Last Arachne (Part 2) (Patreon)

Hey all!

We're finally on our way with part 2 of the Last Arachne. My schedule this month was so tight (because of the holidays), but you have no idea how grateful I am to make my first third post in I don't know how long.

I tried some editing software that I bought on this one. Feel free to message me with goofs. The point of the editing software is that I intend (down the road) to write a few more shorts (think single chapters) that I publish directly to Amazon that are outside of the Monster-verse (think stroke pieces). The editing software will help me speed up my end of the process, but I won't know until I try it. I would also love it if some of you (who may have been alive during the seventies) can help me make the piece more authentic. If you read something that screams "Annabelle just googled 70's shit" let me know how to polish it up.

Also, I will have an end of the year post later tonight, just my End of the Year Update to let you know where we've been and where we're going, so check that out if you like being in the loop.

Also, I did add the Last Arachne tag to part one. If you haven't seen it yet, you can look it up and meet some new characters!

Without further ado,

New Routines

When the sun rose, he had already been up for an hour. Moving quietly through the kitchen, he discovered that Ana did not keep the fridge or cupboards stocked well at all. The night had been long, his mind trying to work its way through several questions he didn’t realize that he had. He had a roof over his head, but what about food? When would he get paid? He had a few dollars left and figured he could reimburse Ana for any food he ate, but now suspected that she was keeping food in her room.

He needed a routine. Just as the sun was rising over the trees, he was out for a morning jog in a black t-shirt and camo pants, his heavy feet hitting the pavement. The main street wasn’t large, and he soon found himself running down a stretch of road surrounded by miles of farmland. The steady patter of feet on pavement let his mind take a break, and he could ignore the empty feeling in his gut just a little bit longer.

He slowed down, looking out toward the distant hills. It occurred to him that he had no idea where the town ended and the rest of the world began. It would be so easy to keep running, to let his feet keep carrying him to wherever it was he so badly wanted to go. His chest was tight, his head pounding with his own heartbeat. He came to a stop, his hands on his knees, looking out over the rest of the world.

“Cutter is gonna make you dig latrines if you don’t keep up.” Dwayne stood next to him, his words punctuated by heavy breaths. Darren had stepped just off the trail for a moment, his chest on fire. He was fairly certain he was sick, his hair slick with sweat beneath his helmet.

“Cutter can fuck himself.” There was no love lost for their commanding officer, but Darren kept his voice low just in case. Cutter would be bringing up the rear any moment now, but they had spread out while moving camps. If they weren’t currently surrounded by the rest of their platoon, they would be packed together like sardines the smell of Hayden’s cigarettes clinging to them like grease.

“Yeah, well maybe if you stand here long enough, he’ll let you watch.” Dwayne handed over his own canteen and a Snickers bar he had won in poker a couple nights back. “You look like shit.”

“Still better looking than you.” Darren coughed, then accepted the water. He had drained his already over a mile back. He knew he should have saved some, but he was just too damned thirsty. Dwayne held out his hand and dropped three aspirin in Darren’s palm. He swallowed them and then opened the Snickers, breaking half off and giving the other half back to his twin. Dwayne put it in his breast pocket, tucked back in its wrapper.

“I hear Cutter bitching.” Dwayne patted his brother on the back and adjusted his rifle. “I’ll see you up ahead.” He trudged forward, vanishing around the corner of a rock. Darren turned around, gazing over the valley they had just traversed. Distant gunfire echoed over the hills like weak thunder.

“You hitting the road, son?” Darren turned his head and the jungle disappeared. Sheriff Walters regarded him cooly from inside his squad car.

“Sheriff.” Darren looked down the road. Every fiber of his being told him to keep running, but he couldn’t quite convince his body that there was no longer anywhere to run. “Just getting in a morning jog and thought I would turn around at the town limit.”

“You’re going to be running forever then. Drunk driver took out the sign last winter and we haven’t replaced it yet.” Walters leaned across the front of the car and opened the passenger door. “Can I give you a ride back to town?”

Darren was covered in sweat, his breath coming in short bursts. He looked back toward town, wondering how long it would take him to get back. His internal debate was taking too long, but Walters waited patiently for his answer.

“Yes, sir.” Darren got in the car and buckled his seatbelt. Walters handed him a bottle of water and turned around, the distant hills vanishing in the side view mirror. The sun was higher in the sky than he had expected, and it occurred to him he had run farther out of town than he had expected. Fields became trees and then houses, and they were on the main strip once more. Walters pulled up to the curb next to the church.

“I should probably get cleaned up and head to work.” The library opened at ten, so he figured he still had a couple of hours.

“You eat yet?”

“No, sir.”

“Good. You can join me for breakfast at Matty’s. Half an hour?”

Darren wanted to argue, but the void in his stomach told him otherwise. He nodded, which seemed to placate the sheriff. He got out of the car and walked around to the back. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see that Ana still hadn’t emerged from her room.

Not that it mattered. If he was being truthful with himself, he enjoyed the solitude. Still, if he had to live with her, he wouldn’t mind if she was a bit friendlier. He didn’t need a best friend his had died in Nam. He stepped into his room and got in the shower, the hot spray out of the rusted shower head rinsing the sweat away.

Last night’s shower had been welcome, but he had used a bar of soap to wash his hair. It was a free one he had taken from a motel two hundred miles ago, and he doubted it would last him much longer. The staccato rhythm of water on the crappy old shower curtain he found in the basement took him away again, his mind on his first night in Nam. He had never seen so much rain in his entire life, and he remembered reporting to the barracks only to discover that his brother was sitting at the same table he was.

“Fubar.” He heard the word out loud, but couldn’t tell if he had said it or if he had remembered hearing it. That’s what Little Mike had said when they found out that their orders had gotten crossed. His parents had given them both the same initials when they were born. It was the whimsical thing people did with twins, but that moment of whimsy had caused a discrepancy in paperwork and they had been assigned to the same unit by mistake, adding an extra man to their squad. He had been so grateful to see Dwayne there that he put minimal effort into getting the error corrected.

Knowing what he did, he wished he had. He turned the shower off and stepped out. He dried himself off and put on a clean shirt and the same pants he had just worn. They were the only pair he had that was suitable for eating out. Darren looked outside through the smudged window of his room. He could see the main road and the denizens of town walking the big sidewalk by it. His eyes caught the movements of a fairly large wolf spider regarding him from a crack in the pane. Some dirt had accumulated on the sill, accompanied by what he assumed was the remains of a pillbug.

