Kevin and the Arachnagrand

Prologue
Only one child was needed to dream of the Arachnagrand,
Giving birth to the nightmare tarantula, the size of a mini van.
And he was caught and brought under the land of Juju where all nightmares go,
His long hairy legs locked and chained as was status quo.
But the Arachnagrand was intelligent and possessed a lock picking skill,
And he freed himself from his shackles to hunt for his next kill.
He made a racket as he crashed all around his cramped quarters and knocking a cup,
He threw his web and then started climbing up and up and up.

Kevin and the Arachnagrand
“The kids don’t listen to me!” Kevin Dweedle exclaimed to his mother washing the dishes.
But the problem for Kevin was his mom never listened either, as she replied, “You just need to speak up more about your wishes.”
No, Mrs. Dweedle just didn’t understand.
What was the use of speaking up more, if no one listened on the first hand?
But what Kevin did have was an enormous abyss in his back yard.
A deep well of a hole, with no end in sight, seemingly made of sedimentary rock that was concrete hard.
Kevin spent his whole life telling his woes to this hole,
And holding rocks over it, then letting go.

But this day, when he went outside to the abyss,
There was a scratching sound echoing that he could not miss.
“Hello…” he called out.
“Hello!” he again, started to shout.
He looked over the edge, seeing the endless black.
And then the sound of rattling chains, echoed at him back.

Scared, Kevin turned to the bright yellow house on the hill,
And ran inside, where his mother was still.
Panting out of breath, he excitedly said,
“Mom, the abyss, the abyss, it’s making sounds, scratching sounds, chains jingling sounds instead…”
He had to stop to catch his breath, “Instead of the silence. That all encompassing silence.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing to be worried about,” Mrs. Dweedle replies looking out the window at the abyss and the white picket fence.

Trembling, Kevin went back outside to the abyss to listen.
“Hello!” He tentatively called out, again.
Echoing back at him with a “screech screech” or a scratching sound,
Follow by a hard jangle of chains being dragged around.
Then there was a loud crash like a boulder hitting a wall,
And the screeching of a metallic table after a fall.

Then, a short, round man, in a shag coat with grey shaggy hair,
Just appeared from the abyss, floating on air.
“Kevin Dweedle,” he said in a weaselly voice.
“You are needed in Juju, and I am afraid you have no choice.”
And at that moment, the wobbly man,
Reached out and took Kevin’s hand.
He had a surprising strong grip
As he pulled Kevin into the abyss with a slip.

And then, Kevin fell.
Down and down into an infinite well.
First in pitch black, then in purple, then dark blue,
Then the blue took on a lighter hue.
Until Kevin found he was falling from a blue sky into a puffy white cloud.
Where he landed safely with this man looking proud.
“Introductions, first,” squeaked out the man.
Kevin listened but was finding it hard to stand.
“I’m Mr. Vale, and this cloud here, is Phil.”
And the cloud seemed to straighten itself up by sheer will.
Then the cloud vibrated with a smooth tenor voice,
Which to Kevin was quite an unexpected noise.
“Hello, Kevin! Nice to meet you! Is this not a magnificent day?
“I was just sitting here, floating along. I am glad you could drop in my way.”
This puffy white cloud, was quite cheery and bright,
Kevin couldn’t help smiling at the cloud’s inner light.
Then the cloud started to hum, and then started to sing,
“Oh what a glorious day! I feel like a king!”
And the floor of the cloud felt like nothing was there.
Kevin felt like he was just floating on air.

Then parting the skies was a city that sat on one large balloon,
And it flew right along to its own merry tune.
Mr. Vale waved and called, “Hello to you, Captain Flapjack!”
And the man at the helm, waved and hailed back,
“Hey oh, Mr. Vale! You look like you need a ride,
“Hold tight and we’ll pull you up from the side.”
And the rope ladder was tossed over the side to us to climb.
We bid farewell to Phil, and ascended the steps one at a time.

Captain Flapjack patted Mr. Vale on the back asking,
“What brings you our way?” And he steered the city, multi-tasking.
“The Arachnagrand has gotten lose and is climbing up out of its prison cell.”
And Kevin thought back to the echoes of scratching, the chains and the crash from his endless well.
“This here is Kevin, and he is going to kill the Arachnagrand.”
Kevin looked at Mr. Vale with his mouth gaping wide and barely able to stand!
There was no way, Kevin was going to go up against some monster and fight!
This man was crazy! Kevin wanted to go home! None of this was right!
The captain with his beady eyes and large three cornered hat,
A mustache that curled at the ends, a thin frame and a pet parrot that was red and fat,
He laughed a good hearty belly laugh and slapped Kevin on the back,
“Well, I say! That is quite and undertaking, or my name isn’t Captain Flapjack!”
Mr. Vale continued, “So, as you can see we are in a bit of a hurry,
“Do you have an airship we can take in a scurry?”
“I am sorry, old man, but I sure don’t have a spare ship.
“However, you can see about buying an air ship from the air harbor for your trip.”
“Thanks, Flapjack. We’ll be on our way,
“Let’s go, Kevin, we must not delay our stay.”

