here goes nothing

they hold perfectly still the entire time, trusting Strai to get them out. blood and guts shower down on them, making their stomach roil, and as Strai pulls them out, bile crawls up their throat. they stagger a few steps and that same pain spikes through their hip again, causing them to bite down on a yelp. blind with relief, Spider gives a muffled sob and tries to fling themselves at Strai, clutching onto him with shaking hands. his words freeze them in place, however, and Spider slowly peels themselves away, blinking in bewilderment. something icy chills them to the bone, dread flooding through their veins. “but…but why?” is he really still mad at them for the teasing? “i’m really really sorry i said those things,” they sniffle, voice cracking. “i promise to never say stuff like that again!”