The Boy With the Spider Face

CHAPTER 1Morning sun filtered through shear curtains and across carpet to reflect off the mirror. The boy squinted his human eyes, while the six surrounding arachnid lenses gave little reaction. Detecting light wasn’t their strong suit. But the jointed appendages by his mouth (or pedipalps, as Mr. Drake, the science teacher, taught him) were sensitive enough to detect dust motes riding the September breeze through the cracked window. It sucks, having feelers, Jeff thought, and used his hands to fan away minute particles traveling through the air. Why can’t I be normal like Mom and Dad? He pulled blue jeans from a faux wooden dresser and stuck his finger through a hole in the knee he hadn’t noticed before. “Great.” He yanked a loose thread. “Haven’t even had these a month.” That asshole could have at least waited until I was off the gravel before pushing me down.Jeff combed through what little hair he had on his legs, checking for bruising and scratches in case they ne

CHAPTER 3Jeff spent the next period writing questions he wanted to ask Aarav over lunch. Where do you live?What do you like to do on weekends?Do you have any pets?He was busy thinking of a fourth question when the bell dismissed the students for lunch. After gathering his things, Jeff decided the whole questionnaire idea seemed forced, and he crumpled the piece of paper before tossing it in the garbage on the way out.“Aarav!” He spotted him at the head of the line.Aarav motioned for him to come join, but Preston’s arm shot out and blocked his path. “Don’t even think about cutting, freak.”The other students inched forward. Aarav finished paying for his lunch and glanced back at Jeff.“I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” Jeff called to him. “Save me a seat.” He retreated to the back.“Nice shirt, princess,” Preston said as Jeff walked away. “Did you steal it from your mom’s closet?”Jeff remembered what his dad had said to him earlier about fighting. No, he thought.

CHAPTER 5Half an hour later, Jeff found himself in front of Aarav’s house. The yard smelled of cut grass, which came as no surprise since Mr. Jain hedged it earlier. But aside from the kept lawn, the house differed vastly from any of those in Jeff’s neighborhood. It stood on its own with unique features—flaws, even. One gutter sank a little too low, and the eaves were weathered from the elements. Jeff appreciated the shortcomings. It adds character. Though the year was getting late, most of the flowers remained in bloom, providing a sense of vibrancy to the area even in twilight. Thanks to a nearby streetlamp, it was easy for Jeff to make his way toward the house, though what he’d do when he got there, he wasn’t sure.Why did I come here? He stopped in the yard. The bungalow had two stories and a sizeable patio. The top story had one room with a window looking out, which looked to Jeff to be the master bedroom. A painted porch swing creaked as the breeze picked up.I wonder where

CHAPTER 7Though sleep was challenging, Jeff managed to doze, but the dreams that followed seared his subconscious like a fire poker. In one, the dead fly in his vomit came to life and buzzed from the wastebasket, landing on his lips. He tried to blow it away, to spit it out when it crept down his throat, but the insect forced itself into his stomach where he could feel its vibrating hums as it laid batches of eggs. His gut grew heavy and bloated, swelling to twice its normal size as hundreds of maggots burst forth, eating their way out from the inside. He fought to scream, but larvae filled his lungs, suffocating him. Then he was upright in bed, disoriented, panicked. After blinking crust from his eyes, his surroundings became clear, and he was grateful he’d forgotten to turn off his alarm though it was the weekend. It was just a nightmare. Calm down, everything will be okay. He silenced the beeping and threw back the covers, disappointed to find yesterday’s transformation was

CHAPTER 9Students who, based on their expressions, would rather be anywhere else filled the classroom. Preston showed up a few minutes after Jeff and Mr. Drake and headed straight to the back. He cut his eyes at Jeff, but the teacher was explicit that any antics would only lead to another Saturday in captivity, so he kept his head down, working on the assignment. Jeff sat at the head of the class, checking quizzes against the answer sheet Mr. Drake provided. Grading papers isn’t so bad, he thought. Maybe I’ll be a teacher when I’m older. That is, if I’m still human enough. After helping grade twenty-nine quizzes, Jeff was about to start on another when the clock over the door drew his attention. “Mr. Drake,” he said, setting down his red pen, “it’s fifteen till noon. Do you mind if I head outside?”He checked the clock, surprised. “Of course. I guess time flies when someone’s helping you grade.” He arched an eyebrow. “Maybe you should help me more often.”Jeff smiled an