Halloween

They came in droves, wave after wave of them in neat rows. The sky was black, the sun obscured and the stench was unbelievable.

We ran at full tilt trying to make it to the safety of the house before the bat shit landed on our heads.

Reaching the relative calm of the house, my first thought was of Hendra Virus, then reminded myself that a bat would have to bite me before the virus would be passed on.

My next thought was for the ripe mangoes which were now in danger. Our annual income was about to be decimated by this plague of fruit bats.

Checking the phone book I came across several Bat Busters and chose a local number.

“Help, “I shouted down the phone. “I need a team here immediately. We’re under attack from a plague of fruit bats. My entire mango crop is under siege. Please hurry.”

“OK, ma’m. We’re on our way. Just watch out for the Batmobile.”

The Batmobile arrived within 5 minutes and a team of overall-clad young men, my rescuers, proceeded to lock down the whole farm. Swathes of netting were laid over every tree and the smoke machines began to pump out their anti-bat mixture. The sky was black with fleeing bats and I felt my breathing begin to return to normal.

“Now ma’m. About our payment,” began the leader of the Bat Busters team. “How would you like to pay?”

“Well,” I began. “I have no cash on me but I can give you a cheque now. Would that be OK?”

He smiled slowly, and for the first time I noticed his large incisors and as he removed his mask I shuddered at the sight of his pale, waxy complexion.

“We usually ask for a small downpayment, but we do take cheques for the remainder……………….”

(Creative Writing 3.8.12 Exercise 2)