Evening Visitor - James C Williams

Jill was finishing up the last of her dirty dishes before she called it a night. She had conditioned herself to do any dirty dishes before she went to bed so she could start the new day with a clean slate. The light over the stove dimly lit the room. Electricity cost money and she tried to save where ever she could. She turned on the faucet to rinse the plate in her hand and didn't notice stealth movement from behind the breadbox on the counter next to the sink--he was not alone in the kitchen that night.

Barnaby wasn't big. He wasn't a Black Widow or a Brown Recluse, but he was dark and he was hairy. A muscular looking thing having the appearance of being on steroids. He carried himself above the counter top on sturdy arched legs lazily heading for the space behind the faucet. He had always hated his name, but coming from an egg sack with 132 siblings, he figured the best names had already been given out.

Jill placed the plate in the drying rack then reached into the sink to drain the water. Her hand pulled up the strainer under the water. The water began circling with a gurgling sound as it disappeared down the drain. A slight motion caught her eye and she froze. Jill had been raised in the country, but she had never liked the bugs. She had also developed an almost irrational fear of all types of arachnids.

Barnaby continued his journey along the counter top, oblivious to his companion in the kitchen. A shadow briefly passed in front of him and he instantly stopped, arched his legs higher, and looked directly at Jill.

Jill had a wet washrag in her left hand and her right hand was still immersed in the draining water in the sink. A stand off. They both looked at each other as if they were in the Wild West waiting for the first one to draw their gun.

Barnaby was a master of waiting. He could sit in his web motionless for hours waiting for a meal, but this was different. He was out in the open and he was not alone. His instincts were in conflict: one said to be still and unseen, while the other said run for cover.

Jill stared at the spider and knew she would never be able to sleep that night unless she killed it. She didn't want to use the washrag, so she slowly reached down, opening the cabinet below the sink and began feeling for the can of Camicide. She didn't want to let the spider out of her sight. Feeling the top of the can, she lifted it up while continuing to stare at her prey. Suddenly, the top popped off of the can. It fell out of the cabinet and rolled onto the kitchen floor.

Barnaby sensed the sound of the can hitting the floor and the motion of his companion. Would it be best to remain still, allowing the danger would pass?

Jill slowly lowered herself trying to feel for the can on the floor. At that moment, she realized a frightening fact--she would have to look down at the floor to get the can. Do it quickly. If she did it quickly, she would have the can and could use it before the spider moved away--Go!

Barnaby sensed a quick motion but was still conflicted whether to flee or stay. He stood motionless with his legs arched, assessing the situation, ready to respond. Jill grabbed the can, quickly aligning the sprayer as she raised it to take aim at her prey. Holding the can in both hands, she froze again as she realized-- the spider was gone.

Go! Barnaby spun around quickly, darting behind the breadbox, off the end of the counter top, sliding silently down a sinewy thread of silk, just as the she creature aimed the can at his vacated space on the counter. He hit the floor, immediately looking for a place to hide. Passing under the refrigerator, he snuggled into the condenser coils, in the dark, as all hell broke lose in the kitchen.

Jill flung the breadbox onto the floor as she sprayed a mist of Camicide onto the empty counter. Where had that damn spider gone? She ran over to the wall switch and turned on the overhead light, flooding the kitchen with brilliance. She stood in the center of the room staring at the counter where the spider had been as the last of the water gurgled down the drain. Then...silence.

She slowly walked toward the sink looking at the curtains around the window. Was it waiting in the folds of the fabric to fall, or, worse yet, jump on her? She cautiously retrieved a yardstick from the nearby pantry and began probing the valance while aiming the Camicide with her right hand. She jumped, as the refrigerator suddenly sprung to life with clanging vibrations. Her hand was damp with sweat causing her to drop the can onto the floor. Jill was a surgical nurse and was on call at 6:00AM the next morning. Screw this shit, she thought. It was late and she needed to get to bed and sleep. She picked-up the can, while boldly walking up to the sink, and began indiscriminately spraying the curtains, valance, and counter top.

There was a sudden shaking and vibrating noise that terrified Barnaby. What was going on now? First the increase in light, and now this! He was outta there. He raced from under the fridge, being careful to hug close to the baseboards. He glanced back, before turning the corner into the hallway, and saw the she creature wildly swinging a stick and spraying a mist into the air. He took these both as bad signs.

Jill was spraying into the cabinet under the sink. She then began spraying the floor where it met the cabinets, quickly working her way around to the side and back of the fridge. The baseboards! If she sprayed all the baseboards in the condo she was sure to get it. She systematically began following the baseboards around the kitchen perimeter, being sure to also hit the pantry and utility room. Shaking the can while walking into the living room, she turned on all the lights and began moving the furniture to gain easier access to the baseboards.

Barnaby had come to a dark doorway. It led into a cool room with smooth floors and walls. He crept inside, slowly realizing it was not a safe place because of it's openness. He turned and started to leave when the she creature appeared in the doorway across the hall. She turned on the light and again began spraying her mist. He stood on guard, watching as she frantically moved the furniture, spraying all of the baseboards. He needed to hide. He bolted swiftly down the hallway toward the only remaining open doorway--the bedroom.

