Snedgar & Snella

By Catarina Vazquez

The greatest love story ever known began and ended on the sidewalk. There had once been a time when the big concrete slab known as the sidewalk was a place of joy and worship. During the rainy season, members of the community used to gather in the pools of raindrops that appeared to thank the rain god for his gift. Celebrating had become a safety hazard – the influx of humans on the sidewalk posed an imminent threat to snail livelihood.Too many villagers had been crushed underfoot by students too busy looking at their cell phone screens to worry about their uncouth steps. The village chiefs banned all villagers from traveling on the sidewalk.

For years, Snedgar and Snella would simply gaze at each other from across the sidewalk as they lived on separate sides. One day Snedgar decided he just wanted to see her from a distance of less than five feet. He was determined to accomplish this goal even if it meant breaking the community’s most important rule.

For weeks Snedgar stayed up late into the night trying to figure out how to get across the sidewalk. During this time, Snella and Snedgar would venture to their respective edges of the sidewalk every evening to watch the sunset together. Snedgar treasured this time they shared, and on one of these outings he explained his plan to Snella by etching a message on an acorn and catapulting it over to her side. The acorn explained that he was going to dig a tunnel under the sidewalk. Snella was beyond shocked, but she urged him against this as she was to be married off to Snadam, the son of her village chief, in a few months. This snail was known for being cruel to the other villagers, especially those in his household. Snedgar knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't save her. This only encouraged to expedite his plans.

That evening, he began surveying the land, looking for the least rocky place to begin digging the tunnel. He worked all night and in the morning his mother sent his sister, Snarice, to find him. Snarice’s confusion was obvious as she looked at her brother caked in mucus and dirt. Snedgar had always been the odd one out, but now his sister was sure he was losing it. He had explained to her why he was doing this, and surely she had seen Snedgar on his way to visit Snella. Snedgar felt that he was not understood by his family or the rest of the community and knew in his heart that Snella was the only one who could ever truly accept him. He spent the next few weeks digging the tunnel, making slow progress.

One evening after a long day of digging, he crept up to the edge of the sidewalk to see Snella. She was not there waiting for him like every day before. He knew this could only mean one thing: she had been married. Discouraged, defeated, and in tears, Snedgar trudged home knowing he was not able to save his beloved in time. On the other side of the sidewalk, Snella had been forced to marry Snadam against her will. That night, Snedgar had a dream of a despondent Snella, locked in Snadam’s house. At that moment, Snedgar knew he had to continue the tunnel.

The next morning he climbed up the trellises draped along the sides of his house and watched as the rising sun reflected its golden warmth onto the surrounding dwellings. He wanted Snella to see this breathtaking view as well. For the next few months Snedgar worked harder than ever, digging incessantly. At last, his tunnel reached the other side of the sidewalk. The world at the end of this tunnel was extremely different from his, he thought as he breathed in the acrid smell of dead grass and smoke. He couldn't believe this world was all Snella had ever known.

After an hour of searching, he finally found her against a well under a grove of trees. Snella rushed over to him, in disbelief that he was actually there in front of her. It only took one look at Snella’s saccharine smile for Snedgar to know everything was worth it for this moment. Antennae entwined, they crawled back to the entrance of the tunnel, only to find it blocked by a large group of snail guards investigating its sudden appearance. Behind them, Snadam called out for Snella. They knew there was only one way out, but to escape in this manner meant breaking the most sacred rule. Hesitantly, they both slimed to the edge of the sidewalk and took one last look at each other, just in case. Together, they stepped out onto the cold concrete and moved as fast as they could toward the other side. They were mere inches away from reaching the edge when a clumsy human, not looking where he was going, stepped toward them. Snedgar rolled out of the way and into the grass. As he was rolling, he heard a definite crunch: the sound of a snail’s life coming to an end. He quickly crawled back to the sidewalk’s edge, terrified of what he might see. His eyes confirmed what he already knew: Snella had been crushed underfoot. Snedgar could never forgive himself for bringing her out onto the sidewalk.

Every day from there on out, he ventured onto the sidewalk and hoped that some human would come along and crush him so he could be with Snella. No one ever did.