"Ouch! Watch it! You're stepping on my eye!"
Martin held his long, thin, left pincher claw up to shield his protruding eyes from his brother's legs. Four legs stood on his shoulders while the other four, which attempted to climb up the side of the plastic box kept slipping and kicking Martin in the head.
"Quit being such a crab baby. I'm doing the best I can. I can get my claws out of the water but there's nothing to grab onto."
"Oooooh, we're gonna be in trouble this time when we get home." Martin continued to whine when suddenly a disturbing thought occurred to him. "If we ever get home that is. I knew I shouldn't have listened to you. You're always getting me into trouble. Now look where we are. In a box somewhere filled with awful, stale, stinky water with these other pathetic souls. Look at that lobster in the corner. He looks like he died a few years ago and they're just keeping the shell around for decoration. And I'm not too thrilled about the other crabs in here. I've never seen crabs with that color shell before. They certainly don't come from our neighborhood. They look like the rough type. Look at that one, the one with the eye patch and red scarf on his head. Think he's a crab-pirate? Do you think they belong to a gang or something? I hope they don't try to start any trouble."
"Will you be quiet and stop moving!" Jimmy snapped at his brother. "You're making it impossible for me to get a grip on anything. OK, move a little to the left, that's right, NO! I mean 'yes', to the left. O.K., O.K., steady...hold it...if I can only get my claw into that hole..."
Jimmy reached up with his thick, round, left crusher claw and attempted to grab one of the holes on the side of the tank. Maybe if he could get a good grip, he could pull himself up then reach down and help his brother climb out. Maybe then they could escape from this nightmare. The water was barely breathable and they hadn't eaten for days. He had to agree with Martin this time, although he didn't like to admit it. He didn't like the look in the eyes of the other crabs; the way they rotated back and forth, up and down, giving Martin and him the once over. He'd heard about places like this before and it was said that the stress of it all, the lack of food, the hopelessness of escape, could make a crab mad and turn on one of its own. Once the dirty deed had been done, nothing was sacred. Nothing would prevent the victim from becoming dinner for whatever crustaceans were in the tank.
He regretted talking Martin into going out to play during the afternoon hours of sunlight. Sure it was exciting and scary fun but he should've waited until the safety of nightfall, like he had promised his father. It had been his responsibility to take care of Martin for a couple of hours after school until his father came home from work and Martin hadn't followed the rules. Now look what a mess they were in. He regretted doing what he knew was wrong but he could not go back in time and change things. All he could do now was to think of a way to get himself and his brother home safely. And to learn a lesson from this. If they made it home safely, if he could only feel his father hug him again, wrap all ten of his arms and legs tightly around him, he promised himself that he would never, ever break a rule again.
By now Jimmy had his left claw on the edge of a hole and was reaching up with his right to make his next move when suddenly he began to tip backwards. His two large claws and eight legs floated in different directions as they tried to find something to cling to. Martin, feeling his brother starting to tip, moved closer to the wall that only made matters worse. Jimmy fell slowly backwards through the water. Once he began to fall, he knew there was nothing he could do but lay back and enjoy the slow ride down. The water would cushion his fall, and although the bump on the bottom would hurt, it wouldn't "crack" like the time he'd fallen off the high rocks when he'd been playing "pirate crabs" last summer. Now that had hurt.
He looked up as he drifted through the murky water and watched the bright lights above the reflection of the surface. It took a while for him to reach the bottom of the tank and when he did, he hit with his right side first, then gently rolled to the left side, until finally coming to rest flat on his back. All ten legs and claws groped wildly, desperately searching for something to grab onto in order to flip himself over. There was nothing but water.
"Martin, Help me!" Jimmy yelled to his brother. If Martin could get to him before the others did, he'd have a chance.
"Jimmy, turn over!" Martin yelled as he began to crawl toward his brother. The lobster from the opposite side of the tank, who until now had appeared dead, had watched the entire episode and suddenly sprang to life. Its numerous small legs actually began to run and it held its two large claws high up over its head as it approached the distressed crab brother.
