The problem with taking a taxi everywhere is taxi drivers inevitably wish to converse with you whether they speak your language or not. So when at all possible i take the subway. There is just something about the subway that keeps most people from looking at you, nevermind talking to you.

It is early afternoon, after lunchtime traffic and well before 3pm shift changes will fill the trains up. I have timed and plotted my route to avoid the masses as best i can. The creaky, bumpy old red line will take me from the slums to the central hub downtown. From there i will change platforms and take the Blue line into the suburbs.

I stand holding one of the vertical poles and stare blankly out the window of the train at the rushing wall of the tunnel. There are supposed to be lights every thirty feet, ive counted maybe two dozen in the last half mile...  

I listen to the few people in the same traincar as me, just to stay aware of my surroundings. The red line has a reputation after all.

2008-12-13 10:34:07 Nayk rolls 5 dice to Perception and Empathy 6,10,9,5,1 (2 successes)  

--Last edited by Nayk on 2008-12-13 12:36:08 --

There are just three people on the train with Nayk. Sitting in the middle of the traincar is an ancient looking married couple. They must be in their 80's. Even though the temperature hasnt dipped lower than 40 yet they are bundled up with scarves and hats. The old woman is mumbling as she passes rosary beads through her brittle hands.

Far down the other end of the car is dirty man with long hair. At times he appears asleep, but others he laughs at nothing or swigs from a brown paper bag in his reeking coat.

The train bounces along and an odd pinging noise echoes through the thin shell of a roof. For a split second the lights go out, but they quickly come back on, some remaining at half their usual brilliance.

This time of day is early for me. Ever since my change i have been more or less noctournal. I raise my eyes to the cieling when i hear the pinging and the lights go out. The train is old and looked like it could use some repairs from the outside. I suspect the electrical systems dont fare much better...

I wont be put off, i just flip the hood of my blue-grey sweatshirt up over my hair. I am not afraid of the dark. I will turn to look at the old couple, keeping hy hands on the grimy metal of the vertical pole.

Many young spiders prey on the elderly. They appear to be easy prey; feeble, weak, forgetful, trusting. But in truth it is a mistake. Some are okay, but if you drink one who is on blood thinners or heart medication you are in for a weak and sluggish night. I never prey on the old, the risk is too great and Mother Ananasi doesnt like us to take unnecessary risks.The drunk at the end of the car is a similar predicament. His blood alchohol level would steal my focus and numb my limbs. This is clearly not the meal car...  

--Last edited by Nayk on 2008-12-13 12:54:48 --

2008-12-13 11:04:07 Radiation rolls 3 dice to Drunks Perception and alertness 9,7,7 (3 successes)

As Nayk inspects each person in the car like one would dinner choices on a menu the drunk gets uncomfortable. Her cold, alien stare doesnt sit well with him and he intends to tell her so.

The train will rumble and lean to the left a little bit, the lights flickering again as the Drunk stands and begins making his way across the traincar toward Nayk, bottle in hand...

If the man didnt like my stare before he will certainly not like how i lock onto him as he approaches. He went from useless to threatening. I say nothing to him and remain where i stand, locking my grip on the bar in front of me. If provoked, i am likely to kill him. There is simply no two ways about it.

2008-12-13 11:14:56 Radiation rolls 3 dice to Provoke!(Manipulation and intimidation) 8,5,10 (2 successes)

The drunk stops about a foot away from Nayk. The old couple have gone silent and are watching with wide eyes, afraid for the safety of what they see as a young girl. The drunk puffs himself up, letting loose a wave of stench from his coat when he waves his arm in Nayks staring face.

'Dont you be fucking judging me with your judging eyes and your... hair!'

The mans breath stinks of cheap whiskey. He punctuates his absurd threat by poking Nayk on the collarbone with a filthy finger.

'Fuckin high horsin little hooded bitch...'

2008-12-13 11:26:15 Nayk rolls 4 dice to willpower (diff:5) 5,9,3,8 (3 successes)

Whatever pang of fear i may have felt died in my chest. My reaction is purely animal. Purely insect. Black Widow spiders only bite when provoked.

2008-12-13 11:29:40 Nayk rolls 4 dice to bite (Diff 5) 9,3,5,1 (1 success) [No damage, just injection of Venom.]

My movement is a flash, i swat his arm and lash forward, whether or not he sees my jaw extend and gums peel back, revealing clearly insectoid pincers they will jab into his neck and shoulder for just a brief second. I jump back as quickly as i attacked; a normal 1/2 inch black widow can kill a full grown human that is of bad health. I am thousands of times larger than a normal black widow and inject thousands of times the volume of venom.  

--Last edited by Nayk on 2008-12-13 13:49:36 --

Black widows produce a protien venom that effects the nervous system. The first symptom is a severe pain at the bite sight. In the case of Nayks bite, this pain is akin to pouring molten lead onto bare skin drip by drip.

The drunk screams, his bottle breaking on the floor of the train as he thrashes and stumbles away from Nayk.

'What the fuck.. The bitch bit me!'

He yells to the old couple, who still stare in a new confused fear at the mans reaction.

The initial pain of a black widow bite is followed by severe muscle cramps, abdominal pain, weakness, and tremor.

The drunk twitches and shakes, like a standing seizure his knees buckle and he doubles over holding his gut. His cries of 'She bit me!' turn to weak 'Oh god.. the pain'.

In severe bites, as are always the case when an Ananasi is involved; nausea, vomiting, faintness, dizziness, chest pain, and respiratory difficulties follow. The victim will be left a quivering, vomiting, hallucinating, wheezing mess and all but the most resilient or those lucky enough to get to a hospital will usually die.

The drunk man convulses at the old couples feet. The ancient pair look from the man up to Nayk with looks of total confusion and some kind of primordial terror in their eyes.  

--Last edited by Radiationjunkie on 2008-12-13 13:50:28 --

I have seen this reaction dozens of times and will stand calmly while my venom ravages this mans nervous system. Once he stops moving and finally lays still at their feet i will look up at the old couple. Locking into a stare with their terrified eyes. I will give them a very small shrug and say in my quiet, russian accented voice.

'De-runk foool.'

I peel back my hood and hair to spit on the mans back for emphasis. Clearing the taste of venom from my mouth. I will be getting off at the next stop and taking a different train.  

--Last edited by Nayk on 2008-12-14 14:39:54 --