Hollowland (34 page)

“No!” Ken screamed.
 
He backpedaled and then flipped, proceeding to crawl on all fours toward the entrance and the army that waited there, thinking – no, hoping – they would prove as docile as they’d been on his way in.
 
As if sensing his wish, they dumped into the chamber in a tidal wave of legs and exoskeletons and scuttled towards him.
 
Ken stopped and got up on his knees.
 
They came at him from front and back, left and right.
 
He flailed his limbs as they fell upon him, trying to brush them off.
 
He screamed the whole time.

It was no use.
 
They formed a living coat over him.
 
He felt them crawl and slither their way into his every crevice, numerous legs treading where none should ever be, tiny mouths gouging soft flesh.
 
Pain engulfed him.
 
He opened his mouth to scream one last time, but no sound came out.
 
The wiggling mass flowed in and worked their way down his windpipe.
 
They were everywhere – in his ears, up his nose, worming into his anus.
 
A ghastly, mucus-filled whistle forced its way out of his throat.

It was the only form of resistance he could muster.

About the Author

Robert
Duperre
was born in Cape Cod and brought up in northern Connecticut, where he still resides with his wife, the artist Jessica
Torrant
, his three wonderful children, and Leonardo, the super one-eyed Labrador.
 
He enjoys bad horror movies and has a not-so-secret love of so-called “chick flicks”.
 

The Fall: The Rift Book I
is the first of a four-part series, available both in paperback and ebook at Amazon.com, and for the Nook at Barnes & Noble.
 
The second book,
Dead of Winter: The Rift Book II
, is scheduled for release in December, 2010.

Connect with Robert
Duperre
:

Website –
http://theriftonline.com

Blog –
http://journalofalways.blogspot.com