Hotel Selten

Arachno Frenzy

“Is this it?” 

Blaise said as he saw some large buildings in the distance. Some of the residence houses are already welcoming them in the area. “I guess so…” Thilda looks at the map, “I guess we are within the premise already. Although, we need to be inside the city. But, it's not that long of a journey towards the  city.” With the words that Thilda said, Blaise celebrated. He muttered 'yes' under his breath with a few celebratory gestures. At last, after miles that they have travelled, they will reach their destination. It’s still night, exactly 11:45 pm. The lights in the city guide them on their way through. Their driver felt sleepy, but they can’t still stop. They are painfully close and as the lady guide said, they are getting near. Blaise kept driving as they saw some signs on stores saying they are in Strasbourg now. It made Blaise's smile wider as he confirms their location. “At last…" He said in an airy voice, he lets out a relaxed sigh. "Now let me find a place to park this big boy. So that both of us can sleep finally.” He drove around the lot and searches for a vacant parking space. Once he found one, he parked the truck and turned off the engine. "Good night, Thilda." He said before drifting to sleep on the driver's seat.

While they are all asleep, something is crawling in the dark. It looks at the truck, it slowly crawls the way through it. Thilda, with her sleep that is not deep, felt something was targeting them. She suddenly woke up and look around. She decided to go outside and checks it. She rubs her weary eyes and looks around the area. Everything is just normal, the cold breeze caresses her cheek. But her instincts sense danger. She kept looking around, she started to go around the truck. It was fine. She even checked the people inside, they are all safe and asleep. Thilda shrugged, as she turned around a screech was heard. 

Ophelia was awakened from her deep sleep as she heard the high-pitched screeched outside. She looked around with her half-opened eyes. With her barely opened eyes, she saw Thilda struggling and trying to fight a woman with spider parts. Even with this sight, she didn't flinched and screamed. In the urgency of the emergency, her body and mind suddenly falls into an auto-pilot. She suddenly stands and runs to her as she jumps and tackles the spider lady from its side. They landed on the ground and it hurts a lot for her fragile body. She’s thankful she has gained strengths that she never had before. 

Thilda pierced her blade hand on its head multiple times, making a gory mess. She didn’t get enough as she stabs its chest to make sure it's dead. Some of its black blood splashed on Ophelia’s face. Thilda helped her stand as the brunette girl endure the back and side pain she gained. “Thank you, I might be dead right now, that monster is so strong.” They both look at the dead spider human. “I have never seen those… But they are so hostile.” Thilda said as she kneels and studies the body. She noticed a weird-looking thing on its chest and pulls it out. She ignored the spurt of blood on her as she studies it, “It’s the same thing Blaise discovered on those flower humans…” 

“Huh… It means…” Thilda looks at her, “That doctor knows we are here… Or at least, he has a reason why he released these kinds of abominations.” She took a cloth from her pocket and cleans her blade hand. “Hey, you guys okay?” Both of them look at their backs as they saw Thilda’s co-fighters. Thilda opened her mouth, she was going to say something as another screech stopped her. They look around them, the spider lady was not just the only one, they are many. They took no minute to think as they attack them with all of their strength and abilities. Ophelia was splashing them water from the water puddles and some water containers to distract them. While they are distracted, they finish them off behind their backs. The others were awakened too, they saw the dreadful scene outside. Miss Eve told them to stay inside.

Blaise was awakened too and saw the events happening in the side mirror. Before he could even react, a spider human appeared on his side. In his reflexes, he holds them and stabs them with a pocket knife he has in his front. Once it's dead, he throws it out of the truck by the window in disgust. “What is this liquid they excrete!? This is gross!” The teenagers outside still fighting the spider humans back. When Thilda saw that's there's more in the alley, she's in sudden impulse to run away. “Blaise! Get this truck out of here!” He nods as he drives the truck backward, “Hold on!” He exited the parking lot as more spider humans attack them. “Ophelia, hold them back!” She nods as all of them run, with her on their backs. 

She kept splashing the monsters running behind them with water to slow their movements. The others were attacking them while running. They followed the truck as some of them jump in the shipping cart of the truck. 

“Come on!” Bennet shouts as he assists some of his comrades and pulling them into the truck. Thilda boards the truck after Arabella, she looked at Ophelia who keeps holding back the spiders. Her eyes widen as she was been tackled by one of them. “Ophelia!” She didn’t hesitate to rescue her. With the adrenaline rushed decisions, she jumps out of the moving truck. She almost stumbled on the ground but she managed to stand still. She attacked the monsters from the back with her trusty blade to help Ophelia and rescue her from this web of chaos.

Meanwhile, the struggling girl puts her strength all the way as she collects water to her little by little. “Ophelia!” Thilda shouted as she reached her, she looks at her and whispers, “Hold on.” The black-haired girl was confused a bit as she holds on to her arms. A big explosion of water emerges from their position as it pushed the monsters away from them. Thilda was fascinated by the scene. But, she snapped herself out of her trail of thoughts. There's much more important things to do. She pulled Ophelia and ran away from the pile of spider humans. Blaise stopped the truck for them as they entered there. They closed the doors as their driver quickly steps on the gas and drive out of that place. 

