His lungs burned, his legs ached, and his heart raced as he lurched forward with every last ounce of strength he had left. He stole a glance behind him. His pursuer was nowhere to be seen. He strengthened his resolve as he neared the edge of the branch. With a powerful leap, Squirllo flew across the void between the trees. It lasted mere seconds but it was his favorite few seconds. The adrenaline in his veins, the wind rushing through his silvery fur, the freeing feeling of soaring above the grass with his legs wide out as he imagined being able to fly was pure bliss. He opened his eyes as he began his descent to the next branch. Something wasn’t right. His formerly sunlit flightpath was now eclipsed in shadow. He touched down on the next branch and, not a moment later, something heavy came to a halting thud atop of his body stealing his breath away. Squirllo laid there dazed with a cloud of bark dust in his face. He coughed as he wheezed air back into his lungs. He regained his footing and peered ahead to see Jasper just down the branch waving a white and black checkered flag. Squirllo became consumed with rage, which momentarily faded into humiliation as he realized what just happened.
“Brad, you cheated!” Squirllo yelled as he picked himself up from the branch.
“Loser say what?” Brad taunted.
At times, Squirllo hated his brother. Brad was often an arrogant jerk especially when he won at any particular event. It seemed he was designed solely for speed and endurance. Was it not enough humiliation that Squirllo always lost this race? No, Brad had to rub salt into the open wound.
“You cheated!”
“Wait, check this out, this is my new victory dance!” Brad arrogantly stated as he began dancing, “I win so often that my former dance was getting old. What do you think of this one?”
“But this race doesn’t count! You jumped on top of me! That’s cheating!” Squirllo fumed.
“Ha! It’s not my fault you’re so easy to jump on,” Brad retorted while still dancing.
“I would have won if you hadn’t of jumped on me.”
“Ahh but you didn’t win, little bro. You lost! And do you know why?”
“I don’t want to hear it,” Squirllo said annoyed at the constant taunting as he turned away with his arms crossed.
“It’s because you’re a loser, little bro. L-O-S-E-R Loser!” Brad laughed as he scampered away back to the tree home.
Squirllo felt the anger and embarrassment rise up like a knot in his chest. Brad was the worst winner that ever lived. Jasper stood next to Squirllo and finished off his nut with one gaping bite. He was a rather large squirrel that always seemed to have some form of food nearby and was never shy about eating in front of others. He joined Squirllo by plopping himself with a thud on the edge of the branch. He finished his nut.
“Maybe next time, Squirllo,” Jasper said with crumbs falling from his lips, “You came a lot closer to winning this time!”
“There won’t be a next time. I’m never racing him again!” Squirllo angrily exclaimed.
“That’s what you said last time,” Jasper responded nonchalantly with a crunch.
Squirllo shot a double take. Somehow his best friend had gotten himself a new acorn seemingly out of thin air.
“I’m serious this time,” Squirllo repeated, “No more races.”
“You said that last time, too,” Jasper stated.
“Oh shut up, Jasper.”
Their ears perked up as the ding of a bell resonated across the yards. Jasper sprang to his feet and sniffed.
“Sorry, Squirllo. That’s my mom calling me for dinner. I got to go.”
“Alright,” Squirllo rolled his eyes, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
A special handshake was exchanged between the pair of friends and they parted ways.
Squirllo picked himself up as Jasper scampered off. Mama Squirrel would soon be sounding for him as well. He could smell the deliciousness of another one of Mama’s amazing meal as it permeated the air. He scuttled across the treetops as he reimagined the race through his mind’s eye, but this time he pictured himself winning. Just once he wanted to win. Just once. He could never seem to make this dream a reality. Jasper was right about one thing, though. It didn’t matter how many times he lost, he would end up racing Brad again, and one of these times he would win.
*******************
About an hour had ticked by when Squirllo milled into the dining room. The rest of the family had already gathered with the exception of Papa Squirrel. Leadership responsibilities had consumed a week’s worth of time that Papa Squirrel had to take every few months. The room was spacious enough to host a family of six, Papa Squirrel, Mama Squirrel, Squirllo, his brother, and two sisters. The walls were covered in natural patterns of light and dark woods that typically make up a forest tree. Pictures of the family hung along the wall outlined with a decorative expertise that only Mama Squirrel could possess. The center of the room made up a round wooden table that had been carved out of the tree when they first moved in. It too had the same similar patterns of light and dark wood and covered with a round tablecloth with fresh roses as the centerpiece. Benches surrounded the round table carved from the tree in the same manner as the table. Squirllo eyed the roses. They were fresh and brand new and were sweet to the smell when Squirllo drew them in. Brad sat across from Squirllo with a jibbing smile slapped across his face as if to taunt him while Jeanette and Janeen sat between them squeaking about the cute squirrel that had just taken possession of a tree nearby. Squirllo wanted nothing more than to smack that smile right off his brother's face. Mama Squirrel glided into the room with the elegance of an angel holding in her paws a tray of food fresh from the oven with steam pouring off each dish. Squirllo noted the dishes as one of Papa Squirrel’s favorite meals. Squirllo raised his eyebrows as a light bulb illuminated in his head. Papa Squirrel’s favorite meal; fresh roses? That means!
“Hello, family! I’m home,” a warm, familiar voice called out as the front door swung open.
“Papa!” The children squealed in unison. The room became a blurry slur of silvery, brown fur as the family surrounded Papa Squirrel.
“Where have you been?”
“What did you do?”
“What was the trip like?”
The questions swirled about joining together as one jumbled voice. Several heaving coughs escaped Papa Squirrel’s lips during the confusion.
“Alright, children, give Papa some space to breath. He’s had a long trip. Go wash up for dinner,” Mama Squirrel said taking the clue from Papa’s coughing.
She moved into Papa Squirrel’s arms and planted on his lips a long kiss as the rest of the family dispersed.
*******************
A beautiful family all gathered around the table for a steaming evening meal as the room echoed with clinks from eating utensils tapping against the plates. It lent for the most picturesque scene.
Squirllo chimed in after a gulp of water, “So, Papa. What did you do while you were gone?”
Papa Squirrel finished his bite of food despite several coughs.
“Are you ok, Papa?” Mama Squirrel asked, “You've been coughing quite a bit.”
“Yes, Mama. I'm just tired and hoarse from the trip,” He said as he reassuringly patted her paw. He reached around for his pack with a big smile, “Well, I did get this gift for everyone!”
Papa pulled a pastry wrapped in a thin layer of protection from his pack. It looked delicious. He began to unwrap the delectable treat and the sweet smell of the sticky glaze and the fruit filled the room. Excitement sprang up in Squirllo’s heart and his mouth began watering profusely. He loved human pastries.
Papa Squirrel set the pastry on a small plate, “Ahhh, there we go.”
He looked around the table for a knife, but found none.
“Excuse me a moment, Family, while I get a knife,” he said.
He stood up from the table, paused, and swayed slightly.
“Papa, are you ok?” Mama Squirrel said again, “You don’t look so good.”
“I’m fine,” he insisted, “I’m just a little dizzy.”
“No, I’ll get the knife. Sit back down, Papa. Rest.”
“It’s ok, Mama. I’m just…” Papa Squirrel suddenly froze mid sentence with an empty look in his eyes. The color rushed from his face and he teetered slightly to the side.
“Papa?” Squirllo asked.
