Tyler's body spun through the air, the force of the blast tearing the breath from his lungs before he could even curse properly. The world flipped upside down, the sky vanishing, replaced by chitin, fangs, and darkness.
"What the hell—?!" he shouted, the words barely leaving his mouth before he was swallowed by a shadow.
A gigantic spider loomed over him, its abdomen blotting out the light. Its mandibles parted wide, revealing rows of slick, serrated fangs glistening with venom. Before Tyler could regain his balance, thick strands of webbing shot out from the creature's mouth, wrapping around his torso and limbs. The pull was relentless, dragging him straight toward those waiting jaws.
The last thing he saw was the cavernous darkness inside its mouth—
—and then everything went black.
---
A day earlier…
