Somehow - it got in

 

It was the clanging that woke us.  It was coming from the garage.  I thought I had gotten out of bed rather quickly, but Claudia was already in the kitchen when I got there.  She looked scared.  I can't ever remember seeing her actually scared before.

 

"Don't open the door.  Something is definitely in the garage."  I knew she was right, but how could they have gotten the big garage door open.  I had to see what it was.  I told her to have her phone ready.  Either we'll snap a picture, or we'll call 911.

 

The clanging was still going on.  Slowly I turned the doorknob.  I wanted to reach in and snap on the light, but then again, I didn't want anything to happen to my hand.  I just didn't know what to expect, but I couldn't just stand there.  I flung the door open and snapped on the light at the same time.

 

I couldn't really comprehend what I was seeing.  I felt myself shutter and I let out an audible gasp.  From behind me Claudia yelled, "What is it?"

 

Without looking back at Claudia, I reached my hand behind me and said, “Hand me your phone.  I’ve got to get a picture of this thing.”  Curiosity, however, got the better of her and she pushed her way up next to me so she could see for herself.  She let out a very loud scream and dropped her phone at the same time.

 

 

The clanging we heard was one of the giant beetle’s antennas that was swinging back and forth hitting against the aluminum ladder that was leaning against the wall.  Without exaggeration, the beetle was just about the same size as my car.  It seemed to be wedged between our stack of suitcases and the car.  It was hideous.  I didn’t understand its features, pinchers protruding from the sides of its mouth, the creepy eyes that were now focused on the two of us, and the smell, oh my Goodness – the smell.

 

I started to reach down to pick up the cell phone, but the minute I did, it tried to lunge at us.  Fortunately, it was quite stuck where it was.  I kept my eye on it but continued to retrieve the phone.  I handed it to Claudia and told her to just start snapping pictures.  “Our pest control company isn’t going to believe this.  Heck – Stephen King wouldn’t believe this.”

 

As I looked past the beetle, I could see the large garage door was still closed, so it didn’t get in that way.  As I continued to look for other entry points, I noticed the large hole in the ceiling.  The thing had been up in the attic.  “This isn’t good.” I said aloud.  Claudia poked me in the ribs, and asked, “What isn’t good?”

 

“The attic is over the entire house.  If there are more of these things, they could come down anywhere, in any room.”