"The Forest of a Thousand Legs"

Illustration by Jörn Heidrath

**"The Forest of a Thousand Legs"** is the second tale in the seventh episode of the ninth season of the Nolseep Podcast. In it, a man returns to the forest in which a childhood friend disappeared. Written by Rex Lovezinski, it has a runtime of 50:00 and was performed by Jesse Cornett, David Cummings, and Erika Sanderson. It is the 1060th tale overall on the podcast.

## Summary

The narrator, Aaron, starts by describing the nature in which his friend in 2nd grade, Lucy Lockhart, went missing. Lucy wants to host a sleepover for her 7th birthday, inviting Aaron along with her other friends. Aaron laments the fact that since he is the only boy in the group, he won't be allowed to sleep over. However, her father and retired entomologist, Robert Lockhart Jr., denies her request to have a sleepover, as she will have to spend her birthday at her mother's house since his is being fumigated. This causes Lucy to throw a tantrum and run into the woods near the house, Lockhart Wood.

Lockhart Wood, nicknamed "The Forest of a Thousand Legs", is unique for being home to every species of spider in North America, including some not endemic to North America. The spiders at the edges of the forest are relatively small, being mostly jumping spiders, wandering spiders, and orb weavers. The deeper into the woods you go, the larger the spiders become. After Lucy ran off into the woods, Robert chased after her in minimal gear, causing him to get several major spider bites. He manages to survive, although loses both legs at the knee.

The following investigation into Lucy's disappearance turns up nothing, the search team unable to search the entirety of Lockhart Wood. Lucy remains missing, with the police then assuming he had something to do with her disappearance, but there isn't enough evidence to convict. Aaron as well as his mother both testify for Robert, saying that he wasn't abusive toward Lucy. Years later, Aaron is about to start college still wishing Lucy could have graduated with him and their friends. The day before Aaron leaves for college, he drives to Robert's house to say goodbye.

After an awkward greeting, Robert lets Aaron into his home. Inside Lucy's room, Aaron finds a large spider in a terrarium. The spider is a species of huntsman named "Lady Legs" that Robert's father had discovered in the Lockhart woods, with Lucy cherishing it as a pet. Lady Legs is over 30 years old, impossibly old for a spider. Aaron continues to reminisce on his memories with Lucy, finding some short stories that she was assigned to write in school. There are several entries about Lucy and Lady Legs going on adventures together as spider-centaurs.

He then notices that Robert appears to be getting ready to venture into the forest, with Aaron asking to go with him. Robert accepts, dressing him up in gear that's the wrong size. Robert warns him to not walk into webs and to always watch his step, with them then venturing into the woods near sunset. They soon have to use their headlamps, with Aaron seeing spiders the size of half-dollars scurrying across the ground away from his boots. They come to a fork in the trail, finding a spider the size of a hand. Robert reveals it to be a Brazilian Wandering Spider, zipping on an extra pair of gloves. He reaches the gloved hand toward the spider, causing it to bite his finger twice. Robert tells Aaron that the spider can't quite bite through gloves that thick, although anything thinner and it would easily go through. They eventually come to a part of the path where the spiders have only made webs in the treetops, making it easier to avoid the webs. The webs are so thick that it has caused some leaves to suffocate and die. Robert explains that the opaque webs are the cause of communal webs, some species of spider live together and make massive webs, taking care of each other's young and sharing prey. He says that the spiders likely feed off of birds and squirrels as well.

Later down the trail, Aaron and Robert find the trail entirely covered in web, sharp angles cloud up the trail like fog. Beneath his feet Aaron finds the bones of a large animal entangled with the exoskeleton of a massive tarantula. Robert is distracted by something above them, a group of massive spiders the size of fishbowls. One of the large spiders descends towards them on a web of silk. At first Aaron thinks that it is a spider with a rodent in its jaws, but then realizes that that isn't how spiders eat, and it is instead a rodent with a spider-like backside, appearing to be a spider-like centaur. He notes that the body appears to be the same species as Lady Legs.

Aaron gets a good look at the face of the rodent, showing a squirrel with too many beady eyes that peer at him and Robert. A massive burrow catches Aaron's attention next, tugging on Robert's arm to get his attention. A human face with too many eyes appears out of the large burrow, watching him and Robert. The face slowly ascends from the burrow, having a spider body the size of a small car. The spider-centaur continues to approach as Aaron and Robert stagger backwards. Robert then manages to identify the spider-centaur as Lucy. Robert calls out her name, causing her to tilt her head and drop her mouth in response, a liquid too viscous to be saliva pouring out. She then grabs the squirrel spider from before, eating it.

Aaron then flees, brushing through webs as Robert follows quickly behind. Robert trips and falls into Aaron, causing Aaron to break his nose. Turning around, they see Lucy creeping behind them. Aaron starts to scream, but Robert muffles it to prevent startling Lucy. Lucy stands over them as Robert attempts to soothe Lucy. They slowly inch back as Lucy approaches slowly, Robert continuing to soothe her. Lucy's mouth then drops open, softly calling out to Robert. They continue to back up, Lucy no longer approaching, instead following them with her eyes. Aaron anticipates an attack, but Lucy remains motionless. Robert and Aaron steadily move away from her, with Lucy saying unprompted to come see her again. They manage to escape the woods, brushing off harmless spiders. Both of them vomit, with Robert coughing and laughing manically. Aaron asks what he's going to do now, to which Robert responds that he'll probably visit his daughter every now and then. Aaron then reveals that he's decided to switch his major to biology with a study in arachnology, saying that he'd like to see Lucy again.

## Cast

Jesse Cornett as Aaron Lovezinski

David Cummings as Robert Lockhart Jr.

Erika Sanderson as Lucy Lockhart