Mouse

a dream serving as a metaphor

I dreamt I was a mouse.  A small, brown, furry mouse growing up with my mouse siblings in a warm, soft, cozy nest.  I watched as my caring mouse parents left the nest daily.  They were gone for hours but would always return, cheeks full of wonderful cheeses or other yummy foods for us. 

 

One day, however, they did not return.  We waited and waited, growing hungrier and hungrier.  Finally, I decided to leave the warm, cozy nest and venture outside.  I stepped out into the bright light and for the first time felt the coolness of the green grass on my feet.  I reared up on my back legs and took a long sniff of the clean air.  I couldn’t believe my mouse parents had kept this wonderful place so secret.  No wonder they didn’t return to that dark, cramped nest!  I played carefree in the tall grass, running between the flowers, reveling in the warm breezes and sunshine.  The sky darkened slightly and I dodged the raindrops as they fell from above.  I lifted my head and saw an arc, full of magnificent colors.  It was surely good to be alive! 

 

As I was busy enjoying my new world a shadow overcame me.  I looked up and saw the biggest creature I had ever seen in my short mouse life!  He was certainly beautiful to look at and he regarded me with what I believed to be curiosity.  He tilted his head one way, and then the other as his eyes never left mine.  Then he did a strange thing.  He brought one giant paw up and just hit me.  My little mouse body flew what seemed like several feet.  Then the creature lifted his other paw and knocked me the other direction with equal force.  I became terrified, not knowing what to do.  He brought one of those massive paws down on my body and began licking my head with his sandpaper tongue.  I wasn’t sure why, but I knew that this could not be good.  My little mouse brain began working wildly trying to find a way to escape this cruel, awful place I found myself in.  I knew I had to make it back to my warm, cozy nest.  The creature began batting me around again, clearly enjoying the game he was playing with me.  I ran under a tree, attempting to hide myself in its gnarled roots.  He found me. To my left, I saw a large round tunnel. I ran as fast as I could into it.  Oh no!  There was no way out, I was trapped!  I was sure I'd never see my warm, cozy nest again when I heard a loud noise overhead.  Another creature, this one with large wings, was swooping down on the beast chasing me.  He turned towards the flying creature and began chasing it instead!  He ran away until I could no longer see him.  What luck!  I was safe! 

 

I remembered I was hungry and began looking for food.  I gave the air a good sniff and set off in what seemed like a promising direction.  I was scurrying over the moist grass, feeling the blades tickling my belly when I saw another mouse, just like me.  He was not one of my mouse siblings, and he was quite good looking.  I began talking to him and he seemed very nice.  I decided he would be my friend.  Again, I forgot my hunger as we played together among the flowers.  I told him all about my life in the nest and about my mouse siblings and my mouse parents.  I told him how I had ventured out into the bright sunshine for the first time just today.  I told him about my encounter with that vicious beast and about the beautiful winged creature that had saved me.  I showed him my hiding places and told him secrets I had never shared with another being.  I thought to myself, how lucky I am to have found such a good friend.  We romped through the grasses a while longer until we were both exhausted.  I laid down and our eyes met.  He was looking at me very curiously and I felt a chill come over my little mouse body.  He tilted his head, first one way, then the other.  I began to panic as his little mouse paw grew larger and furrier.  I gasped as a grin came across his face and he took that large paw and knocked me to one side.  I realized in horror as I lay hungry, tired and bleeding that I had merely exchanged one cat for another.

 

Reviews

[Jetta Zippora]

This is really cute!

[Maria C. Donado]

I loved this story! Loved it so very much! It reminded me of a backstabbing friend and all the pain she caused. Anywaaay, this was an awesome read and is totally fav-worthy. ^^ Good job.

[Adela Muresan]

I enjoyed this story very much.
The little mouse's adventure has a lot to do with our everyday life, especially in the end.
The story is beautiful and sad at the same time.

A.M.

[bailish]

Delightful! Poor mouse, I was really identifying with it!