Tapetum Lucidum

Trigger Warnings: Swearing/Curse Words, Stalker, Blackmail, mentions of infidelity, references to spiders

“No, Beth, I’m telling you, that fucker was huge! The size of that dinner plate I got from my aunt, you know the one with the pink flowers? He was that big! And it just sat there and looked at me - its eyes did this weird green flashy thing when I tried to scare it away with my phone flashlight. Ugh, Dennis didn’t even do shit, he just sat there, he was like babe, you don’t fuck with wolf spiders, they bite. Well then do something fucker, I don’t wanna get bit either! Fucking asshole, first he’s late to the dinner I made us and then he doesn’t do anything when I need him to defend me when he knows I’m scared of spiders. Whatever. I’m telling you, this is the last straw, I’m done with that apartment and their stupid ass fees when they don’t even spray the damn place properly. Come apartment shopping with me. What do you mean you have plans? Ditch him, we haven’t had a girl’s night in forever. Hoes before bros, remember? Haha fine, yeah, let me know. I gotta go, I’m at that coffee shop we love. Get you something? Fine, I’ll leave it in my fridge for you, but you better come through for this weekend then. Yeah. Okay, love ya, bye girl.”

Suzanne sighed, taking in the rich smell of coffee. The coffee shop hummed around her, the sound of people going in and out and the warm, gentle jazz in the background a balm to her frayed nerves. This was quickly becoming her favorite coffee shop. Something about the quality of the place really spoke to her. The attention to detail, she decided, staring at rows of fruit tarts that sparkled like jewels. The blueberries, round and glistening with glaze, made her mouth water.

Other than a long line, the place was a 10/10. She’d write her next review article for here.

“Hi Suzanne,” the tall, gangly barista behind the counter greeted her when it was finally her turn. “What new thing are we trying today?”

Cute food and good coffee aside, these people even knew her by name and her ordering preference. Yeah, she was going to write an amazing review.

“Oh you know,” she laughed, “the newest thing on the menu.”

“Yes,” he said with a smile, “I know.”

She whipped out her phone while he started making the beverage.

Hogna Coffee is one of those places you can’t miss! She typed into her social media, They always know me and remember that I get the newest thing on the menu (you know your girl has to taste it first). Follow my channel ‘First to Know’ to get more content like -

“Susanne?” the barista called, startling her out of finishing the post.

“An iced latte?” she guessed, picking it up and inspecting it, “What’s that blue stuff? It’s pretty.”

“Blueberry syrup, our new summer special,” he said, “I saw you eyeing the blueberry tart and figured this might go well with it.”

She raised her eyebrows at him, but snapped a picture and then took the first sip. A gentle sweetness complemented the creamy milk and smooth espresso perfectly.

“Damn,” she groaned, “Who knew blueberry syrup could be so good in a coffee? Or maybe anything would taste good in this coffee, I swear every roast is so on point.”

“I’m glad you like it. Hey, the card reader needs a reboot. Mind if I do that real quick? It’ll take two minutes. Unless you have cash.”

“As if,” she laughed, “does anyone have cash anymore? You’re good, I’ll wait and enjoy my blueberry latte based on a tart that you totally didn’t call me out for nearly breaking my diet for.”

He grinned at her and she moved to the side, taking another sip of her sweet latte. Her thumbnail caught her eye as she was lowering her cup - there was a giant chip in her new gel nail polish.

Damn, she thought, I got that done last week. I knew I should’ve stuck to my old place - Beth has shit taste in stores.

Beth! She started texting, ‘Look at this fuckin’ chip. Those fuckers charged me extra for this Arctosa brown color too. The day is out to get me, I swear.

As she was angling the phone to snap a picture, she noticed something that made her freeze. Right beside her first name, written in beautiful, loopy script, was her last name. She looked up, and realized with a start that the barista was staring at her intently, almost preternaturally still.

