The Lullaby

Waves buffeted the island rocks, sending sea spray into the air beside Aquila III.  The spray landed on beaches where it kept vegetation from growing, but further inland trees flourished from years of human absence.  From his vantage point high atop the station, Dr. Westbridge could see the entire expanse, including an area of foliage covered in thick webbing.

 The refuge was intended as a new home for several deadly strains of spiders that had been created using perversions of science.  Months ago the sight had caused him great concern and apprehension.  Now he was more concerned with the team Dean Thorne had sent to evaluate the situation.  

 Twice some of the young upstarts had insinuated that he was too old to continue his tenure.  They goaded him, hoping he would make a mistake during their investigation, without the niceties of being subtle about it.  He had the fools shipped out quickly by the ungentle hands of Miss Ironside.  This was his facility and he would not allow anyone to intentionally disrespect him or his associates.

He took solace knowing that the investigation would close and take the rotten eggs with it.  Instead he breathed in the salty aroma and listened to the gentle sounds of the ocean.  As the waves broke far below he felt his concerns drifting away.

He shook himself as he thought he saw five growing red eyes watching him from the edge of the window.  He sat up, awake again, but the figure had vanished.

Looking about for the culprit, he trembled slightly and felt the chill of the wind. He closed his window and pulled his light curtains tight, all while wondering if he had dreamed Itsy’s daunting presence.

He was still in his lab coat, which would have made the local maids upset if they weren’t clockworks.  He got changed and set them into the dirty chute and then finished preparing for bed.  He was so tired that he fell asleep almost immediately.  

His dreams were troubled as he found himself wrapped in a cocoon dangling above a dark pit.  He heard Itsy’s cruel laugh as spiders crawled over his flesh.  He could feel them creeping under his skin, an itching sensation described in horrific detail by Ebens and the other boys they rescued.  He tried to scream but his mouth was filled with the bitter taste of arachnid blood and venom.

He woke from his nightmare sweating and tossing the sheets that he wrapped himself in aside. He had this dream before and knew he would not sleep tonight.  He went to open the window and froze as cold fear clutched his throat.

Someone was watching him through the curtains, and when they noticed he had seen them they raised their gun and fired.

The glass shattered and Dr. Westbridge felt a sharp graze against his right arm.  He fell out of bed with a shout as he grabbed at his wounded appendage.  His heart raced, but it overwhelmed him as he struggled to breathe.  He could feel his vision narrowing as his body went into shock.

*———*

The assassin pushed the curtains aside to finish his target.  He aimed his gun mercilessly at the mark, intending to finish quickly and avoid adding the security to his employers tab.

“Oh, what a truly wicked thing you are…”  A hollow demonic laugh echoed above him, and he halted his assault to face the new threat.  Standing above him with the moon outlining her silhouette was a monster with many glowing red eyes.

He opened fire delivering four shots aimed at her blood colored orbs.  She moved gracefully ignoring his attempts as she delivered a blow not to him, but to the hook that held him to the window.

He had a moment of realization as he desperately dropped his weapon to cling to the edge.  His grip slipped to his fingers as he dangled high above a deadly fall to the rocks below.

“Now the cruel one has become weak?” The wicked creature above him laughed again at his predicament.  “Perhaps we may spare you, but after you’ve gone and hurt our good friend Dr. Westbridge?”

The monster’s legs slowly lowered her as she closed on her prey.  The man contemplated risking the fall against the threat the monster posed.  Already he could feel spidery creatures crawling in his clothes, but he told himself it was his imagination.  Before she reached him she began to sing a haunting lullaby.  

The Itsy Bitsy spider caught her-self a spy~  

Out came her fangs then she hung him out to dry~  

The man saw her fangs bared at that point, and he knew in that moment, whether he hit the rocks or not, the fall was his only salvation.  

He let go and started to plummet away from the rocks, but it was too late.  Six powerful legs grabbed and held him securely.  The assassin reached for his knife as she began to wrap him up.  He struck at one of her legs, but she didn’t cry out in pain.  He didn’t even think he drew blood as she wrapped his arm to his body tight.  The demonic creature merely cackled as she restarted her lullaby as his body grew numb.

The Itsy Bitsy spider caught her-self a spy~  

Out came her fangs then she hung him out to dry~  

Up came the sun and it dried up all the skin~

and the Itsy Bitsy spider went out to hunt again~