I really hate spiders

Over the months I've learned that physics is quite different in this world than on Earth. On the surface everything looks the same, but when you do notice a difference it's alarming.

Such as when a spider the size of a donkey rushes you.

It hissed as it charged me. I jumped aside, swatting at one of its legs. It was such a huge target it was hard to miss, but fear numbed me. My swing had almost no power and it bounced off a chitinous leg.

Anna went into action immediately. She jumped on to a nearby ledge and then jumped again on to the ledge where we entered. She nocked an arrow and took aim. Everyone else took up positions around the spider.

The black and red hair along its back bristled as it focused on me. I nearly dropped my short sword as it turned again. It swung its abdomen in an arc as it faced me, knocking Saul and Audry off their feet. It charged me again without hesitating.

I leveled my sword at its head to receive its charge, and charge it did. It felt like getting hit by a car. My sword pierced one of its eyes, obliterating it. The thing didn't cry out in pain or back away. It pushed me against the wall with the strength of a determined animal. Its legs bumped into loose stones and kicked them across the floor with ease. It nearly crashed into Marc as he prepared a spell.

I tripped over a loose brick and landed on my back. The spider didn't hesitate. Its fangs dove at my head, one landing on either side of my ears. Something hissed next to each of my ears. The smell of something burning filled my nostrils as the venom bubbled on the floor. I tried not to imagine what that stuff would have done to my insides.

The spider lifted its head for another strike. On instinct, I grabbed hold of its fang. They could have skewered a house cat easily. As I grabbed them my hands burned, but I held on. It backed away, dragging me across the floor.

I heard a twang followed by a whump as an arrow landed in its head. Anna planted two more right next to it in the next few seconds. The girl was a regular Legolas.

I heard running behind me. Saul jumped over me, took a step off the spiders head, and landed on its back. He smashed his sword across its back. A yellow pus erupted from the spider and splattered Saul. Its fangs slipped out of my hands as the spider rose up on its back legs. The sudden motion threw Saul off balance. He managed to hand on to his sword as he hit the wall and slid the floor.

A flash of light exploded from underneath it. The spider tumbled on to its side. The spider laid on its side. Saul struggled to get away from it but its body had him pinned against the wall. He chopped at it with awkward strokes, doing little damage to it. The spider squirmed as it tried to right itself.

I started to rise when a hand grabbed me by the shoulder. Audry pulled me aside with a strength not evident in her slender frame. She held her long sword at the ready and moved toward the spider.

The spider lurched once more and the righted itself, just as Audry arrived. In one brisk motion she sliced off two of its legs. The spider tried to turn to meet her, but it was off balance on just six legs. Its head bounced off the floor as it pushed itself away from the wall, knocking Saul to the ground once more. It limped toward Audry.

I heard two more whumps as Anna planted two more arrows into it. The spider ignored the arrows even though they caused wounds that would have killed any other animal. It rose awkwardly and lunged at Audry. She moved aside deftly and swung her sword again. She cut a deep cash into its abdomen. She spun and struck again, cutting off the other two legs on that side.

The spider hissed. The sudden exhale sent dust everywhere. It kicked its legs violently, spinning itself in circles. Audry hopped out of the way as yellow pus poured from the leg stumps. Saul rose to his feet at last and thrust his sword into the creature, burying it to the hilt. The spider continued to spin and yanked the sword out of Saul's grasp.

I stood, gripping my sword tightly. I looked for a place where I could strike but the thing moved too quickly. I jabbed at it, but only managed to nick a leg. The floor was slick with yellow goo that continued to erupt from its body. Behind me I heard Marc mutter a few words. Seconds later, a jet of flame erupted from his hands. I jumped away as the fire spread across the spider's hairy body. The legs kicked wildly as it burned. Smoke rose and escaped through the holes in the walls and ceiling. The spider convulsed slower and slower, kicking debris around the tower floor. Finally, after several minutes, the body laid still as it continued to smolder.

I couldn't stop hyperventilating. I tried to sheath my sword but my hands were shaking to badly. I then realized that it was covered in gore. I didn't have anything to wipe it off on.

"John, are you all right?" Audry asked. She looked concerned. I tried to give her a reassuring smile. It didn't go well with my shaking hands and heavy breathing.

"Big," I managed to say.

"That it is," Marc said. "How is everyone?"

"I've been better," Saul said. He rubbed his head. "I'll live, though." He sniffed the air. "Smells like chicken." He smiled. "Anyone else getting hungry."

"I take it you don't grow 'em that big back home, huh John?" Anna said. She still stood on the ledge near the gaping hole in the tower.

"No," I said. "They're...smaller."

"Ah, this was nothing," Saul said. "There was this time--"

A loud crash cut him off. I whirled. The door to the tower flung open. Five men greeted us. Two had dropped to their knees, leveling crossbows at us. Two more stood behind him with crossbows, and another simply stood with his arms crossed.

"Well, damn," he said. "You killed Becky."

"Becky?" Marc said. "How quaint."

"No matter," he said. "My commander wants answers. Maybe the four of you can provide them."

Four, I thought. I glanced at the opening in the wall. Anna was gone.

"Thinking about leaving?" the man said, looking directly at me. I could smell their body odor even over the stench of the burning spider. He glanced at the hole in the wall and then at his men. "I wouldn't try it."

"May not have to," Saul said.

Behind the armed men I saw another figure. She aimed her bow at the leader. A wry smile crossed her face, and she released her arrow.