“There is something wrong with that tree Kendra.” Jason told his sister. Jason and his sister were crouched in some bushes outside the fence line of their next door neighbor.

Kendra peeked out from around Jason to see the tree. “I don’t know Jason. Sure it has grown a little bigger since the event but it is just an oak tree.” Kendra whispered back.

The pair waited in the bushes to see if anything else happened. Ever since The Event happened the whole world had gone crazy. Jason and Kendra referred to the day the world had gone insane as The Event. With capital letters. People disappeared, monsters roamed the cities. And people gained powers. Technology no longer worked right. A gun might malfunction and explode for no reason. It was dangerous to use anything. Computers wouldn’t turn on, but then would burst into flames.

People got powers. It was almost like everyone became super heroes overnight. People could act out almost any power fantasy. Societal constructs broke down almost overnight. The cops didn’t have a way to keep order. Guns wouldn’t work and that was all cops really knew.

The world didn’t make any sense at all. Jason insisted there was something odd about the tree in their neighbors’ back yard. He had been one of the people to disappear. He had been reclusive but a nice guy. He was always willing to help people around town but he liked his privacy.

“Look at that branch.” Jason pointed at a branch in the center of the tree. “There’s fruit on that tree.”

Kendra looked around him again. “That’s an oak tree. And it has cherries on it. That’s not right. I think it's a trap.” Kendra looked around to make sure nothing was sneaking up on her.

Jason moved closer to the tree while Kendra was looking around.

“Jason.” Kendra hissed at his back. Jason just waved his hand at Kendra. Kendra reluctantly moved after Jason whispering under her breath. “Such an idiot.”

The two of them moved up closer and took cover next to a fallen fence.

“See.” Said Jason. “Nothing too it. The fruit is just there for the taking. We got this.”

Kendra wasn’t so sure. Ever since The Event, nothing was what it seemed. The hair on the back of her neck was standing up. She could sense the danger. She didn’t know why Jason was being so blase about it.

[Skill Unlocked: Danger Sense]

Fuuuuuuuck.

“Jason.” Kendra hissed again. “Get back here.” Jason ignored her and crept creeping forward. Jason put his foot down and the ground shifted beneath him.

Kendra could feel the air. There was an oppressive feeling.

[Skill Level Up: Danger Sense]

Jason kept moving forward, his eyes on the fruit. Kendra was watching Jason. Neither one saw the ground shift next to Jason. A black shape the size of a dog leapt out and attacked Jason. Kendra screamed and readied a spell but Jason and the thing were moving too fast for her to get a clean shot.

Jason struggled to pull the thing off of him. The thing had a high pitch screech that hurt his ears and made it difficult to think. A thick tentacle burst out of the ground and wrapped around Jason’s legs and waist.

Kendra cast the lightning bolt she had been holding. The sparks of lightning snaked up and down the tentacle but the tentacle didn’t let go. Kendra didn’t get a chance to cast another spell. The thing snarling and snapping at her was a giant bug. It had six legs, compound eyes and its hide was hard to the touch. Kendra screamed. She hated bugs with all her might. She began flailing at the bug as its mandibles clicked and clacked right in front of her face. She managed to kick the bug off her and get to her feet. Kendra used a short lightning cantrip to get space for herself. It zapped off the carapace of the bug in front of her.

Kendra looked around and didn’t see Jason anywhere. “Jason.” Kendra screamed out. This time Kendra noticed the ground moving. All around her the ground shook. Kendra turned and ran.

[Skill Level Up: Danger Sense]