Drider 4: War Part 3

continued from part two

Part 3

"Wow dad," Mona said. "She's beautiful."

"Really? I do admit, she actually looks quite attractive in that shell of hers. Do you think its thick enough?" Mona walked up to the concrete shell and knocked on it. A thunk greeted her attempt.

"Yes, I think its thick enough."

"One question father."

"Yes?"

"Why did you put her in that rubber suit?" Pierre grinned sheepishly.

"Well….uhm…oh, you know. To keep her…warm. Yes, that's it. Keep her warm!"

The shell that the female drider was encased in certainly seemed to be that way. At over a foot thick, there was no chance of the drider getting out by itself. Clothed in a rubber body suit, wrapped up head to toe in three bed sheets, then in five rolls of duct tape, then a bed comforter, and then in mesh wrapping, and a final layer of hardened cement. Her entombment made her look like a tall cement pillar.

Only her yellow eyes still showed, sticking out from small eye slits that had been carved out of the cement. Those eyes simply stared at the two humans who had imprisoned it, showing neither hostility or submission.

"Well," Pierre said, "I guess now is as good a time as any to begin our interrogation."

"Interrogation?" Mona said. "Father, I thought you detested interrogations. You always told me they were evil!"

Pierre thought about this for a moment before replying, "Well… alright, let's just call it a questioning." He turned and looked at the Drider straight in the eye. "I'm going to ask you some questions. When you answer, use the buzzer we've wrapped into your right hand. One buzz for yes, two buzzes for no. Do you understand?"

The buzzer in the doctor's hand vibrated strongly for a second, then stopped.

"Ah, good!" Pierre said, delighted. "Now then, let's begin. First, are you a drider, as my daughter claims?"

One buzz.

"Excellent! Now…hmm… is your species invading the earth to take it over?"

One buzz.

"Oh dear, that's not good. Why? Is it because we've been abusing you somehow?"

Two buzzes.

"Okay, have we been polluting your home with our waste?"

Two buzzes.

Pierre scratched his head. "Well, I'm puzzled here. I can't figure out why you're here."

Monique came up at that point and looked at the Drider's eyes. "Are you here because you want to take over the surface of the earth and make it your own home?

One buzz.

Pierre's face went pale. "Oh dear."

Mona looked at the woman. "How did you guess that?"

Monique smiled. "Oh, it's pretty simple once you put the facts together."

"So we are being invaded, with goal of complete conquest." Pierre said, starting to pace back and forth. He said nothing more for several minutes. Then he turned to his daughter. "Mona, have you found out anything on how we can fight these creatures?"

Mona shrugged and put on a sad smile. "I'm afraid not father. They seem to be vulnerable to weapons, bullets, grenades, etc, but they apparently have a very high tolerance to injuries. Nothing less then a hailstorm of bullets or a rocket is going to kill them."

"And we are all alone down here." Pierre said. "According to Monique, there's nobody else…" He stopped, and his face went pale again.

Nobody felt like talking.

****

The loud ticking sounds of the pursuing Driders was very loud in the tunnel as the prime minister ran for his life. His heart was churning in his chest, and his legs were getting very close to collapsing. But he couldn't stop. Not while he had strength left. There had to be a way to escape these things. Daylight came from straight ahead. The prime minister had reached the end of the sewer tunnel. In front of him lay freedom. All he had to do was run for it…

But a large Drider suddenly dropped down and appeared at the exit of the tunnel. The prime minister stopped and drew his shotgun right at the creature's head. A loud clicking noise made him spin, to see two Driders behind him, big smiles on their faces.

He was trapped.

"Give it up human." The drider at the exit said. "Cooperate, and we will be gentle."

The minister backed up to the wall. He had only one chance…

The three driders began to advance, coming ever so slowly towards him, their smiles getting bigger. A few more seconds and they would be upon him.

"There is no escape. It is over. Submit to us, and we will…"

BANG

The explosion screamed in the narrow confines of the tunnel, forcing the Driders to shriek and cover their ears in agony. The minister made his move, running up a narrow ladder, letting the flash bang grenade distract the creatures for a few more seconds. He punched the manhole cover off and climbed up into the streets. Doing a quick scan, he was dismayed to see that he was next to Big Ben (which had several cocoons dangling from the clock's hands), almost right back to where he started from.

What was he going to do now? His options were running out. Where was he going to go? What was he going to do? Was he the only remaining human in London who was still free?

A loud chorus of ticking noises made him temporarily forget about his problems. Turning around, he saw dozens of large driders coming down the road, heading straight for him. No time for thinking. There was only enough time to run. The minister ran, heading across the river, not knowing where he was going.

****

Humanity had lost.

The war was over.

In less then two days, all of the world's governments had simply ceased to be. Either all their members were hiding, or they were all wrapped up and dangling somewhere, captives of the driders.

There were still small groups of rebels, bands dedicating to the salvation of humanity. But they were vastly outnumbered and outmatched. At most, these groups had about two hundred members. A single Drider group usually numbered in the hundreds, but five hundred were usually dispatched to deal with these rebel groups.

And they too, fell.

The only remaining humans on earth were refugees, with no safe harbor to go to.

It was only a matter of time before earth fell under the complete control of the driders.

****

The sky was now covered with dark, angry clouds. Theodore had always enjoyed clouds, but these were not the friendly rain clouds that he liked. They were angry clouds.

He had been traveling for over a day, heading towards New York City. The tracks of the large male drider had been easy to follow. Keeping out of sight though, was a problem. But he had somehow managed it. He was worried for Lindsey, but his worry over his girlfriend was stronger. If he was going to do one thing before he was captured and mummified, he was going to rescue his girlfriend. He had left her once, but he wouldn't do so again. He reached a large hill. With several long strides, he reached the crest. And when he walked over the crest, he saw his destination.

New York City. The most famous city in the United States. Proud and tall, it was now the dwelling place of Driders.

New York City was in shambles. Though almost all the buildings were intact, the vast majority of them were damaged by fighting, and covered in drider webs. The empire state building remained clear though. Theodore wondered for a brief moment why that tower was undamaged and not webbed up.

A loud shriek caught his attention. Looking down the hill, he saw his target. The large drider was heading straight for the city, still carrying a mummified and cocooned Shauna on its back. He couldn't see if she was okay, but she appeared to be. She was still struggling in her cocoon. But now the question was, how was he going to get into New York City? The entire place was no doubt swarming with thousands of driders. How was he, a simple college teenager, going to get past all them?"

"You look lost kiddo!"

Theodore spun and looked into Lindsey's slightly grubby face. He smiled. "Well, I'm not lost, but I can use a companion."

"And I'm here to do just that!"

