The Spider and Immortality

Andrew awoke sleeping next to his wife, and then realized what had awakened him was his-alarm clock, ringing annoyingly loud.

Miranda, his wife stirred, "Oh, my God, is that the time? We got to get Jack and James up and get them ready for school, and then I got to go work."

Ten minutes later, all the family was around the breakfast table. Andrew buttered his toast on both sides with jam while his wife and two kids pasted peanut butter on to their toasts.

"Dad, it's my nativity play tonight," said James, his six year old.

"Count me in, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

After eating breakfast, they each drank their coffee and waited. Then the 'Beep! Beep!' Sound came form outside informing the kids their school bus had arrived.

Jack kissed his two kids on the cheek and asked, "Have you got everything, your school books, and dinner money?"

"Yes, we have," said his two children as they ran out the door.

A few minutes later, Andrew kissed his wife and left for work in his old battered Sedan estate.

"Love you!" his wife shouted as he stepped out the front door.

"Love you, too!" he shouted back and then was gone.

As he arrived, he got a strange text message on his phone.

Sry so short. Teenage girl, Carla. Jamerson mansion. Kids gone her fault! Pure evil!

Andrew Britain read the text message again; it was from a detective that he knew vaguely and who worked at the same precinct as him.

What the hell does he mean by it's the teenage girl --Carla?

Andrew decided to go to the mansion and investigate. He arrived at the huge mansion early, Monday morning about 9 a.m.

This place is as quiet as a ghost's tomb, he thought.

He pressed the bell which seemed to echo forever into the mansion and then after a short while, a young girl about 8-years-old opened the door.

"Oh, hello?" she queried.

"Hello, my name is detective Andrew Britain," Andrew said, showing the girl his police badge.

Just then, an elderly woman in her 60's appeared behind the girl, her face pale as a white piece of printing paper.

"This is detective Andrew Britain" said the girl turning to the elderly lady.

"I'm investigating the disappearance of several missing children, do you mind if I come in?"

"I want my dinner," said the girl turning to the old woman who turned even whiter which detective Andrew had not thought possible.

"I will go to my room to prepare," said the young girl and walked away into the huge darkness of the mansion.

"Please come in detective Britain?" She showed him into what seemed like a study that had two expensive sofas, a drinks cabinet, and a whole wall lined with books.

She poured herself a drink and asked, "Would you like a drink?"

"No thanks, I'm working." He paused, then looked straight at the old woman, and asked, "Does a teenage girl live here?" He asked.

The old lady paused for a second and then said "No, no teenage girl lives in this house now."

"Are you sure?" asked Andrew puzzled.

"Yes, I'm sure," said the old woman. The woman tilted her head as if listening to something and the seemed satisfied and came closer to the detective and said "You are in great danger, you must leave now, leave now before it is too late."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't explain, there isn't enough time; if she catches me then my life also will be in peril."

"Sorry, but you're not making sense," he took a deep breath "If who sees you? The young girl?"

"She is no girl, but a fiend!"

"An acquaintance of mine sent me a text message saying there was a teenage girl here, but you say there isn't now? Was there one before?"

"Yes, there was a teenage girl here, but not no more--you see her body is young, but her mind is very--."

"Mother! There you are, you are not filling the detectives mind with more nonsense, are you?"

The old woman seemed to shrink into herself.

"No, daughter, nothing of the sort."

"Glad to hear it, mother, and remember I want my dinner. I will just go to my cave in the garden and get things ready for our visitor to see the most amazing room of the whole mansion." With that, the girl walked away and disappeared.

"Why are you so scared of your daughter?"

"You must leave, leave right away before she comes back, and she is not my daughter but my grandmother!"

"But how?"

"I don't have time to explain. Whatever you do, don't go into the cave with her!"

70 years previously

Henry Belfast was somewhat of an eccentric, or so he seemed to those around him, but secretly he was involved in another venture. He traveled to the jungles in Africa in search of eternal life, and had heard rumors about a spider that could give this. He spent 20 years of his life searching for this spider until he finally brought it back home with him from Africa.

Carla Bin was a thoroughly disgruntled 30-year-old cleaner. Who had managed to get a job at the mansion. One day when the Henry Belfast and his family were out, she found his diary and curiosity got the better of her and she read it.

