The Metamorphosis: Revelation

When Gregor awakened from his forced slumber due to his deliberate starvation, he couldn’t help but to mentally smile. A deep and rewarding feeling completely engulfed his internal organs and deeply massaged every square of his exoskeleton. He felt liberated, almost as if a giant weight has finally been removed from his thorax.

“Why do I feel so energetic and happy?” he thought.

 “I must be hallucinating! No, this is real! This feeling is just to elaborate for words! I can finally think clearly without the burdens of my pessimistic life intruding my very soul. “

He rolled back and forth on his back moving both his front and hind legs in the air like a kid giving a tantrum. However, this feeling of pure ecstasy was dramatically interrupted by the thoughts of pure anger concerning how he was used and simply disposed of by his family at the first sign of uselessness. If this emotional sensation wasn’t punishment enough it was then followed by an unforgiving, excruciating and far beyond unimaginable lust for food.  Without a second thought he wastes no time channeling all of his bittersweet emotions in to raw energy for this quest for nourishment. He races through blades of grass dodging thick stocks of weeds and following his innate sense of direction. After running for what seems to be miles his senses brings him to a tree. As he positions himself to climb the bark he is interrupted by faint but steady conversation coming from the branches. He could only pick up few words at a time due to the ruckus of everyday human traffic behind him.

“Wow! This is a really tall tree for someone to be climbing. I wish I had the moxie to do something like that when I was a human.” He thought.

“Well better now than never!”

 He races up the tree with all of the energy his little body can excrete until he finally comes across his desire. Lying in a nest a few branches away was the decaying carcass of a bird with an obvious broken neck. Ironically he took a rather nonchalant note towards this tragic sight; almost with disregard for the unfortunate death of the bird.  The thought of this bothered him deeply.

“I must be losing my humanity” He questionably said to himself out loud.

“Humanity!?” responded a muffled voice followed by embarrassing laughter from a group.

“This one claims he has humanity!” says the voice.

Gregor turns around only to find that he is surrounded at the edge of the branch by a community of like-vermin.

 “Um, uh, you can hear me? He stammers.

 “I me-me-mean, uh, I can talk to other b-b-bugs?”

Their response was quite embarrassing. As if rehearsed the group simultaneously indulged with the urge to hysterically laugh at Gregor’s ignorant revelation. Despite the obvious situation he has caused, the owner of the muffled voice takes no part in the ridicule. He steps out of the crowd and approaches Gregor.

 “Oh no” were the only thoughts passing through Gregor’s mind.

All he can see is his one and a half inch long, stout black body with pretentious dark eyes staring deeply in to his. Mostly scared but partly intrigued he studied the physique of the leader. He was mostly interested by his clear, membranous wings with reddish orange veins that extended well beyond his figure 

 “Silence!” The leader yelled towards the laughter.

He then turns to Gregor and tells him to explain the reason behind his embarrassing confusion.

 Gregor looks over the shoulders of the leader and sees that the crowd was tuned to what he was about to say.

Gregor pauses in order to give his response a great amount of thought.

“If I tell you my story, will you promise to take every work to be the undoubtable truth or at least keep an open mind?’
Followed with an inquisitive look the leader agrees to the terms and nods his head to symbolize that he was ready for Gregor to begin his story.

Gregor looks over the shoulders of the leader and sees that the crowd was tuned to what he was about to say.

 For once in his life he feels as if he is given a soapbox to finally expose how he really feels. After realizing this he wastes no time explaining his transformation. He explained how taxing and undervalued his life as human was. How he was disposed of by the people that he not only gave his happiness for and but unconditionally love. How he became so used to the aches, pains, and lethargic feeling along with emotional depressions such as loneliness and isolation that was caused by being used for monetary gains. Tears flowed like a river through the ballpoint eyes of Gregor. He then explained how before the transformation was complete he made the decision to rid his family of the burden he has caused through starvation.

“After I woke from days of slumber, I feel refreshed. Almost as if I have a new meaning in life. This transformation showed me how worthless my life was. And gives me a second chance at actually enjoying the little time I have left.”

Gregor then looks at the sea of faces and nods his head to symbolize the end of his story. But instead of the thunder of applaud another fit of laughter fills the air. Deeper and more painful than before. Gregor than turns around, walks to the end of the branch and jumps to his death. On his way down he experiences another revelation.

“Why do I always allow other beings to dictate my happiness?

Splat!

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Gregor wakes. With a slight pain in his neck.