Theodore grinned, but at that moment, he felt overwhelmed by his emotions. Everything that had happened up to this point was starting to really get to him. Not bothering to make it graceful, Theodore slumped to the ground.

Lindsey sensed it, knelt down, and wrapped her arms around Theodore. "You've had a rough day." she said.

Theodore nodded. "Yeah."

They sat there for a while, not really caring about what was going to happen.

Eventually though, the clouds began to rumble loudly. Raindrops began to come down.

Lindsey broke the silence. "Well, you ready to head down and look for a boat?"

The young man looked at her. "I can't go. I found my girlfriend." Lindsey looked both surprised and delighted.

"Well, that's wonderful! The more the merrier I say! Now, where is she?" Theodore simply pointed a finger towards Manhattan. "Oh." Lindsey said. She was silent for several minutes.

"Well, we're not going to get her sitting here on our butts are we?" This brought a small smile to Theodore's face.

"No. No we aren't."

As the rain began to come down, the two set out for Manhattan.

****

Pierre had said nothing for several hours now. He simply sat in his study room, his face blank and pale. Mona could guess what was troubling him. The fact that they might be the only free humans left in Paris, maybe in all of France. How long could they hold out? Was it even worth trying?

"Maybe we can escape to the country," Mona thought. "Hide in the forest, hide from these things…" But how were they going to get into the countryside? The nearest one was miles away, and they were in the center of Paris. It would take a miracle to get out unnoticed.

"Monique." Mona said. The woman looked up from her seat next to the Drider lady's concrete pillar. "You were able to snake around the city. Tell me, how were you able to do that?"

"Oh. It was… tricky of course, but it mostly took a lot of skill, courage, and daring."

"Did you notice anything about these creatures? Any weaknesses or vulnerabilities?"

"No, I'm afraid not. The best thing to do is to run, hide, and stay out of sight." Mona nodded.

"I'm not sure how much longer we can stay here. Father's getting worried, and I'm worried too. I just don't know if we should stay, or if we should try to get away."

Monique walked over and sat next to Mona, putting her arm on her shoulder. "Hey," she said softly. "Hang in there. We can make it. I'm sure we'll think of something."

Mona nodded, but then noticed something. "Your hand!" She said. "It's as cold as ice!"

Monique looked at her hand, which was turning pale. "Why… it is!" She said. "I'd better go and try to warm it up."

As the Frenchwoman walked into the kitchen, Mona was left alone with the concrete encased Drider. Curiosity began to get the better of her, and Mona walked over to the pillar, looking at the occupant inside. The drider's eyes looked at her, neither hostile or passive. They just…watched her.

"Why?" Mona asked. "Why are you doing this? Why are you causing so much destruction? Why, why, why?!"

The eyes did not answer her. They simply watched her.

Frustrated, Mona turned and walked away, heading into her father's study. The lights were dim, giving the scientist the view of an old, weary man, worn out and ready to be used up.

"Father?" She asked quietly.

"Yes Mona?" Pierre sounded so tired.

"Father, I don't think we should stay here. It's not safe."

Pierre chuckled. "Where else is safe? Is there anyplace that is safe anymore?"

"Father, if we stay here, we are going to run out of food and water. I don't know how much longer we can last. Maybe a day or two, but after that…"

The old scientist said nothing.

"Father, maybe we should try for the forest. If we die, then at least we die trying to escape. Isn't that better then sitting around, waiting for those things to find us?"

Pierre thought. And he thought some more. And then he sat up straight in his seat, and turned to look at his daughter. "Mona," he said. "You're right. We'll try. Let's leave tonight, under the cover of darkness. That may give us some cover."

Mona sighed, as if shrugging off a great weight. They were at least going to try for it. At that moment Monique came in.

"Sorry," she said. "But I couldn't help but overhear. We're leaving tonight?"

"Yes." Mona said, a smile on her face. "We're getting out of here." Monique smiled devilishly.

"Excellent! I'll get all the gear we'll need." She left the room.

"You know father?" Mona said. "I think we're going to make it."

"Yes darling daughter," Pierre chuckled. "I think we will."

****

The British prime minister had reached the end of the road.

He was tired, he was weary, and he was out of time. All of London was now buzzing with driders, all of whom were in pursuit of this last remaining human. He had managed to evade them so far, but he couldn't go any further without collapsing in exhaustion.

Holding up his shotgun, the minister looked at his ammo count. Only ten shells left. And there were how many of these things left?

With a sigh, the prime minister cocked his weapon again. Looks like it was time for a final showdown.

And he knew exactly where to do it…

****

All across the world, the last outposts of humanity begin to go silent. Radio communications, internet postings, and telegraphs go silent. One by one, each little spark of humanity is snubbed out.

Very few places are left now. A research base in Antarctica, a remote cabin in Alaska, a shack in the outback of Australia. The last free humans have reached the end.

It won't be long now…

***

Getting into the city was easier then Theodore expected. Though the Queensboro Bridge was drenched in drider webbing, he and Lindsey had managed to make it this far without being seen. But they couldn't afford a moment’s weakness. If they were spotted… well, then it was bye-bye. The only weapon Theodore had on him was his pocketknife, which wouldn't do squat against a large humanoid spider. Thankfully, he hadn't found a reason to use it. And he hoped to both heaven and hell that he wouldn't have to.

After creeping along in the superstructure, the two reached the other side of the bridge, and stood on the island itself. It was no different from the mainland. Buildings coated with webbing. Several cocoons were stuck to webs. But it was the silence that truly scared Theodore. The only sound he could hear was the wind, blowing between the steel and glass canyons of the city.

"Got any idea on where to go?" Theodore whispered to Lindsey. Lindsey rubbed her chin, thinking.

"Now, if I were them, I would want to set up a main base somewhere… maybe… in the center of the city, where I could have a lot of protection in case any army tried to storm over and mount an attack."

Theodore nodded. "Sounds good to me. Let's pay a visit to the center of the city."

They began walking when Lindsey suddenly grabbed Theodore and threw him behind a wall. As Lindsey got behind the wall, Theodore saw what she was ducking from. The large Drider with Shauna walked out from a side road and went down the main street, heading deeper into the heart of the city.

Shauna looked okay, though she did appear to be slightly worn out. She was quiet and limp in her cocoon.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Lindsey whispered.

"Yeah." Theodore whispered back. "And I'm not going to let her get away from me again."

As the dark clouds rumbled overhead, the two slowly followed the large Drider.

* * *

The London eye had somehow managed to stay intact throughout the drider attack. Though there were many webbed people dangling from it's structure, there was room for plenty more. The prime minister ran to the eye, several dozen driders right behind him. This was where it was going to end.