By roving his eyes around, Jimmy watched the drama that was about to occur.
"Get away from me you spineless sack of shells!" Don't you even think about touching me you arthritic, old arthropod!" They weren't the best insults but considering the stress of the moment, he thought they were quite good. He'd also quickly decided that in this vulnerable position, false bravado might be his only hope.
Martin's youth and nimbleness allowed him to out race the larger attacker even though he had twice the distance to travel. He reached his brother just one second before the lobster.
"Get away from my brother barnacle breath!" Martin screamed as he dove op top of the overturned crab just as the lobster's large killer claw came down attempting to rip open his brother's belly. It landed on Martin's back making a rather loud crack sound.
"Oooooommphhh," was the only noise Martin made as the wind was knocked out of him.
The famished lobster, crazed at the thought of being robbed of dinner, dove on top of the two. Arms, legs, claws, and antennas flew in all directions as the three of them wrestled around the bottom of the tank stirring up the water so that it became even a darker brown than it had been and sending the other occupants scurrying around to avoid the entanglement.
Suddenly, two large, pink hands broke through the surface of the water and reached slowly toward the bottom of the tank. The three brawlers froze and stared up in silent horror. The hands picked them up and began to pull them through the water toward the surface.
"Uh-oh," was all the lobster said.
"Jimmy, do you think we're going home now?" Martin asked hoping his brother knew the answer but not really expecting him to.
"I don't think so Martin." Jimmy whispered.
Jimmy's little pinchers were gripping tightly onto his brother's legs but as the group was dragged upward, the friction of the water weakened his grip. Just as they broke through the surface, Jimmy cried out "Martin! I can't hang on anymore." As the tips of his legs let go, Jimmy felt his brother's claws scratching at his shell attempting to grab him, but it was too late.
Martin fell back into the cool, wet, darkness below.
As he fell into the water, he felt the splash and his heart sank with his body as his brother's words echoed to him.
"Tell Dad that I am sorry and that I love him". Jimmy screamed as Martin watched his brother and the lobster, who by now was crying loudly, yanked by the pink hands further and further away from him while he slowly sank deeper and deeper to the bottom of the tank until hitting the bottom right on the very spot where he'd struggled to save his brother just moments earlier.
Martin lay stunned. When he finally moved his eyes to look around, he saw the other captive crabs huddled in the corner of the tank in a group, whispering and he didn't get a good feeling about the way they were looking at him.
There were eight of them and only one of him. Martin felt that he was in big trouble.
The group began to walk toward him. Martin slowly inched his way backwards. Oh, why hadn't he stayed in those karate classes?
They were coming closer and closer, following one crab who appeared to be the leader. He was about the same size as the others but walked in the front of the pack, and walked with the confidence of a leader. He appeared to be a bit older; perhaps a teen-crab. His shell showed many scars and scrapes, evidence of numerous battles. He walked with a slight limp, a few legs on one side appeared to be shorter than the others. Over one eye was a black patch and a red scarf with white polka dots covered the top of his shell.
"Hey kid." The leader stopped inches from Martin and spoke to him. He had a rather high voice for such a tough looking character.
"Yeah?" Martin tried to sound tough but was scared and trembling.
"You wanna save your brother?" The one-eyed asked.
"Yes! Of course I do! Do you know how?" Martin's eyes stuck out of his shell as he stared at the tough crab.
"Yeah kid. I know how. OK, listen up." The leader turned his only eye to look at the group. "We're busting outta this joint...tonight. Time to go home crabbies."
"YEAH!" The group cheered in unison.
"Here's the plan. We take that seaweed right?" The leader pointed with his claw to the seaweed that was swaying in the corner. The group nodded.
"Ok, so we take the seaweed and we weave us a little rope. Then we get on top of each other. The top guy ties the rope to one of those holes and throws it over." He pointed to holes on the top of the tank before continuing to explain his plan. "We grip each other while the bottom guy climbs to the top then goes over, one at a time, Get it?" The group nodded.
