Reflections / Short Original Fiction
Again, the young man lingers before the store window. Again, his eyes disinterestedly pass over the birds, the dogs, the cats, the fish, and rest upon a small, plain brown monkey. This time, the young man has brought with him a pocket-sized notebook in which to record his impressions. Intently, he studies the monkey, with furrowed brow and eyebrows knit in keen concentration. He writes:
Entry # 1
Monkey seems depressed: glance desolate, limbs limp.
Next day
Gaunt. Haunted, hunted. Grimace betrays pain. Abysmal melancholy. Prevailing air of despair.
One week later
Inscrutable expression; nondescript features. Inanimate, insentient, lifeless.
Some days later
Relapse. Paralyzed with grief, bereft. Eyes tell of unceasing, relentless torment - indescribable sufferings. Of battles lost, and won, and lost again. Of harrowing hours spent in the proximity of death, in the breath of death, and narrow escapes. Still, there is a glimmer in the eyes, dim light playing on the surface of dark jewels. Hazy, lazy orbs travelling in vast space, stray stars from a far away universe. Glistening pieces of glass, slivers of silver sinking in a lake of crude oil. Smoldering eyes, glowing darkly, the last flickering flames of a great blaze. Still, a staunch resolution to persevere, to continue against the odds. Indomitable spirit.
The following day the monkey is no longer there. In its place sits a gray African parrot, red tale aflame. Hard, beady eyes stare back at the young man, hostile and suspicious. Suspecting the very worst, the young man anxiously hurries away. Later, when he returns in the evening, the young man is relieved to find the monkey. Much has changed, however. He notes:
Entry #5
A certain elasticity to the monkey's limbs. Arms outstretched, rest playfully atop its head. A discernible lightness, spiritedness even, marks the monkey's general mien. Wondrous Eyes. Endlessly endearing artlessness. Is it willful forgetfulness or innocence revisited?
Next day
What a difference a day makes. Now, one arm drops by the monkey's side. The other, still raised, droops - a pitiable tribute to better days. Much else has fallen, and continues to fall. The mercurial monkey now slouches, slumps, sags as though beneath an imaginary weight, an unseen burden. Lightness has been replaced by heaviness, spiritedness displaced by numbness. Glazed, unseeing eyes echo a mute cry of world-weary remonstrance. Unenviable beast of burden.
Following day
Today, the monkey sits bolt upright. Noble carriage, proud bearing, self-possessed. There is a faintly prophetic, soulful, look in the eyes. Premonitions of disaster, or a propitious fate? A newfound will, perhaps, a promise of eventual triumph? I wonder.
Few days later
Transfigured. Transported. Otherworldly. Venerable, serene demeanor, almost pious. A well of calm, an oasis of bliss. A sublime stillness surrounds him, emanates from him: the harvest of a lifetime passed in quiet pursuit of exalted, lofty ideals. The gaze is steady, tranquil, beatific - of one accustomed to looking down from dizzy heights. Of monkish abstemiousness. Of unfathomable depths. Unsullied, free of ill-will, guile, or self-interest. Arms and legs neatly folded, he sits: lost in thought, found in peace.
Two days later
Strange creature of infinite variety! Unwholesome comportment, lewd. Legs spread-eagle, shamelessly flaunt animality. Desperate sexuality. The obscene, brazen, un-blinking eyes of one who has lost to lust.
End of the week
Disquieting, sinister, ignoble.
A fortnight passes
Scarcely recognizable. Glancing askance, monkey hangs off a branch by one arm, grip slipping. Suspended above the Abyss, what does he see? Insufferably mocking expression. Half-hidden profile hints at caustic, scathing, sardonic expression. Lacerating eyes, bristling with insolence, uproariously lampooning Fate: his own and others'. Imperiously, contemptuously even, he sneers at the gaping Nothingness below. Unimpressed and unafraid, he leers, violently defiant.