“Don’t worry about me,” he told the spider. “You stay out of my bed and I’ll stay out of yours.” He flicked the dead bug off the sill and walked out into the common room. The door to Ana’s room was still closed. He wondered if he should tell her he was leaving, but then realized she didn’t care about his whereabouts. He walked to the back door and stepped outside.

The wind caught the back screen door and slammed it behind him. He winced at the bang, closing his eyes to steady himself. He walked over toward Matty’s, ignoring the stares from the locals. Hannah greeted him almost as soon as he was in the door, then pointed at the table in the back. The sheriff was sitting across from a woman he didn’t recognize.

“Morning.” Walters greeted him with a nod, then pushed a mug of coffee across the table. He scooted over, making room for Darren to sit. Darren cast a wary eye at the woman, suddenly worried that he was looking at Louise.

“Ma’am.” He accepted the coffee, letting it warm the knuckles of his fingers.

“Morning.” Louise had a mostly eaten plate of food in front of her. “You must be hungry, let me get you something.”

“I’ll manage.” He sipped his coffee, but Louise ignored him, flagging down Hannah to put in an order for an omelet and some fruit. Hannah seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye.

“So my brother tells me that you went out for the longest run ever this morning.” Louise sipped at a cup of tea. Darren felt tension he hadn’t been aware of melt from his shoulders. He had been worried they were meeting about him. While still possible, it was more now more likely they were sharing a bite for shits and giggles.

“Didn’t realize how far I had gone.” Darren felt uncomfortable squeezed in next to the sheriff. He didn’t like knowing that a gun he didn’t trust was by his side. “Town is smaller than I expected.”

“That’s the truth. I grew up around here.” She leaned back in her seat. “Will probably die here too. My bones are too old to settle somewhere new.”

Sheriff Walters rolled his eyes. “You’re too stubborn to die. Louise here plans on retiring in a couple of years to travel a bit. Would be good for her to see the world.”

“Not everywhere is friendly.” Darren supposed he had seen the worst of it. He couldn’t imagine anywhere else on Earth where someone could catch jungle rot, get blown up by Charlie, or even shot by your own squad for being a huge piece of shit.

Fucking Cutter. He buried the memory before it could surface. That was one he didn’t want to see, not now or ever.

“I suppose that’s true.” Louise checked her watch. “I’m afraid I have to go. Give your love to Mel for me?”

“Always do.” Walters said.

When Louise stood up to leave, Darren took her spot in the booth, sitting across from Walters. He didn’t like having his back to the front door, but preferred it to being so close to the law man. Walters added sugar to his nearly empty cup and then held it out. Hannah reappeared with a fresh pot, filling the cup to the brim.

“Need some extra spark today.” Walters set his mug down. “Louise has some concerns I would like to address with you.”

“Regarding?” Darren knew this job was too good to be true, but still held out hope.

“It occurred to her that she stuck you in a living situation with a woman who eats next to nothing. Last time I checked on Ana, that girl had next to nothing to eat in her pantry. I don’t make assumptions, but I’m guessing you still gotta eat.” Walters slid a twenty across the table. “This isn’t charity, son. It’s an advance on your first paycheck.”

“I haven’t done any work yet.” Darren looked at the faded Jackson on the table.

“You’re right. But I got a feeling you ain’t about to run off with it. And if you do, don’t run East. My house is on the edge of town, that’s how I knew you were out for a run.”

“Just an advance.” Daren took the bill and stuck it in his pocket. His first thought had been how many meals he could get for twenty bucks, but it had occurred to him that the money could be used for living expenses. Actual shampoo. Maybe a razor. The government issue boots he wore certainly weren’t in the best of shape. He could even buy some groceries for his new place. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you. Louise kept telling me how grateful she was that a soldier would be looking out for her girl Ana. My sister thinks very highly of her, likes her spirit. Don’t do anything to betray that trust.”

“No sir.” A plate of food appeared in front of Darren along with some fruit. Before he could unwrap his silverware, Hannah was gone again. The damn woman was a ghost.

“Louise paid for your breakfast today but you’re on your own from here on out. However, you get in a bind, you let me know and we can work something out. I have plenty of work around my house for a strong back.”

Darren nodded. Sheriff Walters sat with him until his coffee was gone and then bid him farewell. Darren finished his breakfast and walked over to the library where Louise handed him a long list of things that needed to get done. He went to go get tools to start work, waving at Ana when he walked past her. She ignored him, her face buried in a stack of books.

*g*

When Darren walked past her, she felt a tightening in her guts that made her blue blood run cold. It was a sudden urge to pounce, tackling Darren to the floor and biting him until he was erect enough to mate, then fuck until he came inside her. Instinct and safety demanded that she kill and eat him immediately after, a desire that had been built into her genetic code over thousands of generations.

Unlike her sisters, she was curious about the humans they hid from. While her nest had been content to snag a homeless man every couple of days for eating, she was watching parents tuck their children into bed, or a man kiss a woman for the first time. Humans were a fun curiosity for her, a way of connecting with a father she had never known because her mother had eaten him after mating. Somehow, a wire had crossed in her head, and she was unable to see the world the same way her sisters did.

Her curiosity had saved her life. Ana could still hear the screams of her sisters inside the burning warehouse, Glasgow now so many years behind her. Smaller than her nestmates, she had been able to sneak out without her mother knowing. She had wandered off to sneak into a dance hall, the sounds of the musician’s  instruments like a flame to the fluttering moth-wings of her mind. Ana had stayed out too long, and upon her return, she discovered a large circle of men had surrounded her nest. Mesmerized, she watched when they set the warehouse ablaze and waited, blades drawn, for her sisters to flee.

The fine hairs on an Arachne gave them supernatural senses. Those same hairs, when burned away, left them blind to the outside world. Blinded by both heat and light, , the nest had fled directly into the ambush, chopped into pieces before her eyes.

A lone swordsman had spotted Ana, so she ran. She squeezed through a small crack between buildings, barely wider than a foot, and the swordsman had cut off two of her legs. The pain of those lost legs had been nothing compared to the agony of returning to the warehouse days later and finding that none of her sisters had survived.

The local authorities had found bodies in the wreckage, but they belonged to the humans the nest had been feeding off of. She wanted to hate the men with swords, to vow revenge, but she had been too smart for that. Unlike her sisters, she had realized as a child that the humans weren’t just food to be eaten and bred with. They were living creatures with thoughts and feelings, and they had chosen to get their point across in a most brutal manner. Defeated, she had fled across the ocean, vowing to never again treat man as prey.

