‘Greta the Pill’

Once upon a time there was a magical green tablet called Greta who lived in a medicine cabinet. Happy, and filled with a healing green liquid, Greta dreamt of the day when someone would need a painkiller to relieve pain. But Greta had one big fear. She feared that if she ever broke from her seal, and remained like that, she would lose her healing power. And so it happened that one day a woman with long nails accidentally stabbed through Greta’s seal but did not take her. After that, all family members took painkillers. Still, seeing Greta’s broken seal, they avoided her. Every time someone looked at Greta with a suspicious frown, she sighed and said:

I am still magical

Pill – pill – pill – pill

I dream of tummies and travelling

Downhill – downhill – downhill – downhill

Because whoever swallows me will no longer feel

Uphill – uphill – uphill – uphill

Time passed and Greta remained glossy and green. She pleaded with her family, but they feared she was contaminated and refused to take her. Father, mother and their two daughters sometimes took her, inspected her for dirt, smell or any discoloration, but after not finding anything wrong with Greta, they still put her back in her round hole. These random inspections made Greta cry and shake. Flawless, but without her seal, the family still rejected her. Rejection grew more painful until Greta saw her last sibling taken out the round hole. In her green heart, Greta knew that the family planned to get rid of her. One day, a young woman who broke her seal took her and said:

You are one wasted

Pill – pill – pill – pill

I paid money so my life is no longer

Uphill – uphill – uphill – uphill

But just one look at you and I feel

Downhill – downhill – downhill – downhill

The woman held Greta over the bin and just before throwing her, a cry of pain echoed through the house. A young girl staggered through the house clutching her tummy with tears streaming down her face. When she saw one green pill, she told her sister to give her the pill. Greta rejoiced feeling her green heart filled with healing magic. The girl popped Greta out and handed it to her sister. Without delay, the sister put Greta in her mouth and swallowed her. Greta slid down the wet tunnels of the young girl. She cheered and hoorayed until she landed in a wet ocean. She felt herself dissolving and letting her green magical water flow out of her. And when Greta died, the young girl’s pain disappeared. Grateful, the girl said:

You were one special

Pill – pill – pill – pill

When I was crippled by pain and life felt so

Uphill – uphill – uphill – uphill

Your green healing liquid cured me from feeling

Downhill – downhill – downhill – downhill