#as david

h a p p y b i r t h d a y

Stéphane Rideau

25 July 1976

🎈🎈🎈

Pulling his knees tight to his chestand burrowing himself into the corner of the sofa, David stared backat his girlfriend with a raised eyebrow and a sceptical look.Glancing behind him towards the kitchen, where Cassie was currentlystanding on one of the counter tops, holding a frying pan, and with alook of sheer terror on his face, he balked.

Lips parted ever so slightly as hisgaze switched back and forth between his two favourite girls, iteventually stopped on Cassie who, wide eyed and quivering at theknees, started nodding frantically at Cecily's words.

“Yes!!! Please!!!” his baby sisteryelled from the kitchen, her tone coming out in a high pitched squealof terror.

Tilting his head to the side andglaring at her with a look that he could only hope would read as'seriously, Cassie?', Davidshook his head before looking at Cecily, never once budging from hissafe spot on their couch.

“No,no. It's fine, it'stotally fine. Morethan fine, actually. I'm not even– wait, babe? Where'd it go?Where'd the– seriously,where is it?” David cut himself off, peering over his knees as hetried to catch sight of the hideous insect. Though only momentsbefore it had been crawling out from beneath the settee, now he'dcompletely lost sight of it, and he silently pondered over theprospect of just torching the entire apartment complex and being donewith it completely.

As heedged his way onto the armrest, trying to figure out the best courseof action and whether or not he could make an escape, he felt astrange tingling feeling on his arm. Squeezing his eyes shut as heassumed the worst, David let out a soft, pathetic whimper, beforeslowly opening his eyes to confirm his worst nightmare.

There,sitting on his hand, was what he could only imagine to be one ofAragog's many, evil minions, it's tiny legs making themselves at homeon his skin.

Thrustinghis hand out frantically, he began waving his arm around, whilediving off of the couch in horror, until he was certain thecreepy-crawly was no longer touching him. Shooting a glance back athis sister, who looked just about as terrified as he felt, he decidedto quite while he was ahead and say goodbye to any and all falsepretences of bravery. Pointing finger at Cassie, and then jabbing athumb towards his bedroom, he bolted out of the living room, hissister in tow, before slamming the bedroom door shut behind them.

Cassiedove onto his bed, grabbing a handful of duvet and hugging a cushionclose to her chest, as he sat with his back against the now lockedbedroom door.

Therewas silence for a brief moment, and then the slightest shift ofmovement sounded from behind the door, and he could only assume thatthe noise was either 1)Cecily behaving like a far more stable, and responsible adult thanboth he and his sister, or 2)Aragog and his army showing up to storm his apartment.

“Uh,hey, babe?” hecalled out, his ear pressed against the wooden door as he listenedout for any sign of life. “Yeah, I mean... If you wouldn't mindcatching the spider, that'd be great... Like, totally chill, and all.If you're good with that...”