When he’s not busy drinking ink or confusing his teachers, avid reader Alex Reinhard loves a good story. Here he offers up one of his own, the very short yet enjoyable “Captivity”. For more of his work, check out the print anthology COLD GLASS PAIN, which includes his eerie tale “The Diner”.

“Captivity”
by Alexander Reinhard

The water rippled beneath the creature’s feet. He slowly advanced toward the dense cave arena. For many years he had been locked inside this maze; it had been so long that he had almost forgotten the sight of his own face. “Let’s see,” he recalled. “I’m 5’ 9” and…” His musing was interrupted with the recurring thought of any captive beast…. escape.

The horrible metallic sound of iron bars grating against each other sounded through the maze. Bars stood against him and his way out. “Hey there, you despicable creature.” The man with a shirt labeled zookeeper threw what resembled a chicken’s leg at the creature, which ravaged it immediately.

“Tell me, my friend,” the creature said with contempt. “Why must you treat me so poorly?”

“Because you’re ugly. We hate anything that is different,” the zookeeper retorted.

Angered, the creature threw the “chicken bone” at the zookeeper.

“Now, you listen to me… at three, we have a group coming in that will want to see you, so you better shape up and entertain them, or else….”

“Or else what?” the creature asked.

“Let’s just put it like this: you won’t live to regret it. By the way, what planet did you say you were from?” the keeper asked coolly.

“Earth, I’m from Earth.” The human said with a quiet rage in his tone.

“Riiight,” the zookeeper said sarcastically, as he turned around, revealing another set of eyes, a nose, and a mouth, features that completed a second face… on the back of his head.

END