I often wonder where I get these things from. This came from a mention of the theme, possibly for the IWSG/Reedsy short story event, plus seeing a lovely picture on Willowdot’s blog. The two melded into a story in my brain overnight. Fortunately I could remember some of it when I came to write it down! It may not be an official #writephoto prompt, but I’ll take whatever I get if it helps me write. It’s about 450 words.

from willowdot..https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/2025/01/08/wordless-wednesday-new-year-old-problems/

Wonder

The spider crept out of her cosy nighttime hiding place and tapped her web. Hmm. Maybe leave it till the dew had gone. Fortunately she had some food stored nearby. She ate some, and considered the weather. New webs would be needed. Not all would have survived the night. Time to survey her work of previous days.

The boy ran out into the field, wellington boots squeaking on the dewy grass, breath huffing in the cold air.

“Look, Mummy, the mist has hidden the bushes!”

“Look, Mummy, there’s a snail!”

“Look, Mummy, there’s a spider’s web!”

Mummy continued along the track, adjusting the woolly hat of her latest offspring as she carried it across her chest in the sling. She shifted its weight and looked forward to the time when she would be just walking under her own weight. Well, at least it helped her shed the baby fat.

The boy continued to examined the web. So beautiful. The beads of water made it shine like a lacy curtain. Or a jewelled costume, like the Queen wore when her husband got his crown. How long did it take the spider to make it? Did it do all the spokes first then go round and round making all the junctions? Or did it make one section like a windmill vane and then join it to the next one? Why did the water make beads on the spider silk? Why didnt it all run together and fall off? Did spiders cry when that happened? He would cry. He cried when his daddy came in at night and hurt him. But it was a secret. Like seven magpies, a secret never to be told. Why was it a secret? He didn’t like it. Maybe if he told Mummy it would stop. But Daddy said it was a secret to hide from Mummy.

He stamped his feet and the web wobbled. Some of the dew fell off.

He stamped again. Then again, and again, then he pushed through the spider’s web and tore it to pieces. And ran through the grass until Mummy called to him, saying it was time to go back.

He wondered what would happen when he got home.

He wondered how long it would take the spider to replace the web. Maybe he could look tomorrow to see if it had put it back in the same place.

The spider came back, decided the effort to mend it was not efficient use of her spinner. She surveyed the branches and set about another one, slightly higher up, out of reach of small angry boys.

© J M Pett 2025

Wonder | #writephoto Flash Fiction
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4 thoughts on “Wonder | #writephoto Flash Fiction

  • 15 January, 2025 at 9:10 am
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    Hi Jemima hope you’re well. I like the way the photo inspired you. The way you told the story from three points of view was sad but so well told.
    The spider learned and moved on …. sadly I doubt the humans did …. Life is sad at times.💜💜💜

    Reply
  • 15 January, 2025 at 2:49 pm
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    A sad turn, there. The little boy has such wonderful curiosity about the world, and we can watch it being destroyed before our eyes. Wish we could make that stop.

    Reply
    • 15 January, 2025 at 7:39 pm
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      You can tell I was working my way into Lars’s pov at the time.

      Reply
  • 15 January, 2025 at 2:53 pm
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    Lovely tale. Little boys can be do destructive. We always had spider webs appear at the beginning of all and I loved it when the dew coated them. And avoided touching them!

    Reply

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