He sprang up to try and steady his father, but it was too late. Papa Squirrel’s eye snapped shut and he plummeted to the floor with a thud.
Mama Squirrel shrieked then jumped to his side, “Papa, Papa!”
She placed a finger on his neck then laid a paw on his forehead.
“His forehead is burning up!” Her voice became dangerously serious as she barked out orders like a drill sergeant, “Jeanette and Janeen, gather together several cold towels and make some of my herbal tea. Brad, Squirllo, grab his shoulders and help me get him into bed; then Brad, you run and get the doctor.”
The family dove into action. Squirllo and Brad were able to hoist Papa Squirrel up and managed to get him into bed. Brad shot from the room in the blink of an eye as the sound of the front door slamming shut echoed down the hallway. Squirllo helped his mother get Papa comfortable as his eyes flickered open.
“What happened,” Papa asked.
“You passed out and fell on the floor, Papa,” Mama Squirrel answered.
Papa pushed away Mama’s arms and tried to stand again before she could stop him. He stumbled and nearly fell to the floor, but Squirllo was ready this time. Squirllo got him back into bed just as Jeanette and Janeen ran in with the tea and towels.
Mama spoke, “Papa, you have a fever and a pretty high one at that. I sent Brad to get the doctor, now lay still and don’t get up again. Why didn’t you say anything when you got home?”
“I’m just tired from the trip,” Papa argued as he tried to get up again.
“No, you’re sick and you need to rest. Now stop trying to get up,” Mama said as she pushed him back down. He was too weak to try again. She laid the cool towels across his forehead and gave him some tea, “Here, drink this. It’ll help with the fever. How long have you felt like this?”
Papa took a moment to respond, beginning to agree with Mama, “It started at the beginning of the week. It was a rough trip so I figured that’s all it was.”
“Is there anything else?”
“I've been sweating a lot, bad headaches, difficulty in breathing, and weakness,” he responded through a few more coughs.
“Alright, lay here and rest until the doctor arrives.”
Squirllo did his best to help his mother and sisters as they continually replaced the towels to keep Papa Squirrel cool while they waited for the doctor. Despite their best efforts, he eventually slipped into unconsciousness. It took what felt like an eternity for Brad to return. Squirllo was replacing the old towels when Brad finally entered with the doctor. Mama Squirrel quickly relayed the information they had discovered as she shooed everyone out of the room and closed the door. Their voices were far too muffled, but that didn’t stop Squirllo from listening at the door. He sank down to lean against the door as his heart raced with fear. He tried his best to keep his emotions in check, at least only in appearance. His mind exploded with a thousand terrible thoughts with each one more terrifying than the last. Minutes felt like hours before Mama Squirrel and the doctor opened the bedroom door. Squirllo jerked as he nearly fell backwards from sitting against the door. Concerned looks were plastered across their faces which heightened the anxiety of the four children. The hallway fell deathly silent.
The doctor placed one of his instruments into his bag and took a deep breath before speaking,
“I have some bad news.”
He paused for a moment selecting his words, “Papa Squirrel is suffering from an unusual disease. We don’t even have an official name for it. Some call it Deathbell while others call it the Eternal Sleep.”
Squirllo swore that his heart leapt into his throat. Just the names themselves sounded horrifying. The doctor waited momentarily for this news to sink in.
“What is it exactly,” Squirllo asked.
“It’s still unsure what this disease is other than it is rather rare,” he kept his voice calm; “This disease begins with simple fatigue. The body becomes increasingly exhausted as time goes on. Muscle fatigue, sweating, and unconsciousness creep into the picture later on during the advanced stages. It is similar to the human flu, though it is fatal for mammals such as ourselves. Eventually, the body just shuts down all together.”
“Surely there is something we can do to help him” Mama Squirrel stated as Squirllo noticed the quiver in her voice that she so desperately attempted to quell.
“I'm afraid there’s not much we can do at this point, Mrs. Squirrelson.”
“Not much we can do? He was just walking around and talking a few hours ago,” Mama said.
She tried to wipe a tear away so she could hide her emotions in front of her children. Squirllo knew otherwise as did the others. Brad stayed very calm while the girls started whimpering.
The doctor continued, “This disease is extremely aggressive, especially when it hits the advanced stages. As I mentioned, this is a rare disease; one that a cure has yet to be discovered for.”
Another long pause silenced the room.
“How long?” Mama Squirrel finally asked unable to hold back the tears.
The doctor let out a sigh that warned of more bad news, “It’s impossible to tell with this disease. It could be weeks, days, or even hours. With his symptoms being in the advanced stages combined with him being unconscious, I’d err on the side of hours rather than longer. All we can do now is make sure he’s comfortable.”
Janeen finally burst into tears causing a chain reaction with Jeanette and ending with Mama Squirrel.
The doctor offered his apologies once more before departing. Squirllo followed him downstairs.
“Are you sure there’s nothing that can be done at all? Please,” Squirllo pleaded.
“There just isn’t a cure, son. Doctors such as myself have been working for a long time with diseases such as this one with very little success,” The doctor stated, “The only theory we have is that it’s possible that the humans possess an elixir of sorts that could hold the key to solving this mystery, but we can’t know for sure. It’s been far too dangerous for anyone to try and find it, and many have given their lives attempting to procure this elixir. I don’t typically mention it as it tends to make the situation worse for the loved ones. I’m sorry, sir.”
The doctor bowed his head out of respect and took his leave. The next hours became a blur to Squirllo. His thoughts raced erratically as he tried to retain any sense of calm. Sitting at Papa’s beside wasn’t helping either. He wasn’t sure how to feel. Mixtures of sadness, fear, anger, and rage violently swirled in his body. How could this be happening? Papa Squirrel was literally just awake and talking as if nothing had happened. Squirllo clenched his fists with a silent growl and stormed out into the hallway. He meandered around the house with a heavy heart trying to make sense of all that had transpired. He took a seat in the dining room. Among his worst fears as a young squirrel was that something would happen to Mama or Papa, and it seemed that that nightmare would finally come to pass. His wandering led him to the kitchen. It was laid out with the same simple design and wood coloring that matched the dining room. The early morning sun shimmered through the window above the sink. A wooden cabinet and countertop spread around the room with a similarly colored island counter in the center where Mama Squirrel prepared the dinners every night. Oftentimes, Papa would join her as she chopped away at vegetables and nuts and they would just talk. Squirllo chased the thoughts away in shame. Papa had not yet passed. He balled his paws into fists, screamed, and slammed them down onto the counter. He burst into tears and slid to the floor with his back to the cabinet. There he sat in dismay with his head resting on his knees. Surely something could be done. Papa had always taught him to find hope, regardless of the situation. Suddenly, a brown rose petal skidded into sight between his legs. He took notice and turned his head to the trash can underneath the sink. Several roses jutted from the brim of the container. They were highly faded and dying. Undoubtedly, that’s why Mama replaced them with fresher flowers. Suddenly, an idea unfurled within his mind. His memory flashed to the forefront and clouded his view almost like a vision. This vision showed him the Dark Forest, running from the Dragon Flower, and praying at the stone pedestal. About a year ago, he traversed this forest in an attempt to summon an incredibly powerful being, named Lady Vida, to assist him in healing a dead garden. He had used a dead rose, a live rose, and dirt to summon her. This was the hope he’d been so desperately searching for. Surely, if she could heal a dead garden and give aid to all of the creatures under her care, she could help Papa Squirrel too. After all, the two seemed to know one another. They had embraced in a hug just after he left the garden. He rose to his feet as adrenaline surged through his body. His mind snapped into focus; temporarily forgetting the sorrow as he allowed hope to guide his actions. He gathered a faded rose from the trash can along with a fresh rose from the dining room table. Just before he reached the front door, Mama Squirrel appeared by the stairs.
