giovedì 31 marzo 2022

Scheherazade’s spider

Welcome to the Spot Writers. This month’s prompt is to write something that includes a spider—either real, mentioned, or metaphorical.

This week’s contribution comes from Chiara De Giorgi. Chiara is currently in Berlin, Germany, doing her best to catch up with semi-abandoned writing projects. Her YA novel “Mi chiamo Elisa” was published in Italy by “Le Mezzelane Casa Editrice” in September 2020. Coming soon, a children’s book about Quantum Theory: “Chiara e il gatto di Schrödinger”.

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 Scheherazade’s spider

by Chiara De Giorgi

 

https://pixabay.com/images/id-6690932/

Scheherazade raised a hand and shielded her eyes from the sun to take a closer look at the fine web a spider was spinning in the corner of the window. Against the deep blue sky, she watched in fascination as the intricate pattern of wafer-thin, almost transparent threads unfolded beneath the spider’s skilful little legs.

“Aren’t you the most talented weaver in the kingdom?” she muttered.

“Most likely”, agreed the spider.

The girl gasped.

“Who spoke?”

“It’s me, the most talented weaver in the kingdom. You asked a question, and I replied. It’s called common courtesy.”

“That’s impossible. Who’s out there?” Scheherazade called.

When no one answered, she took a peek out her chamber’s door but saw no one. She turned to the spider.

“You talk?”

“Among other things”, it said. Its busy little legs had not paused for a moment and the web was growing bigger.

She decided to be amused and sat by the window.

“So, tell me”, she said. “What ‘other things’ do you do?”

“Oh, a bit of this, a bit of that, you know.”

Scheherazade laughed.

“No. No, I don’t know. Tell me! Please!”

“Okay. I spend a lot of time spinning my web, obviously. Look at it: isn’t it perfect? Isn’t it the most marvellous thing you’ve ever seen? So delicate, and yet so strong. So precious, and yet so lethal.”

“It truly is marvellous”, the girl conceded easily. “What else?”

“Of course, before I do that, I need to pick the right spot, which takes a lot of study. But if I do everything well, after I’m done, I can just sit and wait. It pays to be patient.”

“Isn’t that boring? I mean, the sitting and waiting must be.”

“Oh, I have ways to fill my time, don’t worry.”

“I don’t. I wish you told me what you do to fill your time. Sometimes I get bored, and I really hate that.”

“I will tell you what I do. I tell myself stories, that’s what I do.”

Scheherazade was surprised.

“Stories? What stories?”

“Adventurous stories. Sad stories. Funny stories. Romantic stories. Spooky stories. Dreamy stories. Lucky stories. Any kind of stories. I tell them all.”

“How do you know so many stories?”

“I don’t. I make them up as I go. Every story I tell gives me the inspiration for the next one. I can go on forever.”

The girl sat silently for a while, pondering. An idea was growing in her mind.

“Tell me, little spider. How many stories have you told yourself?”

“Today I am going to tell my one thousand and first story. Want to hear it?”

“You bet. I want to hear them all.”

 

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The Spot Writers—Our Members:

Val Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com

Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

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