Student Publishing Program ::

Jared Lucas

The Encounter

Perched stealthily in his tree, he waits for his opportunity
    to strike.
Look at those pigs! Stuffing their faces without a care in the world!
Well, not to worry. It’ll soon be his.

What's this?

Quickly! To the ground!
Opportunity waits for no one.
Like a masked burglar, he discreetly glides down the trunk as if it didn’t exist.
There it is! If he could just…

STOP!

He’s been spotted.

It’s too risky. The tall one’s looking at him...
He needs
            to get
                      out of…

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Heart thumping! Eyes darting! The world’s a blur! RUN, RUN, RUN!!!

...Is it safe?...

Better wait it out in the trash can.

---

Movement!
The humans stir, beginning their descent towards the stream.
Pale and sunburnt, they desperately try to adapt to their new surroundings
with rubber tubes?

Those fools.

Faster than greased lightning, he flies out of the trashcan like a bat out of hell.
Will he be first to the unguarded booty? YES!
It was all
his.

Do they seriously think they can stop him with Tupperware? HA!
It proves to be no match for his versatile claws and gnawing teeth.
Look at those morsels....
Like golden clouds studded with
Luscious black diamonds.
Oh! They smell so good, he can almo-
THE SQUIRRELS!!!

    Those sneaky little bastards.

They’ve advanced on his position. His meal is being jeopardized!
Faster and faster they come,
a sea of gray.

One flies at the container, risking it all
going for broke
and somehow manages to come out successful!
This can’t be!
He’s gotta find a safe place to…

            Up a tree?
                        Yes… that’ll do.

But that squirrel!

The humans are making their way back, and he’s got
one of their cookies! He’s a dead giveaway!

Seems like the tall one’s looking around again…
Suspicious.

NO! That little rat’s been spotted!

...Damn that squirrel.

Stuffing his face and filling his paws, the raccoon scurries up the tree
with what little is left

of his bounty.

                (a true story)

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