Andrew screamed satisfaction for Binx’s ears. Actually, it wasn’t a scream, more of a loud gasp that, conveniently, wouldn’t alert their parents who were picnicking on the other side of the playground beyond the jungle gym that shaded the two boys from view with its criss crossing shadows. Being a little on the chubby side, it was easy to detect the sound of sand giving beneath Andrew’s big clumsy feet as he scooted away from the source of his terror. Meanwhile Alden clink-clink-clinked above their heads like a monkey swinging through the trees of Brazil, unaware of the game about to begin on ground level.

Crawling on eight delicate legs the spider tip-toed over Binx’s open hands, tickling with thick hairy legs that made Binx grin with mirth. Cradling the spider like a diamond that walked on eight strings of pearls Binx slithered through the metal forest as would a python snake. Possibly this frightened Andrew even more, for he’d not expected his blind cousin would have such skill weaving through the obstacles he may have believed were protection.

“That’s the biggest fucking spider I’ve ever seen,” said Andrew, using naughty words in the hope that Binx would think twice and back off. The blind nine-year old took it to heart, but only so he could nark on him later if he tried to escape their games. Although Andrew was three years older, Binx doubted that gave him license to use such dirty language. “You don’t even know what that word means,” said Binx.

Though deaf, Alden sometimes displayed a curious sixth sense which Binx referred to as ‘having a third eye in the back of your head’ syndrome, and by the time Binx reached the center of the jungle gym had clambered through the suspended labyrinth to a position where he could hang by his legs above Binx’s head. Both nine year olds were best friends attending the Chicago City School for the Deaf and Blind. Fast friends ever since first grade the pair seemed more akin to a hanging bat and crawling lizard than a boy who couldn’t hear and a boy who couldn’t see.

With his hands free Alden clung to his glasses which seemed made for adults four times his age. Unlike Binx, Alden was not blessed with the option of being devoid of one sense in return for clarity in another. However, the two shared a common trait for mischief. “What’cha got there, Binxy Boy? That’a caterpillar?”

Andrew lied about the spider’s size when he described it as ‘big’ and ‘fucking’. In fact it fit easily in the palm of his hand, but its fur gave the appearance of girth to people with tiny brains. While the spider explored his sand swept feet Binx made his fingers do a dance that Alden watched with growing enthusiasm. “Oh, okay! He’s a real furry one; think he’s a tarantula?”

Binx made another sign and Alden grinned.

Andrew didn’t like the deaf boy’s expression, nor did he enjoy watching Binx pick his spider up by the legs, causing it to thrash about as though it might bite. He held the enraged arachnid out to Andrew, whom Alden noted to have eyes that grew increasingly large as Binx stretched his arm further. “Want to pet him?”

“He just wants to say, ‘Hi!’” Alden added pointing to the spider’s waving legs.

Andrew tried to focus on Binx instead of the spider. With those big sunglasses Binx looked like an evil government agent trying to trick him into telling what the secret formula was. Just as any good James Bond would, Andrew replied with a witty cutting remark. “Why don’t you eat it?”

“Why don’t you pet it?”

“I bet you wouldn’t, you’d be scared to.”

“He didn’t do anything to hurt me; I don’t want to kill him. He just wants to be friendly. Just touch him, he won’t bite.” The trashing spider disagreed.

Alden swung leisurely beside Binx’s head, his eyes looking swollen behind coke-bottle glasses which he restrained from the pull of gravity. “I ate a cockroach once. It was real crunchy at first and it squirmed in my mouth, but the inside was green and juicy. It makes my tummy say, yum.”

Alden was lying, to Binx’s knowledge he had never eaten a cockroach, but he grinned at the effect it must have had on poor Andrew. He continued to haggle. “You wouldn’t eat a cockroach.”

Reading Andrew’s lips, Alden replied, “Yes, I did! You can ask my mom.”

“It’s true; I saw him,” said Binx with Andrew reflected in his glasses.

“I dare you to eat it,” said Andrew with a sneer.

“Why?”

“Cause you’re scared to eat it.”

“Would you eat it?”

Andrew hesitated, but wasn’t about to let fear get in the way of his manhood. “Sure! If it were dead.”

Binx did not need so much time to consider his recourse. Holding the spider firmly by its abdomen, he dangled it over his open mouth.

“You’re not really gonna eat it, you’d get sick!” said Andrew, bringing a smile to Binx’s face.

“It’s not poisonous to people,” Alden corrected. “I saw it in a book; there’s only two spiders that kill people. Black widows and bird eaters, and bird eaters live in South America.”

Binx closed his mouth, locking his glasses with Andrew’s reflection. “If I eat the head, will you eat the abdomen?”

Andrew’s eyes bulged, not just with fear, but with anger. Of course Binx knew he would never let himself be out done by his younger cousin, and he got exactly what he expected. “If you eat the head, I’ll swallow the spider and a cockroach.”

“A live one,” Alden insisted.

“Yep.”

“Promise?” said Binx.

“Yeah.” Andrew glowered at Binx. His expression was hard and expectant, looking forward to seeing his little cousin puke on the spider. Alden, still holding onto his glasses and still enduring vast amounts of blood rushing from his toes to his brain, twisted around to watch Binx.

A thin smile rested on his lips. It took Andrew one second too long to realize the conviction of that smile, the promise that an insect gourmet lay in store for his arrogant cousin. He decapitated the spider. Its legs wriggled helplessly, crawling over his tongue as though trying to run down his throat. In that moment Binx felt his stomach almost give to the hairy beast within his mouth, but before the spider could intact its final revenge he flipped it upon his teeth and crushed its tiny brain between his molars. Binx held the still twitching abdomen out to his shocked and appalled cousin while the spider turned to gum in his mouth. “Your turn.”

Andrew’s face, Alden observed, turned pale as skim milk. He grinned, planning to recount his many amusing expressions later for his sightless friend with the spider squirting fluids down his throat. With a shaky hand Andrew reached forward. Half way to the spider he drew back abruptly, told Binx in a squeaky voice that he was ‘a fucking freak’, and crawled away under the cascading shadows of the jungle gym.

Alden laughed and Binx grinned with pride. Finally Alden climbed down from his upside down perch and sat in the sand, leaning against Binx as he fought off dizziness. “Whatzit taste like?” he inquired with eager curiosity.

Binx sloshed the carcass back and fourth in his mouth. “A hairy jelly bean.”