Tim woke in the hospital. His hand had pins in it. He would need to spend quite some time there allowing the bones to heal, and for functioning to return to his muscles. He could tell his hand wouldn’t be able to fully recover from so much damage.
His concerned mother asked him what happened. She explained that he was found in the bathroom passed out on the floor, and that there was no indication of how this had happened. She eventually asked him if he was being bullied.
Tim thought for a moment and replied, “yes. I think I am.” “What do you mean, you think you are? Who did this to you?” His mother frantically asserted. Tim contemplated telling the truth, but couldn’t stand to have his mom start to look at him differently. Out of all the people in his life, he felt his mom was the one who could understand what he was going through the most. Tim decided to lie. “Mitchell … Mitchell did this to me.”
The doctor came into the room. Dr Genly had a surprising amount of hair for a practitioner. His tightly curled hair was a red-brown color, and he wore glasses that were 2-3 fashion decades behind. But he was kind and calm, and had very steady hands. Unlike other doctors there wasn’t an ounce of arrogance in him.
Dr Genly looked at Tim’s hands first and then looked up at the boy. “How we feeling, Tim?” The doctor asked followed by a soft, formal, yet genuine smile. “Did we figure out what happened?” Dr Genly asked Tim’s mother, as he inspected Tim’s vitals on the monitor above him. Tim’s mother explained to the doctor what Tim had just told her; the two spoke back and forth for a moment.
The doctor then interrupted Dianne and looked directly back at Tim — it was clear to Tim that he wasn’t buying his story. “Have you been bitten by anything recently?” Dianne and Tim looked at the doctor perplexed. “Any snakes, bugs, lizards — anything like that?” The doctor surveyed their faces with genuine and intense inquiry and concern. Something was clearly troubling him. Dianne and Tim were frozen, Dianne then looked at Tim. Tim simply shook his head, no.
“I’m concerned about more than your hand, Tim,” Dr Genly said severely, “Some of your vitals weren’t making sense to us — so we ran some tests on your blood. After running a few, we found significant amounts of an unknown protein.” The doctor said, turning his focus back to Dianne. “The substance didn’t register with anything in our animal kingdom.”
Tim saw in his mind the memory of the purple ooze mixing with his blood, cascading down his and the puppet’s hand. He saw the blindfold soaked with the puppets' blood-like tears. “We’ve sent some of his blood to the city and they're going to tell us what they can.” Dianne looked back at Tim with intense fear and sadness in her eyes. She held him in her arms, and when the doctor left, she pleaded for him to tell her what was happening.
MITCHELL HAD MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS from people who were with him at the time of Tim’s injury, who corroborated his alibi. Rather than address this, a frozen silence began to form between Tim and his mother. Every time they did speak, it seemed like his mom was just afraid of him.
Tim went a while without seeing the puppet again. He was afraid to see her. She began showing up again in all the familiar places a week or two later. Tim would simply turn the other way. However, the more he tried to resist her, the more he was afraid of where she would turn up. Tim became frantic in his run from the puppet. Kara, his cousin, would watch his gaze dart all around when she was with him. She became scared of Tim and stopped seeking him out.
Without the puppet, the visions of his brother plagued him incessantly. Tim felt responsible for his brother’s death, he kept thinking of the horrible words he said to him in anger. Tim felt that without a doubt his brother had deliberately ended his life. He remembered him telling him to put on his seatbelt, and how Mark didn’t have his on. “Hypocrite.”
Tim turned in his bed writhing in pain and sadness; in his dream he felt himself reaching for Mark’s phone – and even felt the unrelenting tug on his hand again. He woke from his sleep covered in sweat. He turned over and was met by the blindfolded face of the puppet. She was holding his hand firmly. Before Tim could scream, the puppet pet his hand and softly whispered with utmost concern and regret, “I’m so sorry Tim, why did you have to open your eyes?” Tim closed his eyes and tried to make her go away. He opened his eyes to find her still there imploring, “please forgive me, it wasn’t my fault, you didn’t have to open your eyes.” Everytime he opened his eyes in panic to see if she was still there, she moved closer and closer to him and eventually pulled out the egg. Tim needed it to stop. He cried out at the top of his lungs, “HELP!”
He heard his mother shuffle in the hallway. The puppet and Tim looked to the door. Dianne swung the door open and as she flicked the light on, the puppet disappeared. Dianne rushed to Tim, “what’s wrong honey? It was just a dream, it was just a dream.” Tim sobbed as his mother held him and reassuringly swept back his hair.
