,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,The Orb Weaver spider can live up to a year.
They are relatively harmless to humans and can take care of many annoying bugs that humans hate to deal with, such as flies, mosquitos, and gnats.
They have even been known to keep bees and hornets at bay on occasion!
However, the life of an Orb Weaver is a dangerous one as humans are typically scared of their size and birds can spot them from far off.
[[Can you survive as an Orb Weaver?]]After being born, you make a parachute from your web and let the warm air carry you to your new home in the night.
A bat narrowly misses you as you fly through the air.
You know some of the others were not as lucky.
You land on the concrete deck of a human log cabin, barely missing the pool.
Quickly, you scurry across, trying to find your way to high ground.
[[Head up the nearest deck side rails]]
[[Head towards the fire pit]]
[[Make your way to the cabin]]
[[Go up the nearest tree]]The side rail was close so getting to it was quick and no birds ate you.
Climbing up the rail you notice there is a gap at the top.
Not great for a big web but you should be able to catch some food if you make a web there.
[[Place web on railing]]
[[Continue looking]]You make it to the fire pit.
There is a [[retaining wall]] behind it, the [[cabin]] to the right, and an [[outdoor bar]] to the left.It takes a while to cross the rock garden and reach the cabin, but you made good time and are alive.
You head up the wall and notice a light in the corner of the roof.
Farther up you can see the peak of the second story roof but there is no light to draw bugs in quickly.
To the right, you see a second story balcony which has a light in the corner of the roof.
[[Claim the first light next to you]]
[[Head up to the peak]]
[[Make your way to the balcony]]You notice as you get to the tree that it is not a tree.
You mistook a log beam for a tree.
[[Head up the Beam]]
[[Continue looking]] Not wanting to go back out in the open, you place your web in the small gap on the railing and [[hope for the best ->Time gap 1]].You have an okay look of the area from your current position.
Which way shall you go?
[[Head towards the fire pit]]
[[Make your way to the cabin]]There is a low roof above the retaining wall that you are able build a web off of and [[start your life ->Time gap 1]].There is a nice gap from the roof of the outdoor bar to the pool maintenece area, that is fenced in, where you can [[build a nice large web ->Time gap 2]] while still being partially secluded by a tree in the rock garden.
You could also cross the gap to the cabin which has a light on the corner of the roof to lure in [[lots of bugs ->Bird Death]]!Thinking that the cabin is the better high ground, you change course and begin to head over the [[rock garden ->Bird Death]].You decide that this first light is a good spot and build your web next to the light.
Immediately you catch a bug and know you have a [[good home ->Time gap 2]].You make it up to the top of the cabin safely and make your web in the underside of the roof peak.
Comfortable that birds won't see you under the roof lip and that you are up nice and high, you take comfort that you should live well in your [[new home ->Time gap 3]].Thinking that it may be dangerous to head up to the peak, you head to the balcony.
Another orb weaver has taken residence on the balcony door but the light is wide open so you build your web next to it.
You immediately catch a bug and enjoy your first meal in your [[new home ->Time gap 3]].The top of the beam holds a balcony.
You make a web on the underside of the balcony, attached to the beam.
There is no light to attract bugs but it is still a good distance off of the ground and you feel it is [[good enough ->Time gap 2]].Suddenly a bird beak crashes into your body.
The bird carries you up to its nest where you are torn apart by baby birds.
You died...
[[Try again? ->Can you survive as an Orb Weaver?]] A couple of weeks have passed and you have [[survived ->Human Arrival 1]].
You have an okay amount of food, and drink the dew that has collected on your web at night, before tearing it down during the day when you sleep.A couple more weeks have passed and while you are still alive, it has been rough.
You get food but are starting to think another location might be better.
You decide to leave your web and that tonight you will move.
Just as you are starting to fall asleep, you hear [[voices ->Humans 1]]...A couple of weeks have passed and you have [[Thrived ->Human Arrival 2]]!
You have a good amount of food, and drink the dew that has collected on your web at night, before tearing it down during the day when you sleep.A couple more weeks have passed.
Life is good.
You have now grown to be quite large.
Just as you are starting to fall asleep for the day, you hear [[voices ->Humans 2]]...A couple of weeks have passed and you have [[Thrived ->Human Arrival 3]]!
You have an amazing amount of food, and drink the dew that has collected on your web at night, before tearing it down during the day when you sleep.A couple months have passed now.
Life is good and so is the food.
You have now grown to be quite large and don't need to eat everything you catch.
In fact there are times when you don't even put up your web now.
Just as you are starting to fall asleep, you hear [[voices ->Humans 3]]...Zach: "...Don't be a baby, it's not like you died."
Carol: "Well, maybe if you didn't drive like a lunatic down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere that could be filled with serial killers in the forest, I would feel a little more comfortable being forced to spend time with you!"
Tiffany: "Like, You suggested the trip to mom and dad!"
Carol: "That's just because the pictures were pretty and they paid for it!" she twirled her hair.
Zach: "It doesn't matter anymore, we're here already and I am going to get in the pool as soon as I bring in my luggage."
Tiffany: "You will grab ours too, right?"
Zach: "I'm literally in Hell...No I'm not your boyfriend."
Carol and Tiffany in unison: "ugh... fine!"
This place must be a rental because the only other human you have seen up to this point is the pool maintenance man and he never bothers you. Just as you are about to go to sleep the short one (Carol) screams;
Carol: "Ew, get it off of me! I walked through a spider web!"
