Spider Spins

Spider Spins1

The flowers danced in the wind, their heavenly scent wafting through the air. The tree they sat against shaded them in its greatness, protecting them. Her hand softly touched his, his eyes looking down at her with that deep ebbing love that she was so fond of. Yulia’s thumb moved with a delicate rhythm against his soft flesh. “Gavin,” she whispered softly in his ear, “Promise me you won’t ever leave me.”2

“I promise,” he said to her, his voice so soft, and kissed her neck gently. Yulia gazed down at his hand, and in her grip, it seemed to fade away in her tightening grip. Panicked, she said in a voice so hoarse, “Please, dear God, do not leave me! You can’t go, Gavin! Please don’t leave…” 3

Tears flowed with freedom, as her vision blackened. “No, no, don’t leave me alone…” she mumbled softly. Her words echoing, she lay intentionally immobile, until her sight returned. Her eyes opened, and she absorbed her familiar surroundings, her bedroom. “Come back…” she repeated, a tear dropping down her pale cheek.4

Finally, without great energy, Yulia pulled herself out of bed and hauled herself into the bathroom to shower. By now, she realized it was far too late in the afternoon and she had already managed to miss her classes, regretting sleeping in so easily that morning. Yulia shrugged her clothes off of her petite body and stepped into the shower allowing the water to cleanse her of the distasteful feeling the dream had left her with. In the back of her mind, Yulia was constantly privy of the smell of sin which hung so closely to her body, so much that it was like a hideous seam sown into her flesh. Sin was a part of her.5

Satisfied with her cleanliness, she dried herself off, and after dressing herself with little haste, she made her way into the apartment’s living room. Without Gavin, it was empty, like an incomplete puzzle. Thinking on the apartment’s lack of homeliness, she remembered that it was exactly one month since she’d last seen his face, so perfect in her admiring eyes. Yulia couldn’t understand why he had become missing so suddenly, and in her mind the fear of his disappearance being her fault ebbed in plenteousness, and she was fearful her ghosts had begun to plague him as well. 6

Only about one and a half year ago had she arrived from Ukraine, anxious, like so many other immigrants, ready to start a new life in the shining United States. But, it seemed to Yulia that she was followed by trouble from the time she arrived off the plane. Only nineteen and without an education further than high school, she wanted nothing more than to endow herself with knowledge, and maybe even attend college, given that she could afford it. Frightened by this new world, it was so easy for her to allow herself to fall into deadly, vile hands, and her downfall began from there, at least up until she met Gavin, who seemed to have been robbed from Yulia’s loving grasp. 7

Lying lazily on the couch, she held a photo of the two of them close to her chest, feeling his warmth even then, and believing he was okay, somewhere, or at least hoping so. She found the local police to be infuriating, as they seemed to stop looking for her love too soon, but frail, and of course timid, Yulia didn’t know where to even begin to search. 8

Yulia glanced at the clock, which hung on the wall, and realized it was late, and she needed to leave for work. Without a car, the walk to the cabaret in which she worked as a dancer took a good while. Struggling to make payments for her- or rather Gavin’s- apartment and earn the money to pay for her college funds amongst other necessities was difficult for a foreign girl who didn’t have many skills, and really, it was Gavin who made her schooling possible. Without him, graduation and success seemed so distant in her eyes. 9

The location of the cabaret in which she worked wasn’t exactly the perkiest, but it sufficed, and she made decent money in tips as well. The other ladies that worked there, waitresses and dancers alike, were kind, in her opinion, and treated her well, and with understanding of the differences between Yulia’s culture and their own. It wasn’t perfect by far, but she was satisfied, nonetheless.10

Upon arrival, she was greeted by one of the numerous girls. Yulia smiled happily at her friend, who, at the cabaret, was known as Jasmin. To Yulia, Jasmin was like the sun, which lit up her world so gloriously. 11

After primping herself up, it was time for Yulia to dance. She swallowed her pride and swaggered out onto the stage. As she danced, she observed the crowd. A familiar face caught Yulia’s eyes, and as she moved, they remained transfixed on him. His face was exactly as she had seen him last, and even his hair was unchanged, as perfect as any stylist’s should be. Yulia’s eyes glistened like the glitter daintily placed upon her eyelids, and for an instant, his emerald eyes met with hers, and she was captivated by them, if only for a moment. Finally, her last song for the night ended, and it was time for the cabaret to close. Putting forth the most energy she had all night, Yulia exited the stage.12

“Hey! Where are you going, in such a hurry?” Smiling mischievously, Jasmin grabbed at Yulia’s arm. 13

“Let me go! It’s him!” Yulia tugged her arm back from Jasmin and clumsily redressed, not bothering to even remove the corset, which concealed her stomach, and instead pulling her knee length knit dress over it.14