Kevin and Mr. Vale walked through the doorway, down a long white hallway and out into the street.
The women were beautifully dressed in long formal dresses, grand hats both large and petite.
The men had fedoras, top hats, ties, waist coats, slacks and bowler shoes.
There were horse drawn buggies, and a polite nature to all the construction crews.
Mr. Vale had Kevin bustling to the trolly to quickly ride through the city,
Where Kevin saw bakeries, dress shops, and meat shops, all pristine, nothing gritty.
Then, there was the air harbor with large air ships of all types.
Some powered by bikes, some with large balloons and some with large air pipes.
But something was wrong!
The people just stopped moving along.
And a large man, with a long black beard and a gruff voice, holding a gun,
Shouted for all to get down on the ground and nobody run.
These oily looking men in tattered rags, started tying everyone’s hands,
And shuffling all of them to the dirtiest air ship, past the grand stands.

Kevin’s day was just getting worse and worse off.
Kevin was now locked in a cell with Mr. Vale, a crowd of people, some of them with a pretty bad cough.
Mr. Vale wasn’t worried, though,
He just patiently waited for their captors to go,
“Oh for goodness sake,” he rolled his eyes and spout,
Then pulled out a paperclip and stretched it out.
Then he proceeded to quickly pick the lock and open the door,
Then ushered all out and back to the city floor.
The large man came in just as the last were about to leave.
“What is going on here?” the large man bellowed and heaved.
Mr. Vale faced him and said, “Your tantrum does me no good.
“Now, gather your crew, I need a ride, is that understood?”
The large man laughed at made a move to grab Mr. Vale
But found himself flat on his face inside his own jail cell.
Mr. Vale, took his hat, and turned the lock.
“I’m taking control of this vessel! Come on, Kevin, let’s walk!”
And before Kevin knew it, they were at the helm and Mr. Vale was turning some levers and dials and the ship started to rise.
The crew stood in awe and just followed Mr. Vale, which seemed wise.

And just like that, they were free of the flying city, mostly sailing down,
Heading in the direction of the ground.
And Kevin looked around to find people flying in bubbles through the air.
Kevin couldn’t help stopping my stare.
Kevin and Mr. Vale had landed in a yard that had a similar abyss like Kevin’s own.
Mr. Vale turned to Kevin and stated, “This house, is the Steeple’s home.”
A pale faced man with short hair and a clean shaven face,
A pair of silver glasses, and a small yellowed hair girl keeping up his pace.
He was excited and out of breath, saying, “Mr. Vale, I am so glad you are here.
“Is this, the dreamer? I don’t think we have much time left, I fear.”
Mr. Vale nodded, “This here is Kevin. Do you h ave the enchanted sword?”
And Mr. Steeple pulled out a long, blue, double edged sword with a magical ward.
They both looked at Kevin, and Mr. Steeple held out the weapon in his left hand.
“You want me to do what? With that? Take a stand?
“I barely kill little spiders in my bathroom,
“What makes you think I can kill a monster of doom?”
“You have to,” Mr. Vale said matter of fact.
“That monster will climb right up to your house, with no tact!
“He will eat your mother, your father, your sister and your brother.
“He will continue to chase down your town and eat any other.
“You are the chosen one. You have to take a stand!”
And then Mr. Vale thrust the weapon into Kevin’s right hand.

Kevin swung the weapon around, shaking from head to toe.
Kevin could hear the scratching of this spider foe.
And then the thing crawled out of the hole, and came right where Kevin could see.
Kevin closed his eyes, held out of his arm and started to wave the sword around, while lunging his right knee.
“No, you have to look and fight, Kevin! Open your eyes! You can do this!”
So, Kevin opened his eyes and screamed, held up the sword and balled his other fist.
The Arachnagrand lunged for Kevin and scraped his left arm with one of its pointed legs, drawing blood.
Kevin took a swipe at the abdomen, and the beast faltered in the mud.
“I can’t do this!” Kevin cried, with tears streaming down his face.
“You can!” Mr. Vale continued to insist. “This is your time and your place!”
Kevin’s left arm was stinging, his eyes were blurry, he held his breath and drove the sword forward into the heart,
And the monster caught fire and burned apart.
The next thing Kevin knew, there was a pile of dust in place of the Arachnagrand.
Kevin was still in shock, crying, still unsure of where to stand.

Mr. Vale exclaimed, “You did it! I knew that you could! You stood up and faced your fear!
“Remember how strong you are, in times where you feel like you could just disappear.”
And the people in their houses came out and gave a big cheer and patted Kevin on the back.
And the Steeple family invited Kevin in for a nap and a snack.
Kevin ate some schnattle berry pie, which was very good,
Then, practically fell asleep on the spot where he stood.
And Mr. Vale scooped him up and opened the bedroom door,
But instead of the room, Kevin was back at the edge of his abyss, asleep on the floor.

And Kevin woke, wondering if the whole adventure was a dream or real.
But he still had the scrape on his left arm with a little bit of a sting he could feel.
But the next day, when he was out with his friends and one started to take his pop,
Kevin remembered that he slew an Arachnagrand, and faced his friend and said, “Stop.”
And Kevin’s voice was lower and commanding, that his friend stopped to think,
Then with a laugh, gave back Kevin’s drink.