The Spider Corpse

Part 1

The color is striking as the sunset falls behind the trees, the wind dances through the fall colors causing a cascade of orange and brown leaves that float weightlessly to the ground. I sit behind a few bushs leaning against an aspen tree. The white sticky dust of the aspen sticks to my fingers as I trace a knot in the tree. I almost forget where I am as a bird swooshes past through the clearing making one last call before the mountains will settle into darkness.

I look up, seeing the sky turn orange and purple, as the final light of the day begins to fade.

"Shit." I get up out of the trance, my hand instinctually goes to my right hip checking the placement of my concealed revolver. I need to get home.

I can hear a moan behind me, it's Addax, my German Shepard, groaning and stretching as he realizes my sudden movement was not truly a cause for alert. He ambles towards me from his place in the grass, where he undoubtedly was sleeping. He looks up at me, and his tail wags awaiting our next move. I scratch his forehead and he closes his eyes.

"Alright buddy, let's go." We head north, keeping the sun on our left.

Our town is about a 30 minute walk from Addax and I. I was supposed to be scouting, looking for patrols and game, but I'm pretty sure taking Addax scared everything away. He never was supposed to be my dog. My father had every intention to train him for his mission to the Island.

The Island was nearly 10 miles from the peninsula's end, there used to be a small harbor, enough to support a small fishing town, Cedar Creek Bay, where there were bars and restaurants, and dance music that used to blast into the cool crisp air. That was before they found Raflessia arachi.

These scouting trips are the only time I get to sit alone with my thoughts, everything at camp is always a hustle to get everything done, done but no progress. Everything we do is two steps forward, four steps back. I think everyone just has to be busy so they don't realize how pointless it is. Thinking is a luxury. Sitting is a luxury. Two things I actually did today.

It's dangerous. The underlying constant frustration that I carry will hover to the surface, and I realize the truth, nothing matters because we're all going to be dead soon. It's just a matter of time before the patrols come back and the poison reaches us.

Raflessia is a rare plant, found in jungles in Southeast Asia. They never thought they would find another species on our island. They called it the corpse flower for a reason. Our Raflessia arachi was like corpse flower, but it had eight string like vines that came from the flower and burrowed into the ground, spreading it's poison. Arachi, spider. Spider Corpse.

Addax stops. His ears turn with curiosity towards a line of bushes to my right, his tail lifts as he stares waiting for another hint of discovery. Then I see it, a small rabbit its nose quivering behind the largest bush, even though it is completely still, I can sense its fear and terror at the discovery by Addax.

Addax lunges.
"Addax!" I yell, I am tired and frustrated, and chasing after an unhinged dog through the dark forest is the last thing I wanted to do, but of course he rushes forward with not even a pause at my objection.

Fuck.

I immediately rush after him, my burlap backpack bouncing on my lower back. I am furious. I watch as his ridiculous tail disappears into the bushes and he's gone.

I grumble as I run up to the spot where the rabbit once was. Peering into the bushes I see Addax running, nose to the ground, panting with pure happiness, clearly having lost the rabbit. I swear even though he should be a smart dog according to his breed, he's probably the dumbest one I've met. Probably why my father stopped his training.