The princess and the predators: Reinah wriggled constantly on the make-shift bed of hay and soft leaves until the blunt edge of a jutting branch pricked her awake. Rubbing her eyes, she squinted up into the still smiling half-moon and wondered how many hours she must have slept already. Looking towards her feet, she saw that the lion was still sitting there as before. Obviously unperturbed by her nightmare. Looking up also at the branch right above her head, she saw a white dove sitting there. The dove's wings were slightly raised as if ready to fly. But just like the lion, it appeared equally undisturbed and dignified in its perching stance. Then Reinah suddenly heard a startling and sharply unnerving hoot. A jarring noise that annoyingly pierced the serenity and calm of the silent night. When she turned to the far left, from where the sound came. She saw an owl scowling at her. It hopped agitated on the branch, as if wanting to fly towards where she lay. When the princess looked at its feet, she saw they could not lift from the branch on which it perched. It appeared stuck to the branch, and a red string had been wrapped around its talons several times. The red string wobbled like it was filled with liquid. But however wobbly it seemed, it held the obviously distressed owl in place. Reinah looked away and adjusted her self near comfortably on the make-shift bed. She would go right back to sleep, knowing that it might lead right back into the nightmare....
Steps, snakes and scorpions (the stomp fest): They crawled out from everywhere, the ground, the trees, the rocky stones lying around. As the girl made any attempt whatsoever, to advance. They pushed forward, in hostile droves. Snakes and scorpions, scrambling forward for the prize of the prey. Each clawing and writhing, in the utmost and prideful display of vileness and uncontrollable bloodthirstiness. She began to step backwards, in horror and suffocating terror. Exhausted not just from the grisly sight of hideous serpents and their counterparts, but also from her various and initially defeated efforts. Her very fragile and youthful resolve, had been weakened even if for a temporary while. Feeling appalled, by the onslaught from the horrifying creatures and completely revolted by the unsightly aggression. She hastened her backward slide, increasing the momentum, until she heard the Voice.....
"Where are you going? Why do you retreat in fear? Move forward and step.... Step on them, you have been given the power to stomp them all out. Do not be afraid of their truculent aggression, for so is their nature. Like I told you, you have been given the power to step on them and keep moving. They cannot harm or destroy you. STOMP ON THEM!!"
To kill a hating bird: Reinah woke with a start, almost rolling off the pile of hay this time. The moon was still beaming a smile with its subdued glow, as it made ready to give way for the breaking of day. The lion had not moved an inch, his head was held straight and in territorial awareness. The dove's wings were still slightly raised as before, but unhurried to fly anywhere. The owl was now hanging upside-down. When the princess turned to look at it again, it was hanging on merely by the tip of a rapidly breaking talon. Nevertheless, it hung on long enough, for the princess to see it plunge head first to an awaiting demise. Drowsily, she rolled herself right back to sleep. This time, with yet a couple more hours left, before day break. Her dreams were subsequently, sweet and restful.
Gratefully borrowed, from the ground breaking and earth shattering story 'The MONITORS' by Chioma Onwudiwe/2015