"Then we make our way to the kitchen and get the kid's brother."
The smallest crab in the group interrupted him. "But Spike, shouldn't we forget about him and just make our way out the door? Let's get out of here, the sooner the better I say."
The group whispered a hushed gasp and all eyes turned to Spike.
Spike reached his large crusher claw and grabbed the kid by his shell, right between his eyes and lifted him off the ground.
"Who's calling the shots around here kid?" Spike growled.
The small crab struggled to spit out, "You are Spike".
"You want me to leave you here to be the next crab casserole?" Spike pulled him close to his eye and whispered into his face.
"No!" The kid mumbled as he squirmed.
Spike threw the kid back to the ground. "Good. Then keep your shell shut. We're not leaving anyone behind." Spike turned his back on the crumpled crab that lay at a heap at Martin's feet.
The crab looked up at Martin, wincing while he rubbed his bruised shell and whispered, "She's tough for a girl, don't mess with her."
Martin stared wide-eyed at the pirate-like crab with one eye.
"You're You're a girl?!" The words escaped before Martin could think that maybe it wasn't the politest thing to say.
Spike stared at Martin. "Yea, yea I am. You have a problem with that?"
"No. No, not at all, and oh, thank you Spike, thank you for helping my brother and me!" Could it be that he and Jimmy would get to go home again?
"Don't thank me so soon kid, we've got a lot of work to do before you're home to your mommy and daddy..."
"We don't have a mother," Martin interrupted and corrected her.
"Well, whatever, we still have a lot to do before we're all safe and sound out of here. Let's just hope that no one feels like ordering crab legs for lunch or we may be too late to save your brother. Ok, you four, start getting that seaweed down. You four, begin to weave it into a rope. There's a big ocean out there calling my name and I expect to get back into it soon!"
The crabs went to work cutting the seaweed and weaving it into a rope. When they'd finished, they made a crab pyramid, the big ones on the bottom, the smaller ones on the top Martin was the top crab who tied the rope to the hole then tossed it over the side. Spike crawled up the crab chain first and was the first to go over the top and climb down the seaweed rope. They heard her shell crunch as she jumped from the end of the rope and fell onto the floor.
"Ouch! Crabbit!" she said as she lay there for a moment getting her breath.
"Wait!" she ordered.
Spike crawled across the floor and dragged a small rug to place under the rug.
"OK, next,,,hurry!" she yelled up.
The next crab climbed up the crab chain, over the top of the tank, scurried down the rope and dropped onto the rug next to Spike. One by one they made it over; Martin was last.
Spike yelled up to him, "Take the rope with you, we don't need to advertise how we escaped, plus we may need it later."
Martin peered over the edge of the tank. "But then how am I suppose to get down if I take the rope?"
Spike yelled, "Jump, we'll catch you."
Martin looked down at the group of crabs waiting on the floor. They were so far away. It seemed like they were slowly swaying back and forth. Martin suddenly felt dizzy.
"I,,,I can't. I'm afraid of heights!"
"Oh geez," Spike rolled her eye. "Martin, you jump right now or I will personally put you in a pot!"
Martin looked down. The group of crabs held their small right legs in the center of a circle creating a crab-leg blanket.
"Go ahead, we won't drop you... and don't scream! We don't need to notify the entire restaurant staff about what we're doing." Spike whispered loudly.
Martin closed his eyes, took a deep breath and clinging tightly to the rope...
He jumped!
As he was falling through the air he peeked one eye open. The tank, the wall, everything was flying past him. He whimpered quietly, "Oh please catch me".
Suddenly, he stopped. Well, he bounced a little. 64 crab legs had cushioned his fall.
Martin opened his eyes and smiled. "That was cool."
The group dropped him to the floor.
"Ouch!" Martin rubbed his shell.
"Let's go." Spike snarled. "That way." Her claw pointed to a door. "Walk in a single line along the wall, and no talking."
