The Woods in the Preserve, Friday Afternoon

[hollowed_queen]

Karla could sense new people on the island; new minds brimming with life and vitality. Slow, stupid minds that hadn't yet grasped the horrors that were waiting for them in the dark. What a pity. Soon so many of them would die, prey for the predators on the island. As one of those predators, Karla smiled--with her real face, not the soft, fleshy one

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[trulyshelved]

Allu-Nika wasn't much of an insect, though they were even tinier than Karla's usual prey. But they were much the same, while also not being anything alike, so Allu-Nika wasn't worried about being eaten--as if anything could eat them!--when they wandered into Karla's area, giggling a two-toned hello.

Wasn't it fun? Wasn't this great? New people, old people, good mornings and good nights!

[hollowed_queen]

Karla crawled out of her cave at that giggle, leaving most of her abdomen inside. She wouldn't say she liked Allu-Nika--she wouldn't say she liked anybody she couldn't eat--but something about the tiny doll reminded her of home and a time when she had only two arms and babies to cradle in them.

Sometimes those memories made her want to bite off the little doll's heads. Other times, like now, when the prospect of gorging herself on new flesh pleased her, she enjoyed the visits.

"Hello, little one," Karla said with a smile. "Found any new playmates yet?"

[trulyshelved]

Exuberantly, they waved a feather at Karla, gesturing wildly with it. It was a present, see? See? A playmate had given it to them!

Then they mimed a kick--that sent them spinning around in the air, much to their delight--and giggled more.

Yesterday had been a good day, even if they'd gotten the order of events wrong.

They drifted closer, offering Karla the feather to inspect. Pretty, wasn't it?

[hollowed_queen]

With a patience that came from clinging to a web for hours, waiting for her prey to fall, Karla leaned down to examine the feather. "A truly fascinating find," she said gravely. Brushing it across her lips, she grinned and this time, it was not a pleasant sight. "It still feels warm," she murmured. "Someone living gave this to you. You should bring them here to me. Introduce me to your new friend."

They could still play with what was left! Promise!

[trulyshelved]

Victory! Victory was theirs! They were going to get their feather back!

Allu-Nika was still suppressing their giggles as they made their way through the preserve, making a big point of hiding and a show of listening carefully. To Karla, in Karla's den they'd rung the happy sound of tiny little bells since Karla would know what that meant.

And hopefully she wouldn't show until the girl, Ringo, was closer to the den, closer to one of the big, sticky webs.

Allu-Nika hid behind another tree, peering around it, then looked back at Ringo to make sure she was still there.

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo was moving slower and slower as they got deeper in among the trees. "Um," she said quietly, "are you sure that there's someone out here who needs help?"

[trulyshelved]

Karla needed help! She was hungry!

They waved for Ringo to be silent, gesturing wildly even as they nodded, making the crying faces again.

They were almost there! So close!

[soniaroadsqueen]

Except Ringo's movements were almost a crawl now. "This, um, this doesn't feel right," she muttered, more to herself than to anyone in particular, but still loud enough to be heard.