Spinning, the minister fired his shotgun. Shells tore into the closest drider, and it fell to the ground, blue blood staining the ground. A quick pump and another shell was loaded.

He needed time to get up. Grabbing his last flash-bang grenade, the prime minister pulled the pin and chucked the grenade behind him.

"Look out!" A drider shouted. "One of those…" BANG

As the smoke filled the air, the Minister slung the shotgun over his shoulder and ran to the superstructure of the eye. Grabbing the railing, he began to climb. His legs pumped as he climbed the railing. He reached the highest point when the smoke cleared. The driders instantly spotted him and began to clamber up the superstructure.

The chase went on. The minister climbing the eye's outer structure as fast as he could, and the driders following close behind. A few strands of silk were shot up, but all of them missed the frantically climbing man.

It took several minutes, but the minister finally reached the top of the eye. He wobbled dangerously, trying to keep his balance above the wind. He looked around. Driders were climbing below him, to his right and to his left.

He had seven shells left, plus two pistols on his belt. He dared not to look down to see the churning river far below him. The driders finally got to the top, pushing aside several cocoons on the way. The minister glared at them, pumping his shotgun.

He was trapped.

"Give it up human." One of the driders said, her beautiful face smiling. "There is no escape. If you cooperate, we will be very gentle with you."

A shotgun blast to her face ended negotiations.

The driders swarmed towards the Minster, hands and limbs scrambling to get him. The Minster fired his shotgun over and over again, soaking the white eye with blue blood. A few scratches and his red blood began to mix with it. The last shell was fired, and the shotgun was empty. Holding it up over his head, the minister chucked it at the nearest drider, stunning it. A quick snap and his two pistols were out and in his hands.

They were upon him. There was only one way out. Without looking, the mister crouched, and then leaped off the eye.

His fingers pulled the triggers, and bullets flew from the guns as he fell through the air. Two driders hissed as they were struck. The water below rapidly rose to greet him. The minister hoped it wouldn't hurt too much when he landed. The last bullets flew from the guns, and the minister realized it was over. He had done all he can, and could do nothing more.

But it wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot. The driders had no intention of loosing this one.

With a quick ZIP, a thick strand of silk shot out from one of the driders, and caught the minister by the ankles. Like a bungee cord, the minister came to within an inch of the water, then snapped back upwards. Several more strands shot out and caught the minister.

"Bloody hell!" The minister shouted as he was slowly pulled up towards the waiting driders. A few minutes later, the silk silenced his curses.

****

There were surprisingly few driders in Manhattan as Theodore and Lindsey followed a bound and mummified Shauna and her captor. The deeper and deeper they went into Manhattan, the more and more webs they encountered. The only other driders they saw were walking through the streets, following Shauna's captor.

Theodore's mind raced. What was going on? Some kind of gathering? A meeting, what?

Lindsey took the lead, following the drider that held Shauna. It was interesting to see that she apparently knew where to go. But then again, following a big drider wasn't hard.

Then they reached it. The center of Manhattan. What awaited the two was awe-inspiring.

There was a huge hole in the ground. It was similar to the earthquake opening that Theodore had seen at college, only much, much bigger. At a first glance, Theodore estimated that it was wide enough to drop the entire college into.

"Guess we gotta go in there." Lindsey said.

"Yeah." Theodore said, his heart dropping. "I guess so." But how? Surveying the gaping hole, he couldn't see a way down. And even if they did find a way down, they had no idea how far the bottom was.

"Here we are!" Lindsey said. She came over, pushing a jeep. "We'll use this winch. Tie you to it, and then lower you down. When you get your girlfriend, come back and I'll pull you up."

It seemed like the best possible option, so Theodore took the mounted winch and attached it to one of his belt loops. "But what if you get caught while I'm down there?"

Lindsey chuckled. "You really think that's going to happen? Looks like the whole place is deserted. I don't think I'll get any trouble while I'm here." She looked around, as if sensing something. "You'd better hurry."

Theodore nodded. "See you soon." With that, he hopped into the hole.

The winch slowly unwound, lowering Theodore into the pit. It was dark. So dark that it seemed to Theodore that he was climbing down into a void. For over ten minutes he was lowered, going ever deeper. When he touched the ground it came as a huge shock. But it wore off as Theodore quickly unhooked the cable. He waited several minutes, and his eyes adjusted ever so slightly to the darkness.

He walked around the dark hole until he found a wall. Keeping his hand on it, he followed the wall deeper and deeper into the earth. As he went, Theodore was surprised to find his eyesight growing better and better. He could see more and more of the passageway he was in, though he was in complete darkness.

"How am I doing this?" He wondered. But when he heard excited voices, he stopped caring.

Theodore walked very slowly now. He couldn't afford to be discovered. But as he got closer and closer to the voices, he realized something. The walls had changed form and texture. Upon closer examination, Theodore groaned in disgust.

The walls were completely covered in silk. But within the silk lay human forms, bound, wrapped, and sealed inside the silk walls. If they were alive or not, Theodore couldn't tell. But he had to keep going. Something was urging him on.

At last he reached the end of the gigantic tunnel, and emerged into a sight he could only imagine out of his deepest nightmares. He was at the very top of a cavern so enormous that he didn’t believe it to be possible. Roughly one thousand feet below him was a huge flood of Driders. Thousands of them. Tens of thousands. And there was a huge chasm at the bottom of the cavern. Its bottom could not be seen, but hundreds of driders were climbing up and out of the chasm.

Theodore was so shocked he couldn't move. But a voice brought him back to his senses.

"Driders!" There was a loud cheer from the thousands of driders below Theodore. "Our plan is almost complete! Centuries of work and planning have paid off, and the surface is ours!"

Theodore carefully crouched down and looked. Down below him was the biggest drider he had ever seen. It was huge, almost the size of a high school gym. It was a female as well, apparently in its middle age. Judging by the jewelry and body paint it wore, it was of high rank.

"Your queen congratulates you all on your success! Because of everyone's hard efforts, we have won!" The cheering from the driders was enormous. Theodore realized that he had heard that voice twice before. At the college, and in the forest. The drider queen must have been at both locations.

"Now, we have but one task left! As soon as all the humans are in our hands, and when the last drider joins us, our legacy will be secured!" More thunderous cheers.

Theodore looked down, and to his surprise, saw Shauna. She was unconscious, hanging in a small alcove directly above the queen. Theodore looked around and saw a small, rocky catwalk leading right to her. If he could get to her, he could cut her loose and get out of here. He slowly began to walk across the catwalk, staying as quiet as he could. Down below, the queen continued giving her talk to the other driders, who were eating the entire thing up.

"A new age is upon us! No longer will we live underground. The sun and the sky will now be ours to gaze upon!" More cheers. "We will have an infinitely renewable food source from these humans, and will never go hungry again!"

