Let me preface this entry by saying that, in the end, there was a logical explanation for the horror that I am about to depict below. Yes, there was an explanation. But unfortunately, it wasn’t one of those “it was all a dream” cop outs that one frequently runs into in a poorly written screenplay. It all started like this…
I’m lying on the floor on my bedroll with Alma, watching TV. It was pretty late – but I find it hard to go to sleep early while bunking down in the temporary shelter that we have been forced to seek as a consequence of the severe storms and flooding here. The rest of the family is scattered throughout the two-bedroom duplex and all is well. So it seems. It was around midnight that I noticed a small dark shape suddenly appear on the wall next to my right shoulder. At first, I thought it was a frog – because of the size. Before I had a chance to say anything, it leapt from the wall and landed on Alma’s back. From there, it sprung up about a foot and landed on the floor (!). Sort of like a miniature Spiderman. I immediately alerted Alma and we switched on the light. There, on the floor, was a cockroach about two inches in length (!!) But here was the odd part – the light didn’t make it run away! It just stood there. So I took a handy sandal and killed it instantly. So far – so good.
It was then that I noticed three more large cockroaches seemingly emerge from the far wall and one of them produced a pair of wings and FLEW AT ME, landing on my shirt (!!!) It actually sat there and looked at me as if to say “Hi, my name is Bob – where’s the fridge?” I was in shock. It took a full three seconds for me to smack it away and kill it (while Alma dispensed of the other two invaders). We took the small corpses into the other part of the house and there we were treated to a scene straight out of a horror flick. There were large cockroaches coming out of the kitchen in significant numbers while all the lights were on. They were (and I swear that I’m not making this up) coming right at us!! Eventually we managed to kill them all and things got quiet. Needless to say that there was little sleep that night.
The next night, we only saw only one remaining straggler – and that was OK. Until about 1 AM. That was when I noticed a dark shape, on the wall, next to Alma. The lights went on again – but it wasn’t a cockroach.
No siree.
I was the largest spider that I have seen outside the insect and reptile museum on Okinawa (!!!) I’m not kidding – this thing measured 4 inches across!! It was quickly dispatched and things have been peaceful, since then.
Oh, the logical explanation? I noticed, on the news, that there was a mild earthquake, near here. It was a 5.3 at the epicenter and a mere 2.0 here, in Metro Manila. Not enough for us to really notice it, ourselves. However, our hidden “friends” in their dark abodes became a bit panic-stricken and temporarily forgot that they don’t come out into the light. And they certainly don’t usually wish to demonstrate how well THEY FLY while seeking refuge on the front of my shirt. I think, in their panic, they might have been looking towards me for some sort of assistance. Not the best decision. Good times…
Yeap. Staying right in the USA in the north, far from creepy crawlies Safer that way.
I’m just truly amazed to have seen a giant cockroach produce a pair of wings and fly (!!)
Yikes! I don’t mind a bug or two (I don’t bother the several small spiders in my pad, as long as they don’t try anything funny), but when you get a hideous multitude, that just freaks me out.
A couple of years back, I’d started hearing a “scratching” noise somewhere in the living room. I’d figured it was a mouse — there are traps and poison about, so I figured this little intruder would eventually be taken care of. But the sound went on for some days, so I was getting a little worried. I put my ear to the wall and heard BUZZING — I took the screws off an electrical outlet on that wall and took off the plat. YELLOW JACKET WASPS started crawling out of the outlet!! Gahhhh! If there’s one thing that really gets me sweating, it’s agressive, stinging insects — and now there was a whole nest of ‘em behind my living room wall! I put the plate back on, and drilled a small hole in the wall, and sprayed insecticied into the wall. I again put my ear to the wall and now hear a whole lot more VERY ANGRY sounding buzzing — I hoped I didn’t just make the little monsters MAD. Well, luckily, after a while, the buzzing vanished and the problem (at least behind my walls seemed to have been solved.
It just creeps me out to think that insects can have evil intent. That and the ability to fly…