The Squirrel and the Rabbit
Pai Dec 2022
The Squirrel and the Rabbit were playing down by the bend in the wide slow flowing river. They had been best friend for as long as they cold remember. They learned together, played together and got in trouble together.
After an hour of jumping, bouncing, climbing and chasing the little Rabbit was tired and thirsty. She went to the river to get a drink while the Squirrel laid on his back exhausted. Not long later there was a soft rustle in the tall grass behind him, as she turned to see what it was, a large black snake appeared, its black scales glinting in the sun with tinges of purple and blue. The Squirrel was paralysed in shock as the snake rode up, its cold sharp fangs poised to strike and take is first meal in a few days.
Just as the snake thrust forward a flash of white rocketed past and the Rabbit sunk its teeth into the tail of the snake. The snake recoiled in utter confusion, more from surprise than pain. They tumbled backward but the snake was quick to recover its composure. He struck at the rabbit with all his might but the rabbit was quick as lightning, dodging the razor fangs and sinking again into the tail of the snake, biting hard.
The snake could not believe it, he pounced again, faster, harder but the rabbit was already behind him. Again and again the snake tried to beat the rabbit and claim a meal but after a dozen efforts he came up short every time. He could not beat the rabbit but he formed a plan to outsmart her.
He feigned his next attack and as the rabbit shot past he darted sideways and sunk his long fangs into the flesh of the stunned squirrel, injecting the poison that would seal his fate.
The Snake turned to face the Rabbit, it’s eyes blazing yellow like fire, let out a long harsh hiss of triumph. The Rabbit turned quickly and hopped away distraught and bewildered. She ran for a while and then stopped shaking uncontrollably. It can’t be real, she thought, my best friend is gone….gone. A numbness spread though her mind curling round it like the snake itself its black scales falling off and turning into dark paste setting everything frozen solid.
She didn’t remember how she got home but her father took one look at her and carried her inside. They gathered around firing questions but the only response was blinking, she couldn’t bring her self to cry. After a few hours the questions stopped. She was carried to bed where she shook for days.Her mother gently asked her what happened?
Somehow she relayed the story but she felt separate from her body, as if someone else was telling it and she was watching. They tried to console her, tell her everything would be ok but even though she understood the words they had no meaning. She couldn’t eat and while she refused water, they insisted until she relented.
The days were a blur of numbness and emptiness, her family so concerned they didn't know what to do. Finally the tears came, first a trickle and then a torrent. It seamed like all she could do was cry. She cried until she thought no more could come out but every time she stopped she saw the squirrels face the torrent returned. For weeks it was the same, she grew thin and grey in the eyes.
A month later they travelled to their grandmothers house to celebrate her birthday. They arrived late after the long and dangerous journey and slept in the next day. After some murmuring in the background her grandmother asked the tiny rabbit to go for a walk, she could never deny her anything. They found some nice grass and sat in the late morning sun, it sparkled like crystals on the dewy blades still present in there late winter.
“You’re so sad today my little one” she observed. “My friend is gone” came forlorn reply, “Yes they told me”, she paused. “The loss will never leave you, my dear. You will carry it until you too are gone”. She looked up in surprise at the directness of the statement. “Never?”, “ No never sweet girl, you will carry it always…..but you will learn to carry it better, you will learn to cope a little more each week and month.”
There was a long silence as they tiny bunny thought about this. “For how long?” she asked, “It’s different for everyone but time will slowly take away the pain. The loss will always be there forever.” Again they sat in silence but it was not uncomfortable. “Are you sure? How do you know?”, “Sadly, I’ve lost so many friends, my dear I couldn't begin to count them, but some of them I mourn to this very day. Yet ’I've always found a way forward, healing comes painfully slowly but it always comes. It changes you, it can make you harder or softer.”
The silence was calm as they both contemplated the process.
The little rabbit looked at the kindness in her grandmothers eyes, she leaned over and gave her the longest hug. The image of the Squirrels face appeared but her reaction was different. She cried for a while.
“My grandmother told me something once when I was young and sad like you. It was my first great loss” She paused “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal”. A tear fell from the little rabbits eyes, she went back to hugging her grandmother and wept softly for a while.
On the walk back to the house the little rabbit had felt something had changed, the numbness had lifted and she felt lighter. The pain in her heart was still there but somehow she felt she could bare it, somehow she knew her grandmother was right. They arrived to find everyone preparing food. “What’s for lunch?” The little rabbit asked curiously. “Carrots” came the unanimous reply “What again!?” The little rabbit exclaimed and they all broke into laughter. For the first time in her life she felt laughter and pain at the same time, it would not be the last. Not for any of us. Life is bitter sweet.
My inspiration; Quote from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not “get over” the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.