook her head, obviously feeling so bad for having done this to her friend. “I’m…sorry,” she gasped. “I…I didn’t know…”

“You…couldn’t know,” the other woman responded. “But what we need to do…is figure a way out of this.”

Agnes nodded. She would attempt to make this up to her later but Felicia was right, they needed a way out. Her eyes glancing over the room, she saw nothing that could help them. More displays, coloring books crayons, nothing that looked the least bit usable. She shook her head and was about to say so when her eyes fell upon a heavy look butterfly net that was situation in the corner. Quickly she dashed to it and snagged it up. It had some weight to it so the object was obviously solid. And, considering that Arthur was really in no shape to be fighting, they had to have the advantage. A small plan forming, Agnes plucked up the item and held it out for Felicia.

“What? We’re going to catch butterflies?”

“No,” Agnes whispered harshly. “You stay as still as possible directly next to the door. I’ll stand here, in the open. When he comes in, he’ll see me and only me. When you see that, hit him! And hit him hard.” Boldly Agnes stepped towards the door.

“Wait! What’re you doing?! I’m not letting you risk yourself more!”

“I have to! Felicia, there’s no other way. He wants me. We’ll see how much he can handle of that.” Eyes narrowed, Agnes shoved open the door and stepped out into the hall, leaving Felicia to curse, growl, but remain hidden next to the door.

The first instinct that told her things were going wrong was the sharp pain she felt in her arm when she stepped into the hall. It was so sudden that it caught her off guard and made her wonder if her body was just spasming drastically. But once she recognized the hiss of anger that followed it, she knew that wasn’t it. Grabbing her arm, she recoiled backward just as another swipe was made into the empty air. That cane. That old man’s cane!!

“You little monster!!” Arthur wheezed. “Hold still!!”

He lashed out but thankfully only struck the side wall. Agnes squeaked and ducked underneath it as she made her way towards the door she had just come from.

“I’m not a monster! You are! You did all this to yourself and now you’re taking it all out—OWW!!!”

She screamed as she felt the cane strike her knee. Agnes gasped and began to limp away from the insane man. Her slowed speed made it that much easier for all the insects to creep closer enough to start crawling on her. Bugs of all kinds nipping, biting, or baring fangs or stinger towards the young woman. Agnes did her best to struggle back in through the door. If she could just keep his attention long enough, Felicia could strike.

WHACK!!!

“ARRGH!!” Agnes cried as she stumbled through the doors and reentered the children’s room. She vaguely caught Felicia’s shadow lifting the net. Agnes turned to get the man’s full attention. “ow….You! T-That all you got?!” she cried, limping back further and tried to sweep off the insects that clung onto her arm.

She squeaked and flailed at the insects, trying to keep her bearings as she watched the man storm into the room. Arthur was tired, growling, and out for blood.

“How dare you mock me!” he cried. “I won’t allow it! Not again! Never again!! ATTACK!!!” he screamed at his army of insects. “Kill her n—“ WHACK!!!![/b] “ARRGH!!!”

Felicia struck hard and she struck true. The butterfly net came down, hard, it’s wooden handle striking Arthur on his shoulder, next to his spine. Arthur screeched in pain, being unprepared for the weapon, and stumbled off to the side. But even as he did, it was evident that his insects were still going off their last command…attack.

“No! NO! NO! NO!!!” Agnes shouted as she had stumbled backward onto her butt and started to clamor backwards.

The insects were still coming after her. A blanket of ants, roaches, beetles, wasps, flies, mosquitos, all of them were out for her blood and none of them looked like they were going to stop; especially the leaders…the two centipedes she saw earlier. The latched onto her shoes and began to skitter up, crawling over her pant legs and creepy even so much closer to the runaway. In a panic she attempted to flail but she was still far too tired and in pain to do so for long.

It was futile anyway. The centipedes clung onto her tightly, see only her only as a target. In fear for her life, for fear of turning out like Arthur, Agnes screamed and closed her eyes tightly. She didn’t want to die like this. She couldn’t.

Instantly it was that rush of adrenaline that seemed to stir the young woman’s body to defend itself. She felt a strange sensation course throughout her body and suddenly she was turning to look at her arms and legs. At first she was in a panic at how many insects were on her but the strange sensation grew. And, as if on autopilot, she lifted her arms. Her rolled up sleeves show the creases that she woke up with on her forearms, were now (as disgusting as it sounds) opening just a tiny bit. But Agnes had no time to feel revulsion. She could only stare in horror as the two centipedes, one crawling on each arm, began to pinch and twine their way upward. Before long, she felt them crawl within her arms. The same sensation occurred at her legs and Agnes looked down to see a carpet of ants crawling around her legs and disappeared into the creases she saw there as well.

Her body, and her abilities, had evolved. She had evolved.

Arthur gasped as he clutched his brittle shoulder. The sudden strike he felt when he entered the room had thrown him completely off balance. He was in pain, his was hopped up on anger, and the man was caught by surprise. He had apparently forgotten about the girl’s assistant. Oh, when he was done with the blue-eyed devil, he was going to make sure the dark-skinned woman suffered too!!

Growling, he switched his cane hand and struggled to move into a standing position. He could hear the struggling, the gasping for breath coming from all around and he figured that his bugs had did the trick! They finally killed the temptress! He would have danced if he could have! But it slowly dawned that the heavy breathing wasn’t coming from the girl, but rather from him. Arthur shakily clutched his heart as he leaned back against the cane again. His gaze shooting up, he was startled by the sight he saw.

Agnes Nicholas, snarled as she stood before the man. There was a small limp in her leg as she walked closer to him but she didn’t seem like she would let that stop her. But, with each step, she began to slow. Arthur watched, fearfully, as the girl lifted her arms and attempted to stop a wave of revulsion as she saw a pair of thick centipedes peering out of her forearm. The creatures manically waved their antenna at him, baring their fangs and ready to bite and poison. The same sentiment, apparently, was shared by the black ants the crawled free from Agnes’ legs and began to stalk directly towards him.

Arthur, freaking out, began to back away as he lifted his can for brandish.

“Stay away from me, devil! My insects! Attack her! NOW! DO IT!!”

The bugs within the proximity of Agnes’ pheromones immediately stopped whatever they were doing. But instead of attacking Agnes, they turned and began to descend upon Arthur. It quickly became apparently that Agnes’ abilities had grown.

“NO! I’m stronger than you!” Arthur hissed. “I DESERVE THIS!!” He shouted as he suddenly lunged at Agnes, cane held up and ready to break her skull in.

Agnes, though, proved to be faster. Barely side stepping the man, Agnes turned and slapped him HARD on the back, inserting the stingers from both her hands into his back.

“Yes,” Agnes hissed. “You do.”

Arthur, wide-eyed at the sensation of the stingers, screamed as he stumbled forward and onto the ground. He lashed and cringed, feeling the venom seep into his body. He wouldn’t die from it, but it would leave him in agony and in agony was he! He turned onto his back, arching and clawing at the ground for relief.

Agnes stood over him, little to no sympathy as her own swarm began to seep out of her mouth. Roaches, flies and wasps began to filter out while her newest ants began to join them. Twining around her arms, Agnes turned to the pair of centipedes and sighed.

What a strange family she had now…