“Um, excuse me?” she said tentatively, “How did you know my last name was Neith?”

He didn’t speak or blink for a moment. Then, he smiled sheepishly, his lips twitching up at the corners.

“You left your card on the table here last time when you were meeting a client. I had to pick it up when I was closing for the day and happened to notice it.”

“Oh!” she said, a sense of relief washing over her, “I’m sorry you had to clean it up. That’s so lame of me to have left that here and made extra work for you.”

“No worries,” he said, laughing a little, “you’re a repeat customer, I don’t mind. Anyway, I shouldn’t have written your last name like that, it’s your private info and all. Sorry. I’m having one of those days I guess.”

“Oh my god, no worries, me too,” she hurried to reassure him, “my week has been insane.”

“The wolf spider?” he asked sympathetically.

She blushed.

“You heard me on the phone? Oh my god, was I really loud?”

“Not really loud, just loud enough I heard it. Everyone else has been talking about boring stuff. I was way more interested in what you were saying."

She was about to respond when she saw his eyes fixed on her again, unblinking. His expression had dropped into blankness, like he’d taken a mask off. A small sense of unease skittered down her spine.

“Hey,” he said, suddenly leaning over the counter. He had been so still, and she had been staring so hard, that the sudden movement startled her. “I know the tarts are out because of your diet, but I actually just got some new loaves in from Zoica’s the other day. I think you liked the rosemary sea salt one from last time, want to take one home?”

“Oh that’s okay, thank you though!” she said, smiling to cover her embarrassment on their sudden stare-off. “Wow, you have a really good memory!”

“Kind of have to when you work at a smaller coffee shop,” he said, “Customers pay better when they feel more valued, which is what we offer over the big chains.”

“Wow, that sounded rehearsed,” she laughed.

“Straight from the morning meeting,” he said conspiratorially.

She giggled. She felt bad about momentarily feeling uneasy, and her drink was absolute heaven.

“Thanks for the offer on the loaf. I totally would, you’re right I love that place, but this diet doesn’t let me eat too many carbs. But could I grab one of those little thumbprint peanut butter cookies from you? It’ll be my treat to myself after this hell of a week.”

He went still again.

“That’s...not a good idea Susanne,” he said flatly.

“What?” she said, thinking she’d misheard him.

“I said it’s not a good idea.” He said more forcefully.

“Why not?” she said, smiling to cover her discomfort at his tone, “oh my god, did someone get sick eating them or something?”

“No, but you would. Aren’t you allergic?”

She stared at him.

“How do you know that?” she asked. Almost no one knew about her mild peanut allergy - she hated telling people, because they always got on her case if she ignored it and ate peanuts anyway, “Have... have we met before? Somewhere other than here?”

“Well, in a manner of speaking.”

His eyes were a blank blue and his smile a little too wide. She stepped back, her heart pounding.

“Don’t be scared, Susanne.”

“Did we...go to school together or something?”

“School? Yes. School. We went to the same school together.”

Something about his tone and the way he was watching her made her heart speed up a little. Suddenly, he seemed far too close.

“I...think you’re lying,” she said. Her hairs were standing on end and she had the sensation of something crawling along her arms. “I’m kind of uncomfortable, so I’m going to go.”

“That’s a shame.” he said, leaning forward and speaking in a low voice, “because if you leave now, dear old Beth is going to find out you stole all that money from her.”

“What? What are you-”

“Don’t play stupid, Susanne,” he crooned, “you’re such a pretty girl, but acting stupid makes even you ugly.”

“What the fuck do you want?” she hissed, “I’m going to tell my boyfriend you threatened me! He’ll beat the shit out of you.”

The barista actually chuckled.

“I doubt that. Dennis can’t even handle a harmless spider. You know that piece of shit is cheating on you, right? He was at her house yesterday.”

“Who - what - who the fuck are you?”

His eyes gleamed curiously in the light.

“How about...you call me Spider.”