The Transcendence of the Cicada

Gregor blinks feverishly, almost choking on his own breathe. He continues blinking, attempting to refocus the room. He looks around scanning his small apartment room. The sun shines brightly through the window, casting rays of light as thick as bed sheets. He rolls on his side and feels something underneath him. He shifts to remove the object. It’s the magazine he had bought the other day, a women’s fashion magazine.  Gregor sits up and opens the magazine and begins looking at the pictures. He passes the spring sections and all the new styles. Then he comes to a particular picture.  It’s woman wearing several fur-covered articles of clothing. Gregor stares at this woman for a while laughing at the fact that she strikes a remarkable resemblance to his sister, Grete and with this similarity, he imagines Grete wearing such exquisite furs. Gregor lets out a subtle chuckle and rips the page from the magazine. He takes the page, gets up and walks up to a framed picture he has on his wall. He removes the group photo from last year’s office Christmas party and replaces it with the magazine page, then returns the frame to its original spot.

 Gregor begins to walk towards the door.  He stumbles on his fabric samples cluttered across the floor. Gregor lets out a groan, the fabrics remind him of his job, which depresses him. Every day he slaves to provide for his family and fight his family’s crippling debt. The realization that his only day off this month is being spent doing chores and running errands is enough to make Gregor’s stomach churn.

 Gregor groans and goes on with his normal routine, the same droll routine he has had for years. His chores go the same; toilets, windows, then the floors, same as his other days off. Then he takes the same route to the same stores where he gets the same food and drinks for his coming weeks. Gregor pays the cashier and begins to push his shopping cart towards the street, because he is parked across the street.

Suddenly the cart is jerked to a stop and one of his milk jugs launches over and smashes, spilling across the pavement. An odd woman is standing directly in front of him stopping the cart with her large, dirty, grimy boot. The woman bares an odd expression on her face, much like the face someone makes when they recognize you, but can’t figure out where from. She is tall, but bone thin. She appears large; however her flowing ragged clothing makes one suspect otherwise. Gregor notices her odd assortments of pendants and jewelry. Alligator heads and penguin beaks are strung around her neck. A pungent odor emits from the assortment of silks wrapped around the woman. Finally she speaks, “YOU! I know you!” Gregor jumps back in surprise and fear; “I’m sorry ma’am, but I don’t know you,” Gregor replies. She moves swiftly getting directly in front of Gregor now.  The gypsy woman exclaims, “You! Your family will never be free of their curse until you make the hardest sacrifice of all. They are cursed with obesity, gluttony, and laziness. These are all a result of your actions. You do everything for them and they still sit and your efforts go unappreciated. You must transcend this world and set yourself free as well as your family from their grip of demotivation.  There is only one way out.  Take the flight of the cicada!” The gypsy then cups her hands. Gregor is frozen with confusion. The gypsy blows into her hands and rather large bug, a cicada, flies from her hands and flies towards Gregor. Gregor frozen in fear doesn’t make a move, its like he is in some sort of trance. The cicada flies into Gregor’s mouth and down his throat. Gregor’s trance breaks and he coughs and chokes. Finally, he stops, realizing he has already swallowed the bug. “What was that?” Gregor shouts. The gypsy woman says no more and steps back. Gregor, flustered and confused, rushes back to his car and then house.

He replays the incident repeatedly over and over again in his head as he puts away his groceries. Gregor skitters up to his bed, exhausted from his work. Gregor feels very cold as he climbs into bed. He forms a cocoon with his blankets and prepares for his slumber. He tosses and turns in discomfort. Gregor feels hot then cold, then hot again, stomach aching the entire time. “Stupid Gypsy,” Gregor utters. He replays the events in the parking lot. He thinks about the bug, he thinks how bugs act and what it would be like if he was a bug. Slowly, he falls asleep. Images of bugs and leaves blaze through Gregor’s head. He can feel his body tingle much like when you sleep on your arm. The overwhelming sensation fills his body, burning now. Just when Gregor feels as though he will die in during his slumber, the sensation stops, he feels cold. Then finally, he opens his eyes.

"The Metamorphosis": Less of a Man

                                                                      Less of a Man

Lying there, nothing but sounds of gunfire and blaring screams, smells of potent smoke and although eyes wide open Gregor’s vision could not get any more blurry. Soldiers running past, so much commotion it’s hard to know exactly what is going on. He could not feel a thing. Looking to his left and then to his right, he realized that both of his arms were blown off from the shoulder down. Will I survive? Who will support Tasha, Rakim and Anthony? Who will take care of my parents? His mind was racing with one question after another. “I have to get out of here, I have to get help. He thought.  With nothing but images of his family in his head, Gregor blacks out.Was becoming a U.S soldier the best career choice?

