Margarita 8, bite. Strawberry Cheesecake 19, spider
Author: Shadowstar
Story:
Challenge: Margarita 8, bite, Strawberry Cheesecake 19, spider.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 618
Summary: Bitten by a poisonous spider
Notes: Random one shot so far.
Jaydal yelped and swatted at his arm as he felt the sharp, stinging pain. Looking down he recoiled in horror. The greyish green creature the size of his palm was one he’d heard about but never actually seen alive. As far as he was aware they’d been exterminated years ago but the horror stories were still told today. Men bitten by the creatively named swamp spider generally didn’t survive long. Those who did survive were not considered to be the lucky ones. Far from it in fact. He stood frozen in horror for a long moment until his captor jerked the chain and he fell to his knees. Still he couldn’t take his eyes off the creature attached to his arm.
“It’s just a spider,” the creature holding the other end of the chain grunted, his speech distorted somewhat what could only be described as a short muzzle and the tusk like lower canines. “Won’t do you no harm.”
Jaydal glanced up at him then back to the spider. “No harm? Men bitten by these die! Slowly and painfully. There is no cure for its poison.”
“Then perhaps that tells you that men should not be here. Men do not belong in our swamps. You have not adapted to survive if even the bite of a small spider can kill you. Far worse creatures here than the spider you claim is so deadly. Now move.”
“Do you not understand?” Jaydal asked. “I’m going to die. I’m of no use to you dead, just let me go!”
The creature shrugged. “How do I know you speak the truth? We do not die from spider bites. We are not so weak as that. Maybe this is just a trick to get me to let you go. No, you come along with me and if you die you die. If not, you will stand before the troll elders at council and answer for your crimes.”
“I didn’t commit any crimes!” Jaydal wailed. “Just let me go, let me go off into this wretched place and be eaten by one of those gigantic bear things or something.”
The troll sneered at him. It wasn’t a pretty sight, all those teeth! “Shows what humans know. Those bear things as you call them eat plants, not meat. I don’t believe you will die. Troll medicine is very good.”
Jaydal stared at him. “You know of a cure to this spider bite?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. We shall see. Now move. You will not like it if I decide to carry you.” He yanked upwards on the chain and Jaydal scrambled to his feet to avoid being strangled. A cure for the swamp spider bite…if the trolls knew of a cure and if they helped him then perhaps he’d be able to escape and take that knowledge back to his people. If. That was the problem. Trolls and humans weren’t exactly on friendly terms, it was likely the only reason this one would cure him of the poison coursing through his body was so he could be killed to answer for whatever crimes they were convinced he’d committed. He sighed, trudging on after the creature, trying not to notice the stinking mud that sucked at his boots and made it difficult to keep up. The troll seemed to have no such difficulties, his enormous feet didn’t sink into the mud, let alone stick and Jaydal found himself thinking that perhaps the troll was right. Humans didn’t belong here, they simply hadn’t adapted to the environment and the environment would kill them. Was killing them. But it wasn’t his decision to make, he just went wherever he was sent and didn’t ask questions. Not out loud anyway.
Story:
Challenge: Margarita 8, bite, Strawberry Cheesecake 19, spider.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 618
Summary: Bitten by a poisonous spider
Notes: Random one shot so far.
Jaydal yelped and swatted at his arm as he felt the sharp, stinging pain. Looking down he recoiled in horror. The greyish green creature the size of his palm was one he’d heard about but never actually seen alive. As far as he was aware they’d been exterminated years ago but the horror stories were still told today. Men bitten by the creatively named swamp spider generally didn’t survive long. Those who did survive were not considered to be the lucky ones. Far from it in fact. He stood frozen in horror for a long moment until his captor jerked the chain and he fell to his knees. Still he couldn’t take his eyes off the creature attached to his arm.
“It’s just a spider,” the creature holding the other end of the chain grunted, his speech distorted somewhat what could only be described as a short muzzle and the tusk like lower canines. “Won’t do you no harm.”
Jaydal glanced up at him then back to the spider. “No harm? Men bitten by these die! Slowly and painfully. There is no cure for its poison.”
“Then perhaps that tells you that men should not be here. Men do not belong in our swamps. You have not adapted to survive if even the bite of a small spider can kill you. Far worse creatures here than the spider you claim is so deadly. Now move.”
“Do you not understand?” Jaydal asked. “I’m going to die. I’m of no use to you dead, just let me go!”
The creature shrugged. “How do I know you speak the truth? We do not die from spider bites. We are not so weak as that. Maybe this is just a trick to get me to let you go. No, you come along with me and if you die you die. If not, you will stand before the troll elders at council and answer for your crimes.”
“I didn’t commit any crimes!” Jaydal wailed. “Just let me go, let me go off into this wretched place and be eaten by one of those gigantic bear things or something.”
The troll sneered at him. It wasn’t a pretty sight, all those teeth! “Shows what humans know. Those bear things as you call them eat plants, not meat. I don’t believe you will die. Troll medicine is very good.”
Jaydal stared at him. “You know of a cure to this spider bite?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. We shall see. Now move. You will not like it if I decide to carry you.” He yanked upwards on the chain and Jaydal scrambled to his feet to avoid being strangled. A cure for the swamp spider bite…if the trolls knew of a cure and if they helped him then perhaps he’d be able to escape and take that knowledge back to his people. If. That was the problem. Trolls and humans weren’t exactly on friendly terms, it was likely the only reason this one would cure him of the poison coursing through his body was so he could be killed to answer for whatever crimes they were convinced he’d committed. He sighed, trudging on after the creature, trying not to notice the stinking mud that sucked at his boots and made it difficult to keep up. The troll seemed to have no such difficulties, his enormous feet didn’t sink into the mud, let alone stick and Jaydal found himself thinking that perhaps the troll was right. Humans didn’t belong here, they simply hadn’t adapted to the environment and the environment would kill them. Was killing them. But it wasn’t his decision to make, he just went wherever he was sent and didn’t ask questions. Not out loud anyway.