I shouldn’t have gone running. I had seen the forecast. Rain. High winds. Why the fuck did I go anyway? I’m such a stupid girl sometimes.

Halfway up the trail, the sky had turned grey. The wind hit me like knives. Rain slammed into my face. I couldn’t see. I could barely breathe. The path vanished beneath mud and water. And then I saw the cave. That godforsaken cave. I quickly dove inside to seek shelter, thinking it would be safe. Oh god, was I wrong.

I immediately noticed the thick air. Strangely warm. Sour. My hand brushed the wall and came away covered in silk. I tried to step back, but my foot didn’t move. Before I knew it, threads were wrapping around my ankles, my legs, my chest… I screamed. I thrashed. But it was useless.

Then I saw it. So many legs. Too many. The creature was the size of a human, no, even bigger. I was lifted off the ground. Up, up, higher, dangling helplessly. Its black, glimmering eyes watching me with a sinister hunger. Gross hairy legs undressing me, touching my body… Its tongue, or whatever the fuck it was, it tasted me… And then… Oh god. It… It fucked me.

My fingers numb from tugging, but the web just doesn’t give. I’ve tried cutting it with my fingernails, ripping it with rocks, anything I could find. It’s so tight. So strong. And I know — I know — that thing will come back. Any second. I can feel it. Come on! Loosen! Break! Just… something! I can’t… I won’t… I have to get out… I can’t let it use me again like that!

Well, what can I say about spiders? 🕷️ They’re always a girl’s biggest fear, aren’t they? There’s just something about them that creeps me out: the way their hairy legs move, the sheer number of eyes staring from every angle… they’re probably the most alien beings on this planet. And when I was thinking about how to capture that feeling in my art, I knew the web 🕸️ had to play a big role. There’s something about the way webs make you stick, they add a whole extra dimension of tension and helplessness that really elevates the horror!

I also have to admit, I recently watched Infested 🎬, and damn, what a great horror movie! It totally inspired me to do an oversized spider creation that could make your skin crawl.
Honestly, making this one gave me chills in all the right ways, and I hope it will do the same for you! Wanna see an early sketch? Here you go.
Viley
Artist at VileLands