“Baby, Baby!” Tasha yells out trying to keep Gregor awake.” You can sleep when we get home, you really need to hear this and pay attention.”
The doctor goes on to explain. “It’s the medication ma’am. He’ll be very sleepy after each dose of medicine. How about I explain his needs to you and your son as well as print them out that way if you forget they’ll be on paper for you.”

Tasha tells him that this is fine. “I just want to have a very clear understanding before you guys release him, I’m so nervous.” Tasha explains.

“That’s perfectly normal and fine.” The doctor goes on to explain Gregor’s needs. “Gregor’s arms and legs are to be washed 3 times a day. He has lost a lot of blood in his left leg from the amputation, so just like his arms for about two to three weeks he is not to soak in a bath or get in the shower. Sponge baths are fine but absolutely no soaking! Be sure to not use a lot of soap while washing these areas because they can become badly infected.” The doctor begins to go on about how to dress Gregor and how he should be transferred from one place to another as well as explain his various medications.

Gregor’s eldest son Rakim sits in the corner silently taking in all the information, paying attention to every detail. Tasha is busy trying to keep baby Anthony quiet while he is fussing.

 “Mom, go ahead and take Anthony to the bathroom. Ill finish listening.”

Getting up, Rakim walks over to his dad’s side. Rubbing his shoulder he whispers “I gotcha dad.”

There was nothing but pure silence in the van on the way home. No one could find the right words to say at a time like this. Finally Gregor speaks, “so how’s baseball going bud?”

Shocked because these are the first words his dad has said to him since before the accident, Rakim responds. ”G-g-good dad. I’m the captain this year and not only am I going to play pitcher, I’m going to try short stop!””

That’s great son, can’t wait to come to a couple of your games. “Now arriving home, Tasha cuts their conversation short. “Well don’t think about any of that now, just worry about getting some rest, and eating well. I should cook right? You guys hungry?” Gregor realizes how nervous Tasha is acting. Forgetting that Gregor needs assistance with getting out of the car and into the house Tasha grabs baby Anthony and heads into the house leaving Rakim to help his father into the house alone.

Later the same night at the dinner table Gregor realizes that all of the simple things he used to be able to do, he can no longer do.

“Go get your father a knife and a fork Rakim” says Tasha. Rakim does as he is told and when he comes back he begins cutting his father’s food for him. He then takes a seat back down to begin eating his own dinner. Gregor sits, thinking to himself how will I get my food into my mouth with no arms. Already feeding baby Anthony, Tasha looks over to see that Gregor is not eating. Feeling bad, she insists that Rakim feed his father. Having done everything for his father including change his clothes and walk him to various places around the house, Rakim is getting a little annoyed. However Rakim stands up to move his seat next to his dad’s wheelchair and begins to feed him. Gregor is aware of Rakim’s frustration and claims he is not hungry.

“But babe, you haven’t eaten all day!” Tasha proclaims. “I’ll be fine, sit down son. Eat your dinner.” Gregor responds.

               6 months passing, Gregor becomes more and more depressed. He still cannot wash himself nor dress himself, leaving Rakim to have to help him with the most intimate and embarrassing parts of his life. Because of low funds, Tasha is now forced to get another job and put baby Anthony in daycare. Still needing assistance in every area of his life Gregor feels he is imprisoned in his own body and cannot help but feel like a huge burden on his family. In between taking care of the household needs and the baby, Tasha is very busy. With school, baseball and trying to take care of Gregor, Rakim is also very busy and overwhelmed. Not being able to pick up his youngest son and play with him is killing Gregor inside. It is a whirl wheel around Gregor, and there is nothing he can do about it. Gregor had transformed into less of a man.

The Metamorphosis: Late for Work

          Gregor Samsa was awakened by the sun beams entering his window. He squinted his eyes and wondered what the time was. Gregor usually sets his alarm clock to ring at four in the morning so he has an hour to get ready before the train leaves at five. Realizing that the sun had already risen, Gregor began to panic, glanced at his clock, and it was past six thirty. The next train was set to leave at seven. “How is this possible? I always set my clock to ring at four.” He checked the clock and it indeed was set to ring at four. “How did I sleep through the alarm? I haven't ever slept through the alarm! Well, the next train leaves in about 20 minutes. Maybe if I hurry I can catch it.”