Diary entry September 12th 1940
We traveled through thick jungle today, with our aides hunting for the illusive Tipsy spider, which according to local folklore can grant immortality. I and the whole team of explorers are so excited at the moment, thinking we might be on the verge of onto something big!

Diary entry 13 September 1940
Two of our crew have managed to catch what is called 'jungle fever' and the prognosis is not good. Our team of 6 people, 3 guides, and 3 westerners are slowed down immensely by the sick.

Diary entry 14 September 1940
We all knew it was coming but it was still a shock when Fredrick and then Herbert died earlier today. We dug a shallow grave and buried them as well as we could, with a makeshift cross made out of two tree sticks as their final resting place. Our guides say we are nearly at the heart of the jungle where the Tipsy spider lives.

Diary entry September 15th 1940
Today in the heart of the jungle, and Tipsy spider territory, we laid a trap of a little fawn we had brought with us. We dumped it onto the forest floor in a clearing and hid and waited for the spider, which thank the Gods finally emerged. It was the size of a small dog and had large odd shaped eyes. We captured it in a trap, it is now in a wooden box, and we are heading out of the jungles with our prize.

Diary entry September 16th 1940
More bad news, Mr. Timothy Emote today succumbed to the same 'jungle fever' as our other two adventurers did. We had to bury him, too, and it broke my heart to lose the last member of my team.

Diary entry September 17th 1940
Managed to get back to our boats which we had tethered by a near by river and are now heading out of the jungle.

Diary entry September 19th 1940
From what sense I can make of the local folklore, it seems the spider must first 'ingest' a 'life force' and then a bamboo shoot with a sharp edge needs to pierce the spider's abdomen, and the life giving life force can be absorbed, making a person young again.

Carla knew exactly where Henry would have placed the spider-the cave.

That night, Carla prepared her employer's family's meal, but put into it a very strong sedative that knocked Henry and his wife, Clarissa, out cold.

She dragged the bodies to the cave, which wasn't too difficult as Henry and his wife were both on the short side. Then she waited and peered through a square window for the spider to emerge.

When the spider had sucked the two people dry, she used the bamboo shoot she had found in Henry's study and with a quick jolt pierced the spider's abdomen and breathed in the life force and she suddenly felt ten years younger, and when she got back and saw herself in the mirror she couldn't believe it--it works! It really works; I'm going to live forever!

"Detective Britain," said the young girl, "if you would accompany me, I would like to show you something that will answer all your questions."

"Of course, I will accompany you."

"Then follow me."

The young girl led him out into the garden; and at the bottom of the 40 ft garden was what seemed like a cave with a small square window.

The girl turned around. "I just forgot to tell mother something, if you will go in, I will be right back."

Not thinking much of it, detective Andrew Britain entered the cave and the next instant it was covered in darkness as the door to it firmly slammed shut.

"What the hell is going on here?" He shouted, and then he heard a low shuffling sound coming form darkened corner.

Andrew reached for his gun but just then, a blast rang out as a bullet whizzed though the small square window and struck Andrew in the leg. In the agony, his gun fell several feet away from him.

The spider that was about as big as a small dog slowly crept out of the darkness and advanced on him.

I must warn the others! he thought. He pulled out his mobile phone and dialed a number to a detective at the police precinct.

"It's the 8 year old girl--she's pure evil. " Then the spider bit deep and hard, sending him into a blackness and death.

The next day, the mansion bell echoed, and a young girl about the age of 5 answered it.

"Hello there little one, my name is Detective Smith, is your mother at home?"

Just then, an elderly woman about 60 years old appeared and the detective saw her face was as pale as new fresh snow.

The girl turned around. "I'm going to go and play, mommy, but remember I want my dinner."

THE END

Bio: Mr. Zahid Zaman is a 37-year-old psychology graduate who lives in England. He started writing at an early age and has completed 82 horror and science fiction stories. He won best psychological horror and a best science fiction tie on 'Demonminds' website in 2003. His works have appeared at various websites and in print in Halloween 2.0, Project Contagion, Tabloid Purposes 3, and Ethereal Gazette. Eternity was a 'Best of 2004' here at Aphelion.

E-mail: Zahid Zaman

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