Daisy Finds the Giant Eye

Daisy couldn’t find the giant eye. 

“Ohh, he is gonna be so flustered,” she said with a tsk, tsk tsk, shaking her head and tossing maracas, a rubber band ball, and four traffic cones out of an oversized chest. Davie stood to her right, staring down through his dark sunglasses with his idle hands tied together in front of his belly. 

Daisy looked up and saw him standing like a statue. 

“Jesus Christ, Davie, what are you? CIA? Stop standing there like the Men in Black and help me find this damn thing.” Daisy only turned her focus back on searching through the chest after Davie waddled over and silently began digging through the random assortment of items with her. It had to be in here somewhere. 

*SCRRCH* “Daisy, you find that eyeball yet?” a voice came through the walkie talkie. She growled and removed hers from her waist and responded to the transmission. 

“No, Frankie, I think Dennis ate it or something. It’s not here. We’ve got about a million plastic bananas, a fake deer carcass, and a… A hardback copy of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky but no giant eyeball.” 

“What edition is that Dostoevsky?” asked the walkie talkie voice. 

“Frankie! The eyeball! Focus!” Daisy shouted into the handheld. 

“I’m sorry Daisy- Tim really wants to know what edition it is.” 

“Oh Christ!” Daisy cried out, hooking the walkie talkie back on her waist and turning on a twist of her high heel to march back out of the semi truck. 

“What should I do?” Davie called from the truck as she walked down the ramp.

“Keep looking!” she ordered without turning around to look at him. She knew it wasn’t there. 

Outside of the semi truck stood a juxtaposed sight: a massive ruin belonging to some ancient civilization. Perhaps it was once a great temple or a forum or a gladiatorial arena a couple thousand years ago. Today it would be the stage for the world-famous rock band ‘THE TENANTS.’ If the lead singer Dennis didn’t get that giant eyeball for the song “gIant with the capital ‘i’”, well, there just wasn’t going to be a show. Dennis was very particular about his costumes and stage appearance. She had to find it. Cars were already piled up in the field just beyond where parking had been designated. The murmur of hundreds of chattering voices echoed from within. On her way to the makeshift backstage area, Daisy almost ran directly into the shoulder of stagehand Buddy. He was an old man who had been around the band since their inception, and always came to their shows. 

“Buddy!” 

“Daisy!”

She brought him into a big bear hug and kissed the friendly elder’s rosy cheek. 

“Buddy, have you seen that giant stupid eyeball?” she asked, still holding his arms. He looked around for a moment and his face twisted into a frown. 

“Well, I’m sorry Daisy, last I saw that thing Danny was carrying it around. I thought maybe he’d take it backstage. I think he went that way!” Buddy pointed towards an opening in the grassy hillside adjacent to the ancient ruin. 

“He went in that hole in the ground?” Daisy asked for clarification.

“That’s what I saw!”

“And you’re sure it was Danny?”

“Well, I think it was Danny.”

“You didn’t stop him?”

“I thought maybe you told him to go there.”

“You thought..? Ugh, nevermind. Fair enough, Buddy. I’ll catch up with you in a bit!” She patted his shoulder and headed towards the hole in the hill. She ducked her head under some hanging moss and entered a dark, stone stairwell that led into the earth. 

Fearlessly, she forged ahead with only one giant ridiculous eyeball on her mind. Small holes in the dirt above allowed light to peer in and she used it to guide her path as she went deeper and deeper down seemingly endless steps. 

Eventually, the stairwell led to a slightly flooded path with scummy water. Piles of worms wriggled restlessly in the surrounding mud. A great bullfrog leapt desperately out of her way as she waded forward and saw a row of marble columns silhouetted by an eerie, enchanting daylight up ahead. 

She turned around to see where she had come from, and noticed the stairwell seemed to be missing, dirt and ruins having taken its place.

Then, before she had time to process the strangeness of it, a croaking, frog-like voice rattled around the swampy cellar.

Daisy, Daisy

Answer me, this I plead 

What ails you, dear, what brings you here?

