The Challenge:
In 2000 words or less, write a story, poem, or whatever you like about
being trapped in your own home. What trapped you there? How do you
escape?
The Result:
Alice
James DeAcutis
“Good-night,
Mr. Bluesuit.”
“Goodnight, Alice.”
The door closed gently as I bid
goodnight to my dear. Another day of fun and games come to an end. I miss her
so when she leaves me alone. This is a lonely place; my little house. Although
it is bright and cheerful and I have everything I could ever need, it is still…
a lonely little place.
Alone
in my home…
I’ve tried to leave. I really have
but there is no way for me to leave. Not without her help. I’m paralyzed now
although I can feel myself getting stronger every day. The more she loves me
and the more she believes in me the more I believe in myself. I know that with
her love I will keep getting stronger and when I do I know I will be able to
leave. One day I hope to surprise her and join her on the outside, on my own.
It’s amazing that I can even think
these thoughts considering who I am and where I came from.
I’ve been here as long as I can remember;
I guess since the beginning, although I don’t know how long ago that was. I
only started to know where I was or who I was just recently. It was as if one
day I woke up from an eternal sleep and found myself here…in this neat little
house...in this strange place.
My friend, Alice, is a strange
little bird you know. She chats with me and tells me the funniest stories. At
least I think they’re funny. She seems to find them so as she laughs and laughs
at them. She laughs at a lot of things actually. She’s even confided in me that
everyone she knows thinks she’s ‘daft’ as she puts it. Really! She said that
her sister won’t talk to her anymore because she’s ‘coo-coo as a clock’!
She
laughed at that too. I kind of feel sorry for her; all alone in this house.
Well, except for me of course but I’m not much for conversation in the
condition I’m in. But, I hope that as I get stronger I will be able to be a
better companion.
I think I know what’s happening to
me and I hope you don’t think it strange. Alice was reading a magazine to me
the other day and there was a story about philosophy and it contemplated the
idea that we only exist because others believe us to exist. We don’t exist in
and of ourselves but because others see us, we are real. It was all very complicated,
and made us both laugh, but as I thought about what she read it occurred to me
that because Alice believed in me maybe her love was bringing me back! Strange,
no? But, this is what I thought and then I thought, maybe that philosopher was
onto something. Whatever was happening to me I believe it was because of Alice;
dear, sweet Alice.
Every day she would talk to me and
every day I could feel my muscles getting stronger; felt my eyes slowly
focusing; felt my tongue tasting words. If this continued I would be dancing in
no time! Haha! I will make her so happy one day.
But,
until then…
Days go by and I am frustrated by
how long it’s taking. Alice takes care of me and talks to me and I know I’m
real to her. It is only a matter of time…and I have all the time in the world.
Today is the day! I can feel it!
Today I will surprise Alice with a ‘hello’ and a hug! I could feel my eyes
moving and my voice returning as the night progressed and I’m going to surprise
her! Oh, won’t she be thrilled? I can almost picture the look on her face, the
joy she’ll feel, when it happens! And, when it does, we can finally, really, be
together.
As the day progressed I could hear
her moving about outside. I could hear her comings and goings. I think she took
a phone call at some point because I could hear her talking, I think. She may
have done some laundry too as I heard a machine humming at another point. I’m
getting more and more anxious for her arrival as I try and flex my arms and
legs and move my eyes and clear my throat.
Oh, I can’t wait!
But now the day is getting on and
I’m worried. Where is my benefactor; my friend? I can still hear some noises
and movement from outside so I think she’s not far away but when will she come
to me? When will she share with me the good news I have? This is interminable
torture. I am so frustrated. I know; I’ll go to her!
I try to crawl across the floor to
the door but I’m still too weak. I manage to get a few inches before my legs
can no longer push and my arms no longer pull. But I can barely turn my head so
I twist it as best I can and close my eyes as I rest upon the floor, waiting
for my Alice.