          Gregor attempted to get out of bed, but he couldn't. He examined his body. He was no longer human, he was some type of bug, a cockroach. He wondered, “Wait. Am I still asleep? Is this really happening? No, I haven’t turned into a bug… Impossible!” He stared at his tiny brown legs dancing madly in front of him. He then felt an itch on his stomach. Looking down his abdomen he could see that there were small white dots covering the itchy area.  He gained control over one of his six legs and touched the dots. He immediately pulled his leg back because it sent a cold shiver through his body. “Oh god, just let me wake up already from this nightmare.”

          There was a knock at his bedroom door. It was his mother. “Gregor, weren’t you going to catch the train at five? It’s quarter to seven.” Gregor answered, “Oh yes mother! I am getting up now!” He heard the sound of his voice and was startled. His words sounded garbled by the end of his sentence. His mother seemed to understand him as she could be heard walking off. Now everybody in the household knew he hadn’t gone off to work yet. “This is not a dream, I have to get up.” Then there was another knock at one of the side doors to his room. It was his father. “Gregor are you feeling alright? What’s going on?” At the other side door of his room, his sister Grete gently knocked and asked, “Gregor are you sick? Do you need anything?” He did not answer either of them as he was afraid to, considering the state of his voice. His father went back to the table to finish his breakfast while Grete stayed and begged Gregor to open the door.

          Gregor wanted to get up quietly without making a sound. He began to swivel his bottom toward the edge of his bed then stopped. He did not want to go crashing onto the floor and create a loud sound. He laid there for a minute, one third of his body hanging over the edge of his bed, and contemplated whether or not he should call out for help but concluded it was a terrible idea. He again attempted to get out of bed, this time he rocked back and forth on his back. He could not launch himself out of bed and onto the floor. He looked over at his clock again and it was seven. He said to himself, “I will get out of this bed before it strikes a quarter past seven. With my luck, somebody from the firm is sure to show up by then.” Just as Gregor had finished his thought, the doorbell rang.

          At the front door was his manager from the firm. The maid opened the door and welcomed him in. Gregor froze in place and was amazed his family allowed the maid to answer the door. Did it not occur to them who would eventually show up? "Good morning Mr. Sasma, is Gregor here? He hasn't shown up to work yet." His father replied to the manager, " Ah, yes. He still has yet to leave him room." His mother joined his father and said, "Gregor must be ill. He isn't himself and his voice sounded strange when I talked to him."

          "Well, we'll just see about that now won't we? Where is Gregor's room? I would like to speak with him myself." Gregor could hear their footsteps climbing up the staircase. With every step he heard, the anxiety in his chest increased. He began to rock on his back furiously and finally launched himself head first onto the floor. His fall created a loud thud. "What was that" asked the manager. The footsteps became rapid in pace. Gregor was able to stand on his six legs for the first time and they were obeying his commands. He slowly rotated his body toward the door that lead out into the hall way. No sooner did he face the door the manager from the firm and his family were standing outside, his father knocking and demanding he open the door. Grete could be heard sobbing. Gregor wonder why she was crying. Did she fear that he was about to lose his job or was she upset he wouldn't open the door? His dad banged on the door once again, "Gregor! Open the door. Somebody from the firm is here to see you."

          Gregor stood there in the middle of his room looking at the door. He stared at the key in the lock. "Ahem, Gregor. This is your manager. I would appreciate it if you opened the door and spoke to me so that we may sort this mess out. Please, open the door." The tone in the managers voice sounded irritated. A few minutes passed and Gregor did not answer. "Is this a joke," asked the manager, "Gregor this is unacceptable behavior. I took you for  the quiet obedient type but now  it seems you've grown a pair. I think you've forgotten your place in the grand scheme of things. You work for us, the firm, in order to pay off your family's debt and according to our recent records, you haven't been doing so well with sales. Your performance as a traveling sales man is unsatisfactory to say the least and now you are shut up in your room like some strange hermit and refuse to communicate with us. Do you wish to be discharged from your position at the firm?"

          Gregor quickly answered the manager but forgot that his speech was a garble of unrecognizable sounds. "No, no sir! I am sorry to have inconvenienced you in anyway, but please do not terminate me from the firm! I wish to continue working my family's debts off so please, if you could wait a moment I will open the door for you and then we can talk face to face. Everything will be settled once I have opened the door, just give me a moment." There was a moment of silence in the hallway. "What did he say? That sounded like an animal," said the manager. "Oh my! Phone the doctor and the locksmith! Gregor is clearly very ill," cried his mother. "Gregor the maid is calling the doctor, don't worry!"