However, her biological clock was no longer ticking, but an alarm blaring down in her loins. She had experienced bouts before, but nothing quite like this. It was the way of the Arachne, to mate with a human male and build a nest. If the human survived mating, then he would get wrapped up as a snack for the mother to be. It was a survival mechanism that protected them from starvation and discovery, and she knew if she were to find a mate, she could never guarantee her own safety, nor that of her children. 

Her nest had been the last. The Crusades had narrowed their numbers dramatically, and the Black Plague had starved them out. The discovery of the new world had allowed their numbers to grow, but the indigenous people of the Americas had wiped out any Arachne that snuck over on the slave ships. Their numbers continued to shrink as the world mastered guns and fire until the second World War had driven them nearly to extinction, her mother the soul survivor of experiments done by the Nazis.

Could she afford to start again? If she took a mate, her children would eventually be consumed by the same hunger she was now and may lack the foresight to fight it off. It was an internal debate she couldn’t win either way. If she mated, she would no longer be lonely, but would become hunted once more. She liked this town and the people in it, liked exploring her own human nature. She could read stories to their children, enjoy breakfast with a friend, things that her spider half wouldn’t understand.

“Miss Ana?” A child of maybe six handed her a book. Her spider half saw the baby fat on her cheeks, could smell the hot blood pumping through her veins. Her breath carried the odor of Cheerios and banana and there was a spot on her neck that would be perfect for biting.

“Yes?” Her human half saw the pigtails, imagined a mother patiently putting them in this morning, teaching her how to read, holding her hand when she was sick.

“I found it by the bathroom but didn’t know where it goes.” The little girl smiled and skipped back over to the Kid’s Corner. Ana looked down at the book she had been handed. It was a copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

“We may brave human laws, but we cannot resist natural ones.” she said. It was a quote from the book. She had read it many times on her voyage from Europe to the US, hidden aboard a cruise ship in an unoccupied room while she molted, her legs growing back. Perhaps it was an omen, a testament to her inability to escape her own monstrous nature.

“Fuck you, Nemo.” Her voice was low so nobody would hear. She tossed the book onto a nearby cart. Ana wouldn’t let instinct get the better of her, she refused. She would continue to hunt small game, live quietly in her church, and scratch out a living she could be proud of that didn’t involve feasting on the locals.

“Excuse me, Ana?” She didn’t even have to turn around, the smell of him alone setting her senses ablaze. Her wheel squeaked when she rotated to face him, her new roommate. Darren’s face was serious now and he held Gary’s old toolbox in one hand. The level of sudden attraction she experienced now had nothing to do with his personality, or even his looks. She could smell the strength of his very genetic code, the same genes that had helped him develop his lean physique. The sickly smell of the bus stop still lingered, but now his natural scent carried with it the promise of a fast pregnancy and a good meal after.

“Can I help you?” Her voice came out scratchy, the signal from her brain being positively disrupted by the sight of thick pecs through his tight shirt.

“I’m supposed to check out some loose tiles on the roof. Can you show me how to get up there?”

She nodded, pulling keys out of her drawer. Her legs twisted about, powering the gears that would spin her wheels. She led him out toward the main entrance, but turned at the last second into an old storage room she unlocked. It was full of chairs and tables for town meetings or the occasional fundraiser. She pointed to the large ladder on the back wall that vanished up into the darkness.

‘There’s a hatch at the top with a padlock.” She felt like her voice was slurring, but Darren didn’t seem to notice anything off. He took a few steps forward and looked up, the fabric of his shirt tightening. He set the toolbox down on the floor, then pulled a ring of keys out of his pocket, searching through them.

“Do you know what the key looks like?” He asked her.

“No. By the time I got my chair up there, I was too tired to open the door.” She grinned at her own joke, but Darren remained quiet. “It should be a small one. All the padlocks are the same brand.”

“I have a few suspects.” He hopped onto the ladder, giving Ana a phenomenal view of his physique from below. His ass pressed tight against the seat of his pants, and her mouth watered.

“I’ll leave you to it.” She wheeled away, letting out a sigh of relief once she was away. She sat now in the lobby, pretending to check the bulletin board.

This was going to be harder than she thought. She needed to keep her mind on her work, avoid contact with men in general, but specifically Darren. It was frustrating how powerful of a force he had become in her mind in just under a day, a stranger who had come to town and likely wouldn’t be missed if he disappeared.

“No.” Ana shook her head, attempting to dislodge such murderous thoughts. Even if she were to do it, she suspected Sheriff Walters would do some digging. If she owed any man on this planet anything, it was him. If he hadn’t offered her kindness when he had, she would probably be masquerading as a homeless person on the west coast somewhere. He had given her a safe place to live and would never forget that. If she could just avoid any unnecessary drama until the urge to breed passed, everything would be fine.

The front door opened, sending in a light breeze which rustled the papers of the board like leaves, the scent of sea salt, honeysuckle and lavender washing over her. She slowly turned her chair around in disbelief. The newcomer smiled, rays of light scattering through her golden curls. She was wearing jeans that looked like they had been painted on and a cream-colored peasant blouse.  Ana felt a powerful draw toward the woman, a sexual longing that could only be described as supernatural, which she knew it was. The only reason she could resist in her current state was the fact that sex wouldn’t result in any young. In this instance, she was grateful for her natural instincts.

“Oh!” Louise had emerged from the library with some fliers in her hands. “Ana, I didn’t know your aunt was coming!”

“It was meant to be a surprise,” Emily said, her voice carrying musical undertones. She smiled at Ana. “I was hoping we could have lunch?”

“Take her, take her! I will cover for her.” Louise stuck the fliers onto the bulletin board and pulled down some older ones. “Take your time Ana, I’ll see you later.”

“Of course.” Ana glared at Emily. “After you, Aunt Emily.”

Emily tossed her hair and walked out the door, holding it open for Ana. Nothing was said while they walked down the street to get to the diner. It wasn’t like Ana had anything to eat in her apartment, and she knew exactly what Emily was craving.

The volume in Matty’s diminished considerably when Emily walked in behind Ana, her spell immediately cast over the entire establishment. The townspeople all knew of Ana’s mysterious aunt, and would likely be talking about her for weeks to come yet again. Hannah led them to a table to the side, removing the chair so that Ana could slide her chair into its spot. Somehow, the light entering through Matty’s dirty windows seemed to shine directly on Emily, her very presence a beacon of light.

Emily had no relation to Ana. A few weeks after Ana had arrived in town, she had just shown up, looking for a niece that matched Ana’s description. Once alone, Emily had confessed that she knew of Ana’s lineage, offering her a place in some home by the east coast where other creatures all lived in harmony.

