So very glad these boys are OK.
In the small Bolivian town of Chayanta, three brothers encountered a black and red spider - the poisonous black widow. Unaware of the danger the boys poked it with a stick, wanting to get bitten like their favorite superhero, Spiderman. How realistic can a comic book story get?
With the black widow not being a radioactive creature nor anything like the comic book version, the 8, 10, and 12-year-old boys experienced muscle pains, fevers, and tremors. After helping one another get bitten and crying until their mom found them, they were rushed to a nearby health center.
Innocent make-believe playing -- with almost deadly results.
Here's the full story:
https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/25877/20200530/three-boys-hoping-gain-spidermans-powers-help-each-bitten-poisonous-black-widow.htm
(and more: https://www.sciencealert.com/young-boys-provoked-a-back-widow-spider-into-biting-them-hoping-to-gain-superpowers)
They were very, very fortunate.
Black widow spiders, just a little bigger than a regular paper clip, are notorious for their venom. A fatal bite contains poison 15 times stronger than found in rattlesnakes. Symptoms that follow include nausea, muscle aches, and diaphragm paralysis, making breathing difficult for the victim.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt