The Day of my Certain and Untimely Death

It was the day of my certain and untimely death. Upon awakening, I found myself trapped in a prison behind a forcefield of small, shiny squares. I tried to squeeze through them, but it was no use. I spun around, crying for help. No one was there to hear me.

I could feel a thunderous vibration rumbling beneath my feet. I lifted my nose to the air, it was musty, not a hint of food anywhere. Without warning, a loud roar blew right threw me. Quickly I spun – ready to pounce. All I found was the blank slate of my entrapment.

Imprisoned with no food, I was certain my life was about to be over. Already I could feel the pains of my starvation. Louder and louder, I cried. Still no response.

Am I the last survivor on Earth? I wondered.

Frantic, I worked to break through the forcefield of squares. In a desperate measure, I forced myself as far back in my prison as I could, attacked it with all my might. The result sent me falling to my inevitable death. With a quick flip, I landed on the forcefield as we hit the ground.

I stooped as the prison around me opened. It bounced when it slapped the floor, it’s forcefield still beneath my feet. Without it, the space looked more open and inviting. I stuck my head in to look around.

Not bad, I thought.

I decided to take a moment inside, collect myself. I spun around until I found the perfect place to lay down. Inside I felt safe; outside lurked a world of danger.

I could stay here forever, I thought.

And that's when it happened, the pains of starvation hit me. With full force my stomach ached up through my chest.

If I stay here, I am certainly going to die, I thought.

Slowly, I peeked outside my new home, opening my mouth to get a deep inhale of the world I was about to enter.

Is that tuna? I wondered.

The possible smell of food distracted me. Instead of slowly exiting my new home as planned, I jumped out excitedly. Just as I hit the ground, another loud roar sent me flying off my feet. With haste, I jetted back inside.

Where in the world am I? I wondered. What awful deed had I done to find myself here?

My mind drifted to what life was like before I was kidnapped and abandoned. I yearned for the comfort of my soft bed, nestled safely in the reflection of the warm sun.

I guess this is what it’s like before you die, I thought, as I reflected on my life.

I had lived a good life - full of love, long naps, and food, lots of food. My stomach ached again. I lifted my nose to the air…

Tuna!

You got this, I told myself as I peered outside my home.

With my mouth open I took in every scent – the aroma of old paper, creosote, dirt, and coal clouded the air. But just past them, somewhere in the near distance, tuna.

One step at a time I exited my home. I crouched to the ground as I turned sharply to the right. Walking along the walls I surveyed my surroundings. I was in some sort of strange world. The floor was plush with blue hues and a design which made me feel a bit dizzy. I made sure to leave scent markers for a safe return home.

I weaved myself through a small opening between two large cases. The familiar scent of rose engulfed me. It was coming from inside the cases, I was certain. I jumped up onto one. It wobbled a bit, but I found my balance.

From the top, a whole new world emerged. It was a small world, with yellow walls. In the far corner, I could see light coming from a draped portal to the outside world. Below it, a large bed with white sheets.

I need to get to that spot, I thought.

I jumped down from the case, landing gracefully on the blue carpet. Continuing along the yellow wall, I carefully calculated my way to the bed when a circular object in the middle of the room caught my attention.

What’s in there? I wondered.

Leaving the security of the yellow wall, I cautiously made my way toward the circular object. Inside I found crunchy, white paper. I stepped on it for a bit, turning in circles until I found the perfect spot to relieve myself. Once done, I kicked a few pieces of paper over it to cover my mess.

From the circular object, I realized I had two options. I could jump quickly from my circle to the bed or return to walk safely along the yellow wall.

I chose the wall.

With every step, I could feel the ground beneath me moving. It was a continuous motion, with no end in sight. It left me feeling shaky and unbalanced, which I hated. Continuing along the wall, I hid myself from any possible danger. Every step calculated, planned to perfection.

The yellow wall turned me left, leading me under a tall platform. A chair nestled beneath it; hidden in darkness.

Looks like a safe place, I thought, before jumping onto the cushion.

The space was smaller than I imagined. I crouched as I padded it down, wincing at the distinct smell of peppers and chili. I decided against it as a safe place. As a parting gift, I marked it with my scent.

Driven by curiosity, I leaped up onto the platform. I sniffed at all the objects, knocking them out of my way if necessary.

The smell of citrus and banana caused me to gag. Spying the ghastly objects ahead, I saved myself and jumped down. When I landed, I was caught-off guard in the middle of the room. Panicked, I sprinted for the bed, leaping up onto it.

