Once upon a time, she cast her wishes
Into the air like feathers from an owl.
Like feathers from an owl, they twirled and blew
And who knows why the sky accepted them
And who knows for what purpose wishes drop
The air itself turned thicker, that she felt
But nothing else revealed itself: not yet.
And so she made her slow and careful way
Past the teller’s house, and through the door
All made of books, the substance of her life.
Beyond that first door, something felt awry,
As different as her mind from yesterday.
Something felt awry, yes, out of placement,
She’d have said, if she’d been thinking clearly,
But she wasn’t. Just echoes of wishes
Occupied her mind: they were pervasive.
It was enough to make her think, Turn back.
Turn back, she thought, but only in her head.
And as the path grew darker, she could feel
A weight upon her back. It grew and grew
Until she was convinced she’d have a stoop
Forever; that’s how heavy this weight seemed.
She reached the Tree of Shadows just in time
To feel a finger tapping on her cheek.
Another finger tapped her shoulder, then
A rhythmic pulsing clear upon her back.
And so of course she turned to find the cause.
“I take them back!” she said. “Yes, every wish.
“I take them all back: I will keep them all!”
And from her back, the golden spider laughed.
“It’s good for you that I am not a cheat,”
The spider said. “You get one chance at this,
“No more. Are we agreed?” The spider clicked,
Then spoke no more with words. The wind went low,
As if the wood itself listened in then.
A close escape! She knew she’d made a deal
And felt the oath fix tight into her heart.
No more idle wishes: she’d have to work
At that one, but she knew she’d make the rule,
And keep it, if she wanted to survive
In her own space and keep her sanity.
Notes & Credits:
The Golden Back Tattoo: Nefekalum, Embed, Gilded. Available at Necrotize!
The Night Blue Skin: Wyrd, Alva, in special fantasy tone Frozen. Available at Trick Or Treat Lane through the first of November!
The Stunning Spider-Dress: Oubliette, Arachne Dress, Onyx. Available at Trick Or Treat Lane through the first of November! (comes with the leg ribbons as part of the dress panty)
The Equally Stunning Spider-Necklace: Oubliette, Arachne Necklace. Available at Trick Or Treat Lane through the first of November!
The Ice Blue Crown: Eve, Valindra’s Crown, Black Ice
The Multicoloured Eyes: Petrichor, Jamus Eyes
The Spider-Shoes: Sheba, Willow Heels
The Neatly Coiffed Hair: Magika, Midnight
The Spider: Salt & Pepper, Web Crawler Spider Companion, Gold
Environment:
Location: Awenia Faerie
Book Forest bits & Bobs:
Sign: 8f8, Storyteller’s Burrow, Sign
Background Books: Multiple creators; IM Gwen Enchanted in world if you want to know more!
Book Path, Una, Book Path
Creepy Tree with musical instruments: HarshLands, Cursed Tree
Instruments:
Violin: UnKindness, The Unveiling Violin
Cello & Harp, DRD, Victorian Music Room, Cello, Harp
Tuba: MadPea Cursed Collection, Tuba
Owl: MoonAmore+Cureless, Owlsome Owl
Spiderwebs: DDD, Dewdrop Cobwbs
I wanted to write something about the fickleness of wishes, and I remembered Joan Osborne’s song Spiderweb. It worked with a lot of great Halloween items, and the Nefekalum Tattoo gave our spider the perfect portal from which to emerge.
Spiderweb — Joan Osborne
I dreamed about Ray Charles last night
And he could see just fine
Dreamed about Ray Charles last night
And he could see just fine you know
I asked him for a lullaby
He said “Honey I don’t sing no more”
No more no more no more
Ray don’t sing no more
He said “Since I got my eyesight back
my voice has just deserted me.
No ‘Georgia On My Mind’ no more
I stay in bed with MTV.”
Then Ray took his glasses off
And I could look inside his head
Flashing like a thunderstorm
I saw a shining spider web
Spider web
Spider web
Spider web
In Ray Charles’ head
I dreamed about Ray Charles last night
He took me flying in the air
Showed my own spider webs
Said, “Honey, you had best take care.
The world is made of spider webs
The threads are stuck to me and you
Be careful what you’re wishing for
‘Cause when you gain you just might lose”
You just might lose your
Spider web
Spider web
Spider web
What Ray Charles said
When you’re feelin’ lonely
When you’re hidin’ in your bed
Don’t forget your string of pearls
Don’t forget your spider web
When I go to sleep tonight
Don’t let me dream of brother Ray
No, no, no, don’t
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he sees
Just like him best the other way
Spider web
Spider web
Spider web
What Ray Charles said
In Ray Charles head
All I got’s my spider web
Keepin’ me alive
c’mon Ray
Three Twisted Knots 
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