Welcome to micro Terrors, scary stories for kids where it's always the spooky season,
full of chills, thrills, and spine tingling spooks. Micro Terrors are
family friendly frights for those ages eight and up, and while our stories are
for younger years, we are still talking about things that go bump in the
night, and some children may not be able to handle what others can.
Parental consent is recommended now for tonights micro terror Shortcut through a Small Town by
Sherry White. Nathan sat in the back seat of his family's Volkswagon Rabbit,
playing with his electronic football game. Nathan, turn that off for now,
his mother said from the front passenger seat. I'm trying to navigate, and
those constant beeps are distracting me. She held the map on her lap,
extending it as far as she could without getting in her husband's way. I
don't have anything else to do back here, Nathan whined. Read your comic
books. His mother suggested, I read them all, and can't we put
the top up? It feels like bugs. You're smacking me in the face.
Nathan enough, His dad said, I want to get to the beach
house, Runnold before it gets dark. Nathan threw his back against the seat,
defeated. Sorry, Dad. Nathan's mom shook the map out, then
traced a line with her finger. Became my She said to her husband.
There's a small town called Jefferson a few miles ahead. We can cut through.
It'll save us at least half an hour. Do you want to try
it? You bet? Show me the way, Janet. Take this exit,
Michael. Then the town is about two miles away, Janet said.
As they left the interstate, Nathan noticed black clouds gathering above them. Dad,
it looks like it's gonna rain. Can we put the top up now?
We'll get through the town, then stop for gas and a snack.
I'll put the top up then a little ray won't hurt us, Nathan insisted,
Janet, why don't you put the map in the glove compartment. I'd
rather it didn't get wet and soggy. You don't care if I get wet
and soggy, Nathan mumbled, Nathan, knock it off, or you spend
our first day at the beach in your room. Nathan crossed his arms and
stuck out his tongue, knowing his dad couldn't see him. Janet tried folding
the map perfectly so it would be nice and flat, but finally gave up.
Oh, forget this. She folded it just enough to fit in the
glove compartment. Michael and Nathan laughed. That's when the radio began to crack,
and the male voice spoke urgently, Hey, turn that up. Sounds
like something's going on. Michael's voice suddenly became serious and concerned. Janet leaned
up slightly and raised the volume. Storm, come wrenshall rain, shelled,
amedy Lee, What did he say? Michael asked, torrential rain, I
think, said Janet, But white take cover for rain. That makes no
sense. All right, the town is right ahead, said Michael. We'll
pull over where it's safe to stop and put the top up. Oh,
this town is so cute. Janet looked around, charmed at the vintage houses
painted in various pastel colors lining the road, most of which were surrounded by
white picket fences. She noticed the street signs on the corner behind them.
Of course, we're on main Street. Michael got out to put the top
up. Rumbles of thunder began to fill the air. A siren shrieked through
the town, startling the three of them. Geez, that about gave me
a heart attack, Janet said from the car, her hand over her chest.
Dad, is it a tornado? Nathan asked in a trembling voice.
He was afraid of tornadoes, even though they lived in an area where they
were uncommon. Janet often lamented that she let him watch The Wizard of Oz
when he was little. I mean, what about the Wicked Witch? She'd
say, Why be afraid of the wind for crying out loud? Don't worry,
Nathan will be okay, his dad said, Janet, this is stuck.
Can you come help me. Nathan wondered how his dad could sound so
calm with everything going on. He was still too young to realize that parents
usually kept fear to themselves when it came to their children. Jane had gone
out of the car, her legs a little wobbly as she teetered on high
heels to the back of the car. Hello, hey, you people out
there. Michael and Janet looked around and saw an older woman standing behind her
screen door across the street from them. Come to my house. You don't
have enough time to fix that. Dad, I'm really scared. Please get
the top up. His parents struggled with the soft top, his dad in
particular beyond frustrated. Other citizens opened their windows and doors just enough to shout
for the family to take shelter before it was too late. Little boy,
get in my house, Harry, the lady behind the screen door yelled,
beckoning him with a come here gesture. Michael, we need to move faster,
Janet cried, it's almost free. Just a few more seconds. A
clap of thunder as violent as a cannon blast crashed overhead, shaking the ground.
Nan go to that lady's house, Michael instructed his son. Aren't ye
coming, dad, Mom, Yes, but you go first. His dad
shouted over the winds that had just kicked up. But Dad now. Nathan
unbuckled his lap belt and scrambled out the door. He ran as fast as
he could up the concrete stairs to the lady's porch. She opened her screen
door just enough for him to get in. She pulled the door closed and
held the boy tightly flat. Wet plopping sounds slowly started hitting the pavement.
Michael, we have to go inside, Janet shouted. Michael finally yanked the
soft top three and moved it over the open car get in, Janet,
We'll wait in the car until the storm passes. Janet reached for the door
handle and then felt a wet PLoP on her arm. She looked at her
arm in horror. Oh my god, Michael, we have to run now.
Before he could reply, another clap of thunder made him unsteady on his
feet. He leaned against the car to get footing and looked up. A
sickly mild colored cloud swirled above it opened, releasing its unimaginable contents. What
is happening? He managed to whisper before hundreds of quarter sized black spiders fell
upon him, the hairs on their legs as sharp as razors. Janet ran
up the concrete stairs, screaming Nathan's name. She slipped on a flattened spider
in front of the porch and fell onto her back, hitting her head.
Mum, shrieked Nathan. He tried to get out of the house, but
the woman inside held him with a grip that he couldn't break. Let me
go, he pleaded. The woman turned Nathan so his face burrowed into her
chest. Doubt watch his sweetheart. She pulled him away and closed the heavy
wooden front door. Janet tried to get up, but spiders reined upon her,
tearing into her with their fangs and raised her haired legs. They filled
her mouth when she opened it to scream, and skittered down her throat.
Soon Janet and Michael were nothing more than spire covered lumps lying in the street
beside their car. One of Janet's arms shakily reached out from the mass she
was buried in, as if looking for help, but then just as quickly
dropped, never moving again. In the nearby house, the stranger tried to
comfort meet them. Then it began to rain for real, washing the spiders
away into the sewer rays. The car radio crackled to life, the announcer
talking to an audience of none. Is everyone all right? This year's Tiranngela
rain is over. I hope everyone in town made it inside in time.
God speed all. Thank you for listening to micro Terrors. Join us each
Saturday for another scary story. For more fun, visit our website at microterrors
dot com, where we will also have spooky games you can print out and
play like wicked word searches, mysterious mazes, and more. Microterrors dot com
is also where You can find us on your favorite social media and even send
in your own scary story for us to tell. Plus, you'll learn more
about our author, Scott Donnelly, who has other horrors for both young and
old. I hope you'll join me again soon for micro Terrors scary stories for Kids