(Page 1 of 2) Squashed by Federico PatanéSUMMARY: september flash fiction contest entry. Theme "Super Powers".Squashed by Federico Patané.
"All rise! The roach judge 55675 is presiding."
The ugly cockroach walked into the room and climbed on to the matchbox that was set on one end. He began fiddling with his own antennae without looking at all the other roaches gathered there.
"What are the charges?" he said lazily.
"Roach 96125 is accused of the murder of 5 other roaches during the display of his superpowers."
"96125, can you explain?" the judge said curiously.
Roach 96125 walked slowly forward to face the judge and with his front legs put down his antennae, almost covering his face from shame.
"You honor," he began, stammering. "It happened yesterday. I went out to find some food and I just happened to mention to my friends my super powers..."
He paused for a moment to see the judge's reaction to his opening line. Nothing. It looked as if the judge couldn't care less, so he continued.
"I came out as usual through the exit in sector 7. The one the humans know as the kitchen sink plug."
"What are these alleged super powers?" Judge 55675 interrupted sounding irritated.
"I... I... I.. " Roach 96125 tried to speak up. "I can fly. And have extraordinary strength. And I can run faster than anybody."
"Explain to me how this powers resulted in the loss of 5." The judge inquired. His patience disappearing quickly.
"As I said, after bragging about having my powers I went out to look for food. I walked straight to the stove because there is always some leftovers from the humans cooking." He stopped to think, his mouth already watering from the thought of food. "I got there in no time and I had my hands on a big piece of chicken when suddenly the light went on."
The crowd gathered behind him gasped and even a few roaches let out a scream of fear. Roach 96125 turned to see the reaction and then faced the judge again to continue.
"And then it all began to occur so quickly. The human moved fast towards me with a shoe in his hand." He released his antennae and joined his hands as he heard a new gasp from the others. "And then, instead of freezing I ran, not away, but in the direction of the human. My super speed was kicking in because everything else seemed to slow down. I forced myself to run even faster until I reached the edge of the table and I jumped to fly just in time to avoid the shoe hitting the table on the spot where I had been only a moment ago."
He looked at the judge and then to the people again. Everyone was silent and expectant to his story.
"I flew to the human and hanged myself to his clothes only to breath once and then I flew again to the floor away from the human who hadn't given up and was turning to me again with his gigantic weapon in hand. Then ran again with my super speed toward the cabinet and walked up to the table again bordering the sink and behind the toaster. It was there that I used my super strength. I pulled from it to make enough room for me to crawl in and hide."
The judge was now attentive, his eyes fixed and his expression serious.
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