Catch that Cake!

The deep rumble of a growling stomach snapped Todd’s mind back into reality.

As his senses came into tune, his palm gripped onto a stainless steal door handle. Through the door his eyes refocused and ahead lay the empty void of an open refrigerator. A few rogue crumbs scattered across shelves, a cool breeze hummed from the interior mechanisms magical properties, and dew sweat down its slimy walls. A few sentries named ketchup, mayo and soy sauce stood post along the door and a group of stragglers known as beer cowered against the back corners. A large bowl once filled with delights now was empty and unclean, left alone on a shelf.

Todd’s stomach rumbled again. There was nothing to eat.

With the tenacity of a bloodhound, his nose increased in size, searching for a target. The all too familiar aroma, a sweet river of chocolate steam, flowed into his nostrils. Such a divine fragrance yanked at his nose and tickled the hairs lining the cave walls. Goose bumps chilled the back of his neck and electrocuted hairs along his arms. Muscles grew limp as the intoxicating steam spun his body and guided it towards the source.

Upon a furnished dinning room table, the source revealed itself. It was a slice of chocolate cake siting on a lone china plate. This was not just any normal slice of chocolate cake, it was fresh, homemade. Heat radiated from within its core, causing the soft meat of the cake to slouch at the pointed end. The thick back stood firm, laced with beaded pearls and sporting a dark mocha flower. It was perfect, exactly what Todd had been looking for, exactly what he needed.

The legs of a wooden chair scratched along the floor as Todd settled upon a cushioned seat. Eager fingers snatched up a fork snuggling within an ornate napkin while the other hand tucked the napkins edge into his shirts collar. Fists slammed against the table, making the china plate leap in surprise. Lips licked away chunky residue and drool leaked through chapped cracks, soaking into the tablecloth below. Veins pushed Todd’s eyes forward, locking onto their target.

Silver sliced effortlessly through the slouched point. Gooey chocolate sauce seeped out from a center layer and bled upon the fork. The flimsy severed piece jiggled as Todd’s hands shook with excitement. He closed his eyes as his taste buds salivated in anticipation and lips closed in to seal the deal.

Teeth clanged against the unforgiving metal fork. Pain reverberated through his jaw and shocked his unsuspecting incisors. Their edges screamed in agony. Eyes burst open. In a split second, Todd instinctively leapt from his seat and threw the fork upon the table. Confusion set in as his hand comforted his weeping mouth. His tongue attempted to massage the pain from his teeth.

As the fork came to rest, no chocolate blood stuck upon it, no mocha stained the blinding white tablecloth. It was clean and dry.

His eyes wandered to the china plate and to his surprise there it stood in its entirety, slouched edge and all. The slice of chocolate cake was untouched.

Hesitantly he sat back down, watching the mischievous cake carefully. How did that happen? In his eager state did he accidently miss the cake? But he saw the fork slice through, he saw the chocolate ooze out from within, yet, the cake had no imperfections. It was just the way he had found it.

With another swift slice, he lifted the jiggling piece slowly towards his mouth, nervous for his wounded teeth. Once again he closed his eyes. Steam emanated from the piece on the fork and into his nose. Lips reached forward feeling for the cake. All they found were metal prongs of a naked fork.

Once again, Todd opened his eyes in shock. His teeth had been spared this time but the cake was still not in his mouth. There it stood, just as it had done before. The slice of chocolate cake was untouched.

Anger fueled his stomach as a raging bellow gurgled in frustration. The steam that had just seconds ago enticed his taste buds now shot out, powering the roaring stomachs wrath. His grip tightened, strangling the skinny forks body, as his fist plummeted towards the mischievous cake.

Metal prongs vibrated as they stabbed through the thin tablecloth veil and into the wooden frame of the table. Once again he had missed the cake. There it stood just to his right, taunting Todd with its wicked seduction. With another fowl swing, Todd stabbed at his target. The fork nestled into wood and the slice of chocolate cake stood to his left.

No longer sat a hungry man. In its place a vicious barbarian attacked with growing fury. With strikes like lightening, the fork sliced through everything in front of it. It sliced through the air, through the shredded tablecloth, through the hole poked table, everything in its path, everything but the slice of chocolate cake. With each swing and every stab the cake moved, teleporting across the table. Metal clanged one last time as silver prongs snapped and flung into the air. Tension paused as the shards flipped above the table and clanged about the dinning room. The pause was quick but it was there long enough for rage to build until it overflowed out of every pour in Todd’s body.

In his desperation, Todd threw his chest down upon the table while arms flailed, grasping at anything in range. His falling weight slammed against the wood as the table legs buckled. A pause filled the air once again as Todd realized the cake had still eluded him.

Knees of the table legs buckled and sent its wooden body and Todd down to the floor.

Dust settled as Todd lifted his gaze forward, ignoring the scratch running along his forehead. A single crimson drop glided down with dirty forehead sweat, staining what remained of the fragile tablecloth. In the rubble ahead, the mischievous cake stood smug, poised with arrogance. Todd had enough.

Solid china shattered, reforming into sharp edged spider legs supporting the cakes body. The chocolate monstrosity scurried out of the dinning room, leaving the unfortunate Todd behind. It taunted Todd, peaking around the corner, laughing at him.

Instead of taking chase, Todd ignored his instincts. The pleas of his stomach went unanswered as he brushed himself off and walked back into the kitchen. The fight was no longer worth the reward.

Confused, the cake took a few steps into the open and watched. No one had ever resisted its sensual sides before. No eyes had ever willingly wandered from the intricate flower of chocolate shavings. It took a few more steps into the dinning room. No one had ever ignored the warm aroma emanating into every possible crevice nearby. Its clay legs crawled over the broken table and torn cloth. No one had ever given up. Despite the game the cake wanted to be eaten. It yearned for it. The consumer had to be worthy of its magnificent taste. It took a few more steps forward, into the doorway of the kitchen.

Todd was nowhere to be seen. Chocolate beads scanned the room to see nothing but an open fridge containing condiments and beer. Disappointment, the cake had sensed Todd would be a formidable foe. Never did it suspect he would give up so easily. The mischievous cake turned around and began to walk back into the dinning room.

The refrigerator door closed and from behind it Todd revealed himself, holding the empty bowl in his hands. In a swift dash he threw his entirety forward. The mischievous cake was in his sights; there was no escape now. The cake turned as the bowl came down upon it, trapping it underneath.

In a mad struggle, Todd firmly held the bowl upside down against the wooden floor as the enraged cake slammed against the ceramic sides until the chocolate monstrosity ceased its struggle. Todd had finally won.

Celestial rays of blinding lights erupted from above. The walls slid out of view, revealing a stage followed by a crowd filled stands shouting with thunderous applause. A middle-aged man with silver hair ran across the stage and wrapped his arm around Todd’s shoulder. Glossy eyes stared in a dazed confusion at the blur of the crowd. All sounds drowned into muffled noise. Todd felt relief that his struggle had ended, his nightmare was over, but what took its place was just as puzzling. A familiar growl rumbled through his body. Todd was still hungry.

“Well that’s all the time we have!” Exclaimed the middle-aged host. “Join us next week for another episode of your favorite game show…” An index finger extended, pointing toward the crowd.

In unison the roaring crowd finished his sentence, “...CATCH THAT CAKE!” as the camera faded away.