PORTY GRAHAM ORBWEAVER'S WEB 2015
In May 1968, on the outskirts of a rural town called Netcast, Andrew Orbweaver sprinted across crumbling rock, dead grasses nipping at his heels as the others drew closer. His bloodied feet pounded against the cracked land, he pushed his battered body further and further as the howling wind carried the cries of several attackers. A canopy of darkness was illuminated only by the slit of the creeping moon. It was in this darkness that Orbweaver sunk into a small hole in the earth, trapped by the formidable foe of the desert. Five men found him there, incapacitated by the earth. They leapt onto him like a lion onto a wounded gazelle, causing an audible CRUNCH of bone. They ripped apart their prey with the extension of their knifed claws. As the men sauntered away Orbweaver lay still, abdomen pouring blood, fixating on the brittle leafless tree near his side as the violet of his rheumy eyes faded into a muddy brown.
In May 2014, on the fringes of Netcast,the parched earth looked painfully cracked as eight black spindles rose from within the roots of a tree. Each limb moved with alarming grace, pushing the vermillion abdomen of the arachnid forward on its mission. It moved swiftly towards the distant trickle of water and submerged itself, slowly releasing methylenedioxy-methamphetamine into Netcast's water supply as its amaranthine orb-like eyes were swallowed by darkness. It was gone.
Sunday, July 2014, in central NetcastRai Trap's sharp eyes peeked out through a long, mop of hair as she looked fondly at her slumbering adopted brother Baydge. Looking on at the scene nobody would suspect anything to be wrong. They were amiss.
Baydge had walked around the house for two days with an inexpressive face and a flat voice. That Sunday night as the floorboards creaked and the dimly lit apartment was covered in the shadows of the moon, Baydge started to shriek.
Rai disentangled her limbs from her partner, Slater and stampeded towards Baydge's room. Crammed in the corner huddled Baydge, blood slowly trickling from between torn knuckles, the smashed mirror to his right ensanguined with his vitality, dancing shadows threatening the room. Rai and Slater placed one foot gently in front of the other, walking towards the quaking form. They creeped forward, delicate breaths sounding like pounding war drums in the silence. The decrepit amboyna floorboards finally complained and Baydge, like a wounded animal sprang from his position. He hurtled himself towards Rai, small talons extended and ready to shred. Missing the bullseye he careened straight for the wood and unceremoniously stilled. Exchanging a horror-struck glance with Slater, Rai lifted the homuncular form of her brother from the tenebrous ground.
Rai laid Baydge out and stroked the blooming magenta lesion on his right temple as Slater rushed to the hospital. They ushered Baydge through the grating metal doors into the ER towards Dr. Hunt. Slater laid Baydge on the bed and Rai told Dr. Hunt of Baydge's behaviours. Dr. Hunt was commanding as he ordered a tox-screen. All Rai could do was wait, terrified of the thought that she couldn't protect her baby brother, from himself.
Rai and Slater followed Dr. Hunt into the toxicology ward. Dr. Hunt's glasses gave the illusion of eight eyes, not two. It was uncomfortable, until his deep voice cascaded into the silence. "Baydge has succumbed to a coma. His blood shows a large constitution of liquid methylenedioxy-methamphetamine," he reported. "What's that?" questioned an alarmed Slater. "Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine is a psychoactive drug, known as ecstasy," Dr. Hunt replied placidly. He continued, "you described unusual behaviour in your brother Mrs Trap. The increased violent tendencies and hallucinations may have occurred due to the drug. Ecstasy is known for adverse effects including cognitive impairment. We have four other cases of eleven year olds overdosing. Ecstasy affects dopamine and serotonin levels which could lead to schizophrenia. Do you know how your brother got his hands on such sustained doses?" "Baydge is home-schooled by Rai, there's no way he could be getting drugs from another kid. When Rai is at work I'm home and when I am at work she is home. There isn't even a way he could leave the house without us knowing," Slater replied, bewildered. "You need to figure out where he consumed it," Dr. Hunt divulged. "What about the water supply?" piqued a quiet Rai. "That is almost impossible. Although children are more prone to intoxication symptoms should show in every town member. All possibilities must be explored. If there is some way it's in the water supply we have to find ou-" "NO. If we call the police or the towns water management about then whoever is possibly contaminating the water could retaliate. Slater is a forensic major, he can test it," demanded Rai. "I will if you stay with Baydge," bargained Slater. "Find out if the water is the source, we shall go from there," ordered the Doctor.
