Ben Ondetti

English 8

Ms. Gibson

August 25,2020

The Llama

         A Llama sits on a mountain with its knees tucked in. It looks over a vast mountain range. Villages with people lie underneath, with people traveling between huts. They seem to be undisturbed, almost frozen in time, completely, utterly, and blissfully unaware of the outside world. A young man, covered in rain and sweat, comes up the mountain and drops himself next to the llama. The llama looks at the man. He is thoroughly drenched and has gashes in his face. He hands the llama a coffee cup.

“You have to wake up eventually.” says the llama. The man looks at the llama only for a few seconds before looking back to the mountains.

“I might eventually, but I’m fine for now.”, responds the man. Beeps ring in his ears quietly.

“Why do you do this, Everett?” asks the llama. “Every time,” the llama says, “It’s damaging to your health, and your daughters deserve a father.” Everett looks over to the llama. It’s gone.

The coffee cup knocked over; the warm contents stream down his legs. The once quiet beep is now louder and faster, like a crescendo, like a song’s climax. He sits there, watching the village people down below. In envy.

       “Get his vitals! Now!” Shouts a nurse. There is loud beeping from the machine as the young man who had been in the car crash’s body convulsed. His daughters look from the outside of the Emergency Room. The beeping recedes and the machine loses its once excited noise. The sounds from the machine go quieter until the rhythmic, violent beeping turns into one single, peaceful, shrill noise. Like a scream from a llama.