“Squirllo, where are you going?” She asked softly with a dense quiver in her voice.
Squirllo noticed her eyes were very bloodshot and her silver fur was ruffled and wet with tears. She had been up all night by Papa Squirrel’s side.
“I have an idea that might help Papa!” Squirllo exclaimed.
Mama displayed a puzzled look, “But the doctor said…”
“Just trust me, Mama,” Squirllo exclaimed. He gave her a reassuring embrace and a loving kiss on the forehead. He opened the door and allowed the cool air to fill his lungs.
That was all he said before he faded behind the blinding light of the morning sun.
*******************
Squirllo charged ahead still rumbling with unfading determination, flying as quickly as his four little legs would carry him. His mind was so focused on the goal before him that he didn’t even noticed his burning lungs. He pulled the flowers from his mouth as he slid to a stop in a cloud of dust before the Dark Forest. Though it was still dark and daunting, it wasn't as frightening in the day time. It looked just like every other forest, though he knew it was far more dangerous. The memory of the dragon flower flashed across his eyes once more. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. He placed the flowers back in his mouth as he dashed up the nearest tree. He attempted, to the best of his knowledge, to recall the location of the ancient pedestal. It had been quite some time since his jaunt into the Dark Forest, but Squirllo was confident he knew where it stood. He reached inside himself to find that sense of tranquil peace he once experienced. This would be his guide. He darted through the trees so quickly that anything below saw only a silver flash and detached leaves softly floating to the forest floor. He wished he could always sprint at this speed. Perhaps, he could even win against his brother if only he could summon this strength. He only had to readjust his course once to find the pedestal, but he was successful nonetheless. He burst through the trees and landed with a somersault as leaves and twigs landed beside him. He stood before the pedestal with his chest rising and falling aggressively. He slumped to his knees with his hands on the ground before him as he took in every sweet breath of crisp morning air he could manage. He now felt his exhausted lungs as they whined with every breath. He took the flowers from his mouth and drew in a deep breath to calm his nerves. The ritual site seemed larger in the sunlight. As before, the pedestal proudly displayed its ancient appearance with cracks spreading in all directions and flowers that seemed to grow from the cracks at the base of the small structure. The tablet on top of the pedestal held the symbols relating to Mother Nature, and the area was bathed with that soft, peaceful white light too, though in the daylight, it didn't seem as bright. Strangely, there were no weeds or overgrowth anywhere near the pedestal; almost as if someone was tending to it. Squirllo’s mind calmed at the persuasion of the peaceful aura. He grabbed the flowers from the ground along with a fist full of dirt. He laid the flowers in the X pattern within a circle of dirt as Papa Squirrel had once instructed. Nervously, he place his paws on the pedestal. Last time, he had to pray a specific prayer in order for the summoning to commence. He racked his brain for the words. When he was confident he had the proper wording, he placed his hands on the pedestal and spoke the words aloud. He still wasn’t sure if he’d gotten the proper words, but he hoped that wouldn’t matter too much. Nothing happened. Last time, his paws felt hot as if near a fire, but this time he felt nothing. Panic struck his being when the second prayer failed as well. He grumbled in frustration before placing his paws back for a third attempt. Even still, the attempt failed. Squirllo flew into a rage howling off his dismay while hovering dangerously close to obscenity. He slammed his foot into the pedestal and collapsed to the ground in angry tears. How could he not remember? Suddenly, a hum emanated from the pedestal. He spun around lifting himself to his feet. The roses and the dirt had melted into the pedestal and appeared as ancient writing as if it had always been there. He smiled with glee as the symbol began to glow with a violet light. The humming grew louder as the light transformed into a magnificent beam that reached the treetops. Squirllo couldn’t help but wonder if the beam pierced the treetops. The beam then began to take the shape of a person, just as his memory predicted. Then, the violet beam disappeared as quickly as it began only this time, the sun from the day time drowned out the tranquil, white glow that he had experienced the first time. In the place of that violet beam sat a young woman, whom he recognized immediately as Lady Vida. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. She wore the same white flowing robes that gave her the look of a divine being. Her hair was a beautiful brunette that complemented her angelic appearance, though this time her hair didn’t seem quite as long. She wore a fresh crown of brightly colored flowers around her head and held in her hand a staff of intertwined branches that secured a pink crystalline rose in place. Her brown eyes sparkled and she smiled with happy recognition as she laid her eyes on Squirllo.
“Squirllo,” She exclaimed happily, “It’s wonderful to see you again!”
“It's great to see you again, as well, my Lady.”
“Is something wrong,” She asked. She must have sensed his dismay.
“Did we kill another garden,” She said jokingly.
“No, it’s nothing like that,” Squirllo hesitated half-heartedly smiling.
“What's wrong, then?”
Squirllo cleared his throat.
“Well, Papa Squirrel finally came home from a long trip,” He began, “He became very sick during this trip and he collapsed when he got home.”
Concern melted away Lady Vida’s happy demeanor.
“What happened,” She responded quickly.
“We aren’t sure. We were able to get a doctor to the treehouse. He told us that it was something called Deathbell or Eternal Sleep, whatever that is.”
“I’ve heard of this,” Lady Vida said, “It’s a rare disease-” Her voice trailed off as she pondered the predicament.
“He’s back at home. Please, you have to help,” Squirllo broke the silence.
“Of course, Squirllo,” Lady Vida responded as she grabbed her staff and walked over to him. As she grabbed his hand, Squirllo saw the rose on the staff glow with growing intensity. The forest around him faded in a bright white light as the staff hummed. Then, the light faded away, and he recognized the front door to his home. The power of that staff never ceased to amaze him. He wanted one for himself. It could help him win the next race. He shook the thoughts from his mind as he pushed open the door and pulled Lady Vida along.
“Come on, quickly,” Squirllo urged as he ushered her upstairs to Mama and Papa’s bedroom. The bedroom door bounced off the wall as he forced it open. He felt the dense atmosphere as he saw his family gathered around the bed, dazed; almost like zombies.
“Mama! Mama!” He shouted.
Everyone looked up surprised by the sudden outburst.
Noticing Lady Vida, Mama Squirrel stood up and wiped her fur down trying to look presentable, “Who’s this, Squirllo,” She asked with a quiver. She almost seemed normal.
“This is Lady Vida! She helped me before, and she might be able to help now.”
Their faces scrunched up in confusion. Apparently, they had never met her before.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lady Vida,” Mama Squirrel placed her paws together and bowed slightly.
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Mama Squirrel,” Lady Vida responded in kind, “Papa and I used to be good friends. In fact, he helped me get to where I am today, so I’m glad Squirllo summoned me. Let me see what I can do.”
Squirllo watched as she went to his bedside. Seeing him in this condition was obviously causing her a great deal of pain. She lingered over Papa Squirrel with closed eyes for a moment contemplating a memory, and then raised her staff. The crystal rose began to glow a bright pink. She hovered it over Papa’s body for a few moments before the pink aura died away.
“Anything?” Squirllo asked.
