Richie's shoulders get hitched to his ears. He has yet to stand up in full, too spooked to move quickly. That sets off all them animal instincts, right? Insect instincts. Oh, but spiders aren't insects, some snooty dweeb classmate he can only dimly remember whispers in his mind's ear. They're eight legged so they're arachnids, insects have six legs. You want I should shut up? Are you kidding Richie? Isn't it better to leave some rambling commentary going than let your mind and mouth do all the screaming you're biting back?
His lips are parched but he can't bring himself to wet them. Too nervous. There's a man's shape left behind under all the spoke-like hairs, the drooling pincer-mouth. There's something less bestial in there.]
Hello there...
[It is a camera. Richie's eyes zip back down. He squints. The name in neat type at the base catches his eye, and he reads it off in a near delirium.]
no subject
Sweet Christ
in Heaven.
Richie's shoulders get hitched to his ears. He has yet to stand up in full, too spooked to move quickly. That sets off all them animal instincts, right? Insect instincts. Oh, but spiders aren't insects, some snooty dweeb classmate he can only dimly remember whispers in his mind's ear. They're eight legged so they're arachnids, insects have six legs. You want I should shut up? Are you kidding Richie? Isn't it better to leave some rambling commentary going than let your mind and mouth do all the screaming you're biting back?
His lips are parched but he can't bring himself to wet them. Too nervous. There's a man's shape left behind under all the spoke-like hairs, the drooling pincer-mouth. There's something less bestial in there.]
Hello there...
[It is a camera. Richie's eyes zip back down. He squints. The name in neat type at the base catches his eye, and he reads it off in a near delirium.]
...Peter. [And after a beat.] Parker.
[
Wait—]