You Lose a Thing

Today’s prompt: “What was the last thing you cared about that you misplaced? Write about what happened, with as many sentences as possible in the active voice. (“I forgot my cell. I looked under the couch. I called a friend.”)

You search for weapons. You run to the gun safe. Your fingers tremble as you attempt the combination. You try 12-18-24. You try 12-24-18. You try 18-24-12. You try 12-18-24 again. You try rotating the dial an extra time in between the 12 and the 18. The door of the safe refuses to budge. You run to the shed. You look for your axe. Your eyes scan the dark shelves and the pegboard. You return to your house empty-handed. You run to the kitchen. You fling yourself at the butcher block. You select a carving knife. You hold your tiny carving knife up to the worm-covered, gigantic, blue, cyclopean form of Nyctelios. You inflict a very small wound on Nyctelios’ thigh. Nyctelios eats you.