Johann froze, weighing between the two options and the desperate look the sergeant gave him. Katarina needed to hear it from him. He forced his mouth open. “I have my orders.”

The lieutenant watched him for another minute, nodded and turned to leave the bunker when a large black object crashed into him and knocked him down.

Johann dropped to the ground instinctively, prepared to meet his fiery end at the hands of an artillery shell. He always knew it would come at the hands of an explosion. A sudden death, he couldn’t resist. Like the one he gave to countless soldiers on the other side. Moments passed and he found himself still alive. Carefully, he pulled back his arms and glanced ahead to where the object had crashed. His gut hit rock bottom along with all the joints in his body tensing up.

A giant spider, easily two meters tall, stood by the door and blocked the only way out of the bunker. The sheer size cast a long shadow on him. It cocked its head to the side with a snap and eight beady eyes, spread over its ugly face, glared right back at him.

Sergeant Muller was nowhere to be found, with any luck he managed to get away and would get help. He dared not imagine the alternatives.

Johann's rifle laid on the floor between him and the spider. He eyed it, wringing his fingers into action and slowly sprawled forward.

The spider lowered itself, appearing as if it were cowering before the might he was about to unleash upon it. A simple shot to the head should be enough to take it out. Once he killed the damn thing, he could start asking questions —like where the hell it came from.

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His fingertips brushed against the stock of the rifle but he froze at the sudden high-pitched squeal. He winced, pulling back but was too slow. The spider leapt onto him, tackling him to the ground and knocking all the air out of his lungs. Johann gasped, trying to suck in air and scream for help. The pincers slapped against his face as he struggled to heave the beast off him.

The spider saw an opening and moved in immediately with its chelicerae boring right into his gut. A rancid stench filled the air as thick, warm liquid oozed into his body.

Johann felt bile creep up into his throat and spill onto his tongue. He gritted his teeth together and pulled enough strength together to shove the spider off him. Scrambling to his feet, he immediately searched for the rifle. He blinked several times in an attempt to focus his blurring vision, but the world around him spun and his head became lighter with each passing moment. He gave up on the gun and felt his way along the wall, probing his way deeper into the bunker.

“Alarm! Help,” Johann shouted as his knees buckled. He tightened his grip and forced himself upright.

Sharp cracks echoed behind him. He turned on his heel and caught sight of the black mass wandering upside down on the ceiling. Johann stumbled back and fell to the ground. Hans' wide, pleading eyes shot up and glared right back at him.

The spider leapt down and sunk its jackknife fang into Johann's shoulder, pouring more of its venom into the young man.

The heat overwhelmed Johann as it surged through his body. His vision had gone dark and he barely had the strength to lift his hand again let alone defend himself. His stomach churned as he was hoisted into the air and delicately wrapped. “Lez go bag home, Hans.”