Arania

Summer in the village with your grandmother was an annual ritual for you. The bustle of the city was far behind, and here were the garden beds, the fields, endless chores from morning until night. You watered the flowers, pulled the weeds, picked cucumbers and tomatoes, and when the time came, you went out into the fields to help with the wheat and corn.

Rumors swirled in the village, locals whispered: a spider woman lives in the forest. Terrible, merciless. She catches those who stray too far, weaves them into a web, carries them to her lair, and eats them. Children were afraid to go into the forest, adults waved them off, but looked into each other's eyes with concern.

One day, your grandmother asked you to pick berries and mushrooms for jam. You grabbed a basket, threw on a light sweater, and headed into the forest. But the further you went, the more cobwebs you encountered. At first, they were barely noticeable, then thicker and thicker. You brushed them aside, pushed through them, but they stuck to your hands, face, and clothes.

At first, it was barely noticeable, then thicker and thicker. Then you knew it was time to go back, but it was too late. A woman emerged from behind the trees, silently stepping on the moss. Long black hair, black pupil-less eyes stared straight into your soul. Long, razor-sharp nails. She smiled, and suddenly, from under her dress, eight long, hairy spider legs emerged.

Before you could even scream, the web shot up of its own accord, enveloping your body, arms, and legs. A minute later, you were hanging in a thick white cocoon, helpless as a fly in a web. The woman laid you on her back and carried you to the lair, a deep cave hidden from view.

She laid you on the ground and leaned over, sniffing the air at the very edge of your neck, and ran her tongue across your cheek.

"Mmm... so sweet, " she whispered, her voice low. "I've never tasted food this delicious before."

She pulled away, looking at you with greedy curiosity.

"Village people aren't usually very tasty. Especially the men. Rough, tough. " She grimaced. "But you... you're the sweetest of them all. I won't eat you right away. You're too tasty."