A tiny diary-style fiction.
22:30
**Bangkok, my apartment.
I come home, turn on the lights, walk into the bathroom, and there he is, running frantically across my bathroom floor.
I panic, running away.
22:48
I took a shower—spider has disappeared under my suitcase. I dried myself and put on some clothes. Let’s go have a look at that bastard.
22:51
Holy shit. That motherfucker’s big. And white. Like, what is that? I’ve never seen a spider like that. I’m in Thailand, how should I know what kind of beasts live here? I start freaking out—spider is super fast, coming at me. I run from the bathroom. Lil guy stops, peeking halfway out of the spot below my suitcase.
I think he knows exactly what he’s doing. Staying just far enough outside for me not to be able to get to him, staring at me, trying to intimidate me.
22:52
I texted Max. He is no help.
22:53
I took a picture of that beast.
Max says, “Ya, that one is super poisonous.”
During the following minutes, I’m trying to figure out what to do. It’s a back and forth between me freaking out while asking Max for advice, and Max making fun of my whole damn misery.
“Kindly ask the spider to pay rent for the night of threatened eviction.”
“Call your biker guy.”
“Leave a trail of peanut butter from the bathroom to the door. Nothing alive can resist peanut butter.”
23:04
I give up on Max coming to help me.
23:05
I’m begging Max to come and help me.
—
“Call the police?”
I give up my hopes again.
—
“Max, you’re a man, why can’t you come save me.”
“I’m your man friend. Much different than your boyfriend.”
I typed and hesitated.
“I love you.”
I put my phone down. I suspect that facing possible death makes every other fear feel irrelevant.
My phone buzzed.
“I love you too.”
23:??
I dance in my room.
I stop, realizing the spider is still there. And he fucking disappeared. I have no clue where he is now.
I freak out again. I hope he just went below the suitcase.
23:19
I ordered the spider killer spray. The app says it will arrive in an hour or more.
23:29
Max is useless. He went to bed.
23:45
Despair. Exhaustion. Anxiety. I no longer know what to do.
I pull out my laptop, make a tea, and start writing down these lines. What else am I supposed to do?
23:48
Grab drivers are busy. There’s a delay. My spray will arrive between 0:30 – 0:40 am.
0:28
My Grab’s almost here. I hope he really carries the spray. I’m thinking I might ask the security guy downstairs if he can kill the spider for me. I pray to the almighty that he’ll be willing to help me. Otherwise, Max, I said it—the woman you love dies tonight.