Zenitsu sprinted through the forest like a terrified child lost in a nightmare, his frantic screams echoing off the trees. His sandals slipped on the damp earth, his breathing ragged as webs brushed against his face and branches clawed at his haori. But no matter how far he ran, the spider demon's rasping laughter followed him like a curse.
"You're already losing, boy," the demon's voice hissed, eerily calm, distorted by the echo of many mouths speaking at once. "Your heartbeat… it's slowing. Your blood… it's already changing."
Zenitsu clamped his hands over his ears. "Shut up! SHUT UP! I don't want to hear it!" he screamed, darting between trees. His body ached, his lungs burned, but his terror gave him unnatural speed. Yet the voice persisted, whispering in his mind like poison.
"You can't run from it," the spider crooned mockingly. "It's already inside you."
Zenitsu stumbled, his foot catching on a root, and he tumbled forward. When he caught himself, his right hand scraped against the dirt—and he froze. His skin was mottled and swelling, veins darkening to an ugly purple.
He let out a shrill shriek, scrambling backward. "W-WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!"
The spider demon emerged again, dragging its grotesque body out from the mist, each leg making the ground tremble. "You were bitten earlier," it said, its fanged mouth splitting into a wide grin. "The venom is working its way through your body as we speak. Your flesh will rot, your bones will twist, and your beautiful, terrified face… will become just like mine."
"NO! NO! NO! I WON'T TURN INTO A SPIDER!" Zenitsu cried, clutching his arm and stumbling backward.
"Oh, but you will," the demon cooed with delight. "In thirty minutes, your mind will fade. You'll forget what it means to be human. You'll forget fear, pain, and even your name. You'll serve me—forever crawling, spinning, and waiting for me to feed you scraps. Doesn't that sound… comforting?"
Zenitsu's eyes went wide, tears streaking down his cheeks. "I—I don't want that! I don't want to die! I haven't even—haven't even kissed a girl yet!"
The demon's laughter shook the branches above. "Such pitiful desires. You'll forget all of them soon enough."
Panicking, Zenitsu turned and ran again, deeper into the forest. Behind him came the clicking, chittering sound of dozens of legs. Out from the mist crawled smaller spiders—human-headed, twitching abominations, their faces twisted in agony, some crying, others laughing mindlessly.
Zenitsu's heart nearly stopped. "STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" he wailed, leaping over roots and tearing through webs. His breath hitched with every step, his vision spinning.
"Running is futile," the spider demon sang. "You can't escape what's inside you."
"I ALREADY KNOW THAT!" Zenitsu yelled through tears, his voice cracking. He climbed up the nearest tree, clutching the trunk as tightly as he could. He pressed himself against the bark, shivering, his veins pulsing painfully beneath his skin.
Down below, the spider horde gathered, their eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
"Don't worry," the demon said softly, drawing closer, its fangs glistening. "Once your mind breaks, you won't remember fear. You won't remember being alone. You'll finally have a family—a hive to call your own."
Zenitsu squeezed his eyes shut, trembling. "I don't want your stupid family! I just… I just wanted to have friends who liked me… people who didn't leave me behind…" His voice cracked, the words spilling out like water from a broken dam. "Tanjiro… Inosuke… even Nezuko… none of them would miss me…"
The spider tilted its head, as if curious, then chuckled. "If loneliness hurts that much, boy, I can ease it. How about I give you a second dose? You'll transform faster—less pain that way. You'll thank me when it's over."
Zenitsu's eyes snapped open. His body was shaking uncontrollably, but his mind screamed against the idea. "No! Stay away from me!" he whimpered, hugging the tree tighter, his fingernails digging into the bark until they bled. "I don't want to die! I don't want to turn into one of you!"
The venom pulsed again in his veins, making his body convulse. His heartbeat pounded like thunder in his ears. The spiders below began to climb, the demon's laughter echoing through the forest, slow and rhythmic, like a predator savoring the hunt.
Zenitsu's world began to blur. His breaths came out shallow and fast, his thoughts spiraling into chaos. Somewhere in the haze of panic and pain, one clear thought flickered—Nezuko. Her gentle smile. Her soft eyes. Tanjiro's encouraging voice, telling him he could do it.
He clung to that image desperately, as though it were a lifeline.
"I-I won't die… not like this…" he murmured weakly. "Nezuko… Tanjiro… I'll… catch up…"
~~~