The TV blared to life. A reporter in a cheap newsroom appeared onscreen, her countenance stern and sober.

DJ stumbled backward and plopped down beside Polina. “I knew that place was no good here, in the middle of the country. Should’ve stayed on that fucking island,” he mumbled, flipping through the channels.

“Man, scoot the fuck over,” Marcus said, nudging DJ toward the foot of the bed and taking up a spot beside his fiancée. “I swear to God, DJ, this had better—”

DJ shushed him and mashed a button.

“…just joining us, two massive tornadoes were spotted ten minutes ago on the ground in Manhattan, traveling northeast along Denison Avenue at about thirty miles per hour. We’ve received word from officials that they struck the K-State campus in succession after appearing just south of Fort Riley Boulevard. Eye witnesses report the Insect Zoo, Ahearn Field House, Veterinary Health Center, and multiple halls, including the Pat Roberts Hall, were caught in the pathway.

“They also struck the upper levels of the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, which became fully operational at the beginning of the year and has suffered unfounded controversy due to its past ties to Plum Island in New York.

“Local law enforcement officials are asking everyone in the pathway of these tornadoes to please take immediate shelter. Also, in conjunction with Homeland Security, the CDC, and a host of other federal bodies, they are informing citizens to evacuate the area near the NBAF site. They are working to quarantine at least twenty square blocks, and traffic on many primary streets can expect delays in the coming hours.

“Experts are claiming both of these tornadoes may be F4s. We haven’t seen this kind of destruction in fifteen years, when, in 2008, an F4 took out…”

“See?” DJ said, lowering the volume.

Polina stared, slack-jawed, as the reporter rambled onscreen. Oh, fuck. Zika, Classical Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, the recent biogenetically engineered carrier mosquitos and rats—This had the potential to cripple the Midwest, maybe even the whole country, if not contained.

And that wasn’t the worst of it.

To find out what could happen by moving Plum Island to the center of the States, and to donate your hard-earned money to animal rescue programs, click the image of VS: X – US vs UK Extreme Horror below and check out my story, “Plumb Fucked Island”, which is first in the Table of Contents of horror heavyweights.

Be warned: all stories in this head-to-head battle anthology contain content intended to make you squirm.