Along the wall the group of crabs crawled sideways following Spike.
"Freeze!" Spike ordered. The group stopped.
A large pair of black shoes walked past them then toward the tank.
"Hey! We've been robbed! Someone's stolen our crabs!" A deep voice filled the room. "Tell the waitresses to take all the crab specials off the dinner menu. Luckily we have another shipment coming in today for the weekend." The shoes walked quickly out the door.
"Ok, hurry, run!" Spike led the way.
They entered the kitchen. The variety of smells reminded them all exactly how hungry they were. Small scraps of food littered the floor, little pieces of lettuce, rice, bones. Two of the crabs ran onto the floor and began to devour whatever they could get their claws on.
Spike yelled at them, "Unless you want to become one of those scraps, I suggest you get back in line. There'll be plenty to eat once we're out of here. One of the crabs reluctantly left the scraps and rejoined the line. The other, the smallest one, waited until Spike turned around, then dragged a lima bean with him to the end of the line.
Martin had ignored the scene with the hungry crabs and had been searching the counter tops. There were so many pots, pans, plates and cups, it was difficult to tell what really was up there. Then he heard something.
"Shhhh," he told the others.
Someone was crying. On the top of the counter, by the sink, coming from inside a large, silver pot, was a soft crying sound.
"Jimmy?" Martin whispered loudly.
"Martin? Martin! Here! Here!" Jimmy could not believe he'd heard his brother's voice.
"Help me Martin!"
Martin began to jump up and down, pointing four legs toward the pot.
"There Spike, there he is!"
"Ok, Ok, kid, I hear him." Spike began to bark out the commands. "Ok everyone, over to the counter, quick! Hurry! Run over and wait under the refrigerator. Stay in a group." The crabs ran across the kitchen floor and huddled together in the safe, dusty darkness under the refrigerator.
The littlest crab however, struggled with the lima bean. He tried to run but only huffed and puffed as he tugged at the heavy bean, trying to pull it across the floor with him.
Spike turned, saw him and snapped, "Drop it kid!"
Just then, the large black shoes walked back into the kitchen.
"Uh-oh," Spike said. "Behind ya kid, run!"
"No!" The little crab yelled back. He didn't see the man and would not give up the bean.
"Ah-ha! Our thieves must've dropped one," the man said as he picked up the littlest crab. "Well, it's little but it'll go with the lobster I'm having for lunch."
The man walked over to the stove, lifted the top off a large black pot and dropped the little crab into the boiling, steamy water. The cover was replaced with a loud clink.
The crab group watched in horror.
Then the black shoes turned and walked out the door.
Spike looked at the group. "Let that be a lesson to the rest of you."
"Ok, come on, let's get the brother. Over to the counter, we make the pyramid chain like before, the bottom guy climbs to the top. Ok? Any questions? Good. Let's go."
Across the floor the group scurried and quickly one by one climbed up on each other's back. When they'd reached the top of the counter, another crab pyramid was quickly formed reaching to the top of the silver pot. Martin climbed to the top and peered over the edge.
Jimmy was jumping up and down.
"Martin! How...?" Jimmy could not believe his eyes.
"Never mind, just climb up the rope." Martin lowered the seaweed rope while nervously glancing toward the door.
Jimmy quickly climbed up the rope then one by one the crab chain made their way back down the counter to the floor. In a single file they crawled sideways out the kitchen door, along the wall, back toward the tank and headed toward freedom.
"Wait!" Spike snapped. They all stood silently under the cash register. The black shoes walked next to a pair of big, shiny, green boots into the restaurant. Water dripped onto the floor as they walked by.
"SPLASH!" The sound of crabs being dumped into the tank.
"There you go buddy. That out to do you for another week. Boy business must be good if you sold all those other crabs." The man with the green boots was talking.
"Nah, we had a thief in here this morning someone stole a bunch of them." The man with the black shoes answered.
"Come on - go for it... to the truck!" Spike motioned to the group waving her claw toward the truck.
"Hurry, Hurry!"