…and
wait
…and wait
I drift off to sleep and dream but
I don’t dream yet. I have no memories to dream about so my dreams don’t exist.
Maybe, one day…
I
sleep, I think but I don’t know for how long because, before I can pick myself
up I’m startled by the sound of my Alice coming! She is so close and I can’t
wait to surprise her! I can’t wait to see the look on her face when I show her
how far I’ve come! I don’t think I’ve ever felt anticipation before but I think
I know what it feels like! She is near and over me and she reaches down with
her hands. She picks me up with her strong hands and turns me over and holds me
in her arms.
I can see her
clearly now, really for the first time. She is older! Her hair is white and her
cheeks are very pink and her eyes have deep, blue paint over them. Her face is
very white and her lips are very red and twisted. She looks like a doll! A
somewhat sad and silly one but, I won’t tell her that for I am so happy that I
have her.
Now, the moment I’ve been waiting
for! She holds me in her arms and looks down at me making ‘sing-song’ sounds
like she always does. But now I can see her funny, ‘coo-coo’, eyes as she does.
And she says,
“Hello,
Mr. Bluesuit. How are we today?”
And now is my moment! I try with
all my might to look at her and see the look in her face when I do. My eyes
flutter slightly as I turn them ever so slightly to look at hers but when I do
and our eyes really meet (for the first time) something strange happens. Her
eyes grow wide and I can feel her shaking. Her
face changes and
seems to darken, I think. I could be wrong but…
Her
breath grows shallow and I know it is time…
I love her so much and I long to
make her smile so with my now alive eyes looking at her and with all my
strength I smile and croak out a weak…
“Hel-lo
Alice…”
I don’t know why my creaky voice
seemed to startle her so but it did. I thought she would be overcome by joy but
the look she gave me broke my heart. She let go of me and I dropped to the
floor with a hollow thump and looked up at her as she crawled away, bug-eyed
and clutching her chest. She could hardly breathe as she wheezed away from me.
“A-a-a-lissssss.” I hissed as best
I could and reached for her with my weak little arms. She screamed and stumbled
backwards away from me. I’m so confused! What have I done?! Why does she look
at me with horror?!
“A-A-A-Lisssss!”
I cried to her…
“A-ah-lisss…”
I cry as non-existent tears well in my bright-painted eyes.
She
reels back and her face is twisted in a look that even terrifies me!
“No! No!” she croaks as she falls
near the door across the room. Her hand is twisted into a crooked claw
scratching in the air but then it falls on top of her wheezing chest.
“A-Ah-Lisss… no… no…” I crawl to
her using every bit of strength I can muster. I must reach her! I just want to
hold her and kiss her and tell her how much I love her. I want to tell her that
it’s alright! That I’m alright. That there’s nothing to be afraid of.
But, as I crawl slowly towards her
I can hear her breath getting shorter and more labored and I can feel my
efforts becoming more futile by the second. I must reach her! But, I’m afraid
of how this will end. If my friend passes will I too pass back between
nothingness and eternity?! If she breathes her last…?
I crawl onward, pulling my little body
with my little arms; my shiny, hard hands scratching and clawing at the hard,
shiny floor. It is impossible! It is so hard…
“A-a-a-lissssss!”
I
crawl and look up and she hardly moves now.
“Ahhhlisssss!”
I drag myself inch-by-inch and
she’s very quiet now. I think I know what it feels to be doomed as I inch ever
closer, knowing that at any moment…
“Ahhlisss,
please! Alice!”
I’m almost to her now! Almost…if I
can reach her I can pull myself up to her! I so want to hold her! I so want to
thank her for what she’s done! I so want to lo…
For More On James DeAcutis:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Cooper-and-the-Pirate-King/316901815000604
Twitter: @jdeacutis
Twitter: @jdeacutis
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/peter-cooper-and-the-pirate-king-james-deacutis/1111864681?ean=9781475086065
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