Ana had politely declined for many reasons. She feared that those who hunted her might put such a place in jeopardy. She also worried that the other creatures in the house may have similar histories, and it would turn into the nest all over again. Emily turned up every eight months or so since then to check up on Ana, but the answer was always the same.

“I’m still happy here,” Ana told her. Hannah set down a coffee for Emily and some water for Ana. She didn’t bother taking their order-Emily and Ana always ordered the same thing.

“As I assumed you would be.” Emily leaned across the table to push a lock of hair out of Ana’s glasses. What looked like a loving gesture was actually an inspection. “The glasses still helping with your vision?”

“They are, thank you.” Emily had fixed the glasses for her one time when they had gotten broken. Until they were fixed, it had been makeup, long bangs and just keeping her extra eyes closed, which had been super annoying.

“You look pale. Are you getting enough sun?”

“Very funny.”

Emily smirked. “I’ve come with a final offer for you.”

“And you know the answer already.”

“This is a different offer. I’m leaving the States for a while. There are things I want to check out in Europe and, when I get back, I won’t be coming out this way anymore.”

“Oh.” Now that was interesting. Emily only traveled on monster related business, and never for more than a couple of days. Ana knew better than to ask for details. “Who’s watching the house?”

“Don’t worry about that.” Emily smiled over her coffee, but Ana saw right through it. Emily could put up a facade that was impervious to human scrutiny, but Ana could detect the subtle dilation of her pupils, sense the shift in her demeanor. This was a woman who would keep her secrets no matter what. “First things first. Those men who burned down your nest years ago. They belong to an organization known as the Order.”

Ana felt a chill pass through her body. “The Order?”

“Well, their public name anyway. It would be easier to steal artifacts from the Vatican’s catacombs than it was to find just this little tidbit out. But yes, they refer to themselves as the Order. And they are part of the reason for my departure.”

“How?”

Emily sighed, then set down her coffee. “The Order has been around for a very long time, but nobody has ever heard of them. I was visiting a friend when he brought them up. In loose terms, they are monster hunters. They chase rumors and stories of creatures who prey on humans or otherwise disturb the Balance.”

“What balance?”

“The Balance. Merlin sealed away magic from mortals so long ago, but magical creatures were spared. In short, creatures who interfere with mankind in some way.”

“And your friend is reliable?”

Emily grinned. “He was being hunted for his starring role in a film that came out a few years back. Let’s just say he’s gotten better at hiding his enormous footprints.”

“Shit.” Ana looked around, but nobody was paying them any attention. “Is your friend ok?”

“Oh yes. He’s quite good at getting out of a bind. However, he did mention that one of them carried one of those folding swords you told me about.”

Ana shivered. The men with swords had drawn daggers no larger than a kitchen knife. She had watched in amazement as the blade unfolded itself until it was several feet long. A convenient method of transportation, yet somehow solid enough to slice through her sisters.

“That was all I needed to track down the bare minimum. A few years back, a cryptid was spotted around West Virginia that they wanted to get their hands on. Well, it took several of their best members to catch it, and you can’t have that many people in one place without leaving a trail for others to follow. As best I can tell, they are rounding up cryptids and jailing them or killing them. Rumor has it they are tracking something very important in this area.”

“I haven’t seen anybody new around here.” Ana realized what she had just said. “Other than a guy who came in on the bus, but he works for the library now.”

“Was he alone? They always travel in pairs.” Emily’s voice trailed off and she smiled at Hannah, who set a plate of food in front of her. It was a chicken salad with dressing on the side. A ham steak with fried eggs was set in front of Ana.

“Yeah, he was by himself.”

“Good. The Order always hunts in pairs. One who fights with a sword, and one who fights with magic.”

“Really? They can use magic?”

“Sort of. It’s more like…” Emily scrunched up her face, deep in thought. “Hmm. It’s like a divine channeling, in a way. The magic they use doesn’t belong to them, but they tap into it. Like when a priest casts out a demon by calling on their god.”

“I’ll keep my eyes out.”

“You do that.” Emily slid a piece of paper across the table. “And now for my offer.”

Ana rolled her eyes, but took the paper and opened it. “What are these?”

“Coordinates. I purchase a large plot of land in Oregon. My friend is using it for his stomping grounds these days, away from prying eyes. You see, secrecy is the best weapon against the Order. I’m not worried about dealing with them because I never do anything to show up on their radar. This plot of land is more than large enough for you to live comfortably, out in the open, without fear of humans stumbling through.”

“But I would be alone.” Ana folded up the paper and stuck it in her pocket.

Emily sighed. “Yes, you would. But  you would be alive. Look, I know you. You deserve a better fate than your sisters did. No more wheelchair, or magic glasses. You could just… be.” She took a bite of her salad, chewing thoughtfully. “This isn’t something you have to say yes to. It’s just a safe place you can go in case things get dangerous here.”

“But what if someone follows me?”

Emily smiled. “I’ve made arrangements. Like I said, my friend uses that space as well. However, I don’t think you two would get on very well. I know how sensitive to smells you are.”

“Yes.” Ana used her fork to pierce her eggs. They were runny on the inside, and coated her ham with their juices. She ate slowly, savoring the flavor. She tried not to eat human food too often. It could easily fatten up her upper half without providing the proper nutrition for her lower half. Fat spiders were easier to squish. “Does that mean I won’t see you again?”

“If you stay here? No, you won’t.” When she shook her head, her curls bounced off her shoulder. “I’m going to miss the chicken salad. Some of the best I’ve had.” She took another bite of it. “I’ll miss you too. It’s been fun having a niece.”

“You don’t have a niece of your own?”

“Nope. I was an only child. My parents died shortly after I was born. I was a lot like you, growing up alone. The orphanage was okay, I didn’t get treated as badly as some of the others. I think that’s a little bit why we are kindred spirits.” She gave Ana another large smile, one with years of pain secretly hiding behind it.

Ana said nothing, and they ate the rest of their meal largely in silence. When Emily was done, she knelt down to give Ana a hug.

“I know you’re doing well, but consider it. Plenty of places for a girl like you to live in and enjoy.” Emily tossed her hair again, catching the eye of a few men in the restaurant. “Even if it is as a last resort.”

“I will.” Ana took the slip of paper from her pocket and held it. “And thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Emily walked out the door, leaving Ana alone with her thoughts.

*g*

“Ugh. How many days have we been out here?” Jeffrey stepped out of the tent, his breath turning to fog and vanishing in the breeze. The sky was growing lighter, dawn quickly on its way. Jeffrey was in a full body set of long underwear that could hold up to the claws of a mountain lion.

