Until Forever (1st draft)

Part the Twenty-Second

Geneva's initial reaction to regaining consciousness was panic. The sheer terror that had forced her body to shut down was the first thing on her mind when she awoke. She scrambled to her feet, realizing that she was no longer stuck to the spider web, and was about to sprint away until she saw that the webbing was still all around her. Thick mats of it formed walls between trees, and as she rotated her head the light revealed solitary strands crisscrossing everywhere. A soft, feminine voice came to her.

"You are not in any danger."

Geneva's head pivoted back and forth like an owl trying to locate the source of the sound.

"I do not wish to harm you," the voice continued. "You were frightened by my appearance so I have moved out of view."

"I...I just want to go," Geneva said quietly. She didn't want to sound confrontational; she didn't want to be loud enough for the monsterous spider to hear her. "Please. Can you help me get out of here? There's a...there's a giant...spider!"

The voice laughed.

"No seriously," Geneva said with a bit more animation. She wanted to get out of here. Now.

"Child, I am the spider," the voice informed her.

"W-what?"

"My name is Cloya."

"You're Cloya the Spinner?" Geneva asked incredulously.

"Yes. You know of me? I certainly know of you."

"I...really I just want to go. Will you let me leave?"

"I am not preventing you from leaving," the voice said.

"But there are so many webs," Geneva said, her voice cracking because of an involuntary nervous swallow in the middle of her sentence. "I don't know how to get out. Will you show me the way?"

"Will I show you the way?" the voice asked. And then there was movement. Geneva didn't notice any vibration in the webbing, didn't see any of the strands bend or sway, but from the corner of her eye she caught movement. She turned and the giant spider slowly came into view. Four pairs of legs moved at a controlled pace, careful not to startle the girl. The arachnid only came close enough to be seen, then the legs bent and it lowered itself to a position of rest. The abdomen was the biggest part of the body, looming high over the cephalothorax in the front where the wagging pedipalp unnerved Geneva.

"oh...God..." Geneva gasped.

"Why do you fear me?" Cloya asked. "I told you that I do not wish to harm you."

"Well...you're...a spider." Geneva didn't want to insult or anger the creature.

"True. And spiders are predators."

"Exactly," Geneva agreed. She wasn't sure she liked where the conversation was going.

"And yet, aren't humans predators as well?"

"Uhm..." Geneva wasn't sure how to respond.

"Please sit. Rest."

"If it's all the same, I'd rather stand."

"In case you need to run? But you said yourself, the webs are too many. You would not know how to get out. If I wanted to feed on you, I would have already."

Geneva sat down, still terrified. Even a reassuring feminine voice didn't make a giant spider more appealing.

"How do you know of me?" Cloya asked.

"Steekbunk Lowbone told me about you."

"Steekbunk Lowbone is a wonderful soul," Cloya said affectionately. "It is very good that he found you. He can help you fulfill your destiny."