Sparkring : Chapter 1

My cousin

 

I rang the doorbell, three long, three short. 

It was my special code, mine only. Of course, the internal occupants would certainly know it was me out here. I fidgeted nervously as no sounds of awakening came from within. Behind, a happy scream of a small child carried out through the grills and across the short corridor; five steps away from where I stood. To my left, as I glanced out, beyond the railing, was a view of the swimming pool of the condominium and a couple walking along its still waters. The soft overhead sky cast a deep orange hue over the place; the walls, people, water leaving none in its wake of changing. 

Soon, it would be night. 

With my boredom, I glanced at a spider spinning its intricate webbing of structures consisting a delicate blend of physics and chemistry. The lines radiated out in... I counted, in six different directions, holding up its own net of lines. I briefly contemplated the possibility of it branching out like a huge silvery tree. 

I think it was said that a spider's thread is stronger than a steel wire of the same diameter.

The door unlatched with a creaky click and swung back all the way to reveal Mich in his slight tan and accompanying smile. Unlike the house behind me, his didn’t have grills, probably because of my uncle’s family philosophy of what goes around comes around. There was no need to fear anything if you’ve done nothing wrong, was his favorite phrase to instill into anyone who unfortunately happened to be close by.

Mich pushed the door back further, latching it and turning towards me, that small smile still plastered on his face.

“Hello again, come to stay for the holidays?”