“Two weeks now.” Cyrus had the map spread out on the tailgate of the truck, marking their current location with an X. They had seen more of the countryside now that most people who lived in town ever would. They had gone into town twice to restock supplies, and both times Cyrus had called to see if the Oracle still said their quarry was there. Both times had been a resounding yes. “We’re running out of places to look.”

“She’s gotta be hiding in town. You know how they are, they can squeeze down really small and hide almost anywhere.”

“Yes, but they still have to eat. There isn’t enough food in town to sustain her, not without seriously snacking on some local pets.” Cyrus folded up the map slowly, quelling the urge to ball it up and throw it into the fire. “There’s a couple more promising leads on here, but we’re going to need a different strategy if we’re going to find her before she catches on to us and runs.”

“Bah.” Jeffrey wandered through the tall grass carrying a roll of toilet paper with him. Cyrus frowned, then pulled out his journal, flipping it open to the page he had marked with a ribbon.

“An arachne requires a regular blood diet of any creature it can catch. Much like an ordinary spider, she will catch her prey in a web and wrap it up for eating later.” Cyrus kept coming back to this sentence, but couldn’t figure out why. He felt like he was missing something important. He picked up a stick and drew a web in the dirt with a spider next to it then drew a house around the web and the word food off to the side.

Through the tall grass, he could hear Jeffrey grunting, followed by a machine gun blast of farts.

“This is why you need to eat better,” he hollered in Jeffrey’s direction.

“Yeah, well maybe if we had somewhere better to eat…” Jeffrey never completed his thought, grunting loudly behind the trees. Cyrus grimaced at the sounds he was making, knowing he had a point. They weren’t exactly eating well out here, they were eating food they had brought with them. 

Wait a minute. Cyrus smoothed out the dirt inside the house, then drew several little webs outside of the home. He drew arrows from the word food to the webs. “Hey Jeffrey? How many traps have we seen out here?”

Jeffrey mumbled something, so Cyrus waited for him to come back. 

“What did you ask?” He fumbled with his belt, then tossed the toilet paper into their tent.

“Traps. You mentioned that you saw a lot of trap out hers, small game. I was wondering if it was possible that she was using more conventional methods to catch her prey. Human methods.”

“Hmm. That seems fairly inefficient.” Jeffrey looked through the trees. “But it makes sense. Most of them aren’t really kill traps. If an arachne needs blood…”

“Then she catches live prey.” Cyrus set out the map. “We should find some of those traps and wait around to see who shows up.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jeffrey knelt down next to Cyrus and held out a plastic bag. “Jerky?”

“Yuck.”

*g*

Ana stared at the clock. It was ticking closer to closing time, but not nearly fast enough. Shifting in her wheelchair, she had to fight the urge to touch herself and take the edge off. It had gotten dark outside, and the last book group of the evening had already left.

Wheeling down the long stacks of books, she stuck books back where they belonged, her eyes constantly going back to the large clock over the main desk. On more than one occasion, she could have sworn that it was moving backwards, time stalling out on her. Her chair clicked when she turned the corner and she ended up clipping the shelf. Rolling her eyes, she returned to the desk for the next stack of books.

Her legs were twitching, the ones she had disguised as human. Even through her thick boots, the movements were visible. She closed her eyes, letting her senses expand a little. She didn’t think anybody was in the library, but really didn’t need to explain how a paraplegic could suddenly shift her legs around. The movements started as nervous energy at first, but soon turned into something else. The way she was built, she could squeeze her front legs together hard enough that the flesh of her vulva would compress, tickling the thick fleshy nub at the top of her narrow slit.

She resisted the urge for as long as possible, stamping returned books and stacking them up on her desk. She was wiggling back and forth in her chair, her lower half betraying the upper. Her legs tilted inward and then squeezed, her human flesh compressing. Instead of calming her down, she felt her sexual urges go into overdrive.

“Fuck,” she muttered, looking around. Maybe she should close up early and rush home. But then what? It was too early to crawl around in the belfry, she had promised herself that she would only go up at night. Also, Darren was outside fixing some busted brickwork and would inevitably escort her home or want to chat. The last thing she needed was to be around a human male, especially one of breeding age. She could smell the pheromones oozing off of them, threatening to claim the logical half of her mind.

Ana looked at the stack of books around her and readjusted them. She had constructed a small wall between her head and the front lobby. Anybody walking in would be unable to see her right away and buy her a couple of seconds to react.

Her fingers were already at the band of her skirt, pushing their way inside. She had little black bumps instead of pubic hair and she rubbed her fingers across them, wondering briefly if she should just quit now while she still could. She could feel the heat and humidity radiating from her groin and let out a sigh.

It was now or never.

She rubbed at the tightly folded skin of her vagina, teasing free the thick, fleshy nub of her clit. Every touch felt like a shock to her entire body. She had denied herself any sexual pleasure since fleeing the nest, afraid that it might trigger her mating instincts. Now that she was here, she hoped that she could take the edge off.

She hissed through her teeth, her legs twitching hard enough inside the chair that the wheels vibrated. Both of her hands were fumbling in her skirt, trying to quell the fire she had just ignited. Rocking back and forth, she couldn’t quite get at the right angle.

The flow of air shifted around her, letting her know the front door had been opened. Frustrated, she withdrew her fingers, quickly licking them clean as a pair of teenage boys came around the corner.

“Hi, Ms. Ana.” The taller of the two, a boy with brown hair, set a small stack of books on the table. “These books were far out, but I’ve read them all. Do you have anything like them?”

Ana looked at the paperbacks he had set down. “The Hardy boys? We something similar. Have you tried reading Nancy Drew?”

The younger boy laughed and the older one scowled. “Nah, I don’t wanna read about some girl. I’ll just look around a bit.”

“Suit yourself.” Frustrated, she sat back, the heat in her belly still running hot. She couldn’t do anything about it while those boys were in the library. She took the books they had brought and stamped the cards. Sliding the books to the side, she contemplated the stamp she had just used. She used it on a spare piece of paper, making sure all the ink was removed.

What am I doing, she thought to herself, contemplating the thick wooden knob on the stamp. The metal tumblers beneath were fairly small, making the knob the largest part. The teens were toward the back of one of the stacks and couldn’t see her. She slid the stamp beneath her waistband, positioning it at the front of her groin. From above her skirt, she was able to push and manipulate it until it was touching her labia. She lifted her hips and pushed it farther in, the knob spreading her apart.

“Nngh…” She bared her teeth, her fingers curling into the hard wood of the desk. She heard the heat kick on, felt the temperature in the room rise, all the while grinding herself down on the knob. It spread her open, but it wasn’t good enough. She kept herself busy, going through some of the records, checking papers due for the bulletin board. There was going to be an ice cream social next Friday.