Searching, searching

Looking ‘round this foul place?

A thing stepped out from behind a column a few meters ahead, its gentle steps accompanied by the sounds of chirping cicadas. It was still mostly concealed by damp darkness, but Daisy could discern that the thing was more beast than man. The silhouette showed legs like a goat and great horns protruding from its moist, hairy head. Yellow, shining eyes pierced through the dripping black hollow of the ancient cellar. 

Daisy could not see the shadowed mouth of the thing moving, but she could still hear it’s dusty, clicking voice echoing everywhere in whispers. 

Daisy, Daisy 

Engage with me, this I plead

We’ll play a game, just you and me 

Winning, winning

Might just bring you what you seek

The game is simple

Simple, you see

The way behind you, now is lost

The exit hidden by rock and moss

Find what you want, take what you need

Ascend the rope, and you are free

Leave with nothing, or lose your way

Then be trapped with me, here to play 

Daisy stared in disbelief. 

“Danny, you have two seconds to knock it off! Dennis is going to be barking up a storm if they start playing ‘gIant with the capital i’ and he doesn’t have his giant eyeball!”

The creature didn’t move, but gazed back in silence.

“Enough! Do you have it down here or not? They’re going on stage soon! Clock is ticking! Tick, tick, asshole!”

Again, silence.

“If this ends up being like that absolute disaster in Atlanta last year I swear I’m gonna-“

Daisy, Daisy 

Feast your eyes, look for me

See the golden, gifted treats 

The creature vanished back behind the column and Daisy saw the way through the dark hall to the opening ahead. The sound of running water hissed louder as she walked closer across the grassy, stone floor. She passed by the column where the creature was and saw nothing there, and then stepped into a circular courtyard with high stone walls that reached to the heavens. Daylight and a few small waterfalls poured in from above. The water splashed and pooled in natural springs around the overgrown, ancient garden. In the center of the area stood a pile of curious objects. Shining gold coins, the crowns of forgotten kings, ruby rings, pearl necklaces, sapphire medallions, currencies and paper money from all over the world, ornate swords, and a few old rifles. On top of the pile was the giant eyeball helmet that Dennis would put on his head for the show. 

Daisy looked down at her watch, appalled at what time it was. Dennis would be starting any minute and more than likely freaking out about her disappearance. 

She climbed the pile of golden treasures and mysteries, grabbed the eyeball, and slid back down. She noticed a rope hanging from the high wall. She pulled a knife out from her waistband, cut the excess of the rope away, used it to tie the eyeball around her waist, and began to climb.

Daisy, wait!

She looked down and saw the beast staring through a bit of brush in the garden. As she glanced down she noticed a few human skeletons scattered around the clearing, their dead hands still clutching treasures where they must have perished long ago.

Daisy, Daisy

Will you not take some time 

To ponder the gold that here is mine?

“Danny, not-Danny, whatever the hell you are, I just need this stupid eyeball. I gotta go.”

The treasure here

Is worthy of a king 

Have you no wish

For amulets, blades, and gilded rings?

“I don’t have time, and I don’t care. Them fellas down there look like they had a great time taking your treasures. Maybe you should clean up a bit next time you try one of these whole spiels, hm?” She looked down again at her watch, “I gotta go!”

Daisy sighed heavily in frustration and hoisted herself upwards, climbing the rope all the way to the top to return to the backstage area of the show. She could hear Dennis addressing a large audience on the inside of the temple. Quickly, she raced from the hillside to the back entrance of the ruin and to the side stage zone where the other crew members waited. She placed the eyeball in its coordinated spot, exchanging a quick sheepish glance with Dennis and the tour manager as she did so. 

“Just in time,” the rockstar winked and snagged the eyeball, placed it on his head, and walked back out on stage to the thundering of a mighty drum beat. The crowd roared in approval, losing their minds knowing what song was next.

Behind the curtain backstage, Daisy relaxed as the audience’s cheers eased her tension. What a disaster that could’ve been.