The Spider That Chose Her
Tara woke up with a sharp sting on her leg.
A burning bump pulsed near her ankle — red, swollen, angry.
She rushed to her parents. “Something bit me!”
Her dad, half-awake, muttered, “Spider bite. It’ll go away.”
But Tara wasn’t convinced.
They cleaned her room. Changed the sheets. Sprayed everywhere.
Still, that night, she couldn’t sleep.
Every creak of the house felt like legs crawling across her skin.
She plugged in an old night-light from her childhood — a pink shell.
Comforting… but not for long.
The next morning: another bite.
This time on her other leg. Bigger.
Two matching red welts.
Like something was marking her.
Her parents called an exterminator.
He sprayed the entire house.
Dead bugs appeared by the dozen.
But Tara’s fear only grew stronger.
She refused to sleep in her room.
She moved to the guest bedroom.
Still, the next morning: a third bite.
On her wrist.
Right where a watch would go — as if measuring time.
Desperate, her mom took her to a professor at the local university.
He examined the wound.
“Spider bite, yes… but unusual. See the fang marks? Almost an inch apart.”
Tara’s stomach turned.
“That’s a very large spider,” he added with a smile.
“Some legends say… if a spider bites you four times, you become one.”
Her mom scoffed. Tara didn’t laugh.
Not really.
That afternoon, she took a nap in her parents’ room — the only place that felt safe.
She dreamed of being stuck in a giant web.
The house felt alive. Pulsing. Breathing.
When she woke up, her little sister Mia stood over her.
“Tara,” Mia whispered, “do you still think it’s just a spider?”
Tara blinked.
Mia’s face looked... different. Pale. Strange glimmer in her eyes.
“I had the same bites last month,” Mia said, stepping closer.
Her voice sounded like thin glass cracking.
“And now… it’s your turn.”
Tara tried to scream, but something held her frozen.
Mia leaned in.
From her mouth… extended two needle-thin fangs.
Fade to black.
Then a whisper:
"Soon… we’ll both crawl the night.”