They stopped by another parking area away from where they left off. They rest again their tired body and scared hearts. The next day, they woke up peacefully, with no sight of any spider humans, or any other of it. They held a meeting on the truck while eating their breakfast. “What do you think are they, miss?” Arabella asked as she chews her food. The lady sighs, “I have known of anthro-arachnids before, I have even met one when I was your age. But this kind, they are quite different. They are seem modified to be a killing machine.” 

“I have seen this on their body,” Thilda said as she opens her palm, showing them the thin circular device. “It’s the same thing I have!” Hibi commented which made her gasp, “I think… This is the army Doctor Asante was talking about.” Their eyes went to her as she continued her story, “When I was still in captivity, the doctor said he will build an alternative army for General Trespass? I don’t know, it’s a fancy name.” Thilda cuts her, “ It’s Trepagnier—” “—yeah, yeah, I am not good at names.”

“Anyway, the only thing I knew is he is testing cloning since it’s a bit hassle for him to breed and it will take years. The general demands to make it faster since some investigation team was closing to the truth and they might be accused of human trafficking of some sort… My cell was near on his office, that’s why I can eavesdrop on everything, or at least, something.” They all think to themselves, formulating theories in their minds. 

“But why are they so different from each other if it's cloning?” Adam said, which was agreed by many. “Well, I don’t really know about that. Maybe it’s the reason for some of the prisoners are missing.” Thilda raised her eyebrows to her, “What about that?”

“Well, our group, there are 20 of us captured, but then, some of them became missing. We have been tortured for it, but we really have no clue. If they planned to escape, we might know that. That was actually the worst day of my life, I almost lost my sanity. We are tortured for something we aren’t a part of, I am thinking they took them, they didn’t escape.”

“I am sorry to hear that, as much as possible, I don’t want you to narrate your suffering. Maybe you will inflict more trauma to you when you tell it.” Hibi shook her head and giggles, “Don’t worry miss, it’s good therapy for me. To someone listening to you, it’s a good feeling.” Miss Eve smiles, “I am glad to hear that.”

“He is really crazy… I hope this is the only army he has.” Hibi shook her head again, “I know the doctor, he can make the world’s highest technology in just days. He may have some reserves in his facilities. Also, he is great at biology, so manipulating a human body is just a piece of cake for him.” 

Ophelia stopped as she remembers something. ‘Asante… Asante… Where did I get that name? It seems familiar and oddly enough, I feel I have heard it before…’

She was cut from her thoughts as Blaise shouted to them, “Hey guys! Hear this!” He turned the radio loud, “And is anyone here understands French?” Some of them said yes since there are people there who came from the Martin Mansion. The news rolls in. 

“Good morning, everyone! This is The Magnifier, your news provider that only tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! Today, we magnify to you the events happening in France. For the first news of today, strange creatures were found on a street in Strasbourg! Jacob is here to zoom it into us, Jacob?” 

“Yes, Damien, here in the southwest area of Strasbourg, the police found strange dead bodies and even fought some of them who are alive. Monster enthusiasts, you will love this.” The others who can understand French translate it were all shocked. “I hope it’s not those spider humans…”

“There are several dead bodies found in this street, they are not just human bodies. They have limbs that are more than a normal human. Some of them have so many eyes popping out of their foreheads. They also have fangs and most of all, their blood is black. Some of the authorities called them to spider humans for short or even spiderman.” 

“Well, it is the spiders.” Some of them groaned, Miss Eve lightens the mood, “Just hope they don’t saw us with their cams and technologies.” 

“Early this morning, residents called the police as some of them became a headache. There is a report of 3 injured people and one dead. They are aggressive and hostile, killing anyone who stands by their way and who they see with their eyes.” A feminine voice replaced the reporter’s voice, “They started attacking us, breaking our windows and knocking on our doors. We managed a bit until the police arrive. My husband died, minutes before the authorities arrived, he was pierced on his heart by their sharp spider leg.” 

“This is surely surprising, we have heard of half-breed humans before but we never expected this. The authorities took the bodies and let the researchers deal with them. This is a leap for humankind, things we never thought before all along exist.” 

The scripted report ends as the reporter takes the spotlight again, “So, that’s it for this report.” He was cut by the news anchor in the studio, “Jacob, is there any evidence or traces where could these creatures have been? Is there any footage of anything about these spider humans? It seems suspicious they just came out of nowhere.” 

“Well, Damien, just earlier police found out footage of teenagers fighting the spiders off. The police are still confirming if what in the footage is true. Since, according to their interviews earlier, they saw some magical stuff happening there. They can only confirm about the spiders but can’t confirm our heroes that fought the hostile spiders before they even invade the city. The police said to don’t mind it unless they already confirmed if it’s really true and announce this abomination to the public.” 

Blaise turned off the radio, “They saw us.”