This is Part II of a story...

...that began quite some time ago, about a young hermit crab named Jean Valjean.

His first reaction, intrepid though he was, was panic.

Skitter skitter skitter, went his quick little legs, back and forth, to and fro across his ruddy prison. After a few circuits, however, he realized that he was not getting anywhere. And intrepid as he was, he knew that he had to be calm, rational and strong. Okay.

Step one: Assess the situation
I'm trapped in a tall, slick cell with high, circular walls. Aliens put me here. I don't know what they want with me.

Step two: Options
Perhaps make a hole, maybe climb in some way, run-

-and just as he was beginning to formulate a scheme, the plastic walls confining him began to sway. Our hero slid slowly to one side of his cell, then was quickly flung to the other. He retreated into his lovely split level shell, but the impact of the backswing thrust him back out. Then, in a flash, he was dashed against the other side, and the dull red glow of his world faded to black.

Dreams are odd places.
One never really knows what
will happen to him.

A large purple fish
with creaky robotic legs
stalks across his beach.

Jean extends his claws
and snaps them three times. "I pinch!"
The fish steps forward.

Snip snip! The leg creaks
and the hideous fish falls,
lurching toward the ground.

"I'M A LUMBERJACK
AND I'M OKAY!" with a loud,
high pitched voice, falling...

With a start, Jean awoke. Light flooded his crimson prison, and he tumbled out into a bright, white room. Under his feet was a clingy, fibrous surface that caught his claws when tried to shield himself. Slowly, his eyes adjusted. Looking down at him, he saw it. The wide, green eyes of the Space Alien that grabbed him, framed by that same hideous, speckled face. Jean knew the moment of truth was upon him.

To be continued...