Tim was woken many more times that night by the puppet and his dreams. Tim felt trapped. To fall asleep, he eventually accepted the morsel. The calming peace flowed through him, and he bought himself the rest of the night away from the puppet. She let him rest, and rejoiced in having him back. As Tim’s eyes closed for sleep, he could hear the purring he heard before in the bathroom, coming from her chest. Followed rhythmically by five muffled knocks.
Everytime he partook of the puppet’s morsel he told himself it was the last time. But he knew deep down that it was a fool's dream. He wanted freedom desperately, but he felt trapped. She never left him alone, and she always met him when he was in his greatest need. When Tim was hungry from going without lunch – she fed him. When Tim was afraid – she brought him peace. When Tim was lonely – she gave him company. When Tim was bored – she gave him something to look forward to. When Tim was tired – she brought him rest. When Tim was angry – she was there to calm him. When Tim was stressed – she was there to distract him. When Tim was sad – she brought him joy. When Tim was anxious – she was there to numb him. When Tim was in pain – she was his medicine.
This went on for months. Tim finished middle school unceremoniously. Tim couldn’t stand her, but he began to feel he would never live without her. Tim lost hope. One night, Tim woke from his nightmare, partook of the morsel, went down to the garage, started his mom’s car and drove to the canyon. Tim drove down the canyon and watched the trees and boulders as they whizzed past his car. ‘One turn of my arm is all it would take,’ Tim thought. The puppet suddenly appeared in the road before him. She assumed the same predatory stance in the bathroom and lept on the hood of the car. Tim swerved and his car rolled three times. Tim hung upside down from his seat – held in place by his seatbelt. Tim was shocked to see that he had put his seatbelt on. He climbed out from the wreckage and dialed, ‘911.’
TIM SAT ON THE HOSPITAL bed with his mother. She held him in her arms again. Tim remained silent. Dianne didn't know what to say to comfort her son – she chose to be silent too. Tim had gotten his silence from his mother.
Dianne broke the silence, and called Tim by his name. He looked up to see her face. He looked her in the eyes for the first time in weeks. Tim saw her exhaustion in the way her skull seemed to be rising to the surface. He saw her sadness in the swelling redness of her skin. But most of all in her eyes, and at the corners of her mouth – Tim saw hope.
Dianne put her hand into her coat pocket without even looking, and drew out a small note paper. On it were the words, “mom, dad, and Tim.” She unfolded it and began to read.
“I’m stuck. I don’t know what to do. I can’t go on like this. I want you all to know that it’s not your fault. Please, forgive me. I don’t know what else to do. I just want the pain to stop. I’m stuck. I’m so sorry. I love you all, Mark.”
“I didn’t want you to see this, because I was …” Dianne paused, and in resolve and confession shook her head. “I don’t know why I kept this from you. I think I was ashamed. I think I was afraid of what you would think of Mark. What others would think of Mark. What others would think of me … I was afraid it might give you ideas.” Dianne gestured to Tim’s newly dressed wounds. “I guess it didn’t work,” Dianne spoke softly with defeat. “I failed my family. I’ve failed you Tim. And I’m so …” “Mom, stop.” Tim interrupted. “This is not your fault,” Tim said as he gestured to his injuries. “Mark was not your fault. Dad isn’t your fault.” Dianne began to cry. “Well if it’s not me, what is it?” Dianne pleaded through her tears.
Tim decided to tell her the truth – to tell himself the truth: “Mom; I’m stuck by no one’s fault but my own.” Tim paused, and felt the words rise up from inside him, “I can change whenever I want.” Tim realized what the puppet was doing to him; what she was doing to his mom. She was causing nothing but hurt – and Tim was letting her.
DOCTOR GENLY BURST INTO the room. “I have something you really need to know – but I can come back later.” Dianne and Tim looked back at him. Dr Genly continued, “You coming back to the hospital reminded me about your blood samples. I just called the city, and they gave me as clear a diagnostic as they could. To be frank, the results have blown up the scientific community.”
Dr Genly explained that the unknown substance closely resembled the structure of a hormone. He explained that it is poisonous to human blood cells and deteriorates them at a very subtle and slow rate, but is only fatal in extreme doses. The hormone gives a euphoric sensation to the animals exposed to it — by triggering dopamine uptake in the brain. “So, it will kill you eventually, but you’ll feel good about it and want more.” Doctor Genly stated far too casually and with too much excitement on his face.
Dr Genly continued, “The substance at its core appears to be most similar to hormones that are present exclusively in male black widow spiders. This hormone is released after mating with a female. Black widow males, after mating with a female spider, are often eaten by the female. This is done to increase the female's fecundity.” Dr Genly realized the meaning of this word was lost on them and clarified, “Fertility. The body of the male is offered as sustenance for the spider offspring now growing within the female; increasing the number and vitality of offspring produced. Hence the name, ‘widow spider.’”
