Summary:

There was an unspoken rule. Never stay out after dark. That was when they began their hunt. Three young men face the consequences of breaking said rule.

Notes:

ok... if you want to know what the creatures are look below. But it is spoilery. So. if you want to be held in suspense, don't read the rest of the note

**SPOILER**

spiders with wings

It was late afternoon and the sun was setting. There was a group of three young men outside as others rushed indoors and sealed their homes. Two of the young men were arguing while the third wrung his hands and tried to get them to stop fighting long enough to notice that it was getting dangerously close to night. His eyes scanned the skies, searching for the nocturnal monsters.

The tallest of them, his curly hair matted to his neck from the heat of the afternoon, shoved the boy wearing glasses. "I am sick of you calling me a freak!"

The other boy adjusted his glasses as he recovered. "I wouldn't call you a freak if you'd act like a normal person instead of a homicidal maniac all the time!"

"Umm… Jared?" The third one looked around warily as he patted the glasses wearing man on the shoulder.

Jared wrenched his shoulder away from the other to prevent anymore unwanted touches, "Not now, Evan." He returned his gaze to the curly headed man with a glare. "You think you're such hot shit, don't you?"

Before he could continue, the curly headed one smirked as he answered, "No, I think you've got that covered."

"That's it!" and with that, Jared launched at the taller boy. They grappled one another and Jared's fists flung wildly. Normally, the happy-go-lucky man settled for using heated words to argue, but there was something about the curly haired man that got under Jared's skin.

Unfortunately, the taller man quickly subdued the other and had him pinned to the ground. Angry tears of pain pricked at Jared's eyes as his arm was twisted painfully behind his back.

Evan panicked the entire time had to split his attention between the darkening sky and the two young men in front of him. "Connor, stop! We really don't have time for this. Jared say you're sorry or something because I am seriously considering leaving you two here while I make a break for it!" His eyes kept flicking to Jared's, Connor's, and the sky and finally the other two looked up.

Their eyes widened as they scrambled to stand up. Jared rubbed his sore shoulder as he winced with pain. Connor took off at a dead sprint with Jared and Evan close behind him. It was more exercise than either of them had endured in a long while and their muscles burned dangerously. Every step seemed to jolt their bones from their feet up and caused their teeth to clack if they didn't keep their jaw clenched.

They were taking a risk making so much noise, but if they could just get back home or find some shelter they would be fine. It wouldn't matter how much noise they made.

Connor's car appeared over the horizon. Evan and Jared continued to follow him to it. As he ran, Connor dug into his pockets for his keys and when he pulled them out he hurriedly found the key fob and frantically pressed the unlock button.

They made it to his car and Connor slid into the driver's seat, slammed the door shut, and pulled on his seatbelt with practiced ease. Jared and Evan piled into the backseat panting and looking worriedly out the windows.

"Get the fuck out of my car!"

Evan and Jared whipped around to fix Connor with a disbelieving stare. Evan's face paled and Jared leaned forward with a sneer.

Jared's eyes narrowed challengingly. "The only way we are going out there is if you make us."

Connor's mouth opened before he flicked his gaze over to Evan's terrified face. He sighed angrily before he started the car and took off out of the parking spot.

They took a short cut through the apple orchard and utilized the cover the trees provided.

The little ice cream shop appeared through the trees. The illuminated words 'A La Mode' were a welcome sight. Connor kept his mouth shut as he focused on the road and tried not to look up into the skies.

Jared and Evan were looking out the back windows on either side of the car. Their necks craned oddly. Connor spared a glance into his rearview mirror.

"Get your fucking seatbelts on." He grouched. Jared started to protest but he heard Evan's seatbelt click shut and he begrudgingly put his on too.

They reached Connor's house in record time. The sun had set and it was only a matter of time before the beasts came hunting. Connor turned off the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"But what about us?" Jared asked from the backseat.

Connor spared him a glance before he got out of the car with a grunted, "Looks like you're shit out of luck."

Evan looked between them before he looked up at the sky and saw the first one dart across the horizon. He screamed in horror and reeled away from the window into Jared's side. The black blur darted towards Connor and the tall man looked up just in time to watch it dive out of the sky towards him.

He dropped his keys and ran for the door. This spooked some more beasts that had been perched resting for their nightly prowl. Their hairy limbs flailed wildly their wings began to ready for takeoff. Their beady eyes shifted as they watched their quarry dart from the locked door back to his keys.

Evan was crying and Jared was silent as they watched more of the monsters swoop low over Connor. One landed on Connor's arm and the other abandoned his keys as he swatted at the winged beast. Its fangs caught on his sweater and its eight clawed paws lost their purchase on the fabric of his hoodie. It fell to the ground and Connor booked it to his car. Jared tried to lock the door, but Connor opened it before he could. The door's opening caused light to fill the car momentarily and alerted the spiders to the other two's presence.

The door slammed shut and Connor took the opportunity to inspect his arm to make sure there weren't any wounds. A few more creatures slammed into the windows while others landed on the hood of the car. Their limbs skittered as they crawled over one another.