The thunderous cheering continued. If Theodore hadn't known better, he would have sworn that he was at an enormously popular rock concert.

There. He had reached the alcove. Shauna was out of her cocoon, and was now dangling above the crowd by her wrists, which were webbed to the ceiling. Theodore reached over and quickly grabbed her naked form, and drew her over the walkway. Getting his pocketknife out, he began to saw at the silk, praying that it would cut.

The queen kept going on about homes, families, and how wonderful life on the surface was compared to whatever underground place they lived in.

At last, the last silk was cut, and Shauna was free. "Shauna!" Theodore whispered, trying to wake her up. "Wake up!" Shauna's eyelids began to flicker, then opened. She immediately began to fight, thinking that she was still being held captive. Theodore put his hand over her mouth.

"Shauna!" He hissed. "It's me! Theodore! Calm down!" Shauna looked at him, then slowly started to calm down, her struggling coming to a stop. Theodore gently took his hand off her face.

"Oh Theodore!" She whimpered, clutching him tightly. "I thought I'd never see you again!" She squeezed him tightly, and Theodore did the same, stroking her. "There there." He whispered. "Let's get you out of here. I found a way out." Shauna nodded.

Quietly, the two of them stood up and began to walk back across the walkway. They had gone no more then a few feet when Theodore suddenly realized that he had forgotten his pocketknife.

He spun and saw it teetering on the walkway. "Shauna!" He whispered. "Get the pocketknife!" Shauna turned and saw it, but it was too late. With horrifying slowness, the pocketknife fell off the walkway.

"Shit!" Theodore hissed.

The pocketknife vanished from sight. But a few seconds later there was a shout of pain far below. Almost instantly, thousands of heads looked up towards the ceiling. And thousands gasped when they saw Theodore and Shauna.

"Intruder!" A drider shouted.

"Get them!" The queen hissed.

"Run!" Theodore shouted. He took off on the walkway, Shauna following closely behind. Down below, thousands of driders began to swarm up the walls, chasing the two intruders. The queen moved her enormous body into a large tunnel and vanished from sight.

****

Mona woke up five seconds before her alarm went off. Her hand switched it off before the shrill beeping happened. Moving quickly, she threw off the bed cover and got dressed. She was ready to go. If all went as planned, they would be out of this bunker within three minutes and out of the city in thirty.

She went into the main room of the bunker. Her father's door was open. So was Monique's. They must be waiting for her in the entrance room she mused. She quickly walked up to door that led into the entrance room. She turned the handle, opened the door, and screamed.

The drider had somehow gotten loose. Its cement body case lay on the floor in tatters, along with all the other binding materials. The drider now stood in its true form, and there was a thickly wrapped cocoon on the wall. At its feet lay a pair of glasses.

"FATHER!" Mona screamed. The drider smiled.

"Ah yes, your father is quite safe now. You don't need to worry about him human." Furious, Mona reached down and grabbed a large metal pipe. She was about to swing it when a hand caught it. Mona spun.

"Monique!"

Monique smiled. "There's no need for violence here Mona." Mona was beside herself with rage.

"You're with them?!" Monique smiled.

"Well, what do you think?" Mona looked, and then she realized that Monique was standing before her, her lower body now the shiny shell and legs of a Drider. She had been a drider all along.

"Do you really think I would let one of my kin stay in that concrete shell of yours?" She smiled and chuckled. "But do not worry little one. I hold no ill-will against you. I just needed help to capture you and your father, the last free humans in this city."

Monique took the pipe and tossed it into the corner. The two driders slowly advanced on Mona. "There's no escape Mona." Monique said soothingly. "Give in. I promise it won't hurt in the slightest."

Mona looked on, trembling, as the driders came up to her and went to work.

Mona cried as the silk began to envelop her body

***

The shouts of the driders were not far behind as Theodore and Shauna ran through the large tunnel. With his night vision, Theodore led the way, holding on to Shauna's hand.

"Where are we going?!" Shauna gasped.

"Anywhere but here." Theodore said. "How about Cabo San Lucas?" Shauna managed a laugh.

"Sure. Why not?"

They kept running, the sounds of drider legs slowly getting closer. At last, five minutes later, they reached the exit. The cable was still there, patiently waiting for its owner to come back.

Theodore wasted no time in clipping it to his pants. "Hold on tight Shauna." He said. "We're getting out of here!" His naked girlfriend went up to him and held him tight. Theodore took the cable and yanked it as hard as he could. Lindsey would see it, and start the winch.

Nothing happened.

Theodore paused, then yanked again, as hard as he could.

Nothing happened.

"Theodore?" Shauna whimpered. There was a loud screeching noise. Theodore and Shauna spun to hear the driders right behind them.

"Come on Lindsey!" Theodore hissed as he pulled again and again. "Come on!"

Two hundred driders swarmed out into the light, and ran right for the two college students.

At that moment the cable suddenly shot up, dragging Theodore and Shauna with it. Up and up they rose, leaving the driders below. "We're going to make it Shauna!" Theodore shouted.

"I hope so!" Shauna shouted back. Theodore looked down and saw the driders climbing the walls of the tunnel, coming straight to the surface. But the cable was going faster, and the two stayed ahead of them. The lips of the hole appeared, and Theodore and Shauna were yanked out, landing on the ruined soil. Coughing, Theodore quickly took off the cables.

"Sorry about that kiddo." Lindsey said as she jogged over. "I got distracted. A few of those things came by, and I had to hide." Theodore noticed she was panting, as if she had been running.

"Did you have to run to hide?" he asked.

"Oh yeah. Barely hid in time. You know, these things…" The loud screeches of the Driders coming up stopped her. "You've got company?"

"Yes."

"Damn. We'd better get going. We've got to get to the pier as fast as possible."

"Agreed."

Lindsey helped the two up, and they ran. The dark clouds up above rumbled, and rain began to pour down onto the city. The three ran through the streets of webbed up Manhattan, heading towards the docks, where some hope of escape still remained. Thunder was coming down now, and the rainfall increased, soaking all of them to the bone.

"Come on." Theodore gasped. "We can make it! We're gonna make it! We're gonna…"

"Look!" Shauna called out. Theodore spun and saw several hundred driders running down the street after them.

"Faster kiddos!" Lindsey shouted. They didn’t argue, and they ran faster, trying to stay ahead of the spider beings that pursued them.

They didn’t get far before Theodore saw more of them coming out from the side streets, hurrying to join the pursuit. Then more were coming from the left, and from the right. Apparently the entire city was now aware that there was fresh meat running through the streets.

They ran and ran, just managing to stay ahead of the driders. But slowly, bit by bit, the creatures began to gain ground.

