[Beware the Spider's Thread]
Inspired by Takaki's solo 'Kumo no Ito'. One of those wtf moments in my writing life 8D;; Not sure if the title actually comes from the song or not since I do not have the lyrics on hand... ANYWAY
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His own heart was pounding against his chest so hard, Takaki was afraid it would give out on him every second. Leaping over a log, he tore through the forest as fast as he could, knowing he couldn’t stop for anything until he’d left the forest behind. Far behind.
He was panting heavily, his body screaming in protest after so much disuse. Brambles and branches caught on his legs, tearing his skin through his tattered clothing. It hurt, but fear outweighed the pain and so Takaki ran on, not daring to turn back. Even if he couldn’t hear anything past his heart and the way he crashed through the forest’s underbrush, he was sure that if he stopped and listened, he would hear the soft rustling of something gliding towards him.
He couldn’t stop. He couldn’t return to that place. He couldn’t return to her.
At that moment, Takaki tripped, stumbling over a tree root, crashing to the ground with a yelp. His knee cracked on a rock and pain flashed white hot through him, but he pushed through it, desperate as he scrambled to his feet again. He didn’t notice the silver thread that had wrapped his wrist in his haste to find the forest’s end.
Just as he was about to give up, a small glimmer of light danced at the edge of his vision. Even though his chest heaved from exhaustion, even though his legs ached and were covered with cuts and bruises, he headed towards the light.
That was it! Though he didn’t dare to hope as first, there was no mistaking the sunlight. Sunlight that was the edge of the forest’s eternal night. He had made it. The relief made him weak as he slowed but didn’t stop.
“You did well, Yuya.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, sweet and musical like chimes in the wind. But it was what he’d feared hearing the most.
Against his will, he turned to face her, horrified as he saw silvery strand after silvery strand on him, wrapped around his wrists and ankles. She smiled at him, lovely and terrible, and a thread wrapped itself around his neck.
She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, glorious in a sort of alien way, with arms and legs that weren’t quite human and of which she had too many and with eyes that glowed a lovely blue though they were pupil-less. The forest with its eternal light was her home and once she’d tricked him into following her.
She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen and she was who he hated and feared with all his heart.
“Yuya, why did you run from me?” she asked, walking towards him. More of her threads wrapped around him until silver ropes ran from him to her pretty little hand, glimmering like bits of moonlight. She stopped in front of him, reaching out to brush her fingertips over his cheek. “Weren’t you happy?”
When he didn’t answer, she reached for the silver rope that was wrapped around his neck.
“Weren’t you happy, Yuya?”
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Your turn, yararanger ♥!