Hollow Pine

The cave

The red ford drove slowly through a winding series of narrow roads without railing. As the truck approached the covered bridge over Lincoln pond, the driver got a strange feeling. He had crossed this bridge many times without a thought. The Johnson’s where one of Pete and Henry’s regular clients. There was something very different this trip over the bridge. A chill ran up Pete’s spine and with it came a wave of goose flesh. “What was that face for Pete?” Henry asked with genuine concern in his voice. “You look as if you have walked over your own grave.” Pete gave a forced smile and continued driving.
Far below that weather beaten bridge, far below the calm waters, was a cave. It was there long before the native people had set foot on that land. Before it was called Hollow Pine. The natives hunted the planes and foraged for grains and fruits there. The natives knew of this cave.

A drop of water clung to the end of a dark spike. The water reflected everything it its own watery eye so crisp and perfect. Pulling upon itself, swimming inside with life it dropped a little bit lower to the cave floor. Encapsulated within this sphere of cold liquid is a being. It lay resting in this dark cool place until it was awoken. Its eyes snapped open the moment the red Ford rolled over its ancient home.

Extermination

Get your ass down from there Pete!” Henry was at his wits end. He was used to Pete’s monkey shines but it was the end of the week and really all Henry wanted to do was to go home and have a date with that six pack of beer in his fridge to help wash down the left over Chinese food that managed to stay good for at least two months if you held your nose. “I’m almost there, just hold still and I might be able to get this little fucker” The ladder wobbled menacingly and Henry had to strain his muscles even harder to keep it steady. “Just hurry up and get that trap, I’m just about done with this situation. I don’t even know how to manage to talk me into it in the first place! Henry fought the urge to let go of the latter and walk back to his Bronco.
Pete felt a drop of sweat drip into his eye. The summer was coming to a close which was always the hottest longest days and the worst days to collect the traps. Blinking hard Pete felt the salty drop fall from his scruffy cheek. He felt his muscles strain as he pushed harder to reach the rat trap. Relief washed over Pete Cross as the tips of his fingers touched the shell of the cockroach trap. Confusion swept across his mind as he felt the weight of the trap. This would take a bit more effort. “Henry throw me claw to pull this bugger out.” Henry face contorted into confusion. Maybe they found a nest of roaches or something. That was the only time they needed to use the self-fashioned mental claw devise he had made. Frustrated, Henry kicked a soda can left in the street on his way to the dusty red Bronco he called Sally. “Son of a bitch!” Henry mumbled under his breath. Now if this didn’t just beat all.
Of course there would be an issue on the last trap in the last house on the last day of the work week. Pulling up the hatch of the Bronco Henry rummaged around in the back. Pushing the tools and the cooler he kept his lunch in to one side. “Dammit, where is that thing?” Henry’s eye caught a gleam of metal and pulled a rolled up tent to the side. He would have to be cautious. The last thing he needed was to try and enjoy his Sunday off with a pulled and sore back.
As Henry pulled up his left leg to make his reach go further he heard a cry. “Pete? You all right buddy?” With the claw in hand he walked quickly back to the back of the Johnson's house to see what was going on. “Why did you?” Henry stopped. Cold in his tracks. Pete was pale and holding his left hand to his chest. “I think we may have got a mouse in there because that little bugger tried to pull my trigger finger off!” “Well give him a nice jab with this bad boy and he will wish he hadn’t tried.” Henry replied. Pete pulled a black handkerchief out of his Carhart wrapped it around his bleeding hand and grabbed the claw from Henry’s reach. “Take a bit of this you little bastard” Pete spat out as he jammed the claw into the hole and took a hold of the trap. With a bit of effort and plenty of experience Pete pulled the greasy, filthy trap from the depths.
As Pete made his way down the steps and as he hit the soft grass tossed the trap into the container with the other traps. “Now let’s get Jess to sign the work order forms so we can get home.” As the two men made their way back to the front of the house neither of them saw it. Neither of them felt the eyes that watched them from the depths of the house. The creature that had gotten a little taste of Pete was watching.

