The frog studied the sky with its bulging eyes. Clouds had filled the spaces and not a single source of light peaked through. His stomach rumbled, as it always did during the evenings. The raindrops drizzled on his head, and the ground was drenched enough to guarantee the snails and slugs were around – his favourite meal.
The frog peered towards the neighbour’s garden on the left; he realised he hadn’t been there in a while. Hopping over the rocks – which circled his pond – the frog sprung to the ground. His slimy feet smacked onto the wet grass. With three inches of the green blades surrounding his vision, it was like he was standing in a forest.
He hopped to the neighbour’s garden. The smell of rain and mud became stronger as each jump caused a slight splash onto his body. He leapt through the hole in the wooden fence – a hole he once made. Pausing, he took in the sight of the apples and pears that had fallen from the trees.
Squinting his eyes, the frog scanned for the glimmers of a slime trail, but nothing came into view. His stomach rumbled again, and he considered going back to his usual hunting area; but the slowest of movements drew his eyes. Behind the tall grass was a shimmering brown shell.
The frog lunged forward, and struck the shell with his tongue. The snail’s green body squeezed tighter into its shell. The frog attacked again, aiming for the inside. The snail’s body was glued to his tongue. Wiggling, the snail tried to escape. Its slime – mixed with the frog’s saliva – dribbled to the ground.
Curling his tongue back into his mouth, the frog swallowed the snail whole.
ANISHA BABAR
Anisha is a 20-year-old living in London. She is currently studying English Literature in her final year at university. Her hobby is primarily reading, and her favourite genre is fantasy.