Lady Vida sighed, “I’m afraid the doctor was correct. This does appear to be Deathbell,” She said, nervously.
“There’s nothing you can do,” Mama Squirrel weakly asked on the verge of tears again.
“I didn’t say that. I can try a few alchemical solutions. It’s no guarantee, but I promise to do the best I can,” she reassured, “I’ll need your help though. May I have the room?”
“Absolutely,” Mama exclaimed, “Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated.”
Squirllo tried to resist as she pressed her children out of the room and shut the door. He hated it when she shut the door. Throughout the day, Lady Vida and Mama Squirrel worked tirelessly attempting everything she could think of trying. Squirllo heard the bubbling alchemical solutions and saw the colored lights from the staff from the crack under the door. It was that terrible waiting game again. He hated that game. He sat there next to the door silently spilling over thoughts of hope and despair. This was Lady Vida. She supposedly held a great power. She could help Papa, couldn’t she? The waiting was long, but Squirllo stayed where he was. Brad and his sisters couldn’t handle the suspense any longer and shut themselves in their rooms. Hours later in the late afternoon light, Mama Squirrel emerged from the room with Lady Vida quickly in tow. Mama called the family together. This couldn't be good as Lady Vida seemed too close to tears.
She looked at the family; making eye contact with each one of them, then spoke softly, “I’m afraid…” She shuttered, “I’m afraid Papa’s condition is too far advanced. I’ve… I have tried every spell of healing and every alchemical solution I can think of to the point of exhausting all of my knowledge and magic. There’s nothing I can do to save him, now. The only thing we can do for now is to make sure that you each spend as much time by his side as you can. He would want to know that those he loved was there for him in his final moments. I’m so sorry.”
She fled from the room in tears. The silence was so deafening a hair could have been heard hitting the floor. The gravity of the situation cruelly pounded its way into Squirllo’s heart. Lady Vida was Papa’s last hope. If she, a caretaker handpicked by Mother Nature herself, could not save him; who could? He became angry again. He couldn’t believe that there was nothing that could be done. He stormed from the hallway to chase after Lady Vida and slammed through the front door to search for her. She had hidden herself on a branch out of view of the tree home. Squirllo stomped over to her and tapped her on the shoulder, “What do you mean there is nothing you can do,” He exclaimed, his voice laden with anger, “He was a good friend of yours and you’re just giving up. Mother Nature gave you all this power to heal.”
When she turned to meet his gaze, guilt flooded his heart as he noticed that there were tears in her eyes. He paused for a moment, closed his eyes, and tried to cool the vortex of anger swirling around within him. The things he was saying wasn’t fair to her and he knew it. He was just angry.
She looked at him through tearful eyes, “I’m so sorry, Squirllo,” She said. Her voice hung heavy with regret as sadness drowned her words, “I wish there was more that I could do.”
Silenced by his outlandish behavior, he sat beside her. Her breath quivered as she exhaled.
A few moments passed in silence as they stared out at the beautiful array of oranges, pinks, and yellows of the fading evening sun. Squirllo had never considered how this would affect her.
“I’m sorry, my Lady. I shouldn’t have yelled at you,” He said quietly as he fidgeted with his claws.
“I understand,” She responded softly with her head in her hands, “I’m angry as well and I feel as you do. My abilities fail me when I need them most.”
She paused for a moment looking for words, “Papa Squirrel has been a friend to a great many creatures. He has touched so many hearts that many will be saddened by his passing,” She smiled with a giggle, “He even tried to befriend the humans once. It didn’t go well for him.”
Another lightbulb ignited in Squirllo’s mind, “The humans,” He shouted.
“What,” She asked in confusion.
“The doctor said that it was possible the humans held an elixir that could help cure Deathbell.”
“No, no no no, I know what you’re thinking, Squirllo. It’s far too dangerous. Even we caretakers don’t mess with the humans.”
“But, the cure for Papa could be in there. Isn’t it worth the risk,” He exclaimed pointing towards the human's home.
“No, Squirllo. There are dark forces within the human’s home. There are protections in place to keep out the natural world.”
“But…”
“No, Squirllo,” Lady Vida sternly said, “I forbid you from going near the human’s home.”
They sat in silence a moment longer, then Lady Vida excused herself to check on Papa.
“I meant what I said, Squirllo. Stay away from the humans.”
Squirllo sighed with a slight growl. Even as she walked away, he fought a battle within himself wrestling over the idea of traversing the human’s home looking for a possible cure. Just then, to Squirllo’s surprise, Jasper climbed up to the tree home. He walked over and sat beside Squirllo. Holding to tradition, he possessed a half-eaten acorn.
“Where have you been? We were supposed to meet earlier tod…” Jasper noticed that Squirllo had tears in his eyes, “What’s wrong?”
Squirllo sighed, “Papa is very sick and we are told there is nothing more we can do for him.”
“What!?” Jasper shouted, “Did you get the doctor?”
“No, we did everything ourselves,” Squirllo said sarcastically, “I’m sorry, Jasper. Yes, we got the doctor. I even summoned Lady Vida to help, but she couldn’t save him either.”
Jasper’s eyes widened as his head spun towards a window on the tree home, “Lady Vida is here! Is she as pretty as they say?”
“Focus Jasper!” Squirllo said then cracked a slight smile, “But yes, she’s very pretty.”
Can I meet her,” Jasper said excitedly, “I mean, wow that really sucks.”
“The doctor said that there hasn’t been any luck finding a cure for this disease because…” Squirllo trailed off turning his gaze to the human home once again.
“I know that look,” Jasper squeaked, “What are you thinking?”
“The doctor said that there might be a cure, but they could never find it because the answer might lay inside the human’s home.”
“Woah woah, wait, Squirllo. Papa told you never to go near the humans again. Remember the garden,” Jasper sounded worried.
“I can’t just do nothing,” Squirllo retorted.
They both fell silent for a moment as the wheels in Squirllo’s mind spun furiously. Jasper just looked perplexed and tried to find his acorn that had unknowingly rolled off of the branch.
“I got it,” Squirllo exclaimed as he stood up excitedly.
“Wait, you were serious about going in there,” Jasper asked cautiously as he jumped up.
“If there’s a chance I can save Papa, I need to take it, right? Besides, I know the human’s and there home fairly well. I’m the best chance at going in there anyway.”
“But wait, how would you even get inside? How do you find this cure? Do you even know where to look?”
Squirllo went silent once again for a moment to allow his thoughts to swirl around. His eyes sprang open with the answer.
“No no no. That was a rhetorical question, Squirllo. I didn’t mean that you should actually consider it.”
Ignoring Jasper, Squirllo began with his plan, “The humans use a machine to get water out of the underside of their house! I watched them put it in. The pipe is big enough for us to crawl through. We may get a little wet, but we’d be inside.”
“Oh, I see. That seems like a good way in… Wait, what do you mean we,” Jasper squeaked frantically.
“I need your help, Jasper. I don’t want to do this alone,” Squirllo pleaded, “Please help me to help Papa. I know the humans well. I can get us in there and find what we need. And besides, it’s almost completely night time now. The humans will probably be asleep at this point. It'll be easy.”
“But but but, you don’t even know where this elixir is inside the house!”
“They keep their elixir in that home. I've seen them when they're sick. They take something and they get better. I have to try, Jasper.”
Jasper thought this over for a few minutes before reluctantly agreeing, “Alright fine… Wait, what about your mom and Lady Vida. Shouldn’t you tell them about this?”
