“The Creature”
Sep 11, 2019Clutching his baby blankie in his hand, he felt like a shell of a man. He just wanted to cry, to flush out all the toxins and emotions from his body, but nothing more than a few drops would come out. So he clutched Blankie tighter and hoped it would bring some long-suppressed memories to the surface and open the floodgates. This is no shape to be in for a forty year old, he thought to himself. He could have spoken it out loud, but he [didn’t think] he’d feel less ashamed.
It adjusted its body on the rock to get a few of the day’s remaining sunlight [rays] on its face. The rock was hard and rigid and pressed against its bony buttocks. The creature could not be comfortable. The creature would never be comfortable, whether in the sun or not, on this rock or another. Mosquitos landed on and bit its skin. Small ant-like bugs crawled all over. It was a long, hot day and they were trying to cool off in the creature’s sweat. The creature’s limbs flailed lazily to swat the bugs away. You will not be feasting on me tonight. The creature was, itself, thinking of feasts. Small birds and squirrels hopped about, searching for food in the grass and dirt. The creature watched a squirrel crack a nut. Bring me your food, squirrel. But the squirrel ignored the creature and moved on. Other creatures milled about the park as well, some even on their hind limbs. Those were the strong ones, displaying their dominance. They would not be caught lying among the creatures. Their sloth and immobility signaled weakness. They would continue to be prey for all of the microscopic parasites if they just lay around all day and expected mother earth to pull out her teets and shove them in their mouths and excrete her liquid sustenance.
It groaned and scoffed at the active creatures. You do not know me. You do not know my pain. You cannot judge me lest ye be judged yourself. It groaned louder and the other creatures turned to look. The small animals scurried away. It groaned some more but all the other creatures went back to their own business and ignored it. Its throat seized and it could groan no more. Its body ached all over. This rock would not do! It shifted and rolled off the rock, in defeat, and looked for another rock to lie on. The sun was gone for the day.