          There was a click to the lock on the door and the knob slowly turned. The bedroom door opened. From behind the door Gregor revealed himself and crawled out into the hallway toward the others. His mother and Grete screamed and they all backed away towards the staircase. He stopped and looked at his manager. "Sir, as you can see..." Gregor then took notice of the terror on his managers face as the manager struggled to keep himself prompted up on the railing to the stairs. Gregor made a small advancement again and the manager began to run down the stairs. Gregor thought, " Oh no.. if he gets back to the firm and tells the boss of what I've become... No! He must listen to what I have to say!" He quickly climbed to the ceiling and followed the manager downstairs. Before the manager could reach the door Gregor forced  it shut with his body. He slowly crawled towards the manager, making sure he was blocking him off from escaping. His sister continued to scream, his mother fainted, and his father looked on in disbelief. "Now sir, will you hear me out please?"

          The manager tried to slip passed Gregor in a attempted to escape and Gregor grabbed hold of his leg. He was not yet fully aware of the strength he possessed and Gregor crushed the managers leg in his jaws. The manager screamed and fell to the floor. The house filled with the  screams of terror from Grete that ripped into Gregor's ears. The manager struggled to free his leg from Gregor's bear trap-like jaws and was kicking Gregor in the face with his free leg. Gregor released his managers leg from his grip and backed away. Blood dripped from his mouth and bits of the managers pants were stuck to his jaw. "Stay back you monster! Get away from me, get away!" The manager was backed into a corner as Gregor kept trying to talk to him and apologize. Gregor felt a sudden sharp, extreme pain in his back and was so shocked by the pain his legs gave out underneath him.  His father was pelting apples at him from the top of the stairs and one imbedded itself halfway into Gregor's back. When Gregor was regaining his footing, the maid struck him in the back with a broom. "Keep going! Kill that thing" yelled the manager. The maid continued to strike Gregor over and over again with the broom until she broke his exoskeleton. Gregor began to bleed out white sticky goo all over and was letting out hideous sounding squeals of pain every time the maid brought down the broom on his back. "Father go help her" cried Grete as she helped her mother into another room. 

          Gregor's father grabbed a shovel from the storage closet and ran over to assist the maid. The two of them beat Gregor until he stopped screeching. They were unaware of the white eggs on the underside of Gregor. The eggs hatched and spread across the floor in a chaotic fashion. The babies were hungry and craved protein. Half of the little cockroaches made their way over to the injured manager and began to chew away at his bleeding leg. The other half of the swarm went after the maid and Gregor's father. "Grete get your mother to her room and lock the door now!" The maid and Gregor's father frantically swung at the vermin as they were lead up the staircase. One of the baby cockroaches lunged at the maid and grabbed hold of her hand, severing four fingers. "Ah! My God," screamed the maid. More of the tiny roaches then jumped onto her and she fell down the stairs.

          Gregor's father ran into the bedroom where his wife and Grete were. Grete's face was streamed with tears and Gregor's mother was still collapsed on the floor. "Were you able to grab you mother's asthma medicine from the other room?" Grete began to cry hysterically. "N.. No! I, I... I can't find a pulse on mother. I think she's dead father!" Gregor's father grasped his chest and leaned his back against the door. The roaches had reached the bedroom door and were on the other side. The sound of their legs tapping against the wooden door were relentless and the blood curdling screams of the manager and the maid could be heard in the background. Grete covered her ears and tried to block out the disturbing sounds as she rocked back and forth on the floor.

Forgotten

   Gregor Samsa is a busy salesman. He is the only person who makes money in his family. With his hard earnings, he feeds his sister and parents and also repays their debt. At the beginning his family appreciated him, but now they took it for the granted. Gregor was annoyed by their attitude, but he was too tired from working to get irritated.

   Gregor woke up one morning as always to go to work. Every morning his mom woke him up, but today his mom didn’t so he seemed to be late. He was curious why his mom didn’t wake him up but he went out of his house in a hurry not seeing his family. When he got to work his boss gave him a lot of work as he expected. Piles of papers were on his desk and his boss was staring at him. After finishing all the works, Gregor headed home dragging his fatigued body. “Today is so tired. Where is everyone?” he said. When he went to dining room to have dinner with his family, he fell down with surprise. “What are they?” he said. He saw three huge creepy centipedes sitting in the table eating dinner. “Gregor! Gregor! It’s me. Your sister Grete, and they are our parents.” said one of them. “What? Grete? Is that really you? What happened?” he shouted. “We don’t know… When we woke up in the morning, we were changed into these disgusting centipedes.” she said. Gregor couldn’t believe their change and ran into his room.

