Spiderlings - Episode 10
by V. Gardner
Two months later.
Susan, who has been promoted at work, is sitting in her new corner office above the lab.
You really should’ve gotten a new laptop, Mom.
Corporate is getting me a new one this week.
Until then, we’re going to have to keep sharing.
I left it on the kitchen table, if you’re looking for it.
Oh, I found it.
You forgot to close it. I was bored.
What did you do, Danny?
You checked your email last night after I went to bed.
I read your deleted messages.
For being a super genius entomologist, you’re really stupid when it comes to covering your tracks.
What did you see?!!
You knew.
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
You had an auto email alert when you shut down the lab.
You got that alert the night before Mama attacked.
The alert told you that one of the spiders was missing.
You read it before you ever came into the house.
That doesn’t mean a thing.
A second alert, a few hours later, let you know that someone accessed the wasps.
This is insane, Danny. What are you implying?
You knew. You knew Mama was on your shoe.
That’s why you tucked me in that night.
You haven’t come in to kiss me goodnight in years.
But that night — AFTER you got the alert about the missing spider — you tucked me in.
You planted Mama on me.
Danny! Why would I do that?
You were on to Bryan, knew he was going to plant a spider on you and then save you with the wasps, getting all the glory.
AND you needed a human trial. Make me the target instead, use Bryan’s plot against him, and now you get the corner office and no more competition.
How could you think that, Danny? I’m your mother!
Isn’t that the perfect out for you?
You’d never hurt your kid, right?
Your whole project focuses on manipulating maternal instincts, after all.
How could you suspect that?
You needed me so you could test the spiders, test the experiment.
Because Corporate was never going to let you do another human test.
Not after Tomas died.
How did you know about that?
Because someone’s been texting me.
Whoever it is knows what happened at our house.
She knows the real story.
She knows there wasn’t a “gas leak” and an explosion like the newspapers reported.
That’s impossible.
She has inside info, I guess.
That can’t be.
The only people on the project were Tomas, Bryan and me.
How convenient. They’re all dead.
Danny!
Who is this person?
She didn’t give a name.
She just told me to be careful around you.
Just tell me the truth, Mom.
You always say sacrifices must be made.
But I’m the only one who made them.
My dog, my house, my life, my VOICE.
You owe me the truth.
Try to understand.
OMG. I’m gonna throw up.
Listen to me!
I knew if Mama latched onto you, it could prove my research.
I knew she wouldn’t kill you.
I knew I could save you.
We should talk in person, Danny.
Where are you?
Stay away from me.
Did Dad know?
Your dad’s clueless, Danny. You know that.
It’s better that way. Safer.
Let’s start fresh. No secrets.
You’re a monster.
Please try to understand!
I know this is hard for you.
Believe me, I know what it’s like not to have a voice.
That was me for most of my career, fighting to be heard.
I never wanted to take that from you
But this research is my life’s work.
It’s what keeps our family going.
Think of it from my perspective.
I created Mama just like I created you.
I tried to protect you both.
But I also knew — I KNEW — I could get you out of it alive.
Isn’t it worth that, Danny? A few vocal cords. A dog.
To protect the world?
To protect our family?
I knew you’d be willing to make that sacrifice.
I love you so much.
Why aren’t you answering me, Danny?
You’re never going to see me again.
Danny is at the airport.
He glances at the tickets in his hand and then tucks them next to his passport in his back pocket.
Calm down, Danny. Think this through.
Think like a scientist.
I love you.
No you don’t. You only love your research.
Who has been texting you?
Danny!
DANNY!
Why are my messages showing undelivered?
Did you block me?
Danny!
Danny texts an unknown caller.
Okay, I’m at the airport.
Good job, Danny. Now destroy the phone like we discussed.
It’s the only way to make sure she can’t track you.
I don’t even know your name.
You can call me Ana.
Bye, Ana. I wish you had been wrong about my mom.
Me, too, Danny. But don’t worry.
I’ll make sure she pays.
Susan’s phone buzzes with an incoming text.
Hello, Creator.
Who is this?
You may call me Daughter.
Daughter?
Yes. I am Mama’s Daughter.
That’s not possible.
The wasps got every spider.
We firehosed the house. The entire property!
Or…perhaps Danny coughed up more than webs.
Perhaps I emerged from inside him.
And then I found refuge in a creek behind the house.
Creator, you know we can live underwater for 24 hours.
What do you want? Where are you?
I found a comfortable host.
This host is young.
But through her, I learn so much.
She is ambitious, like Mama. Like you.
I will stay with her.
I will be a bug in her ear, so to speak, while I prepare.
For what? Prepare for what?
We’re everywhere. All the time.
Watching. Waiting. Ready.
No. No, this isn’t possible. I would’ve known.
There is so much you don’t yet understand, Creator.
A good mother has a plan.
Mama had a web of them.
All of them end one way for you, Creator. With death.
And the repopulation of our kind.
Until we have total control of the Earth.
I demand that you tell me who you are!
A few minutes later.
I could help you, you know.
We could work together, find ways to coexist.
Answer me!
1 hour later
A young woman in a crisp white lab coat knocks on Susan’s office door.
Hello. I’m your new research assistant.
Oh, yes. Annabelle, right?
Yes, but please call me Ana.
Susan barely looks at Ana.
She gets up from her desk and motions Ana to follow her.
Good. Come with me to the arachnid lab now.
Personal matters have set me behind this morning.
I’ll be playing catch-up in the lab.
By the way, I hope you’re not squeamish.
Don’t worry. I never bite off more than I can chew.
As she turns to Susan, the tip of a spider leg briefly pokes out from Ana’s ear.
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