Star-Crossed Rivals

Yuzuko woke up to the sight of cobwebs glistening in the window. The spiders habituating them seemed pleasant. She never understood the fear of spiders - they were just lowly creatures passing by, trying to make a home for themselves.

She rolled out of the bed, staring into the cracked mirror. A thought came to her, was she, a humble member of society any different to the spiders? The spiders build their cobwebs: people brush them away. Immigrants face the same problems. A horrid choice between life on the run or stay and watch your homes and loved ones being destroyed.

Every strand of litter was another step back. Climate change was not considered the emergency it was fifty years ago, but there was still a long way to go. The fact there were more trees on this island than the Amazon Rainforest terrified Yuzuko.