Emily and The Spider

by John Dony

  Bes ran up ‘Little Em’s arm excitedly and sat on her shoulder. “Thank you, Emily, my friend”.

  Emily quickly washed and dressed in her favourite clothes; shorts, trainers and a t-shirt with the number 74 on it. Then she got out her rucksack, which was made to look like a furry monkey hanging on her back. Into this she put her torch, some sweets and a bottle of water. Emily then gathered up a few flies from the window into her hanky, for Bes, for the journey. She turned to Bes, “ready”?

  “Ready”! said Bes.

  “Oh, I had better leave a note for mummy and daddy” said Emily.

  “Good idea. What are you going to say”? asked Bes.

  This is what she wrote:

  Dear Mum and Dad,

  Gone to look for Bes’s daddy.

  Back soon. Love Emily. XXX

  “That will do” said Emily. “Lets go”!

  And so they went. ‘Little Em’ with her monkey rucksack and Bes barely noticeable on her shoulder.

  They walked out of the bedroom, along the veranda, down the four steps and across the garden. At the edge of the jungle Emily stopped.

  “What’s the matter”? asked Bes.

  “Oh, nothing, it just felt like we were being watched” she said. “I am just being silly” and they walked on into the jungle, never looking back.

  The little blue and green bird watched them enter the jungle, chirped and then began to follow them, unseen, jumping from branch to branch into the trees.

  There was someone else watching too. Miss Perivale sat on the edge of her bed and carelessly watched as ‘Little Em’ entered the jungle. A small evil grin crossed her face and she lay back on her bed and settled down to sleep again.

  Chapter 8 – New Friends

  “I must be going mad, but I am sure we are being followed” Emily said. “Ever since we left the house”!

  Bes turned around on ‘Little Em’s’ shoulder.

  “Nope, can’t see anyone” she said.

  Emily turned her head towards Bes and whispered, “try looking up”.

  Bes crawled up Emily’s neck and stood on top of her head and looked up. She saw the bird immediately. Bes ran back down Emily’s head to her ear and whispered “its that little blue and green bird that we saw earlier”!

  Emily looked up. “Hey, you, bird. Are you following us”?

  There was no reply.

  “Well, if you are, why don’t you come down here”?

  There was a small rush of air and Emily found herself face to face with the little animal. A little taken aback, she said “oh, hello…er, my name is Emily”.

  The little blue and green bird just stared back at her.

  “Do you have a name”? Emily asked.

  The little bird tilted its head from side to side.

  “Can you speak”? asked ‘Little Em’.

  “Speak, of course I can speak” replied the little bird, “and what do you think you’re doing wandering around the jungle on your own? And do you know that you have got a bug..Ughhh..on your shoulder”? The bird hardly stopped for breath.

  “Bug”! said Bes.

  “Oh my, a talking bug”! said the bird, talking faster than Emily had ever heard before.

  “Aren’t we clever! Been around a few years and never heard an eight-leg speak before”!

  “Oh this is Bes, my friend” said Emily.

  “Oh, you’re friend, you say? Well, I’m not one to judge. So pleased to meet you both” said the bird. “What kind of bug are you anyway?.....a spider, yes”?

  Emily looked at Bes, “best not to mention it yet” she said quietly.

  Emily quickly changed the subject. “We’re off to look for Bes’ dad” she said.

  “Oh, I know that” answered the bird matter-of-factly! “I’ve been watching you for the last few days. And, by the way, I don’t think much to your teacher-lady. Mean old thing she is. Left a little present in her water, I did. Skinny piece of dirt that thing”! The bird finally stopped for breath before starting again. “So, off to find daddy, hey? Well good luck, it’s a very big place….”.

  Emily interrupted the bird. “What’s your name please”?

  “Well my real name is Howard, but I don’t really like that much, so most people call me “Oi you in the bushes”, just kidding, one of my little jokes”.

  Emily looked at Bes and Bes looked at Emily, both saying nothing.

  “Oh well, that one didn’t work” said the bird looking at the both of them. “Why don’t you just call me ‘Bird”, hey”?

