Tiny, But Effective-An Alarm System with a Tail

Prompt: Write a story from the POV of someone or (something) living in a forest. Prompt: Center your story around a mysterious forest fire, disappearance, or other strange event.

Tiny, But Effective-An Alarm System with a Tail

I am a mindful creature living among the tall leafy trees, rustic pines, and thick underbrush. I love scurrying about renovating my drey inside the most majestic oak tree within the entire forest. My family, however, by their squawks and barks has expressed that I am acting a little too squirrely for them. But honestly, they need to get a grip on it! After all, I am squirrel and I take no shame in expressing my chattering and chirping when I must, particularly outside the scurry of brother and sister squirrels.

Creation has bestowed on me a special gift. I have the capacity to understand verbal and physical cues from different living things like cockroaches, worms, rabbits, deer, trees, and other things I have yet to make their acquaintance. My favorite relationships are with the trees. But why me? I would chirp with them in wonderment but the universe has yet to provide me an answer why I can do this. I am just a furry, grey, big-tailed forest squirrel.

My family refuses to understand my ability to communicate with other living things beside our own kind. They seem really perplexed at my relationships with the trees and surrounding greenery. I know what the trees tell each other. The oaks, maples, and pines know I can understand them. Their language has become second nature to me. Sometimes the trees forget about me and get annoyed at me when I eavesdrop on their conversations. Just the other day a discussion among an oak and maple ended up for me as a mini rain storm when they rustled their leaves. The morning dew pelted me from the tree branch I had been hanging onto. I received their message loud and clear.

Long before dog, cat and horse whisperers became a thing, I pridefully donned myself as the one and only “tree whisperer.” I have learned so much about the nature of trees. They discuss things like soil moisture, air quality, and the impending seasonal changes. It is heartwarming to hear them discuss how well their seedlings are maturing on the other side of the forest. It may seem confusing how the trees can use my information to help themselves. I engage their interests by providing information via my thumping, dancing, and scurrying up and down the tree trunks. Often the information pertains to significant weather changes or about bears in the area that desire to use them as oversized backscratchers. For instance, if a tree is targeted for a rub down by a bear, I alert the tree to the bear’s approach. My tree friend then rustles his branches causing old ones to break off hopefully scaring the burly giant away. I add to the melee by launching a few twigs and sticks myself. It also assists with seasonal pruning efforts. My aim has gotten better over the years. Nowadays if there was a “wanted poster” for mischievous animals my picture would be on it front and center. A caption might read: “Don’t rub my tree buddies the wrong way or you will be poked.”

The most worrisome news to share though is about pocket fires created by lightning strikes. I would scramble through the forest from tree to tree warning them of the electrical strike. Instantaneously the trees in unison would shake, rustle, and roll their nubile stems and shoots creating a continuous sustained wind until the fire would be snuffed out. Amazing what a chorus line of trees could accomplish! The wind would be so intense the fur on my body would stand on end. Furthermore, it would push out all unwanted varmints like termites, mosquitos, and slithery snakes (a natural enemy of mine). I never understood why the violent winds would not snuff out one pocket fire in the forest. It never spread or created harm to any living creature so it was eventually forgotten. The trees never seemed worried about it either. It just burned on that bush.

Thankfully, today, no trouble or threats loom on the horizon in my beautiful forest. My days have been filled with the usual foraging of nuts, seeds, and anything else for my scurry. Tree chatter is keeping my interests up since my young brood had left the drey to start a life apart from nosey, demanding adults. Just when things are the way you like them the pattern of the wind changes causing an upheaval. Unlike any other day, I roamed around the outer edge of the forest looking for cones and nesting material to add to my drey. My peripheral vision caught glimpse of a figure walking toward the outer edge of my forest. As it got closer, I could see it carrying things strapped to itself. I sat up on my hind legs to get a better look over the high grass. That was a mistake because the figure saw me.

Apparently, I was recognized.I heard a voice say “Come out, come out little squirrel. Do not be afraid! I have something for you to eat.”

The figure knew who I was. Nonetheless, I was leery of its motivations. Was I about to be on his dinner menu? My curiosity and empty stomach prompted me to cautiously move forward.

“My name is Moses,” said the creature. “Here is a treat for you in my hand. I promise I will not harm you.”