She kept shifting, the knob pushing her even wider. Her eyes kept flitting to the boys who walked over with a small collection of books in their hands.

“Tom Swift. Good find.” She took the books and hand wrote the due date in them, then took their library cards and logged them. She forced a smile and watched them go. The pressure shifted in the room once more, imperceptible to a human, announcing that they had left, or that someone else had come in. She waited for several minutes, grinding down on the stamp. Ana felt foolish, her desires outweighing her ability to think. 

She put her hand back in her waistband, her finger finding her clit once more. She rubbed herself, her whole body tensing up. Her other hand was on the desk, her nails digging into the hardwood.

Ana fought back a moan, grunting under her breath. She was moving her hips faster now, frustrated at the confinement of the chair. She bit down on her lip, the molten heat inside her unfurling, her stomach muscles suddenly contracting.

The knob slid inside her.

She groaned, her fingers squeezing the desk. She was suddenly full, her vaginal muscles hungrily sucking the knob deeper. Her hips shook and the wheelchair moved back and forth. When she came, her fingers clenched, ripping a chunk of wood off of her desk.

“Fuck,” she hissed, staring at the large sliver of wood she had just ripped free. She set it back up on the desk, leaning back in her chair, her hearts both racing. The world seemed a little clearer now, the edge taken off. However, the large chunk of wood in her hand was a problem.

A shift in the air told her that somebody had walked inside.

“We’re closed,” she announced, looking at the clock. She nearly dropped the wood when Darren appeared from around the small wall she had built. He had either moved very quietly or she was caught up in a post-orgasmic haze.

“Oh, that looks bad.” He took the splinter of wood from her and held it against where she had ripped it from. “I can glue that back in place. Did you drop something on it?”

“Uh… yeah.” His scent was intoxicating, but she no longer felt the urge to rip off his clothes and fuck him. Currently, anyway. “Could you do that now, actually? It would be a hassle to wait until tomorrow morning.”

Darren frowned, lost in thought. “Yeah, I should be able to do it. Won’t take me long.”

“Great.” She nearly forgot to tilt the control stick, her legs already pumping the inner gears, making the chair move forward. “If you could remember to lock up, that would be groovy. I’m not feeling the best.”

Darren appraised her. “You do look a little flushed. Yeah, I can do it.”

“Thank you.” She moved toward the door. Once she had passed through, she made her way home, stopping to pick up her mail. Inside the church, it was apparent that Darren had done some cleaning. It was hard for her to care about the space outside her bedroom, but she was grateful to see that he was doing his best to at least keep busy.

Inside her room, it took a ton of willpower not to rip her way out of her chair. She pulled the stamp out of her vagina and frowned. It was covered in cum and a sticky web-like fluid. That was going to be a bitch to clean off, and she didn’t dare put it in her mouth. It reeked of her own pheromones, and she didn’t need to spend the afternoon masturbating again, especially when Darren could return any minute.

Darren. Even the thought of him made her stomach tighten. She knew almost nothing about him, but was very much aware that his idea of romance probably involved fewer legs. She spent the next hour moping about her room and rereading some of her favorite magazines to pass the time. Eventually, Darren returned home and she sank back into her chair. The knock came, like she knew it would.

“Ana? Can I bring you anything?”

“Just a good night’s sleep, thank you.” And your big fat cock. Her jaw dropped the moment she thought it.

“You sure? Do I need to call a doctor?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” She was squeezing one of her breasts through her shirt. She moved closer to the door, the scent of him seeping beneath her door and lighting up her senses. She grabbed the knob and fought the urge to twist it.

“Okay. I’m heading out for a bit. I’ll try to be quiet when I get back.” She could feel his footsteps through the floor and let out a sigh of relief. She slid out of her chair and then through the hole in her ceiling.

Up in the belfry, away from Darren and the world below, she felt a little like her old self. The cool breeze through the tower helped to clear her mind. She checked her traps and was disgruntled to find that they were largely empty. Snacking on some animals from her reserves, she watched the sun set from her tower, wondering if it was time to move on.

She thought about the slip of paper Emily had given her. Would she find peace in Oregon? Probably. But she would also find crippling loneliness, and it wouldn’t help her solve her current problem. How long until she became feral? What would happen to her if she caught a man and forced him to mate.

“Ugh.” She tossed the shriveled carcass of a raccoon into a pile of mummified carcasses near her window. The humans thought of her kind as monsters, and how could she ever hope to identify with them if she saw herself as one?

The raccoon carcass fell of the stack and snagged itself on one of her webs. Frowning, she climbed across the gap and picked it up. Her trash pile was getting a little large for her liking. Maybe a nice long walk in the forest would help clear her head. She bundled it up with some of the others and set it aside.

The town fell asleep around her and she hooked the bundle over her shoulder, her eyes watching the street below. Her vision in the dark was more than excellent, and she could pick out a couple of stray animals that wandered nearby. She licked her lips, fighting the urge to make a short night of it. Those strays belonged to somebody, and she didn’t need people searching high and low for their missing pets.

She slid out of the tower and was quickly at the edge of town. The extensive woodlands around the place were perfect for her purposes, but first things first. She scouted around for a soft patch of soil, eventually finding one beneath a bush. She quickly dug a hole with the sharp claws on her feet, then stuck the bundle inside. There was nothing left that a predator could possibly want, but she placed a large rock over the pit once she had filled it in. Scrambling up into the trees, she was able to leap between them, covering far more ground this way. From up there, she could spot potential dangers and simply wait them out or flee.

She could also check her traps from up here, and right now, she could tell she caught a rabbit in a snare she had woven. Ana descended from the tree and grabbed the creature, holding it by the scruff of its neck. She bit it once, a venom that stopped its heart quickly. She stood on her hind legs and used the others to wrap it up into a tiny bundle, then bit it again, injecting it with enzymes to break it down, and stuck the package to her back.

A couple of squirrels and a pigeon later, she was far from town when she saw that one of her pit traps had caught something. She landed softly amongst the leaves, her pale skin glowing in the moon’s light.

Kneeling down to examine the hole, she saw the small rabbit trapped at the bottom. She stuck her hands around the wooden stakes, trying to grab it by the scruff of its neck.

“C’mon…” she muttered, her stomach growling. Why was she so hungry? She pulled her arm out and was getting ready to make a second go of it when she felt the air around her change dramatically.