  “Okay” said Emily.

  “Okay” said Bes.

  “Good, so that’s settled. Emily, Bes and Bird out together in the jungle, looking for a daddy spider. What sort did you say you were again? Oh, never mind, come on. If we’re going to find daddykins then we’d better start looking”.

  The bird flew onto ‘Little Em’s’ shoulder. “Got anything to eat? Except bugs, of course” he said leaning over to look at Bes.

  As the odd trio walked deeper into the jungle, Emily began to feel hungry.

  “Got any food ideas, you two”? she asked.

  “Plenty of fruit around” said bird. “Watch”.

  Bird flew off. All of a sudden loud ‘thuds’ could be heard all around them and Emily looked up to see bananas, mangoes and coconuts falling from the sky and landing on the ground.

  “Dinner is served! Didn’t I tell you I would get something eh? Maybe a little bruised, but still good. It’s bouncy fruit, my favourite kind”.

  Again, Bird flew onto ‘Em’s’ shoulder.

  “Thank you Bird” she said.

  ‘Little Em’ walked over to a particularly large bunch of bananas and bent down to snap one off, when a noise made her jump!

  “Ooooooh, my back” came a deep, slow voice. “I’ve been attacked, a vicious banana assault”!

  Emily tentatively lifted up the bunch of bananas. There, underneath, was the largest spider that she had ever seen! Bigger, even, than the dinner plates back at the house.

  “Are you alright”? she asked, a little scared.

  “Do I look alright? Asleep here minding my own business and some fool goes throwing fruit around”! replied the very large spider.

  “I’m ever so sorry” said ‘Em’, “we didn’t know that you were there”.

  “Obviously”! said the large creature.

  “Well, we are very sorry” said ‘Em’. “Who are you”? she asked.

  “My name is Goliath. Yes, that is what most folks call me”.

  “Pleased to meet you, Goliath” said ‘Em’, “my name is Emily and these are my friends, Bes and Bird.” Emily looked around for bird. “Well Bird is around here somewhere”.

  Goliath observed them all for a moment. “Well, I see you do make an odd band of traveling companions, don’t you? But it’s nice to see new folk around here”.

  Bird swooped down and landed near to Goliath, but not too near!

  “You are massive” he said. “I don’t normally hang around down here, but you are one BIG bug. I mean, I’ve seen big bugs before, and of course Bes is a little bug, but you are one BIG bug”!

  “Pleased to meet you Bird” said Goliath.

  “We’re off to find Bes’s dad” ‘Em’ said.

  Bes looked at Goliath and smiled. “He’s a spider too” she said.

  “I kinda worked that one out for myself” said Goliath in his low, deep voice. “You know, I recall now, a while back, a little spider did come running through here. In an awful hurry he was”, Goliath paused to think for a moment….”come to think of it, he was a Bird Ea..”.

  “Which way did he go”? said Emily, cutting Goliath off before he could say anymore.

  “Oh, er, well, he went that way”. said Goliath, pointing with one of his legs, further into the jungle. “That way, I believe”.

  Emily looked at Bes and Bes looked at Bird.

  “It’s awfully dark in there” Bird said slowly, for a change.

  “I don’t mi
nd showing you the way” said Goliath, “not much else for an old spider like me to do anyhow”.

  “Thank you, that would be great” said ‘Em’.

  Goliath looked at the little spider, “how would you like to ride with me young un’”?

  Bes looked over to Emily for approval.

  “Go on then” she said.

  So Bes ran quickly down Emily’s arm and onto Goliath’s back.

  “Off we go then. Follow me” said Goliath.

  So, off they went, with Bes on Goliath’s back out in front, Emily following on behind and Bird fluttering around above them.

  It was starting to get a little dark as the, now four, companions walked, and flew, deeper into the jungle. Dark and dangerous, for now they were getting close to the one who thought he owned the jungle. The one who had smelled ‘Little Em’, the one had been waiting patiently for her to come closer. Close enough to be within eating range!

