The Terror From Lake Erie

As an Easter Break treat, I am posting a work of fiction that was inspired by our experience at G-FEST 16 and which was published in G-FAN #89. Folks from Northeast Ohio will best be able to appreciate some of the references dropped into this humble mini-thriller. Hope you enjoy it--

The micro-blogging site “twitter.com” took on a new dimension recently when an Iranian student used it to chronicle civil unrest in his nation. Following his “tweets” inspired me to consider what might happen if someone used the same technology to report on…

www.twitter.com/TheTerrorfromLakeErie

Name Andy Martin
Bio NE Ohio born and raised; love the Browns and lake effect snow

It’s the all star break and the Tribe is already out of it. Guess Kerry Wood was not the answer. Oh well—tickets will be easy to get now
11:45 PM Jun 30th from web

Grandpa is still at Cleveland Clinic. Knee replacement went well. Was up on his feet the next day! Hope he’s home by the weekend-he’s bored
1:00 PM July 2nd from web

Another Lake County quake just hit-felt like a truck slammed into the house two or three times. Going to check for cracks in foundation
11: 19 AM July 3rd from web

Unbelievable—Fox 8 news reporting that the salt mines under Lake Erie have begun collapsing, caused by major earthquake
11:30 AM July 3rd from web

Reports suggest 85 workers were down there at the time of the collapse. State & county officials are “concerned” about Perry nuclear plant
1: 33 PM July 3rd from web

Emergency siren has been sounding for about 15 minutes straight-people are coming out of their houses and kind of wandering—I’m freaking out
2: 54 PM July 3rd from web

Talking to neighbors outside & we just heard WEIRDEST sound ever—can only compare it to black and white Godzilla roar THIS IS CRAZY!!!
5:05 PM July 3rd from txt

Ground shaking again nonstop. Can’t believe I’m hearing that HOLY COW 2 OR 3 PLANES (?) JUST THUNDERED OVERHEAD IN DIRECTION OF PERRY POWER
5:47 PM July 3rd from txt

They are dropping BOMBS over by the plant!!! Not making this up—can’t stay here
5: 55 PM July 3rd from txt

Made it to aunt’s house in Chesterland. Roads choked with evacs. Watching Action 19 news. Whatever was by Perry is gone. Unreal
8:05 PM July 3rd from txt

19 news chopper showing long range shots of Perry plant. One of the cooling towers is totally gone. “Reactor not compromised” they’re saying
8:25 PM July 3rd from txt

Wondering if I’ll ever see home again
8: 30 PM July 3rd from txt

Fox 8 reporting aftershocks at former salt mine site. Nobody is saying anything about whatever is was that came ashore
8: 34 PM July 3rd from txt

If this was not on the screen I would never believe it. 19 news chopper showing Browns stadium being leveled by blackish grey Godzilla
9:11 PM July 3rd from txt

I saw G-2000 once—it looks a lot like that but skin is wet black like he’s been at the bottom of the lake a long time
9: 13 PM July 3rd from txt

Sick joke—this is the most action Browns stadium has seen since they returned to Cleveland—the creature is pure power in motion
9: 16 PM July 3rd from txt

The Rock and Roll hall of fame was just obliterated with a blast of blue-white fire from monster’s mouth-“let me stand next to your fire”
9: 20 PM July 3rd from txt

Jimi also said “well I stand up next to a mountain/knock it down with the edge of my hand” Zilla is about to do that to Key Bank bldg
9: 22 PM July 3rd from txt

The Quicken Loans arena “the Q” is next in line—King James vs the King of the monsters. We are all witnesses-of total destruction and chaos
9: 36 PM July 3rd from txt

The lights are somehow still on at Progressive Field-getting great look at monster—it is so huge yet fluid; towers over light stands
9: 52 PM July 3rd from txt

Stations are replaying Browns stadium collapse; Tony Rizzo is doing ad lib commentary in tears “this is almost worse than what Modell did”
10:07 PM July 3rd from txt

Entire Gateway district is up in flames. Lebron said he would light it up like Vegas-I doubt he had this in mind. Zilla heading north now
10:53 PM July 3rd from txt

Creature dove back into lake. Networks in full coverage mode. We are sitting here in total shock—feel like I’ve been running a marathon
52 minutes ago from txt

Holy cow—grampa is still down there at the Clinic—gotta go
50 minutes ago from txt

Northbound lanes are a ghost town; southbound are a parking lot most vehicles abandoned
35 minutes ago from txt

Can see fires burning in the distance-not far from Clinic now
28 minutes ago from txt

WTAM 1100 reporting violent tremors just off downtown all the way to Mentor. Can feel and hear it
23 minutes ago from txt

Someone just called in to WTAM claiming military ready to use electromagnetic pulse weapon if creature appears again-how do they know?
18 minutes ago from txt

Made it to Clinic garage. If EMP goes off, I’ll obviously be phone silent. Guess this is where I say I love you to whom it may concern
5 minutes ago from txt

WTAM reporting creature resurfacing a couple miles east of downtown. Here I come grandpa
3 minutes ago from txt

TO BE CONTINUED (?)