Fantasy Trope: Shapeshifting and Animal Creation
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/insects-invertebrates/biggest-spiders-in-the-world
Current Event: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discover-a-rare-carnivorous-caterpillar-that-wears-dead-insect-parts-to-fool-spiders-180986506/
Huda crouched behind the wall of an American office building, staring at the surface. “It’s moving like bugs are crawling all over it.” She’d grown up in Gaza after the War.
Her best friend, Schlomo said, “You trying to make me run out of here screaming? You know how much I hate creepy-crawlies!”
“You sound like an American movie star.” She refused to admit that she loved the American movies when his Israeli-Administrator mother kept letting them watch.
“I do not!”
“Oh, you’re right. In American movies, the boys are brave and eat spiders for breakfast, and all the girls do is dress nice and scream when anything interesting happens.” Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to act more…feminine.”
“O. Ouch,” she deadpanned. “You’re just jealous because my clothes are nicer than yours.”
“And you’re always irritated that your future consists of an arranged marriage and the life of a scullery maid.”
She snorted, “As if!” She paused and lifted a finger. The immense spider began to glow.
Schlomo said, “It has to be slow. I can’t hold onto it if it starts to grow too fast.”
“I’ll just step on it…”
“Like you say? ‘As if’. This sucker’s going to inflate faster than a Martian Rescue Pod. I need to hold it in thrall until we get everything ready. Do it like we planned – slow and steady and we’ll have an enchanted spider big enough to climb the wall and slip through that open window.” He paused, rolled his eyes and said, “Which I have to admit, you did a nice job of getting that loud-mouthed soldier freak to do the dirty work. I heard he’s got a kill list as long as his arm,” he glanced at her. “That’s literally, by the way. He gets a tatt of each Israeli he snuffs.”
She nodded. “You’re welcome.” The spider continued to inflate until it was the size of a child. Concentrating, Schlomo made it stand up slowly, then take a step. “It looks like a spider trying to walk on its back legs!”
“It is!” he snapped. “You try making a spider look like its walking like a Human – even a little kid!” After several steps, it started walking and teetering less. “Good. You’re good at this.”
He glanced at her. The new generations of Israelis and Palestinians were tired of hearing how bad “the other side” was. With the first Apparation Spell opening a gate Humans could travel to the Red Planet. The manifesting spell that formed a breathable bubble of air ten kilometers across had held for the past Earth-year. The fact that it was too dangerous to adapt older adults into Humans who could not just survive there, but live there for good – colonizing fell to the young. They were grinning like idiots.
Huda scowled, then muttered, “What’s going on? There’s some kind of magical energy leaking into the Dome.”
“What?” Schlomo. Then he held his breath. Whispering, “I recognize the signature on that spell…”
Names: ♀ Palestinian, Huda ; ♂ Israel, Schlomo
Current Event: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discover-a-rare-carnivorous-caterpillar-that-wears-dead-insect-parts-to-fool-spiders-180986506/
Huda crouched behind the wall of an American office building, staring at the surface. “It’s moving like bugs are crawling all over it.” She’d grown up in Gaza after the War.
Her best friend, Schlomo said, “You trying to make me run out of here screaming? You know how much I hate creepy-crawlies!”
“You sound like an American movie star.” She refused to admit that she loved the American movies when his Israeli-Administrator mother kept letting them watch.
“I do not!”
“Oh, you’re right. In American movies, the boys are brave and eat spiders for breakfast, and all the girls do is dress nice and scream when anything interesting happens.” Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to act more…feminine.”
“O. Ouch,” she deadpanned. “You’re just jealous because my clothes are nicer than yours.”
“And you’re always irritated that your future consists of an arranged marriage and the life of a scullery maid.”
She snorted, “As if!” She paused and lifted a finger. The immense spider began to glow.
Schlomo said, “It has to be slow. I can’t hold onto it if it starts to grow too fast.”
“I’ll just step on it…”
“Like you say? ‘As if’. This sucker’s going to inflate faster than a Martian Rescue Pod. I need to hold it in thrall until we get everything ready. Do it like we planned – slow and steady and we’ll have an enchanted spider big enough to climb the wall and slip through that open window.” He paused, rolled his eyes and said, “Which I have to admit, you did a nice job of getting that loud-mouthed soldier freak to do the dirty work. I heard he’s got a kill list as long as his arm,” he glanced at her. “That’s literally, by the way. He gets a tatt of each Israeli he snuffs.”
She nodded. “You’re welcome.” The spider continued to inflate until it was the size of a child. Concentrating, Schlomo made it stand up slowly, then take a step. “It looks like a spider trying to walk on its back legs!”
“It is!” he snapped. “You try making a spider look like its walking like a Human – even a little kid!” After several steps, it started walking and teetering less. “Good. You’re good at this.”
He glanced at her. The new generations of Israelis and Palestinians were tired of hearing how bad “the other side” was. With the first Apparation Spell opening a gate Humans could travel to the Red Planet. The manifesting spell that formed a breathable bubble of air ten kilometers across had held for the past Earth-year. The fact that it was too dangerous to adapt older adults into Humans who could not just survive there, but live there for good – colonizing fell to the young. They were grinning like idiots.
Huda scowled, then muttered, “What’s going on? There’s some kind of magical energy leaking into the Dome.”
“What?” Schlomo. Then he held his breath. Whispering, “I recognize the signature on that spell…”
Names: ♀ Palestinian, Huda ; ♂ Israel, Schlomo
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