The Kitchen

Jess woke the next morning bright and early with a good feeling in her bones. It was the weekend and her husband Stephen had taken their kids to the water park out in Bakersfield. Bakersfield was the town over and about a two hour drive if you didn’t stop along the way. Coming out of the shower with a towel in her hair Jess walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She put the glass pot under the faucet and turned it to cold. She walked away from the sink for just a moment to turn on the front burner to the stove. With spatula and pan in hand she turned back to the sink humming a little tune. The upbeat tune died on her lips as she stared at the faucet. With a slightly shaking hand she turned it off. Inside the water was a dozen or so wiggling creatures. They were blue green in color and if she wasn’t so taken a back she may have even said they were beautiful. They had an almost tadpole like appearance. Some were more developed than the others the more developed ones had what appeared to be arm like growths. While others had hand like growths coming out of these. Gaining all the courage she could Jess held the glass pot up to eye level to examine the stuff closer. Jess had always had excellent eyesight and what she saw on a closer look was terrifyingly beautiful. They were semi human in shape and touches here and there of an amphibious nature. Jess looked for just a moment then set the container on the counter. Feeling the panic began to rise in her she found her way to the phone. Even in her confused state she remembered the phone number.
Henry had just sat down to his morning coffee when his cell rang. With a look of curiosity on his face he walked into his bedroom. He made it to the phone by the third or fourth ring. He was very shocked to hear the voice of Jess on the other end. She was clearly much shaken and spoke very quickly. It took a few times before he caught what she was saying. When he finally did hear every part of what she said he didn’t quite believe it. “Slow down and take a breath. Now let me hear this right there was something in your water that looked alive?” “Yes there is! I know how bizarre it sounds! Trust me, I barely believe it myself.” “On a weekend my rates are a bit more” “That fine just get here as soon as you can” I want these things out of my house.” “Henry knew she meant business just by the tone in her voice. “I’ll be there is a half an hour.” Henry hung up the cell. He walked to the kitchen opened the cabinet and found his thermos.
Putting the phone down Jess stared at the kitchen sink. She tried her best to keep calm. She sure as hell wasn’t’ going to have a cup of coffee for a while. She went into her room and changed into some clothes to make her way down to the coffee shop. She figured she would grab some breakfast.
Henry’s first thought was to call Pete, but he figured he would let him sleep in. This may not be a situation that he couldn’t handle on his own. It sounded strange on the phone but it could be anything. Maybe an odd case of tadpoles that had somehow found their way into the water system. Luckily Henry had spent a few years as a plumber before becoming an exterminator. He made a couple slices of toast to bring along with him in the truck. At least that way he could get something in his stomach to soak up the coffee. He wrapped the toast in a paper towel and with the thermos in hand he got in his truck. The drive to Jess’s house wasn’t a long one. The Peterson’s house was an older model and had been in the area for a long time. They had just bought it last year and it seemed to Henry that ever since then they had been having some kind of pest or another plaguing them. He felt bad for the family. He could only imagine what it must have been like to buy their dream home, then have to constantly have to fix this or that problem. He supposed that was the gamble you take when buying an older home. When he arrived at the house he could see Jess in the window. Coming to the front door. He didn’t’ have to know because as he walked up the front porch she was standing in the doorway with a pinched look on her face. He tried to calm her down by looking as confident as possible. “I left the coffee pot in the sink” She walked towards the kitchen and he followed. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw in the water. He held it to eye level and looked as closely as he possibly could. Part of the reason that he looked so closely was he could hardly believe his own eyes. The thing that was so chilling to Henry was the way they reacted when he looked in. They knew he was there on the other side of the glass. They where watching him in return. The water looked clean and clear. So at least there wasn’t any other contamination that he could see. He put the container down on the counter and leaned back on it thinking. “Have you ever seen anything like that before?” Jess asked her face looking even more pinched that before. “No this is new to me.” Henry admitted. He knew how to deal with water pests so that was the best idea he could come up with. “What I can do is test this poised on them and see if that works. You may have a mild reaction to it, but it’s safe for the kids. I little stomach cramp will be the least of your worries.” Jess looked hopeful at this suggestion. “I’ll trust you on this Henry. You have never let me down before.” He smiled and a slight blush ran over his cheeks. “I appreciate that Jess. Give me a couple of minutes to ge the stuff from my truck and we will see how this plays out.” As a test he poured a little into the coffee pot. It took a few minutes to take effect so he and Jess sat in the living room talking while the poison took effect. After about twenty minutes he walked back into the kitchen. His heart in his throat as he picked up the coffee pot. It looked good at first glance. The vermin where still. He brought the container up to eye level and looked closer. A bolt of excitement shot through him. Every one of the things where floating to the bottom. He hear Jess walk up behind him. “Good News!” Henry turned to show Jess. A look of relief washed over her pale face. “Oh thank god!” “It will only take about a hour to treat your water. That will take care of the rest of them if there are any. Before you take a shower or get water from the faucet, let it run for a few min. “I have some bottled water in the cabinet.” Jess replied. “That will work too, if you want to skip the cramps.” After Henry treat the water system he stood on Jess’s porch. She stood in the doorway looking deeply thankful. “Don’t hesitate to call me if they come back” Just the mention of them made her flinch. He saw a bear of sweat shiny on her brow. It was still early in the morning. Still early enough to grab some breakfast at the diner. Weeks went by and that day faded to the back of Henry’s mind. Business was picking up for him and Pete. They seemed to get two or three calls per day. It was easy to see how such a strange even had almost disappeared. Henry figured it was the strangest thing he had ever experiences but it was a onetime event. Then Jess’s husband Greg had called complaining about the noises. He said they came from the air ducts in there room. Scratching and twittering type noises that keep them up at night. Greg had also said that the noises seemed to move around the house and show up in different rooms. Sometimes it was in the bathroom while other times the sound floated into the kitchen. Henry had assumed another family of mice had taken seed. He though he had taken care of the previous family. Sometimes that happened, on or two had escaped the traps or the poison so carefully laid. That was the most though he gave it. He tried his best to keep his mind from wandering into that memory. The memory from a few months ago.