Her heart pounded within her as she began to assess these new sensations. She had never experienced struggle before. She was unaware that there was anything inside her, but, after wriggling free from her home this frantic and rhythmic thumping was her whole world. “Oh my, what have I done?” A few minutes later, as she caught her breath, the sensation of cold began to set in. She had never known that there was such a thing as “cold”. She had always been warm and comfortable and safe and cozy in her old place………”This is terrible!” she thought to herself, “What have I done?!”

She tried to move her feet, as one of them was bent backward under her, and after a momentary effort got it in its right place…..”That’s better” she thought, relieved. “What IS that that had been so uncomfortably and awkwardly bent under her?” She certainly had never had to deal with THAT before. It was new to her. “Well, that’s a nuisance” she thought.

And while the thought of that nuisance was just being pondered, an even WORSE and MORE awkward appendage got her attention…. She only THOUGHT the feet were troublesome. Matters got worse when she discovered these, well, who KNOWS what they are? She could feel these cursed things on either side of her that she soon realized would be the bane of her existence forever. “This is terrible. What have I done to myself?”

Her mind went back a little while. She didn’t know when it began. “THESE THINGS ARE THE PROBLEM!” They had started it all. Those damned ungainly, uncomfortable troublemakers were exactly what have gotten her in this mess. If they, and those stupid feet, hadn’t been complaining about their comfortable home she would still be warm and safe. This brightness that was now causing her eyes to ache wouldn’t be a problem either!

What a miserable situation. “Could it get any worse? What would life be like now? Will I always have to live this cold, awkward, uncomfortable, heart­pounding life?” As she thought of the grim prospects ahead of her she longed for her old shell. She thought about trying to get back in, but, though her eyes were not yet open, she could feel it’s shards around her and knew it was no use.

“There’s nothing better than my old home”, she thought, and fell asleep.