Blackwater Islands spider

lost.

the wispmother was lost; to herself, to her role, to her madness.

and the listener saw now that she had always been this. she had never been a speaker, not truly; only a placeholder, a precursor to the role. an anticipation of what was to come.

she had always been the wispmother.

the listener went to her then, soothing her with sweet words of comfort. when sleep took her from the world of the waking, the children would be cleaned. fed.

and swept away into the darkness, to rest with their true mother.