The Fated Snail

There once was a snail. A small, inconsequential snail at that.

He was out for a stroll around the flower pots. It was a cool spring day, with a lovely drizzle falling from beautiful grey clouds.

Suddenly, thunder boomed, and a flash of lightning struck the old marsh violet pot. The snail was startled. He expressed this, by touching his antennae together in worry. Smoke cleared from the little burnt pot.

From the ashes, rose a little red imp, with a wicked, toothy grin. He snickered, and spoke: “Hello, snail! You have been chosen. You will be charged with a grand mission!” The snail answered: “...”

The imp continued: “You see, I have struck a deal with a human. They are now immeasurably rich. However, if they come into contact with the fated snail, they shall perish. That’s you, he-he-he! How fun!” The snail blinked. If that’s what they do. “Anyway, see you later!” said the imp cheerfully, before he disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, with a loud “pop!”.

“Screeeeech!” Unusual noises came from the house. Or rather, from the other side of the house, it seemed. Then, men came. Big men wearing yellow jackets. They put the snail in a glass bottle. The snail tried to protest, but it just couldn’t find the words. The men then put the bottle inside a thick, metallic box, and light vanished as the lid closed. The snail felt movement. Then stillness. Then, loud, rolling sounds, and the box shook, and his little antennae popped lightly. Then, suddenly, the snail felt weightless. He floated, as if the ground no longer pulled him. “SPLASH!” The snail hit the side of the bottle, hard. And then, he felt as if he was drifting.

Drifting, and falling slowly, as if the pull of the earth was gentle and soft instead of quick and harsh. Then, the snail, who was quite clever, realized he was underwater. He had been stuffed into a bottle, then into a suitcase, then driven off and thrown into the sea. As the suitcase hit the bottom, it opened gently, and the bottled snail took a look out the transparent glass of his new habitat. A curious school of fish swam by, their scales shimmering like jewels in the dim light.

Not long after, a curious octopus came to inspect the snail in his bottle. She grabbed the bottle close and spoke to the snail in a language he didn't understand.