Jill finished in the computer room and crossed the hall into the bathroom. She turned on the overhead light and began spraying under the vanity. Suddenly, the sprayed mist began to sputter and spit. No, this could not be happening! Jill raced into the kitchen and practically dove into the cabinet under the sink. Windex, Drano, Comet, dish washing liquids, sponges, paper towels--finally, a can of Raid! She normally used Raid outside or in the garage, but this was an emergency. Shaking the can as she walked, she returned to finish in the bathroom.

Barnaby entered the bedroom searching for a safe place to hide. He was getting fatigued and needed to rest. He found himself on top of a smooth flat surface. He explored the area until he came upon a square box shaped object sitting at the corner of the surface. The room was dark and quiet as he slowly walked around inspecting the object. He found a hole on the side just as the room was filled with bright white light. Diving into the hole, the spider quickly retreated into the safety of the darkness.

Jill turned on her bedroom light and began moving furniture to facilitate spraying the baseboards. She was still frantic but she was starting to tire. The fumes from the Raid were beginning to to give her a headache. She moved the items from the floor of her walk-in closet with the yardstick, then sprayed the last of the floor. Finally finished, she walked through the condo to be sure she hadn't missed any cabinets or closets. Well, that should take care of Mr. Spider. Assured she had completed the job, Jill returned the can of Raid to the cabinet under the kitchen sink. She then began turning off the lights in each room before finally returning to her bedroom. She opened a small jewelry box sitting on the nightstand and removed a bottle containing 10mg Valium tablets. One would usually be enough to help her relax but tonight she took two just to be sure. Being a nurse did have it's benefits.

She yawned as she pushed the bed back against the wall. Jill was a big girl, who enjoyed her deserts, so moving furniture did not present much of a problem. Sleeping through the night had occasionally been a problem because she had developed Sleep Apnea about two years earlier. The sleep clinic, at the hospital where she worked, had supplied her with a CPAP unit which virtually eliminated the problem. The CPAP unit provided a continuous positive airway pressure in the throat and sinuses to ensure uninterrupted breathing while asleep. She made sure the alarm was set before lying in the bed. She placed the mask of the CPAP unit over her nose and adjusted the straps for a snug fit. Connected to the mask was a six foot section of 3/4” plastic tubing. She reached over and carefully pushed the open end of the tubing into the hole on the square black box which sat at the corner of her nightstand. She turned off the lamp and the room fell into a dark silence.

Lying on her back, breathing deeply through her nose, Jill used the relaxation technique she had learned at the sleep clinic. Drawing each breath deeply into her lungs and exhaling out the stress. The CPAP blower unit turned on when it sensed her breathing, the added pressure helped open her sinuses allowing her to fill her lungs more deeply with air. She began to feel relaxed and a bit drowsy. The Valiums were doing their job. The smell of the Raid had dissipated and Jill was beginning to drift off to sleep. Suddenly, her breath sucked something up through the mask. It lodged in the sinus cavity above her right eye. Jill sat straight up in the bed with her eyes opened wide as the something started moving.

Resting quietly in his dark hiding space, Barnaby was abruptly aroused by vibrations and a strong gust of wind blowing through the box. He tried to tuck himself tightly into the corner as he felt himself being sucked from the box into a dark tube. He was frantically trying to crawl back into the box, but he continued being sucked down the long tube. He quickly began to fatigue and finally tucked himself into a tight ball and was swept down the length of the tubing into the darkness.

Jill tore off the CPAP mask and ran screaming into the bathroom. She turned on the bathroom light and quickly began pulling tissues from the box. She started blowing her nose as forcefully as she could. Tissue after tissue was dropped into the sink as she hysterically continued to blow. Occasionally, she would feel movement inside her sinus cavity as the thing would reposition itself. Blood quickly began streaming from her nose and dripping into the sink. She actually began pounding with her fist above her right eyebrow in an attempt to crush or dislodge the thing.

While reaching under the vanity for a full box of tissues, Jill felt a box of Q-Tips. She looked down at the box and picked it up in desperation. Tearing open the plastic, she removed a Q-Tip swab from the box. She looked at the swab in her hand not knowing if she could use it. At that moment there was movement again. Jill grasped the swab and prepared for the worst.

Pain shot through her head as she repeatedly jammed the cotton end of the swab deeply into her right nostril. Blood was now streaming from her nose into the tissue filled sink. She began sobbing as she stood before the mirror, supporting herself with both hands planted firmly on the vanity top. She looked at herself in the mirror and knew she had to calm down and control herself. Removing the bloody Q-Tip swab from her nostril, she calmly opened a new box of tissues.

