A Squirrel Named Cheeks

While searching for food in a lush, wild garden behind an old woman’s home, a squirrel named Cheeks happened upon a small stone statue of a rabbit wearing a top hat. He’d seen other statues in the garden depicting various small creatures, but never before this one. It was different somehow, looking oddly…almost alive.

As Cheeks circled the statue, his whiskers brushed against the stone, and he felt the figure shiver and move just a bit. In doing so, a dim glow showed from under its base. Wary, but intrigued, Cheeks pushed hard with his forepaws. The statue slid much more easily than he expected and so, caught by surprise, Cheeks fell forward. Forward and down into a tunnel hidden beneath the rabbit’s feet.

He landed with a soft thud on a mossy floor, in a dim chamber lined with bookshelves. There at a table in the center was the old woman, now revealed as a water witch. But a rather old and feeble looking one.

“Ah, a trespasser in my domain,” she croaked, peering at Cheeks with cloudy eyes. “Stop. I have to liquidate you."

Cheeks' heart raced as he searched for a means of escape. He sped up to the top bookshelf just as the witch waved her wand and muttered an incantation. The spell missed him and hit the ceiling, which broke apart, crashing down and filling the chamber with soil and water. And leaving Cheeks a clear opening back up to the garden.

Once there, he ran to the rabbit statue, but instead found a real rabbit chewing on a top hat. He swallowed, nodded at Cheeks, then hopped away. At that moment, the witch’s house vaporized, and was replaced by a beautiful fountain.

Cheeks had a quick drink, then scurried home smiling.