The very next day the young man returns. He does not linger before the store window. He enters. Once inside, the young man tremulously tells the shop owner he wishes to purchase the small monkey. The owner is gone for a few minutes, and returns with a wan smile. Sorry, he says, the monkey must have been sold earlier today. The young man recoils, visibly shaken. A look of profound dread passes over his face. Startled, yet concealing his uneasiness with some success, the shop owner reaches out for the young man's arm. He pats him on the shoulder, good-naturedly. "Come, now," he says in a somewhat soothing, sing-song voice. "It's not the only stuffed animal in the world…"
© Yahia Lababidi
(Images: Pixabay)
Beautifully written as always Yahia and you have left me wondering. I have to say that at first, the twist ending left me flat. But soon my mind returned to the observations of the boy, and I began to wonder more about why this child was watching the toy monkey, and what drove the troubling observations. If I walk away from a piece of writing and my mind continues to work at the knot and unravel it and pulls out strings of meaning, then job well done.
Much love - Carl
Typically elegant way of putting it, dear Carl, mind working at the knot, unraveling. This, too, is what I ask of Literature - my own and others - that it live off the page and, like all living things, is irreducible, bristling with apparent contradictions.
I’m honored my story did that for you.
Deep gratitude,
Yahia
wow, love the twist at the end! truly did not see that. i'd love to make some custom illustrations for your writing sometime, if you're interested!
I’m very interested, @tninh! I like your style and the idea of collaborating! Glad you enjoyed this piece - will keep you in mind & reach out with options ✌🏼
Perfect! Do you use discord? I just made an account the other day -- if you want, you can add me at tninh#6415
I do, but clueless how to search/add. I’m Yahia #6743 if you wouldn’t mind adding me 🤓
hm for some reason i can't find you... try clicking the top left bar that says "find or start a conversation" and searching for "@tninh#6415"
also, what server are you currently on?
Nope, still no luck... Not sure I know what you mean by what "server"... I use PAL, Writer's Block and YouAreHope. Feel free to reach me at [email protected]
Oh wow!! It sets us to wonder what does one truly see when they look and based on what they see, what stories do they create in their mind? How deep and far stretched are the imaginings that may accompany us as a kindred spirit, as close and as warm as a blanket or a cup of tea, as we begin to ponder into a realm of the illusion of what we think we see? What adventures do we escape to? My favorite line in the story that stroked my heart strings ..."Still, there is a glimmer in the eyes, dim light playing on the surface of dark jewels. As always Bravo my kindred friend. @yahialababidi I would like to extend an invitation to you to check out the two contest/challenges I am hosting on my blog. Please help me by entering. Would it not be interesting if only one person entered and won it all, which could surely happen, however where is the fun in that if there is no competition. Thank You in advance.
Thank you, @Rensoul17 for being so encouraging and sensitive a reader - I'm lucky to have you in my corner! Yes, we create our reality & that's why cleansing doors of our perception is vital to our existence.
Off to grab lunch, then, will check out contest - thanks, for alerting me to it! With much appreciation, Yahia
Getting my comment in here. Now I'll go back and read your story.
What do you mean by that, @johnwjr7 ? What’s your comment?
Sorry. I forgot to come back to it. I just wanted to make sure I had a comment started as soon as possible. Let me finish reading and I'll get back to make the correct comment. I got called away.
Ok, that was a long way to tell something funny at the end. The whole time I was thinking it was a live monkey.
Good post,,,
Thanks
Great post there, keep up good work !
This replay was created using STEEMER.NET Alpha ( support STEEMER.NET Transactor / Wallet / Exchange Project here: https://steemit.com/investors-group/@cryptomonitor/steemer-net-steem-blockchain-transactor-for-windows-android-app-funding-update-243-1200-sbd-28-12-2017 )
Thank you, for your support! What does "this replay was created using STEEMER.NET Alpha" mean?
Very interested I like your ideal of writing keep it up ,help me please.. Vote me and follow me .happy new year to u