SPIDER-CHICA!

Later that day, after school, Raphaela and Jasmine were finally walking home together, something they hadn't done in a while. The air was cool, and the sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. The peaceful walk was soon interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps pounding behind them.

"Hey! Girls, wait up!" Ben Bens Hur Junior called, breathless as he caught up to them. He wasn't the only uninvited guest; Raphaela's terrible hunger surged inside her like a beast clawing to be released.

"None of your business, thank you very much," Jasmine snapped, rolling her eyes.

Before Raphaela could respond, a sharp pain twisted in her stomach. "Ah!" she gasped, clutching her abdomen.

Jasmine's expression shifted immediately to concern. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm just... hungry," Raphaela muttered, though even she could tell it was more than that.

Ben fumbled through his backpack and pulled out an apple. "Here, I've got this," he said, offering it to her with a sheepish grin.

Raphaela hesitated before grabbing the apple and sinking her teeth into it, the juices spurting messily as she devoured it like she hadn't eaten in days. She barely chewed, swallowing large chunks at a time. Jasmine and Ben exchanged uneasy glances.

"How about we ditch the ice cream idea and grab something more filling?" Ben suggested, walking alongside them now. "I mean, it won't be much. I'm a bit short on cash."

"Me too," Raphaela said, her voice tight as the hunger gnawed at her insides.

"If it's food you're looking for, I know just the place," Ben offered, grinning. "Of course, that's if I'm allowed to join you."

Jasmine and Raphaela exchanged glances, shrugging. "Fine," Jasmine sighed, "but it better not be expensive."

"Don't worry, I've got it all figured out," Ben said with a wink.

They followed Ben down a narrow street toward the new café that had recently opened in town. The sleek, modern exterior contrasted sharply with the rest of the small town's old, weathered buildings. Raphaela felt her stomach churn, but whether from hunger or something else, she couldn't tell.

"Ben, I'm serious. I can't afford much," Jasmine said, her eyes scanning the café nervously.

"Same here," Raphaela added, though her hunger didn't care about the price. It demanded to be fed.

"Relax," Ben said confidently, walking up the steps and holding the door open for them. "Trust me."

Jasmine and Raphaela hesitated, sharing another look of uncertainty before stepping inside. The interior was far more extravagant than they had expected—high ceilings with sleek chandeliers, polished wood floors, and plants that seemed to climb up the walls as though nature itself had designed the place. It felt almost surreal.

"Wow," Jasmine breathed, her eyes wide.

Ben led them to a table by the window before disappearing toward the back. When he returned, he was wearing a black apron and carried two menus. "Here you go," he said, handing them out like a waiter.

"Wait, you work here?" Jasmine asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ben just smiled. "Yep. And today, whatever you order is on the house."

"Seriously?" Raphaela's eyes sparkled as she scanned the menu.

"Yep," Ben said, leaning against the table. "So, what'll it be?"

Without hesitation, Raphaela rattled off her order: two large beef burgers, a giant bowl of ramen, three Texan steaks, and sparkling water.

"Is that for both of you?" Ben asked, laughing.

"Nope, all for me," Raphaela said, her hunger driving her impatience. She turned to Jasmine. "What about you?"

"I'll just have a milkshake, thanks," Jasmine said, still eyeing Raphaela's growing list of food.

Ben nodded and disappeared again to place their orders. As soon as he was gone, Jasmine leaned across the table. "Are you sure you'll be able to finish all that? You know, your eyes might be bigger than your stomach."

Raphaela grinned, a strange, almost predatory look crossing her face. "If you only knew how many eyes I had," she muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"I said don't worry. I'll clean the plates," Raphaela said, brushing it off. "They won't even need to wash them when I'm done."

Jasmine frowned but didn't say anything else. Before long, the waiters returned with Ben, placing an obscene amount of food on the table. The other customers in the café began to whisper and stare, but Raphaela didn't care. The moment the food hit the table, her eyes locked onto it.

Without hesitation, Raphaela dove in. She swallowed the entire bowl of ramen in one go, the noodles sliding down her throat without a single chew. Then she grabbed a steak in each hand and tore through them with a ferocity that made Jasmine wince. The burgers were next—tomatoes and lettuce discarded as if they were mere nuisances. Within minutes, everything was gone, washed down with sparkling water.

Jasmine's milkshake sat untouched as she watched in shock. "You eat like a... beast."

"I told you I was hungry," Raphaela replied, wiping her mouth. She didn't notice the other customers staring in disbelief. Some even began to clap, thinking they had just witnessed a strange feat of gluttony.

"Why are they clapping?" Raphaela asked, confused.

"You," Jasmine replied, shaking her head. "You happened. What the hell, man?"

"Well, you know... hunger," Raphaela said, glancing around as Ben slid into the seat next to her. "What?"

"Not bad," Ben said with a smirk. "Made me some extra tips with that show."

Before Raphaela could respond, the hunger returned, sharper this time. She stood up suddenly, feeling nauseous. "I've gotta go," she mumbled, grabbing her bag.

"Is everything okay?" Jasmine asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Yeah, I just... I forgot something at home." Without another word, Raphaela hurried out of the café, her stomach gnawing at her like a wild animal.

When she got home, she raided the kitchen once again before collapsing onto her bed. Sleep came quickly, but it wasn't restful. In the depths of the night, Raphaela awoke, her body transforming into its true, monstrous form. Her limbs elongated, and her skin stretched, dark and hard like the exoskeleton of a spider.

Driven by an uncontrollable urge, She crept through the shadows of the town, climbing rooftops like a silent predator, her eight legs moving swiftly as she scanned for prey.

Then she heard it—a soft laugh, quickly followed by a terrified scream and the crash of tumbling trash cans. Her head snapped toward the sound, and she hurried toward the scene, her heart pounding in anticipation.

She arrived just in time to see a yellowish-brown dog-like creature dart into the darkness. A part of her wanted to follow it, but the hunger was too strong to ignore. She looked down and saw a woman lying on the ground, her eyes gouged out, a chunk of her neck missing. Blood trickled slowly from the wound, but not as much as Raphaela expected. The woman was still alive, barely, weakly pointing toward something behind a dumpster.

Raphaela climbed the wall to get a better view and spotted a small pram hidden in the shadows. She descended above it, carefully lifting the blanket. The baby inside began to cry, its wails piercing the night air.

Without thinking, Raphaela reacted on instinct. Her venom sprayed from her fangs, splattering onto the infant. The cries stopped immediately as the baby's flesh melted away, leaving nothing but bone.

"Damn it," Raphaela muttered, frustration bubbling up. "There goes a perfectly soft meal."

She turned back to the dying woman, who was fading fast. Raphaela didn't bother with delicacy. She didn't wrap the body, didn't savor the moment. She simply stuffed the woman's corpse into her maw, blood spraying as she fed, like a bucket of red paint exploding onto the pavement.

"Huh," Raphaela murmured, licking her lips. "Note to self—women taste better than men."

Satisfied, she glanced at the moonlit sky, remembering her father's night shift. "Better head home before he gets back."

And with that, she slipped into the darkness, the hunger temporarily sated but never truly gone.