“Him? Who’s ‘him?’” Jasmin pried further.15

“Gavin!” Yulia said, excitedly. “He’s in the crowd! I saw him, and he’s come back! I have to go now!” 16

Jasmin stood still and watched her friend hurry to the front of the cabaret where the audience sat. “Okay then! I’ll come to your apartment tonight and check up on you!” she called, her voice almost entirely unheard. There was no reply as Yulia scrambled off to ask for the rest of the night off and search for her love.17

Yulia wandered throughout the cabaret, desperately searching, but could not find him again. “But she was just here…” she mumbled under her breath. Opening the door to the front entrance, she peaked up and down the streets, but he was already gone. She rushed outside and hurried for the hair salon, which he had been working at, still hopeful, wasting no time walking there.18

Yulia burst through the doors, only as the salon were beginning to close for the night. The own looked at Yulia, confusion written upon her face. “May I help you?”19

“Was Gavin here?” Yulia panted, out of breath from running. 20

“What? Gavin? No. Don’t you know he’s been missing for a month? Oh, wait…weren’t you the foreign girl that he was shacked – err, I mean living with?” The owner, Mariska, smiled coldly. 21

“Yes! I am her. My name is Yulia. I saw him at the place where I work. Yulia’s eyes pleaded with Mariska for information, hopeful.22

“I’m sorry, Dear. You must be mistaken. For the entire month, there’s been no trace of Gavin. Surely he wouldn’t show up at your work out of the blue like that. You must have just simply dreamt it up!” Mariska’s voice was harsh as she spoke.23

“Okay, Ma’am. I am sorry to have bothered you.” Yulia’s eyes moved downwards, embarrassed. In her peripheral vision, she saw her white fishnet leggings with her white knee length boots and was suddenly ashamed as she stood in the presence of these women. Mariska eyed Yulia’s leggings and smirked cruelly, as if all knowing.24

Pretending as if Mariska’s hostility did not bother here, Yulia left the salon and trudged home. 25

When Yulia arrived home, the door, which she specifically remembered locking was widely ajar, while the contents of the apartment were all in their proper places. Yulia searched and inspected the apartment carefully, cautious of the intruder and observant of any missing possessions. Everything seemed untouched, and aside from Yulia, the apartment was entirely empty.26

Puzzled by the strange events, she sat on the sofa, contemplative of all of the occurrences. It was then that she noticed two small objects on the coffee table, placed beside the photo of herself and Gavin. Two keys, both hanging on the same ring, sat mysteriously before her. 27

A sudden knock on the door startled Yulia, and she called out for the visitor to enter. Much to her relief, Jasmin had kept her word of coming to visit. 28

“Did you find Gavin?” Jasmin asked, sitting down on the sofa next to Yulia.29

Yulia shook her head no. “I even visited the salon he worked at and spoke to the owner, Mariska. She told me I was delusional, and that there was no chance it was him at the cabaret. I do not trust her! I know what I saw! Also, when I arrived home, the front door was open, and these were on the table.” Yulia pointed to the two keys.30

“Those aren’t yours? Well, do you at least know what they are for?” Jasmin looked concerned by the odd situation as she stared at the keys.31

Yulia picked up the two little objects and examined them. “One I cannot recognize. The other one, I know. It is Gavin’s key to the salon. I recognize it, but I don’t understand why it is here now.” She looked at Jasmin sternly. “I’m going to the salon tonight. Whoever was here had a key to the front door of the apartment apparently, and the only other person that should have one is Gavin. I think he left these here intentionally. I’m sure of it.”32

Jasmin swallowed nervously. Yulia’s eyes glistened with a look of determination that shined strongly. Such a look in her friend was unfamiliar to Yulia. “I’ll go with you. We can take my car.” Jasmin held Yulia’s hands tightly in her own. “I don’t want you to be hurt, and I know there is nothing I can do to change your mind. 33

Yulia smiled sadly and clutched the keys tightly.34

The wind howled furiously as Yulia unlocked the salon’s back door. As the girls entered the building, they each carried a flashlight of their own, well aware of the fact that was they were doing was indeed breaking in. 35

Yulia first moved to a short hallway with four doors. While the first three were unsuspicious and contained nothing interesting, the fourth was locked. Using the second key she had found, Yulia, which shaking hands, inserted it into the lock, and turned it. The door unlocked.36

Both friends exchanged nervous looks as Yulia successfully felt the wall for a light switch. The room was constructed much like a basement, with a set of a few descending steps. In one corner was a bed, and beside it was a nightstand, which they both found to be odd, considering that the break room was in one of the other three rooms. Upon the nightstand, three books were neatly stacked, all written by Jules McMillien. Beside those was a ring. Jasmin, he’s been here recently I think! This book, “The Mystery,” it was just released this past month!”37

