A Little Too Quiet
Quebite is an elusive creature that lives deep in a maple forest in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He is elusive because he exists and people have been searching for him but nobody has found him. He intends to keep it that way.
Normally in the morning, the forest is abuzz with activity. Quebite spends this time in his tunnel, which he had dug for himself under the largest rock in the forest. Quebite found that by late afternoon the people had dwindled down and it was safe for him to explore the forest for a few hours.
One fairly warm autumn morning, Quebite noticed something strange. He noticed the forest was very quiet, a little too quiet.
“This is strange,” said Quebite to himself. “The forest is too quiet. It is never this quiet in the morning. I wonder what is going on.”
Very quietly, Quebite stuck his head out from his tunnel. There was not a single person around.
“This is strange,” said Quebite. “I wonder where everyone is.”
Quebite started to look around. He did see a lot of people gathered at the far end of the forest. He was curious to find out what they were doing. He snuck over to them as close as he could go without anyone seeing him.
“Oh my?” exclaimed Quebite to himself. “It is a fall fair! No wonder there was nobody around. They are all here and it looks to me like they are all having so much fun. I am a bit jealous of them!”
Quebite had never experienced jealousy before and he was a little taken aback by it.
“I have some choices to make,” said Quebite. “I could join the people at the fair or I can continue being elusive.”
Quebite weighed his options. If he choose to go have fun, he would risk losing his identity forever. That would be permanent, not something he would ever get back. His life would change drastically. He would be hounded by reporters and researchers for the rest of his life.
Tempting as the fall fair was, Quebite knew he really only had one choice. He had to protect his identity and remain elusive.
“I have to protect my species,” said Quebite, making his way back to his tunnel under the big rock. “I can’t bring myself to risk our future just for an hour or two of fun.”
Moral of this Story:
|
