Their ferocity frightened the hell outta Semelee, and she remembered thinkin’, Oh, God what have I got myself into now? And, bein’ inside them, she was beginnin’ to feel some of their bloodlust.

When they got through the door, there was the old lady, standin’ in the middle of her livin’ room, all done up in one of them funny Japanese dresses. She just stood there smokin’ a cigarette. Smokin’! It was like she knew she was gonna die. She didn’t scream, she didn’t cry, she didn’t even fight back.

But her plants did. They lashed out at the chew wasps and tried to entangle them with her branches. The wasps splintered them and striped off all their leaves.

But they still couldn’t get to the lady because of her little dog. Semelee especially wanted to even the score with that mongrel for killin’ Devil, but he wasn’t going quietly. She’d wondered how such a little thing could’ve killed the biggest gator she’d ever seen, and last night she found out. That tiny dog fought like a full-grown Rottweiler. He brought down two of the chew wasps before three of them ganged up on him and tore him to pieces.

And then there was nothing between the chews and the old lady. She didn’t try to run, she just stood there, like she was acceptin’ what was comin’.

That was when Semelee had second thoughts. She sensed somethin’ special about this lady—something extra special—and had a feeling she’d be losing somethin’ precious if she killed her.

Maybe it was the way she was just standin’ there. She had to be scared outta her mind but she wasn’t showing it, not one bit.

But the thing that most made Semelee want to hold off was knowin’ that this lady wasn’t just gonna be killed, she was gonna be torn apart. Much as Semelee hated her for messin’ with her plans, she didn’t know if she could go through with that. The other folks she’d sacrificed here at Gateways had been stung or bit or pecked up, and they’d died later…not right in front of her.

Semelee was gonna have to watch this and she didn’t have the stomach for it. Maybe gettin’ her house wrecked and her dog killed would be enough for the old lady. Maybe she’d learn her lesson and stop messin’ where she didn’t belong. Maybe she’d even have a heart attack and die later. A lot better’n bein’ torn to pieces.

But when Semelee tried to turn the chew wasps around and bring them home, they wouldn’t go. They smelled blood and there was no stoppin’ them. They lit into the old lady. And what did she do? She stood there and raised her arms straight out from her sides and just let them come.