“No,” Squirllo said sternly, “They will only try to stop us.”
*******************
The evening crept into night as the darkness swallowed the last of the daylight and the moon cast a blueish shadow over the landscape. Squirllo and Jasper made their way to the location where the human's machine pumped out the water. The pipe ran across the land jutting from a small hole in the side of the house.
“Is this it,” Jasper asked, “I was expecting something more impressive.”
“This is only the exit,” Squirllo explained, “The machine is inside the house behind that wall. It pumps the water from inside the house to right here. This is how we get inside.”
They exchanged glances between themselves and the pipe. Its accordion structure was dark and daunting with an eerie whistle emerging from the small puncture holes along the exterior. Squirllo thought to himself that this must be what a ghost sounded like. A chill ran down his spine at the thought. Jasper looked terrified, but Squirllo appeared completely calm despite his racing nerves beneath the surface. He motioned for Jasper to follow as he entered the pipe. Jasper’s whimpers and the echoed scratching of their paws on the plastic added to the suspense. It seemed to stretch on forever. As they neared the exit, they began to hear what would normally be soothing soft water, but with the darkness, it was very unnerving. The pipe became more and more damp as they continued. Just as they approached the edge, they discovered that this section of pipe was completely submerged. Squirllo could tell that they didn’t have far to swim as a dim light shone weakly through the water.
“Alright, here it is, Jasper,” Squirllo said softly.
“That’s a lot of water. I don’t know that I can make it, Squirllo!”
“Yes! Yes, you can make it. All we have to do is take a deep breath, crawl down the tube then swim to the top. It’ll be just like swimming in the creek,” Squirllo looked back to reassure him; “I’ll go down first and let you know when I’m out. Then, you’ll see that it isn’t that bad.”
Squirllo returned his gaze to the calm water as he took a moment to ease his sporadic nerves. Doubt flooded his mind for an instant when he lowered his foot and felt the frigid water. He ignored the negativity and took one long, deep breath then dove in. He pulled himself along slowly until he reached the edge of the pipe. The soft light grew stronger as he advanced. He clawed his way into the open water. He saw the surface and used the pipe as an advantage to assist him in climbing out of the hole. He broke through to the surface and gasped in the sweet air. He was under longer than he expected. He pulled himself out of the hole and leaned against the pipe.
Jasper’s quivering muffled voice sounded out, “Squirllo, is that you?”
He considered cracking a joke on Jasper, but decided against such cruelty, “Yes, Jasper, it’s me.”
“Oh, thank the divines,” A relieved voice exclaimed, “I was beginning to think that you were dead.”
“Nope, I’m good and alive just like I told you I would be,” Squirllo responded, “Now, get in here.”
While waiting for Jasper to surface, Squirllo shook himself off spraying water in every direction. The room was extremely eerie. The air stood still and musty as specks of dust danced in the beams of the moonlight flowing through the dirty window. Silence filled the emptiness, and the moonlight chased away the darkness offering just enough light to make silhouettes of the surrounding structures. The splash made from Jasper’s entry echoed across the room. Squirllo scanned the room mesmerized by the visuals. He had seen bits and pieces of the human’s home before, but being inside, however, was a different story entirely. Three large structures towered above him covered in strewn about tools and pieces of materials left over from finished and unfinished projects alike.
“Squirllo,” Jasper said in a hushed tone pointing towards the corner of the room, “That looks like a door over there.”
“Well, it’s pointed away from the outside wall, so that must be where we need to go.”
They crossed the room being extra careful not to touch anything as Squirllo reflected on Lady Vida’s warnings of dark forces that may reside within. The door ominously creaked open while scraping against the concrete floor to reveal an even darker room. His fur stood on end as he entered. It felt as though someone was suddenly watching them. Squirllo desired very much to retreat, but he persisted.
“I I I… I don’t want to do this anymore,” Jasper shuddered as he turned around and tried to leave.
“Nonsense, we’ve already come this far. We aren’t giving up now,” Squirllo responded as he pulled Jasper by the arm into the room. Jasper screeched and stood there with him arms wrapped around his head as if some horrible evil thing would swoop down upon him. Squirllo laughed. The door suddenly swung shut with a slight bang as if something had pushed it. Jasper ran frantically to the door, pounding on it, desperately trying to open it again.
“No, we’re trapped,” Jasper panicked, “We’re trapped and we are never getting out. We're stuck in here, and there’s no food.”
Amazed that Jasper could still be hungry, Squirllo responded, “How can you still be thinking of food at a time like this.”
“I eat when I get nervous ok, and I don’t have anything to eat.”
Squirllo shook his head and squinted his eyes searching about. The path was difficult to discern with the moonlight gone from the other room. They tried to move about, but with the dim lighting, they made little progress.
Where are we going, Squirllo,” Jasper asked in a whisper.
“I’m not sure. I’m looking for stairs or anything that will take us to the main floor. It has to be around here somewhere. Let’s split up and see if we can find anything.”
“Split up? Are you crazy,” Jasper softly exclaimed.
Just then, the metal box in the corner howled to life. Terrified, Squirllo and Jasper dove behind the nearest box they could find to take cover. They breathed heavily waiting for some dark force to leap out and attack them. Moments later, Squirllo stuck his head out to see the light of a flame emerging from the box as air swirled towards it and rushed through silver pipes on the ceiling. The pipes looked like the tentacles of a great beast. Squirllo stood up greatly intrigued. He knew the humans commanded the magic to control the climate within their homes. This must be how they were able to accomplish such a feat.
“Look at this,” Jasper exclaimed quietly.
“Did you find a way to get upstairs,” Squirllo spun around torn from his thoughts.
“No, the humans left free food out for us,” Jasper exclaimed more loudly.
“What are you talking about?”
“Over there!”
Squirllo squinted. The flame from the box offered a dim light to make out a small contraption in the corner. It was a simple rectangle piece of wood with a silver plate that held a delicious cheese in its grasp. Jasper began to reached out to collect a sample.
“Jasper, wait. Something isn’t right here,” Squirllo resisted.
“What are you talking about? It’s food, how could it be bad?”
“Lady Vida warned me about evils that could be inside this home. This could be one of them,” Squirllo started.
“Wait, what? Why didn’t you tell me that before? You said it would be easy. You didn’t mention that there would be traps in here!”
“That wasn’t exactly a selling point now was it,” Squirllo hissed back.
Jasper reached for the food again, “No matter, I’m wet, scared, and starving.”
A voice rang out from the darkness, “I wouldn’t touch dat, sonny!”
Jasper froze in place, and Squirllo spun around scanning the darkness, “W… wh… Who said that?”
They could hear soft footsteps followed by wood tapping against the floor.
“I did,” The raspy voice called out again.
Suddenly, a small figure slowly faded into the light as Jasper covered his eyes in fear. The dark figure transformed into a mouse as he stumbled closer. He was an older rodent with white fur, a few bent and missing whiskers, and a hint of crazy in his eyes. He compensated for a limp with a toothpick. He carried with him a backpack that held a stick with a red bulbous tip.
Jasper managed to summon the courage to speak first, “Wh… Why shouldn’t I touch the food?”
The old mouse limped over while pulling a small pebble from his backpack, and tossed it onto the cheese. Squirllo and Jasper were overcome with terror at the ghastly sight of the metal bar as it snapped through the air in a blink of the eye. Squirllo coughed as he choked on his fear. If Jasper had touched that food, the metal bar would have killed him.