Mucus and blood continued to flow from her right nostril. The sink was filled with bloody mucus filled tissues. She took a deep breath and began a long constant blow through her nose. Finally, on the third try, she felt it move. She looked down into the tissue in her hand, and screamed as she saw the bloody crumpled spider staring back. She tossed the tissue into the sink and turned on the hot water. The sink quickly filled with pink, blood tainted water and floating bloody tissues. Turning off the water, she stared intently into the sink, silently vigilant for any movement. She slowly glanced up at her reflection in the mirror and felt wearily victorious.

The front of her nightshirt was covered in blood. She removed it and the blood stained panties underneath, throwing them onto the floor in the corner of the bathroom. She proceeded to boldly walk, naked, into the kitchen. Moonlight streamed into the kitchen creating a surreal appearance as the black cat clock ticked off the seconds with its wagging tail and shifting eyes. Quietly washing off the bloody mess from her body, she was glad her ordeal was over. She began trembling as she dried herself off. Reaching up into the cabinet, she took out a bottle of Jack Daniel's and proceeded to pour herself a double shot. As a nurse, she knew she shouldn't mix Valium with alcohol, but she also knew she badly needed a drink. The warmth of the Whiskey helped to relax her. She began to breath and feel more normal again. She returned the bottle to the cabinet and walked back to the bathroom realizing, with all the action and excitement, that she had to pee.

Jill eyed the sink as she crossed over and sat down on the toilet. Her bladder released, and at the same time, she burst into tears. She sat on the toilet sobbing uncontrollably with her face buried in her hands. Every emotion was totally drained from her body. She continued crying long after the peeing had stopped.

She finally sat up on the toilet and actually felt better. Tired, but better. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it. Perched on the very corner of the vanity top was the spider. It was covered in bloody mucus, it's legs were fully arched and it was staring directly at Jill. It had pulled itself out from the sink leaving behind a bloody trail of mucus on the white marble vanity top.

Jill stared at the spider in fear and disbelief. How? The second stand-off of the night. This one she was wouldn't lose. She continued to stare at the spider while reaching back into the bathtub for something to use as a weapon. The spider sensed the motion and inched a few steps closer while continuing to hold his stare. Stretching, reaching to her limit, her hand touched the end of the Luffa. She slowly pulled on the long handled Luffa until she could hold it in her hand. She quietly raised the Luffa out of the tub from behind her body while continuing to stare at the spider.

Quickly, in one fluid motion, she brought the Luffa slicing downward onto the spider. Seeing the spider was no longer on the vanity top, Jill flung the Luffa onto the tile floor. All was quiet. Jill sat on the toilet staring at the Luffa. Seconds passed, each feeling like minutes. She had to know for sure. She slowly reached down and grabbed the handle of the Luffa. Holding it at extreme arm's length, she turned the handle until she could see the other side. There, squished into the Luffa, was the body of the spider. Jill gasped at the site and quickly tossed the Luffa into the trash can. It was over. She had won. She flushed the toilet as she continued to hold her stare on the trash can. She needed to get to bed and try to get some sleep. She stood up. All at once, the room started spinning and she became lightheaded. She took one step toward the doorway and passed out, falling onto the cold tile floor.

Barnaby continued to remain motionless. He had sensed the blow coming and had tucked himself into a ball just as he was struck by the Luffa. Fortunately for him, the Luffa had deep grooves and pits into which he could squeeze himself to help absorb the blow.

There hadn't been any noise or motion sensed in the room for quite some time, so, even with the brightness of the light, Barnaby knew it was time to escape. He slowly pulled himself out from the Luffa and began stretching and testing his legs. Finding no serious damage, he began climbing out of the trash can. He paused at the rim and looked down at the naked she creature lying motionless on the floor. Was this some kind of trick? He remained still, staring down at the body.

After about ten minutes, he felt it was safe to leave. Barnaby lowered himself down on his silken thread to find he was on the she creature's leg. He headed for the doorway, quickly traveling over her body until he arrived on her face. He stopped for a few seconds to feel the motion of the air as it entered and exited her slightly opened mouth. He was fascinated by her long flowing hair and was tempted to nest there for the night, but the brightness of the overhead light made him realize he had to move on. He exited the bathroom and continued walking down the center of the hallway, being careful to avoid the deadly baseboards. He made his way to the utility room and exited through the crack in the dryer vent, which he had earlier used to enter.

Jill awoke to a buzzing sound and an aching head. What the hell was she doing naked on the bathroom floor? She stumbled into her bedroom to turn off the alarm. 7:35! What the hell? She was late for work. She hurriedly grabbed a towel from the linen closet and headed back to the bathroom for a quick shower. She froze as she re-entered the bathroom. The bloody sink, the tissues, the Q-Tips, it all came flooding back to her-- the Luffa! She slowly walked over to the trash can and carefully lifted out the Luffa by it's handle. She held her breath as she slowly rotated the Luffa to see the other side.

Barnaby was lazily sitting in the corner of the web he had spun that morning, patiently waiting for his breakfast. He suddenly felt strong vibrations along his entire web. It wasn't like anything he had ever sensed before. Little did he know, he was feeling the hysterical screams from Jill resonating off her tiled bathroom walls.