Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-24937172-20141009145757

Written by Terribly Fated

Mr. Rennings got off the train and walked into the almost deserted village to the address on the paper. He knocked and a minute later, a large man answered.

``Welcome! You must be Mr. Rennings, I am John Everet, please come in." He boomed.

``Thank You" Mr. Rennings answered and stepped into the old run down house. It was old fashioned looking inside, and Mr. Rennings noted the musty smell. He took a seat in one of the old armchairs and slicked back his black hair.

Mr. Everet came in and sat across from Mr. Rennings. ``So I understand you will be staying with us for awhile.’’ Mr. Everet lit up a cigar as he said this.

``Yes.’’ Mr. Rennings answered ‘’ I have some research to do on the strange forest life in this area, as you have already heard.’’ Mr. Rennings noted that Mr. Everet was more than just starting to bald.

`` Well, you are welcome in this house as long as you need. I have always been interested in your form of science.’’ Mr. Everet smiled and stuck out his hand as he said this. Mr. Rennings doubted if Mr. Everet even remotely understood the work he did. Mr. Rennings shook his hand anyway, but wondered when the last time this man had washed his hands.

Mr. Everet showed Mr. Rennings around the house. Mr. Rennings thought to himself ‘’What a dump. If only I had signed up for this trip sooner, I could have got a nice place to stay.’’

When they arrived back at the greeting room, Mr. Everet asked ‘’Well I hope you like it’’ Mr. Rennings replied, ‘’Yes it is very nice.’’ Only in his head did he think, ‘’Nice like a trash dump.’’

``You also must meet my wife.’’ Mr. Everet went on. ``She should be back soon.’’ A few minutes later the door rang and Mr. Rennings was struck by the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She was young with long blond flowing hair. She smiled and extended a hand out to Mr. Rennings and said ‘’ you must be the scientist that was sent to stay with us, welcome. You can call me Wendy.’’ Mr. Rennings numbly took her hand and shook it. ``What is she doing with a washed up old man like him.’’ He thought.

After the formalities were done, Mr. Rennings was left to himself in the greeting room, so he stepped onto the porch. He could not stop seeing Mrs. Everet and was still standing there when a short man with an archeologist hat came up and tapped him on the shoulder. Mr. Rennings spun around in surprise.

`` Sorry.’’ The man said, ‘’I didn’t mean to startle you. I`m John Butch, the one you are relieving.’’ They made small talk for a while until Butch said `` I couldn’t help but see how you were looking at Mrs. Everet in there. ‘’ ``Through the window.’’ He quickly added. Mr. Rennings turned bright red.

`` I don`t blame you.’’ Butch went on. ‘’She sure is pretty. It’s a shame she has to have such an old fart like Everet for a husband, don`t you agree?’’ Mr. Rennings turned toward him. `` What are you getting at?’’ He questioned.

`` What I am getting at, Mr. Rennings,’’ Butch started to grin as he talked ``is that I`ve been researching here for a while now, and there are all kinds of bad things some of the local wildlife can do. There is a certain spider, the name of it does not matter, and that in rare cases is known to crawl into the human nose and up the nasal passages to the brain and start eating while the victim sleeps. None have survived this. It seems like a very neat way to get rid of someone, don`t you think?’’

Mr. Rennings thought about this. It seemed horrific, but with Everet out of the way, Wendy would be his for the taking. Plus, he would be completely in the clear. It would seem like an accident! How perfect! The old man wouldn`t last much longer, anyways. Mr.Rennings asked, ``How much to get it done?’’

``Hundred-fifty’’ Butch replied. Mr. Rennings paid him. Butch pocketed the money and said ‘’Nice doing business with you. My Plane leaves for the states tonight, so my assistant will do the job tonight. Make sure to leave the door unlocked. I know what room he sleeps in. The spider will be placed in his bed. It will find him on its own from there.’’ Butch started to leave.

‘’Wait.’’ Mr. Rennings called. Butch turned. ‘’Does it hurt?’’ Mr. Rennings asked. He did not really care, he was just curious. Butch smiled. It was a creepy smile. He left without responding.

That night, after the Everets had gone to sleep, Mr. Rennings slipped down the steps and unlocked the door. He was having second thoughts. He couldn`t care less about the old man, he was nervous that it might get traced back to him somehow. He crawled back upstairs and tried to get to sleep.

The Night passed

Mr. Rennings woke up with a terribly dry throat. Had all that been a dream? Surely he had not just paid to have a man killed. The day started as normal, until Breakfast. The Everets were already there. When Mr. Rennings sat down, Mr. Everet asked ‘’ How did you sleep?’’ Mr. Rennings looked at him. He did not seem any different.

Mr. Everet went on, ‘’ I hope you like the room. I used to sleep there but when we found out you were coming, I prepared the room especially for you.’’ Mr. Rennings suddenly turned pail. ``Are you alright?’’ Mrs. Everet asked. Mr. Rennings slowly raised his hand to his nose. When he removed it, blood was on his finger. He jumped out of his chair and started to scream ‘’He got it wrong it was supposed to be him not me it’s in my nose, my nose!! Oh god!!! He got the wrong man he got the wrong…’’

Several weeks of pain later

Mr. Rennings had regained the strength to walk again. He had survived weeks of excruciating pain. He was still weak. When he walked down the stairs, the local doctor was sitting with the Everets. They already knew everything.

The doctor stood up and said ``You were extremely lucky, Mr. Rennings.The odds of that spider dying before it reached your brain are slim to none. However…’’ He trailed off. ``What?’’ Mr. Rennings questioned.

`` Mr. and Mrs. Everet, maybe you should leave the room.’’ The doctor said. They got up in each other’s arms. They gave Mr. Rennings one last look of pity and left to the kitchen. ``Butch disappeared when he got back to the states.’’ The doctor informed.

Mr. Rennings snorted `` I suppose now that I recovered you are going to have me arrested.’’ The doctor’s face went dark. ``No.’’ He said quietly. ``There is… another matter.’’ ‘’What is it?’’ Mr. Rennings asked. The doctor replied. ``Well... the spider that was in your nose…’’

``Spit it out!’’ Mr. Rennings shouted. The doctor sighed. ``The test we took on you. The spider was female. It was also pregnant. It laid its eggs before it died.’’ Mr. Everets eyes went wild, and then he started to scream. 