Creative Writing Bolton Manchester GCSE English tuition : ”Cobwebs”.

( I started this last summer drinking coffee and watching an ambitious spider. I know in the back of my head lurks Mansfield’s brilliant, yet miserable late story‘ The Fly’. This is a light tale, though I can feel the tale moving towards some Highsmith complicity or even collusion. We’ll see. ) 

 

Cal felt the day’s disappointment settling in around her knees like sediment.   Perhaps settling  wasn’t the right word. Too cosy.  No, she felt dragged down. Stolid.   Yesterday she was practically soaring.  Today her bones reminded her of her Aunt’s damp front room where visitors were only allowed  as a treat.
The sky looked sad too. Full of catarrh. And now here she was sat  outside The Patio,  waiting for Jim Taylor. Waiting for the ambush.
A waitress approached her without  pen or paper.
”Just  a few minutes. I’m   waiting for someone”.  Evidently no one else wished to sit outside. She was alone which suited her. All the staff stood inside apart from the waitress  who looked like a student.
Cal checked her phone.  Only a text about her electrical problem. The air outside tasted slightly of diesel fumes.  Fumes  would annoy Jim but she didn’t care. Christmas was two weeks away. Yo ho ho.

Cal uncrossed her legs and checked her phone again. Nothing.
The waitress hovered in front of her. Then she  made a strange, gallant gesture in the air and smiled at Cal who laughed without quite knowing why.  Such a set of white teeth;  such a wide mouth. Cal felt like an alien visiting the earth .

 

‘A moment more please,’ said Cal. She couldn’t choose. Where was her enthusiasm today? Gone on a   bloody vacation.Did she ever learn?  She doubted it. Other people turned  to turn to sepia when this mood took her. She rearranged her rings on both hands. Dead Sepia ornaments.  Even her dashing waitress   looked   grey. But then as she watched her,  the waitress  smiled at Cal and her blouse turned scarlet and her eyes turned blue.

Cal altered her gaze. She realized she had been staring and whatever happened, she had no wish to be rude.
At least, the yard  held its own counsel.   The huge crate that  housed an enormous jungle  plant and creeper,  also housed the district’s stray spiders. Tangled webs spread themselves over the leaves and stems. Two full webs hung down from the top of the creeper like  strands of striated glass  in the sunshine. Spells wove about their patterns. As she watched even her  disappointment diluted. Cal watched  their live art show.  Each of the spiders were vying with each other to dazzle the world.
”You like your shelter,” said Cal aloud.
The highest spider remained still, and did not reply. The spider was  evidently considering his next move. His accomplishment ate up the  sunshine and blinded unsuspecting insects to the fatal danger hanging so beautifully from the top leaves. Southern spiders with gothic intentions thought Cal and smiled.
Cal waved to the waitress. ”Please, could I have a pot of tea for two? My friend is late”.
”Of course.”
The spider with the largest body inched along the web nearer to Cal. Now pin black Eyes fixed upon her.
”You are a fine looking creature, ”said Cal to the spider. ”An assassin too. ” She used a low voice so not to attract attention. This was private.
The waitress was back with tea. She had changed her top.
”Given up on the red then?” said Cal.
”Sorry? Oh. Custarrrarrrd,” said the girl and smiled.
”Custarrrrd?”  repeated Cal.”You’re not from this town are you?”
”Oh no. I am not from this town or that town or even that town. No. Custarrrrd gives me away I think?”
”You’re teasing me, ”said Cal.
”And now you’re intrigued I think. Success.”
”Success?  So you wanted me to wonder about you and…”
”My origins”.
”Yes. Your whereabouts….”
”I’m here.  And so is your tea and excuse me, your friend whom you have been waiting for such a time has arrived all ready for some nice English tea”.

‘He’s not really my friend,’  said Cal for some reason .
”Sorry, Cal, ”said a deep nasal voice.  Jim had arrived.
”Not a problem” said Cal telling the truth.
The waitress had returned to her position by the french windows. A tall man came in with a newspaper and sat down on the table near to Cal’s.
For no reason she could think of Cal was intensely aware of the waitress standing at her back whilst she took the order.
”How are you?” asked Jim smiling at Cal whilst looking around the cafe.
”Me? Oh I’m fine”, said Cal.
Jim was recounting a tale of a triumph at work. He looked fresh from the shower. Spice scent wafted across the table and he kept touching her arm.
The waitress appeared with something she had not ordered.
”Compliments of the house. A festive carrot cake”.
”Thankyou ”said  Cal.
”Nice looking girl -the waitress”  said Jim in his nasal voice.
”Yes” said cal.
”In another life” winked Jim.
The girl came back and now stood to the side of cal.
”The spiders are busy today ?” said Cal.
”They are our resident artists ”said the girl.
Spirals of silver seemed to bring the leaves into the icy sunshine as if the spider was a priestess offering up the leaves in homage to some deity. You are a conjurer said Cal to the  spider in her head.

‘They do like their tricks ‘ said the waitress and touched Cal lightly on her shoulder. ‘My favourite is the small one who learns from the larger one. Spiders are wise. ”

” I think you are right said Jim agreeably and asked the girl for some more cake.

”But of course and for you Cal ?” asked the girl and once again touched Cal’s shoulder.

”You know each other? ” said Jim.

”We both like spiders” said the waitress and walked off in search of cake.

”But  they are not alone” said the girl. ”You see spiders weave together as one”
”One’ said Cal. ”But they are many.”
”They understand each other ”said the girl.
”Rot” said Jim. ”They’re creepy crawlies. I’m here for three days. Business demands I get to grips with all outstanding contracts. But I do have time. ”Jim smiled warmly at the girl. 
The largest spider edged towards a fat fly now caught by the wings and feet in the crystalline web.
‘She will wait until he’s exhausted” whispered the girl to Cal.
”Bloody insects” said Jim. ”Distracting.  And its cold here. Let’s go inside Cal.”
‘I need air Jim. The last week has been confining writing the report.”
‘Your fault.  I offered my help, generously”.
”You did offer. Not sure how generous though”.
”There’s a table by the window Cal. Come on inside. We can talk better inside”.
Cal nodded but didn’t move. The spiders were moving stealthily towards the stricken fly. One spider was faster. The fly stopped struggling.
”He’s given up. But today maybe he’s more lucky than you” said the  waitress who  flicked at the fly with a napkin so that he sprang out of the web and landed in soil. He shuddered and crawled slowly to the edge of the plant pot feebly attempting to clean his wings.
”You’ve saved him” said Cal.
‘Yes”.
Why? Whose side are you on?
”Ha” laughed the girl showing her wide mouth once again. ”I felt sorry for him dying whilst we watched”.
”Webs are everywhere ”said cal.
”I think your friend expects you to go inside for more tea”.
”I prefer it outside.”
Even with the web and spiders?
”Especially with the web. Do you like coffee?”
‘Of course.”
”Can you drink on duty?”
”I’ll make two coffees and see what happens.”