Like Clattering Feet

Arachnids maintain the remarkable ability of revolting many of those who see them. For years, psychologists have studied Arachnophobia with the hope of determining a root cause.

Some suggest that the fear of spiders remains evolutionary, in that poisonous spiders naturally led to a hereditary aversion from them. Others go as far as to suggest such a fear remains perfectly healthy, and allows individuals to avoid possibly dangerous and even deadly encounters with arachnids.

However, some Arachnophobics result to elaborate and often unnecessary means to avoid any and all contact with arachnids.

In fact, some Arachnophobics experience panic attacks by simply being in the same place as a spider. This poses a captivating question: If Arachnophobia is indeed hereditary and linked with human evolution, is the threat of a venomous bite the only mean to this end?

In other words, is there something else driving this fear, something much darker and incomprehensible? One little reported story out of California may hold the answer.

On July 19, 1995, the Sacramento Bee published a bizarre story near the back of the newspaper. The brief, four paragraph article was titled "Unusual Clues in Missing Family Case." According to the article, the Lamott family had disappeared after a brief vacation at Yosemite National Park just one week prior.

Family members reported the Lamott family missing on the evening of July 11, two days following their anticipated return.

The only evidence law enforcement officials gathered during investigations was a missing vehicle along side California State Route 140 near Bear Creek, later determined to belong to the Lamott's, and a witness statement.

The article states that analysis of the recovered vehicle, although revealing no signs of an internal struggle, exposed disturbing new details regarding the fate of the missing family.

Investigators discovered the presence of tiny bite marks on virtually every surface of the car, both internally and externally. The marks, according to the article, were determined to be completely identical to arachnids throughout the region.

The witness statement remains equally troubling.

The article states that Ms. Sandra Milton, a waitress at the Bear Creek Cafe located roughly two hundred yards from the site of the missing vehicle, remains the only witness in the entire investigation.

According to her statement, at approximately 11:15pm on the night of July 9, "The ground seemed to shake....and there was a sound like clattering feet coming from outside. It was deafening. It was everywhere."

Ms. Milton also stated that web completely covered the road and most of the surrounding foliage immediately following the incident.

The Lamott family was never found.