“Th… Th… Th…” Jasper spoke in terrified mutters.
“Yous can’ts trust nuffin’ once yous in the human’s homes, especially food that’s just laids out like dis. They don’ts appreciate us rodents being in theys home.”
“But why would they use innocent food like this? It’s barbaric!” Jasper stated as he longingly peered at the cheese with his tongue hanging partially out. His terror transformed into anger at the speed of a heartbeat. Though the trap was sprung, Jasper refused the cheese for fear he might activate the trap a second time.
The old mouse ignored Jasper and hovered his stick in Squirllo’s face, “Whys you here? You is outside creatures. You don’ts belong here!”
Squirllo took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure if he should reveal his purpose. He seemed like just a crazy old mouse, however, the trap seemed like innocent food, “We’re here looking for something.”
“I done gathered that, sonny. Whats you lookin for?”
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business,” Squirllo shot back.
The old mouse snickered, “Yous don’t have to be rude about it. It was a simples question. Dies in the dark for all I care,” The old mouse said as he threw his hands in the air and began to hobble away.
Squirllo recollected the subtle voice of his father telling him that all creatures deserved respect. What was he doing? Papa Squirrel would never have treated this mouse in such a crude way.
“Why did you do that,” Jasper exclaimed quietly, “He can help us! I almost died, and I would have if he didn’t stop me. We need him.”
“We don’t know anything about him, Jasper.”
“We need all the help we can get. If he knows about this death contraption, perhaps he can help us avoid other traps.”
Squirllo sighed and spoke before he could stop himself,” Wait, Sir Mr. Mouse.”
The old mouse stopped in his tracks barely visible in the dim light. He didn’t respond or turn around. Squirllo figured he was waiting for an explanation or an apology, probably both.
“You’re right,” Squirllo continued, “My rudeness was unnecessary and I’m sorry. To answer your question, we are here looking for an elixir that can help cure the disease Deathbell. I’m told the humans may have what we need.”
“Hmmm, Deathbell,” He said, “Dat is one bad disease, I hears. Yous adventurers ain’t you.”
Squirllo smiled wide. He enjoyed the thought of being called an adventurer and traveling the vast world in search of rare items. Squirllo didn’t feel the need to correct him.
“We are new to the human’s home and we could really use your help,” Squirllo said.
“Yes, I can helps you.”
“Just like that?”
“Ehh, an old mouse gets boreds down here in da darks, plus the look of yous twos stumblin’ ‘round down here make me mad,” The old mouse said.
The old mouse reached to his pack and pulled out the stick with a red bulbous tip. He scratched it against the floor. It burst into a small flame that cast light onto a greater area, allowing Squirllo to see greater detail.
“Wes go dis way,” he said.
The old mouse led them along and began telling his story about life within the walls of the human’s home. He seemed well versed in their customs. His name was Mow and he had lived alone most of his adult life down in this room. Squirllo guessed that he too would be driven mad from living alone in the darkness. As he suspected, this time of the night was the best time as the humans were fast asleep.
“Ahh, heres we is. These stairs will take us up the next level,” Mow said, “Chop chop, let’s not dally!”
They climbed slowly. The door, though heavy, was relatively easy to move. They alternated sides to hold the door open and allow everyone to enter the main level.
They entered the kitchen which was equally as enticing as the last two rooms. Windows lined the walls with moon light streaming through in beams that reflected off of the shimmering floors. Squirllo pulled himself onto the counter. It was pristine without so much as a speck of dust. It appeared much like his own home, with a cooking device, a sink with a magic faucet that brought water into their home, and food cooling device. Out the window, high in the darkness of the outside world, he caught a glimpse of his usual perch where he enjoyed watching the human female prepare the evening meal for her family. He wondered what his family would be thinking. Surely, Mama was worried sick about him by now. His heart twinged at the thought of upsetting Mama, however, he knew he had to try something to save Papa.
“Squirllo, look here at this space,” Jasper exclaimed in a whispered tone, “They have so much food in here! We could only dream of having this much food. Where do they get it?”
Mow smiled, “They take they cars to da store and they just take whats they wants off da shelves and bring it home. Theys don’t have to hunts or nuffin.”
“Woah,” Jasper said with his mouth gaping.
“Careful there, Jasper. You’re going to float away with all that drool,” Squirllo jested from the countertop.
“Wes should keep going. Its no good to sits in one place for too longs,” Mow said.
Mow directed them to the other side of the room as Squirllo peeled Jasper away from the food closet. A long hallway stretched before them. The walls were lined with the human’s family portraits and painted in a regular whitish color. Five doors were spaced out; two on each side with one door on the end.
“That’s the door wes needs,” Mow whispered as he pointed straight down the hallway, “Be very carefuls. This hallway be extremely dangerous. Trys not to make noise.”
Mow strode ahead with Squirllo and Jasper in tow. Everything was going well. They were as quiet as a mouse, at least, that’s how Squirllo remembered hearing the humans say it.
Then, despite them being as careful as possible, a noise ripped out down the hallway. Like an owl, Squirllo panned his head quickly behind him. Jasper stood there with his eyes wide open. He had taken some of the human’s food and it had slipped from his hand creating a loud ruckus from the noisy packaging. They stood frozen hoping nothing had heard that noise while Jasper shot an apologetic look toward Squirllo. Suddenly, they heard a quiet fluttering sound with a low-pitched echoed squawk in tow.
Squirllo looked toward the sound just in time to see what looked like the shadow of a large bird flying low right towards them.
“Gets down,” Mow shouted.
They dove to the floor in an instant. One of the talons clipped Squirllo across the face drawing a bit of blood. There was no time to feel the pain, though. Squirllo looked up to see the bird land on the human’s food cooling machine and stare right at them. Terror ripped through his mind as his lungs refused to take in breath.
“This be what I was afraid of!” Mow shouted.
The bird bared a set of beady glowing red eyes. Black transparent smoke seemed to emerge from its large wings. The bird took on the form of a ghost as Squirllo thought he could see right through its body. He had never seen anything so horrific. The bird lifted it wings again with a echoed ghostly squawk that shot horror through his bones.
“This way!” yelled Mow as he took off to the first door, “We can find safety in here!”
Mow led the way as the bird charged again. They made it through the nearest door as the ghost bird screamed past missing them by a few short inches.
Mow guided them to a large chair that would allow just enough clearance for them to climb under and keep them safe. The bird shot around the corner just a Squirllo squeezed under the chair. It desperately tried to follow by flapping its demon wings and squawking while swiping its talons under the chair. It soon gave up and perched on the other side of the room. There it sat, waiting for them to appear once again ready to swoop in on its kill.
“What was that,” Jasper shouted through heavy quivered breaths.
“Dat’s the human’s guardian. Everys human has some kinds of guardians. Dis home has bird,” Mow explained through labored breathing, “That’s bird roams arounds lookin for critters like us to keep us out. Its mean and fierce. Don’ts counts on leaving dis area anytime soon.”
“Can’t we wait until it flies away or gets bored,” Squirllo asks as he wiped a small stream of blood from the injury across his left eye.
“Ha! That’s bird knows we is under here. It won’t leave until wes either dead or it becomes morning. That’s its job.”
“What,” Squirllo exclaims, “Why not until morning?”