Tuesday, July 2014, Netcast hospital Rai wrapped herself around Baydge like a spider wrapping its eggs in a protective silk cocoon as Slater walked in, pale and cantankerous. "The water was contaminated," Slater all but growled as he paced the room. "Slater, wha-," started Rai as she caught sight small marks on his neck. Rai moved towards him, placing her hands near the inflamed puncture wounds. Slater's head jerked around instantaneously at the tender touch and he forcefully grabbed her arms. Rai screamed at the sudden contact and hospital staff rushed in. The hazel of his Slater's eyes slowly rolled back and the sclera became overtaken with a murky violet. He uncharacteristically cackled out, "You think your brother is innocent? Those five kids, their bloodline is the reason I died. I've been dead for 47 years. It's your turn. My poison is already working, enhancing the rage in your vile hearts. You will kill each other. By night's end you'll all be slaughtered. I won't have to lift a single leg." Slater's eyes quickly rolled back as his muscular form collapsed to the floor. Rai scampered to his fallen body, as he groaned. "What happened when you were testing the water Slater?" Rai screamed. "What's going on? I'm-It was so dark. I couldn't see anything but I felt something crawling up my back after I tested the water. I felt a sharp sting over my jugular, then nothing," responded a confused and panicked Slater. Dr. Hunt stepped forward to examine Slater's neck, stating "definitely an arachnid bite." "He said we are going to kill each othe-" "What are we going to d-" "How does the bite fit into thi-" "ENOUGH! The only way to be sure no one else is affected with the drug is to flush the water supply. Everyone will need to be treated with haloperidol which will mitigate our dopamine production and ensure we don't get to agitated or commit mass murder," ordered Dr. Hunt.
The nurses flitted around, pulling patients from their sepulchres. Staff lined uniformly, awaiting to be punctured and dripped the elixir or humanity. Dr. Hunt intently searched for answers about previous murders and unsolved cases. He opened a page about Andrew Orbweaver, who allegedly was killed after stealing methamphetamines. Dr. Hunt wasn't affected by the drug but was feeling deranged as he researched how to get expel spirits.
Dr. Hunt charged towards where Rai, Slater and Baydge were located and maundered his delusional thoughts. "Know that I am not crazy Mrs Trap. I believe Slater was just possessed by the spirit of a man named Andrew Orbweaver. He was murdered forty seven years ago after stealing ecstasy from an unknown party. In Slater's state he said has been dead for 47 years, this can't be ignored," the doctor pleaded. Rai speedily requested "If it is a spirit, how do we kill it?" "A spirit is energy; it cannot be destroyed, only dispersed. The spirit thrives in an area of certain electromagnetic activity. We need to disrupt this. We need to make a series of EMP pulses to throw Orbweaver out of our town," proposed Dr. Hunt. "This sounds inconceivable, but, will save my brother?" probed Rai. "It will save everyone," confirmed Dr. Hunt as he removed a copper wrapped device attached to a capacitor.
The Doctor, Rai and Slater stepped onto the sullen roof of the hospital. It was there that they prepared the EMP device, the formidable breeze commanding the darkness. Deafening silence enveloped the trio as they switched on the circuit. The sky began to pulsate, illuminating the town in a turbid purple hue. "It's working! The spirit is dispersing!" exclaimed Dr. Hunt as lightning crepitated across the heavens. The palpitating welkin soon cooled into a delicate ink as thousands of moulted spider exoskeletons rained down on Netcast. "Is it over?" interrogated Rai. "It will be, after the water supply is reclaimed," rejoiced Dr. Hunt.
On a Wednesday in July, 2014 Netcast flushes their water system. Five eleven year old boys awake from comas as Dr. Hunt leaves town, a purple ring surrounding his irises. The loss of an exoskeleton always makes a spider more flexible.