The three reached an intersection and made a quick left, managing to buy themselves a few extra seconds. But those extra seconds were quickly used up as the Driders swarmed through the alleys and through the intersection.

Another right, another turn, and their luck ran out.

Theodore, Shauna, and Lindsey had run into a roadblock of driders. Hundreds of them were on the road in front of them. More poured out of alleys, and out of buildings. And the ones behind them quickly caught up. A circle was formed.

They were trapped.

The three went back to back, facing the driders that were advancing very slowly. Theodore put up his fists, ready to fight to the death. "Shauna," he said. "In case we don't get out of this…"

"You love me?"

Theodore smiled. "Yes. Yes I do!"

The three stood there, fists raised, ready to fight. Theodore wondered how many he could at least scratch before he was taken down…

"Thank you everyone. I'll take it from here."

Theodore spun, to see Lindsey walking away from them, towards the Driders.

"Lindsey!" Theodore hissed. "What are you doing?! Get back here!" Lindsey stopped and smiled.

"Oh Theodore. There's no need to run anymore." She sighed. "We've reached the end of the road kiddo. It's over."

"Over?! What are you talking about?"

Lindsey smiled. "Oh, everything's going according to plan." Seeing Theodore's confused face, she continued. "We've met before… remember?"

Then Lindsey began to laugh. She laughed like a spider who had lured the fly into its web. Which was exactly what she had done. Lindsey threw up her arms and bulged. Her body bulged and stretched to impossible limits. Then with a final burst, she exploded.

"Theodore!" Shauna screamed. "It's her!"

The drider queen stood where Lindsey had been, now unmasked. "At last!" She said. "My plan has come to pass! You have followed me here Theodore, and now I claim you and your girlfriend!"

Theodore stared at the Drider queen, stunned. He had trusted the leader of the driders all along? He didn’t know what to think. But Shauna did. She looked and saw that they were right next to the Empire state building. Maybe they could find shelter there. Grabbing Theodore's arm, she ran towards the tower.

"Let them go!" The drider queen shouted. "I will deal with them myself!"

The driders moved out of the way, allowing Shauna and a still shocked Theodore access to the tallest building in Manhattan. As they ran inside, the queen of the driders hissed and walked forward, illuminated by the blasts of lighting from the sky.

"Come on Theodore!" Shauna said inside the building's reception area. "We've got to get out of here!"

"How?" Theodore said. "The city is filled with driders, and we're surrounded. We're the only humans left in the city Shauna."

"Well… maybe if we go high enough, they will leave us alone." It was a stupid notion really. But with nothing else to hold onto, it gave them something.

So they began to run. Up and up the steps they went, adrenaline giving them superhuman strength. The rain beat against the windows, and thunder shook the building.

They were on the tenth floor when the window shattered, as a huge hand reached inside. "Run!" Theodore shouted as the drider queen reached inside, trying to grab them. Shauna continued up the steps, but Theodore grabbed a chair and smashed the creature's finger. It yelled, letting him run after his girlfriend.

They ran three more stories before another window shattered. This time, a glob of silk shot in, barely missing them as it stuck fast to the wall.

"You can't run forever!" The Drider queen shouted from outside the building. Another smash, and her hand punched through the walls in an effort to grab them.

But the two proved to be quite agile. With several leaps and ducks, they evaded capture.

Up and up they went. Theodore and Shauna on the steps, and the drider queen scaling the building from the outside.

At the halfway point, Theodore and Shauna had to stop. Shauna collapsed, utterly exhausted. Theodore on the other hand, simply breathed faster then normal. "How come…you're…not…*wheeze*…exhausted?" Shauna gasped.

"I don't know." Theodore said. "I just don't know."

"Do you…think…*wheeze*…that she's still with us?"

A loud smash answered her question. "Come on." Theodore said. "We have to keep going."

Shauna breathed deeply as she slowly got to her feet. Theodore could tell that she wouldn't go much further. But what were they going to do? They couldn't go down, and they would reach the top soon. There was no way out.

"Come on Shauna!" Theodore said. "You can do it! I know you can!"

She tried. Oh how she tried. But after three more floors, she could go no further. "I'm sorry Theodore." She gasped. "I… I just can’t go on."

"Then I'll carry you." Theodore said. "I'm not going to leave you here."

Shauna smiled. "That… sounds *wheeze* good. I think I'll…" There was a loud crash of wall and glass exploding, along with the ZIP of silk flying through the air.

A glob of silk hammered into Shauna as she stood up, knocking her off her feet and into the wall right behind her. With a loud splurtch sound, the silk bound itself to the wall, along with the lady it now imprisoned.

"Shauna!" Theodore shouted. He ran over and frantically tore at the silk. But his bare hands were useless against the powerful silk. "Shauna hold on! I'll get you out of there!" Shauna tried to struggle, but could only kick her legs, the only body parts not webbed down.

There was a loud bang. Theodore spun to see the silhouetted form of the drider queen at the side of the building. A lighting flash revealed a satisfied face, and a hand reaching inside, heading right towards Theodore.

"Run Theodore!" Shauna shouted. "Save yourself!"

"No! I won't leave you! I lost you once, but I'm not going to loose you again!"

The hand shot forward. Theodore saw it coming and leapt backwards, just missing it. "GO!" Shauna shouted. The hand came again, and Theodore ran away from it. Into the staircase he went, and up two floors did he go.

The thundering boom came again, and he saw the drider queen coming up the side of the building, following him. Cursing the queen for driving him from his girlfriend, Theodore ran. He ran up the stairs, as fast as he could. Up and up he went, with the queen following his every move. The two went up the Empire state building until at last they reached the top.

With a loud bang, Theodore kicked open the door leading to the observation balcony. He ran outside into the pouring rain. Despite the fact that Driders now controlled the city, the power had somehow managed to remain on. The city of Manhattan glowed beneath him, an incredible jewel in the darkness. For one moment, Theodore forgot about the troubles of the world.

That moment was shattered by a huge, black spider leg coming over the railing, followed by the smiling face of the drider queen.

Theodore didn't even wait. He turned around and leapt into the air. Incredibly, his fingers grasped the edge of the ledge above him. Adrenaline fueling him, he quickly and easily pulled himself up onto the ledge. Another leap, and Theodore was climbing up the thin peak of the tower. The cold steel and freezing rain tore into his skin, but he ignored the pain. He had to keep going.

The drider queen followed him, but she was going slowly, as if amused by his attempts to escape. Theodore knew that a safe escape was impossible. Yet his instincts drove him up, higher, higher, higher. Until at last he reached the very pinnacle of the Empire state building. He looked around, and realized that he was out of room. There was nowhere left to go. He was trapped.

