The Scorpion Nest: A Short Story

By Guy Harrison

Newlyweds Joel and Sonnet have just wrapped up a housewarming party in Suburban Phoenix. Custom-built on the site of a meteor crash a half century ago, the young couple received everything they wanted in their dream house. Unfortunately, Joel and Sonnet also got what they didn't want: thousands of unwelcome, venomous guests. Despite a clean inspection report, the house is crawling with more scorpions than your average infestation, leaving husband and wife to avoid the pests' numbing and potentially fatal sting.

On a night that will forever alter their fates, Joel and Sonnet are forced to uncover the mystery of the scorpions' origins. What they find challenges their greatest fears as well as their love for one another.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Guy Harrison
• Release date: Mar 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476077161

Guy Harrison

Guy Harrison has worked with databases for more than a decade, has conducted many MySQL and Oracle training seminars, and is author of several books on Oracle, including "Oracle Desk Reference" (Prentice Hall PTR). Currently a product architect at Quest Software, Harrison has conducted many training seminars and has authored several articles for the Oracle Technical Journal. He resides in Australia.

Book preview

The Scorpion Nest

By Guy Harrison

The Scorpion Nest

By Guy Harrison

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Guy Harrison

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Dedication

The Scorpion Nest

About the Author

Also Available: Agents of Change

Dedication

This story is dedicated to our exterminator, who has kept our house scorpion-free, and my wife worry-free, for the past 10 months.

The Scorpion Nest

Chandler, Arizona

1962

A sour stench permeated from the east. Michael rolled up the driver-side window of his Ford Falcon. Even if he couldn’t smell the nearby dairy farm, the December desert evening was too cold for his passenger, Donna. With the late Buddy Holly playing across the airwaves, Michael turned down the car’s stereo and looked to his sweetheart with an affectionate gaze.

Where are we? she asked.

Michael averted his eyes. Chandler. Privacy was hard to come by in Phoenix. Michael had picked what he hoped would be the perfect setting to cap what he imagined would be a perfect evening.

You took us to the middle of nowhere?

He shrugged. Sorry, I guess I just thought—

Take me home. It’s late.

Michael sighed. He wanted time to cozy up to his date but her grouchiness paired with his earlier encounter with Donna’s father, made this decision easy.

He turned the ignition. What’s eating you?

She shrugged and looked at her feet. Nothing. Just take me home.

Michael waited for her to elaborate before his attention turned to the sky. What the … He fixed his gaze on a single star shining brightly in the night sky.

Donna followed his stare and shrugged. It’s a star.

That ain’t no star.

The bright, white light grew larger in the sky, turning orange as its trajectory took it towards the earth’s surface.

Donna’s eyes widened with excitement. Is it a meteor?

I don’t know, but we—

The star, the meteor—whatever it was—accelerated, exploding into the earth’s surface not fifty yards from its two witnesses. As the explosion’s fiery glow faded from Michael’s face, he turned off the car and grabbed the door’s handle.

Where are you going? Donna asked.

"I’m gonna