Gabriel's Tale - Chapter 2: What's Going On?

Chapter 2:  What's Going On?

Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.  The only sound in the house was the ticktocking of the clock on the mantel.  Gabriel’s ears perked up.  He raised his head.  His ears twitched back and forth as they followed the sound.  His nose wiggled as it checked for a scent.  There was something different in the room.  It was a new smell to him.  In fact, all smells were new to Gabriel.  The carrot he used to have for a nose was not good at all for smelling things!  

Then, out of the corner of his eye he saw it—a tiny little creature—furry and grayish brown.  It had a pink tail and beady little eyes.  Gabriel rose slowly. With his tail as straight as a stick pointed in the opposite direction, he pointed his nose at it.  The little mouse, for that is what she was, froze.  Gabriel crept forward, not relaxing a muscle.  Step, step, step, he drew closer.  

“Yikes!” the little mouse shrieked, jumping straight up into the air.  Landing with a thump she ran into a hole in the baseboard.  

Gabriel bolted toward the hole so fast that he slid when he tried to stop.  Before he knew it his nose had gone all the way into the hole!  “Tee hee hee,” the little mouse chortled.  She was so nervous she couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the sight of this huge black “knob” protruding into her house!  “Oh, excuse my manners,” she cried when she finally heard Gabriel whimpering.  

Gabriel was stuck and he didn’t know what to do next!  The little mouse looked at his situation and took pity on him.  Going out her back door, she came around to Gabriel’s head so that he could see her.  

“Oh, dear,” the mouse said, “You are stuck!”  Gabriel could not speak since his mouth was also stuck in the hole.  Instead, his eyes conveyed his helplessness while his tail swished his annoyance.  “Listen,” she continued, “I’ll help you get out, if you promise not to eat me!”  

Gabriel, never having seen a mouse before, wondered Why would I want to eat you?  The mouse could see in Gabriel’s eyes that he was just a playful little puppy.  So she decided it would be OK to help him get free.  She scampered to the kitchen where she found some butter that had been left on the counter.  When she returned with it she told Gabriel her plan and began rubbing the butter all over his face where he was stuck.  Then she went to her back door and into her house and rubbed more butter all around Gabriel’s nose.  

“Hmmm,” Gabriel exclaimed because it smelled delicious!  The mouse, whose name was Tilly, told Gabriel to twist his head side to side while she pushed on his nose.  This he did and in no time at all he was free!  And to top it off he got to lick off all the butter around his nose!  Tilly giggled again as she watched him from her doorway, licking his fur, paying no attention to her at all. 

Just then the sound of the front door opening startled both Gabriel and Tilly.  The old man and old woman had just come home.  Tilly scurried back into her house while a guilty Gabriel looked up into two disapproving faces.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my!” the old woman lamented.  “What have you gotten into?!  The butter?!”  She scooped Gabriel up into her arms and carried him over to the sink.  “We’ll just have to clean you up, won’t we.” Gabriel had smeared butter all over himself when he’d licked his paws, then scratched himself.  He was a mess!  

The old woman toweled him off and set him by the fire that was now blazing in the fireplace.  Gabriel was sleepy from his little adventure so he lay down on the rug and was soon sound asleep.  It was some time later that he awoke and found it dark outside.  “Are you hungry, boy?” the old man asked.  “Let’s go outside first.” 

The stars twinkled their helloes to Gabriel just as they always had when he’d stood out in the yard alone every night.  He looked back at the house where the lights shone through the windows.  I remember how I used to look for Poetry in that window, hoping she’d come out to play.  Now the window was empty. 

“Shall we go back in?” the old man said breaking into Gabriel’s thoughts.  Gabriel was glad to go back to the warmth of the fire and to find his supper waiting for him, but his mind was still planning a way to get out on his own and start his journey to find Poetry.

That night when the couple was asleep Tilly crept out of her house to find Gabriel sniffing around the door.  “What are you doing?” she whispered. 

“Oh, hi there. I’m trying to find a way out.”  

“Why do you want to do that?  The old couple will take you out anytime you want to go.”  

“Yes, but they put me on a leash so I can’t get away.”  

“But why do you want to get away?” the little mouse asked perplexedly for she had no desire to leave her own snug little house.  She had everything she needed right here.

So Gabriel explained about Poetry and how much he missed her.  Tilly understood now.  She’d once had someone she loved very much who was now gone--forever.  Tilly looked up into Gabriel’s sad eyes and said, “I can help you.”  So they hatched a plan.

The next morning the Plan would be executed later in the morning after Gabriel had his breakfast.  He knew his next meal might be long in coming so he thought he’d better eat before he left.  Because of this Gabriel was standing by his food bowl when the old man entered the kitchen.  “Oh, you want to eat first do you?  OK, I’ll get your breakfast.  Then we’ll go outside.”  What the old man didn’t know is that during the night Tilly had chewed through the leash most of the way.  Once outside Gabriel would give a good yank and then be on his way.  

The old woman came into the kitchen and smiled at Gabriel.  She bent down and tousled his fur, “I’m sure going to miss you.”  Gabriel looked up at her.  How does she know I’m leaving? he wondered.

“Yeah, ol’ boy,” the old man added.  “We just can’t keep you now can we.  I’m sure you’ll like your new family.”  Gabriel cocked his head in confusion.  What are they telling me? 

Just then the doorbell chimed.  The old woman opened the door and a man and a woman with two children walked in.  That is, the adults walked in.  The children ran over to where Gabriel stood.  Immediately his ears lay back against his head as he backed away from them, but not in time.  The boy had practically pounced on him while the girl was squeezing his neck.  Gabriel, panicking, looked at the front door.  Seeing it was standing open he struggled free and bolted for it.  This is my chance!

Tilly stood in her doorway, waving goodbye to Gabriel.  Just as Gabriel reached the door he turned and gave a little bark to his tiny friend and a “ruff-ruff” to the kind couple that had taken care of him in the first days of his new life.  Then, before anyone could catch him, he was out the door heading down the street on his journey to find Poetry. 

©CathyGilleylenSchultz

Chapter 3:  The Adventure Begins