OT "Dad! It's back

Posted to am, too. -- TR

0200.

I'm in that perfect zone where the body is relaxed and the mind is no longer at play. It's dark. I'm toasty warm. The day's wear-and-tear has washed away through deep sleep.

/SCREECH!

"Dad! Dad! It's back!"

I'm up and out of that zone within two heartbeats. Eyes and body are instantly ready to battle the prowler that's invaded Castle Ranger's sanctity.

/SCREECH!

I thunder out of my room, cannoning up the stairs three at a time.

Daughter-unit Beta meets me in the hallway shaking. "It's back! It's back!" she yells, body wracked with shudders. She points into her room.

I set her aside and peer into the darkened room. The mini-lamp is dumped on its side; the green shadelip is turned ceilingward. The clock radio lies next to it, flashing 12:00 like a living heart.

Then I see it.

"Jesus Christ!" I whisper. "What pit of hell spawned you?"

In the middle of Beta's carpet is a lone figure. It's eight legs are splayed outward. It easily covers the same area my hand would. I swallow back my phobic shudder and continue to stare at it.

"Get my flashlight," I tell D-uB. "Nowwww..." I urge her. I don't look away.

She sprints down the stairs, doing her best Paul Revere, "Mom! Mom! It's here!"

We, the two of us, arachnid and human, stare across the chasm, unmoving; eight eyes and two. It's warm but an icy-cold shiver crawls up my spine.

SWMBO peers around my shoulder. "Holy smoke! Vacuum's out. No wonder Beta wanted the flashlight. Is it going to be big enough?" The lightness in her voice belied her concern.

The cold steel tube, six D cell batteries of mbutt, is set into my palm. The heft and solidness of my Maglight gives me rebutturance. "I wonder if this'll be covered under warranty damages? Get me the gloves out of the laundry room, too, please."

SWMBO presses the leather workman gloves into my hands and I pull them on, slowly, never looking away from the living nightmare on the floor. I grip the Maglight and slowly move into Beta's room. Shoes, clothing, and Bratz litter her room's periphery.

It rears backwards and I hear a hiss. Two front legs lift upwards, pointing at me.

I freeze in place.

Without warning it charges, VERY quickly, me.

"Ahhhhh!" I yell, punching down with everything I can muster.

/CRUNCH-SPLAT

Ichor lace my toes. I push down harder with the Maglight, pinning the beast into the carpet and watching the legs continue to convulse. I shudder involuntarily.

"Die you hellion!"

"Did you get it?"

I nod wildly, unable to say anything more. I continue spinning the flashlight, listening to the crunch and pop as I continue grinding into the carpet.

"What was it?" SWMBO asks from behind my shoulder

"Big."

"Are there more?"

I look up at her.

Gahdz I hope not.

The Ranger