Father Knows Best

From fathers’ garden a rose emerged, young and vibrant, but also naive. Father was warned by an alarming goose that in the coming years, he must take up arms and become the wall that stands between his rose and the deviants that lurk within the forest that surrounds them.

Years passed and as foretold, the first deviant came hopping out of the forest in the form of a frog. The rose spotted the frog and believed he was her prince charming in disguise, but father knew better. The frog would be so eager to enter the garden, but wouldn’t be so eager to stay, once he’d planted his own seed. So once the frog reached the garden and was about to leap toward the rose, he felt the weight of fathers’ club crush his head in.

Father then swung his club at the frogs head with all his might, casting the deviant into the sky to never be seen again. He then proceeded to smear the remains that clung to the club around the garden for onlookers, who hid in the bushes, to see. Sadly, father was well aware his task was not done and that the deviants, driven by their hormones, would continue to challenge him.

Months passed and as father predicted, the next deviant came strolling out of the forest in the form of a fox. The rose spotted the fox and was drawn to his shiny red coat and his deceitful smile, but father knew better. The fox would extend his right paw for fathers’ blessing and with his left paw; he’d swipe the rose right from under his nose. So once the fox extended his paw, father grabbed hold of it and revealed an axe hidden behind his back, before severing his paw from his leg.

Father picked the fox up by his neck and punted him, casting the deviant back into the forest to never be seen again. He then proceeded to raise the twitching paw high in the air for onlookers, who hid in their nests, to see. Sadly, father was well aware his task was not done and that the deviants, driven by their hormones, would continue to challenge him.

Weeks passed and the day father hoped would never come, came. The rose pulled her roots up from out of the ground and walked over to the edge of the garden and stood there, ready to journey beyond the walls of the garden, but father did not approve. The deviants that father had slain were only a taste of what awaits the rose, if she was to enter the forest.

Those snakes that lurk within the forest would wrap around the rose and crush her spirit. Those bears that lurk within the forest would tear her to shreds at the whiff of a foul scent. Those humming birds that lurk within the forest would peak at her until there was nothing left. The list went on, but father did not have time to recite the dangers of the forest, told to him by the alarming goose. Danger was approaching them from all sides.

An hour passed and a swarm of rabbits emptied out of the forest and raced to the garden. Father grabbed his rose and held her close to his chest, while holding a large sword. He swung his sword in every direction, cutting down any cottontail that attempted to enter the garden.

The rose, wanting to be free, cried out to be carried away from the garden that she now considered her cage. From above, a crow circling the garden heard the rose’s plea for help and dove down to come to her aid, but father knew better. The crow would scoop her up into the sky, raising her hopes and dreams, but when unable to carry the dead weight, he’d release the rose, letting her fall back to earth and leaving her broken.

So once the crow swooped in to snatch the rose, father leaned in and encaged the crow’s head in his mouth before ripping it from its body. The rose glared at father, horrified and at that moment father realized he’d forgotten his task.

Father had forgotten his task was to shield his rose from the dangers of the forest until she was ready to leave the garden. Father let go of his rose and allowed her to journey off into the forest. Father stood in the garden, now alone, surrounded by hundreds of cottontail carcasses, while waving goodbye to his beloved rose.

~End.