The Fairy Princess

Amanda Estrada

Toad Diaries

11/2/17

Today my life was upended. I was happy sitting on the back of my brothers, and a huge “Brenda” picked me up in a mesh net and plopped me into a small invisible enclosure. I could not escape. I tried hopping out of the other large creature’s claws, but I was held fast by something I could not see. I was then taken out of the “pet store” and placed in a very large machine of death. It was terrifying.

At the end of it all I was placed in an enclosure much like the one at my “pet store.” But my brothers were gone. They were not around me and I was alone. The big creature stared at me with its big ol’ eyes and said, “I’m your owner, and I hope you’ll love me.” The “your owner” turned up it’s mouth in an odd sort of way. I had seen these creatures “smile” before at me through the invisible wall of my enclosure, but this one did not seem as wide as the others. Most large creatures “smile” with their eyes squinted a bit. This one did not.

12/2/17

Today the “your owner” left the house for a very long time. I waited for a long long time, and I was hungry and warm. The “your owner” (who is called by other “your owner”s, Maggie) left the house when the heat orb started peeking through my window. Usually they feed me when the heat orb is leaving the big blue expanse in my window. Sometimes they give me “mealworm” snacks throughout the day. I always love those days. My favorite food is crickets, though. Today they did not give me snacks. Today I waited for them to come through the hole in the wall that they always come through. I wish I could go out into the world by going through a hole in a wall. I don’t even know how I am kept in, it must be some magic field around me. I can see all around me, but I am always stopped if I try to hop out.

12/4/17

Today the Maggie stayed inside. They talked to themselves for a long time while holding a small box to their head. I don’t understand what that box does, but I heard the Maggie say to themselves, “Where is my phone?” right before they picked it up. They talked and talked and said that they were, “doing very well” and that “You shouldn’t worry about me, I’m happy here in this new town.” I think I understand what they are saying, since I was transferred from my home in the “pet store” with all my friends to this magic box by the window. I am not as happy in this new “town.” I am glad that the “your owner” is.

12/5/17

        Today I stared out into the expanse. I have never known anything other than the “pet store.” I heard stories from other toads about being able to swim in huge bodies of water. I only have a small bowl. They say that there used to be juicy worms that would sometimes be placed on lines that humans used to capture our fish friends. These worms were apparently tastier than the scaly “mealworms” that the “your owner” feeds me. These “mealworms” are scary and do not live up to their name well enough. They’re ugly beings that transform into beetles if I don’t eat them fast enough. I don’t know why the Maggie does not just give me crickets. Those were my favorite snack in the “pet store.”

12/27/17

        The Maggie has stopped inviting other “your owners” to her home. She talks to me a lot more often. She tells me about how she really isn’t very happy here in this new town, and that she left because no one liked her. I don’t know why she would be sad. She has the freedom to roam throughout the world and be free. Freedom would make me so happy. But maybe its just a “your owner” thing. I don’t think she has any reason to be sad, but she likes to talk to me.

        Sometimes I hear weird things coming from her attic. She talks to herself but the black box that she once held to her head is on the table right next to me. The sounds she makes sound deep and ominous like the other croaking toads in the “pet store.” I also hear her stomping rhythmically.

12/31/17

        The Maggie told me today that she loves me and that she hopes that I love her too. She said that she would like to talk to me in real life if I were a human. I’m not sure if I really love her so much as I need her to feed me.

Once I put my foot on the barrier keeping me from the outside world while she was talking, and she was so happy about it. She said that it felt as if I was actually listening to her. I just wanted some food, but it made her really happy, so I can’t complain.

1/1/18

        This morning was really weird…

        I was asleep when the Maggie pulled me out of my home and held me in her hand. I felt uncomfortable because her hands were oily, and it made me feel like I was overheating. She said, “It’s the new year Mitchell, things are going to change for the better, you’ll see.” She told me that she’s been happier since I’ve come to live with her.

        And then she kissed me.

        I’ve been feeling weird all day since. Like I’m overheating, but I’m also tingly and I don’t know why.