Terror rendered him static, with eyes wide, mouth ajar and heart hammering a million times a minute Chris Jericho lay slumped across the bed, fearful orbs locked on the wall adjacent to him.
With ragged breath he followed the pathway of the eight legged fiend as it crawled leisurely across the plaster, unconcerned by its Canadian roommate's horror.
"Ugh" groaned Chris, his abhorrence seeping through as he remained motionless, left immobile by his irrational trepidation of the spider scuttling across the wall. With a murmured shriek he inched backwards as it moved, crashing to the floor with a sickening thud in his hurry to escape the creature.
Dazed and terrified he located the arachnid amongst the stars currently swirling around his head, muttering idle threats at the offending cretin as it continued its ascent.
Spitting insults he scrambled from the floor, using the bed to haul himself upwards, eyes never straying from the black and hairy beast that had been magnified through a prism of apprehension. With a shiver he rose, feeling the hair on his neck rise with dread he stood frozen by the sight of the charcoal dot running amuck.
He should have refused laser surgery, at least when he had contact lenses he could remove his vision. He'd much rather have his sight obscured in a blurry haze than have this crystal clear view of the animal from hell.
With a tentative shuffle he attempted to edge his way to the door, every ripple of fear rendering him still as the spider darted further. With a yelp he stumbled in his eagerness to escape, catching his foot against the bedside cabinet he fell, the carpeted floor hurtling to meet him as he spiralled downward with a crash.
The bedroom door flung open, dousing him in the shadows of the hallway, Shawn Michaels filled the doorframe a look of concern etched on his sun kissed face.
The concern rapidly faded to confusion as the Texan lowered his gaze to find his lover sprawled at his feet, hair tousled and golden against bleach white features of fear.
"What's wrong?"
Chris squirmed against the carpet, heaved himself upwards with a breathless crow of pain as the bristled fabric burned against his skin.
A hiss of annoyance besmirched his lips as he faltered to his feet, using his boyfriend to steady himself.
" Spider" he whispered, words cracked and frayed with anxiety, he raised a shaking hand to point, his quivering digit highlighting the aberrant vermin to which Shawn had blissfully been unaware.
With a squeak Shawn located the spider; grasping Chris to him he yanked him backwards, clumsily colliding with the wardrobe near the door as he did so.
"I hate them"
Chris turned at the southern croak, despair flooding through him.
"You're meant to help me!"
"I am helping!" protested Shawn, "I pulled you away from it! It was heading towards you."
They stood, trembling together in the silence, both watching the spider futilely wander back and forth across the plaster, a simmering electricity of terror seethed between them as the clutched each other.
"What do we do?" stammered Chris, his frightened Canadian twang shattering the quiet.
"I'll go get Hunter"
"Don't leave me!" Chris commanded flinging himself around Shawn's neck, preventing the elder man from exiting the room without him.
"You're choking me!" gasped Shawn disentwining Chris' clutch around his throat. The pair staggered from the room, fuelled by panic they made their way to Hunter's room, thrashing insatiably upon his door.
"You hammered?" commented Hunter dryly; he drank in their terrified appearances with worry, "Are you two ok?"
"You have to help us" demanded Shawn breathlessly, "Right now!"
"Alright but are you ok?"
"No! You have to help!" barked Shawn yanking his best friend from his room and shoving him roughly down the corridor back towards the room he was sharing with Chris.
"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" cried Hunter, head aching with apprehension, mind immediately considering death and turmoil.
"Look!" screeched Chris, arm wavering in the direction of the spider who had now ventured to the middle of the wall, heading south for the carpet.
"Are you kidding me? You two are almost in tears over a spider?"
"It's a spider Hunter!" snapped Shawn, "Look at it! It's moving! It's moving!"
Both he and Chris startled backwards, shielding themselves behind Hunter who stood, eyes raised to the Heavens in disbelief.
"Get me a glass" he requested, tone blasé.
"Where from?" asked Chris, his voice barely audible.
Shawn glanced at him, heaved his shoulders in response, too daunted by the spider to allow common sense to prevail.
"Bathroom" suggested Hunter bitingly, unimpressed by his co-workers' displays of stupidity. He emitted an exaggerated sigh as Shawn pulled Chris into the bathroom with him to fetch the glass; he knew they could be inseparable but this was ridiculous.
He waited impatiently as they returned, shackled to each other with panic, Shawn cautiously handed his DX buddy the glass.
"I don't suppose it'd be too much of a challenge for one of you idiots to find some card?"
Chris handed him the empty box from his gum, watched wide eyed as Hunter flattened it and slid it beneath the spider, entrapping it in the tumbler.
With a shudder he shrank against Shawn only to find himself retreating further as his boyfriend mimicked his actions, attempting to keep as far away as possible from the trapped insect.
Hunter held it up; an evil smile blemished his features as he watched the identical shadows of revulsion weave across Chris and Shawn's faces.
"It's a money spider! My God you two are worse than girls!"
"Kill it Hunter" pleaded Shawn shrinking backwards, seeking Chris' hand. Chris pulled himself free, determined that he be able to make a break for it should Hunter's teasing turn sinister.
"I might keep it as my pet"
"KILL IT!" roared Chris echoing Shawn's sentiments.
Hunter lunged forward, the glass teetering in his grasp as the spider clamoured for release, his laughter drowned beneath the screams of trepidation from Shawn and Chris as they jumped backwards in an attempt to escape.
Hunter yanked it rearward; secure in its makeshift prison he held the spider still.
"Bastard" seethed Chris furiously.
"I hate you" added Shawn his breathing slowing slightly, eyes still tainted with anguish.
"Relax you know I wouldn't really have thrown it at you" soothed Hunter, hazel circles still alight with delight.
"Just get it out of here" hissed Shawn huffily
With a shrug Hunter turned, taking the creature with him, chuckling as he went. He hadn't been this amused since he had to save Shawn from the moth in Syracuse.
Chris itched at his arms, scratching at skin until it smarted, subconscious reacting to the presence of the spider with a flare of paranoia.
"What if it had a family?" Shawn muttered, scanning the room fearfully.
"Don't!" wailed Chris
"But it could have! They could come to find him!" cried Shawn fearfully.
Both men skimmed the walls, eyes tracing over the pale wallpaper in exploration of more spiders.
"Wanna go sleep in the lobby?" questioned Chris, words fractured and unsteady.
"Uh huh" agreed Shawn grabbing pillows as he followed his partner from the room in search of a spider less sanctuary.