“That’s his ring!” Yulia said in an exciting whisper. “He almost always wore it. And these books, they were all written by Gavin’s favorite author! He loved reading Jules’ novels! Jasmin, he’s been here recently I think! This book, “The Mystery,” it was just released this past month!” ” She picked up the novel sitting on the top and noticed it was unusually light for a hard-back book. Opening it, she saw where someone had taken the book and using a box cutter, had sliced out a large number of pages, leaving a hidden compartment. Inside that compartment was a single object, a letter, which was addressed to Yulia from Gavin, written in his own handwriting. Setting down the book momentarily on the bed, Yulia looked at the nightstand surface, and saw a shoe print. Looking up, she then saw where a ceiling tile was somewhat out of place. Climbing on top of the nightstand, Yulia pushed the loose tile upwards and looked into the ceiling, where a black briefcase had been hidden away. She pulled it down and with Jasmin peering curiously over her shoulder, unlatched it.38

Inside the case were stacks upon stacks of one hundred dollar bills, all possibly totaling up to over one million dollars, based on looks alone. 39

Speechless from shock, Yulia slammed the door to the case shut and shoved it into the ceiling, carefully putting the tile back into place.40

“What…is going on here?” Jasmin muttered. “Surely this isn’t the salon’s money jammed so suspiciously inside this briefcase. I mean, isn’t that was safes are for?” She laughed nervously. 41

“Doubtful.” Yulia’s voice cracked in a hoarse whisper, her voice dry. Her hands trembled greatly as she turned her attention back to the unsealed envelope, which was found inside the book. She looked inside it, afraid of what other surprises awaited her. A check with a single note attached was found inside. Five numbers were written neatly on the envelope, saying it was made out for twenty-five-thousand dollars, all to Yulia Mihalovich. The simple note merely read, “Spend it wisely, love, Gavin.”42

Yulia tucked the check back into the envelope and placed the books back on the nightstands. She turned to Jasmin nervously. “I think we should go now,” she mumbled.43

The day that Gavin disappeared was probably a day that would always remain fresh on Yulia’s mind, but would always leave a fowl feeling in her gut. 44

Almost every morning, the couple would walk together, Yulia on her way to school, and Gavin on his way to the Salon. Each and every morning, he would gently kiss her lips farewell just moments before they had to part ways. But, the final morning in which she had been in his company was different. Gavin held her tightly, and they passionately kissed outside the front entrance, their bodies enveloping each other lovingly, like it would be the last kiss they would ever share. 45

That evening, Yulia finished her final class of the day and arrived home to await Gavin. Hours upon hours, minutes upon minutes, she waited, each moment dragging on sluggishly. As the time passed, she grew more terrified, and her heart was filled with dread. The rain, which echoed against the windowpanes, was haunting as it mirrored her fears, with the wind howling furiously from outside her home.46

The clock had finally struck midnight before Yulia called the police, who, undoubtedly proved to be of no help. It seems that only after one week, they had given up on a hopeless search.47

Yulia realized by that point that without Gavin, she would have to support herself, and without his aid, she did not even know whether or not college would be affordable, and that was how she had found herself working part time at the cabaret. Once she overcame the obstacle of further deteriorating her pride, Yulia did not find it to be such a bad job, and the descent tips she made were of course a plus, not to mention it was also how she met Jasmin, who knew very little about Gavin, but just enough to help Yulia cope.48

Even so, without Gavin, the month had seemed miserable endless.49

The next morning, Saturday, Yulia was unpleasantly awoken by a rather aggressive knock on the door. “Gavin!” she could hear a familiar gruff male voice calling. Dazed and somewhat half asleep, clad only in her panties and a thin strapped tank top, Yulia tugged on a pair of jeans and went to answer the door.50

When she opened the door, she shrank back fearfully from the man before her. The man smirked maliciously. “And so this is where you’ve been hiding? I should have guessed Gavin had something to do with your disappearance.”51

“Disappearance?! You are the one who tossed me on the side of the road and left me for dead! Gavin isn’t here now, anyway, so you can kindly leave!” Yulia tried to slam the door shut but the man caught it with his hand. 52

“What sort of lies has that boy been feeding you? You know nothing of him!” the man laughed cruelly. 53

“I know plenty about Gavin!” Yulia said defensively, her voice harsh and merciless.54

“Then tell me, where are his parents? Does he have any siblings? Have you met them? How old is Gavin?”55

“He tells me his parents are dead, and that he has a sister, but I—“56

“But you know nothing of her, thought, right? So, tell me now, how old is Gavin?”57

His eyes glittered with a sort of deep and menacing evil. 58

“Well…he’s…he is…” Yulia averted her eyes away from the man, and she knew59

that he was right, and she was at a loss for any sort of answer.60

“You poor stupid child! You know nothing! Do yourself a favor and get away from him, but, in case you do run into him, tell him Malikai came calling.” The man, Malikai, chuckled sinisterly.61

