Page 160 of The Monster and the Masochist

Gritting my teeth, I positioned myself a few feet away from the shower and pointed the tip of the crevice tool at the spider, which still hadn’t moved at all.

My finger hovered over the trigger, and my entire body was alight with adrenaline as I tried to psych myself up.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…

‘It’s just a house spider, little killer. It’s not like it’s a black widow.’ My monster chuckled softly as I stood there, vibrating with anticipation.

‘How the fuck do you know!?’

My monster shrugged.

‘It’s good practice to understand things that have the power to kill you.’

‘You’re literally a manifestation of my own brain! You know what I know!’

‘It was on one of those discovery shows you have on all the time in the background while you clean. Just get this over with already so we can comfort our street fighter. She is terrified.’

‘Okay, okay… just… ugh. It’s so gross.’

‘Get rid of it then.’

‘I’m trying!’

‘... Would you like me to do it for you?’ my monster offered, and for one brief moment, I considered it.

All I had to do was open the door to its cage, and it could take over, just like it had with my mother… Then I wouldn’t have to deal with this awful task.

But… no.

I’d promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t rely on anyone else to save me ever again.

Not even my monster.

Not even for something as small as killing a damn spider.

‘No. I’ve got it.’

My monster hummed in approval, sounding almost… proud of me.

‘Yes, you do, little killer. Vanquish this pest, so we can make our street fighter feel safe again.’

‘Okay…okay… Ugh… here goes nothing…’

Then I pulled the trigger, and both Theo and I screamed.

Alexa Play: she calls me daddy by KiNG MALA

“You’re just going to leave the whole vacuum on the balcony?” I asked as Cass and I stared at the Dyson she’d used to suck up the biggest spider I’d ever seen in my fucking life.

I can’t believe that thing was in the fucking shower with me… Fuck. Me.

“Yeah… If it’s still alive in there, I don’t want it crawling out and getting revenge on us while we’re sleeping or something.”

“Ew, Cass! Now I’m going to be paranoid all night that the damn bed is full of spiders!” I shuddered as I stared at the vacuum through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room of Cass’s condo.

Cass glanced at me, her full lips tilting up in an amused smile.

“You’re so cute and feminine right now. I don’t think I’ve ever heard your voice get so high.”