Jump, Jump, Jump
Chapter 1
Jump, jump, jump
Morning, joy, fun time
Hungry
Find food
Found food! Yummy treat!
Jump, jump, jump
Dang, food gone!
Try again
Another food!
Slow this time
Jump… jump… jump!
Got food!
Yummy
Happy
Ah, danger!
Big monster!
Jump, jump, jump
Hide, hide, hide
Whew, safe!
Sleep, sleep, sleep
Wake up
Jump, jump, jump
Morning again! More fun, more joy
Chapter 2
Good morning, world!
Jump, jump, jump
I'm playing a new game! It's called hide and jump
I found a fast food and I'm gonna catch it!
First I climb, climb, climb
Then I wait, wait, wait
So exciting! I've never caught something like this before
It has wings, but I have a plan!
Gotta line up just right
Wait for the right moment
There it is! Here I go!
Jump, jump, jump!
I got it! First try! Now to bite it and—
Oops, it got away!
Dang. I really wanted to know what that food tasted like!
It's ok. I'll do it next time!
But I'm still hungry…
Oh, a crawler! I'm great at catching those!
Jump, jump, jump
Mmm, crawler! So yummy
Uh-oh, I'm in the buzzer place!
I'd better hide before they show up
Whew, just made it!
Let's creep, creep, creep out of here
Find a nice little hiding place
There, all set to sleep, sleep, sleep!
Good night, world! I'll see more of you tomorrow…
Chapter 3
Ah, what a nice morning. Quiet, solitary, peaceful…
Wait, that fuzzy is close. Real close! I hope it didn't spot me…
And, it's diving right for me. But you're not gonna catch me that easily! I've been planning for this. Just jump… jump… jump! Ha, try to keep up, stupid fuzzy!
Heh, looks like I lost it. It's flying away. My plan worked!
But now I'm getting hungry. It's been forever since I had the speedsters. Easily one of my favorites!
Maybe I'll come across one today and actually catch it. Unlike yesterday when I missed with my dragline and fell all the way to the ground. I can be so clumsy sometimes!
But it's ok. This time will be different, mark my words! In fact…
Ooh, it looks like it might be my lucky day! I see not one, but two speedsters! They seem to be preoccupied with something… one of them is on top of the other.
Some kind of game? Whatever. Best not play with my food anyway.
I'll wait for the right moment, get my spinnerettes ready, and…
Jump, jump, jump!
Ha, I got one! The other one got away, but that's fine. Time to enjoy a delicious, nutritious breakfast!
…
Uh-oh. I'm not done eating yet, but I see a buzzer!
But no, I'm not afraid of you buzzers! It's my lucky day! Besides, I'm sure it can't see me.
Ah, such a delicious speedster! Now, where is that buzz— AHHHH! It's coming right for me!
Jump, jump, jump!
Whew, I got out of the way, but now it's circling around! You won't catch me that easy! If I can outrun a fuzzy…
Aha, that's it! I'll lure the fuzzy! There's no way it can resist a buzzer. Let's see, I'll line myself up perfectly and jump… jump… jump!
Hahaha, the fuzzy wasn't expecting me to jump right in front of it, I'd bet! And the buzzer is so focused on me that it's flying right in front of the fuzzy too!
But I had the element of surprise. Not you, buzzer!
Chomp, chomp, chomp!
Hahaha, that's what you get for messing with me, buzzer! The fuzzy looks happy with the free meal I gave it.
But I'd better scram before the fuzzy decides I'd make a good dessert.
What a thrill! I wonder if I'll have any more dangerous adventures tomorrow…
Chapter 4
Another day, another dinner. At least, I hope so. Yesterday I got the short end of the stick when it came to food. I'm famished.
Something's moving in my peripheral vision. Is that a crawler? I turn to face the creature, but no, it's not a crawler. It's a male. Again. He starts to dance horribly, as if he thinks stumbling around like that is going to impress me.
I've seen enough from this creep. Time to jump… jump… jump! He's running away. Good. At least he takes no for an answer. The last guy pushed his luck and turned into my breakfast. Serves him right.
Speaking of breakfast, I'm still hungry. I wonder what I can— oh, I see movement! I turn to examine the source. A speedster. Sure, I'll take it. They do taste delicious.
It hasn't noticed me yet. That's good. I get in position, calculate my trajectory, prepare my spinnerettes, and…
Jump, jump, jump!
Got it! Breakfast is served, finally. I slowly enjoy my speedster, savoring the taste.
As I finish, I see movement. A buzzer? I turn to the source. Ah, no, not a buzzer. Another male. I've not seen him before, but I don't see why he would be any different. They're all the same, not fit to seed my eggs.
He starts to dance. I'm sure he'll be just as much of a waste of time as…
Wait. What is this elegance?
It's so… smooth. Delicate.
Enticing.
I can't stop staring at his display. It makes me feel so… seen. But not in a scary way, like when I get found by a buzzer. Seen in a way that I didn't even realize I needed.
His performance ends, and I know he's the one. He gently approaches. I could kill him if I wanted to, but I don't. He climbs on top of me and reaches with his pedipalps. I feel them reaching inside me.
It feels… blissful.
He's done already? It's a shame that was so short. He climbs back off of me and exits with the same elegance as before.
I celebrate with a vigorous hunt for delicious food.
Jump, jump, jump!
I'm about to be a mother. I couldn't be happier.
Chapter 5
The warmth of the sun reaches my warm silk blanket and wakes me from my deep sleep. Ah, another beautiful morning. I climb out from my hiding place as I reflect on my dream. I can't remember all of the details, but it was about my youth. My first hunt, perhaps? It was a very nice dream.
Youth. I think back to my own children, now fully grown and living their own lives. I hope they're doing well. They were very healthy when I last saw them. Do they eat the same foods I ate at that age? I do not, cannot, know the answer, but I hope whatever food they find, it's food they enjoy, just like how I used to enjoy the crawlers and speedsters back then.
I look out in search of breakfast. It's funny how much smaller the world looks now compared to my youth. I remember how scary the buzzers used to be, but now, I could catch them as food if I wanted to. Too bad they taste so bitter; I can't imagine why the fuzzies eat them so often. It's just as well. I'm not quite as agile as I used to be and probably shouldn't press my luck with fellow predators.
My eye catches sight of the perfect meal: a hopper. I first ate this food not long after I weaved my egg sac. They're difficult to catch, but the flavor is to die for. They also happen to be very filling.
I line myself up to intersect the hopper's jump, as I've learned to do. I wait for the right moment, and…
Jump, jump, jump!
I may not be as young as I used to be, but I've still got it. I catch the hopper and enjoy my delicious meal in wonderful solitude. I contemplate this quirky thinking habit. It started back when I was just a small spiderling as a simplistic expression of my intentions, but I never stopped repeating that specific phrase. It became my motto. More importantly, holding onto this part of my youth brings me joy.
I've lived a wonderfully fulfilling life. I've eaten all kinds of tasty foods, gone on thrilling – albeit reckless in hindsight – adventures, and had a nice and healthy brood of children. And I'm still here, still living this beautiful life in this beautiful world. I couldn't be happier.
And I will keep living, keep experiencing this world and all of its colors. The solitude, the flavor, the joy, the danger. Whatever comes my way, I will keep moving forward. I will thrive. All I have to do is…
Jump…
Jump…
…
