Charlotte's Web - If Wilbur Loved Charlotte

Charlotte's Death

"Charlotte?" I whispered. The fair was empty now. It was silent, with just the occasional rustling of hay, and the scuttle of rat's feet. "Where are you?" I asked, slightly louder. Still no reply.

Then, there was a creak from the corner of the pen. "Wilbur..." Charlotte's voice was tiny and weak.

I crouched down to see her. "Charlotte, sing me a song, I can't - " I stopped talking.

Oh no. I felt a lump form in my throat.

Charlotte was lying on the ground, her eyes half-closed. There was little to no energy in her limbs and they hung lifelessly from her body. Beside her, there was a white sack. They were her eggs.

Charlotte was dying.

I knew that spiders had shorter life spans than pigs, but I never thought that day would come so soon. All I could think in my mind was: Not her. Please, not her.

"Can't... can't what, Wilbur?" She said, managing a smile. I couldn't understand why she was trying to cover it up. She had to rest, to do something that would save her!

Why now? Why her?

"Charlotte! What happened?" I asked stupidly. The words came out louder than I expected it to be and I heard the rustling from the pen next to mine. I looked around, desperate for help. But when I looked back, Charlotte's eyes were closed.

"Wake up! Wake up, Charlotte!" I shouted. I didn't care anymore. I was crying, shouting and crying again. I could feel the pigs in the other pens waking up from their sleep, but I didn't care. I loved Charlotte, I loved her so much. Ever since I came to the farm, she had been the only reason that I wanted to live. When Mr Huckle said that I would be killed next fall, I felt pain - not because I wanted to live, but because I never wanted to leave her - yet now, here we are. She's dying, and there was nothing I could do to save her.

"Wilbur..." her voice was trembling. Was she cold? "I have something to ask you..." I could feel her fading away.

"Anything, Charlotte, anything." I said, tasting my salty tears.

I leaned in closer to hear what she had to say. Her voice still sounded so gentle, so beautiful. Softly, she spoke, "Take care of my children... I trust you."

I nodded. My lip trembled. "Charlotte..."

"Hm?" She whispered. Her time was running out.

"I love you."

For a moment, she smiled. It was slight, but it was there. Then, it was gone. Any energy left in her faded away. Her eyes closed fully and her body relaxed.

And just like that, she was gone.

Gone. Forever. Charlotte.

I turned away. I tried to imagine that she was still alive, somewhere, reincarnated, maybe. I wanted to believe that her spirit was still alive: that our memories together were still with her, somehow.

Take care of my children. That was her last request. But even with the sac full of her children, I knew that there would be no one ever like her.