The Web Forms One
Photo by Michael Behrens on Unsplash
Rising
Hidden behind a curtain of leaves, a cave within its small chamber, the lake vibrated. The dirt shifted, and a hand shot up from the ground.
Another hand rose, tossing the earth aside for a woman to emerge. Her long brown hair covered the top of her body as she dragged herself to the water. She brushed her hair aside to stare at her reflection.
Her black eye shined as she touched her fair skin. “I’m human.”
“I look horrible.”
A voice spoke in her mind.
“Who?”
Before she knew it, her hands splashed water on her face and she started washing off the dirt.
“What am I doing right now?”
“Cleaning,” said the inner voice. I can not go out looking like this.”
She splashed water on her chest. The water showed a scar over her heart. A memory of a man with a stoned expression. He held the hilt of a sword close to her breast as the steel blade was within her.
The inner voice howled with laughter and despair. “He killed me…He killed me. He truly killed me!”
She covered her ears, but it was pointless. When the voice calmed, it asked. “What happened to me, and who are you?”
Saku and Kumo
“Me.” She didn’t know how to explain it, but as she thought a little more, the words soon came naturally. “I had what you would say eight legs. I consumed insects and sometimes small birds. ”
“A Kumo?”
“Is that what you would call me? “
Her legs grew longer and thinner, and her abdomen became heavy. The water showed a being that was both human and a spider.
“You… You are a Jorōgumo!”
She smiled. “We are!”
“Did you take over my body after I died?”
She spun around to admire the change. “That seems to be the case. Do you wish for it back?”
No. But I feel there is something I must do.” An image appeared in her mind but in pieces.
“Why can I not remember?”
“Can you remember your name? ”
“I am Sakurason. And you would be?”
“Kumo will do.” She looked at the cave entrance. “We should go outside.”
“I can not go out like this! Fix your kimono!”
Musumi
“Saku! Saku!”
A gentle but worried voice called to them. They remembered a young woman with kind eyes and a bright smile.
“Musumi!” they said together.
“I need to warn Musumi!” She ran to the mouth of the cave before stopping herself.
“I thought you did not want to leave like this.”
“I need to warn her about Toshiyuki! He…He…”
Kumo may not understand what was happening, but as the two were one being, so were their problems. She looked around the cave. I have an idea, but you will not be pleased.”
Musumi followed a cry for help and found Saku covered in dirt and mud on the ground.
“Sakurason!” She ran to her. “What happened?”
She stared at the young woman in a daze. “Do I know you?”
