As we pulled up to the parking lot of the Red Lobster, I had a horrible premonition. You could say that my "spidey sense" was tingling, if you were prone to using pop culture references. But I think it would be more accurate to say that I have a horrible premontion every time we go to Red Lobster. It's just that this time, I hit paydirt.

"We should go home, Val. Or somewhere else. Can't we do dinner somewhere else? I'm getting a bad feeling."

Valerie, getting out of the car, paused and looked at me. "Like the time when you predicted the earthquake?"

"Similar, yes. But ...this feels bigger. We really ought to get away from here."

I could see Valerie's internal struggle. She wanted Red Lobster (I blamed the subliminal advertisments they'd been using for the past two months) for dinner, but she also knew that my psychic alarms were nothing to ignore.

"You're not just saying this to get out of dinner at the Lobster, are you?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Of course not. It's ..."

The explosion across the street interrupted me.

It turned out that I was right and wrong. There was danger nearby, but not at the Red Lobster. The true menace was at the IHOP across the street. At least for now.

People at the IHOP were screaming and running for their lives. Valerie and I got out of the car to investigate.

The smoke from the explosion was drifting our way, making it difficult to see. The noise was coming through loud and clear, though. And it sounded like hell.

People were screaming, crying, choking on the smoke. Sirens were distant, but approaching quickly. Valerie was crouched down, with her sweater covering her face so she could breathe easier. I mimicked her, as we slowly crouch-walked toward the warzone. Another explosion made us stop and lie flat on the pavement. Followed immeadiately by another one. I was crying, and for whatever reason had the thought, We need to buy waffles next time we go grocery shopping.

Then.
An inhuman ROAR from the IHOP parking lot.
It was unlike anything anyone on earth had ever heard. I pissed my pants. The mayhem surrounding us seemed to pause momentarily, in awe. Or perhaps in confusion. Or maybe in the realization that these would be our final moments alive. I could feel the ground vibrate from the intensity of the scream. My vision started to get fuzzy, and I knew that I was going into shock. I somehow willed myself to stay conscious, and managed to reach over for Valerie's hand. She was cold and shaking. I scrambled the few feet over to her, and yelled. "Are you okay?"

She looked at me, and her pupils were huge. Her face was so pale that I almost didn't recognize her. "What is it?" she squeaked.

"I don't know. Let's just get out of here."

That made sense to her, and we both scrambled to our feet, helping each other along. As we got to the car, snatches of conversation from the mob reached us.
"...oh god..."
"...car exploded..."
"...demon...from hell.."
"...monster..."

Valerie and I exchanged looks of concern, and I started the car. As I started the vehicle, I could hear a loud tearing sound from across the street. The noise, while quieter inside the vehicle, was still just as frightening. I don't remember the drive home at all, having gone into auto-pilot mode by that time. That night was when the world first went to war against the dragons.