In the beginning, he was shocked and could not go near them, but later he got used to it. Also, after they changed into centipedes their living expenses like food expenses decreased. Gregor thought, “We can also move into small house. We don’t need this big house anymore since my family changed into smaller insects.” So he sold their house and moved into small house. After a month, he paid all their debt. He was glad that after his family changed, he could pay all their debt, and the weight of responsibility to care for his family was gone.

One day, Gregor came back to his house after work. “Mom! Dad! Grete! I’m home.” But no one answered. When he got into living room three centipedes were crawling on the floor not seeing him. When he paid all their debt, he was glad that his family changed into centipedes. But now, he missed them. He thought, “I miss mother’s voice that woke me up every morning, I miss my dad who greeted me after I got home from work, I miss my sister’s violin playing.” But there was nothing he can do, and they were still disgusting looking.

Gregor worked very hard to forget about his family. He worked hard and saved lots of money. Gregor, himself was the only person to care about. As he worked hard, and as he cared about himself more, he became good looking and also got a promotion in his work. He enjoyed his life and at one point he forgot about his family. When Gregor came home after work and saw them he said to them, “Just go away from me and stop crawling all over the house!” A few days after his family left his house, he recognized they were gone and he felt guilty of yelling at them. Soon he forgot about them. After they were gone, he invited his friends to his house for the first time and had a party and enjoyed his life.

"The Metamorphosis": Bubble Dream

      In the last five years, I got up at six o'clock every morning to practice playing the violin. I have great talent for violin and dreamed to a violinist. Three months ago, my elder brother Gregor told me he would sponsor me to conservatoire. I was extremely excited when I heard of it. I loves violin so much but I never imagined that I would have chance to further I musical study in conservatoire after my father company went bankrupt five years ago.

       One misty morning, I got up early as usual. When I passed by Gregor's room on my way to dining room after finishing violin practice, I unexpectedly found the room door of Gregor was still locked, "He may be day off today" I thought. But in the dinning room, my mother told me that Gregor had no day off and he must be late toady. Then, mom rushed up the stairs to knock Gregor's room said softly, "Gregor, it's quarter to seven, Didn't you want to catch the train?'' But Gregor seemed to reply with unclear  and strange voice. And dad continued to knock on on of the side doors, feebly with his fist. ''Gregor, Gregor,'' he called, "what’s going on?" I stood behind the other side door,  moaned gently, "Gregor? Is something the matter with you? Do you want anything?" After a while, Gregor answered: ''I'm all ready,'' He seemed to made an effort to speak as clearly as he can. Thus, I doubted whether something happened to Gregor. I didn't leave and pleaded with brother to open up the door, for I indistinctly had a sort of ominous premonition about him. 

        The doorbell rang at nearly seven o'clock. "It may be someone from brother's firm"  I thought. Gregor told me before that his boss was so strict with him and he had to work so hard and arrived at company on time everyday otherwise the boss would send someone to find him. The maid opened the door as usual. I stood behind the other side door and possibly heard a thump, not a real crash from Gregor's room. "He may knock off something onto the carpet" I guessed. "Something fell in there" said the man from brother's company in the room in the left. I heard the manager took a few decisive steps in the next room and made his patent leather boots creak. From the room on the right I whispered to inform Gregor, "Gregor, the manager is here." I still can not hear his reply, "He may have a severe sore throat" I thought. 

       Dad had knocked bother's door for several times but Gregor's insisted on refusing to open the door to let the manager come to his room. After he refused again, I could not help sobbing, for I was worried about him and afraid whether certain misfortune falling him. It was terrible that if he annoyed the manager and lost his job, because our whole family totally relied on his job. Dad not allowed me to go out and forced me to stay in my room. I had no choice but to hear silently along the door and the wall to know what happen. Suddenly, I heard the manager burst out with a loud "Oh!"—it sounded like a rush of wind, which seemed that Gregor scared him a lot. I quietly opened a bit of door, from which, I saw the manager was leaving the house angrily, mom cried and screamed and dad was chasing violently the Gregor, who looked like a monstrous vermin towards Gregor's room. It was so incredible that my dear brother, Gregor had become a vermin with extremely broad body and numerous small legs.

        In the evening, dad explained the family's financial situation to mom and me. Dad still had some money left even though he bankrupted five years ago and besides that, brother had brought home some money every month. But the money could not afford the family for more than two years if Gregor could not recover and find a new job. Dad did not work in the five years, mom suffered from asthma and I was only seventeen without any experience of working. I was unable to fall asleep whole night when I heard what my dad said. I lied on the bed and realized that I had slim hope to further my violin study in conservatoire. 

