Lucid Waking

Archive for May 30th, 2008

The Spider Monarch: Full Circle

            “This is ridiculous,” Dee said as she put the last of the children’s books she checked out of the library in her bag. “You can’t honestly think this will work.”
            Todd shrugged. “We’ll see. At least we can keep her company.”
            “She’s a giant spider, Todd. I hate spiders.”
            “What’s the worst she’ll do to us?”
            “The book didn’t say what they eat.”
            Todd rolled his eyes on continued down the path up towards the house. Dee sighed and ran after him trying to muster up her courage for the task at hand. The house pulled up into view, dilapidated and overgrown except for a new bright yellow sign in front. The letters were unmistakable in a large red word: Sold.
            “Better go home now,” Dee said. “We’ll be trespassing otherwise.”
            “Come on, let’s see if Arachne is home.”
            “And we’ll help her escape before the contractors come. Great idea.”
            Todd turned to look at her. “No, really. That’s a great idea!”
            Dee looked horrified. “What?” But she found herself following her cousin into the dusty house and into the dining room.
            “Arachne!” Todd called into the house. It echoed her name throughout the empty stairs. They waited in the silence and finally the door to the dining room from the kitchen opened and in slunk a dark-skinned girl with two black eyes. She was missing her shoes, but had gained a pair of sunglasses. There were two dark spots appearing on her temples, which she had tried to cover with a hat. She stepped forward and looked at them curiously.
            “This house is sold,” Todd said. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
            Arachne shook her head and pointed upstairs.
            “We know you need a closet,” Dee said, her voice shaking. “But you can’t stay here.”
            “We’ll find you another house,” Todd said smiling. “But you’ll be safer with us.”
            Arachne moved forward and then brushed past them towards the front door of the house. Dee followed quicker than Todd until they were outside. Arachne had already started for the woods at the back of the house.
            “Wait,” Dee called. Arachne stopped and turned over her shoulder.
            “You can read these,” Dee said handing the spider-girl the books.
            Arachne looked at them and smiling, pushed them away. She shook her head and patted Dee on the shoulder before running off into the forest.
            “I hope she’ll be ok,” Dee said.
            Todd laughed. “I’m sure she’ll survive.”
           
            Several years later, Dee received a package on her doorstep when she was visiting her mother. The package had no name on it, but was haphazardly wrapped and shoved into the door. She opened it up and saw a very sticky ball the size of a basketball in the corner of the wet cardboard box. She frowned slightly and then realizing what it was, taped the box shut and placed it in the corner of her old closet. She found the old photo album and Encyclopedia and put them on top of the box. She sighed and closed the door, leaving the sack and books for the next family of curious children to find them.