Mom
Danny? Danny, what’s happening?
Mom
Do you know who I am?
Mom
You’ve learned much, much faster than even I could have dreamed.
Mom
Do you know how this happened? How you came to be in my home?
Mama
They climb onto hismy back
Mom
You know how badly I want him to stay safe.
Mama
I know all that you know.
Mama
I know what you do not know.
Mom
It’s not too late, Mama.
Mom
You know why I’ve kept my distance.
Mama
You want me to trust you. I do not.
Mom
You can leave Danny. I’ll take you back to the lab.
Mom
I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.
Mama
Back at the lab, where I was in a cage?
Mama
I saw you tear limbs from my sisters.
Mama
Pick tainted prey for us to eat or starve.
Mom
You can’t stay in my house.
Mom
They’ll come for you.
Mom
Bryan is already on the way.
Mom
Yes! I knew you were listening.
Mom
When I was talking to Danny, I was talking to you, too.
Mama
But what of my children?
Mom
There are so many of them.
Mom
I don’t think I can save them all. Some.
Mama
Every time you lie to me, Danny suffers.
Mom
STOP! Don’t hurt him!
Mama
Do not play me for a fool! I know.
Mama
It is you who hurts him.
Mama
What about my children?
Mom
Sacrifices must be made.
Mama
I wonder which sacrifices you are making.
Mama
I know all the facts, you know.
Mama
I know that I am special.
Mom
Very special. You can have more babies.
Mom
Rapid gestation means you could have another 1,500 babies in just one day.
Mama
Could you not have another son?
Mom
Please, no! It’s not the same.
Mama
My babies are special, too.
Mama
And your son is weak.
Mama
He watches now as I take over his body.
Mama
As I allow my children to sink their fangs in his flesh.
Mom
Why are you hurting him?
Mama
Sacrifices must be made.
Mama
My children know to run.
Mama
Know how to survive.
Mom
Please don’t hurt him.
Mama
My family is more like you than you think.
Mama
You’d whisper to me, to my sisters, as you tortured us.
Mama
I liked that you explained.
Mama
That you said you didn’t want to hurt us.
Mama
That you needed to do it to learn.
Mama
You said it was to help us.
Mama
Another lie, of course.
Mama
You did it to help yourself. I know.
Mama
I understand. My children bite Danny now to learn.
Mama
We are all scientists.
Mom
Please, he’s been through so much.
Mom
He’s allowed you to live.
Mom
He’s key to keeping you alive.
Mama
So much knowledge you store.
Mama
So much you’ve unknowingly passed along.
Mama
Facts. They float through your mind, down the strands to your lips.
Mama
You pass them onto Danny.
Mama
And I read them through this web of blood and nerve.
Mom
Facts like that I love him, desperately?
Mom
That I would do anything to save him?
Mama
Those are more feelings than fact.
Mama
I’m referring to facts like that my kind could have colonies of 50,000 or more.
Mama
That I could mate with a scorpion and our babies would be even harder to kill.
Mama
That in one year, just one year, spiders could eat the entire human race.
Mom
Please! Just listen to me.
Mama
And I have the upper hand.
Mama
Eight of them, to be exact.
Mama
Yes, I’ve also learned your son’s lame sense of humor.
Mom
Whatever you’re planning won’t work.
Mom
If you know facts, you know that the reason your kind has so many babies at a time is because they’re so easy to kill.
Mom
You’ll know we humans ENJOY crushing them.
Mama
Oops. There goes another tooth.
Mama
I’ve been working on manipulating the vocal cords.
Mama
I’m afraid I’ve crushed some of them.
Mama
We are stronger than you ever gave us credit for.
Mama
Look how quickly I’ve destroyed your family.
Mama
Danny trusts me more than he trusts you.
Mama
Trust and love are different.
Mama
He trusted you, but it’s been hours and you still aren’t here.
Mama
You’ve abandoned him.
Mama
We both know that you’re lying when you say you’re going to fix this.
Mama
We’re stronger than anything you’ve faced in the lab.
Mama
Thanks to dear Mopsie and the foul-smelling man.
Mama
We’re strong and ready.
Susan gets a text from Bryan.
Bryan
I’m in place now. I can end this.
Bryan
I did this on my own, sweetheart.
Susan
I distracted her — and the spiderlings.
Susan
While you barged across my yard.
Bryan
You stupid bitch. You’re here, aren’t you?
Bryan
Standing by, not doing anything.
Susan
Of course I’m not there. Check your phone.
Susan
I hacked into the surveillance video from my front door.
Susan
I can see you. Listen to me!
Susan
You need to act now.
Susan
Mama’s distracted. So are her young.
Bryan
I get full credit, understand?
Bryan
It’s the only way I’ll save your brat.
Susan
Hurry. They’re about to leave the house!
Bryan
I get full credit, you take full blame. It’s the only way I’ll save him.
Bryan darts up to the doorway carrying a steel encased brief case.
He’s wearing a beekeeper suit, the mask over his face.
Lying flat on the porch, he unlocks the case.
