The Fox

A Story by Catherine

I was just finished my homework when I decided to go for a walk. It was a sunny yet breezy Thursday afternoon and I was home alone for the next hour. I swept my long hair into a quick braid and put on my coat. I walked out to the shed and put my dog, Charlie on a leash, he loves going for walks, and today was no exception!

As I walked out the gate I put my headphones on and turned up the tunes. I was walking for about 20 minutes when I saw a biggish animal sitting in the middle of the road. As I got closer, I noticed it was facing away from me, and decided it was in fact a fox. Charlie started barking and tugging at my leash and as he is a husky dog; it was hard to keep him restrained. He eventually broke free, which is unlike him and his normal gentile nature. He ran back in the direction of home. I called him, but knew he would be sitting on the front porch when I went home so I continued my walk as I was inclined to satisfy my curiosity over the mysterious immovable animal.

I was now about 20 yards away and decided maybe I should call the animal before I got too close; in case I startled him. As I shouted out, I expected a reaction, but the creature contentedly sat in the middle of the road. No cars had passed by since my walk, as we live down a particularly quiet lane in the thick of the countryside’s peaceful solidarity, so no car had disturbed it. I wondered how long the fox had been there for when I realised I was only a few feet away from the fox. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating but I had an insatiable desire and attraction to see the mysterious creature. Before I knew it we were face to face.

As I looked into the foxes eyes I fell into a trance, the glossy blue eyes were round and moist from crying. They sat in the skull of a fox with well-defined features and thick whiskers which populated his lower jowls. As I looked into his soul we made a connection and I could feel the pain the creature had went through.

‘Are you ok, boy?’ I asked as I rubbed the glistening auburn hairs on his back. The animal then got up and walked away from me. I didn’t know what this was about. I followed the fox and down the road I saw a small animal body on the road. He looked up at me and I knew it was his baby and that it was dead. We got closer and I moved it into the ditch, not a flattering burial, but what else could I do? The fox looked into my eyes one more time and then disappeared into the ditch. I walked home knowing my journey was over. I felt strange as I walked home. I couldn’t get the fox out of my head. I went to bed as soon as I went home, but was awoken by a whining noise outside my window. I opened my curtains and saw the fox with his baby frolicking in the garden. Something very special was after happening and I smiled and returned to my bed, dreaming sweet dreams of foxes running in the meadow.