“That’s thing is the human’s pet. Durings the day, it becomes a regular bird. Theys names it Daisy. At nights, the guardians magic turns its into that beast.”
Squirllo took a moment to let this frightening information sink in.
“I don’t have time for this! What are we going to do,” Squirllo nearly shouted. Panic formed a home deep in his throat.
“Wes ain’t leaving until morning ats the earliests. Gets comfortable.”
They sat there for what seemed like hours, though only minutes ticked by. Squirllo’s mind raced with the dark thoughts of Papa Squirrel’s death. Sadness welled into his chest forcing tears to his eyes. Jasper kneeled down and placed a hand on Squirllo’s shoulder.
“We shouldn’t have come here, Jasper,” said Squirllo softly crying, “I should have stayed back to be with Papa.”
“Hey, you’re here trying to find a way to save him. Don’t forget that, Squirllo.”
“I should be with him, Jasper. I should be there for his final hours. Instead, I’m trapped in here waiting for a demon spawn to eat us alive. I’ve failed Papa.”
“Squirllo, we've been friends for along time and I know for a fact that you aren't a failure or a horrible son,” Jasper said confidently, “You're here trying your hardest to find a way to save him despite all odds.”
“A lot of good that did us. I dragged you into this too, Jasper. You'll die here too thanks to me…”
“Well, that’s a cheery thought,” Jasper paused for a moment, “Look, I came of my own free will, Squirllo. Sure, you persuaded me to come, but it was my choice.”
“You two ain't adventurers, is you,” Mow interrupted.
Squirllo remained silent, so Jasper responded, “No, sir. We are here trying to find the human elixir that will help his father, Papa Squirrel, recover from his sickness.”
“Papa Squirrel? I knows him!” Mow responded. He took a moment then pointed to Squirllo, “You! That makes yous Squirllo Squirrelson son of Papa Squirrel!”
“Yes, that’s me,” Squirllo stated. He perked his ears as he gained interest, “How do you know my father?”
“Reallys? Everyone knows yous father, Squirllo,” Mow exclaimed, “He’s probablies the only one on the Rodent Council that actuallys cares about us normal peoples. I’ve met him several times.”
Squirllo changed his tune slightly after this revelation. He loved the fact that he got to see how his father had been able to inspire such excitement and loyalty. It forced pride into his heart and he felt as though he had a celebrity for a father.
Out of the silence, Mow suddenly asked, “What is wrongs with Papa Squirrel? Is he da one sicks with Deathbell?”
Squirllo mustered the strength to nod his head, “The doctor and Lady Vida told us he probably won’t last the night.”
“Lady Vida! You knows her,” Mow asked excitedly, “Is she reallys as purdy as I hears?”
Squirllo forced a smile.
Mow seemed to think for a moment, “I'm going to make sure you get to that elixir!”
Squirllo and Jasper both stared at Mow in disbelief. How could there be a way out? Didn’t he just say that there was no way out until morning?
“In case you forgot, we're stuck under here with one mean demon bird outside,” said Squirllo.
“Exactlys!” Mow states as he points a finger in the air. He immediately grabbed his backpack, “There's only one of the demon bird. It can't follows all of us at the same time.”
“What are you getting at,” Squirllo says skeptically.
Mow finally unstrapped a second fire stick from his backpack, “I is gettin at that I distract the demons bird while you two escapes!”
Squirllo’s eye shot open as large as dinner plates and Jasper’s mouth hung open as if ready for a large helping of food.
“No… no no no,” Squirllo said as he stood up, “I can't ask you to do that. He's my father. Plus, that demon bird will tear you apart!”
“You don't have to, Squirllos,” Mow responded, “Papa Squirrels saved my family's lifes once upons a times, and I swores that I would try to repays that debt. Today is that day.”
Squirllo was suddenly extremely interested, “He did? What happened?”
Mow stuttered and sighed, “It’s nots a time I likes to think about. I made my fairs share of mistakes; mistakes that…” His voice trailed off.
Mow’s face transformed with the expression of pain. Squirllo knew better than to press any further.
Jasper changed the subject, “We still need you, though. We don't know where to look, or how to get out…”
Mow grabbed his lower jaw deep in thought, and spoke while waving his finger in the air, “All yous has to do is reach that door I tolds you about. Once yous inside, close the door. The bird can’ts gets in after that. The answer yous seek is somewheres in that room. Yous best bets is a medicine theys calls Cold and Flu. I’ve seens them use it when theys feel sick. Once you find that, go to the tall closet. There’s a smalls hidden door that will take yous back outsides. I’ve used it many times before. Theys have a minty paste in theres that tastes delicious, and Squirllo,” he paused, “Tells Papa that Mow Mouseton’s debt has now been paid.”
Before Squirllo and Jasper had any time to say anything else, Mow had rolled out from under the couch with a loud war cry and struck the flame stick across the leg of the chair. It hissed to life drawing the attention of the demon bird. The bird let off a terrifying screech, lifted its wings in the air, and sped towards the old mouse. Mow held up his backpack like a shield as the bird came down upon him. He swung the fire stick around frantically.
“Go,” Mow yelled.
Squirllo and Jasper waited for nothing. They shot from underneath the couch and headed towards the hallway. As they rounded the corner, Squirllo stole a peek over his shoulder. Mow was putting up an excellent fight until the bird knocked him off his feet. It towered over him as it clamped down on his body with its talons. Squirllo rounded the corner and darted towards the last door. Jasper had already opened it enough for the two to squeeze through, and was waiting for him to shut the door. Suddenly, a terrifying screech came from the room they’d just left shooting chills through Squirllo’s spine. He sped down the hallway as fast as he could with the bird quickly in tow. They struggled to get the door closed, however, they were able to get it shut enough just in time for the bird to smack it with enough force for it to latch the door shut sending both squirrels flying to the ground. A sickening thud echoed throughout the room. Squirllo and Jasper both laid there momentarily catching their breath with a much needed break. Mixed emotions ran through each of their minds. On one hand, they felt like laughing as they had just outsmarted a demon. On the other hand, Mow gave his life so they could reach this room. The bird stood outside scratching at the door and screeching trying to reopen it.
“Are you ok,” Squirllo asked.
“I’m alright,” Jasper squeaked through heavy breaths as he patted himself down.
“Alright,” said Squirllo, “Let's split up. I’ll look for the cold and flu stuff and you look for the hidden door Mow mentioned.”
“You got it,” Jasper said as he half-heartedly raised a thumbs-up.