The drider queen was right behind him, though due to the small scale of the radar peak, she could go no further. That didn't mean that she was giving up. Her large hands reached up and tried to grab the college student.

Grasping and tearing off a piece of metal, Theodore took aim and threw it down. It struck and cut the queen's arm. She gritted her teeth and hissed, but kept coming. Another chunk was torn off, and cast down. This time, it embedded itself in her cheek.

At that moment, a bolt of lighting tore through the sky and zapped the building. The current, channeled by the tower, flowed through Theodore and the drider queen. The queen hissed, badly shaken and momentarily stunned. Theodore however, was barely conscious. His whole body ached, and he could smell burnt flesh. It was taking all of his strength to simply hold on. He couldn't fight anymore.

The queen looked at Theodore. But her expression was different. "Theodore," she said slowly. "There is no need for fighting. Neither of us want to fight. Come, let's come off of this tower together."

All Theodore wanted was to let go, to fall into the warm and friendly darkness that was rapidly approaching. But the queen's words struck him as particularly funny. "Why would I want to do that?!" He shouted above the howling wind and rain. "Your species has taken over my planet! Why should I cooperate with you?!"

"Because Theodore, you don't know the whole truth. With our coming, we will bring a new age to the earth. With humanity and Driders co-existing, there will be no more ailments to plague your species. Think of it! No more war, no more crime or famine! A new golden age!"

"You're insane!" Theodore shouted. "You're utterly insane!"

"Or are you too afraid, or too cowardly to see the truth?" The queen asked. "Are you too afraid to admit that your species has failed? That you, despite thousands of years of evolution, haven't solved your problems? That you haven't eradicated war? The Driders have done this and more! We have so much we can gain from each other!"

Theodore didn’t answer. He simply glared at the queen in defiance. "I'll never come with you! Never!" He looked down. The street was far below, barely visible. With the wind this strong, it should carry him away from the safety rails, and down to the street below. All he had to do was let go…

He loosened his grip. The queen saw what was happening. "You don't want to do that Theodore." She said. "You will be wasting your life. I can help the earth. You can help the earth Theodore. I need your help. The drider and human species need your help."

"Never!" Theodore shouted. "Never!"

"We need you Theodore…your girlfriend needs you…" The queen paused, just for a moment. "And I need you…"

"…son."

Theodore's heart stopped. He stared at the monstrosity below him, looking up at him, not with malicious intent, but with compassion and grace. He saw motherly eyes looking at him.

"No." He said quietly, unbelieving. "No, that… that can't be true! You're lying!"

The queen of the drider species looked at her son, eye to eye. "Look inside you my son." She said quietly. "You know that I speak the truth."

And somehow, though he didn't know why or how, Theodore knew that she was telling the truth.

The shock hit him like a ton of bricks.

"NO!" He screamed, his howls rising above the screaming thunderstorm. "NO NO NO!"

"Look again inside yourself Theodore. Remember what you have forgotten. See what you have not wanted to see. Know yourself."

***

The memories come back to Theodore in a flash, as if the play button on a VCR has been pressed.

He was very young, having the appearance of a bewildered five year old. He was walking along a small road somewhere in Europe, apparently lost.

Some monks were going for a walk that day, and they happened to see him. They talked to him, tried to find out where his parents were, but were foiled at all their attempts. Eventually, not knowing what to do, they took the boy back to the monastery.

At the monastery, the little boy was raised among the monks. But despite their efforts to lead him into a lifestyle similar to their own, they could not deny that the boy wanted something bigger. Therefore, in his late teens, they raised enough money to send him to the states, where he could attend a college of his choice.

And so he went to the state of New York, where he found a place to live, the girl of his dreams, and the education he wanted.

But…how had he come to the lonely road? The memories were more fuzzy, more hazy now.

***

Theodore clung to the metal, staring at his mother, the drider queen.

"I lost you nineteen years ago." She said. "And I won't loose you again. Son, reveal your true self."

There was a ripping and tearing sound. Theodore looked down. His legs were beginning to spasm. Then the skin tore and began to fall away, revealing smooth and shiny spider legs.

Theodore's eight black legs unfolded themselves, and for the first time in over a decade, stretched to their full length. His black, shiny, and hairless abdomen revealed itself as well. From Theodore's waist down, he now had the body of a black widow spider. Dark, shiny, and smooth. And throughout it all, Theodore watched it numbly.

Moving on their own accord, his eight legs quickly gripped the steel framework of the tower, taking the weight off of Theodore's arms.

"Do you remember now son?" The queen asked. "Do you remember your true home? Your own kind? Do you remember me?"

****

Now he remembered.

He was the only son of the drider queen. He was a charming little creature, happy to scurry about and play with anyone he encountered through his daily trips into the underground cities of the driders.

Though he had free reign over all the drider cities, he almost always stayed close to his beloved mother. For though she was ancient at three hundred years old, she still had her strong motherly instincts, and her strong motherly love.

That was why he missed her so much when he had accidentally wandered out of a hidden drider tunnel at the age of five. Without her loving guidance and acceptance, he felt totally out of his element, completely out of place in this strange world on the surface.

And when the monks had took him in, he gradually forgot about her, given a new story about how his mother died in a climbing accident. The monks had felt that the child needed some explanation as to her mother, even if they needed to make one up. Even if they needed to take the body of a dead woman and let Theodore see it, telling him that the woman was his mother.

But now…now his mother, his real mother, was standing right below him.

****

Mother and son looked at each other for a long time. No words were spoken, for none could possibly convey the feelings of each other.

One felt joy, relief and excitement at seeing her son again.

The other felt confusion, uncertainty…but also hope.

Was this being really his mother? Was she the parental figure he had sought his entire life? Was this the love that he had hungered for?

Slowly, bit by bit, Theodore slowly began to come down from the tower, towards his mother's waiting arms.

She held them wide open, waiting for him. "I've waited a long time for this my son." She said. "I have waited so long to hold you again."

As he drew closer, Theodore remembered her warmth, her wonderful warmth. His confused mind was beginning to clear itself. Where he was once a mere college student, he was now remembering who he truly was. A being of superior strength, mind, body, and spirit.

It felt only natural to go into the queen's waiting arms. Her human arms drew close around him, and he completely remembered now. He remembered her.

"Oh mom…" He whispered as she held him close. "I've missed you…"

"And I missed you too." She said quietly. "But we're together now. And nothing will drive us apart again."

****

Shauna was still webbed to the wall when Theodore walked up to her. She was out like a light, exhausted from the past few hours. Theodore smiled as he easily tore away the silk strands (now that he was aware of how strong he was). He picked up his human girlfriend and held her quiet form in his arms.

"It's going to be okay Shauna." He whispered. "Everything's alright now. We're going to be okay."

