NaPoWriMo #3: scared yet?

Prompt for Day 3
Write about something that scares you. It could be tarantulas or your significant other cheating on you or an existential fear of the unknown so long as it unsettles you. Describe it in the most vivid language possible!

Centipede
Old boards creek and groan as I briskly
descend rickety steps to the basement,
armed with broom and dust rags.
Heaped piles of brick-a-brac crowd
every available surface. Mason jars
compete with two steam irons, a crock pot,
dishes, light bulbs and stacks of books.
I promised Mum I'd do a bit of cleaning;
busily begin tackling dusty jumble of a lifetime.
In a dark corner I spy dozens of silky sacks,
tap a clump, watch a cascade of baby spiders.
Delicate sticky webs catch against my face.
Then I see him, nocturnal ruler of all that is creepy.
Shrieking, I watch as he runs rapidly across the floor.
I scream again, louder, and he runs away, suddenly
veers back toward me. Summoning all my courage,
I pound his hundred legs to smithereens with a broken
tennis racket I find on a shelf. Panic attic averted.
















The old stairs creek and groan
as I quickly descend the rickety steps
to the basement, armed with
broom and dust rags.
It's like traveling back in time.
Heaped clutters of brick-a-brac
crowd every available surface.
A broken lamp competes with
two irons and a crock pot,
boxes of dishes, stacks of books,
mason jars and light bulbs.
I promised Mum I'd do a bit
of spring cleaning and
busily begin tackling the dusty
jumble of a lifetime.
Delicate sticky spider webs
catch against my face.
In a dark corner I spy dozens
of round silky sacks, tap a clump
and watch a cascade of baby spiders.
And then I see him, the nocturnal ruler
of all that is creepy and crawly.
Stifling a scream,
I watch as he runs rapidly
across the floor with great speed,
directly toward me. I scream again,
louder this time and he runs away,
then suddenly veers back toward me.
Summoning all my courage,
I pound his hundred legs to smitherines
with a broken tennis racket
I find on a shelf.
Panic attic averted.