Tiffany: "no, no, no, Zach, you HAVE to get rid of them. I will not be able to sleep until they are all, like, dead!"
Zach: "Fine, I will take care of them after I bring in my suitcase."
Looks like things might get dangerous. What will you do?
[[Stay in place and try to hide]]
[[Move like planned, just right now]]Thinking you are safely tucked into the sign, you stay where you are, choosing to move at night.
Suddenly, you are knocked out of your spot by a piece of cardboard and quickly stepped on.
Your guts smeared across the ground.
You are dead...
[[Try again? ->Can you survive as an Orb Weaver?]]Deciding that it is best to get to safety, you move
[[now ->Move to a new home]]
[[in a couple of minutes ->outdoor bar]]As you move out you are spotted by Tiffany who screams.
Carol: "Freaking crap Tiff, get over yourself, its a bug."
Carol grabs her shoe and swats you with it.
Your guts are smeared across the ground.
You are dead...
[[Try again? ->Can you survive as an Orb Weaver?]]Bob: "AAAA-CHOOO!!!"
Ester: "Oh baby, are you going to be okay?"
Bob: "Yeah, I just need to take my meds and I'll be fine."
People Don't come by often but when they do, they are not fond of your webs.
It might be time to get [[careful ->Take Care]].Kalei: "Hey lil' melon, check out how sweet this place is!"
Malo: "Daaad, Please don't call me lil' melon, I'm not a little kid anymore."
Kalei: "Sorry, old habits, but look at this place! Lets drop off our bags and hop in the pool."
Malo: "..."
Kalei: "c'mon, if you don't hurry I might do a cannonball all over you!"
Malo: "Okay, okay, let me save my game and put it away first."
Kalei: "That's my lil' hoaloha"
So far you have been pretty safe up this high so you are not too worried but you stay awake [[just in case]].Ester: "It was so nice of your mother to take the kids for us."
Bob: "It really was, I can't wait to get settled down and watch the birds out here."
Ester: Lets a long drawn out and gentle, "Noooooo, lets get in the pool!"
Bob: "You know I'm not going to do that."
Ester: "It's only five feet deep, you won't drown."
Bob: "Yeah, no."
Ester: "Alright, well I am going to catch up on some videos and take a dip."
Bob: "Alright, you have fun with your goat screams you goof ball."
Ester: "They are so cute! Oh hon, the owner said there may be spiders on the outside of the cabin, can you do a quick sweep?"
Bob: "I guess... They won't bother us and they will keep the bugs away though."
Ester: "They just creep me out."
Bob: "[[Alright]]."Deciding that it is best to get to safety, you move.
[[Head to the firepit]]
[[Follow the deck around the pool]]You head to the fire pit as it is the closest area with hiding places.
The stones and bricks are nice and warm this time of day.
You decide that it will be best to stay safe in the cracks of the warm stones of the [[fire pit]].Following the edge of the deck was super scary, being in the open and close to the pool, but you made it across safely.
Not wanting to take any more chances you head up the nearest beam attached to the cabin.
This beam holds up the balcony to the second floor.
Under the balcony is nice and dark but you notice there is also a light farther up attached to the corner of the roof.
[[Stay under the balcony]]
[[Head towards the light ->Make your way to the balcony]] You make a web on the underside of the balcony, attached to the beam.
There is no light to attract bugs but it is still a good distance off of the ground and you feel it is [[good enough ->The Broom]].You wake up after a short nap to some pain in your legs.
You try to move but are [[stuck in place...]]The humans started the fire while you were asleep and you didn't notice because your hiding place was already warm.
The fire warmed up the stones until you melted in place to it.
You watch in terror as the hair on your legs and body curl from the heat, your skin starts to boil and your abdomen explodes from the compressed heat within...
You are dead...
[[Try again? ->Can you survive as an Orb Weaver?]]About an hour passes and the coast looks clear so you settle in to sleep until dark.
Bob: "Got another one"
Before you realized whats going on, you are engulfed in darkness.
Bob: "I'll drop it off the balcony with the others"
You attach a web to the cup as you are dropped out of it but Bob breaks your web and you plummet 30 feet to the ground below the deck.
No big deal. The fall didn't hurt and you are safely away from the humans so you prepare to find a [[new home ->Bird Death]].Kalei: "Whoa, There is some big spiders here. Check out that one up there!"
*Kalei points up at you and your web.*
Kalei: "We should collect them for Monty"
Well, that doesn't sound too good so you resign yourself to moving before they get up to you.
Malo: "No dad, monty is just fine eating his mice, plus that is a member of Araneidae, or more commonly known as orb weavers. It will not hurt us and it will keep the mosquitos and flies at bay."
Kalei: "Alright mister smarty pants, I will leave it alone but if it starts crawling all over me, my instincts may kick in."
You decide you like this kid and [[go to sleep]].Several more months have passed and you have lived a good life.
Your body needs no more nutrients and you haven't put up a web in days.
Even water hasn't been something you really sought out since yesterday.
You are tired and happy to go [[back to sleep]].This time, you never awaken.
You had some close calls but you made a good life for yourself and survived through the seasons, birds, and humans.
Congratulations!!! You lived a good life and died peacefully in your sleep. That is not something a lot of spiders get to claim.
[[Play again? ->Can you survive as an Orb Weaver?]]