Holy crap, the baby was just bait… This is some pretty disturbing writing, especially the imagery. Disturbing in a good way. Didn’t expect the twist, but I still hoped the baby would be saved. Man, those Forestry Service people are cold, cold people.

On a side note, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to read this at 1.30 a.m.

Smokey Bear says…“Remember…only YOU can prevent forest spiders .”

Disturbingly gruesome.

i say it was a baby dummy, fake blood, and a scream speaker controlled by the Foresters.

Personally, I like Wolfy’s interpretation best. Dark deeds to destroy dark monsters.

Real baby for sure. I’d love to hear more about the spiders in a broader sense. Are they at an epidemic level? Are they leaving the forest and encroaching on population centers? The reference to the mother threw me off though. Does she know her baby is bait or is she a bit of misdirection for the reader in addition to being part of the ruse to attract the spider?

I actually meant the ‘mother’ to be the spider. I don’t know if I accurately conveyed that or not.

I actually thought that might be what you were going for but wasn’t sure. Regardless, the ambiguity creates a satisfying sense of suspense.

Congrats, sir! Quality story. :)

Congratulations on your win!

F-ed up. But not in a bad way.