Contest Entry

An Attempt to Escape





He stared up at the stars; Big, bright, and tempting. He reached out his arm, wishing he ‎could get a hold of one. It was his first attempt, but he wasn’t losing faith. Reaching for ‎those stars was the only thing that was making his captivity bearable. ‎

Turning left, he ogled at the wooden bars caging him inside. He could see light shining ‎from between the timber. He crawled closer, until he was clutching two of the bars. Then ‎suddenly, he started squeezing his head in-between, trying to taste his freedom. ‎

Just a little more, he thought. Just a little more and I’d be free. But the more he pushed, ‎the more he realized there was no use in escaping. His body was far too chubby. Yet, now ‎he was stuck head out, and his neck was starting to ache. ‎

He pulled his head back, but soon his constricted ears got in his way. Soon, they were ‎pinker than his cheeks from the pain. He pouted before screaming out for help. ‎

‎“Aaaaa!”‎

Words weren’t coming out. ‎

‎“Aaaaa!”‎

Why weren’t the words coming out right?! His heart started to race. Why wasn’t his mind ‎and tongue getting together?! He pouted again before bursting into tears. He wondered ‎why the funny-faced-being caged him inside that prison. So, he got angrier, and more ‎scared. But he knew no one to call for except the funny-faced-being. ‎

He started to screech, yell, scream, and ball his eyes out. His throat was getting sore ‎forcing him to cough like an old man. ‎

Minutes passed, and he was still stuck. However, his tears had dried. Right then, he tried ‎to pull his head back again, to no avail. There was no use to his attempts. Everything ‎failed him; the funny-faced-being, his tongue and lips, and even his cries. ‎

Suddenly, he heard the main door open, urging him to burst into tears again. He knew ‎help was here. He wanted to call the being’s name, but his tongue was just too stubborn. ‎He could only cry. ‎

‎“Oh my God!” The being gasped as she rushed towards him. “Jim, come here, his head is ‎stuck.”‎

The being made his regular funny face along with the funny voices. “Don’t cry. Don’t cry. ‎Mommy is here now.” She brushed her hand over his head calming him down. ‎

Soon, another being walked in. The baby knew him as the man who would always tossed ‎him into the air and hugged him closer to his ash-smelling shirt. ‎

The baby looked up mumbling words that had no meaning to mommy and daddy. He ‎reached his hand out as they greased the ‘evil’ crib to free the hero of the story. ‎

No worries though, the hero was freed. He grew up to be a rather talkative man. In fact, ‎he was so talented with the words; he had his own baby now. In fact the day he first ‎brought that child home, he stood over the crib in silence. ‎

‎“Is something wrong?” She asked.‎

‎“I don’t think this crib is safe enough,” he frowned. ‎

‎“It’s a crib. It’s as safe as anything can be.”‎

‎“We should stack pillows-”‎

‎“They could smother her.”‎

He took in a breath, “but what if she squeezes her head threw the bars.”‎

‎“That’s not going to happen.”‎

‎“It’s a possibility!” He raised his voice, but then lowered it quickly as not to wake the ‎baby. ‎

‎“They are too tight together.”‎

‎“But-”‎

‎“Did you ever hear of a baby who did that?”‎

‎“I don’t think so,” he whispered. Something was too familiar about the situation.‎

‎“Here you go. It doesn’t happen.”‎

‎“Fine.”‎

‎“Good.”‎

‎“But just incase we should buy another crib with tighter-”‎

‎“But it’s your childhood crib.”‎

‎“You’ll never understand,” the talkative man lowered his head, walked out of the room, ‎searched for his keys, and headed for the closest store. ‎





Word count: 661