The Little Squama

By ioHann

There once was a little squama who got bored in the woods, so he decided to live in the city.  He walked for days until he reached that place of which only few animals have ever returned from. There he experienced new things and wonders that were never in the woods.

From the small hole of a fruit store where he stayed, a man dropped a small gadget that fell right by the squama's hole. The gadget had a small light that shone when you pressed it.  Discovering this, the squama was in awe and amazement.

He remembered his little sister in the woods.  She always got scared at night when the owls hoot, she was always scared of the dark.

Then he realized why he had gone to the city. He had a purpose. it was to find that little gadget that will end his sister's scary nights.  He nedded to bring home that special shining light that will make his little sister happy and sleep soundly.

The next day he decided to go back to the woods and share what he had seen and done in the new world where he had gone to. But most importantly, he had to bring back the special gift for his beloved sister.  He carried the little gadget all the way to the woods. It was heavy, and very difficult to carry, but all he could think of was his little sister.

"I’m doing this for her and nothing can stop me," said the Squama.

He traveled without stop for thee days until he did not have an ounce of strength left. He felt very tired and fell asleep.

When the little squama woke up, he found himself deep in the woods. My, was he surprised when he realized his gadget was gone! He searched and searched for a whole day, but it only grew darker and scarier deep in the woods.  Giving up hope, the little squama sadly decided to go home to his sister.

When he got to his old tree hole, he yelled "I’m home".  Nothing but silence echoed his cry.

"Where is my sister?" he wondered to himself.

"If you’re looking for your little sister, I’m afraid I must cry," an old weathered owl hooted deeply from above.

"And why will you cry, old owl, I might ask?" said the little squama with as his eyebrows met.

"The day you left your sister alone, the boa came along the second you were gone.  He crushed your sister until she couldn’t move and swallowed her every inch until she was no more," the old owl said as she burst in tears.

The little squama fell to the ground hearing the old owl’s story. And then he cried, and cried, until he fell asleep.

“Wake up, squama! Quickly, we must see!” cried the newt as he woke the little squama.

“What is going on? I am too sad to see” whispered the little squama still drying his tears.

“All the animals are gathered in the cove to see what Mighty Lion had taken from the sky!”

The Little Squama could tell that all the animals were rushing from left and right towards the place where Mighty Lion stood. He followed the newt along with the crowd of animals.

When the newt and the little squama arrived at the gathering, the afternoon sun had already set. They were all the way at the back because there were so many animals.

“We humbly request, Mighty Lion, that you show us this treasure from the sky!” said a monkey swinging on a tree.

“Behold, all creatures of this land, I have taken a star from the sky!” roared Mighty Lion for all the animals to hear. And with a firm press of his paw on the rock, a small but bright light shone from beneath.

“Amazing!” cried the animals in awe.

“Truly you are most powerful, Mighty Lion, to have plucked a star from the great big sky!” said the monkey with a respectful bow.

Instantly, the little squama knew what they were seeing. The prized treasure under Mighty Lion’s paw was indeed the little gadget of light that the little squama had lost -- the little gadget of light that he carried with all his might on his back for three days, the little gadget of light he had taken care of just for his little sister.

“That’s not a star!” cried the little squama all the way from the back.

All the animals quickly turned to him in shock.

“And who might you be, little pest, to deny me, the Mighty Lion!” roared Mighty Lion angrily.

“I have traveled into the city where I found that which you hold in your paw. I have brought it back for my sister, but it disappeared when I fell asleep in the woods.” Said the little squama in a small voice.

“What is a city?” asked the newt.

“I don’t know,” said the monkey.

“Liar!” screamed Mighty Lion, “you dare steal my glory for yourself?”

“You are too small to even carry a magnificent star!” yelled the monkey.

“Liar! Liar!” chanted the mob of animals.

“I am telling the truth! I have brought that star here in the woods so my little sister will not cry anymore at night when she is scared of the dark.” Pleaded the little squama.

“So now you say it is a star, you little imbecile! You do not even have a brain!” Roared the angry lion.

“Where is this sister you say? We do not see your sister!” said the monkey which brought the mob of animals in laughter.

“But…” the little squama choked when he remembered the sad fate of his little sister.

“He’s guilty! Look at his face! He is nothing but a liar who wants to steal the glory of our Mighty Lion!” announced the monkey while he swung on the vines toward the little squama.

“Kill him! Kill him!” roared the crowd, when Mighty Lion suddenly gave out a mighty roar and silenced them.

“You are lower than dust to even think of denying me! Leave this place and never return, you are nothing but a pest in my kingdom!” said the lion as all the animals yelled curses and insults.

The little squama froze in fear and could not breathe as he watched the threatening eyes of every single animal.

THUD! A big rock hit his cheek, and quickly brought him back to his senses as warm blood flowed out. He turned away and ran with all his might to the deepest and darkest part of the woods, hoping that he would disappear.

The little squama could not cry out in fear, but big painful rolls of tears flowed down his eyes, mixed with the blood on his cheek and down to the black soil of the murkiest part of the forest. He did not stop running, until suddenly…

The little squama felt he was swiftly lifted up the air by something, although he could barely see in the dark, then quickly smashed into the ground. Then he felt his whole world pressing against him. He could not breathe. He tried to scream, or cry, but instead a strong gasp of air was pushed out of him. His bones were starting to crack, and he was feeling warm and very cold at the same time. The pain and agony was too much to describe or even think of. Then the excruciating unbearable pain started to turn into numbness as he felt sliding in a warm and sticky tunnel. And then it was quiet.

Somehow, the little squama’s love for his little sister had formed a bond between them. It was a powerful bond that enabled him to sense or know when the presence of his beloved sister is close. Now wonder that by the time the little squama had returned to the woods, his special sense for his sister was never present…

            But at that very moment, with the little consciousness left of the little squama in an unknown tight and sticky place, something brushed on his broken body. And right there, he knew… he was with his little sister.