Our footsteps echoed against the asphalt, cutting through the windy night. Halloween was always meant to be lively. Now, the campus was eerily quiet. The wind, once a source of familiarity, sent a peculiar chill through our hands, and straight into our hearts. Things weren’t always like this. Before, the dining hall was always crowded. Plans for dinner were always made in advance, our group chats coordinating a time. As the hour would pass, more of us would trickle in until the entire table was full, a hallmark of our affectionately-dubbed “family dinners.” Now, it was only me and our friend, all because of the lanternflies.
We’d always been taught to crush them before they could harm the trees. But, these lanternflies were different. They weren’t a danger to the trees. They were a danger to us. Appropriately named, the blood-sucking lanternflies just appeared one day on campus and never left. As the weeks went on, more and more of our classmates fell victim to these new lanternflies. These pests only came out at night but by dawn, the victims’ bodies were nowhere to be found. Those who managed to make it out alive suffered from extreme blood loss and couldn’t shake the fear from their dull eyes. Many students switched to virtual learning while the rest of us remained on campus, gripped by our terror.
As we walked away from Howe my friend finally cut through the silence:
“Let’s get as far from Howe Cemetery as we can, this is where those creatures lurk at this time.”
“It’s Howe Center, not Howe Cemetery.”
“Tell that to the lanternfly victims.”
“What victims? We’re the only ones here!” I was tired of my nights being overridden by fear. Tired of the growing casualty counts. And more importantly, I was tired of this profuse grief that hung in the air.
Immediately, I regretted speaking out. Like clockwork, the paralyzing sound of wings flapping got closer and closer, overwhelming our ears with their ominous tune. Glancing up, the dark blue hues of the nighttime sky were overrun by a spotted red and gray mass. My heart stuttered in my chest as we froze.
Suddenly, I felt a pain in my shoulder as another body slammed into me, propelling me into the pavement. The taste of metal filled my mouth as I turned my head, staring up in disbelief at my friend.
“It had to be done” was the only response I received in return.
As she fled, I noticed a familiar red peeking out from under her collar, advancing towards her neck. With bleary eyes, I looked back down at my arm, completely covered in lanternflies. I looked back up, unable, or perhaps unwilling, to vocalize my observations. The pain was immeasurable. I could feel hundreds of legs piercing through my skin, draining every ounce of blood in my body. The whir of their wings slowly lulled into unconsciousness as they feasted on my flesh. Shifting my head one last time, I collapsed back into the pavement, letting nature take its course.
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