****

After being sedated with some poison, and after being wrapped chin to toe in seven layers of silk, the prime minister found himself dangling in a body cocoon from the hands of Big Ben. After getting over the shock of finding himself high up off the ground, he had to admit that it was a very nice view of the city.

What was going to happen to him now? The drider who attached him to Big Ben explained that he would stay there for about a week or so while the Driders figured out what to do to him.

"You won't be eaten, that's for sure." It had told him as it had finished webbing his cocoon to the clock hands. "We aren't that savage. Most likely you'll be sent to a milkery." And with that, it had left him alone.

So he had been here for a day or two, watching the city of London as the driders walked through it, carving out burrows and nests from the buildings. It was rather nice in a way, not having to worry about being captured or eaten. All he had to do was simply lie here and relax. At least he didn’t' have to worry about being eaten. But a milkery? What was that all about?...

The sight of a drider climbing up the tower caught his attention. He watched as it came up to the giant minute hand of the clock, and attached another cocoon to it via several strands of silk.

"We figured you might want some company." The drider said as she (the drider had a female upper body) finished spinning the strands. With that, she tore off the silk covering the person's head.

"Well hello Mr. Prime Minister! Have you come for a visit?" The Prime Minister looked up at the drider.

"You couldn't get someone else?" The drider simply shrugged and started walking back down the tower. The lady giggled in her cocoon.

"You know," she said. "You look quite cute, all wrapped up tight like that. Want to get married?"

The prime minister groaned. "Where's that milkery when I want it?!" he thought.

****

Mona couldn't see anything from behind the silk that covered her face. She had the sensation of being carried around, passed from hand to hand several times, and then going up and down. With her arms and legs wrapped up, and with her vision gone, she could do nothing but wait and see what would happen. She wondered where her father was. Was he doing okay?

A sudden stop, and she felt herself lowered onto a floor. For a few seconds, there was silence. Then she heard and felt the clicking of many tiny feet. A head came down next to hers and talked. Mona recognized the voice.

"You and your father will be kept as playthings for our young." Monique said. "If you wish, you may become a nanny." Mona felt lots of tiny bodies crawling over hers, along with squeals of delight. "Have fun." Monique said as she left.

She couldn't see, but Mona felt the Drider infants crawling over her as they eagerly began to play with their new toy.

"Hmm…" Mona thought. "Maybe this isn't so bad after all…"

****

Three months later

Theodore awoke to the feeling of the warm sun upon his face. He blinked three times, opened his eyes and yawned. The morning sun was already high in the sky. Looking down, Theodore saw that his mother was still asleep beneath him. He smiled and rubbed her shiny black skin. The queen smiled in her sleep and her legs twitched slightly. Silently crawling off of his mothers body, Theodore walked out of their nest and into the cool morning air. Groaning with pleasure, he stretched his arms and eight legs, relishing the delightful POP of each limb stretching.

"Good morning prince Theodore!"

"Good morning Zhan. How are you this morning?"

The male drider smiled. "Oh, as good as one could expect. Out to get food for the family."

"Ah, how are the kids doing?"

"They're doing great. Another month or so, and they'll be off to Canada to explore the Rockies."

"How about the pets?"

"Oh? They're doing fine. You know, after the initial shock, they've adjusted really well to being part of the family."

Theodore smiled. "Glad to hear that everything's worked out."

"Same here. Now, off to get food!" As Zhan walked off to the local farms, Theodore walked into town. As he walked, he looked around. He couldn't recall the grass being so green before, now that it was free of pesticides. It was nice and quiet, now that there were no cars zipping around. And best of all, he could never recall the sky being so clear, so blue and clean. It was so beautiful, this town of his.

He reached one of the town's restaurants and went inside, looking for a tasty breakfast. The place was filled with Driders, all either talking, smiling, or laughing at some joke. Some drider children were scurrying about both on the floors and the ceilings. A few humans were here as well, sitting next to, or on, their drider owners.

Finding a large booth, Theodore sat down and waited for the waiter to come by, which he quickly did.

"Good morning sir. What will you have this morning?"

"Hmm… I feel like a male ten. Got any of those?"

"Let me check sir…hmm… yes we do, but might I recommend the specialty? We have a female thirty today."

"Really? I'll have her then!" The drider smiled.

"Excellent choice sir. I'll bring her right out." The waiter quickly went into the back room, then brought out the meal. She was a beauty, wrapped up in a tight cocoon of silk to just below her nose. "Here we are sir. Enjoy yourself." The waiter placed the wrapped woman on the table. "Ah, thank you." Theodore stretched and cracked his fingers. This was going to be good…

He reached over and began to stroke the woman on the head, sending calming thoughts to her. It was best to have your food completely relaxed before you made your move. The woman closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose, surrendering to the driders soothing touch.

She didn't notice as Theodore silently reached over and tore off the silk above her groin. She didn’t notice as he began to rotate her, so that her groin was facing him. He made his move quite suddenly. With one hand stroking the woman, the other went in and began to slowly massage her. The woman's eyes snapped open in surprise as well practiced fingers brought her closer and closer to orgasm… then stopped and let her cool down.

For ten minutes Theodore let the woman build up, up, up… then let her cool down. On the ninth time, the woman was moaning into her silk, protesting that it was taking so long. Theodore decided that enough was enough. He reached down, picked the woman up, and stuck his mouth into her groin, letting his long tongue (it had grown and mutated since he had discovered his true identity) suck and rub. The woman came about ten seconds later, screaming in ecstasy as Theodore drank her fluids, which were extra tasty and refreshing after thirty days of building her up. No wonder this fluid was the most nutritious thing a drider could eat.

With the woman sucked dry, Theodore gently lay her back down. Raising his hand to motion the waiter, the ordered the male ten, to finish off the meal. When the waiter brought out the young man (who was also wrapped and secured), Theodore had no trouble bringing him up and making him come. His fluids were just as tasty and juicy as the woman's.

With the meal over, Theodore took both wrapped bundles and lay down on some of the many soft cushions. He lay on his back, eyes closed in pleasure as he continued to taste his breakfast. He stroked and hugged the two humans in his arms, tenderly giving them affection. After all, it was only polite to thank the human that fed you breakfast, whether it was one or two.

After kissing and hugging both the humans, Theodore gave them back to the waiter, who carried them to the back room to let them rest and recover. With breakfast finished, Theodore left the restaurant.

"Ah, good morning Prince Theodore!" Theodore turned and saw his good (and very handsome) young friend Eday sitting next to a large tree.

"Hello Eday. What are you up to?"

