The Process First

So there I was. Minding my own business. It was warm, the sun was out, a beautiful day. The best days are sunny days, to be honest. I was sitting on this blade of grass when I heard something. Well, felt it really. The ground beneath me shook. I thought maybe I should run away.

But I didn’t, the sun was just right in this spot, and I knew there was something just tasty nearby. But then the noise got bigger. And closer. Then the sun suddenly disappeared from above me. I could see it, way over, still shining on the grass. but above me, it was gone.

So, reluctantly I turn around and look.

There was this enormous thing standing over me. It had four legs but only stood on two. It held things and it stared down at me.

I froze in my spot, like the had gone to bed for the season, and I should have gone to bed, but it wasn’t time for the sun to go to bed. And this thing stood over me.

Then I heard some nonsense. I think it was something communicating with the thing that stood over me, it wasn’t a sound I recognized. It was different.

(Come back here, Todd! It had said. How do his legs move faster than mine he’s smaller!)

That’s when I moved. I leaped a great leap and then another. But the thing with its giant legs came after me, big things are faster I learned that. So I leaped again and again. And I heard another noise.

(Giggling. Todd was giggling.)

I turned to look, because I was back in the sun again, surely I was safe now. But no, the humongous thing was there, and the thing at the end of one of its legs, it came down fast. I was caught in the thing it held.

(Todd, have you caught something? Please don’t be another spider. I hate spiders.)

The thing I was caught under lifted, just a little, and I tried to leap away again, but it was useless. It had me for good.

(Oh, it’s a grasshopper. He’s a small one too. Ok, I guess you can keep him for a bit. Need help with the bucket?)

Then I saw the other thing, it was much bigger.

(Here, scoop him up. Now dump him in. That’s right. The lid, put it on so he can’t get away. Good job! Now you can look at him!)

I was in something, but I couldn’t see it. It had a top and a bottom, and I could see everything around me, but when I tried to leap, I hit something I couldn’t see. Then in front of me was the thing that got me. It stared at me.

(Todd giggles. Yep, see his legs? He can jump very high with those! And see the black dots! His eyes, yeah!)

I tried to jump more, but new it was pointless. I was stuck. Going nowhere fast. And it was hot and still in here. I missed the sun, I missed the grass. I missed the air. The pleasant grass. The safe grass where giant things did not chase me.

(Yeah, he’s cool, right? Yep. Okay, we should let him go now. No, we can’t keep him! You wouldn’t like living in a bucket, would you? Right. Let’s open it up.)

Then, suddenly, there was more air and the sun came through the top! Freedom, I needed to make my escape! I leapt toward the sun and the air!

(Oop. He’s ready to go! Did you see that?)

The things’ noises got smaller and further. and finally I was back on my grass! The air was blowing and I was safe! The sun was shining. I will remember the ordeal always. Oh, but now I’m hungry.

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