It was still Tret’s shift when he pulled the rest of them back into the basement. This time Evan expected the shock, but he still felt the expansion, the cold, the air bursting into his skin. As he struggled to stand, he heard footsteps on the stairs. Suzie and Ylander grabbed him and pulled him into a corner. “Stay here and flatten yourself,” Suzie whispered. Then she, Ylander, and Tret pressed themselves against the walls. They waited by the stairs, ready to jump. Evan struggled to hold himself. In his mind he knew he was flat, only an inch thick as he spread himself against the wall, but he felt like he was growing outward, like he was bigger than ever. He pursed his lips tight. The room filled with extreme brightness. It was nothing like any light Evan had seen before. It filled the basement, burned his eyes, and wiped his vision into white. He thrust an arm over his eyes, but the light pushed itself in. He tried to keep from screaming and felt a fang press into his tongue. A taste like the spider’s filled his mouth.