I had no idea what the word “promise” meant, but I lunged forward taking the delicious nuts and seeds. Oh, they were tasty. Moses reached into his things and pulled out something else. It looked like tan mud. He spread some on his hand holding it up to my face. The aroma was nutty and so tantalizing. I licked it cleanly off his hand. I thought to myself maybe Moses wanted to fatten me up for his dinner. But his actions toward me suggested the opposite.He was gentle, calm, and caring. At his beckoning I scrambled up his arm perching on his shoulder.

Moses began to speak to me. “Little squirrel I am not sure you will understand my words, but let me tell you, my story. Living off the grid and respecting the land had been a way of life for me ever since I could walk. Long ago I decided to leave a self-centered civilization that was not very civilized. My visions of a verdant countryside were filled with rich tall trees and thick underbrush. They would cast a hypnotic spell upon me. But I could never seem to find that magical place. So many places I visited were spoiled and damaged by humankind. Sadly, the beauty of God’s creation has been seriously corrupted by their selfish desires. Places like national parks have strict rules prohibiting permanent living quarters. Nonetheless, I was determined to find my sanctuary unspoiled and retaining the splendor of our Creator. I was resolute to find a place with an abundance of thriving green plants and trees. In other words, a forest rich in magnificent trees, flowers, and thriving creatures like you, little squirrel. Today, I have been blessed with this forest as the fulfillment of my hopes and dreams. I will find a haven here away from the maddening world around me.”

Moses continued, “Little squirrel will you be my guide? I will serve to protect you and respect the forest. Together we can enjoy the magnificence of this wooded oasis.”

The energy from Moses’ words aroused an excitement within me. I moved up to his ear and I gently nibbled on it. In a low squeak I voiced some words native to his understanding. “Moses, I got you. I am ready for this.” I perched myself back on his shoulder.

Moses shook his head in disbelief as he turned his head to look at me. “Little squirrel I must be hallucinating this. You spoke to me so I could understand you! Wow! I guess I should not be surprised by this. Even in the Bible, Balaam’s donkey saved him from the angel brandishing a sword. The donkey later verbally responded to Balaam’s beatings.”

Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So, he bowed low and fell facedown. 1.

Moses added, “Little squirrel, you are amazing because God made you too!”

I was delighted to hear his story so I thumped my tail in pleasure. I ran back up Moses’ arm and squeaked more words. “Moses, I have something else to show you deep in the forest. Follow me.” Moses was slow on the uptake but he gathered his stuff as I raced into the forest.

“Hey little squirrel, wait. Let me collect all my stuff. I have to be careful not to damage any of the underbrush.”

We were an unlikely duo plodding through the terrain. Finally, we were in the forest center. A flame of fire in a bush burned before us. It was the pocket fire that never goes out, yet the bush was not consumed. A voice spoke, “Here I am…I am the God of your father… God said to Moses, “I am who I am. ” Moses dropped to his knees eventually laying face down on the ground.

The voice continued. “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.

Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed, there is no other Rock; I know not one.’ Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb:

“I am the Lord, who makes all things; Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; 2

Moses was awestruck by the burning bush and the words he heard coming from it. I AM spoke to him for quite a while. After some time, Moses stood up leaving the burning bush. He looked different and energized. Together we headed back to the area where we entered. He was muttering to himself so many words:

Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word; and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make our home with him .3. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 4. “(Now) Go into the world and preach the gospel (of Jesus Christ) to every creature.5.

Moses said, “Little squirrel, I need to leave this magnificent forest. The God of the Universe has appointed me on a mission to remind people of the precious nature and love for everything and everyone in His creation. God restored His creation through the death and resurrection of His prefect Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you, little squirrel for bringing me back into the sober reality of that purpose.”

He continued, “Little squirrel, the greatest story ever to occur on the face of creation rested in the burning bush in the forest you live. The great and awesome God uses the simplest of things even like you little squirrel to bring us into His presence.”

And, like lightning I scampered up a tree to continue my conversations with my friends of the forest especially the trees. Moses, On the other hand, raced ahead to the people he had left far behind to embrace them with the Good News.

-END-

1. (Numbers 22: 29-31, New International Version)

2. (Isaiah 44: 6b, 8, New King James Version)

3. (John 14: 23, New King James Version)

4. (2 Corinthians 5:17, New Living Translation)

5. (Mark 16:15, New King James Version)

Author: Pete Gautchier

Acknowledgement:Reedsy.com