This story was written as an entry to WattSupernatural Hunter 2.0 Diaries anthology contest. It was written as the journal entry of a fictional Hunter linked to, but not part of, the TV series "Supernatural". I hope you enjoy getting caught up in it!

HUNTER:  Philippa Baron

DATE:  September 9, 2013

LOCATION:  Cranston, Rhode Island

CREATURE: Arachne

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I'm still on 'vacation' (does a Hunter really ever take a break?) because my leg still hasn't healed fully from the encounter in Satan's Head with that Rawhead (man, he was ugly!) Doc told me to take it easy, so I've been crocheting -a lot. Almost done a whole blanket now.

Anyway, I'm visiting my cousin in Cranston, Rhode Island. I needed more wool, so I went to the local craft shop. When I went in, I was seriously impressed by the selection. There was no bell on the door, and I didn't hear a buzzer or anything when I entered. I could hear someone mumbling in the back room, but couldn't see anything because of the curtain hanging in the doorway.

I was taking my time browsing, because it was a huge amount of variety to choose from. But as I got closer to the back, my ears perked up when I heard someone say 'Agent Roark'. I've never had it confirmed because I've never met them, but rumor has it that's an undercover name Sam Winchester uses. So I flattened myself against the wall beside the door and listened.

I could hear a woman's voice. I didn't hear anyone else, so I had to assume that she was alone and maybe talking to herself or on the phone. She was repeating the same story over and over again, so I guess she'd put herself into some kind of meditative state and that's why she didn't hear me come in. She was saying, "Catch Agent Roark. Wrap him up nice and tight. Bite him! Bite him! Bite him! Suck out his insides. Leave him empty like he left me!" From the biting and wrapping references, I guessed I was either dealing with a psychopath or an arachne. Again the rumor mill says those Winchester boys took out an arachne not too far from here in Bristol, Rhode Island several years ago. Maybe that one bit other people before they killed it. Or maybe this was one they missed. 

With my bum leg, I had to make sure I knew what I was dealing with. So I took out my phone and stuck out just the end to get the camera shooting into the room in the crack between the wall and curtain. The woman was perched on a chair, balanced on her toes, rocking back and forth. She was mostly 3/4 turned towards the door. It was enough to see that her eyes had the sky-blue irises and black pupils. There was no mistaking the crusty skin. It looked awful. Made me want to moisturize my whole body just looking at it. If all that didn't tell me for sure, every time she said 'wrap him up nice and tight', web would come spewing out. There was a pile almost up to her knees, so she must have been sitting there for a long time. I got a good video of her to show those Winchester's if I ever run into them. Maybe help my chances of having a shot at one of them. I hear they're hot hot hot!

I was confused when she was saying 'bite him' though, because that would turn Sam into an arachne, not kill him. And it sounded like she wanted to liquefy his insides just like a real spider. Maybe this was a new breed of arachne? Or maybe she was just a crazy arachne who was a bit too in touch with her spider-side and didn't know her own powers? Either way, I wasn't going to be able to study her, and I don't know any research teams I could call to get her. Need to get on that because if she was a new breed then it needs to be logged.

It's too bad that arachnes are impervious to fire, because with all the wool and fabric in the shop, it was a ripe tinderbox.

At least I had the means to decapitate it. Mom would be so proud that I didn't leave home without my hunting kit, even when I'm on vacation. AND that I actually took it into the store with me- but that's a lesson I only had to learn once.

I ended up going totally old school. Sometimes the simplest plans are the best.

I used about twenty strands of wool to string a trip wire across the door. I just had to hope she wouldn't see it with her super-sight, or break it with her super-strength and -speed. I also didn't know how far she could shoot her web, so I had to stay out of firing range. It would have sucked to have her wrap me up in a web lickety-split and turn me into a crusty skinned spider-woman too - ewwww!

I stood in an aisle to the side of the door, at approximately where I thought her head would land. With my injury, I only had one chance to get her. There was no way I'd be able to fight her off.

I took a ball of wool and threw it at the curtain and yelled "Agent Roark is mine!" Thank God I had my axe raised and ready because she was out the door and flat on her face faster than I expected. It was probably just out of surprise she only stayed on the floor for the second I needed to chop her head off. At least, her expression looked surprised when I moved the head to look at it after.

I used knitting needles to move her head after and accidentally poked one of her eyeballs, which squished just like a normal human eyeball would. I expected it to be a bit different with the 8-facet feature. Although, I haven't skewered any human eyeballs with knitting needles, so maybe it was different, and I just have no frame of reference. It's so much easier when the monsters just go up in flames and there's nothing left behind to worry about.

I quickly flipped the sign to closed and locked the door (that was a chance I'd had to take - the deadbolt might have snapped her out of her state), and I went wool shopping. Whoever this arachne was, she had some seriously good taste in yarn. I wonder if she got into yarn before or after she was bitten, considering the whole Greek story about the woman who wove so well the gods got jealous and turned her into a spider?  Add that my list of questions I'll never get answered ha ha ha.

I backed my van up to the back door and took as much wool as I could fit inside. I figured it wasn't really stealing since the owner was dead. Darn! I just thought now: What if she wasn't the owner and I just ripped off some poor shopkeeper? Ah, man! I'll have to watch the papers tomorrow for the headlines.

I really need to  find out if a research team exists to give new species to. Join it? If not, form one?

Hmmm... The Men of Letters are so selective about what they share with who. Hunters really need a fully accessible resource. A place to research, a space to connect with other Hunters. A place to base a research team. I do have that inheritance money from Uncle Bertie. And I know some good Hunters with different specialities. It would be doable.

I could establish the "Library of the Arcane" or something. No, "library" isn't where you'd expect a research team.

. RAM: Research of the Arcane and Monsters - possible but makes me think of sheep. Needs to be inspiring.

. MARC : Monsters and Arcane Research Centre  - better

. CRAPP: Centre for Research of Arcane and Paranormal Phenomena - imagine how it would sound answering the phone.

I'll have to chew on it.

THINGS TO DO: Get a new burner phone to replace the one I used today to call the cops.
Do some digging about what arachne's eat. The whole 'suck out his insides' bit has got me baffled. Research research teams and Hunter resources. Contact the Winchester brothers. If anyone knows about a research team, they would.Call the bank about my inheritance. Brainstorm who would be good to have on a research team. Brainstorm research centre names. CRAPP indeed!     - Philippa Baron