Leaping forward, over the trap, she heard the soft hiss of metal through air. Tucking into a ball and rolling forward, she grabbed the base of a tree and scrambled upward. A blast of lightning struck the branches nearby her hands, and she spun onto the other side of the tree, leaping backward into the night. Several more blasts hit the tree, blasting it apart, but Ana was already on the ground, backing up beneath a bush, her spinnerets moving frantically.

“Damn.” A man walked around the tree, his sword drawn. He surveyed the ground, blinking his eyes. “I don’t see her and I can’t see shit because of the lightning.”

She should have smelled him. How had he hidden from her? Even now, he had no scent.

“Be on your guard.” Another man stepped around the charred tree. He was holding a small rod in one hand, his other in his pocket. “I thought I had a clear shot, but I guess I was wrong.”

“No kidding.” The two of them now stood back to back. Ana’s eyes had already adjusted to the darkness again, and she moved as slowly as possible. Her body was oozing a dark fluid that solidified against her white skin, forming into a thick, black shell to protect her. It would ruin her mobility and dampen her sense, but she felt that her alabaster skin was her worst weakness right now..

That gave her an idea. She pulled some web from her abdomen, quickly braiding it into a thicker strand of rope. The bundles on her back were a dull white, far more visible than she was now. She kept moving back through the dark litter of the forest, keeping her head low. Scanning the trees, she tied her web to the bundle and threw it diagonally into the branches above.

The men reacted to the sound and moved toward it, unaware of her current position. She moved backward, praying that there wasn’t a third attacker, playing out the web as she moved. The bundle had tumbled through a thick patch of branches, barely visible from the ground.

The man with the rod pointed it at the tree, taking careful aim. Ana played with the rope, the bundle moving up and down as she put more distance between her and them.

When the blast of lightning came, she had closed most of her eyes already and was nearly fifty feet away. The bundle was hit and tumbled down through the branches, but the webbing held, and Ana pulled it back up, moving quicker now that they were distracted. She gave the web a hard yank, and more lightning tore into the tree, blasting branches away into the darkness and severing the rope.

“She’s falling!” the mage cried, pointing at the bundle. The swordsman was waiting to slice into it when it fell free of the branches, but Ana didn’t see the rest. She was immediately up into the trees, jumping across them as the last tree burned and the men yelled. Her carapace was slowing her down, but she didn’t dare pull it off yet.

They had come for her, and now they knew where she was. It was the nest all over again, and she was fleeing from the flames of destruction. She jumped from tree to tree, running for over a mile, then finally stopped when she up on a cliff above the lake near the quarry. She had fished there several times, but the fish hadn’t been great eating, either as a spider or a human.

“Fuck.” She looked back. She could see the glow of the burning trees down the hill, an ominous flame that bright back painful memories. She pulled at the thick carapace that had encapsulated her belly and torso, peeling it away. Fire was the worst weapon against an arachne because the flames could melt the fine hairs on her body, essentially blinding her to her surroundings. Now that she was far enough away from the ambush, she needed to be able to see clearly to continue her flight.

The black armor was still tacky from having formed from the pores of her skin, and she stuck it to the tree behind her. Moving quickly, she had most of it off when she detected a shift in the air nearby. She tumbled free of the branch just as a beam of light scorched it away, barely missing her.

“Shit.”The mage held a different rod this time, the swordsman close behind him. How had they caught her so fast?

“You keep missing, Cyrus.” The swordsman was moving much too fast for a normal human, moving toward her with his sword drawn.

“I was aiming for her exoskeleton. I didn’t think she’d take it off.” The rod was pointed straight at her now, starlight being sucked into it in long, sticky strands. “I won’t miss again.”

Ana scuttled backward, putting small trees between herself and them. The mage held his shot, his arm outstretched. It was going to be close, but she had one last trick up her sleeve. She was busy with some webbing in her hand, folding it like dough and twisting it into place. She had feared that they would track her, but hadn’t thought they would do it so quickly.

“You’re a crafty bitch, aren’t you?” The swordsman smiled, his teeth wicked in the light of the moon. “Not for long though.”

She wanted to say something witty, but that wasn’t her strong suit. Instead, her back legs brushed against the edge of the cliff behind her, signaling that she had arrived. When he came at her, she stepped over the rocky ledge and underneath.

“Shit!” She heard him slide against the ground, his legs briefly appearing over the edge. She tried to grab them, but he pulled them back up. “She’s beneath us.”

“She’s trapped.” The mage was digging through something, perhaps a bag. Ana didn’t feel like waiting to find out what, scrambling down the steep rock face. Her pursuers were trapped on an overhang without a good view of her. Down by the surface of the water, she stepped into its cold depths, shivering.

She spun some new web, picking up heavier rocks to weigh her down. She expanded the thin mesh she had built, sweeping it over her head to capture as much air as she could. The rocks pulled her beneath the water and her air bubble mesh balanced her out about twenty feet down. The pressure in her ears was annoying, so she pinched her nostrils and equalized them.

Arachne were not known for their love of water, but before she had traveled to America on a boat, she had spent all of her time learning how to swim and how to survive underwater. On more than one occasion, she had been forced to attach herself to the outer hull of a ship, or floated down a river with her air supply in tow. She said a silent blessing to the frenchman who had invented the Aqualung for giving her the idea and the Diving Bell spider who had taught her how to make her own version from her web. Beneath the water, she could see very little, but she could still make out the position of the moon overhead. She kicked with her legs, hoping that she was far enough down that she wasn't visible.

A couple minutes had passed when the blast ricocheted off the surface of the water. The lake churned as the cliff caved in on itself, the giant rocks sending large waves through it that spun her about. She clung to her air supply, dropping a couple of rocks and rising toward the surface. She squeezed some air out. From previous experience, she should have almost half an hour left of it.

The underwater swim was terrifying. Alone in the dark, she kicked her legs, praying that she would reach the opposite shore unharmed. There was a small cove hidden by the trees that she hoped to luck into, but she had a nagging feeling that she would discover that the Order would be there to greet her.

She smiled in spite of herself. The men of her nightmares now had a name. It was so innocuous, yet sinister at the same time.

She shivered, the cold temperature of the lake sapping energy out of her. If nothing else, it had taken her mind off of mating. Couldn’t mate if she couldn’t survive, now could she?

The light of the moon vanished behind some clouds and came back again. She prayed that it would stay out just a bit longer. At some point, her legs brushed the murky bottom of the lake. She was near the shore now, but couldn't tell where. She pictured it in her mind, moving to the right. Her pale body would be a dead giveaway if she got too close to the surface.

Suddenly, the moon disappeared. Moving closer to the surface, she saw that she was under something. She tentatively touched it with her fingers and discovered that she was under a blanket of leaves and wood. She surfaced slowly, covered in the wet refuse of the forest. It stank of fire.