"Oh, taking the pet out for a walk." He motioned to a naked human lying down next to him. "He loves these walks. Good exercise and he also loves being tied to me." The human opened his sleepy eyes and looked around. "That’s right," Eday said. "You like these walks, don't you?"

The human smiled and nodded happily, curling up closer to his owner. "Come on, we'd better get you home."

"See you later Eday." Theodore said as he walked away. Eday waved as he gently began to wrap his pet back up into a tight cocoon.

"There we go," Eday cooed as he gently wrapped his beloved pet up. "You feel safe Oswald?" The human smiled and nodded as his face was covered in silk.

Theodore kept walking, heading for his destination. Where was it, where was it… Ah, there it was. The human buildings were right ahead, the ones that people chose to live in who didn’t live with a drider family. Shauna was around here somewhere. The humans here smiled at Theodore as he walked among them. It was amazing really, Theodore realized. After the driders had taken over, there had been no crime, no hate, no discrimination. All the humans had learned to live together in peace and happiness.

Ah, there she was. She was sitting next to a lake, watching the water as it rippled under the sun. Theodore walked as quietly as he could as he snuck up and put his hands over her eyes. "Peak a boo!" He said. "Guess who?"

Shauna laughed. "Hmm… is it my boyfriend Theodore?"

"However did you guess that?" Theodore said as he took his hands off her.

"Oh, let's say a little birdie told me." Theodore laughed.

"Well, you all set to go?"

"Go? Go where?"

"Oh, nowhere in particular. Just a little place for the two of us. Call it an extended vacation. Feel like going?"

Shauna smiled. "Well, I'm not due for my shift at the milkery for another month, so why not?"

Theodore smiled. "You want to get wrapped, or do you want to be carried by hand?"

"Hmm… how about you wrap me to your chest? I love listening to your heartbeat."

A quick smile, and Theodore gently took his human girlfriend in his arms. "Hold still." He whispered. She smiled and obeyed, placing her arms by her side and lying still. Several quick spins, and the silk began to wrap itself around her.

Two minutes later, Shauna lay in her cocoon. "There we go." Theodore said. "All nice and tight. Is it cozy?"

Shauna sighed in pleasure. "Yes," She whispered (Theodore had left her head unwrapped). "Very."

Another quick applications of silk, and the cocoon was wrapped to Theodore's chest, where Shauna would stay during the trip.

With his girlfriend secured, Theodore walked through the town back towards his house. His mother was no doubt waiting to hear what was going to happen. The town was in full bustle now, as hundreds of drider families (and their pets) went off on their daily activities.

The queen was waiting for them outside their nest as Theodore walked up. "Well, there's my big, handsome hunk!" She said. "And it looks like you've got Shauna with you as well!"

"Yes mother." Theodore said. "We're going on a vacation."

"Really? Where to?"

"Oh, you know…that… secret spot."

"Oh!" The queen smiled and winked. "Well, the two of you have a good time now. I'm going to be kept busy here. We need to plant another two forests in the next week, and that's going to take some time."

As Theodore began to walk out, the queen walked up to them. "Now wait a minute. You think you're going to leave without getting a goodbye hug and kiss?" Without waiting for an answer, she picked her son up and hugged him close, kissing his head.

"Aw mom!" Theodore said. "I'm not a little kid you know!"

"I know. But I still like kissing you. And I also like kissing others as well!" She leaned over and kissed the cocooned Shauna as well. "Well, off you go. Have a safe trip!"

"We will!" With that Theodore left the nest, and began to run across the plains, running towards the horizons.

"Ah, kids." The queen said to herself. "They grow up so fast. Now, where did I put those seeds?"

****

For the next few days, Theodore sprinted non-stop across the United States, heading west, then south. Shauna spent her time close to his chest, listening to his heartbeat and resting against his powerful form. His eight shiny legs went fast and furious as they kept going.

Finally, after a week of traveling, they arrived at their destination. "Have we been here before?" Shauna asked upon seeing the beach and the hotels (which were still being used and operated by human and drider alike).

"Yes. We've seen this before, but only in a brochure." Shauna looked up at Theodore. "Besides, didn't I promise to take you to Cabo San Lucas?"

Shauna laughed as she remembered what Theodore had said outside the empire state building. Gently, Theodore took her off his chest and tore off the silk that wrapped around her. When she was free, he still held her in his arms, walking down to the sandy beach.

The sun was low on the horizon, and the clouds were turning to pink and gold. The water gently splashed on the shore. Theodore walked to a nice, soft stretch of sand and gently lay his girlfriend on the sand before sitting down himself, his legs curling up against his abdomen.

"Wow." Shauna said. "I didn’t know you could run like that."

"Well," Theodore said. "Driders do have super strength, and we can run when we want to. Speaking of which…" He paused, unsure of how to say it. "You're…uhm… not turned off by me being half man, half spider are you?"

"Well…"Shauna said. "I admit, I wasn't sure what to think of it. But in the end, you're still the nice hunk I know and love, only with a shiny black butt, and eight shiny legs. So you're still good enough for me."

Theodore sighed. "That's a relief. I didn’t know what you would think of your boyfriend being something else."

"Nah. The heart, the spirit, the love is what matters. Not the appearance."

Theodore smiled and nodded. The two of them sat next to each other on the sand, watching the sun slowly lower on the horizon.

"So," Theodore said. "What do you think?"

"Think of what?"

"Of all this. Of my species taking over, of life being different then it was before."

"Oh, it's nice. You can't deny that life is a lot more peaceful and loving. I like the peace and quiet that comes with no cars, and it's nice that the pollution is clearing out. So… I guess everything's better then before."

"I'm glad." Theodore said. "Then I guess that it's the right moment to ask this."

"Ask what?"

Theodore took a small box from a bag that he carried at his side. Opening it, he revealed a large, shiny ring. "Shauna… will you marry me?"

It took all of one second for her to decide.

"Yes!"

She flung herself onto him, grabbing his body and kissing him as hard and fast as she could. Theodore was taken by surprise and fell onto this side. He laughed and kissed her back, holding her in his arms, letting his shiny legs rub her down.

As the sun set on the horizon, the two laughed, kissed, and hugged each other on the sandy beach.

****

In the end, the Driders have won. They have taken over the planet. Humanity is no longer the dominant species of earth.

Yet…it's not as bad as one might think.

For the first time in recorded history, there is truly world peace. Despite their savage appearance, the driders have brought compassion, wellness, and good cheer to the earth. They have eliminated pollution, crime, discrimination, and an untold number of other human savageries.

They have helped to make the planet more peaceful. With the love and caring that they have brought, they have shown humanity what it is like to live in peace and happiness.

Now, the earth begins to enter a new golden age, one that all on earth, regardless of species, race, or gender, were meant to live.

So in the end…it's not so bad after all.

23.12.06