1
The Bite
"So are you going to-" Will said, drawing out each syllable. "Yes" I willed. It was after school, McNair Middle School to be exact. And it was also my birthday. I turned 13 years old that day. So I got the special tradition at school. And that is a dare. The first person to dare is the "dare to the date" which is the official daring for the day. Others are unofficial and can't be bigger than the first dare. My friend Will was the first to give me a dare. It was to eat a spider that he found at my house. I know it sounds crazy, but it was the first dare, so I had to do it.
"You're gonna chicken out" Will teased me! "No, I won't" I teased back. "Whatever, all I know is that you're going to attempt to eat this" Will said, pointing at the jar he was holding. I look at the jar and there is a spider. The spider looks ok. Just like any old wolf spider. But its face was different. It had blurry eyes. As if it was blind. And the front side of its face was bright white.
Will and have been buds since Kindergarten. And now, we are still today. The last time we weren't friends, I couldn't remember.
We walked up to the concrete slab where we would play basketball. There is a general amount of kids out. Then Will cleared his voice and proudly said "Ladies and gentlemen"! A few heads cocked to us. "Witness Alex Deshay… attempting to eat a spider" Will said, raising the jar in glory! I rolled my eyes and start chuckling, while the others start paying more interest to the event. "An unknown species of arachnid may take a voyage into this boy's mouth" Will clarified, and "You can't miss it"! More of the crowd came over. "Are you ready, Alex" Will shouted? I looked at the jar. The spider looked somewhat concerned. Like it didn't understand what was happening.
"Gimme that" I muttered swiping the jar from his hand. Suddenly sound shut off in my ear and was muffled. Then there is a clear, echoing, whisper that I heard. "Consume…no…open…skin…truth" the whispering voice said. I didn't understand, but I thought I should have opened the jar for some big truth. And I do. The spider pounced on my arm and bit it. I shudder, in shock not pain. My mind fills up with thoughts of assassins, war, sewers, Others… then I fainted. Running… Blizzard… Cold… Very cold. I'm looking for something… She's gone. Dead… The copy…Copy… "It must have been a dream" I thought, still unconscious. Then another dream…Pictures of Doorlocks… Mom… Dad… Involved…Others…Others. "…Alex…Alex." Will said. I wake up with a splitting headache. "You didn't eat it" Will yelled! I shake my head to get some sense in myself. "No I didn't, so?" I asked. I get up and I noticed a mark on my arm. I didn't have time to look at it. I didn't want to leave my stuff over summer break. But my eyes are still playing tricks on me.
When I entered the school, I see rows of some armor and blades of every kind. Signs of leather worn were on the armor which told me that the armor has been used a lot. I tried to touch the suits but they just slipped through my fingers. It must have been part of the illusion later down the rows/hallway; I finally get to my locker and open it. There is a hood and braces. The hood seemed very sturdy yet soft to the touch. I grab it to see if it was real. It was real. Then I look at the braces. The metal was as hard as steel but pretty light. For some reason I put them on. I don't know why but I do. My vision flares and is back to normal. I was picking up my back pack. But a part of one of the braces slices through my backpack. My eyes widen in shock and I quickly move my hand away. I stare at the braces for a while. The blade looks disguised under my arm. Hidden. "…Neat." I said.
I headed out of the school. Then I see Will. "What happened, where did you go… and where did you get that outfit?" Will questioned. I had to make a lie. Will didn't need to know what happened. "I just… found it on the ground and the spider probably paralyzed me" I lied. "Sure" Will said straight giving me a scowl. Why did he give me that scowl? Maybe he felt crummy about the end of the year. "See you next year" I asked, smiling? "Ok" Will replied, with a straight look. He was probably confused how to look at me. I didn't know how to look at myself either. So I guess we left each other with no answer for those gestures.
"Alex" a voice yelled! I know that classic "mom" yell anywhere. I turn around and see my mother in her minivan, honking the horn. "Come here now" Mom shouted angrily! I knew that this wasn't going to be good. Even though… I don't think I did anything.