“She seemed like she was babbling and hearing voices to me. Didn’t she talk to you about a kid named Duke who told her all of this? If that’s not schizo, I don’t know what is,” Tabby said. She looked toward the television and smiled at the sheer creepiness of the film.
Claire had always thought Tabby was weird, but now Maria took the crown as her weirdest friend.
“Yeah, she did,” Claire answered. She put her hands over her face, expecting a jump-scare from the movie. Nothing happened, as was often the case in classic horror movies like Halloween, Carrie, and The Shining. “But I think she meant it,” Claire finished.
“You really do?” Tabby asked incredulously.
Claire turned toward Tabby. A bowl of popcorn sat in the crease of the couch cushions between them.
“Now she’s talking about going to another freaking planet? Doesn’t that sound a little weird to you, Claire? I’m worried. I’m honestly worried,” Tabby said.
“Why can’t that be real? Who’s to say there can’t be witches and wizards and other planets with intelligent life out there? You’re telling me you don’t believe any of that stuff; in all the vastness that is our universe, you don’t believe there are things out there beyond our comprehension?” Claire felt the need to get intellectual on Tabby. Sometimes that was the only way to make your point, her dad had once told her. Sound smart and people will believe you. “Sure, we’re lacking any concrete evidence, but do you believe in God, Tab?”
Tab arched an eyebrow. “God? How are we on the subject of God?”
“Answer the question.”
“Yeah, I do believe in God.” Tabby motioned to the crucifix around her neck. “I don’t really see how that much matters.”
Claire waved a hand. “I’m just saying if you can believe in God, why can’t you believe in witches and wizards and aliens?”
Tabby shook her head. “Watch the movie,” she said.
They did.
When it was over, they sat on the couch in an uncomfortable silence. Cages had been rattled. Normally, friends as close as Tabby and Claire were above uncomfortable silences—at least, since they’d been out of high school.
“I’m still worried about Maria,” Claire said, breaking the silence. Tonight was supposed to be a movie marathon. Neither one had turned on the next movie after Halloween ended. It was Claire’s choice, too. She was going to pick The Notebook; a real palette cleanser after a slasher flick.
Tabby didn’t answer. She must’ve been madder than Claire had originally thought. She turned to hug her best friend and end the animosity, but when she saw her, she froze.
Tabby’s mouth hung open, her jaw nearly came to her collarbone. In her right hand, she held her iPhone. Her face was pale, the white glow from the screen washing away her features.
“What?” Claire said, fearing the worst. “What is it?”
No answer.
“Tab!”
Finally, Tabby turned her head to answer. Claire could hear the creak in her neck. Tabby didn’t answer with her voice; she was currently unable to speak. Any words that tried to escape her mouth fizzled and turned to vapor before they could come out. No, she answered by turning her cell phone toward Claire.
Claire screamed.
It was worse than any horror movie, worse than her worst nightmare, worse than everything bad she’d ever seen—and Claire had seen her grandmother’s dried out organs, when the platform that her casket rested upon during viewing hours collapsed and spilled her body. Before Claire saw the image on Tabby’s screen, the incident at her grandmother’s viewing hours was at the top of her most depraved moments list, but now it was bumped to second.
What Claire saw was a spider; a giant man-like spider, its limbs dipped in the shining red of blood. And Claire knew that the beast was not fake.
It was real, and it was what Maria had talked to her about.
“Oh, God,” Tabby said. “Did Andy really see that?”
Andy Franz posted the picture on his Instagram page. It was uploaded just an hour ago. Tabby recognized the house that the creature stood in front of as the big blue one off of Main Street. The picture was blurry, but Claire could see enough to know it wasn’t a hoax, and that what Maria had told her in the parking lot at Rolling Hill Mall was true.
Unfortunately.
“Yeah. Yeah, he did.” Claire managed to say once the shock of the picture subsided. “And keep talking to God…we’re gonna need him. We’re really gonna need him.” She got up from the couch, the cushions wheezing as she did. She put on her shoes, which were by the front door. On the coat rack, devoid of all coats, was her key ring.
“What the fuck?” Tabby said, breathless. “Where are you going?”
“You mean, where are we going?”
“I’m not going anywhere. Not until I see a different picture, one that shows that creature dead and surrounded by a SWAT team.” Somehow, Tabby knew that giant spider was not fake…and neither was the blood. She didn’t know how she knew, but she did.
“Yeah, you are. I don’t think a SWAT team is going to be able to handle that thing. Only one person can.”
“Who?” Tabby asked. She started to get up—she already knew who.
“Maria Apple. The third leg of our tripod. Come on; let’s go find her. We have to help her. Or at least warn her that the creature is close.”
Tabby took a deep breath. She looked up to the ceiling and closed her eyes. In her head, she said a silent prayer to God.
Gramps’s voice boomed. The thunder in it was enough to rival Oriceran’s biggest storms.
Maria sprang forward with the sword in her hand. She chopped at Malakai’s shoulder, and he danced away, spinning on his toes like the world’s most sadistic ballerina.
But he was not fast enough. The blade tore down his back; the sound of steel scraping steel filled the air again and set Maria’s teeth on edge. Sparks shimmered