        Gregor's health condition was worse so quickly, and he hardly ate anything every day. One week later, when I opened his door to see him, I found him lying on his bed peacefully without any breath. He died without any sign. But patents seemed not to be so shocked about Gregor's death. In the last week, mom and dad had suffered too much comments from neighbors about Gregor's change. His death seemed to be a great relief to mom and dad. 

         After funeral, parents decided to sell out the house and move to a new place. Dad found a pretty good job in the new place. So, I asked dad if he could support me to further my violin study in conservatoire, he refused firmly without any hesitation. In his mind, studying in conservatoire would cost much and it is not worthwhile at all. I was depressed but I knew what I could do just to accept dad's decision because it was hardly possible to change his mind. 

         One day morning, I sit in attic to clean the violin filled with dust I took from the old house. The violin was the gift my brother sent me in my twelfth birthday. He was the only person in my family who encouraged me to play the violin. I had never play it since I moved to new house.  Looking through windows, I saw some lovely children were blowing bubbles on the garden. Even though the bubbles were so beautiful, they would finally burst just like my dream of being a violinist. 

“The Metamorphosis”: The Manager

          There are five workdays and two extra workdays in a week. Today is Tuesday, another workday, the beginning of a long week. 

I was woken by the six a.m. alarm in the morning, just like every ordinary morning in the past ten years. I don’t have to bother that if I would awake my wife because me and she sleep in two different rooms for two years. I don’t see any awkwardness or disgrace on this issue. We have to compromise with our distinct schedules and our livings. My family is a DINK family (double income and no kids), me and my wife never heard of each other before we got married two decades ago. We just forming a family and dispelling the sense of loneliness for each other. Now you can roughly tell that I am already on my 40s path. Luckily, I am the manager, a business manager in Buffalo, the western New York. People might gossip that Buffalo is no longer a prosperous city and it is aging. Well, who’s not aging nowadays! To me, the New York City is no different to Buffalo. How much we could share in the market in America is the priority that counts.

I draw out three pieces of white toast from the refrigerator and put them into the food plastic bag, pour myself some thick black coffee which was made last night in order to save the time in the next morning. I leave my house noticeably and it seems that I have never come last night. While driving, I eat my things and listen to the morning financial program. That reminds me of my university time. I was a finance major student and the carefree live seemed indefinite. However, twenty years later, most of my classmates have made billions bucks and sleeping on the Simmons Mattress while I am gruelingly rushing to my job, eating exquisite breakfast in the café of Hilton Hotel while I am squeezing my time to write out a report before the 30 minutes’ lunch break. Having casted my mind to the memory, the toast is losing their flavor and the coffee is unpleasantly cold and sour.

However, the work is not as smooth as I expected. One of the salesmen Mr. Samsa is late on this morning. Since there is not much assignment to do today, we are pretty peaceful in this slack season. But I will never assert that there is such a statement that the season for not doing any business exists in this unpredictable market. I drove to the Jack Samsa’s apartment. Oh hold on a second, it supposed to be Gregor Samsa, not Jack Samsa. I should bear this forgettable name in mind before I meet him today rather than making embarrassment.

After the sister of Gregor opened the door for me, I lift up my muscle on the cheek and try to conjure a friendly smile instead of an unsatisfactory one and step into the living room and met Gregor’s parents. They are all obese and have no lights in their eyes but weak and trepidation. They are the type of people that I will never tempt to sale thing to and gain profits from. I asked them about Gregor but they just could not come up with a certain answer. After a long interval of silence in this frustrating room, I cannot stand the eternal waiting by wasting time in a weekday. I told Gergor across the wall that we have to overcome the tiny indisposition in work and stress. His father even asked the question for me that if I can come in and check out what have happened, however, received his disrespectful refusal. My mind is stuffed with irritation, impatience, the sob of his sister and mother, the sigh of his father and the wire smell hovering in the room and the tick of my continuously running watch. I said there is no excuse for the absence, and there is no reason of not showing up since I have been here to visit. Finally, some rustles can be heard from the other side of the wall, sounds like an insect is rubbing its tentacles. 

Then, until I dashed into my car and pulled myself together, I am totally unconscious. The door was slowly open and he showed half of his body behind the door. He is a beetle! For God sake he is an insect! He is a giant bug! I thought that was my delusion because of the strong caffeine, but it seems that every person in the flat are tremendously stunned! Mrs. Samsa passed out and Mr. Samsa seems like he was attacked by a monster. Gregor Samsa burst out with tons of words to me for a forgiving with his tentacles squirming and squirming. I cannot stop the impulse of revolting then I desperately escaped from the apartment and bellow all along the stairs.