Evan began sobbing hysterically and Jared's hand squeezed his friend's shoulder worriedly. He eyed the glass dubiously, "Are you sure that will keep those fuckers out?"

Connor didn't respond until the lights dimmed again a few moments later. "I don't know."

Evan let out another sob before he tried to smother the sounds by putting his hands over his mouth.

There was a tense silence that filled the car and only the distant sounds of the winged spiders scratching at Connor's car and windows could be heard. Evan settled down and the three men sat in silence, hoping that the spiders would lose interest in them.

Connor watched as one of the spiders seemed to lose interest and jump from the hood of the car into the air. Hopefully the others would follow its example.

As soon as the thought entered his head, something slammed into the driver's side window next to his head. He leaned back over the console and watched as the splattered remains of the suicidal spider seeped down the window. In a moment of horrified realization, Connor spotted the spider web crack on the window. All movement paused outside as the spiders' beady eyes surveyed the damage.

Almost as if it was choreographed, Connor and the spiders turned to each other and locked eyes. In the next moment, the spiders began to take flight and their momentum caused the car to bounce.

There was a brief moment where the spiders disappeared and the three men had the chance to duck down.

"Shiiiiiiit!"

They weren't sure which one of them said it, but they were all thinking it.

Then all hell broke loose. The spiders pelted the windows and sides of the car. There were crashing sounds as they managed to break through and then Evan finally snapped.

With a choked cry, Evan wedged open the door and made a mad dash for freedom. Some of the spiders gave chase but none of them hit the mark. The door was left open and Jared tried to steel himself to close it. Some of the spiders crawled up from the ground into the door and over the seat and floor of the backseat.

Jared lost his cool and opened the other door. Connor watched as they went after Jared and began to creep over the console into the front seat and he burst from the car too.

Jared took off in the opposite direction and managed to loop around the trees to prevent the spiders from diving and attacking him.

Evan was heading for a shed that he hoped was unlocked and Connor noticed where he was heading. Within a few moments, Connor passed Evan. There was a lock on the door but it wasn't latched. Just hanging there to prevent the door from flying open in the wind.

Ripping it off the latch, Connor threw the door open and Evan nearly slammed into him in his haste to get inside.

The taller boy shut the door and slid the inner latches shut to secure the door. Evan hurriedly locked the windows and slid toolbox over to block one of them. Then the two retreated further into the shed.

Evan wrapped his arms around himself and shivered in fear. Connor allowed himself to shift close enough that their shoulders brushed to confirm that there was someone there with him. He'd never had any specific problems with Evan, other than the fact that he hung out with Jared Fucking Kleinman.

Jared was panicking, he had no idea where the other two had gone. He spared a moment to mourn the loss of his friend, Evan, and at the fact that he would have to be the one to explain to his mother why her son was dead.

If he even lived through this.

The spiders chasing him began to increase in number and pretty soon there was a swarm of them trailing after him. He managed to dodge all the ones that tried to attack him from the front. Their tiny fangs glistening with venom as their wings and eight legs spread menacingly.

Jared managed to take cover in someone's cracked open garage. He slid under the door and slammed it shut. He was left alone in the darkness with only the sound of his breathing. Behind him, he heard a deep menacing growl and four pawed feet clicking on the ground behind him.

"Uhh. Nice doggo. Good doggo."

The growling and clicking continued getting closer until Jared could feel the dog's hot breath hitting his face. Terrified because that meant the dog could easily bite his face, Jared winced and resigned himself to his imminent death. He'd get to apologize for ditching Evan soon, at least.

But then the dog pressed its cold nose to his neck and began sniffing. Jared froze when the dog licked a quick stripe up the column of pale flesh before the dog sat on its haunches and panted happily.

Full of disbelief, Jared reached up and gave the dog's massive head a few gentle pats. It nudged his hand for more affection and Jared breathed a sigh of relief.

Connor and Evan waited through the night watching the one exposed window. After what seemed to be an eternity passed, the spiders retreated to less terrifying numbers.

The two young men relaxed slightly and tried to ignore the hissing coming from outside. They used a folded tarp and laid it on the ground. It wasn't very large, but it helped to soften the harsh wooden flooring.

They stayed quiet for the most part before Evan couldn't take the silence.

"I-it's a good thing they have wings." Evan began.

Connor raised a brow. "Why?"

"Because they have wings, they can't get into the houses and small cracks and s-stuff."

"God. That would be some terrifying shit. You're minding your business and then BAM!" Evan jumped at Connor's shout, "A spider pops up out of nowhere and bites you."

"Yeah."

The two spent the night thankful for the merciful fact that spiders couldn't sneak into their house.

The next morning, they all returned home and were thankful that they had survived their ordeal. Jared had made friends with the dog during his stay and Connor and Evan gained a newfound respect for the other that caused them to share a nod of understanding when they passed each other in the school halls.

And they were all careful to never stay out after dark again.