Hana & the Spider

Sunlight streamed through gauzy curtains, casting soft stripes across the tatami mat floor where Hannah slept. A tiny spider, delicate as a wisp of smoke, descended on a silken thread, swaying gently in the morning air. Hannah stirred. Her dark eyes blinked open, widening with curiosity—not fear. She watched the spider’s graceful descent, transfixed by its precision. It landed on the lid of her worn toy chest, its faded cranes barely visible beneath years of careful use. A quiet sense of peace settled over her. The world felt still, like it was holding its breath.