A Second Chance

Part 58 - My cry fills the night!

The spider lunged forward and snapped its fangs just inches away from my hand.

I scrambled backward on the dusty floor while clutching my empty bottle like a shield. My heart was thumping against my ribs so hard that I could practically hear it echoing through the cavern.

"If you're that same spider, I bet you haven't changed at all, have you?" I muttered while I tried to find my footing again. 

I reached out once more to catch a stray drop of that glowing green slime. The monster hissed and swiped a hairy leg at me, which forced me to dive out of the way.

I almost had a decent amount in the container before the spider decided to spit a web at my face. I barely leaned to the side in time to avoid getting cocooned for lunch. This whole mission was turning into a total disaster because I couldn't get close enough to the fangs.

My hands were shaking, but I realized that I would never catch enough venom by just standing here. The bottle was way too small and the spider was way too fast and big for me to handle. I needed a way to make the creature sit still or aim its venom better.

"I better not see this guy again," I grumbled while I looked around for anything useful. 

My eyes landed on a sharp piece of rock sitting right near a puddle of sticky webbing. A brilliant plan started forming in my head that might actually work if I didn't mess it up.

I didn't need to be the one holding the bottle during the collection, the venom just needs to go in. 

If I could wedge the container into the ground and lure the spider over it, the venom would fall right inside. I just had to be the bait and hope my ninja training was enough to keep me safe.

I jammed the bottle into a crack in the stone and stepped back to give the beast a clear target. 

"Hey, over here, you big overgrown furball!" I yelled while I waved my arms like a maniac. 

The spider shrieked and lunged toward me, which sent a fresh spray of venom flying exactly where I wanted it to go.

The green goo splashed right into the opening of the bottle while the spider hissed in frustration. I didn't waste a single second as I dove forward and snatched the container from the crack in the floor. 

I quickly twisted the cap on tight.

"Thanks for the contribution, big guy, but I've really got to get going now!" I shouted while I scrambled toward the cave exit. 

The spider wasn't about to let me leave without a fight and started scurrying across the ceiling at an alarming speed. But, I have a workaround - I charged my feet with lightning and sped up as I got to the exit. 

The jungle was a blur of green and brown as I dodged hanging vines and tripped over gnarled roots. 

I could hear the heavy thud of the spider behind me, but I didn't dare look back to see how close it was. My lungs were burning by the time I finally saw the sandy beach through the trees.

I spotted my motorboat bobbing in the shallow water and pushed myself to complete one final sprint. I leaped over the side of the hull and scrambled to reach the ignition switch as fast as possible. The engine coughed once before roaring to life with a satisfying rumble that drowned out the sounds of the island.

I slammed the throttle forward and watched the shore shrink away as the boat cut through the waves. 

The giant spider stood at the edge of the sand and shook its legs at me in a fit of rage. I let out a shaky laugh because I actually managed to pull off the impossible without getting eaten.