Chapter 20: Changes

Reacting on pure instinct, Barry swiftly swiped at the spider on his forearm, sending it hurtling through the air before it crashed to the ground with an audible thud.

For a brief moment, the spider's legs twitched in a futile attempt to move, a final vestige of life flickering within its tiny frame.

But soon after, its movements ceased altogether, and it lay motionless upon the ground, its once vibrant form now rendered still and lifeless.

The force of the impact appeared to have delivered a fatal blow to the spider, its demise sealed by the violent collision with the ground. 

However, Barry's attention was consumed by the sharp pain radiating from the bite on his arm, overshadowing any attention to the fate of the creature.

"That actually hurts"

Barry's expression contorted in surprise and discomfort as the unexpected intensity of the spider's bite seared through his arm. 

Grimacing, he instinctively reached for the bite mark, his fingers gently probing the tender skin in an attempt to alleviate the throbbing pain radiating from the wound.

'Luckily, this spider wasn't venomous... I think. No, I'm pretty sure of it'

A wave of relief washed over Barry as he recalled from his last visit to the museum that the spider, the triangular weaver was not venomous. 

Although relieved that he wasn't poisoned, Barry still winced as he felt the persistent ache radiating from the bite site. 

With a furrowed brow, he cast a glance downward at the lifeless arachnid lying on the ground.

Gazing down at the motionless spider, a pang of guilt tugged at Barry's conscience. Despite the unintended nature of its demise, he couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility for its untimely end.

"May you rest in peace"

Barry closed his eyes for a moment, offering a silent prayer for the departed spider, a gesture of respect for the fleeting life that had crossed his path. 

And as he reopened his eyes back, his gaze soon shifted to the vintage watch adorning his wrist, drawing his attention to the passage of time.

"It's about time I leave"

Muttering to himself, Barry turned away from the room, recognizing the increasing peril of lingering any longer. 

Each moment spent in this empty laboratory only heightened the likelihood of his exposure, urging him to decide that it was time to depart and evade potential scrutiny.

It was better to leave now anyway since there was nothing in this room, not even a speck of dust except for the spider, so it was pointless to stay.

Despite his initial purpose to take the spider with him after seeing it, Barry's sense of respect for the creature's life prevailed. 

The connection to his mother's research tugged at his heartstrings, but the spider's untimely demise rendered any such intentions moot.

It didn't feel right for him to desecrate its lifeless body, and so, with a heavy heart, Barry chose to leave the spider behind, honoring its memory in its final resting place.

Unbeknownst to Barry, as he departed the laboratory room, the lifeless spider sprawled on the floor began to undergo a remarkable transformation. 

Gradually, its form disintegrated into a fine powder of ashes, dissipating into the air as if carried away by an unseen force.

It was as if the creature had already fulfilled its purpose and completed its mission.

*****

[The Next Day...]

Knock! Knock!

Barry enveloped in peaceful slumber, was abruptly jolted awake by the insistent rap of a knock at his door. 

Groggily, he opened his eyes, the remnants of sleep clinging to him as he emitted a low groan of annoyance at the unwelcome disturbance.

"Barry! Your friends are here"

Aunt May's voice resounded through the other side of the door, accompanied by another firm knock, ensuring Barry could not ignore her reminders

"Yawn..."

Barry exhaustedly reached for his phone and glanced at the illuminated screen, revealing the time and date to be 7:00 am on a Sunday morning.

After a moment of absentminded contemplation, a spark of recollection ignited in Barry's mind as he finally remembered the plans he and the others had made to assist Cisco with his project today. 

"Right, I almost forgot..."

Barry rubbed his weary face in an attempt to dispel the lingering grogginess, his fingertips tracing the contours of exhaustion etched upon his features. 

With a slow and deliberate motion, he pushed himself upright, sitting up on his bed as he raised his arms overhead in a long, satisfying stretch as a deep yawn escaped his lips.

"That felt good"

As Barry rose to his feet, a curious sensation suddenly washed over him, an inexplicable feeling of slight elevation as if he had grown taller in that moment. 

However, he brushed off the sensation as a figment of his imagination, attributing it to the lingering haze of sleep. 

Resolutely, he made his way toward his closet as his mind had already shifted gears to the tasks awaiting him on this morning.

And as Barry rummaged through his closet, his hand settled upon a simple white shirt and as he exchanged it for his current one and began to don it, a peculiar realization dawned upon him. 

The shirt's fabric seemed to feel tighter against his skin and the sleeves shorter than he remembered.

"Hm?'

In a half-asleep haze, Barry just simply shrugged off the oddity of the tight shirt and removed it, tossing it aside as he delved back into his closet. 

His fingers brushed against the soft fabric of an oversized hoodie, and without much thought, he pulled it out and slipped it on. 

Strangely, the hoodie enveloped him perfectly, providing a comfortable fit that seemed almost tailor-made for him despite its size.

And unaware of the subtle changes in his physique, Barry tiredly trudged out of his room and into the living room, where he was met by the sight of his friends lounging on the couch, engaged in lively conversation.

"Hey"

As Barry greeted his friends, their attention shifted towards him, ready to reciprocate the gesture. 

However, as their gazes met his form, their responses faltered and their expressions morphed into a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

"What's wrong?"

Perplexed by his friends' reactions, Barry tilted his head to the side, his expression a mix of confusion and concern as he regarded them with furrowed brows. 

The bewilderment etched across their faces only deepened his own sense of puzzlement, leaving him to wonder what could possibly have elicited such a reaction from them.

At that moment, Aunt May entered the living room, gracefully carrying a tray adorned with chilled glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice when her steps suddenly faltered as she caught sight of Barry.

Following closely behind Aunt May was Uncle Ben, leisurely savoring his morning coffee. 

And as his gaze fell upon Barry, he too abruptly halted in his tracks as a startled expression crossed his face, causing him to nearly choke on his coffee.

"Can someone please tell me what is going on?"

A hushed silence fell over the room, each person frozen in stunned silence, unsure of how to react. 

It wasn't until Caitlin retrieved a small mirror from her bag and lifted it before Barry, revealing his own reflection in his eyes.

"...?"

Gazing intently at his reflection, Barry initially failed to discern anything out of the ordinary. 

However, as Caitlin adjusted the mirror slightly, allowing his full stature to be captured within its frame, Barry's eyes widened in realization. 

It was then, to his astonishment, that he finally noticed the dramatic increase in his height.

"What...?"

Barry rubbed his eyes in disbelief, a reflexive attempt to confirm the reality of what he had just witnessed.

If it were merely a typical growth spurt, the peculiar reactions from those around him might have been dismissed. However, this transformation went beyond mere ordinary growth as Barry had undergone a big change.

With his original height standing at a modest 167 cm, the sudden leap to a towering 185 cm overnight was nothing short of staggering. 

Naturally, such a dramatic change left everyone in a state of astonishment.

A normal person wouldn't grow significantly taller over the course of one night, and it typically changes gradually over time during the growth and development stages.

Yet, here he stood, defying common sense, towering over others to such an extent that it left Barry questioning whether this transformation heralded a positive change or a troubling development.