Squirllo stood to his feet. His legs shook with exhaustion and his arms quivered as his muscles cried. He hadn’t realized just how exhausted he truly was until just now after narrowly escaping imminent death. He hadn’t actually slept a full night since the whole incident started. He rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes and peered around the room. It was painted in a light shade of blue with a few decorations relating to the watery shore with photographs of sand and seashells all around. Squirllo had never been to the watery shore, but he had always wanted to visit. The floor was cold and shiny like the kitchen. It was a strange sensation compared to the wooden feel of everything in the home he was accustomed too. Squirllo was fascinated by the bathing unit that sat along the length of the wall. Somehow, humans had discovered a magic to make water appear from nowhere for their everyday needs. Stranger yet was the chair in the corner. It was shiny like the floor but slicker with a large hole in the seat that held water. He looked back towards the door where the bird seemed to have settled down as the scratching and screeching had resided slightly. Jasper had opened the closet and was apparently eating something from a tube. The smell of fresh mint filled the air as Squirllo rolled his eyes. After several minutes of searching, his hopes sank as nothing in this room seemed to match what he was looking for. Sure, the humans had a great many products lying about, but nothing said cold and flu on it. Just then, a shimmer caught his eyes as he peered upwards. On the wall above the sink hung a large rectangular mirror that was able to hold a reflection much like the windows Squirllo used to groom his magnificent fur, only the mirror was far clearer. He hopped up onto the sink to get a better look at himself, and ran his paw through the fur on his head. It was a bit crusted from the water and the dust of the basement where they entered the human’s home. He also noticed the deep scratch mark across his left eye along with a thin trickle of blood still running down his cheek. He was incredibly grateful that his vision remained fully intact. Squirllo scanned the mirror and noticed something odd about this piece of glass. It seemingly sat off of the wall floating in mid air. He grabbed the corner of the mirror to see what was behind it when the glass moved nearly sending him flying off of the sink. He fell into the slick bowl as the glass swung wide open. His heart skipped a beat as he smiled. On the top shelf, above several other products, sat a box that read the words, cold and flu.
“I think I’ve found it,” Squirllo exclaimed excitedly as he climbed the shelving behind the glass. He grabbed it and tilted the box over allowing it to tumble into the bowl of the sink. He dropped down to look over the box. It seemed to have already been opened, but many items still remained. He managed to pull out several of the small packages, each of which held two cylindrical objects.
“Jasper, I think I found the elixir that Mow mentioned. The box says cold and flu and everything.”
“Awesome,” Jasper’s voice echoed out, “I think I found the hidden door as well. Also, this minty stuff Mow told us about really is good.”
Squirllo snickered as he used his claw to slice open the backing. He pulled one of the capsules from its resting place and slipped it under his arm before slowly climbing down from the sink. He met Jasper in the closet, slipped out the hidden door, and they stole away into the night.
*******************
Squirllo was ripped from his sleep by a paw ruffling through his fur. The bright sun warmed his cheeks as it glistened through the decorative curtains. His eyes flickered to life to the sound of light coughing. He tilted his head upward to see a confused Papa Squirrel looking about the room. He was awake. Squirllo’s heart leaped into his throat with exhilaration as he wrapped his arms around Papa Squirrel. The hug was weakly returned.
“You’re ok!” Squirllo exclaimed.
He looked around the bedroom to see the entire family, Mama Squirrel, Brad, Jeanette, Janeen, Lady Vida, and Jasper were all asleep around the bed. As usual, Jasper held firmly a partially eaten acorn.
“Everyone, wake up! Papa is awake!” He shouted.
Eyes shot open around the room. Everyone suddenly sprang to life and crowded around the bed. Mama Squirrel began crying as she embraced Papa Squirrel in a long hug. Jeanette and Janeen began their own teary show happiness while Lady Vida stood behind the family with her staff in hand with a long bright smile across her face.
Papa Squirrel worked up the strength to ask, “What’s going on?”
“It was quite the adventure, Papa,” Lady Vida said, “However, you being awake and speaking with us is an extremely good sign. I expect that you should make a full recovery.”
“We thought we had lost you,” a loud quiver escaped Mama Squirrel’s lips.
Papa Squirrel’s face returned to normal as the memories of the situation flooded back to him.
“I don’t understand, I thought the doctor said there was no cure? My Lady, where did you come from?”
Lady Vida smiled, “Squirllo called upon me in hopes that I could help.”
“I thank you, then, my Lady. Your power continually amazes me,” Papa Squirrel said with a sigh.
“Don’t thank me, Papa. My power was unsuccessful.”
“Then how?”
“Well, it was thanks to the bravery of Squirllo and his friend Jasper.”
Papa looked to the two squirrels as Squirllo took the cue, “When the doctor and Lady Vida were unsuccessful, I came up with an idea. The doctor mentioned that it was possible that the humans could have the cure with one of their elixirs.”
“Wait, you went into the human’s homes,” declared Papa.
“We did. We found some of their elixir and were able to get it here to Lady Vida. She was able to make a cure out of it,” Squirllo said.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from the humans, Squirllo” Papa spoke through light coughs.
“Thanks to Squirllo and his friend, we now have a viable cure for Deathbell,” Lady Vida said, “You should be quite proud of them. I know I am.”
“Don’t be upset, dear,” Mama said, “You’re here and that’s all that matters.”
“You’re right, Mama,” Papa said, “Thank you, boys.”
“You’re welcome, Papa,” The boys said in unison.
“Alright, everyone needs to leave the room,” Lady Vida said, “Papa still needs to get plenty of rest to fully recover.”
Everyone began to shuffle out of the room, but Squirllo remained for a moment longer.
“Papa,” He said.
“Yes, Squirllo?”
“We ran into someone while we were inside the human’s home.”
“Who was it, son?” Papa Squirrel asked.
“His name was Mow Mouseton.”
Papa Squirrel let out a short laugh which was followed by several coughs, “So old Mow is still around after all. He’s a kind mouse with a good heart, but he has a knack for ending up in trouble, though.”
“So you did know him!” Squirllo said excitedly.
“I did. I was among a few who helped his family in their time of need. Where is the old chap?”
“We ran into a problem while we were inside the human’s home. A giant bird had cornered us. We thought we were finished,” Squirllo said with a pause.
“Squirllo,” Papa Squirrel said as if to get Squirllo to continue.
“Papa, He sacrificed himself so we could escape the bird and find the elixir,” Squirllo said, “He told me to give you a message. He said that Mow Mouseton's debt has now been paid.”
*******************
The warm sunlight caressed her body as she opened the door. She loved it here in Eden. The sweet smells of the honeysuckle, the brilliant greens of the trees, the coolness of the air, and the radiant colors of the flowers all struck her senses at once creating the most pleasant of experiences. She walked slowly about the garden on the gold brick pathway as the breeze blew through her shiny brunette hair. She reached out with her hand and touched a flower as it danced with the wind. Lady Vida rounded the corner where she saw Mother Nature tending to the tree in the center of the garden. The tree stood tall above every other plant. It was spotted with diverse hues of fruit and flowers and painted with lustrous green leaves, though now, it's magnificent color had seemingly dimmed. Black vines streaked across the trunk in various directions. Mother Nature kneeled at the base of the tree attempting to cut some of the vines away. Lady Vida took her place behind Mother Nature and stood in the tradition salute with her arms crossed in an X across her chest with her head bowed.
“My child,” Mother Nature said as she rose from her position. Her skin seemed to glow as if all of nature had given her life. She returned Lady Vida’s salute of respect, “The curse that afflicts us grows worse as time goes on, and my powers seem to fail me as they become less effective… We don’t have much time left… Without the protection of the Guardians, I fear that all life may succumb to this evil.”
She paused momentarily facing the tree, “I’ve been trying to stop the advancement of the vines, but every time I cut a vine away or use my knowledge of healing, two more seem to take its place.”
“My queen, there is still hope,” Lady Vida exclaimed excitedly, “I believe I have finally found the last Guardian.”
Mother Nature suddenly perked up, “Go on.”
“He is young, headstrong, and is currently unaware of his abilities, however, I can see the incredible power within him. I believe that with some guidance and training, he is the one we’ve been searching for.”
“What is the name of this creature, my child?”
A smile formed across Lady Vida’s lips as she spoke, “His name is Squirllo Squirrelson.
