Vision

Vision

By Andre Ricardo

I rest within my abode, feeling safe, serene, and seen. At least a dozen eyes are fixated on my illustrious form at any given moment. This is how it should be. My presence fills their minds. I must preserve this peace with an offering of sustenance for my diligent viewers. They must feed, and my gracious grasp shall provide. I prance between their chambers, passing fare to them all. With my basket of bread in hand, I stuff their maws with what they need. I thank each one of them for their loyalty to me. I thank them for seeing me. I thank them for sustaining me just as I sustain them.

A horrible sight! One of my viewers has put their duties aside! The poor creature’s body is slumped within its chamber, head still positioned within the receptacle in the correct angle to view me. I must find a replacement! Oh, what ghastly news! Oh, how I lament leaving my gentle viewers alone, even for but one day! But perhaps their squeals of delight will intensify after I collect a new viewer. This brings me hope, joy, relief even! But now is not the time to feel any of those lovely things, for my work is not yet complete! One must never feel satisfied for work which remains undone!

I need my traveling clothes. They are special clothes that allow me to leave my home. If I did not wear these special clothes, something most awful would occur! My traveling clothes’ accessories must be situated as well. The small creatures must all be attached. These little critters, smaller and baser than my favorite creatures, will have to do.

I leave my picturesque home to venture out into the dangerous beyond. Ideally, I would never have to see this wretched land, but this is the only place where I can find more viewers. The small critters work well, they perceive me, but nowhere near as well as the lanky, smooth, shiny, and lovely potential viewers I find out here! Just being away from my viewers makes me feel dreadful. I feel naked and unseen. This is wrong. I should be back in my home, but I need another viewer!

Light! Light means new viewers! The lanky ones always love light. I think they need light like how I need to be seen. Perhaps they too would die if they did not have any light. This is why I always keep my viewers’ chambers well-lit. Oh poor, lonely viewers! They must miss me so much! And I miss them too! I must be swift. I cannot keep my viewers waiting any longer!

The lanky creatures live in these peculiar, rectangular boxes. They are very similar to the chambers I fashioned for my viewers but much larger. I do not think they need chambers this large. There are too many walls and too many rooms. Also, there are too many things to look at that are not me! Viewers only need to look at me! Only me! Nobody else! Oh, how they love to look at me! My lovely form inspires excitement in all!

This box feels like it would be easy to enter. The lanky ones like to play games. Look at this one here: it sits, alone, within its box, looking at a bright shape. A vile pastime! I shall correct its behavior. It shall love me forever for my kindness. A steady approach towards this lanky one’s box will reward.

It has seen me! Delight washes over my form like a rushing river! But I must play the lanky one’s game! The lanky ones like to tease! I must hide from its sight. I don’t want to end up like Auntie! She was greedy and nasty and was too generous with her form, and the lanky ones punished her for it! I do not want to be punished, so I must play the game. The lanky ones are very serious about their games. They love games. They love me too.

This creature likes the game a lot! It has abandoned its rotten light shape and come to the barrier to view me! I anticipate its viewing, but no such thing occurs! It does not see me. I am hiding too well. Perhaps if I were to move half an inch this way, oh yes! Now a piece of my form is in view! The lanky creature sees me! It perceives me! It views me! What a most pleasant feeling! Nothing like what these little critters can provide me. As much as it pains me, I must move my form away. This is part of the lanky game.

This looks like an entrance here. The next part of the game begins. The lanky one invited me into their box when they looked at me, so I must keep playing the game. This entrance opens easily. No fun! Most of the time lanky creatures like to put little puzzles in their entrances. These puzzles are invigorating! They stimulate the mind! A shame this shiny, lanky, lovely one did not give me a puzzle. No matter, perhaps they are simply too excited to play the game.

Now that I have entered the box, I can start my turn. The game requires me to make a noise now. I use my form to make a sound that beckons the lanky one towards me. Now it is time for the surprise! I will hide in this tiny box inside this smaller box inside the big box. So many boxes. Too many boxes. This is exactly why I keep the viewers in their one chamber. They really don’t need any more than that.

No time for those thoughts! The skinny creature has arrived! It holds an even shinier object with its appendages. All five limbs curl around the super shiny shape. What a fun game! It still has not seen me. Maybe my hiding spot is too good. The shiny creature needs to only move a bit closer. Just a bit closer. Look at me. Please look at me. Look at me please, lanky creature!

My form embraces the smooth creature. The last part of the game has begun! Oh, how I love the shiny creatures whoops of elation! The shiny creature loves me! It views me! I am seen! I am observed! The shiny object pierces my form. Substance oozes from my form. This does not matter though, for the game is now over! I am its victor! Now I must carry my prize back to my home and introduce it to its new friends!

Photo: enfantnocta