Day 226: Monster Carrot at Sea

Monster Carrot at Sea
by
Matt Zurbo

 

An image just came to me, a carrot out at sea.
(Image of a carrot.)

Not just any carrot, either. A monster carrot.
(Monster carrot.)

It’s paddling a boat, because it’s on the run.
Yeah, that’s a good image, this game is fun.
(Monster carrot looking stressed, paddling hard.)

The monster carrot is on the run, because at the fair everybody wanted to eat it.
(Mob of country people and kids chasing carrot, that is scared. Small kid, Billy, is running, even more scared, in front of carrot.)

It was chasing Billy Bragalot as a form of revenge, when it happened to win first prize for the “Largest Vegetable” at the produce shed.
(Carrot holding Billy over mouth, but eyes looking confused, down at farmer who is putting 1^st Prize ribbon over it. Crowd cheering.)

Hm. What next?
(White background. Billy, monster carrot and farmer standing deadpan, looking at reader.)

The monster carrot was first chasing Billy Bragalot down the street, eating policemen, and Billy’s uncle Pete.
(As described.)

Before that, the monster carrot was chasing Billy through the dark, lonely night.
(Carrot and Billy both on pushbikes. Carrot throwing a cat into its mouth as it rides.)

But why was the monster carrot after Billy? What had the kid done, to make it unhappy?
“Yeah, good question,” said the monster carrot.
“You can talk?” gasped Billy Bragalot.
(White background. Carrot and Billy, standing, holding bikes, carrot looking at reader, Billy at carrot.)

Well, it all happened when the monster carrot was invited around for dinner, and Billy’s family ate their meat and three veg.
Seeing its brother carrots and cousin zucchinis eaten made the carrot see red!
(Carrot looking horrified and everybody else happily eats their diner.)

It grew even bigger, it tore the house up. Not even sweet music could make it back off.
(As described.)

“Okay, okay. But why was I there?” the carrot wanted to know.
Good question.
(White background. Carrot with hand on chin, thinking.)

The monster carrot was, at first, Billy’s friend. There was one day when it had saved him time and again.
(Carrot and Billy hugging.)

From giant hamsters.
(Billy huddled and scared. Carrot fighting two giant hamsters that are chewing on it.)

A towering frog.
(Giant frog tongue sticking to carrot, who is resisting being pulled in, while holding Billy as safe distance.)

Monster toy soldiers.
(Plastic green soldiers attacking Billy and Carrot.)

Even a mighty butterfly.
(Giant butterfly flying off with Billy, while carrot jumps to pull Billy back down.)

“But why?”
Because of Wendy Donk.
“Wendy the Geek?” protested Billy Bragalot.
(White background. Carrot shrugging at reader. Billy looking sideways at small girl with glasses on, a lab coat, and a weird machine under her arm.)
See! How dare you tease someone for being smart, and studying hard! No wonder she turned all the giant creatures bad.

Wendy had brought her latest invention to school; an enlarging machine.
And you lot snatched it. Boy, were you mean!
(Billy and other kids running away with machine, while Wendy looks horrified.)

Everybody enlarged whatever they could! Nobody did things carefully like they should.
(Kids laughing, making large butterflies and frogs, whatever they can find. Billy reaching into his lunch box.)

Wendy, angry, set the dial to dark, and chaos ruled in the school park.
(Wendy, angry, turning dial. Screams and shouts behind her.)

“So are you saying…” the monster carrot started.
Yep, you started as a lunch.
(Billy placing carrot from lunchbox in the machine.)

Then, you saved the day, only to see your fellow vegetables get munched.
(Close-up of Billy’s face, cheeks puffed as he eats, mouth full of vegetables.)

“Well… That changes so much!” the carrot monster said.
And Billy Bragalot took off, because he now knew what lay ahead.
(White background. Carrot getting angry. Cheeks red. Billy running for his life.)

So now the monster carrot is out at sea, fending off seagulls that want to eat him for tea.
(As described. But also, an even smaller boat, with Billy in it, paddling away from carrot.)

With a ratbag called Billy Bragalot that it wants swallow.
“I’m sorry Wendy!!”
(On beach of tropical island. Carrot mouth open, chasing Billy, who is throwing coconuts back into it as he runs, calling to Wendy.)

Who’s last hope, if he is eaten, is to try and eat his way out.
(Long shot of carrot surrounded by seagulls, chasing Billy around island.)

To all, good luck!

 

 

The End