Welcome to Gaia! ::

It had been three days since my last slip in time and space. It was nice. Almost quiet if I didn't still have my classes to worry about. No vampires, trolls, demons,rabid...Ok, so a lot of things have been trying to kill me lately. Who knew a Dream Walker's life could be so traumatic?

If I hadn't been so lost in my thoughts, I might have noticed them skittering across the walls of the classroom. Or that they weren't in fact the walls of my classroom. I bent down to grab my bag only to notice said bag was nowhere to be found. I should be pretty used to this by now, but I couldn't stop the sudden lurch in my gut and quickening of my heartbeat.

I took a deep breath before I raised my eyes to look at my surroundings.

"Oh, come on...Did it really have to be spiders!?"

I hear a crack behind me, and with speed I didn't know I possessed, I turned around to get a good look at my would-be attacker. To my surprise, it was a strikingly beautiful woman with hair as black as night, and a smile so wide it practically reached her ears. Her very pointed ears.

"Oh, thank goodness. I'm a friend of Talos. Are you part of his village," I asked with all the hope one could have when surrounded by the creepiest of crawlies.

The woman smiled even wider if that was possible, and bent down with an outstretched hand. Immediately, a few of the larger spiders ran up her arm. "Talos...I do not recognize the name I'm afraid."

"Ah, a different elven group then. If you could take me to one of your elders, perhaps they can lead me to Talos and his people?"

"My dear child, you are mistaken. You see, I am no elf," she said as she stood back up to her full height.

I was seriously afraid she was going to say that. As more and more spiders began to appear around me, I began to worry I might have finally met my end in the most unexpected way. I mean, not once did anyone mention a freaking spider world. Not once.

"My name is Arachne. Some call me the Spider Queen. It's nothing personal, but it's quite rare that food should be so considerate as to deliver itself. My children do need to eat," she spoke as she began walking toward me.

I backed up on instinct, knowing full well that behind me was no less a problem. Naturally however, I should fall on my butt in that precise moment. Not wanting to see them jump at me, I clenched my eyes as I hit the ground. I sat there for quite some time before I heard a bell. Strange that a bell should ring here. It's also strange that I'm not dead yet.

It was then I had the courage to open my eyes. I was back in my empty classroom.