Woman of Spiders

THE RESCUE

The empty bottle is a momentary curiosity, but focus is on the knife.

"I just need a sample," the scientist implores.

No thought. Only action.

"Stay back! You don't know what she is!"

Impact. Momentum. Pain.

"Dammit," he shouts, quickly staggering away.

THE FACE

Her black hair is impossibly straight.

Her tan skin is without blemish.

Her flowing movement is precise.

Her unblinking eyes do not waver.

Her expression is blank, yet has a kindness.

She looks unreal.

THE HEAL

His wound, received on her behalf, dripped red before her eyes.

She raised a hand over it and sliced her own skin with unflinching grace.

A strange black flowed from her and knitted him together, stinging slightly at first, but soon there is no pain at all.

THE ACCOMPANY

He is at a loss.

"Thank you," he manages.

Her mouth moves into a momentary smile.

"I... I guess I'll go, then."

He walks past her, homeward and confused.

Glancing back, he finds her following him.

Uncertain about anything, he just continues.

THE EXPLORATION

Her eyes scanned every inch of his apartment.

She opened and closed all of his doors and drawers.

Even his toilet was inspected.

No contents were disturbed.

No one thing held her interest until her attention returned to him.

She watched and followed.

THE MEAL

Queries unanswered, he cooked for two.

She did not seem to chew, despite having teeth.

Something on the floor drew her attention.

She quickly snatched up a sizable roach, swallowed it, and then continued with what was on her plate.

He gasped in shock.

THE TV

She observed him conducting his daily routine on his computer, and then she sat with him as he watched television.

Experimentally, he switched between a wide variety of programs, to see if any would entice a reaction, but her expression never changed.

THE BEDTIME

"Um.... I have to work, tomorrow, so... I need to sleep."

She only stared at him.

"You can stay, if you like, but if you leave, please lock the door."

She remained silent.

"Okay.... I'll be in there.... Sleeping."

He felt her eyes until he closed the bedroom door.

THE DREAM

He'd never had such a dream.

Not the usual fiction, full of symbolism.

Instead, he watched fragments of his memories flash through his mind.

He began to notice a pattern of emotional distinction among them.

Joy. Sorrow. Sympathy. Fear. Courage. Desire. Disappointment.

THE PORN

He wondered if she was still there.

He took a breath before opening the bedroom door.

At his computer, her eyes fixated on one of his porn videos.

"Oh shit!"

He rushed to closed every program she had opened.

She stared at him, expressionless.

"I... have to go to work."

THE CONFRONTATION

"You must have realized she's not human," the scientist implored, quietly.

The surrounding customers heard nothing.

"I'm not trying to hurt her. I just want to know what she is. WHY she is."

The scientist pushed a business card across the table.

"Please."

The scientist left.

THE COOK

The last thing he expected was to find her cooking; nevermind a normal taste.

In the middle of their meal, he pushed the scientist's card across the table and recounted the events that transpired.

She stared closely at the card a moment, and then she continued eating.

THE APPETITE

He just watched in awe.

When the food was gone, she moved on to things that were questionable as food.

Bones. Eggshells. Baking soda.

And then things that were not food at all.

Burnt matches. Toothpaste. Coins.

He followed her outside, where small animals were consumed.

THE BED

When comfort was found in bed, he heard the door open and then close.

Faint light revealed her movement.

His heart pounded as she lay next to him.

He'd never shared a bed with a woman.

She rolled onto her side and placed a hand on his chest.

He calmed and drifted into sleep.

THE EROTIC

She cycles through combinations, as the dream progresses.

Height. Skin tone. Hair length, color and style.

He feels the joy of friendship.

He feels the romance of knowing her mind.

He feels the eroticism of knowing her body.

He feels the unity of knowing her entirely.

THE SLEEP

She did not awaken.

Her skin was warm, and she breathed

Even through her shirt, he should be able to hear a heartbeat, but there was none.

There was only a faint hum.

A constant, almost imperceptible vibration within her.

Was it his imagination, or did she seem... larger?

THE SHOPPING

After work, he went shopping.

He was almost afraid to return home.

What would he find?

Any shadow of doubt, that she was not human, was gone.

He imagined all manner of metamorphosing creatures, both real and fictional.

Both beautiful and terrifying.

THE WARD

Why was his door unlocked?

He rushed in, through to the bedroom, and froze.

What surprised him more: that she had doubled in size, like an inflated balloon, or that the scientist stood by with a portable defibrillator?

"It's okay," the scientist said. "It's almost time."

THE BIRTH

The back of her body and extremities split open, and then she got off the bed.

Her body returned to its original form, leaving behind a different female body, somehow fully clothed, and with an intubation tube in her throat.

The scientist rushed to action.

THE RESUSCITATION

Under instruction, he pumped the intubation bag, stopping only when the scientist shouted, "Clear!"

The body convulsed, and then the scientist checked for life signs.

Again, once and twice; his heart pounding.

The scientist paused, and then smiled.

"There is a heartbeat!"

THE AWAKENING

This new woman's eyes blinked open, adjusting to the light.

To his surprise, she behaved like a normal human.

Her face expressed discomfort. Her movement was not fluid.

As she slowly sat up, she let out a disapproving groan.

She walked to the strange woman and embraced her.

THE BEAUTY

She turned to him, smiling.

It began to register with him that he was seeing everything that he loved.

He gasped in a rush of emotion and disbelief.

Tears escaped him as he realized that every aspect of her was beautiful to him.

And then she spoke.

"She says, 'Thank you'."

THE DISBELIEF

"Are you real?" His fingers trembling against her cheeks.

"By every atom."

She held up her palm, and small amounts of the black spilled over both of their lips, and pooled together.

"You gave her a way, and a reason, to become fully human, after so many centuries."

THE MEMENTO

They decided to frame the scientist's business card and the email they found in the Sent folder.

"I am the woman of spiders.

Come at 4pm tomorrow.

Bring a defibrillator and an intubation bag.

The door will be unlocked.

If you help me, I will teach you."