New Beginning

• Hannah Kuhar, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2009

I want to escape. It’s time to go. The claw will never reach out and grab me. It will never bring me into the real world. Its cold, skinny, metal fingers will never grasp my tail and rescue me from this boring monotonous life. It’s up to me to make my own way to the world of possibilities.
I try to push through the glass. I can almost touch freedom. I imagine the endless opportunities outside this vending machine. As I lie contorted, a musk-pink pony crammed next to me explains the impossibility of escaping the imprisoning cage. I become disheartened and sink down amongst the other soft toys.
Two humans press their greedy faces against our glass box. They shove a shiny coin into a slot and the all too familiar routine begins. Lights flash, music starts and the chance of freedom is thrust upon us. I wonder who the lucky one to escape will be. Surprisingly, the claw doesn’t budge at all. Its cold, metallic fingers remain frozen.
Frustration and annoyance overwhelms the humans so they begin to shake the glass box. The toys and I topple this way and that but the claw still doesn’t budge. The humans become bored and eventually walk away. I should have been the chosen one today! I desperately want to be picked up by the claw. The lights of the vending machine keep flashing and the music keeps playing. An idea then pops into my head.
I re-enact the exact routine of the claw in my mind. First it greedily grasps which ever toy it can and then lifts it to the ‘prize zone’. Can’t I just walk there? I become excited because I am one step closer to my dream of being emancipated. I tumble and stumble and do anything I can to make my way to the ‘prize zone’. I can’t believe the first stage of my plan is so simply! With all my might I roll towards the ‘prize collection point’; the final destination before freedom. As I am about to escape, the musk-pink pony cries, “Be careful sonny!”
I aim for the small dark hole, with my eyes closed and my body flattened like a pancake. I shoot down towards freedom.
I twist, turn, tumble and roll. What an adventure! Suddenly and abruptly I hit a wall and my journey comes to an immediate stop. The wall caves in and I drop heavily onto a glistening, cold surface. I’ve made it to the outside world!
I look up at the place I’ve lived my whole life. I shake off feelings of nostalgia and say to myself, “I’m Corey the Cow. I can do this!”
The plush animals stare at me with astonishment. My eyes seek out the musk-pink pony. Her eyes glisten and she nods her head as if giving me her blessing to leave this sheltered life, the only life I’ve known. I look toward my future and strut away proudly.
I’m free.