The two men continued talking.
The group of crabs scampered toward the truck and were just about to run up the ramp when the two men walked out the door. They laughed and slapped each other on the back before stopping and exchanging money.
Spike, who'd been waiting in the shadows inside the restaurant door, began to run in a direction away from the truck toward some lobster traps. She was limping quite badly though and was only half way to safety when one of the men saw her.
"Hey look at that will you?" The man with the green boots said.
"Spike! Hurry!" Martin yelled.
Jimmy grabbed his brother and yanked him up the ramp.
"Martin, come one!"
Spike looked back over her shoulder with her one eye. She was running as fast as she could but it was clear she was not going to make it and there was no place to hide.
Spike yelled to the group, "When the truck stops, wait until dark then slide through the crack by the wheel. You'll be on the docks. Make your way back to the water, then ask some of the local crabs for directions home - tell them you're "one of Spike's group". Then she dropped to the ground onto her back exposing her belly, something a crab never does on purpose.
"Spike...." Martin whispered. He felt like crying. Jimmy hugged his brother
"Her heart must've gone out on her," said one of the crabs.
The man with the green boots stopped in front of Spike, bent down and picked her up.
"Hey, guess your thieves dropped one. Too bad, it's dead. No good to you now." With that he tossed Spike into the back of the truck, pushed up the ramp and slid the overhead door of the truck shut with a loud bang.
The crabs cuddled together surrounded by silence and darkness as the truck engine started and it jolted forward making them all slide toward the back.
Within a few moments their eyes adjusted to the darkness and they could see each other, and the crates and boxes in the truck.
Jimmy was the first to speak.
"I want to thank all of you for risking your lives to save me."
Martin said sadly, "It was really Spike who saved all of us Jimmy. She sacrificed herself for all of us. She was a great crab."
Everyone's eyes looked down at the floor while they sadly nodded in agreement with Martin. A couple of the younger crabs began to sniffle.
"WAS a great crab! WAS a great crab!! How about IS a great crab!!" A voice from the top of a box yelled down to them.
Hanging upside down by one leg from a crate was Spike! A big smile crossed her shell face.
"If you were truly grateful, you'd help me get down from this darn thing."
"Spike!" All the crabs yelled as they ran over to her.
"Crab pyramid!" Someone screamed and they quickly jumped upon each other's backs. Spike grunted and groaned as she climbed down.
"I'm getting too old for this business. I Think I'll go to the Caribbean and retire."
When the truck stopped, the little group waited until it was dark, then crawled through the hole by the wheel and jumped on the wooden dock. There most of them quickly said their "Good-byes" before making their way over the black-blue mussels which clung to the pilings and jumping into the cold water below to begin their long journeys home.
"Geronimo!" "Kawabunga" "Yippee" could be heard as one by one they jumped into the refreshing salt water.
Jimmy and Martin stood with Spike on the dock.
They shook claws as they said good-bye. Martin hugged Spike. "Thank you so much, how can we ever repay you?"
"If I never see your faces in there again," Spike pointed a claw toward the truck, "that's my repayment. I hope you've learned a lesson, have you?"
Both Jimmy and Martin nodded. Martin spoke first.
"You bet we have. From now on, we'll won't break the rules."
Then Jimmy said, "And I learned never to judge another crab by what they look like. You can't tell how someone is on the inside by what they look like on the outside."
"That's good," said Spike, "Now go home!"
"Good-bye Spike!" Jimmy and Martin said as they turned and with their arms around each other and scampered toward the end of the dock and jumped off, both screaming with delight as they flew through the air toward the water below.
"Kids!" Spike's head shook, then the tired crab limped back toward the truck, crawled behind a wheel and tucked in all ten legs to settle in for a good night's sleep. 5am would come soon and the man with the green boots would be back, start up the truck and it would all begin again.
Spike took off the red and white polka-dot scarf and stared at her reflection in the hubcap.
"I'm getting too old for this," she whispered to herself before falling asleep.
~ THE END ~
