In an adjacent room,  Alan sat trying in vain to put a few words onto a piece of paper.  For the fifth straight day writer's block had taken hold and his mind seemed littered with thoughts that kept him from concentrating.  At 32 years old, he was only just getting noticed as a journalist.  But the deadline loomed- noon tomorrow, and the thought swirling in his head had little chance of settling into anything coherent.   At the very least this annoyed him greatly.<br/><br/>He glanced at the aquarium sitting on a stand next to his desk.  Within the enclosure sat Cleo his 5 foot boa constrictor, who regarded him through lidless eyes.  It reminded him she was overdue for a feeding.  But she was patient.  It was her nature.  She would take prey when it was available, the only difference being her enthusiasm grew with her hunger.  It always fascinated Alan to watch her eat.  Though as far as he knew she had no feelings per se, she seemed to take delight in the kill.  Once her pray was wrapped in those muscular, deadly coils it was like she knew she'd won.  The prey would struggle helplessly as she took her time, sometimes constricting for almost a half an hour until the prey stopped moving.   And occasionally, she squeezed only enough to render her victim unconscious.  It would then wake up between her separated jaws only to be swallowed alive.  Alan didn't pity the prey.  As far as he was concerned it was nature's way.  Little did he know that tonight Cleo was going to get a special treat, and he himself a show like no other he'd ever had.<br/><br/>The light coming from his bedroom beckoned to the lost fairy, summoning her like a moth to a flame.  Despite being daytime, it was the only real source of light in his otherwise dark apartment.  The fluorescent lights above Cleo's cage radiated something approximating sunlight, and to the fairy that meant a false promise of freedom from this strange and unfamiliar place.