Zombie in the House!

It was a gloomy afternoon when I arrived at my mother’s house.  The sky was overcast, and the air was crisp with a hint of snow.  I looked at the fields longingly, but I’d come to fulfill my promise to clean the unused portion of the house – the formal dining and living room, where we used to entertain when my father was still alive. 

It hadn’t been used in over a year, so maybe I could finish quickly and escape for a walk.

I grabbed a rag and the vacuum cleaner and pushed the sliding door open.  I heard the familiar squeak, as a rush of cold air hit me in the face.  Brrrrr! 

1) Bay Window © 2012 by etva

I turned up the heat slightly, so I wouldn’t freeze, and entered the dining room.  The sun suddenly broke through the clouds, and rays of light appeared through the bay window.  I walked over and looked out towards the pond.  My father loved this view.    

I suddenly had an urge to photograph it, and went to get my camera.  I snapped a few pictures and happened to glance down and see a dead wasp lying on its back. 

Now that would piss off my Dad!  He was very particular about housecleaning and hated dead insects lying around.

2) Dead Wasp! © 2012 by etva

I laughed at the memories, as I snapped a photo to add to the Newsvine Photographer’s collection of dead things.  I could almost see my Dad shaking his head at my bizarre action, and hear him tell me to stop procrastinating.

For once, I listened, and swapped my camera for the dust rag. 

I turned back to the window to push the dead wasp to the floor, but it was nowhere to be seen.

Huh?

3) Zombie Wasp swimming in the shadows! © 2012 by etva

Ah!  There it is.  I must have brushed against it when I turned.  It was now lying on its side, in the shadow from the window pane.  So of course, I had to take another photo to capture the shadows – and movement.

Then I grabbed the rag, and pushed the dead wasp to the floor, to be vacuumed up. 

I dusted the dining room, and then went to put the rag on the table while I vacuumed.

And there was a dead wasp – on the dining room table!  Yikes!  We must have had a nest in the house over the summer. 

4) Zombie Wasp on the Table! © 2012 by etva

I snapped another photo for Holly, and brushed the second wasp to the floor, in the direction of the first wasp, which – was no longer where I’d put it.

Creepy!  It must be a zombie wasp! 

I laughed and went to plug in the vacuum cleaner.  I pointed the nozzle towards the wasp that hadn’t yet escaped, flipped the on switch, and let out a screech, as the zombie wasp went airborne! 

WTF??!!  Somebody left the vacuum cleaner on reverse air flow!

I flipped it back to normal, but by this time, the dead wasp was nowhere to be seen.

I finished cleaning the rooms, but couldn’t find the dead wasps.  I guess Dad was right; I’m not a very good housekeeper!  *sigh*

5) Zombie Wasp climbing OUT of the basket! © 2012 by etva

Finished with my task, I grabbed my camera, and started snapping photos around our now clean house.  A set of dolls caught my attention, and I moved in for a closer shot – and found one of the zombie wasps – climbing out of the basket! 

OK, it wasn’t moving, but it sure did look like it was trying.  (See for yourself!)  Now what are the chances of a dead wasp landing in that position?

Determined to best this creature, I grabbed the basket (and a lighter) dumped it in the driveway, and watched it burn! 

Feeling quite proud of myself, I went back in the house, having vanquished the living dead! 

I told my Mom what I’d done, and she rolled her eyes, as she instructed the fierce zombie huntress to water her plants.

And I found another one…

6) Zombie Wasp in the Plant © 2012 by etva