  Chapter 9 – Stripe!

  He watched silently as they crossed his path, unaware that they had broken all of his ‘laws’. One by one he observed them, the large spider, not really a threat, the small passenger, harmless to him, the small blue and green bird, barely a snack, and of course, the little girl, harmless, but good eating. She would last a good few days.

  As they finally passed him by, he stepped calmly out of the shadows and stood behind them.

  “Isn’t it a beautiful evening”? the tiger said menacingly. “Just out for a little stroll are we”?

  Emily turned round sharply and found herself face to face with a very large tiger. The tiger was big, big and orange with black stripes and as it spoke, ‘Little Em’ could see its teeth, big, white and sharp!

  “Well, answer me” said the tiger in an extremely well spoken manner. “All I asked was what a wonderful evening it is for a stroll through my jungle”.

  “Your jungle, your jungle, are you kidding, you giant walking rug. It ‘aint your jungle” said Bird heatedly, who was really just getting going, when Emily spoke up.

  “Pardon us Sir”, she said softly, “but we are on an important journey and we really must be on our way”.

  “But of course, I wouldn’t dream of holding you up, wouldn’t dream of it at all, my dear child” said the tiger.

  Emily turned to leave and continue on their mission.

  “There is one teensey weensey problem, however. I am sure you will understand”? The tiger softly purred to himself.

  “Don’t trust him Emily” shouted Bird “let’s just go quickly and leave him alone”.

  “Not so fast my little flying entrée”, smiled the tiger, suspiciously, “my problem, or should I say, your problem, is lunch. You see, I haven’t had any and you appear to be IT”!

  Goliath whispered to Bes to go to Emily, which she did very quickly. “Now listen here Mr Tiger” he said.

  “Mr Tiger, Mr Tiger? Oh, I say, do call me Stripe dear fellow, and please, do carry on. The pleadings of the buffet can be really, quite amusing”. Stripe sat back and grinned to himself while his tail flicked aimlessly behind him.

  “Well, Mr Stripe, you harm any of my friends and I will be most cross” Goliath stated.

  “Yeh, and me too” Bird piped up. “Don’t go messing with us now, I’m telling you”.

  “Oh, do stop it” Stripe said almost giggling to himself, “lunch is never meant to answer back”.

  Stripe moved closer to Emily and sniffed. He started to circle the little band of friends. As he walked past ‘Little Em’, Bes jumped onto his back. “Big fur ball, I’ll teach him” she said as she quickly crawled up the tigers back towards his head.

  “I think that I shall start with you”, Stripe moved towards Goliath and raised his paw to strike.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you”, rang the tiny voice, clear in Stripes’ ear. Bes had crawled in there very quickly. “I am going to bite you now and then crawl further into your ear and drive you mad”. Bes sank her two little fangs into the soft skin inside Stripes’ ear!

  Stripe let out a massive roar and fell to the ground wailing in pain. The noise was deafening!

  “What happened”? screamed Emily. “Bes, where’s Bes”?

  Emily started to scour the ground in search of Bes.

  “Goliath, where is she”? Emily was frantic.

  There was a flash of blue and green as Bird flew towards Stripe. He swooped at the Tiger’s head, just missing a giant paw flailing around as the tiger writhed in agony.

  He picked up Bes, who was waiting at the opening of the tiger’s ear. “Got you” said Bird as he climbed high into the sky. “You’re a brave little bug. Mad, but brave. I’m very impressed. Bug on a rug! I never liked tigers much anyway”.

  “Thanks for the lift” said Bes as they flew down towards ‘Little Em’, who had had the sense to run away as soon as Stripe had started to wail and she had realized that Bird had rescued Bes.

  Goliath held on to ‘Em’s’ monkey rucksack with a vengeance as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

  “Are we safe yet”? ‘Em’ panted, after she had been running for what seemed like hours.

  “Yes, yes, I think so Emily” said Goliath as he jumped down to the floor.

  Bird landed on ‘Little Em’s’ shoulder. “Man, that was close. This is one hell of a courageous little bug”!

