Giant Spider

Spiders?

I had my back against the wall as I sat up in bed. It was extra cold, especially so because it had been raining on and off all day. Only a whisp-like rain fell in the recent dark. The windows to my left were damp and a little murky from the bleaky weather. Except for the streetlight that shone on a part of the road and the front of the neighbourhood church, it was dark outside.

I had neglected to close the curtains. I couldn’t be bothered really. Maybe I should have. My peripheral view of the dimly lit church had caught some movement. There was no sound as I stealthy peered intently for a better look. The church was right across from my home. No, that’s not right. The church’s cemetery was right across from my home and no, it never bothered me. If there were ghosts, they have been as respectful of my space as I have been of their privacy. I had never asked about the graves, nor had I ever looked over their way too long. By the church, I saw three giant spider looking legs disappear into the shadows.

My mind was playing tricks on me. I was home alone and neglected to feed myself today, so I figured I was hallucinating a little. It wouldn’t have been the first time.

I stared and stared but could not make out anything suspicious in the inky shadows, nothing but a silvery image that formed the silhouette of a gigantic spider. Wait, what!!! That was the biggest spider I had ever seen. It was easily bigger than a car. By this time, I had slid to the floor in fear. I hated spiders. Once I got my breathing under control, I crawled to the front window, cracked the curtain a little to investigate. It had gotten to the cemetery by now and it was digging. Do spiders dig? Why was it digging up those old quiet graves? I whimpered a little as my chattering teeth parted. Goosebumps took over my body and my ears felt so filled with pressure that I thought they might burst. I could no longer hear but I saw clearly when the eight-legged freak turned and made direct eye contact with my inquisitive eyes. It had twelve, no fourteen eyes. You couldn’t seriously have expected me to count the exact number. Two would have already been too many. Its head was all hair, the gazillion eyes was its only accessory. I should have minded my own business.

The spider galloped towards me like a horse. That was too strange. In no time, it was on my balcony, screaming and clawing at my door. It foamed at the mouth. White froth stood out against a black spiky head. It’s teeth…wait, do spiders have teeth? The jagged teeth opened and closed repeatedly as though it was already gnawing at my body. I almost passed out from the putrid smell of its breath pervading my room. The wooden door eventually tore apart, and a fragment whisked passed my head and shattered into more pieces behind me. The spider pushed a piece of two hairy legs inside. They made a grating sound against the metal grill. Even though mother, was cheap enough to place a wooden door where a metal door should have been, I am glad she had the good sense to ensure it was grilled. Thank God I did not get up out of bed today. If I had, that grill to the balcony that the spider was trying to force its way through might have been open.

I eventually came to my senses when the hissing ceased, and I noted a warm liquid had soaked my pants. I might have sat in water. There was no sound from gigantic arachnid. It left. I imagined it went back grave digging. I peeked out again. There was nothing out there. Very tentatively, I hung a sheet at the open doorway as I made up a story to tell my mom about how the door got destroyed. Who would believe the truth?

I collapsed in bed as fatigue consumed me. What happened was something out of a horror story. I started dozing as I wondered where it came from and where it went. I was jolted awake by the sound of heavy footsteps.

“Mom!” I called out immediately.

There was no response. That’s when I realized I dreamt the whole thing. I will tell her about it tomorrow. She will laugh so hard. I laughed nervously as I relaxed once more in bed.

A feeling of dread washed over me suddenly. Instinct told me to hide but I was frozen in that spot whimpering uncontrollably. I had hung out clothes earlier in the day and slept through the whole afternoon. I did not take them off the line. Did I even close the back door?

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the enormous house. As the footsteps drew closer, I crawled under my bed. My door flew open and in stormed eight hairy black legs. I admit it, I peed myself a little more. I didn’t expect to die this way.

“Billy, get from under there.”

That’s my mom’s voice. I did not move

“I swear you are the most dramatic child I have.”

She was amused but I was terrified. I slowly slithered from under the bed in time to see the spider shapeshift into my mother. Did I mention that we are shapeshifters?

“Is that new form, Mom.”

“Yea, you like it?” She still seemed too amused

“It’s not bad but why did you scare me half to death?”

“Relax a little. I was just testing it out. Some new normies moved into our community last week. I don’t like them. I think I’m going to convince them to leave.”

I swallowed a gulp of air on their behalf.