Yulia slammed the door and locked it, and ran into the kitchen, crawling underneath the table, muttering to herself. “Ni, ni, ni. This can’t be happening.” She panicked. “Gavin wouldn’t do this to me!” Tears spilled from her eyes and onto the floor. “He wouldn’t lie to me…” And she wondered to herself, how long would this miserable history of hers follow her? Fear blackened her mind. Her stomach churned with a queezy feeling, and she felt like she could have vomited. Yulia’s tears flowed like the rain which drizzled lightly outside. There was no peace in her mind, as darkness consumed her being.62

With her eyes gazing blankly at the carpet, Yulia crawled from beneath the table and grabbed a wooden chair. She screamed and lifted it from the floor. Her voice and echoed and drowned out the sound of the chair hitting against the wall, breaking with one blow. Again, and again, she swung the broken frame against the wall, and with every hit cried out, “Who…are…you…?” until exhausted. Yulia finally slid to the floor in tears. She shuddered as dreadful memories haunted her mind. “Please come back. Save me…Help me…” She pleaded desperately with an invisible force.63

Yulia rose to the feet and hurried to dress herself. Before leaving the house, she gathered the remnants of her tantrum and threw them away. An umbrella loomed over her head as she walked to the corner of 8th Street, to stand and wait shamefully amongst other town trash. 64

A red car pulled up next to her. A man, probably in his fifties, rolled down the window. “How much sweetheart?” he asked.65

Yulia answered in a voice sweet like honey and climbed inside the car with him, to be driven away to some cheap motel, and wisped away into bed with him. As they drove, the rain echoed against the hood of the car like screeching monsters in Yulia’s mind. 66

When the hotel was paid for, she sat on the bed with a soft smile, awaiting the man who approached her gently and slid her shirt off, unclasped her bra, before pulling off the skirt which she had changed into before leaving the apartment. He removed his own clothes and slid on a condom, then roughly turned her over onto her stomach, holding her hips up before carelessly inserting himself. He thrusted back and forth, careless of the girl, and she bit her lip in pain. 67

When he finished, he apathetically left the motel and Yulia lying nude on the bed with her keep lying beside her. The wound in her stomach throbbed painfully as she lay immobile, and her head seemed to spin with confusing thoughts. 68

Yulia could remember the day she met Gavin clearly, as if it were yesterday. She had awoken in the hospital with that same pain from a lengthy state of unconsciousness, and there was Gavin, watching over her like a guardian angel. Gavin had told Yulia he had found her lying passed out on the side of a road, beaten, starved, and shot in the stomach. Although she remembered moment by moment how she had found herself in such a state, she chose to lie to the authorities, telling them she had no recollection of except what she had been told by Gavin. But, despite this, she did have an empty void in her memory. Yulia remembered neither a gunshot, nor being left along the side of a highway. 69

Partially, Yulia lied to the police with Gavin’s guidance. She had been told that because she was a foreigner, pleading amnesia would be best for herself, and the whole ordeal would be more of a hassle than anything with police involvement. Yulia decided to move from her own cheap apartment to Gavin’s when he had invited her to do so. And, with him, Yulia felt entirely secure as if he would allow no harm to come to her, and so for six months they lived together as a happy couple. Kindly, Gavin paid for her financial needs, such as college, since by that age he was already a successful hair dresser, working at Mariska’s salon. Under the contentful circumstances, it seemed so unlikely that he would ever disappear, especially so randomly, leaving no word to Yulia.70

Gavin sat bitterly alone in the taxi, and of all the places he could have been then, that was by far at the bottom of his list. Of all the things that he had done for his sister, this was by far the most pathetic. He had a home, and a sweet woman to care for, but here he was regardless, living out of the salon from which he worked, and now, some strange cheap motel. As a taxi pulled in, he watched a red car drive away, and he paid and tipped the driver before walking to his own room. He sat alone upon the bed in despair. Gavin’s shoulders were tense and ached miserably. In his mind, Yulia spoke softly to him. “You should relax, you’re too tense Gavin.” Her accent was so cute, he’d thought. Her fingers gently massaged his neck. “No,” he said to her. “Sit, you don’t have to.” Her body moved like a soft silhouette, and she sat beside Gavin on the sofa, leaning against his body lavishly. Yulia turned to him, and shoved him lightly on his back against the couch. She hovered above him, and their lips locked in a kiss. 71

As he reminisced, he longed for her. He reached for the phone after more than an hour of swimming in his memories of her, and dialed the number to his own apartment using *67. A woman’s voice answered. “Hello? Hello? Who is this? I’m going to hang up now, okay? Okay.” The dead beep of the phone rang in his ear. 72