Short Stories

Jorōgumo.

This is for a challenge in the group I'm in.

-OyaOyaOya- here is my entry.

Story word count: 1,643 (this is without introductions, the background, and my closing)

Basic Background.

The Jorōgumo. The Jorōgumo is a half-woman half-spider. Or in another version a spider who can shape shift into a beautiful woman. This creature is from Japanese folklore.

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Alone sat a man in his room.

Out in a cabin far in the woods.

He sat and he moped as he was forever alone.

His name is Akuji.

He has no last name as his parents abandoned him when he was young.

The name he has is one of malice, he had been named a crime.

His story is sad, but happy in ways.

He found love, even if from a terrible place.

Not what you're thinking.

It's not the same.

He found love in his own way.

A priest had once said the child would be no good.

Giving him the name of what stood.

Akuji found love where he should not.

It cost him his family, it cost him a lot.

When Akuji was six he decided to go out into the woods to play. He came across a creek and wanted to find where it came from.

He walked alongside the stream occasionally tripping on rocks or roots, scuffing his already dirty boots.

The sound of rushing water filled his ears as he got closer to a clearing.

Upon walking into the clearing he was greeted by a small waterfall coming of a short cliff from the mountain.

The water was a clear crisp blue with yellow flowers surrounding its edges.

But that's not what had caught his attention.

No, it was a woman. A woman who was crouched at the side of the pond smelling the peculiar yellow flowers.

She greatly contrasted with the world around her. She had long black hair that reached her hips, a loose fitted black dress with translucent sleeves to go with it.

She was extremely pale and slim. She almost looked sickly. The only thing that went with her surroundings were her bright blue eyes that matched the sky.

While the young Akuji was lost in thought the woman had noticed him.

“Dear child of darkness are you lost?” Said woman smiled up at him.

‘Child of darkness what does that mean?’ The thought crossed Akuji’s mind but he paid it little attention.

“No ma'am I am not. My house is downstream, what about you? Why are you here?” He questioned.

“For you dear boy. Your parents ignore you and fear your presence. One day you will understand me, but for now I am here to keep you company.” Her words were like rhymes, proper and sounding like riddles.

Akuji, a naive six year old boy, whose innocence had yet to be tainted, was happy he had a companion, someone to talk to in his sea of loneliness.

“Wanna play Miss?” Akuji’s excited voice rang out.