Chapter Two

I have lived in the walls of this giant prison ever since I was able to escape the Ogre that used to beat me every day. I was with the Ogre since before I could remember. As I ran from him, I heard his monstrous threats but I was faster than him. I dared not return for he would hit me again.

When I escaped, I found the openings in the walls. But I could not get outside, so I hide there. In the walls, it was dark. But the dark comforted me, especially when I am upset.

There are passageways through the walls. Some of them aren’t good for being tall. I remember a couple times when I first started living in the walls that I bumped my head. 

But now, I have learned to live downward. My legs and back are always bent.  My hands constantly rest on the floor. Sometimes my hands help me move faster. I remind myself of a spider.

When I look out through the cracks in the wall, I see a big open world. When I look up, the colors are so beautiful. There are often fluffy things in the sky. I wonder what they taste like. The terrible depth above makes me wonder if I would fall upward forever if I went outside.

 The prison is surrounded by large brown poles that reach up tall in to green cushions. The poles form a sort of wall around the castle. 

There are gentle creatures out there. Creatures with long legs and fur. They run so fast. It doesn’t seem like they fall up.

 And separating the prison from the forest is a long deep hole that seems to completely surround the castle. At the bottom is water.

Even if I could swim, everything in the outside world is too scary to leave the safety of these walls. The monsters are scary too. But they do not know where I hide.

Sometimes, they talk about me. I hear them say what they will do if they find me. Yes, I may steal their food or other necessary items. But this is survival. I just can not get caught.

The monsters that live here are terrifying. I hear things, terrible things. I have seen some too. At night, the biggest monster brings his female monster to a room where he makes her scream. She must like it because she always goes willingly.

Sometimes the big monster will pull out his claws and get his cubs stomach. They make such a weird sound. I am sure it hurts alot! But the monsters watching, they just smile! He had not done that to his cub in some time, though. She must be keeping him appeased.

If he does THAT to them, I cannot imagine what they would do with me if they did catch me. No, I could not get caught. There was too much danger!

I’m hungry. So hungry. I just want food. The monsters, they always lock up their food. But it doesn’t stop me. I must eat.

I know where the food is kept. I used to go through the moon room to get to it but they started locking the door. The room captures the moon’s light. It holds onto it, as the wisps try to escape through the glass. I tried to help once. The monsters were very angry about the broken glass. I think they use the moonlight to cook their food.

When they started locking the pantry door, I opened a way through the wall. So now, I have my own entrance into this dark little corner of the prison. I can smell the foods up there. 

Hungry… I begin to climb the shelves looking for something to eat. Some of the things they use to hold the food are too difficult to open. But I am not picky. I just need something.

I grab a glass jar. It was hard to open last time but totally worth it. The food within was so sweet and juicy. I think I heard someone call them “peaches” once. There is something written on the paper attached to it. But I can not read.

I jump quietly down. But as I do, the pantry door opens. They did not need to unlock it first? A laugh startles me and I jump around. Am I cornered?

Watching carefully, I wait for the small creature to attack me. It is the cub of the big monster. Instead, she speaks. I find myself returning her words. What is wrong with me? I cannot let her feed me to the monsters!

She speaks the language of the monsters. But it has been so long since I last spoke. I barely manage to croak out the last word she says. All my defenses are up. But she does not seem angry.

Her eyes meet mine. They look so soft, so pretty. I almost want to reach out and take her offered hand. Ah! Beguiling witch will definitely feed me to the big monster. No!

She shifts in the doorway and I rush forward. She screeches and totters to the side. I don’t stop to look, as I run into the moon room. I can hear the heavy footsteps of monsters coming. I have to get out of here.

I run under the nearest table and the darkness swallows me. In the back corner of the table is the door. I can escape! I am almost there!

The cub is pointing out where I ran. Hurry! Hurry! I panic and quickly slip into the wall, closing the door behind me. I lean against the wall, breathing heavily. I made it! 

I think back about the gentle eyes of that cub. She was so pretty and sweet. I thought she was nice until her shrill calls brought those monsters. They wear shiny metal over their body to protect it. There seemed to be less of that kind of monster recently though. 

She interrupted me trying to get food. Oh, food! The peaches! I realize I forgot them and start jumping around angrily. Why? I am so hungry! The monsters were all supposed to be asleep at this time!

Tomorrow, I will eat. My stomach makes angry noises at me. I punch it and jump around some more. What could I really do about it? I ask it in my mind.

Then I hear the alluring sweet voice of that monster cub. “Hey. The guards are gone. Come back out. I didn’t mean to startle you.” I glance at the stones that act as the doorway in here. 

A deep dark voice in the back of my head warns me. ‘She is lying. She wants to see you locked downstairs in that awful room.’ I wrap my arms around my shoulders. 

I do not want to believe it, so I shake my head. I tell it that I could get out. I do know all the stone doors into the walls, afterall.

‘Try it, if you do not believe me.’ Boy did it sound so happy with itself, as if tormenting me was a joy. I stared at the door for a while longer. If I opened the door and he was right, they would know where to find me. The walls would no longer be safe.

“Ok. I understand your scared.” She whispered out there. “But I think this is what you wanted. Don’t leave it here all night or the cooks will put it away.” I can hear her quiet footsteps as she heads out of the kitchen.

I swallow back my fear and push the door open. The voice in my head doesn’t speak up this time. I often wonder if it is there to help me or torment me. The cub had left the peaches pushed up under the table.

Food! I jump around excitedly. I get a little too excited and my head hits the table. With a grateful smile, I grab the jar and head back into my hiding place before all my noise draws attention.