Maxwell Stegner, originally from Ukiah, California, is a celebrated author and knife maker, now living in the Bay Area with his family. His debut novel, the first in the 'Behind the Curtain' trilogy, was a resounding success, sparking a passion for writing that continues to thrive. Maxwell's works, primarily in literary fiction, captivate readers with their immersive narratives and intricate world-building. His storytelling, much like his knife-making, is a craft that requires patience, precision, and a keen eye for detail. As he continues his writing journey, Maxwell invites readers to join him in exploring the depths of human emotion and experience through his stories.
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INFESTATION: THE HIVE WITHIN
By
Maxwell Stegner
I’ve always been terrified of insects. Their tiny, segmented bodies, their alien-like antennae, their multitude of legs, all of it sent shivers down my spine. But nothing could have prepared me for the horror I was about to experience.
It all started when I moved into an old, dilapidated house in the countryside up Mill Creek Road. The house was a bargain, and I was desperate for a change of scenery. The first few days were peaceful, but then I started noticing the insects.
At first, it was just the occasional spider or fly. But soon, I began to see more and more of them. Beetles, ants, moths, you name it. They were everywhere. I tried to ignore them, but their presence was impossible to overlook.
One night, I woke up to a strange, rustling sound. I turned on the light and gasped. My room was swarming with insects. They were crawling on the walls, the ceiling, the floor. I jumped out of bed, my heart pounding. I tried to squash them, but they just kept coming. I ran out of the room, slamming the door behind me.
I spent the night on the couch, but I couldn't sleep. The rustling sound was still there, growing louder and louder. I could hear it in the walls, in the ceiling, even under the floor. It was as if the house itself was alive.
The next day, I called an exterminator. He arrived, took one look at the house, and shook his head. "I've never seen anything like this," he said. "It's like they're attracted to the house. Or maybe... to you."
I felt a chill run down my spine. "What do you mean?" I asked.
He shrugged. "I don't know. But I'll do my best to get rid of them."
I knew he was just trying to frighten me but in the back of my mind I knew there was some truth to what he had said. It was as if they were following me around the house. I could hear and feel them moving from room to room as I did. I went as far as taping to edges of the door to my bedroom when I tried to sleep but they would find their way in and as I tried to sleep, I could hear them scratching and clawing their way through the tape and into my room.
He spent the whole day spraying the house with insecticide. But it didn't work. The insects just kept coming. They seemed to multiply, to grow, to evolve. They were no longer just insects. They were something else, something monstrous.
I tried to make it work for as long as I could but in the end, I couldn't take it anymore. I decided to leave the house and move back to the city. But as I was packing my things, I felt a sharp pain in my arm. I looked down and saw a beetle, its mandibles buried in my skin. I tried to pull it off, but it wouldn't let go. I screamed, swatting at it, but it just burrowed deeper into my flesh.
I fell to the floor, writhing in pain. I could feel the beetle moving under my skin, crawling up my arm. I tried to get up, to run, but my body wouldn't respond. I was paralyzed, trapped in my own body.
I lay there, helpless, as the insects swarmed over me. They crawled into my mouth, my nose, my ears. I could feel them inside me, eating me from the inside out. I wanted to scream, to cry, but I couldn't. I could only watch, in silent horror, as the insects claimed me as their own.
I don't know how long I lay there. It felt like an eternity. But eventually, the pain subsided. The insects stopped moving. I was alone, in the silence of the house.
I managed to get up, to stumble out of the house. I don't know how I made it to the hospital. When I arrived, the doctors were horrified by my condition. They tried to remove the insects, but it was too late. They had become a part of me.
Now, I live in isolation. The doctors say I'm a medical anomaly, a living, breathing hive. I can still feel the insects inside me, moving, crawling, living. I can hear their rustling, their buzzing, their whispering. They are a part of me, and I am a part of them. I no longer eat or do what I want but instead I live for the insects and do as they want me to.
I am no longer afraid of insects. I am one of them. I am their queen, their goddess, their home. And they are my subjects, my children, my body.
I don't know what the future holds for me. But I know one thing for sure. I will never be alone again. I will always have my insects. And they will always have me.