Dr Genly went on to explain that the hormone released in the males incentivises them in complicit consumption. Unlike a hormone, however, this substance is dense with nutrients, and its specific kind of protein structure is reminiscent of embryonic fluid. The liquid substance that provides a growing fetus rich nourishment while it develops. “It’s like you’re being both killed and primed for pregnancy at the same time,” Dr Genly said gravely.
“We found more of this substance in your blood today and we would like to take you to a hospital in the city so you can be treated.” He explained Tim’s need for blood transfusions in combination with dialysis. “Depending on the extent and source of the deterioration, you may also need a new heart. But we need to move fast so that we can get this harmful substance out of your system, and then hopefully figure out where it’s coming from.”
Hearing this, Tim’s stomach seemed to drop to the floor and he was filled with a deep hatred for the puppet. Tim had chosen to trust the puppet, and his life was worse than it’s ever been, with more pain than he’s ever felt. He could now see that the puppet was not medicine – she was not here to help – she was poison.
Dr Genly turned to Dianne and said jokingly, “The good news is that you’ll probably be able to afford it all because Tim’s likely reached his ‘out-of-pocket’ for the year.” Tim’s mother was offended, but immediately pressed past it and looked at Tim. The two of them decided to move forward with the procedures and thanked Dr Genly. “I’ll be right back, honey.” Dianne said to Tim as she left the room to talk over the details further with Dr Genly.
TIM, NOW BEING ALONE, felt the puppet’s attention fixed on him. He looked over to the corner of the hospital room where he realized she had been standing throughout his conversations with the doctor and his mother. Tim leaned back into his bed and feigned a wince in pain. He looked to the puppet who cocked it’s head in respectful inquiry. Tim nodded his head, ‘yes,’ and the puppet walked forward presenting the glowing egg to him.
Tim closed his eyes as the egg began to crack. When the morsel had sat in his hand for a moment, Tim lifted his eyes slightly open. Tim watched as the chestnut-like orb squirmed to insert a needle-like stinger – almost invisible to the eye – into the center of his palm. Seeing this, Tim now felt the tiniest sting. After the numbness spread through his hand, he watched as the morsel opened its beady black eyes and spread out eight legs that stretched out to the ends of his palm. Tim flushed with panic and threw the spider away.
“That’s it! Now you die” the puppet said ragefully in her chilling shriek. The puppet pressed her hand against her wooden lips. She grew again, from her middle finger, the large obsidian black stinger. The puppet reared back her head to inject Tim in the neck. As she flung the stinger towards him – Tim grabbed her arm with his unnumb hand. He wrestled her for a moment and in the struggle managed to place his other hand around her neck. The puppets' blindfold fell from her face as she frantically trembled. The falling blindfold revealed a row of four pale-white eyes, seeping the same purple bloody liquid.
Tim watched as the spider he had flung from his hand, began to climb up the side of his bed and onto his foot. As he used both hands to subdue the puppet, the spider began racing across the blanket up his leg, over his chest and towards his mouth. Tim grabbed the puppets stinger with his right hand and broke the pike from her finger. As the puppet recoiled in pain Tim grabbed the strings above her head and with all his strength tugged them down. The strings broke and the puppet immediately fell lifeless to the tile floor. The spider, now trying to pry its way into Tim’s mouth, seeing this, jumped to the puppet corpse and crawled inside.
The puppet began to vibrate as the horrible purring began to emanate from it once again, and at the fifth knock the wood burst like an egg sack into hundreds of spiders of all different sizes. The spiders scattered and crawled into the floor, wall, machinery, and hospital bed. They crept into the solid objects like they water.
TIM HEALED QUICKLY DUE to the blood transfusions. His heart had been damaged; but with the help of skilled surgeons the damage was repaired. Tim told his mother about the puppet, and at this point she believed him. None of the doctors believed them, however, and their research fell into ambiguous disarray.
Not long after the incident, Tim’s mother Dianne quietly kicked Richard, Tim's father, out of their home. He left without much of a fight.
Light entered back into their home and they thrived. Tim spent his summer in the sun, and he began to smile again. He was free, Tim had chosen to be free. Tim had one of the best summer’s of his life. Tim got a job that summer at a swimming pool and earned enough money to help pay for a new car for the family.
He was dropped off in it by Dianne his first day of high school. As he walked away from their car, a fear began to settle in on him – he felt like he was being watched again. Tim opened the door to the front of the school, and could tell someone was behind him. He stepped aside and held the door open for them to pass by, and watched in horror as the puppet with red hair walked casually through the door.
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