Arachnophobia

By Lia Bernhard

I was young

Fearless

Ignorant.

And then I got bitten.

Large, swelling bump

Standing on a table

Something tiny on the floor

Screaming

Little legs crawling towards my hand

Screaming

Spider in my face

Shrieking like a banshee

The nightmares

Giant tarantulas

On my face

My stomach

Unable to move

Waking in a cold sweat

Arachnophobia