The bed was soft, warm. The light from the portal called to me. I could hear the chirp of birds, smell the freshness of cedar. Carefully, I twisted my way through the drapes.

My eyes spun as the outside world zipped past me in a blur. I pushed against the portal, trying to break through. It wouldn’t open. I had escaped one entrapment to find myself stuck in another.

“Help!” I cried over and over, as loud as I could. Still no answer.

It was a certainty now, I thought, with no one left to care for me, I was definitely going to die.

I had excepted my fate when a loud sound rolled past my world. With my mouth open and my nose to the air, the most wonderful aroma of tuna and olives engulfed me. I sprang to my feet.

My life isn’t over just yet, I thought.

I followed my nose, leading me to a small crevice in the wall. Unable to widen the gap, I realized my best path was to dig my way out. The plush blue carpet ripped away quite easily. Driven by hunger, I dug as fast as I could until a hole emerged. I stuck my head through the tiny opening. It hurt a bit, but with a few twists, I squeezed my way through.

I found myself in yet another strange world. This one small and narrow. Instead of plush carpet, the floor was hard and cold and smelled of rosemary and coffee. Disgusted, I put my nose to the air, searching for olives and tuna.

Another loud roar vibrated through me, sending me jumping.

“What the hell!” I screamed as I darted off down the long grey wall.

I ran for what seemed like hours. When I stopped to catch my breath, I found myself in a world full of large white chairs. I chose the closest one and darted beneath it, hiding myself from danger.

From below the chair, I could see a giant portal to the outside world. Grassy hills and trees zipped by with enormous speed. My head whipped back and forth trying to keep up with the moving objects. I felt sick, dizzy.

I heaved as the last contents of my stomach expelled from my mouth. Disgusted by my mess, I darted beneath the next closest chair.

It was official now, I thought, soon I would starve to death.

I laid down in the darkness of my new home. It wasn’t as good as my old home, but it would suit me until my life was gone.

Out of the corner of my eye, a light twinkled on the floor. I reached for it, it disappeared then reappeared in a different location. I reached for it again – poof it was gone.

What kind of trickery is this? I wondered.

The light skipped from place to place, evading me at every turn. I crouched, watching it dance across the room. Waiting for the perfect moment, I pounced; my tail hitting a tall lamp. I dove, ran as it crashed to the ground.

Sprinting for my life, I was stopped in my tracks when a door swung open. With haste, I dodged to the shade of a corner as large feet stomped my way. Sinking into myself, I blended into the wall.

When the door swung closed, the intoxicating smell of olives and tuna overcame me once again, stronger than ever before.

This is it, I thought, everything my dreams were made of.

With caution, I peered out of my corner, the large feet were gone. Crouching low to the ground, I made my way across the cold, hard floor one step at a time. When I reached the door, I nudged it slightly. Easily it opened. Before my eyes could see inside, my nose lit up.

Tuna, basil, olives – was this Paradise? I wondered.

I slithered my way through the door. To my suprise, the world was full of people. Trying not to make a sound, I found my way beneath a table in the corner, hidden behind long white drapes.

I could sense the air was fraught, heavy with the scent of sweat and fear. A man in a striped hat and overalls drew the people's attention. My stomach growled. I was close enough to my feast to taste it in the air.

This is my chance, I thought.

Slowly I crept along the wall, following my nose toward a long table covered in food. I looked around, no one seemed to notice me. With a quick pounce, I leapt onto the table. Before I could land, a long green object caught my attention. It had the look of certain death.

I screamed as I tried to turn away. In my haste, my nails caught in the white drapes, pulling the contents of the table to the ground.

Everyone in the world turned to look at me. Stealthfully, I hid beneath the mess.

“Kazi?” I heard a familiar voice say.

I froze, pretended I couldn’t hear.

“Kazi, is that you, silly boy?” I heard it say again.

The sweet smell of rose consumed me. I peeked out of my hiding spot. A familiar face with deep lines and grey hair stood looking back at me.

“Help,” I cried to her.

She reached down and scooped me up, rubbing my head.

“We can’t stop the train,” I heard the man in the hat and overalls say. “Best we can do is slow our speed and jump,” he continued.

Chaos erupted in the room. My person fed me tiny pieces of tuna off the table as I hummed happily in her arms.

“I love you, Kazi,” she said, pressing her face to mine.

A sense of calm overcame me. She held me tight as I rubbed my scent all over her. She belonged to me; she was mine.

This is my best home, I thought, even if I am about to die.