After this horrifying venture in Gregor Samsa’s apartment, I feel anger, shame and disappointment about him. He is fired in the minute I saw him, period. How can a man evade his work to metamorphose himself into an inhuman thing! That is seriously irresponsible! God knows how much it will cost the company will on the new recruiting! How much time and energy I will waste on a new salesman’s training! That is unforgivable! Unreasonable! Huh, he deserves no mercy, he is pathetic! A loser! After thinking this, I take a sip of my black coffee and try to appreciate its fragrance and bitterness.

“A business man will never descent himself to the stage of metamorphosis”, I murmur to myself. Maybe is the side effect of my black coffee, I feel my back is getting solid, my hands are shivering like the tentacles and my skin is darker than before. Maybe that is just the illusion in my mind.

-END-

The Second Chance

The Second Chance

On a day like most others, Gregor Samsa awakes in a cold sweat. The weight of his job looms over him, growing harder and harder to stand each day. Gregor cannot quit this job though you see, he has to work off parent’s debt which is no small task and could take half a decade. As Gregor steps out of bed he dreads the upcoming day and the fact that he will be late for work once again. A slight shiver rolls over his body and it seems to last forever. Gregor’s mother suddenly yells to hurry and get to work or else his boss was going to show up to their house again. It wasn’t an everyday occurrence for his boss to pay him a visit and Gregor knew that his job was becoming more and more in danger. The mother yells once more to Gregor but as he answers back, his answer doesn’t seem to suffice and almost immediately his mother is at the door trying to unlock it. Gregor’s Sister Grete pleads for Gregor to open the door and he finally gets up, but as his reaches to grab the door knob the door bursts open almost knocking Gregor over. He angrily asks his mother, “What were you thinking!” With a blank stare on her face, his mother slowly falls backwards and faints. Grete Immediately slams the door and runs to the kitchen. Gregor steps over his mother and chases Grete into the kitchen where she was crying with her and Gregor’s father. Gregor is filled with a deep sadness and retreats back to his room. Sitting in his rocking chair Gregor wonders what he had done to make his family and especially his sister so upset; he begins to fade and eventually falls asleep wondering if it is because of his job. When Gregor wakes he almost knows for a fact that he has no job by now and his sickly parents would be put through too much stress. Gregor works up the courage to talk to his mother and father and walks to the kitchen. The whole family is gathered around the table and as Gregor begins to speak, there is a knock on the door and his father walks right toward Gregor and to the door. The interesting detail about this is that Gregor was standing directly in front of the door and his father actually went through him. Gregor gets that cold shiver once again and tries to grasp what has happened. He looks at his father and yells, “what is happening?” but his father ignores the question and opens the front door. Gregor’s boss was at the door and he shook Gregor’s father’s hand as he came in the door. He had a grim look on his face and Gregor knew this was about his job, but his boss had something else on his mind. He turned to address the whole family and spoke, “I know Gregor and I were not best of friends and I had always been on case, but it’s because I thought he has such great potential. Now I guess we will never know …” Gregor tried to cut off his boss and yelled out “please give me another chance, I will work harder than ever!” but no one seemed to hear poor Gregor and his boss continued, “My prayers are with your family, and I am sorry to hear about Gregor, may he rest in peace.” The family all thanked Gregor’s boss for what he said. Gregor was sitting in a chair now, thinking to himself, “how could I be dead, what did I do to deserve this, I cannot be dead.” But the sad truth began to sink in for Gregor, his family couldn’t see him, hear him, or feel him. He was a ghost in his own home, with not a clue of where to go from here. Gregor had trouble accepting his fate for the first week of his ghostly life, but he learned how to cope with this reality after a while. Gregor passed his time by watching his family grow. His parents were forced to find jobs and their sickly nature faded away slowly and they transformed over the course of months and months into the handsome hardworking people from early in Gregor’s life. The debts slowly started to dwindle down and Gregor could smile and feel the pride that his family had been missing for a while. Grete, inspired by Gregor, works hard on poetry and writing and becomes quite good. Gregor thinks to himself, “it may have taken me dying, but my family is finally prospering and I would not take back my death.” Gregor is filled with peace and as he lies down he knows this will be his last night in his house, his last night of watching his family get their second wind, their second chance. Gregor lies down knowing that he was just lucky to see his family after death. His mind slows, his eyes close.