This is not how this adventure was supposed to end…

Katie was sad to see her baby, the boutique marketing firm she launched just out of college 15 years before, get absorbed by a major monster of a company. Quickly approaching 40 she decided it was time to take some well deserved time off. She had always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. It was now or never and she decided to do the whole thing. A workaholic, she was past due to take a gap year. 

Robert, a rising star on Wall Street, took some convincing. They had discussed marriage, many times, in passing, each being more serious than the other at various points in the relationship. Their lives as a New York power couple never allowed time to consider all the angles. Katie planted the idea of taking the time off and returning to start his own firm. He could monitor trades from the trail.

Katie invited her friend Cynthia, a best friend from college, already dating her most likely future third former husband, her latest guiding light, Steve, a self proclaimed guru living off the proceeds of his numerous self published books and consulting business. Robert was convinced Steve was a drug dealer and not at all happy Katie was footing the bill for their companions entire trip.

“She needs this more than I do” Katie would plead.

The foursome set off on foot from Springer Mountain, Georgia on the first day if Spring. From day one the boys were in competition, but Steve turned out to be quite the asset. Robert didn’t like being called a Kennebunkport Eagle Scout, but Katie knew what Steve meant. A cousin to the Kennedys, Robert’s warrior skills in the board room did not translate well to the wilderness.

Robert insisted taking the lead, shortly after leaving Pearisburg Virginia. Taking a much need break from granola life, Katie milked every moment of the B&B life for 24 hours. That night they dined with Parker Billings and his wife. Robert joked incensently that Parker had given up the good life to be a hippie teacher in the back woods. 

Now a professor at Virginia Tech, Parker had hiked this portion of the Trail many times. “If you follow this creek,” pointing at the map, ”just two miles west off the main trail, there’s a waterfall few humans have seen, and a swimming hole. It will change your life. GPS won’t find it. I’ll draw you a map.” 

Two days later they woke up and realized they are not where they thought they were. They were lost. 

Steve said, “I told you that was the wrong creek.” But he was done arguing with the New York hot head. 

When they had finally given up, Robert insisted on leaving the creek edge, taking a straightest line approach to rejoin the marked trail. “Besides, why go see what we have already seen? This way will have new wonders to behold and appears a bit flatter, too. My calves are hating me right now.”

Cynthia, who usually let the boys be boys finally spoke up. “Both of you are fired. We should have found the trail by now. I nominate Katie to take charge.”

Katie had not liked what she had seen from Robert in recent weeks. In New York they liked the same restaurants, the same plays, the same politics. She had seen his ugly side before but never trained on her. She had wasted too much time on this narcissist. But for now, it was just about getting back to civilization. She was ready to call it quits. The second she had cell service, UBER and a first class ticket back to the Big Apple. She had seen enough trees, rivers and scat for a lifetime. At this point, not only was she done with this asshole, she contemplated ever getting married or having kids. Her zen was the entrepreneur hustle. High end stress was her safe zone.

Steve interrupted thoughts and arguments with, “Compass is going nuts.”

“Let me see it,” Robert snatched from Steve’s hand. 

“Great, you broke it, now what?” Cynthia screeched as the compass hit the rocks. 

“Quiet, everyone!” Katie heard something.

The forest was thick, blocking out most of the sun. There was a rustling in the underbrush, close, all around, from different sides.

As the four stood back to back to back to back, Steve screamed in terror. As the other three turned, he was already being dragged out of sight. Cynthia screamed as his head and hands disappeared.

“Quiet. Listen.” Katie tried to calm her friend. Don’t panic! You panic? You die. Hopefully her lifeguard training would pay off this many miles from the ocean. “Robert, help him.”

Just as Robert got the courage to maybe do something, there was a crunch, a painful moan and then Steve went silent. 

“Listen,” Robert decided it was time to take charge again. “I have no idea what just happened, but I think Steve is gone. We only have one option. Run!”

Robert started in the opposite direction of Steve’s assumed end. Katie and Cynthia followed close behind for nearly a mile until Robert stopped at a tree. He gestured to his ear and pointed. Down the hill was the sound of rushing waters. Katie and Cynthia took off until they heard a loud gasp. 

As they turned back, Robert’s legs and feet disappeared up into treetops. Before they could run back to help, Robert voice struggled from somewhere above, “No. Run. Go now. I’m -” his voice just stopped with a grave exhale. 

Katie grabbed Cynthia’s wrist, “Let’s go!”

They tore down the hill, ignoring every scrape and scratch from the thorns and branches.  Behind they heard a bone curdling screech. Hearts pounding, heads throbbing, the entire forest seemed alive and hungry. 

Cynthia was ripped away from Katie’s clutch. This time Katie thought she saw eyes in the shadows as her friend’s fate was sealed. 

In total survival mode, Katie barely stopped to take notice, barreling out of the woods to a cliff. Below, the waters raged. “Wait, did we do all the way to New River Gorge?”

Katie had taken a rafting trip there in college, on of her last non urban adventure. This was at least a hundred and fifty miles west of their next planned rest stop on the trail.  If she was right, the ride would be wild but she couldn’t be far from a town, or at least a campsite. 

As Katie leapt towards the dangerous waters she briefly felt a jerk mid air before losing consciousness. 

As she woke, Katie felt numb. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t feel her limbs. She saw something. Cynthia? Her face was covered. It was dark. Her body was covered. Wait! Cynthia was alive. Barely. Her eyes twitched, slowly opened then glared full of terror, fixed on something just past Katie.

Katie struggled to shift her glance over right shoulder.  Was she bound. She couldn’t move anything else. Then she saw it. The thing that had Cynthia in silent tears. Katie imagined there should be some loud orchestra accompanying the montrous sight.  Robert appeared a lifeless puppet in the clutches of a creature. Katie could not accept this reality. This man that knew her more intimately than any other was like a fly, now being drain by a giant spider. 

She looked back to Cynthia who wanted to scream but could not. They were paralyzed. Katie did her best to remain calm. Don’t panic! You panic? You die.

Katie took inventory of her surroundings, now noticing the extent of silk fibers and rocks and thick branches that formed this beast’s lair. Numerous escape plots flooded her mind, ignoring the anxiety of impending doom as she realized a number of the branches were actually piles of bones. 

Katie’s eyes fell back on Cynthia as her friend twitched and moaned and began to violently seize. Her skin turned purple and ripped open from within as thousands of spiderlings scratched their way into the world. 

It was only now that terror overcame any sense of hope. Katie passed out wondering if she would be dinner for mom or her newborns.