  Bes spat on the floor. “Yuk, I had a tiger hair in my mouth”!

  Chapter 10 – Out of the frying pan…

  The troop of monkey’s had been watching all of this with great delight. Even though they worked for Stripe, this could not be missed. Any opportunity to see him come undone was priceless. However, they knew what had to be done, so they would wait and watch until they could get the little girl. The one that their master, Stripe, wanted and they would deliver her to him.

  And so they waited, high up in the trees, and watched, as the four friends walked along and ate ‘Little Em’s’ sweets and spoke of various things.

  After traveling a little further, they all decided that they were exhausted and that they should try and get some sleep. So they all curled up on the floor of the jungle. They all slept well, dreaming. Emily dreamed of home, Bes dreamed of his family and Bird lay on his back and twitched. Goliath, however, didn’t sleep. He kept watch, and as he had before, listened out for any strange noise.

  It happened just as the sun was rising over the trees. The Proboscus monkeys had formed a chain, hanging from the trees, dropping closer and closer, silent and ready to grab Emily as she slept. The last monkey in the chain slowly placed his hand around Emily’s arm. “Now” he shouted.

  “Little Em’ opened her eyes, only to see the face of a grinning monkey. Just as the chain of monkey’s began to recoil Emily screamed “Aargh”! “Goliath, help”!

  The three friends woke up to see Emily disappearing into the trees above.

  “She’s gone” cried Bes, “Bird, quickly, lift me, follow her”.

  Bird picked up Bes and flew off in the direction that she had seen the monkey’s go.

  “Emily, Emily” they all screamed.

  Goliath started to climb the nearest tree. “Wait for me” he shouted in his deep, low voice.

  Up and up Bird flew, carrying Bes up into the tree canopy, eventually breaking through into the open.

  “Can you see her Bird” asked Bes desperately.

  “Yes, yes I can. I never took my eyes off her. Those big nose bags of fluff have her. Look, they’re heading over there to the river. Oi, big nose, let her go”! Bird shouted to one of the monkey’s holding Emily.

  Goliath heard this and started back down the tree. “Must get to the river. Curse those monkeys” he said to himself.

  Bird watched the monkeys carry ‘Little Em’ to a large rock that was over-hanging the fast flowing river. As he watched the monkeys set her down, he saw a sight that he hoped he would never see ever again.

  “So nice to have your company again my dear” said Stripe, as he sat up from where he had bee
n sleeping.

  He looked at Emily’s bag, that was still on her back, and turned to the monkeys. “A member of you family, I presume. It must be nice to see them do so well for themselves”.

  “We did what you asked us Sir”. The excited monkey jittered and jumped. “Ok, Ok”?

  “Yes, yes, my moronic little helpers. Now be on your way. I have a luncheon appointment and I don’t wish to keep her waiting”.

  Stripe glared at the monkeys, who immediately scattered.

  “Ah, Emily, Emily. What a delightful fate it is that we should meet again, and at my favourite restaurant as well. I do hope that those foolish creatures didn’t harm you. I do so detest bruised meat”!

  “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size, you stripey creep”? ‘Em’ shouted.

  “Oh, how charming, my dear, I do pick on all sizes, but today I particularly fancied some table service, and look what the dumb waiters brought me”. Stripe moved closer to Emily and she backed away quickly, getting closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.

  “Oh, don’t be difficult” said Stripe, “I promise you I won’t feel a thing”.

  However, Emily had made up her mind. As she jumped she saw Bird and Bes flying just above her.

  “Nooooo” screamed Bird.

  “Just follow her” shouted Bes, “don’t you lose her, don’t you dare lose her”.

  “I won’t” said Bird, and he flew as close to the water as possible.

  Stripe walked to the edge of the rock and looked into the river below. “Oh bother” he said, and he settled back down to sleep.

  Chapter 11 – Orbs

  The river was deep and powerful. ‘Little Em’ was struggling to keep her head above the water as she was swept downstream.

  “Bes, help” she screamed.