Norm tried to yell but not a sound would come out of his mouth. A cold permeated his body adding to the weakness he already felt...and then numbness. A minute later he wasn't feeling anything although he remained awake and alert. His mind was frantically working for a way to escape but his body wouldn't cooperate. It was like his mind and body had totally separated. What was this crazy bitch going to do to him? The man began to pray, something he hadn't done in many years.
"I think that about does it," said the woman. "The venom induces paralysis and has practically shut down all of your voluntary movements." She pushed his body off her own and stood up. "Your cardio respiratory system is still functional. Your reasoning abilities are also unaffected as well as your sight and hearing. Everything else has been shut down I'm afraid." She was amazingly strong for a woman her size and pulled Norm's considerable bulk further into the thickest part of the trees and bushes.
"Gosh, I hate wearing this stuff. It's so unfashionable." She quickly removed her coat, hat and sunglasses. "You can look at my eyes now if you want." She sat down beside Norm. The unfortunate man would have recoiled if he could. The woman had eyes that belonged to a fly or some other insect. Norm felt a slight relief that he could at least close his eyes. "I have wings and antennae too but they're nonfunctional," the woman added. "Would you like to see?" Norm tried to shake his head and then settled for keeping his eyes closed.
"By the way, my name is Lydia. I suppose you're wondering how I got this way. Well, I'll tell you. I was a lowly lab assistant to an entomologist at the university. Entomology is the study of insects. He studied species from the order hymenoptera which includes parasitic wasps, his specialty." Norm's cell phone began to ring interrupting Lydia's monolog. "You won't need that any more." She retrieved the device from its holster and turned it off. Norm began to hope someone would come looking for him when he didn't answer his phone and didn't show for his meeting.
"Do you know the story of how Peter Parker became Spider-Man?" Lydia asked as if she were changing the subject. "He was bitten by a radioactive spider. Somehow the spider transferred its DNA to Peter and with it the spider's powers. Peter Parker's story is my story too except I was stung by a radioactive parasitic wasp. My strength increased somewhat but I also started growing insect parts. It's just not fair. That never happened to Peter. Anyway, you can call me Wasp-Woman if you want but don't expect me to come save you. I'm no super hero.
"The wings are too small for my body mass and the eyes are really more of a hindrance than a help. The only thing that really works is this stinger along with the instinct and the desire to use it. Do you know what my stinger does besides stinging? What? No guesses even? I can tell right now you didn't come prepared for this little quiz. Female parasitic wasps use their stingers to immobilize their prey and deposit their eggs inside the victim. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed on their host. Once they've consumed you they'll spin themselves a cocoon and by next summer they'll emerge as mature wasps. They'll have the appearance of wasps but much larger with all the instincts plus the ability to learn like a human. That's exactly what's going to happen. I know this through previous experience. Your death will be slow but at least it will be painless." The bitch is fucking nuts thought Norm. How did I get myself into this mess?
"I almost forgot to tell you the best part. You're the one who fertilized the eggs incubating inside your body at this very moment. You're going to be a father. Isn't that exciting? I know you don't appreciate it. I mean, this was supposed to be a one-night stand for you so to speak and now you have mouths to feed, right? Now, don't look at me that way. You're the one who attacked me, remember? I didn't attack you."
Lydia put on her coat, hat and sunglasses. After camouflaging Norm's nesting spot she said, "I really enjoyed our time together but I must run." Norm didn't have the voice to plead for mercy. He could only pray for salvation to the god of his childhood; the god he had long forgotten.
Three days later Norm saw a writhing motion beneath his bared but grimy belly. The eggs had hatched. The larvae had begun to feed. He was being eaten alive. There was nothing he could do.