She was near enough to the shore to get her bearings. She moved toward the hidden cove, but not before looking back. Whatever they had blasted the cliff with had taken out a large section of the forest on it, and the edges of the lake were piled up with debris. The sky was, in fact, perfectly clear. She had mistaken the logs above for clouds.

When she found the cove, she squeezed her sack empty and emerged, dripping and cold. She clutched a pair of rocks in her hands, ready to go down fighting.

She was all alone. Moving quickly, she disappeared once more into the forest, hugging herself to keep warm.

*g*

Darren’s eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed. He grabbed for his rifle, only to realize that it wasn’t there and hadn’t been for over a year.

Where am I? He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The darkness of the room was disorienting. He was in a bed, so he wasn’t back in ‘Nam. The bed was too nice for a homeless shelter, and he didn’t remember breaking in to anybody’s home.

Clicking on the light, his memory solidified. He was in his new apartment inside an old church. He took a deep breath, relieved that Charlie hadn’t surrounded him in his sleep, and doubly relieved that his brothers in arms weren’t waiting on him either. Dreams of the jungle were always bad, but even worse were the dreams of his squadmates, hands outstretched and calling out his name.

I wish the sniper had aimed at someone else. His dad’s voice was sharp like a knife, carving the memory into the surface of his brain.

“Fuck you Dad.” He whispered it to himself, afraid to open up the floodgates. These memories were the main reason he couldn’t drink away the pain. Too many of his brothers had discovered that booze might dull the pain, but it also gave their inner demons the power to manifest.

A floorboard creaked outside his room. He was instantly on his feet, moving silently. He pushed open the door of his room and squinted at the light in his kitchen. He was still wearing his pants, he always slept in them, but he was shirtless.

“I’m armed,” he said, stepping toward the light. He wasn’t, but if that proclamation didn’t send a prowler running, nothing would. The clock on the wall in the living room displayed that it was almost three in the morning. He heard the clatter of something hitting the floor.

“You’d better not be.” Ana’s voice was angry. He stepped around the corner to find her leaning over the side of her chair, trying to grab the can opener she had dropped.

“Oh, sorry.” He knelt down and handed her the opener. “I thought you were someone else.”

“Someone you greet with a gun?” She snatched it away from him and turned her chair around. He noticed that her lips had a blue tint and her hair was damp. She held a can of peaches in her hand, her trembling fingers fiddling with the opener. 

“I thought we were being robbed. Are you okay?” He put his hand on her shoulder and she flinched away. “Shit, you’re ice cold!”

“It’s none of your business.” The can fell out of her hand. “Fuck!”

“Here, let me help.” He took the can away from her and went to his room. He came back and threw his blanket over her, ignoring the odd look that crossed her face. He stuck the can of peaches back in the cabinet and pulled out some soup he had bought and tossed her something from his pocket.

“I don’t need… is that tea?”

“Yep.” He had tossed her a tea bag that he had pulled from his pack. He had gone on a small trip to buy himself some comforts and the tea was one of them. He pulled the tea kettle from above the stove and filled it with water. “This will heat faster than the soup. I hope beef stew is okay.”

“Seriously, I don’t-”

“I’ll call Louise. You said you were feeling sick, and now you look like you spent the night sleeping outside. And you’re wet. Care to explain that one to me?”

She scowled, but he ignored it. He had once picked up a live grenade and thrown it back to its sender, pissing himself in the process. He didn’t care that she was copping an attitude.

“I took a bath.”

“You’re doing it wrong.”

Ana rolled her eyes, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with one finger. “You fixed the hot water, so I made myself a bath. I got too comfortable and fell asleep and the water got cold. It took me a long time to get out of the tub, and here we are.”

“Next time, call for help.” The water was already heating up. He cracked open the can of soup and poured it into a pot which he then placed on the stove.

“That’s not a thing I do.”

“Well it should be. Sheriff Walters told me this morning that Louise wants me to look out for you, and I’m already a little scared of the woman.” 

This statement made Ana laugh. It was a surprisingly pleasant sound. “She can be a bit scary. But I’m not a cripple and I don’t need a nanny.”

Darren nodded his head. “I’m sure that’s the case. But I often think  the only thing that separates man from beast is our willingness to help each other out out of the goodness of our hearts.” He pulled another tea bag from his pocket and tossed it onto the counter. Rummaging through the upper cabinets produced a pair of chipped mugs that he set on the table. Once the water was ready, he took the teabag back from Ana and set it in her cup. He poured the water in and handed it back. “That’ll warm your hands up. Let it steep for a few.”

“It smells good.”

“It’s the stuff my grandma used to make. Brings back memories.” He made his own cup and sat across from her at the table. The smell of ginger drifted through the room. “This was what she’d make in the winter. We’d sit at the fireplace and listen to the radio.”

“Oh.” Ana wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a big fan of ginger.”

“That’s fine. Use it for your hands if nothing else.” He kept an eye on the pot, standing up  to stir it.

“Who is we?” she asked.

“My brother Dwayne. We’d go stay with our grandparents on occasion, until they died, anyway.”

“Where is your brother now?”

It was an innocent question, but Darren was no longer at the table when she asked it. He was thousands of miles away, watching a large portion of his brother’s head disappear in front of him. From far away, he heard himself answer her.

“He died.” Suddenly, he was back in the room. “He was in Nam with me.”

“Oh.” Ana sipped at her tea. They were both silent for several minutes, and then she said “I lost my sisters to a fire.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He took the pot of the stove and poured it into a bowl. The stew he had bought just hours ago smelled delicious. He set the bowl on the table and handed Ana a spoon. “You’re already looking better. I’ll take care of the dishes in the morning, so just get back in bed.” He picked up his mug and gave her a wave. “Let me know if you need anything.”

He was almost at his door, the world suddenly heavy around him, when she spoke.

“What about your blanket?” she asked, her voice already far away.

“Don’t need it tonight.” He walked into his room and closed the door. He set his mug down on the window sill and laid on his back, eyes on the ceiling. He focused on the scent of ginger and memories of a decade past, hoping it would keep the ghosts at bay.

When he finally drifted off, they were waiting for him back in the jungle.

I've really enjoyed writing this piece so far for a couple of reasons. I only have a few characters to juggle and I am really enjoying manipulating their (Ana and Darren) personal demons until I can press them together and tell them to kiss.

Also, I am clearly dropping several bombs inside of the Monster-verse. Before several of you message me, I would like to confirm that Emily is telling the truth about being an only child and growing up in an orphanage. I'll let you chew on that for a long while.

See you next year!