Short Story: The Tarantula and I

it was a very cold night. i was near shivering and almost exhaling visible carbon dioxides. even my tea was chilled instantly by this breezy rainy temperature.

as my urinary gland was contracting, i made my way to the toilet. the location was not a 3 seconds distance like a usual house would be, because i was not in my house. i was in my office outside the house compound. thus, the washroom requires me to walk for 30 seconds to reach.

puddles were every where. i jumped and jumped and fast-walked. 30 seconds later, i was in the bathroom. i locked the door, i squatted down and let nature does it job.

however, i was in fact near to nature. this lavatory was built 20 years ago so the design kind of make it allow certain tendril plants and animals to climb the walls and hang around. it was still hygienic of course, yet simply closer to nature.

yet right after i breathed out as a sigh of relief when i was doing my business, my body began to tense. my eyes widen, and i skipped a heartbeat.

why? spider.

yes, a thumb-size spider. just sitting there. in front of me. as if he was paying the rents to be there. and no, my business wasn't done yet.

i was stunned. i was in a very vulnerable position. what should i do? splash it with water and have a chance of it jumping right to me and turn me into spiderwoman? talking to it like a long lost friend by saying hellos and goodbyes? or screaming like nuts until it gets bored watching me and ran with a broken eardrum?

spiders have eardrums?

anyways, that moment felt like a thousand years in a second. my mind was mapping things. probably my adrenal gland was working its job too.

yet amazingly, the spider was just sitting there. just eyeing the sight of me and looking as dazed as i am. this could be a good chance to simply escape!

while i finished my business, we were having an eye to eye situation. i stood up, and the eight legged, dark-chocolate coloured spider still haven't make nano movements. thanks to my time spent on watching Animal Planet, the Steve Irwin inside my head confirmed it wasn't a tarantula.

then i took a step with my right leg. then my left leg. unlocked the door as slow as i could to make sure less sound was vibrated in that small space. i was still eyeballing the confused spider, it was still unmoved. i muttered Bismillah, then as fast as lightning, i opened the door and dashed outside that toilet!

lucky escape!

an hour later, i went back to the toilet and made sure no other creature was lingering that area, and to my surprise, the spider was still there!!!!!!!!!!!

-MR